Tuesday, February 17, 2009

United States the Pied Piper of Financial Doom

by http://socrates911.blogspot.com


The world is aware that the United States suffered a depression in the 1930's which resulted in a number of Congressional regulatory acts [ Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 included ], complimenting existing Anti-Trust laws, and designed to prevent a future financial collapse in the U.S.A.

Full implementation of these regulatory acts occurred after WWII, and provided a basis of stability for U.S. banks and financial institutions. As banks, financial institutions and corporations gained political influence over Washington, the regulators became, under political pressure from both Democrats and Republicans, lax in the enforcement of these 1890-1936 laws. Beginning with the Reagan administration, there was increased pressure to " deregulate ". Laws that allowed the U.S. to become the Pied Piper of the world, financial world in particular, were increasingly modified or repealed during the ensuing years 1960-2005. The U.S. enjoyed economic prosperity previously unknown in the world, enticing foreign governments, banks, financial institutions and investors to " buy in " and finance the "AMERICAN DREAM " by purchasing financial contrivances dreamed-up by Wall Street, and continuing to buy U.S. Government, Treasury issues.

The lesson learned, follow the U.S. Pied Piper and you will be doomed.
Unless and until the U.S. re-enacts bank and financial regulatory legislation created in the 1930's and strictly enforces the Sherman and Clayton Anti-Trust Acts preventing mergers, the U.S., regardless of any "stimulus" Washington conjures up, will not be able to pull itself out of the depression it now faces. The rest of the world and particularly the remaining members of the G8 ( minus the U.S. = G7 ) need to develop compacts independent of the U.S. The U.S. is no longer the leader and has little to offer other nations except to buy U.S. debt so that the U.S. can purse its narcissistic interests and military objectives.

What the U.S. needs to do, but does not have the Congressional will to do, is to “man-up” to the fact that it alone has lead fellow G8 nations and other less fortunate nations, to the brink of financial collapse. The U.S. needs to co-ordinate its Anti-Trust laws, bank, financial and insurance regulations and regulatory agencies with those of other G8 nations. Agree on central bank borrowing rates that are within 1/2 % of rates established by other G8 Central banks, agree on a universal retail interest cap at 12% simple interest, and restrict the sale, assignment, transfer of stock and financial instruments, including commodity contracts, requiring, among other things, that stocks, bonds, warrants and the like must be held for a period of not less then 13 months. One of the main, but little discussed components, of the global financial mess the U.S. has created, was and is market volatility. Mechanisms to stabilize global financial markets will be necessary before there can be any true recovery. The U.S. “stimulus” is inward looking, and makes no provision for new and required stability and regulatory mechanisms; the caveat to the rest of the G8 club, and other nations, is to look else ware for leadership.

No comments: