Central banks and espionage agencies are insidious threats to any free people. The former manipulate the value of money, and the latter manipulate the perceived truthfulness of information. Both ostensibly work for the broader public’s “best interest,” but as is true of all institutions, they ultimately serve the interests of those people who run them. Spies and bankers should not have so much power over free citizens.
Both institutions are not only plainly anti-democratic but also inherently authoritarian. The central banker says, “Free markets cannot be trusted to direct the flow of goods and services, so a small collection of experts must be empowered to manipulate markets at their discretion.” The spy agency says, “Free peoples cannot be trusted to make wise decisions based upon available information, so a small collection of experts must be empowered to manipulate what the public knows.”
In both instances, freedom is diminished. Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” of the marketplace is replaced with a banker’s gloved fist. Self-government is superseded by a national security surveillance State. A small caste of people exercise enormous power over everyone else.
Should real free markets ever return to the West, future commentators will surely look back at this era and wonder how sensible people could have mistaken their economies for anything but command-and-control enterprises. “The institutions controlling their markets were literally called ‘central banks,’” they will scoff. We will appear quite gullible. Perhaps the biggest “tell” that we have been living under the mere illusion of free markets is the uncomfortable truth that the central banks of closed communist nations are scarcely distinguishable from those purporting to undergird capitalism. Both use their powers to choose economic winners and losers.
As with all human-devised schemes that ultimately betray their stated purpose, centralized control over the supply of monetary currency has been sold to the public as a necessary contrivance for the “collective good.” In this way, free peoples have handed authority over markets to a cabal of bankers who promise to maintain invaluable safeguards against economic volatility, unemployment, inflation, and poverty (even when these goals contradict one another).
Just as with mice and men, the best laid plans of central bankers often go awry. On the other hand, if their plan is to create periodic inflationary bubbles that allow wealthy investors to artificially grow the value of their assets before collapsing the economy, destroying middle-class workers’ life savings, and buying up bankrupt businesses for pennies on the dollar, then the central bankers get it right every time.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
In the United States, the privately owned central bank known as the Federal Reserve provided so much stability (sarcasm alert!) that within two decades of its creation, its centralized management of the economy helped usher in the Great Depression. Instead of recognizing the social cost of that economic crisis as demonstrable evidence that central banks cannot prevent catastrophe, or worse, actually facilitate catastrophe, the Federal Reserve used its own failures to further justify its continued existence. Without us, things would have been so much worse! Where have we heard that excuse recently? Oh, right, it’s what the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, and pharmaceutical bigwigs keep saying about their experimental “vaccines.” Birds of a feather scam the public together, after all.
The worst part of central bank tyranny is that it has destroyed sound money and private savings. In every country, a similar story has played out. First, people trade goods and services using some form of precious metal as a medium of exchange because gold and silver have historically retained their value over time. Next, a government mints coins made from those metals in order to promote lucrative trade. Then, inherently worthless paper currencies are introduced that are backed by the government’s promise that they may be redeemed for gold or silver at any time.
Finally, after people are accustomed to using paper currency, its tether to gold and silver is cut. So long as people continue to participate under the delusion that paper currencies have innate value, central banks and governments can print more worthless notes whenever bankers or governments need money. Inflation is the inevitable result. Whereas a person who earns an income in gold coins can store that gold and find that the value of his labor remains the same fifty years later, a person who earns an income in paper banknotes will find that the value of his savings (his stored labor) has evaporated. Central banks have destroyed sound money, middle-class savings, self-sufficiency, and private property.
What they have created is a government money tree that uses central bank inflation to steal from the public in order to finance the military infrastructure, policy preferences, and bureaucratic armies of the State. Espionage agencies — with their black budgets and covert mission directives — should be aberrations for any free society. Instead, central bank funny money ensures that they are well funded and independent operators whether the public wishes them to exist or not.
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In every society, two monopolistic drives exist — one that seeks control over wealth and another that seeks control over information. Eventually, these monopolistic forces combine in order to maximize their power over ordinary citizens. Markets, after all, react to publicly released information, and spy agencies are only as robust as their operating budgets. It should be no surprise, then, that former intelligence operatives fill the ranks of not only defense contractors and weapons manufacturers, but also of news corporations, social media powerhouses, pharmaceutical companies, and global investment banks.
There is a symbiotic relationship between those who possess secret knowledge and those who generate wealth. Just as central banks manipulate the supply of money for profit, spies manipulate the supply of information for profit, too. Companies that track and data-mine our private information are in the espionage business. Intelligence agencies that warp public knowledge for institutional gain are in the business of destroying democratic republics.
Unfortunately, the mother lode of profitable surveillance-gathering lies just up ahead: central bank digital currencies. If governments are permitted to foist CBDCs upon the public, the unholy marriage between central banks and espionage agencies will be complete. In a world where money is created at the stroke of a key and private transactions are tracked in real time, there will be no such thing as private property, let alone real privacy.
However, there is a corollary to this emerging nightmare of total financial surveillance: the reintroduction of sound money based in gold and silver will support not only a return of free markets, but also a return of relative privacy. In order to curtail the tyranny of central banks and espionage agencies, ordinary citizens must starve the State. The easiest way to do so is to reject funny money for good.
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If we were trying to explain to an enslaved society what freedom entails, we might say that free peoples own the fruits of their labor, communicate without external constraints, and trade among themselves according to their wants and needs. Free markets, private property, and free speech are the bedrock of any free society. We would not, however, describe freedom as a condition in which property rights are heavily regulated, trade is heavily supervised, labor is heavily taxed, monetary currencies are heavily inflated, or information is heavily censored. Enslaved societies are already intimately familiar with these attributes because they are the essential constraints burdening anyone living in bondage. If an enslaved people were trying to explain to us why anyone would ever choose to live in a state of bondage, they might say that most enslaved people don’t realize that they’re already living as slaves.
Central bank manipulation of money turns free citizens into debt slaves and finances the national security architecture that keeps them permanently chained.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
