The Fate of Germany v Euro – The Export Economic Model Risks | Armstrong Economics

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; I watched the new documentary on your solution. I really want to thank you for everything you do and for free. It is so nice to see someone who actually gives back and has no personal agenda to enrich themselves. My question is this. You mentioned the reason why the United States economy was the envy of the world and differentiated it from Germany which has an export model economy that is why they supported the euro, to begin with. What do you see for Germany ahead? Thank you CB ANSWER: Germany has an export-dependent economy which has directly benefited from the continent-wide trade liberalization and the creation of the Euro which eliminated foreign exchange fluctuations for German manufacturers in Europe at least. However, that simply means that Germany also has the most to lose from a worsening Euro crisis and a resulting wave of Euroscepticism. The political freedoms lost with the creation of the Euro will tear Europe apart. The refusal to consolidate the debt within Europe was profound. The Italy Crisis demonstrates what I have been warning about. BECAUSE there is no central debt, Brussels sticks its nose into every budget of every member state. The economic conditions within Europe are different between each member. Germany is an export economy and Greece is a tourist economy. There are great differences between each member so one policy does not fit all. They are trying to PRETEND they are creating the United States of Europe but that is a joke. The refusal to have consolidated the debts created an unsustainable political union. The USA has a federal debt and budget. Washington does not stick its nose into the budgets of all 50 states. They issue their own debt which is NOT ACCEPTABLE for reserves of any bank. They are also all on their own paying different rates of interest according to their credit rating. In the EU, they are trying to manage the budgets of every member which will only lead to political differences. The structure is absurd and then the banks have to be politically correct and hold the debt of all member states. Thus, the risk becomes if one member is in a crisis, they bring down the entire system. In the USA, if Illinois goes bankrupt, it has no impact on the dollar, the national debt, or politics in Washington. The greatest risk to Germany is the collapse of the Euro means that the single currency relieved their manufacturers of having to manage currency risk. Suddenly, the currency risk returns, the export model fails, and the lack of a domestic consumer market means that the economic conditions in Germany decline rapidly because of their dependence upon everyone else doing well.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/markets-by-sector/foreign-exchange/euro/the-fate-of-germany-v-euro-the-export-economic-model-risks/

Life in the EU

Europe & Risk of Revolution | Armstrong Economics

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr Armstrong, for your lifetime work. mindblowing as always. I picture Europe now as Greece during the Roman Republic (before its conquest). isolated, corrupted to the core. And the US as the new Roman Republic. Will it become an empire after 2032? Marius was the man of the people and in the end, he was defeated by Sylla (Senate if I m correct). But Marius’ idea was carried on by Cesar. Was he a socialist before the hour? as a European, which side is the safest to pick when we will be dragged in the conflict??? thanks again! best regards from France ANSWER: Ironically, people may think history is just the past. The next time you watch Star Wars, look closer. It is about this very struggle of the people versus the Empire. Instead of swords, they fight with laser swords. If you look at the royal guard, they had cloaks and helmets much as the Romans were dressed. This is actually a saga that is repeated time and again throughout history. Pericles in Athens was charged and put on trial as they are trying to do with Trump. Today, we call it the Deep States. In Roman times, Caesar fought against the corrupt Senate who was the political party known as the Optimates. You are correct, Marius lost. His coins refected the anti-establishment. You can see the female head of Italia, for which he was fighting. Caesar’s reputation has been distorted by the corrupt Optimates such as Cato and Cicero. Caesar was a man of the people, not a socialist, just an anti-establishment from the perspective of corruption. He too had to flee Rome under the dictatorship of Sulla who would have killed him much as Stalin killed anyone who might oppose him. The aspect of Europe is the total failure to really integrate the 28 member states. It is effectively a dictatorship without accepting the responsibilities. The EU dictates what the budgets should be of each member under the pretense of maintaining the Euro. The USA does not have that structure. The Feds, nor the Federal Reserve, care about the budgets of each 50 state. This is what I mean that the failure to consolidate the debts from the outset has created a dictatorship. The good news is that the EU has no central power as of yet to militarily invade a member who refuses to comply. In the case of Europe, it is extremely vulnerable to a complete collapse because the member states still retained even their own central banks. The EU could call upon some states to provide it with troops to invade another. But that is tenuous at best as the lack of confidence in the central EU government is gradually collapsing.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/europes-current-economy/europe-risk-of-revolution/

Qatar to help Turkey by $15 Billion Loan | Armstrong Economics

There has been a lot of lobbying behind the curtain going on asking Qatar to change its position and help Turkey for the IMF would not be able to come to the rescue. Sources are saying that Qatar will help Turkey to the tune of $15 billion for now. Those lobbying have included the United States. This will help ease things a little with Turkey.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/turkey/qatar-to-help-turkey-by-15-billion-loan/

The Turks will be debt slaves

Coming Crisis: Emerging Market Debt | Armstrong Economics

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; Just to clarify, a continued rate hike in dollars will send Emerging Market debt into chaos and possibly default. Is this both public and private? Thank you. You are a voice in the wilderness PK ANSWER: Oh yes. Both public and private emerging market debt raised money in dollars. A 2% increase in interest rates could spark a sharp rise in the proportion of emerging market corporate debt issues at risk of default. This is true especially in Brazil, Turkey, and India.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/emerging-markets/emerging-market-debt-coming-crisis/

West Coast & the Insane Socialistic Hunt for Taxes | Armstrong Economics

I have been warning that we are in a battle to the death against the socialists. The West Coast is becoming the place to leave as fast as you possibly can for any business. There are already companies starting to migrate from Silicon Valley to Texas. The migration has become. More and more Tech firms are setting up shop in Austin Texas. We are starting to see Tampa also perk-up. The advantages of both places have been that they “fit” the non-establishment atmosphere. The socialists in the West are just going nuts. You have Seattle taxing $275 per employee to shelter “homeless” of which many are aliens. We have Portland all upset over the “inequality” of income so they want to bring the “rich” down to the same level of the “poor” to make it fair rather than raise the poor. Strange how they always get that one backward. Lawmakers in Portland, Oregon have decided to attack the rich by imposing a business-tax on firms with extreme CEO-to-worker pay ratios: 10% Tax on firms with a CEO-to-Worker ratio over 100-to-1; and a 25% Tax on firms with a CEO-to-Worker ratio over 250-to-1. So in other words, if a company is in trouble and brings in someone to straighten out the firm and he is paid 250x that of an average worker, then they want to tax the firm 25%. The West Coast is just going nuts. As the funding for all their socialistic dreams leaves huge deficits, they are turning to “justify” raising taxes pretending they are fighting a new moral cause. When I was restructuring companies and helping those who wanted to establish a base inside the EU for the coming Euro, those firms who needed skilled labor in manufacturing I placed in Britain. If they needed the best tax deal and were not concerned about a manufacturing base, I placed them in Ireland. That is how I came to know Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She wanted to meet the guy who was sending all these companies into Britain. There was no a single company I placed in France because the unions were crazy. On a strike, the actually kidnapped the CEO and his family until they got their demands. The German taxation was nuts. The taxes a company had to “contribute” to Employees benefits was 40% more than Britain. So you see, I was paid to do the best deal for my clients. That was my job. Today, I would NOT place any company in California, Oregon, or Washington. My recommendation is to get out before they impose an EXIT TAX like New Jersey.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/taxes/west-coast-the-insane-socialistic-hunt-for-taxes/