They say that all crisis is in direct response to situations which require immediate actions and decisions but are not made. The great meltdown of 2008 was created because of the immense greed and phony paper which had inundated the entire Global Economy over the last 10 years. Much as someone that thought they could handle heroin….using it only when they really needed it – Investment Bankers were locked into their computer screens and and bank statements ….as they poured more and more worthless hyper-leveraged and inflated directly into the veins of the Global Economy. When the big guys caught on…it was too late….six or seven years too late. We are talking about a system that needed to be shut down in 2002 to save our world!
These brokers, bankers, public employee administrators and knowledgeable investors….were all lovely people; with great families, church goers, charity giving and politically active. Simply put these were “just folks” as Bill O’Reilly might say….”They were just hooked on drugs!” Drugs that would eventually bring down nations. The scrambling E-7 met over the week-end to bring endless credit liquidity into their process. Great Britain ponied up 50 Billion British Pounds….to just prop up four banks! The French, Germans and others are all scheduled to meet further next week. Too little…too late!
Here in the United States, Hank Paulson…says he is ready to start spending part of the $700 Billion Bail Out cash….in a couple of weeks. Interesting that he doesn’t mention the $140 Billion dollars in “Mega Ear Marks”…..that were passed right along with the Bail Out cash. The big question is: “Isn’t too late to do much except make sure your buddies on Wall Street get out with their skins?” The House of Cards has collasped….and people are trying to use toothpicks to support the walls. What we need to do is reshuffle….!
Wachovia has been picked up by Wells Fargo after being courted by CitiBank and there will undoubtedly be a huge lawsuit over that entire affair. They will not be alone. Hundreds of banks will close or merge with others within the very near future. Sadly, we seem to be propping up bad actors within the financial community that were leading the charge to “Credit Default Swaps” and three or four other not so lovely exotic investment vehicles. The results are serious to be sure. People are looking at their 401K’s, Retirement and Pensions and seeing half of what they had last year. That number will continue to fall….until all the “Bad Paper” within all the investment vehicles is either funded, purged or ripped out of the system.
The truth of the matter is that we are better than any economic system. This is called “crunch time” and we will all need to come together as human beings and realize that going to Canada could end up worse than staying here. That going to New Zealand could end up being far worse that staying here and helping our fellow men and women….make it through. Now is the time when smart people are needed. Caring people are needed. Loving people are needed. Truthful people are needed. And finally, having the great required strength to remove the greedy, the paid off and the liars in our government and private industry!
We will be starting from Zero….but we will be happy that we have stepped across the street and onto the “Road to Redemption!”
*The DOW make a remarkable comeback today! Maybe our optomistic approach has helped!