Trapped in Amerika
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 12:30PM Slowly, as Americans are waking up to the fasco-communist police state that surrounds them and realize that the economy in the US will never recover until after the US dollar hyperinflates into worthlessness, we receive more and more emails with sad stories and desperate cries for help.
The stories are often truly sad and usually entail abuse by the police or the state or being wiped out by the corrupt educational system or medical system which are fascist systems now designed to indebt and take as much wealth from Americans as possible.
There is nothing we can do to change the past, obviously. Where we can help, however, is in the here and now.
Before I go into some thoughts and ideas to help those who feel like they are trapped in Amerika, here is an email we received today that is quite representative of the hundreds of emails we receive every single day:
Mr. Berwick,
After reading your article, "The US is Fast Becoming a Third World Police State", I had to say something.
I am in total agreement and wish we could leave the country. But the average middle American has by now been financially handicapped. We at one time had a farm and quite a bit of money in the stock market. Now we are lucky to own our little farm out right, but all other assets have vanished. A medical emergency that occured 6 weeks before I would have been insurance wiped us out. My father had the same problem in the 1970s and it cost about $12,000. For me it was $164,000. Just for the four day hospital stay. I was lucky to of been sent to a "charity" rich hospital. But I was still left with several thousand in medical bills I have had to make payments on. I was not in ICU, this is what they charge for a hospital stay now. And what is scary is the fact if I had the insurance I would of still been saddled with $30-40,000 of debt. So, I was probably lucky I didn't have it.
My husband hasn't been able to find a job in 4 years. I am lucky to work at a school. But the bottom line is that we are living on next to nothing. But a few years ago we WERE middle class Americans. Now we have no savings and live paycheck to paycheck. So, your advice is only good for the folks that are WAY above average now. No one I work with could do what you suggest. And with the inflation coming home to roost....we will be lucky to keep food on our table. I am so thankful my parents have both passed away. They would be devasted to see our country melting away.
Thanks for listening,
Toni in the Pacific Northwest
This is very typical of the stories we hear regularly. It is really heart-wrenching to hear people who sound so despondent.
There are reasons to keep your head up, however. Allow me to make some general comments.
IF YOU STILL HAVE A JOB AND/OR ASSETS
First, for all those in the US today who still have jobs and still have assets, take heed of the many who were in your position only a few years ago and now are impoverished and left with much fewer options. If your work is in any way tied in to the finance industry or government, consider that you have very little time left before you will no longer be employed. The financial industry has been built on 40 years of fiat currency based debt... it has been an illusion. It was not real wealth created and when the US dollar based financial system collapses it will leave a black-hole in the financial industry that will make Black Monday feel like the best of times. Government jobs, as well, are all illusionary and dependent on the printing of money to continue.
If you have extra income, stop all unneccesary consumption and save as much as possible - but, of course, not in US dollars. Put your savings into gold and silver. And, if you've had the idea to expatriate, do it now while you still have the financial means to support yourself for the first few months or years until you can make a life for yourself somewhere else.
IF YOU HAVE NO JOB OR ASSETS
All is not lost if you've been wiped out.
One of the top things that we hear is that many have large amounts of unpayable student loan debt. Remember, this debt only matters in the US. If you were to be able to leave the US and go elsewhere, those debts are meaningless - however, also remember that if you were to return to the US they may go after you at that point. But for many with six-figure, unpayable student debt, this is a matter of escape or being a slave for life to those debts. As well, many have been caught by the thousands of laws in the US and have a criminal record and think this will prohibit them from travel... most countries do not trade this information with the US (Canada does), so you can still leave the US with a criminal record.
Secondly, just because you have no job or job prospects in the US does not mean there aren't plenty of opportunities elsewhere. For Americans, look no further than Canada. Canada cannot find enough people to work in the Oil Sands - and many of those jobs are six-figure jobs, even for basic labor. As well, other mining camps in Canada are in the same situation. And Canada is easy enough, you could take a bus there. Look up Canadian mining companies (most are listed on the TSX and TSX-Venture exchange), call them about work and even just go up and talk with them.
If mining doesn't tickle your fancy, and you are more in finance, look to Hong Kong and Singapore. They are always looking for bright go-getters. In Hong Kong, the max income tax rate is 15%.
Other places that are booming are places like Qatar, where you can see dozens of jobs listed all for 6 figure incomes, usually including free room and board... and they want English speaking foreigners.
Remember, to think outside-the-box. The world of "go to college, get job for life" is over. Now we live in the "go to college, undertake huge amounts of debt, destroy your life". As I've stated in past articles such as "Debtucation" and "The Education Trap", all human knowledge is available for free. Educate yourself and find inventive ways to make yourself of value to others.
YOU HAVE A HUGE ADVANTAGE
That is one thing lost on many Americans... you have a huge advantage over most people in the world already just because you speak English and are familiar with the American style business. Many parts of the world are still learning how to be entreprenurial and how to do business and just by being American and speaking English you add value to many organizations.
I once was paid $5,000/month by a Chinese company to hang out while they made movies. My job? Just be white and shake people's hands. You see, in China, having a white westerner is a status symbol!
GOLD/SILVER STOCKS
Another point that should be made is that even if you just have an extra few thousand dollars that investing those into the right junior gold/silver mining stock could provide 10,000%+ returns over the next few years. That is because as the US dollar based financial system collapses they will continue to inflate the currency. This currency will be looking for the next great bubble... and we think that will be in precious metals mining stocks.
THE COLLAPSE WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES
If, for whatever reason, you can't leave the US to find jobs or opportunities elsewhere, still do not give up hope. The Chinese word for crisis is the mix of the two symbols for "danger" and "opportunity". The majority of Americans will be completely sideswiped by what is to come. For those who are at least aware of what is going on, the coming crisis will also be a time of opportunity. It is said that during the Weimar Germany hyperinflation in the 1920s that hotels could be bought for just 1 or 2 gold coins.
If you are stuck and cannot do much, then at least begin educating yourself about the world as much as possible. Also, learn a second, or a third, language. The two I recommend most at this time are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. With Spanish you will be able to communicate in nearly 50 different countries. As well, almost any language from Asia (Thai, Lao, Burmese, Malay etc) could offer you a world of new opportunities in the years ahead. Another place to look for opportunities is Africa.
KNOWLEDGE AND PREPARATION ARE KEY
As stated above, 99% of people have no idea what is going on and will be shocked when many of the things they were told to believe, such as the US being the freest and richest country on earth, turns out to be false. By being aware of what is going on politically and economically in the world today you are ahead of the game. As things begin to collapse you will see and know what is happening ahead of most people thereby enabling yourself to position yourself ahead of the crowds.
Remember, with the internet, you have the world at your fingertips. Search out opportunities... even in the worst of times people need things. Position yourself to provide for their needs.
AS THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID
Thomas Jefferson once stated, "A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have."
After decades of the government "giving" many Americans everything they need through welfare and socialist wealth transfer schemes, the US is coming out on the other end where the government and the Federal Reserve have now destroyed the US economy to the point of ruin and they will soon go after everything you have to keep itself alive.
For those who have already been financially destroyed by the system, hang in there and follow some of the advice above. For those who have been lucky enough to keep your assets in tact to this point, move now to protect them from the prying claws of government as it strains to drag you down with it.
Reader Comments (20)
By the way, the only time I've commented here (today), I got the message that my posting would be monitored and then published. Whereas it was immediately posted but the message stayed the same and there was no way for me to post any additional comments on that topic. Is this a bug or intentional?
Lastly, I am not quite a destitute as some, but I also not in the Doug Casey "jet-set" either!
I appreciate your messages of encouragement and inspiration.
Thanks,
Harold
In 1970-s "the same" medical problem cost $12000, but in (I assume 2009-2011) it cost $164000.
Well, if money just getting "cheaper", i.e. it takes more units to buy the same thing, then by looking at:
[img src=http://www.chartingstocks.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/money-supply.gif][/img]
[Money supply from 1917 to 2009]
we can see that the increase occurred due to money supply being bigger now, about the same number of folds as the increase in medical costs. Then we should have the same purchasing power, right?
Nope. As Mises had shown, inflation benefits those closer to the source of new money much more, than those far away from it. This is why while corporate and financial bonuses kept up with inflation, your wages did not. The earnings did not grow even nearly to correlate with the increase in money supply.
A word of warning: If you have looked at the chart and made your rough calculations, then you have seen the future. You already know that of all the possible cures for the economy, only one will be unquestionably used again and again, - inflation. Try to extrapolate what we see in to the future, - continue the line on the chart. Then make a line that pretty much described your income growth and continue it in to the future as well. You should find that it would very soon become 10 time more than impossible for you to afford the very things you buy today while thinking that you're actually "cutting and saving".
If you wonder why these things are happening in the world, well there's your answer.
Some very good web sites with great documentation, for you to self-educate and link to --
http://www.green-agenda.com
http://nikiraapana.blogspot.com
http://www.newswithviews.com/Veon/joanA.htm (an archive of the late Joan Veon's expert articles on the United Nations and the central bankers who back it)
Please educate your readers on these topics. This information does not need to be shrouded in mystery any more than it already is by the central banker-controlled media.
*** i just notice they have a great free book that you can get""" ( this must be new, i didnt get one a year ago when i joined)
Pete
Dear Roberto, glad to hear you're still alive after the cancer thing. Hope you have it licked. Great attitude post-illness too! Boy this bug-out idea is about to go mainsteam, seems to me. Uh...re: your idea to anchor in the Rio Nego, you're in the wrong ocean! How are you going to get to the Atlantic? Panama Canal or The Horn? (I vote against the Horn, LOL) Take care and thanks for your story, Breck
http://sharpieluna.tripod.com/
Luna wouldn't go to Uruguay. We'd build or buy a boat there.
Recently discovered anarchism. Followed Doug Casey long before that. Great respect for your efforts. Got kicked off the air as volunteer radio host a few weeks back for spouting truth as I saw it. We each try to do a little bit to get to that 5% awake citiens possible tidal wave of awareness and proactivity. Thanks!!!
So when we look at how far and wide-reaching Agenda 21 already is, we find that it is everywhere -- locally and globally. What country can you go to, to escape the coming world communist/socialist NWO? There really isn;t any place you can go. ICLEI has its fingers everywhere.Some nations are slower to adopt the corrupt doctrine, but they are still going to bite since the central bankers have hired the best manipulators that money can buy. Who says infinite worthless fiat money can't be put to good use?
This isn't a matter of escape to another country, because in the end no place will be free. It's a matter of creating your own personal fortress that these people cannot penetrate. You have to ride in the same car with them, and then shove them out the door when they aren't looking. You fight fire with fire and you fight Saul Alinsky with Saul Alinsky, if you know what I mean.
Think of all your ancestors who came out of Europe last century with only some banknotes in their socks or a few silver coins stitched in their skirt.
Too many Americans have become fat, lazy whiners, who have lost all the get-up-and-go of their forefathers!
The world is full of opportunities!
I also agree that renting property is better than buying in the beginning. As it is, my own property in the Philippines is now for rent. 2.5 acres of residential compound is more than enough for a money-making ventures. http://www.orchidpark.net
A few doctors or surgeons could make it into a great clinic-cum-recuperation facility for all their patients that can no longer afford American healthcare and rehabilitation.
Americans need to form communities again. The suburb mentality is not conducive for communities to form. But to survive and, more importantly, to thrive, people will be forced to form communities where they are with like-minded people.
One of the key solutions to help is the ability to grow clean and renewable energy in local communities. Recently, I wrote this article on small scale alcohol and food production: www.LiquidEnergyOasis.com
Hope that this information will help lead people to seek local solutions for survival during GD2 and probably WWIII.
When you got to your Jefferson quote, however, I just had to bing it up. We see a good number of sayings attributed to dear old Tom that in fact were never uttered by the man. "A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have" would appear to be one of them, according to:
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/government-big-enough-to-give-you-everything-you-wantquotation
The Jefferson Foundation *could* be wrong, I suppose... but considering the source....
OTOH, if you can present solid evidence that Jefferson stated this, I'd love to hear of it.
Just saying. The article was right on the money. Gracias.