THE FINAL CRASH – THE END OF U.S. DOMINANCE IN 2013 – Part Two – The Economic Crash of 2013

Regardless of the outcome of a potential military crash between the forces of the United States and the Islamic Republic of  Iran in the Persian Gulf, an abrupt and the total economic crash of the United States and the world economies could be expected soon thereafter! The growing process of the current economic meltdown in the United States and in the western hemisphere will not only compound but also speed up the process even more!

THE CONTINUED ECONOMIC MELTDOWN

The tragedy is that even if a military confrontation between these two nations should not take place, the U.S. economy is already heading toward an economic meltdown and disintegration by early 2013; the U.S. dollar would collapse along with the U.S. economy. A military clash could only make a dire situation even worse and lead to a total economic crash!

The dimension and gravity of this economic crash would be so gigantic that rising from it would be practically impossible, or it would take a relatively very long time and a couple of  decades of hard work before a pre-collapse economy could be restored.

An economic meltdown would affect everybody! Already it is on its way to destroy the poor people and devastate middle-class Americans, but if  it is not stopped very soon, the rich and the super-rich would be powerless and could do nothing but follow suit.

To understand why an economic meltdown would destroy the super-rich, one needs to know that an economic meltdown is similar to the melting of  an ice block. Starting from the corners, the ice melts all around until it reaches the middle and eventually the core. At that point, the entire ice block collapses and disappears for good! In other words, the outer parts of  the ice block are the poor and the middle-class, and the center part resembles the rich people. As the ice block melts away completely, the rich and the super-rich would disappear along with it, maybe later but for sure!

There are three powerful forces simultaneously at work on the national level, and only one of which could be enough to cause the economic devastation in the United States. On the international level, again, there are three other main factors that are working in concert action against the United States. These will be described below.

THE FORCES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL

The three national factors that are working against the U.S. are

the following:

1. The Internal Factors

This  destructive  factor,  which  is  at  work  since  early  1990,  is chipping  away  the  economic  foundation  of   this  country.  It started with outsourcing, enhanced through the subprime drive of the financial institutions and the final inept and imprudent economic and business decisions and activities of politicians, financial institutions and big businesses. To this category belongs  bailouts,  stimulus  packages,  lack  of  availability  of  loans and mortgages, escalating and expanding outrageous and baseless fees of all kinds, abuse and violation of rules and laws, be it by the government agencies, financial institutions, and even big companies such as AT&T!

Since we all have been generally enjoying good economic times in the past few decades without any major experience of  an economic hardship, it is very difficult for the average American to realize and comprehend clearly the symptoms of  an economic meltdown. Even though Americans feel its growing pain and hurting squeeze, they blame it on other phenomenon. If lasting high unemployment rates continue to exist, they fault the world economy for this malaise. If there are growing foreclosures, they blame it on people’s greed and irresponsibility stemming from lack of  realization of  their financial limitations. And when the food prices keep rising with no stop in sight, they find the root in rising oil and energy prices and fault the oil companies and the oil-exporting nations! This all may be true and nobody disputes it. However, it does not deny the fact that all these and other events are contributing to an escalating and accelerating speed to worldwide economic collapse—the United States is unfortunately among the most vulnerable ones! The most worrisome part of it is that if the “giant” collapses, there is no easy and pain-free way of getting up—the “midgets,” the rest of  the world, would suffer the same destiny one after another.

To understand what exactly an economic meltdown would look like, here are some of its symptoms that would keep growing until the total collapse becomes imminent.

•    Persisting high or rising unemployment rates

•     Continuing home foreclosures with no resolution

in sight

•     Continuing lack of  availability of  credit and capital by

the banks, let alone the low-cost loans and mortgages

•     Shrinking credit card limits or credit card holders

unable to reduce their debt

•     Fleecing of  people by the government, financial

institutions and big businesses

•    Declining number of people being creditworthy

•    Growing number of defaults

•    Continuing rise of food prices

•    Shrinking governmental services

•     Growing number of  people without healthcare

coverage

•    Increasing numbers of crimes

•    Escalating social costs

•     Declining social benefits and social profits because of

outsourcing and insourcing

•     Increasing fees of  all kinds used by the banks and

governmental agencies as survival strategy

•    Growing budget deficit without the capability of  balancing it the right way unless the budgets are cut arbitrarily, compounding the problems even more

•    Rising cost of energy and gasoline

•    Spike of vehicle repossession

•    Runaway healthcare cost

The unchecked rise of energy and gasoline cost would be the last straw that would break peoples’ backs and the government itself. As mobility and transport start to decrease and eventually come  to  a  standstill,  business  and  government  functions are reduced, leading to the decrease of  economic activities, declining revenues and income, contributing to an imminent collapse of the economy.

There is no need to describe as to how an economy would look like under these circumstances. It would be simply terrible and devastating. These are the symptoms of  the economy when a state or a country is described as failed state or a failed economy. We have plenty of places all over the U.S. that belong to the categories of  a failed economy. We should not make the mistake to believe that slumps are created by nature—they are simply products of failed economic policies in those areas. And if failed economic policy continues to prevail, it would not be too long before we would be seeing nice and fancy places crumbling down in front of  our eyes and become modern slums like those we see in Overtown, Miami-Dade County, and elsewhere in the nation—long rows of empty but fancy high-rises, elegant shopping malls, and beautiful houses are the phenomenon of modern slums. In other words, we are in midst of total economic collapse from this end.

2. The Natural Factors

To this category belong hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, tsunamis, wildfires, and the like. Sadly, the U.S. is prone to these natural disasters every year. These not only destroy many lives and families everywhere all over the different states, but also cause enormous economical and environmental devastation. Even if we as a nation can deal with it, and have done thus far successfully, the fact remains that the growing numbers of these natural disasters certainly do not strengthen us economically and would exhaust our resources for other urgencies if we keep getting pounded with natural disasters.

Unfortunately, most people and politicians think that the natural catastrophes cannot be averted as we have seen during the nuclear power plant meltdown in Fukushima, Japan. This and similar incidents are simply accepted because of the power of   nature  and  the  impotency  of   mankind  toward  nature.

However, it does not need to be like that. In other words, though human beings are not able to stop or prevent natural disasters, we are, however, capable of minimizing the damages and their consequences that may occur because of a natural disaster.

For instance, if we go on erecting nuclear plants near the ocean where they would be prone to tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes or any other natural catastrophes, it would be just a matter of time that a disaster like in Japan could strike and happen anywhere in the world. In order to protect our energy-delivery systems from all natural or man-made disasters, we should consider following factors:

a) The energy delivery system should be environmentally safe;

b) The  source  that  provides  energy  should  be  unlimited and available for free to all consumers;

c) The  delivery  system  should  be  decentralized,  which would lead to free energy;

d) The implementation of  this source and/or technology should create endless jobs throughout that area;

e) We should avoid all questionable sources and technologies unless alternative sources cannot be implemented.

Considering these factors, we would never have the devastation of  that magnitude that we faced in Japan. Furthermore, we should be very concerned and ask ourselves whether the nuclear plants as the source of energy is the right choice. For instance, is the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant in Miami-Dade County, Florida, safe? Should ever this plant get hit by a severe hurricane or tsunami, what would happen to Miami-Dade County and few other counties which are powered by this plant? No doubt that if that would ever happen, Miami-Dade County and part of  Broward County would be heading toward

a stone age. It would be more than total economic collapse; it would bring the end of civilization for an unforeseeable time in the affected areas!

Frustrating is the lack of  knowledge of  our politicians! For  instance,  the  new  mayor  of   Miami-Dade  County, Carlos Gimenez, said in a forum that no tsunami could strike Florida, and if  ever there were a nuclear meltdown in Turkey Point Nuclear Plant, we could learn from it as we do from plane crashes and prevent them the next time! With politicians like him, our expectations for a better and secured future are limited. The fact is that a nuclear power plant meltdown is no way to comparable to an airplane crash; the people living in that surrounding area would never get a second chance to learn from it. Those people would be all dead or maimed and disabled to the point of becoming like vegetable. A tsunami could also happen in Florida because tsunamis are nothing other than the underwater explosion or earthquake. The penetration of gas throughout the Florida plateau because of offshore drillings for oil and gas with growing fracking elsewhere in the United States could trigger earthquakes and cause tsunamis anytime, anywhere on U.S. shores.

Another  example:  one  of  the  big  issues  in  Florida  and Miami-Dade County is transportation. Whatever method of  transportation we chose, whether it be public transportation, such as bus, train or other means, the very first and the most important  factor  should  be  to  look  at  alternative  energy sources  such  as  equipping  these  modes  of  transportation on “decentralized” solar and wind energy for reasons stated above—it  would  be  environmentally  safe,  and  the  energy would be practically free and not subject to destruction and devastation  through  natural  disasters.  Most  likely,  most  of

our transportation system would be intact even after a severe

natural disaster.

3. The External Factors

Although wars, currency fluctuations (devaluation), blockades, outsourcing and, to some extent, insourcing, financial manipulations, weapon sales and the like could enrich those involved groups of people and companies and contribute to their growing welfare and power, in the long term, it would weaken a  nation as whole and would lead to the economic collapse of  that nation if these activities continued unabated. The economic problems could compound and grow for that economy even though those groups would be making record profits! However, it would be a grave mistake and failure for these groups of people and corporations to believe that their accumulated wealth is protected in a devaluing currency and in a declining economy, especially, when the cost and social costs keep rising.

It may give rise to speculations that the reasons why multinational corporations strive toward creating one-currency system are to run away from taxes and park their monies in those  countries  where  they  are  considered  as  tax  havens and protected. Whether that could be a long-term prospect is anybody’s  guess.  Certainly  for  anyone  to  maintain  their accumulated wealth requires two uncompromised conditions to be met: (1) the currency in which they have accumulated their wealth must remain strong, and (2) a vibrant economy is the prerequisite for a strong currency. Without meeting these, every approach would be of a short-term nature and could not last for too long and would lead to failure.

Unfortunately, at present, these three factors are chipping away

our economy at full speed and without any mercy.

1. Nations, predominantly China and India, strive to increase their economic growth in the world. Just think about the almost 3 billion Chinese, Indians, and others competing actively and with full power for economic gain against the 350 million Americans. Add to this mix those over one billion Muslims who want to seal the words of Allah in the United States, and you get the picture!

2. Countries with long-declared intention to become the world superpower. To this group belongs the Islamic Republic of Iran, and even though it is not officially declared, China is vying with for this too. Considering a potential military clash between the U.S. and the forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf, the dire situation becomes apparent.

3. Certainly no other nation or groups have the needed abilities to become a superpower, but they would keep creating growing problems and escalating economic and social costs for the United States. These groups are the restive oil-exporting nations of  the Middle East and Africa. Of  course, the radical Islamic and other terrorist groups could not be discounted; they are always capable to complicate and compound the problems that the United States is facing, which would lead  again  to  growing  economic  and  social  costs.  In addition, there are multinational oil companies and corporations that seek to influence and turn U.S. policy to their favor through their lobbying activities and by financing politicians’ campaign! These all lead to escalating social costs that the American people carry.

WHY THE U.S. ECONOMY COULD CRASH IN 2013

No matter what the outcome of a military clash in the Middle East between the United States and the Islamic Republic of  Iran, there is no doubt that the U.S. economy along with its European allies will crash soon thereafter even if  the West end up winning the war and controlling the Middle East and North Africa. The fact that this could happen is obvious, simply as a result of  rising crude oil prices. Imagine the consequences for the U.S. economy of  gasoline at $5, $6 or $7 per gallon. At $10 per gallon the collapse of the U.S. economy would be guaranteed.

Now, should the Islamic Republic of Iran become the victor of the war and become the next world superpower by making the Iranian rial the world reserve currency, oil prices may not