We’ve previously warned that elements within the U.S. government have been feverishly working to take control of all retirement assets in America. The reasoning, of course, is that the government can manage your personal finances better than you can. They’ve already begun plans to have workers invest their earnings directly into government-managed funds, but at some point, should we get into trouble, they may look to seize those assets outright and put them under central control. Like the idea of socialized, centrally-managed health care, this sounds like an impossibility in the Land of the Free. However, it’s already been established, with passage of Obamacare as clear evidence, that should they want to do this, they will.
It’s a danger to be sure, but perhaps not as dangerous as what is happening in China right now. While Chinese stock markets are in the midst of a massive collapse, the Chinese have tried just about everything to halt the crash that has so far vaporized about 25% of investor wealth in under a month. Zero Hedge asks:
What do you do when two policy rate cuts, $19 billion in committed support from a hastily contrived broker consortium, and a promise of central bank funding for the expansion of margin lending all fail to quell extreme volatility in a collapsing equity market?
The answer as far as the Peoples’ Republic of China is concerned, is to simply ban people from selling.
Yes, you read that right, as over bloated Chinese stocks disintegrate before our eyes, the Chinese government has contacted their retirement fund brokers and in no uncertain terms told them that they are not allowed to sell a single share of stock.
They can buy all they want, but selling is strictly prohibited, leaving millions of pensioners stuck just watching their retirement accounts being decimated before their eyes.
Well, you can simply ban selling, which is apparently the next step for China.
According to Caijing, the country’s national social security fund is now forbidden from selling (but is welcome to buy). Here’s more, via Caijing (Google translated):
Social Security informed the public fund social security portfolio not only buy sell stock“Financial” reporter learned that the Social Security Council on Monday (July 6) Call each raised funds, social security portfolio is not allowed to sell their holdings of stock.
Sources said that Social Security Council has just informed all social security portfolio can only buy stocks can not sell the stock; and it is not defined as the net selling, but completely unable to sell the stock.
And a bit more from FT:
Financial magazine Caijing reported on Monday that the National Social Security Fund had told its external fund managers they could buy stocks but were not permitted to sell them.Central Huijin, a unit of China’s sovereign wealth fund, also said on Sunday it was supporting the market by buying blue-chip exchange traded funds.
As mentioned above, and as discussed at length over the weekend (here and here), China is scrambling to counter an unwind in the country’s various unofficial margin lending channels which have combined to pump between CNY500 billion and CNY1 trillion in borrowed funds into the country’s previously red-hot equity market.
The pension selling ban comes just days after China moved to curtail margin calls in a similary ridiculous attempt to stop the bleeding by simply making selling against the rules.
The Chinese economy is heavily intertwined with the U.S. economy. While no evidence of such exists, we’ll suggest that not only was the U.S. government aware of what the Chinese were about to do, but they likely advised them to do so in the name of saving the global economy.
If you are a pensioner or have a retirement account in the United States, then this should be a huge wake up call.
When it hits the fan – and it will – the government will stop at nothing to ensure its survival and the survival of the mega-banks with which it conglomerates.
In fact, we suggest that the seizure and/or forfeiture of retirement asset funds is one of the final arrows the government has in its quiver. Additionally, since these funds have not yet been co-opted by the government, blocking such funds from off-loading stocks by the millions of shares in the event of a crash is likely one of the strategies being exercised by officials at the Pentagon, CIA and Department of Homeland Security who have been overseeing large-scale economic collapse simulations over the last several years.
When the inevitable panic being seen in Greece and China makes its way to American shores our government will enact emergency measures that may include everything from withdrawal limits on ATMs and seizing money from your personal bank account, to taking control of retirement assets and forcing Americans to use a digital currency.
For the American people these measures will come out of nowhere. But make no mistake, the U.S. government already has Doomsday Executive Orders in place, along with rapid response units ready to deal with the panic, looting, violence and rebellion that will follow.
It appears that these events are playing out at an accelerated pace. Some have suggested that the second half of this year could be the start of the next phase of the global depression. If you have not yet prepared food, emergency cash, physical assets for trade such as silver bullion and other emergency supplies, time is running short.
Tess Pennington, author of The Prepper’s Blueprint, warns that we live in uncertain times, and this is exactly why we need to get ready for the future:
If there is one thing we can say about our current economic, financial, social and political climate it’s that we have entered an era in human history of total unpredictability. Economic uncertainty, food inflation and an ever-increasing unemployment rate have created a devastating unpredictable chain of events, causing us all to tighten our budgets and pray for the best. The Prepper’s Blueprint focuses on the importance of keeping a vigilant watch for potential hazards that are in our field of vision. The only way to change how severely these types of debacles can affect us is by recognizing them for what they are and preparing for them beforehand
If you’re paying attention, there are some serious hazards that should be in your field of vision right here and now. Failure to take steps to prepare for them will leave you dumpster diving for food and scrambling for money like the tens of thousands of people in Greece who ignored the warnings.
Related Reading:
The Prepper’s Blueprint: Prepare for Any Disaster
When Real Disaster Strikes: These Are The People Who Will Loot, Pillage and Kill You For Your Food
Relax “I’m from the Government and I’m here to help you”
More like I’m from the GOV, and we are here to screw you…
IT WOULD SUCK OUT LOUD TO GET A 30% ‘HAIRCUT’ from our great leaders….
The way Greece is going, Manos is probably thanking everyone here at SHTFPlan, for a little more insight to what was to happen there.
Bless all here, especially Manos, he needs it more now than everyone else…
Would be wonderful if Manos would update from his viewpoint. Hope he is thriving in a terrible time.
Eppe,
Hope he’s doing well. He’s been prayed for here!
These fuckers (PBOC) are the same ones, people are cheerleading to save the planet from a financial meltdown. These guys are just as bad if not worse than NY and London.
Yeah can’t wait for that YUAN gold backed currency. 😛
I was the first here to warn about the threat to American pension plans before anyone here ever thought about it, years ago. Its in the archives.
I was the voice crying in the wilderness here about China and Europe as the real threat to the global economy while everyone else was screaming “hyperinflation” and the “death of the dollar”.
“While no evidence of such exists, we’ll suggest that not only was the U.S. government aware of what the Chinese were about to do, but they likely advised them to do so in the name of saving the global economy.”
Mac, this statement is beneath you. There is not a kernel of truth to that, at all.
In fact, its pretty clear now that there is a SPLIT between China and the NWO as the FED has obviously retaliated economically against the BRICS, and China in particular for their threat to FED hegemony.
China refused NWO overtures to transition to a service economy and raise the peg on the Yuan to parity for YEARS, after the FED made them a Full Partner and transferred American wealth to China; reneging on the original Agreement, so the FED took the US economy down and destroyed the US consumer in retaliation, GUTTING the Chinese economy.
Don’t believe that?
Consider the IMF. Consider the “rebellion” of LeGarde against FED dominance of global affairs since her appointment as IMF Head Honcho. With the Greek default, the IMF is now broke AND irrelevant.
The ECB will emerge as the financial power in Europe and the IMF will be relegated to the dust bin of history. Payback is a mfr in the Great Game.
Do not underestimate the FED. Inbreeding has magnified their intelligence. 🙁
I say though a rough road this is Greece’s chance to free themselves by facing reality and then dealing.They can look to Iceland for pointers,the gig is finally showing it’s cracks and the final hurrah by powers that want to be wqill be theft and violence outright,hencelock and load!As for Manos,knowing this was coming imagine doing OK and hopefully helping/inspiring others and thus no time to chat on net,would be good opsec also to keep his head down figuratively and digitally.
Eppe, I’m sure Manos will be just fine. He’s one of us so he’s way ahead of the rest of his countrymen.
We get our haircuts spread over years. Look at what 4-5% inflation (close to the real rate) does to your bank account earning 1/2% over 5-10 years.
it’s a shame so few people in america “get that” TnAndy. VERY good point!
Oh I get it all right.
It’s pretty hard to miss when you set up a budget in Excel (of course excluding emergencies or unplanned huge purchases, I’m just looking for a trend here)… and then carry it out to 40 fricking years worth of data. Factoring in inflation at the super-conservative historical estimate of merely 3.5%, you are getting it right up the ol’ cornhole if you’re earning 1/2%.
Hard.
Minus lube.
As in get ready to break out your recipe for dumpster rat in year 35 kind of hard.
The enemies of all mankind use neurolinguistic programming to keep us enslaved and marching toward our own deaths.
Consider how “haircut” trivializes the looting of billions/trillions.
Gun bans are enabled by “common sense gun safety.”
Welfare are whitewashed with “insurance.”
A perversion that causes early death is less repulsive because it is “gay.”
We should not adopt the enemy’s neurolinguistics. We should speak plainly.
Has anyone noticed that last week the faggots at Apple/NSA “updated” a rainbow icon for iTunes?
“… is whitewashed…”
Eppe I love your post, but stop calling it a “Haircut”, call it what it is “Theft”, “Stealing” the illegal taking of OUR money.
John, I call it anything BUT a haircut. The words theft, looting, stealing, ripoff come to my mind.
You forgot EXTORTION.
First goes China and then goes the US… that’s what financial expert (Celente?) said. One by one, like dominoes…
Very scary words there Paranoid.
WAIT just one minute here!!!!! Doesn’t the gooberment already invest some of my “retirement” money for me??!!!! It’s called Social Security(no Security in that) and LOOK what a FINE job they have done with that!!
If a final solution is not clear to the humanity at this stage then the tribe will continue their looting.
Now that is plain speech!
Well, I don’t have any words of wisdom or thoughtful insight into this mess, it’s obvious that this game has been playing in the background for a very long time. We have been blessed with this website and others that have been screaming “Iceberg dead ahead” for some time now. The perils of not putting your cocktail, iPhone, etc…down, long enough to see the berg approaching should be apparent. So, if you’ve prepped…COOL. If you think this is all tinfoil hat stuff…COOL. We’ll find out soon enough if the iceberg is real or just an illusion…As for me and my crew, well, we’ll be over by lifeboat 12 with our life jackets on…reading our Bible.
Reading your Bible is for before you get into life boat, if you wish. AS for me and mine, we are going to read the instructions for launching the lifeboat, raiding the pantry, wine cellar, persers safe, housekeeping supplies, maps etc. I don’t mind you reading your book, but if you get in my way you can read it treading water overside.
Pardon me: “Charts”
Ah….you beat me to it!!!!
Purser and dry goods storeroom vs cellar
Sorry man, it’s late, been reading to much negativity.
@Chauffeur: Read a verse for me too brother, keep the faith, and disregard the baloney. God bless.
They woulda dealt with this peril with a nice world war back in the day.
Now? Like… you don’t dare. You really don’t. It woulda happened already if you did.
I say they take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
“He can’t make that kind of a decision….he’s just a grunt!”
Nice “Aliens “reference.
Seeing the iceberg ahead is one of the reasons I like to keep a cocktail in my hand. Matter of fact since I can see that it’s only going to get worse I’m looking into purchasing my own still.
Growing our own apples (five trees), pears (two trees), cherries (two trees and nine nanking cherry bushes), plums (two trees), and peaches (two trees) is great. Making my own apple and pear brandy is even better 🙂
Besides we get more free potatoes here than we could ever possibly eat and I’m thinking huckleberry flavored vodka would go great with watching the economy collapse. Every time a municipality declares bankruptcy take a shot, if it’s over 1 million people make it a double, if it’s a government make it two doubles.
Sounds good,sober at moment but have a few bottles of #7 when it goes south,a final blowout is then due!
Good article, Mac.
We live in an Orwellian Fascist Corporatist controlled Police State GENOCIDAL FEUDAL SYSTEM nightmare, where brain dead dumbed down chemically altered toxic waste dump boot licking Zombie COWARD trash wave that vile evil Corporatist fascist filthy Murican flag and scream how “exceptional” they are, so our country is already WIPED OUT.
If one has a few hundred grand in your 401K there is little you can do. The writing was on the wall in 1933 when your were forbidden from having the means to protect your wealth. When the government itself abandoned the Bretton Woods Agreement the end result was obvious. Only the date and time could be debated in the classic, “Its not if, but when”.
Not true, Kevin! Convert your 401k to a “Silver IRA”: have your silver coins put into a private depository and/or keep them in your private hidden possession after you pay the tax (if you take possession).
Convert now– deprive the banksters of their plundered wealth!
Do it NOW!
– the Lone Ranger
Back In The Real World:
I am going thru a personal SHTF event right now. Marriage on the rocks, death in the wife’s family, teenager running amuck, and some overspending last month.
I have not had to tap into the beans, bullets and band-aids, but man what a relief to know that they are there, and I can weather this storm. So I rotate my canned food stores a little early and shave the grocery bill. Preps are there for when you need them. Use them, it only reinforces the reason why you have them.
If you have money in the bank still, well, good luck with that.
Money not in the bank is no safer, it can simply be declared invalid and you will be required to either deposit it in an account for its full value in whatever new money is presented or convert it to the new with substantial fees for the conversion to cash involved.
I’m thinking this is the way it will be done.
anonymous is correct the paper cash will simply be devalued or declared counterfit. in the bank or your mattress wont be any difference. Buy things you need or that will hold value. Food guns and ammo might be the best investment.
Exactly. And P/Ms, bullion or coin, will be right along in the edict.
There is no safe haven except beans, bullets, and bandaids. Toilet paper, liquor and cigarettes. AA and AAA batteries. Motor fuel, oil and antifreeze. Did I mentio liquor? Gonna be a lot of people in need of forgetfulness.
Anon, you could be right about how they’re doing it, but my cash in my home safe is safer, at least for now. That’s my prep cash and it won’t be long before I go another prep shopping trip. I’m still prepping all the way until…..
Another good reason to keep cash at home in the form of junk silver coins. Nobody uses them at face value anyway. Regardless of what the government might or might not say about them they’re still worth their weight in silver, or if you can afford it, gold.
@Townsaver: Yep, that’s the real world. Forget the teenager, abandon the wife, don’t look back and rebuild on a better foundation. There is a word to describe your situation: Normal. Take heart and soldier on. Blessings.
Appreciate the well wishes. Normal indeed, but why does it always have to come all at once, usually in 3’s?
Town,tough times make relationships harder,and teens,well,just think back and do your best!I have lost 8 friends and me dad in a year,so yes,understand tough times.Life is short,have learned that too many times lately,just do your best and that’s all that one can do.
As for raiding oldest preps,well,that’s what they are for,when times tough no matter what the reason,rebuild em as the funds allow,take care dude.
“T”
Set down with her and talk. Go back to the day when you first fell in love.
There is nothing you can do with teenagers let them F#$K up and when they come running back to you treat then the way they treated you for about an hour. Then tell them if they want help they have to do what you say and if they don’t tell them to take a hike!
Sorry for the death in the family. That can be a trying time. I know was for my wife and I. All you can do is tell them you are there for them. When they need you they will come to you.
As far as over spending don’t worry about it. You are smart guy You will figure it out.
Sgt.
Thanks Dale.
My current lesson in progress reminds me of a quote that has stuck with me forever it seems:
A man marries a woman thinking she won’t change, but she does.
A woman marries a man thinking he will change, but he doesn’t.
Same as it ever was I guess.
Sorry to hear it man.
This society is the damned Pied Piper, that’s a fact. Teenagers got too much time on their hands. I’d say cut him off financially and make him work and rent an apartmen, that’ll wake his sh*t up in the heaps of hurry… but it’s damn nigh impossible for them to get jobs anymore either.
We have been regularly trying to convert our “savings” into PM assets WE control/own/safeguard. We only keep the amounts in the accounts we can “afford” to lose in the coming haircut time. I fear our haircuts will not be the well styled and coiffed versions from a higher end “salon”, but will be (and look) far worse than my military basic training first buzz cut. WE will all be sporting “refugee” cuts soon, I fear.
If you don’t physically own it and control it, you don’t have squat.Read the fine print on your account agreements!
If you can’t sell how or who the hell is going to buy.
Can’t sell, Can’t buy? That’s going to stimulate the economy! “NOT”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank God I just have enough money in the bank to pay my truck payment. Only a couple left.
If I loose my pension, and my S.S. that I have paid into for 40 years. I’m not going to be a happy camper. Well if I loose my pensions. I will make it any way. I’m a Country Boy. With my Rebel Flag Flying High!
When they start shutting off things around here. I know that they will loose more things than they can shut off at my house. If you get my drift!!!! LINE IN SAND!!!
A.S.M.S.
Sgt.
Sgt your in ill. You wont collect much of that pension. Your state is bankrupt. There is no way your state can continue to pay for its bloated pension program.I think its funny that very soon all the parasiteson the state payroll will lose big time. they where over paid any way. the producers in the state simply could not afford it any longer..
OG, I personally don’t think it’s “funny” that any one paying their share(mandated by law) of their retirement contribution INTO their state’s Personnel Retirement system is getting screwed over.
When I left California, I got out ALL of my CALPERS contributions plus interest, and fully expected to never see my employer’s getting away with not contributing THEIR(by law) obligated amounts. At least I got something out of mine, most will get nothing, the voters voted for those salaries and benefits and the state legislators are REFUSING to cough up what is legally owed and obligated to their employees and retirees. Divisive economic “funny” or feelings of gladness for someone else’s terror is exactly what the Obamafuhrer and his fellow puppets WANT you to do. Well done, you are now a true Prog/Marxist/Lib/Slave to the Obamafuhrer’s ProgressivePlantation.
Yes, it IS true that the unfunded pension liabilities of several states have made their state’s retirement system BK for all intents and purposes, it is the legislators who actually made that happen, NOT the employees themselves. Their contributions are confiscated from THEIR paychecks first, and the legislators are exempt from such confiscation in ALL of the affected states. Sounds about right for how those bastards behave.
Ok I suppose I need to explain. In ill a school teacher when they retire receives 90% of their base wages they earned in the last three years. so teachers would teach at a small school and then right before retiring teach in a big city at very high wages for a few years. in ill a judge gets 90% for life and if he dies his wife still gets that amount for life. the pensions in ill because of its strong pro union past are out of line with fiscal prudence. and yes it think its funny those government funded parasites who don’t deserve exorbant retirement are about to be cut off.
“OG”
My pension isn’t IMRF.
My Pension is a City pension fund. And I’m also getting a Pension from a Glass factory I worked at for 15 years before I became a Cop.
Sgt.
Sarge,collect while you can,all pensions going by by soon.
http://mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings Notice where the state of ill ranks. The state of Arkansas combined all of the retirement accounts together. some citys went bankrupt. so the legislature passed a bill to put the county ,city, state park, game & fish , highway dept all in one pot. the pot doesn’t really have much money. the money paidby those who are now working is spent in administration & on those already drawing.
Sgt Dale,
I am your exact equal there. There is nothing I love better than sitting around on internet chat rooms and tell everybody about how tough I am and how many o’ the bastards I’ll be gittin’. I love to waste my life like you and brave, both engulfed by total paranoia fantasies about how many people?/organizations are out to get me and how I’m going to be the last thing they ever see in this world because when you’re a year round resident of fantasyville like the three of us, life is good!
Tis it just me or does”walt” seem like a douche troll?On a side note,are his comments “disparaging?”of another poster and if so where oh where is the moderation?!
sorry warchild, but he doesn’t even rank high enough to be a douche!
SWM
Well sis, At least I’m going to stand and fight. You will just lick their boots when they come for you.
Another troll. that I’m just going to respond to again, because it ain’t worth my time! Say good by troll because no one wants you here. If you can’t leave anything good.
Sgt.
Get your money out of your 401k before its to late.
Either buy preps, or if you are saving for retirement, buy PHYSICAL Gold & Silver and keep it at home, not in a Bank Un-Safe Deposit Box.
John
You are 100% CORRECT!!!! I don’t have a 401K.
Sgt.
My 401K is more like a 48K and I only put some in to seem normal at work, they put plaques on the wall with your name on them and how many years you’ve contributed, and to capture the 4% that my company matches dollar for dollar. Of course I have borrowed the maximum against it, without tax penalty, possible (48k) to limit my actual exposure to the market.
My,you are a rebel!I just hope your name doesn’t go on wall as maximizing borrowing,times get tough folks will be looking your way!Sounds like as reasonable financial plan as any with limiting exposure/putting monies to use now.
“Socialism (lit. ‘gouvernement’ in French) is the great fiction, whereby everybody endeavours to live off of everybody else.”
– Frederic Bastiat, 1801-1850
Hay hold it down the sheep are getting nervous!
Haha their not even paying attention.
And I’ve got all of the GOLD!!!
So many with so little faith. Many of you need to wake up from your drug and/or alcohol induced paranoia? Our government is the greatest. Our leaders will ensure no problems affect our welfare.there is no need for preps. Save up some new crisp 10 dollar federal reserve notes in #10 cans for minor annoying short term problems with credit and pray daily to our savior who protects us.Sell you silver and gold as well as your guns and ammo and buy bibles and spend at least two hours daily praying with your neighbors.
I believe mushroom eating shrooms!Actually,even when I ate a lot of em was never that stupid,my mistake!I hope that wasn’t considered,well……,you know,disparaging!
WC you should encourage Mush and his kind. Easy Pickins
Re-read the title …….IF our government ….. IF !!!@ GOOD NIGHT !!!
Yo Mac? i’ve been posting under this moniker/email for years????? now i’m in moderation hell?
Not sure why your IP ended up in our moderator list, but you should be good to go now!
Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience.
Mac
I sell commodes and have noticed that sales are in the toilet. I’m stocking up on toilet paper and I see a real dilemma coming with many asses going unwiped. It’s just a matter of time we are all bent over and screwed.
What happens in China stays in China. It is an authoritarian state and so they can do whatever they like. It is not driven by market forces but by weaponized economic development. Much of China’s wealth and wealthy flee the country at the first opportunity, loading up on investments and property in the West.
In the UK, they are preparing people for account seizures by lowering how much deposit insurance is available. Many British banks are also just ejecting customers to get rid of any obligations to them. One of the largest, HSBC, is already in an advanced stage of leaving the country. I suspect the period July to September will have more happen than happened in the first half of the 1970s.
Yes Frank, and they mostly end up in one of the two most expensive real-estate markets, Silicon Vally, CA & NYC. They are buying up properties like there’s no tomorrow.
There is another explanation for this… clearing the clutter for an un-obstructed view.
China suspects outside manipulation and why wouldn’t they… they trust our gov and the world ruling elites like Soros just slightly less than you and I do.
While they try to get a handle on what is going on, they are probably seeing signs of manipulation. Stopping in country selling removes a lot of the smoke from the financial battlefield and now outside trades will be much easier to pinpoint and analyze.
I am not saying they are not in trouble and I am not saying that the reasons behind that trouble is not their own making or at least the side effects of heavy, unrestrained and unnatural growth.
At the same time, they know the US (dollar) has the most to lose and they also know that the gov of this country as well as the bankers who control it would do ANYTHING to maintain their control of the worlds money supply.
Ok so things are pretty crappy. unless I miss my guess what is coming wil make today look like the best of times by comparison. If a wholesale across the board SHTF happens those pensions and retirements like my social security Ponzi check will become extinct. If your having problems now? just what are you going to do when you are entirely on your own? You would be better off to learn Know How to be self reliant. cash money pensions and goverment checks are props that could prove to be unreliable.