Bill’s Commentary:
“Our pal Pastor Stanley requesting help.”
The latest from USA Watchdog –
Bill’s Commentary:
“Goes without saying!”
ABC To Put Running Ticker On All News Shows Saying ‘FOR LEGAL PURPOSES DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING WE SAY’ https://buff.ly/3ZPKtql
Bill’s Commentary:
“Par for the course in San Francisco!”
San Francisco Hires Obese ‘Body Positivity’ Activist To Work For Health Department
The San Francisco Department of Public Health has hired a self-described “unapologetically fat” body positivity activist to consult on “weight stigma and weight neutrality.”
No, this isn’t a Babylon Bee story.
“I’m unbelievably proud to serve the city I’ve called home for almost 20 years in this way!” Virgie Tovar posted on Instagram.
Bill’s Commentary:
“The real answer is BOTH… in addition to the Chinese fully understanding that “he who has the gold makes the rules”!”
Are China’s Big Gold Purchases for Protection Against the Dollar—Or to Attack It?
After taking a six-month break from an 18-month gold-buying spree, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) resumed its policy of large gold purchases in November.
On Oct. 31, gold reached a record price of $2,790.15 an ounce. Although it fell 5 percent last month, it remains about 28 percent higher for the year.
Bill’s Commentary:
“Speculate yes, store your wealth… hell no!”
24 Reasons Why I Don’t Believe in Bitcoin & Crypto
Since Donald Trump’s decisive election victory last month, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, XRP, and a host of quirky altcoins are surging once again, evoking memories of the 2021 crypto mania. At this pace, even NFTs might stage a comeback—and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did! Over the years, I’ve made a number of successful bullish calls on Bitcoin, including in early-2016, 2019, 2020 before the 7x bull run, and the more recent breakout in October. Yet, despite these successes, I’ve never become a true believer in Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies. While the crypto community often dismisses, ridicules, gaslights, and shouts down anyone who dares to question their beloved investments, I’ve compiled a list of twenty-four valid and compelling reasons why I never fully embraced Bitcoin or the broader crypto arena.
Bill’s Commentary:
“The reality from Elon Musk”
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1870206393334280578
Bill’s Commentary:
“I do not believe ANYONE, not even the authors of the chaos… have a full understanding of what comes?”
The latest from Erik –
Bill’s Commentary:
“Why? Don’t we pay enough taxes to the federal government for them to get the job done? Unless of course, they would be shooting down their own drones?”
Give states the power to shoot down drones, says Homeland Security secretary
The US Homeland Security secretary has said states need the power to shoot down drones following criticisms of the government’s response to sightings across the East Coast.
Alejandro Mayorkas made the comments after state officials in New York and New Jersey said that Joe Biden’s administration had failed to get a grip on the issue.
Kathy Hochul, the New York governor, said drone activity had closed down the runways at Stewart International Airport.
Bill’s Commentary:
“As we’ve told you before many times, “price always follows volume”!
Housing Bubble & Bust #1 and #2 as Seen through Employment in Mortgage Lending
Housing bubbles create employment bubbles at mortgage lenders, and housing busts then cause the employment bubble at mortgage lenders to implode. From June 2021 through October 2024, employment at nonbank mortgage lenders plunged 35.8%, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
At the low-point in June, employment at nonbank mortgage lenders was down by 37% from the peak, having plunged from 292,700 employees in June 2021 to 183,100 employees in June 2024, the lowest since 1997, lower even than during Housing Bust 1.
Bill’s Commentary:
“If you look back at a chart, gold (and silver) back in October 2022, bottomed one day after the US Treasury said they were sequestering (confiscating) $300 billion+ of Russia’s Treasury reserves. The entire world saw this, do you really believe the world will be on board to store their wealth in something that can be shut down and taken electronically by the whim of a computer keystroke? No matter what, the US Dollar will lose its reserve currency status… B.R.I.C.S.”
The latest from Erik –
Bill’s Commentary:
“The 2nd half of this article by David Jensen is some very good history of Ft. Knox gold reserves.”
As Currency Debasement Squeezes The US, The Age Old Question: Is The Gold All There David Rockefeller?
As we are told the economy is strong and citizens are doing well, we continue to note and see further signs that this is not the case.
And as price inflation continues along with a sudden increase in interest rates, those who work for a living are being squeezed with their income barely sufficient to meet everyday expenses.
This can clearly be seen in this graph tweeted by Bravos Research:
The latest from USA Watchdog –
Bill’s Commentary:
“300 years of US currency debasement right before your eyes. Yet, if you say you are buying gold, you will be told how RISKY it is? Really?”
Bill’s Commentary:
“What would you expect with a “woke Pope” running the show? Being woke and going broke I guess is now a thing even if you are a church?”
Vatican ‘on the brink of Bankruptcy’ due to dramatic decline in global donations under Pope Francis’ Leadership
The Vatican has found itself in an unprecedented financial crisis as of late and according to reports, it was caused by a decline in donations.
The Vatican, which is the global headquarters of the Catholic Church, may be on the brink of bankruptcy, according to the Daily Express. A combination of factors brought about the crisis, but many blame the management of Pope Francis, who became the 266th pope in 2013.
A decade later, in 2023, the Vatican reported an operating deficit of $87 million. The number had increased by $5.3 million in the span of a year. This is one of the largest debts the Vatican has ever accumulated, and it jeopardizes the livelihoods of retired clergy and staff.
Bill’s Commentary:
“The majority of derivatives are written in dollar terms. This means that losers must pay back (or margin) in dollars. A strong dollar (and higher interest rates) from here are NOT conducive to the US, nor the rest of the world. We will soon see!”
Bill’s Commentary:
“Solves your mouse problem!”
California squirrels turning into carnivorous killers: ‘Never seen before’ia squirrels turning into carnivorous killers: ‘Never seen before’
Evolution works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, it creates specialized carnivores with sharp teeth and claws; other times, it turns seemingly peaceful plant-eaters into opportunistic hunters. Scientists have just documented the latter in action, discovering that California ground squirrels – those supposedly harmless seed-gatherers – have developed a taste for meat and the skills to obtain it.
Bill is interviewed by Metals and Miners
Bill’s latest with USA Watchdog
Bill’s Commentary:
“The US only produces 3% of global car production? Really? Do you understand?”
Bill’s Commentary:
“”Growing” out from under the debt is a pipe dream…”
Trump’s ‘explosive’ economic growth claims are no match for the $36 trillion debt
Jeff Bezos, Larry Fink and Donald Trump’s Treasury pick Scott Bessent all agree: Turbocharging economic growth is the best route to reining in the U.S.’s massive $36 trillion debt. History is not on their side.
Bessent warns that this is the “last chance” for the country to grow its way out of the record debt without becoming a “European-style socialist democracy.” Fink, who heads the world’s largest asset manager BlackRock, urged the incoming administration in an Election Day op-ed to promote artificial intelligence and infrastructure investments to grow the economy and tame the deficit. And Amazon founder Bezos told economic power brokers at the DealBook Summit this month that the only way to solve the problem is to expand the economy by 3 to 5 percent a year while simultaneously trimming annual deficits.
Bill is interviewed by Metals and Miners – (Also posted under Interviews)
Bill’s latest with USA Watchdog – (Also posted under Interviews)
Bill’s Commentary:
“The incoming Treasury secretary is a gold bug… and gold is his biggest position!”
Trump’s Treasury Pick Sees A “Global Economic Reordering”
President Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has stated that he believes the world is on the cusp of a “global economic reordering”. And he would “like to be a part of it”.
He has hinted at the need for a new international agreement on the level of the famous Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944. Bretton Woods, of course, established the world monetary order over 8 decades ago.
It sounds like Bessent is thinking big. He will certainly need to, given the challenges the Trump administration will face over the next four years. Trump will come into office at a key moment in American history, and his administration’s decisions will echo over the coming decades.
Bill’s Commentary:
“Weekend geopolitics with Erik”
The latest from Erik –
Bill’s Commentary:
“Another conspiracy theory proven as fact… how does the saying go, payback is a bitch? The “high road” says go forward, I say, if you broke the law then you should go to jail. Without the rule of law, there is nothing!”
Report reveals that FBI spied on its likely new director, Kash Patel
It’s going to be awkward at FBI headquarters next month when President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the bureau likely takes over.
According to a new government watchdog report, the FBI spied on its prospective new boss, Kash Patel.
Patel has promised to “clean house” at the Hoover Building, and hold all those who “abused their power” during the Russiagate “witch hunt” accountable.
Bill’s Commentary:
“So, 2025 is the year…”
Bank of England announces it will keep the names of non-bank financial institutions it bails out a secret
On Monday, the Bank of England announced it will hide the identities of any pension funds, insurers or hedge funds bailed out to avoid the stigma. This new policy of secrecy to protect banks’ identity will begin in 2025 when the central bank launches its Contingent NBFI Repo Facility.
Also in 2025, the final parts of Basel III will be implemented. Basel III introduces bail-ins, where account holders rather than the government bail out a failing bank.
But that’s not all. In the “second half of this decade,” i.e. any time from 2025, is “the earliest” the Bank of England would issue a central bank digital currency.
Bill’s Commentary:
“Sorry not sorry!”
Janet Yellen “Sorry” After Presiding Over $15 Trillion Increase In US Debt
Something funny happened in late November.
Outgoing Treasury Secretary, and former Fed chair and vice chair, Janet Yellen said that she spoke with Donald Trump’s nominee to be her successor, Scott Bessent, after he was selected for the job. During a Tuesday event organized by the WSJ, Yellen said that in a call before Thanksgiving, she told Bessent, a veteran hedge-fund manager, about the breadth of the job and strength of the department’s staff.
Yellen, who had never worked one day in the private sector let alone a hedge fund where you are only as good as your last trade and only successful if you outsmart most of your peers, reiterated previous warnings against encroaching on Federal Reserve independence and on broad tariff hikes, while expressing regrets on the fiscal situation.
Bill’s Commentary:
“The budget is blowing out and will not get better from here. I see a currency and sovereign debt crisis dead ahead…”
Government Spending Shock: US Budget Deficit Soars In Worst Start To Year On Record
We thought last month’s US budget deficit was bad. Boy, were we wrong.
It is only fitting that the twilight days of the Biden admin would exhibit more of the same fakeness that defined not only all of the past four years, but certainly the fakeness of that Kamala Harris presidential campaign which had a billion dollars a month ago and ended up in failure, broke… and millions in debt. We are talking, of course, about the relentless debt-funded spree that somehow became synonymous with economic success in the US.
According to the latest Treasury data released today, in November – the second month of fiscal 2025 – the US spent a massive $584.2 billion, a 14% increase from the prior year, and a record for the month of November. For those who remember out outrage from a month ago, will also remember that the latest deficit number follows what was also a record government outlay for the month of October.
Bill’s Commentary:
“Wait, what? Why does she need a pardon? What could she have possibly done to need a pardon? Please tell us Bill!”
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1867297202877378812
Bill’s Commentary:
“But Ray Epps was not one of the 26?”
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1867274450900857019
Bill’s Commentary:
“The actual size of gold on this pyramid now is miniscule, something like 1%. Gold is money, everything else is credit.”
Bill’s Commentary:
“I cannot believe they actually did this? How will the rest of the world react to this brazen theft? Poking the Bear one more time, is this FAFO?”
U.S. Transfers $20 Billion Loan to Ukraine Backed by Russian Assets
The Biden administration transferred $20 billion to Ukraine on Tuesday, providing an urgently needed economic lifeline in the form of a loan that will be repaid using interest earned from Russia’s frozen central bank assets.
The transfer of the funds comes as Ukraine is facing a period of grave uncertainty with President-elect Donald J. Trump poised to take office next month and Russia’s war continuing unabated.
Mr. Trump and Republicans in Congress are unlikely to continue to provide Ukraine with the same levels of economic and military support as the country received from Democrats and the Biden administration. But the conflict continues, and Ukraine has relied heavily on international aid to keep its economy afloat.
The latest from USA Watchdog –
Bill’s Commentary:
“100% true!”
Bill’s Commentary:
“How is this even possible? And we find out after 2 weeks of people reporting sightings? Do you still feel “safe,” or that your tax dollars for “defense” are being well spent? I do not! Lastly, if this Iranian ship in fact did launch drones over US airspace, why is it still floating?”
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1866910592281596320
Bill’s Commentary:
“As I said, this was outright and very public THEFT!”
‘Simply Robbery’: Moscow To Retaliate After US Hands Ukraine $20BN Utilizing Russian Assets
Russia on Wednesday blasted the US disbursing a $20 billion loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets as “theft” and “simply robbery” while vowing that retaliation will soon come.
On Tuesday, the Biden administration announced it disbursed the $20 billion loan for Ukraine, to eventually be paid back using interest earned on frozen Russian Central Bank assets, which has been a controversial plan long in preparation.
Washington said it issued the funds as part of the bigger total $50 billion loan being provided by the Group of Seven (G7) nations.Washington said it issued the funds as part of the bigger total $50 billion loan being provided by the Group of Seven (G7) nations.
Bill’s Commentary:
“Erik on Trump”
The latest from Erik –
Bill’s Commentary:
“Weekend comedy!”
Bill’s Commentary:
“3 years ago…”
Bill’s Commentary:
“Thanks to your tax dollars and the see eye ay!”
Syria, Mission Accomplished?
Remember all of the jubilation created in Baghdad by the CIA, who hired a crowd that stormed the center square and tore down the statue of Saddam Hussein? Remember the mobs looting the presidential palaces, banks and commercial outlets? Welcome to Damascus 2024. To quote Yogi Berra, “It is Déjà vu, all over again.”
I admit, I am surprised by how rapidly the Assad regime collapsed. This was not the result, primarily, of military pressure from the terrorist fighters of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Something else was afoot. A deal was cut and Assad was persuaded to abandon his government and head for Russia.
I am sure there are champagne corks a popping at CIA Headquarters in McLean, Virginia and at MI-6 Headquarters in London. I think this operation surpassed even their expectations. But, if the subsequent events that unfolded in Iraq in 2003 and in Libya in 2011 are any guide, the celebrations should be tempered with trepidation. Why? Because Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham is now in charge. Instead of bringing peace and reconciliation, HTS will impose strict Sharia law and will punish those guilty of heresy — which means large segments of Syrian society are likely to be purged. HTS itself will become a target of terrorism. The most likely fate for Syria — at least for the next decade — is chaos and mayhem.
Who or what is HTS? According to the US Department of State Annex of Statistical Information, Country Reports on Terrorism 2018:
*Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) formed in January 2017 as a merger involving Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly al-Nusra Front), the Ansar al-Din Front, Jaysh al-Sunna, Liwa al-Haqq, and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement. In 2017, al-Nusra Front had 104 incidents, Liwa al-Haqq had 3 incidents, and HTS had 21 incidents directly attributed to them. This table represents the merged incidents and casualties of HTS and its member groups.
In the following year, 2019, HTS cemented its reputation as one of the “Top 10 Known Perpetrator Groups” in the world, and remained in the “Top 10” thru 2022 (the last year the report was released).
While it carried out a smaller number of attacks in 2019 compared to 2018, it killed a lot more people.
However, since its emergence in 2017, HTS has played second fiddle to ISIS, which has accounted for the overwhelming majority of terrorist attacks in Syria.
HTS is not a friend of Iran. It remains a fundamentalist Sunni Salafist movement. In terms of ideological extremism, it is a cousin of the settler groups in Israel, which are represented by Zionists like Bezalel Smotrich — they broker no compromise with anyone. Unlike Assad, who kept Christian Churches open and protected the Shi’a and Alawite communities, HTS is likely to persecute, if not outright murder, those groups. This means that floods of refugees will be headed back to Lebanon, north to Turkey, west to Europe and east to Iraq.
While the West is busy celebrating Assad’s downfall as a blow to Russia — and let me be clear, this is not an outcome that Moscow welcomed or wanted — Donald Trump and his advisors do not understand what happened. Trump issued the following on Truth Social:
Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.
Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin.
Rather than acknowledge that an international terrorist organization has been allowed to seize control of the government of Syria, Trump indulges the fantasy that “Russia is in a weakened state right now.” I am sure that went over well with folks in the Kremlin. I bet they are shaking in their boots as the mighty colossus that is Donald Trump, strides the world stage.
Trump’s ignorant statement about Russia’s economy and its progress with respect to the war in Ukraine guarantees that Putin will be in no mood to sit down to negotiate with Trump or any of his water boys.
The chaos that is likely to consume Syria over the coming two months will cause more harm and danger for Turkey and Israel than for Russia and Iran. Yes, the fall of Assad was a diplomatic blow for both Moscow and Tehran, but managing the emerging security risks presented by an HTS-led government? Those hot turds are now the problem of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Israel. Russia and Iran can sit back and watch or, through intelligence assets, help stir the pot.
Bill’s Commentary:
“The Greatest Depression!
OK, 2 things. First, mathematically we are already in a debt spiral. We will pay $1.5 trillion this year in interest alone versus $4.7 trillion in tax revenues. We add $2 trillion per year to the federal debt. At 130%, the US, who is the issuer of the worlds reserve currency, is a Banana Republic (not to mention the breakdown of the justice system). The Federal Reserve joins the party with negative equity on their balance sheet. Mathematically the whole thing is cooked.
Second, Let’s agree that DOGE can cut $2 trillion in spending. If they did this, GDP would be negative every year. $2 trillion is close to 7% of a $29 trillion economy. If it doesn’t get borrowed and spent, then it doesn’t make its way into the real economy and even the BLS could not jack with the numbers enough to spin positive. Not to mention the ripple effects of $2 trillion not entering the real economy each year.
Even though it is the right (moral) thing to do, if they are successful in cutting anywhere close to $2 trillion (not to mention massive tariffs that history shows do not work for either side), the result will be THE GREATEST DEPRESSION! If I wanted to pull the plug on the system with the least amount of political blowback, I would do exactly as proposed. The public wants it but has zero idea of how bad the consequences will be. Read “The Great Taking” if you have not already, and please take action because they are publicly telling you they are pulling the plug!”
Once upon a time, a brash outsider entered the Oval Office with a promise to “drain the swamp.” He brought in a posse of businesspeople, led by a leading industrialist, to work like “tireless bloodhounds” to root out inefficiencies in Washington’s vast bureaucracy.
It was 1982, and President Ronald Reagan’s Grace Commission began its quest to get rid of hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.
Much like President-elect Donald Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” the advisory board led by entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the Grace Commission had no authority to implement changes, only to advise.
Bill’s Commentary:
“No comment necessary…”
Bill’s Commentary:
“At least they won’t be messing our kids up with our own tax dollars for the next four years.”
Biden Admin Cut Big Check To Activists Using Schools As Recruiting Grounds For LGBT ‘Family Therapy’ Program
A Michigan group received federal funds for a “family therapy” program that instructs parents to affirm their child’s gender confusion — and enlists public school districts in the effort.
A nearly $1.3 million federal grant awarded in early 2024 to Arbor Circle, a resource center that offers counseling and support for youth 10-18 who identify as LGBTQ, states that Kent County and Ottawa County school districts will partner with the organization to promote its Supportive Assistance for Families and LGBTQI+ Youth (SAFLY) program.
Arbor Circle’s SAFLY program provides LGBTQ-identifying youth and their families with “counseling and support programs that aim to reduce rejection and behavioral health risks,” according to the grant description.
Bill’s Commentary:
“I really liked Animal House, I guess that makes me a P I G pig?”
MAGA Animal House
We know folly and evil when we see it,” X-posted the great American novelist Walter Kirn last week. “That is why literature and drama speak across time and across cultures.” Cinema certainly qualifies. And comic cinema may have the longest, deepest reach of all. At least it used to before Hollywoke killed the genre and wounded the art form. And few films have been more prophetic of the Trump Effect than one of the best screen farces ever made, National Lampoon’s Animal House.
The 1978 monster hit shook the still pliant liberal order of the era, and retarded feminist-centric “entertainment” for more than a decade — by being hilariously brilliant. A single scene of John Belushi’s Bluto on a ladder peering into a sorority house window had more cultural power than anything in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, An Unmarried Woman, Maude, One Day at a Time, or the then fully Alan Alda-nized M*A*S*H. Another bit, where fraternity pledge Tom Hulce is torn between a little devil and angel over performing sex on a passed-out date, would trigger a riot in academia and multimedia today. Even without the losing devil’s insult, “Homo!”
BillHolter.com 