Free Republic

International Man: With nearly $10 trillion in assets under management (AUM), BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager. The company exploded in size after the 2008 financial crisis, and that’s no coincidence. Central banks around the world have printed scores of trillions since then. A significant portion of that freshly created money eventually found its way into the stock market, specifically BlackRock’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs). BlackRock was also responsible for helping the Federal Reserve manage its massive debt portfolio after 2008. It’s another indication of BlackRock’s cozy relationship with the government. BlackRock is a good illustration of the Cantillon Effect—those...

International Man: In practically every country, the allowable limit for cash withdrawals and transactions continues to be lowered. Further, rampant currency debasement is lowering the real value of these ridiculous limits. Why are governments so intent on phasing out cash? What is really behind this coordinated effort? Doug Casey: Let me draw your attention to three truths that my friend Nick Giambruno has pointed out about money in bank accounts. #1. The money isn’t really yours. You’re just another unsecured creditor if the bank goes bust. #2. The money isn’t actually there. It’s been lent out to borrowers who are...

International Man: In parts of California and other states, shoplifting under $950 has been de-facto decriminalized. The practical reality is that thieves can now walk into a store and steal whatever they can without fear of police intervening—as long as it’s under $950. The trend of de-facto legalization of shoplifting is spreading across the country. What is your take? Doug Casey: The rise in crime in general and the veritable legalization of shoplifting, in particular, are really just symptoms. The real problem is that the moral fabric of the US and many other Western countries are torn. There’s not much...

Hundreds of migrants have showed up at the U.S.-Mexico border. They’re part of a “caravan” that includes about 5,000 people from Central America. The rest of the caravan, as far as we know, is still in central Mexico. But make no mistake. They’ll show up at the border any day now. And no one can agree on what to do with these people. Some say we should just let them into America. Other people, including President Trump, think we should keep the migrants out. In fact, Trump recently called the caravan an “invasion.” Not only that, he deployed thousands of...

"America is a marvelous idea, a unique idea, fantastic idea. I'm extremely pro-American. But America has ceased to exist," declares Doug Casey, an economist and author most recently of Right on the Money. He has also produced a new documentary called Meltdown America which predicts the economic and political unraveling of the U.S. Casey recently sat down with Reason TV's Nick Gillespie to discuss the political, social, and economic challenges the US must conquer as well as lessons we can learn from failed states. [Video at site] About 15 minutes.

Dr. Yaron Brook of the Ayn Rand Institue and Doug Casey of Casey Research joined me today for a lively discussion about the need for government and why it always turns out wrong. Amazingly, these two prominent advocates of personal freedom have never met before. They vehemently disagreed on the possibiliteis of an anarchical society; Doug believes it's the only sensible way for people to co-exist, and Yaron believes it's a sure pathway to tyranny. The discussion then turned to the state's monopoly on force, where Doug's belief is this inevitably leads to grave injustice, and Yaron insists force be...