The Flinchum File

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White Noise

When I was born, Arabs and Jews were killing each other in the Mideast.
When I graduated from high school, they were still killing each other.
When I graduated from college, they were still killing each other.
When I was discharged from the Army, they were still killing each other.
When I married the first time, they were still killing each other.
When I became a father, they were still killing each other.
When I married the second time, they were still killing each other.
When I became a grandfather, they were still killing each other.

At some point, all that killing became mere “white noise”.
I lost interest a long time again.
Then, BOOM!

The problem with white noise is that it is seductively numbing.
What other potential problem might I also become numb to?

The National Debt!

The classical school of economics is that debt is no problem if you never run a deficit.
The Keynesian school is a deficit today is fine if you repay it, assuming your politicians are courageous.
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) says our national debt is never a problem, because it will never be paid.
MMT is convenient as it requires no action, which makes it extremely seductive.

To me, MMT cannot save us forever, but it will provide us enough time to buy gold or whatever.
If killing each other can become white noise, then possible economic collapse could also become white noise.
Estimating how much time that MMT has bought us is not possible, but it is time to pay attention.

YOUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Look up a “Minsky Moment” . . .