Federal News Radio just reported that morale among Federal Workers has taken a hit. They attribute the decline in worker happiness to a two year pay freeze, which really hasn't stopped workers from getting higher pay and constant bashing from Congress and the Public. From its website, it is difficult to tell whether this is a serious effort to inform the DC Federal Worker Community, or whether they're a union shill. To quote, "Federal News Radio features the talents of some of the best federal minds in the industry." We're not sure what a federal mind is, or what industry they're referring to, but in our opinion, if their minds were so great they wouldn't be working for the government in the first place.

Federal workers are unhappy because many of them are not suitably challenged by their work environment. Lack of challenge leads to worker unhappiness. If a person is not growing, they're going to be unhappy. Really simple concept that seems to have gone over the heads of Federal News. So perhaps it's time to encourage all those unhappy government employees to seek employment elsewhere, where they'll be more appreciated. And while we're at it, after the mass retirements take place, lets close down the departments where they used to work.

Please fill out the subscription box on www.KerryLutz.com to receive your free Financial Survival Toolkit.

Bob Chapman joined us today to address your never ending concerns about Greece and the financial tragi-comedy that seems to be stuck on hold. They're burning down banks now and they seem completely unprepared to accept the inevitable lower standard of living that's coming their way. Greece has always been a magnet for tourists and the return to the Drachna could make the country the discount travel capitol of the world. But there's much more that will need to happen before that takes place.

Bob also reviews Gold and Silver prospects, which due to the world turmoil have never looked better, or worse depending upon your perspective. Few if any countries have seen their deficits decrease in a meaningful way, so of course more debt will be issued to paper over the shortfall. And this must eventually result in more inflation and therefore higher gold and silver prices. I wouldn't bet against Bob or thousands of years of human history. It always works out this way.

Please fill out the subscription box on www.KerryLutz.com to receive your free Financial Survival Toolkit.

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 taken away from the individual and put into the state's hands with tight controls.

There was clearly no winner or loser in this debate. And there is probably no correct answer to whether or not we can exist without some form of government. The controversy over governmental control and powers has been shifted to a whole new level. It is no longer a question of right versus left, or limited government over leviathan government. It is now an existential issue, should there be a governmental at all? If this question is answered in the affirmative, then it becomes a matter of what powers should government be imbibed with.

The debate will continue, and we hope to see Doug and Yaron face to face at Freedom Fest, Las Vegas for a more in depth view of what will become the issue of our time. 

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-Lutz.

We all know that every level of government is broke and that in a vicious effort at self-preservation, they will stop at nothing to keep the game going. New York State and New York City have been masters of this game for decades. Visit New York City, and you’ll be hit with the full force of the law, regardless how trivial your offense. Yesterday, one of Mayor Michael “Nanny” Bloomberg’s boys in blue hit me with a ticket for the egregious offense of holding a cellphone in my hand while driving. When the officer approached the car and asked what I was doing with the cellphone, I informed him, “I’m talking to Siri.” Alas this was no excuse, since merely holding any electronic device in one’s hand is now grounds to receive a $150 ticket and 3 points on your driving record. Intent to violate the law is no longer required.

There’s never been any finding that someone who merely holds a cellphone or other electronic device in their hand is any more likely to have an auto accident as someone who’s holding a cup of coffee or a lipstick. Increased risk and threat to public safety is merely a justification for ever more intrusive and burdensome laws. And of course there’s the revenue side of the ledger. Millions of dollars will flow to Albany and New York City’s coffers as a result.

So it’s the citizen be damned. Your purpose is merely that of a milk cow, being constantly squeezed to produce ever more revenue and sustenance for a government that knows no bounds. New York, in its glory days was once known as the Empire State. Now it has simply become an empire of corrupt, inefficient, exploitative, rapacious government. For some reason I don’t think that’s what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they created a constitution that gave the government limited powers and sought to insure individual rights.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call ur at 347-460-LUTZ.

It's now official, Ranting Andy Hoffman and I are extremists. Why, because we favor a return to the Gold Standard and believe that the United States went bankrupt as a result of Nixon's decision to abandon the remnants of the Gold Standard that were still in place in August 1971. The FBI is warning local law enforcement that people who consider themselves to be sovereign citizens, who object to EPA regulations, who resent the IRS, could be prone to extreme violence with no warning.

If we're extremists, then we hope you will join us and together we can show the FBI and the US Government what peaceful extremism is all about. We also took your questions about precious metals investing and hope that you won't wait until it's too late to start buying. If there's something you would like us to discuss, please email me or leave a message. 

Please send your questions/comments at kl@kerrylutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ

The FBI, our federal police, have just released a report claiming that sovereign individuals, who oppose environmental regulations and believe that the United State's departure from the Gold Standard caused it to go bankrupt present a threat to law enforcement. Never mind that rampant criminality taking place on Wall Street, people who believe in limited government are now the threat. 

So next time you get stopped by a cop, let him now that you support ever expanding government, that he is entitled to life time free medical coverage and that his pension is way too small. And that you believe the Bill of Rights should be repealed and that the government should be able to do whatever it damn well pleases. That should help put you in his good graces and save you a major tasing and pepper spraying.

Please send your questions/comments at kl@kerrylutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Mo Dawoud of WallStreetForMainStreet.com fame joins us to discuss the best ways to protect your wealth and stop Wall Street from bankrupting you. Not an easy task, but it can be done. More and more, people are coming to understand the nature of the economic crisis in which we find ourselves and that there are no quick fixes. Therefore, as conventional paper invests get riskier and riskier, hard assets begin to shine. 

Please send your questions/comments at kl@kerrylutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ

Howard has seen it all. 

He's been publishing The Ruff Times for thirty-four years, in bull and bear markets in stocks and the precious metals. As he says, "I've been around a long time, unlike most of the hot financial advisors and brokers today who weren't even born when I was already accurately predicting the markets. These big shots were the Invincible Optimists at the peak of the last bull market on Wall Street in the spring of 2000, and I was yelling at them (they didn't listen) to get out of the stock market. I think I am one of a handful of real adults in the Wall Street kindergarten with a long-range view of the world of money and an encyclopedic view of gold and silver."

While his health hasn't been great recently, he's still producing and still giving accurate commentary on the US and world financial situation. His wisdom is battle tested and his advice has proven extremely profitable over the years. 

Please send your questionss/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us 347-460-LUTZ.

Ty Andros joins us today for an economic update covering the latest hotspots around the globe. Ty is not just an Austrian Economics admirer, he's put the philosophy to excellent use. Armed with his projections he's able to make common sense calls about the behavior and direction of markets that can lead to good profits. It's really not a matter of what you know, but how you use it.

QE3 is written all over the markets. You see its fingerprints in decreased volatility, the absence of individual activity and a sense that market signals are no longer functioning properly. Sell signals and buy signals have stopped working. So just being a market technician clearly will not work in the current environment. A deeper understanding of where things are heading is essential. So join us next week to find out more about watching for the new indicators. 

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Brother John F of BrotherJohnF.com is an amazingly popular blogger who's site regularly attracts many thousands of visitors. Through his YouTube Channel and his site, he's become a go to source of information about what's really going on in the economy. And we both agree, it ain't pretty. Declining employment rates, declining standards of living, and political instability are all indications of where the state of our nation and our economic prospects are headed.

However, John believes that you can avoid much of the economic deluge that is currently hitting our shores by the judicious purchase of silver. While the Financial Survival Network sometimes may appear to be a gigantic echo chamber, it is virtually impossible to get opposing viewpoints to go on the record. Perhaps they know something and don't want to leave a record behind. So folks like Brother John are left to spread the word and help us prepare. 

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Gary Gibson of WhiskeyandGunPowder.com and Jeff Berwick of DollarVigilante.com join your humble host for a no holds barred discussion of why they believe anarchy is the best course for humanity. While one can question the practicality of a world without government, Gary and Jeff have really thought things through and believe that we are all grown-up enough to live without the guiding hand of all-knowing government. While this may or may not be the case, governments today are teetering on the edge. We may have no choice but to prepare for life without them.

Certainly government as it is now constituted, represents a threat to every individual's liberty around the planet. Whether it's getting into unnecessary wars, bailing out criminal financial miscreants, or spending their way into the poorhouse, there is something inherently wrong with government as it is now practiced. So if we can devise a transition to anarchy that will not result in humanity's descending into chaos, perhaps it's worth considering. In any event, discussion of anarchy inevitably leads to a discussion of the proper role and scope of government, and this is a debate that has been much too long in coming.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

David Morgan of Silver-Investor.com and Chris Duane of Dont-Tread-On.Me join our second roundtable on silver investing. Did you know, based upon government numbers, the inflation adjusted price of silver, just to equal its prior high of $50 would be over $150 per ounce? If you were to use the true rate of inflation, pursuant to John Williams ShadowStats.com, the price would be over $400 per ounce. Right now, you can buy silver for less than $35 per ounce. Sounds like bargain basement prices to your us!

What form of silver to buy will vary according to your budget and other circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers. But David and Chris agree that Constitutional Silver--pre-1965 US 90% silver coins--should be part of anyone's silver inventory. After you have enough, then you can look at new US Silver Eagles, rounds, 100 ounce bars and anything else you so desire. Just beware of numismatic coins and make sure you understand the basics of coin collecting, if you choose to get involved there. But always be sure that you have a core holding of silver bullion. Lock it up and forget about it. Don't watch the paper price fluctuations, as this is simply a distraction that could make you start selling at exactly the wrong moment. 

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Bob Chapman, The International Forecaster, is back again discussing the imminent departure of Greece from the Euro. While it may seem extremely painful and destructive for now, in the long run it will be a plus. They won't be able to borrow money, which will force them to produce more at home and to build a sustainable economy. They will be on a COD basis with the rest of the world, but perhaps the Chinese and Russians will extend them some credit. And may be GE Capital will come to their rescue. Whenever there's a high profile bankruptcy stateside, GE is often seen rushing in wiht Debtor-In-Possession financing at reasonable rates with good terms. Because under the bankruptcy, their new debt gets paid before everyone else's. So perhaps they'll do the same for the birthplace of democracy.

Elsewhere, in the US things aren't looking a whole lot better. Bob foresees the right of basement revolutionaries. These are children who due to economic circumstances can't go out and buy homes for themselves, so they're forced to live in mom and dad's basement and make due. This generation has missed out on the American Dream and they're extremely unhappy about it. Will they start a new movement aimed at recapturing the American spirit and drive. We all hope so, but no one has seen them emerge from the basement apartments with pitch forks yet.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Peter Grandich was still in a mild state of euphoria over the victory of his New York Giants. Peter works closely with a number of team members in a Bible Study Class. And just like there's some good pro ball players out there, there's some good solid investments, even in an environment like this one. Peter urges you not to be fooled by the so-called investment pros who are always trying to make things look much better than they really are. He calls them the, "Don't Worry, Be Happy," crowd, because they're always playing up the positive and dismissing the negative. Not a good plan for long term financial success.

Peter says everyone should have a written financial plan. This will help you avoid the emotional traps that await every successful investor at one time or another. There are sectors of the market that have great upside potential. Peter thinks this may finally be the year the juniors start to catch up with the ever escalating metals prices their value should be related to. While he is not yet ready to bet the farm on this hunch, he sees many signs that are making him more and more optimistic. But, Peter says you always need to invest with caution and a real certainty in your own fallibility. It's this attitude that has made Peter's career the success that it is.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

A new first for the Financial Survival Network--a virtual round table. Gary Wagner and David A. Banister joined me for a discussion about the current price direction of the precious metals and how best to maximize your profits. Strategy is everything. From personal experience, I can attest to the fact  there's no stronger intoxicant than a rapidly rising investment portfolio. Quick returns have been known to do in even the most experienced investors. Therefore, controlling your emotions and being open to advice from others can help. After all, learning from another's expensive mistake can help insure you don't do the same.

Gary and David agree the recent price increases in gold and silver are indicative of a major upward wave in prices. Right now, they believe gold is in a slight correction trend that shouldn't go much below 1690, if it goes that far. Therefore, buying on slight dips should prove profitable. Always remember, when an investment rises very quickly, it's quite possible it will experience a drop in price nearly as fast. And with your profits locked in, you'll be well positioned to invest in another asset with good prospects.

Send us your feedback. This is the first of many roundtables to help you prepare for the coming global financial reset.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

When Mark Skousen started Freedom Fest in 2002 he didn't think he was giving birth to a movement. Now, it's a decade later and thousands of people around the world are aware of Freedom Fest and routinely attend its events. I caught up with Mark at the Global Financial Summit in the Bahamas last week. As a freedom loving person, Mark was anxious to create a place where fellow freedom lovers could gather and start fighting the ever increases governmental encroachments. Far from being a US phenomena, governments across the globe have had an ongoing undeclared war on individual freedom and rights. At first, the incursions were minor and seemingly innocent. Now, with the Patriot Act, SOPA and so many other anti-freedom acts, the real plan has emerged.

G. Edward Griffin has believed for decades that the ultimate goal of the global elitist financial cabal was totalitarianism and the extinguishment of individual rights. It now appears that his fears are confirmed on a regular basis. Freedom Fest needs to become a statement of mind and a global movement by individuals to reclaim their sovereign rights. Mark Skousen has made an excellent first step.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Ty Andros of www.Traderview.com, a speaker at FreedomFest's Global Financial Summit, believes the economic system and the Dollar, as it presently exists, are facing an extinction event. Not that humanity is, these currency shifts have taken place many times before and will continue. They are simply part of human existence and no matter how we try, we cannot change that reality.

The solution is to understand where you are in the cycle and invest your resources accordingly. Precious metals are certainly an insurance policy against the resulting chaos, and Ty believes Silver is your greatest ally in protecting and building wealth. As a believer in the Austrian School of Economists, Ty says that the current crisis was long ago foreseen, and it was unavoidable. Better to be prepared than to be surprised.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

I'm live at Freedom Fest's Global Financial Summit 2012 in the Bahamas. Trevor Bradley of Georgetown Trust joins me to discuss global banking jurisdictions. Georgetown Trust specializes in helping you obtain asset protection, management, and diversification. All of their work is offshore and is protected with respect to privacy and confidentiality. Trevor and I agree, Belize is one of the best banking jurisdictions out there. Belize has never had a banking failure in its history, and banks in Belize are regulated to keep a 24% liquidity rate all year round.

You need to consider offshoring a portion of your wealth. Investments offshore are not illegal. If you are thinking about owning precious metals, an account in Belize can be facilitated through Zurich. For more information contact trevor_georgetown@btl.net.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

We caught up with Peter Schiff of EuroPacific Capital at FreedomFest's Global Economic Summit in the Bahamas. Peter is never shy about voicing his opinion about the impending crash of the US Dollar and the fiat monetary regime. While he's been warning us about the inevitable collapse, he's putting himself on the line now and believes that time is running short. He expects the event to occur within the next 1-2 years and believes that in addition to living on borrowed money, the government is also living on borrowed time.

As he sees it, interest rates have been suppressed for so long, that they have no place to go but up. Once this occurs, printing and borrowing to somehow achieve solvency will come to an end and then the political establishment is going to have to get serious about controlling spending and ending debt based economics. The unfortunate result will be a decrease in American living standards, however, there is a silver lining. And that is, should the Country adopt sound economic policies, we will rapidly emerge from the quagmire as an opportunity based economy once again. 

Please send your questions to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us 347-460-LUTZ.

Nick Santiago joins us today to discuss technical trading. His exceptional trading site, InTheMoneyStocks.com has been providing investment advice to help the average trader for the last five years. Santiago believes that at best, we’re in a short-term pull back mode. But soon, in the next two months or so, the dow will probably top out. Then, we’ll get a pretty sharp correction that could last a while. Ultimately, the central banks are going to deflate the banks again. If your looking at the Euro, it’s on a one-way train to the downside. The Euro’s going lower and that means the dollar’s going higher. The dollar is holding up pretty well for now. But eventually, the dollar will get deflated again. The only way the market goes up is when the dollar goes down. Now is the time to buy precious metals. You are going to want to own gold and silver. Now is the best buying opportunity we’ve had since the stock market crashed in 2008. Gold and silver are the ultimate indicators of money creation. Nick recommends buying silver. Silver is an industrial metal as well as a precious metal, and it’s cheaper than gold.

Please send your questions to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us 347-460-LUTZ.

Mickey Fulp, the Mercenary Geologist, joins us for a review of how different markets performed during the month of January 2012. If the old saw, "As January goes, so goes the year," holds true, then 2012 could be one for the record books. Platinum was up 20 percent, Gold 10 percent,  and Silver 18 percent. These are huge numbers that could be an indication of things to come or might prove to be a false indicator. The big loser for the month was natural gas down 20 percent! Warm winters in the Northeast, supply gluts, and new technology have made natural gas a perennial dud. But just like sugar, silver, and gold, remember that every dog has its day. And with oil staying up in the $100 per barrel range, it could be sooner rather than later. Time will tell, but Mickey always calls them the way he sees them.

The great news is Mickey's Market Wrap-Up will become a monthly feature at FSN, and few people are as qualified to give the opinion as the Mercenary Geologist himself.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

Back for his weekly rant, we check in with Andy Hoffman to discuss gold breaking through its 200 day moving average. As per our expectations, gold's on the up side yet again. Andy however, warns you not to get caught up with short term movements. Consider the manipulation of the markets and the fast pace of the media-- always remember to look at the bigger picture! Don't watch the markets day to day, keep your expectations in the long-term. Gold has only traded below its 200 day moving average about 10% of the time over the last 11 years. The long-term technicals are actually more powerful in gold than in any other business. So don't let your emotions take control, keep your physical holdings--this is no Gold Bubble! Gold is and always has been money.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.

David A. Banister is among a small select group of technical traders who foresaw the August 2011 top in gold before it occurred and his subscribers and public followers were not blindsided by the top. David doesn’t blindly follow technical indicators off the cliff, but rather he follows them while keeping the fundamental picture in view. Using his proprietary indicators, he is currently discovering a number of resource plays that are already moving nicely to the upside. When Gold was being overbought due to its parabolic rise and called for a correction, that proved uncannily correct. David applies a proprietary model of market and stock entry timing based on crowd behavioral theory and mathematics.

Now he believes the opposite case is true, and he's calling for a resumption of the bull market, probably heading up to 1880 and even higher. While there's a lot of noise in the day to day markets, the rising trend is unmistakable, and we will probably see record prices sometime during 2012 and beyond. So buckle your seat belts and get ready for the ride. It's going to be a rough one. But Dave believes there's great potential in many of the resource stocks, including gold and silver miners.

Please send your questions/comments to KL@KerryLutz.com or call us at 347-460-LUTZ.