Deja Vu View – No Accident
Our evaporating mortgage bubble represents the culmination of a long evolution of systemic mortgage fraud in the United States. If you want to understand the deeper story, here is the the update we wr…
The Mortgage Bear Growls
Fannie and Freddie are down this morning:
One consensus is emerging on line that the Fed is to blame for mortgage market woes:
Who Killed the Economy? – At Portfolio.com (24 Jun 2008)
The respon…
Community Waste
I am quite inspired these days by the folks I am working with on sustainability issues here in Tennessee. (Example: see Financial Permaculture ) I asked one of our sustainability leaders recently for…
McMarvelous
Here is the heartwarming story of two British activists, Helen Steel and David Morris, achieving the impossible by rewarding McDonald’s lawsuit against them with a PR nightmare, a watchdog website “Mc…
The Bell Tolls for the Bubble
The inflation of the U.S. financial and mortgage finance stocks that began in the mid-1990’s with institution of the strong dollar policy, the suppression of the gold price and the movement of signifi…
Community Wizards
I grew up in a community where all the kids freely used the “F” word. Then I went to work on Wall Street, where the “F” word was quite common. If you want a taste of the Wall Street culture multivaria…
History's Actors
“In the summer of 2002, after I had written an article in Esquire that the White House didn’t like about Bush’s former communications director, Karen Hughes, I had a meeting with a senior adviser to B…
Fourth of July Mystery
We had our July 4th Parade this morning. We had our three fire trucks, lots of ATVs brimming with kids and flags and a procession of beautiful, polished tractors and farm equipment. One mysterious gen…
Jessie Helms Dies – July 4, 2008
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. (October 18, 1921 – July 4, 2008) was a five-term United States Senator from North Carolina, and a member of the Republican Party. He served as chairman of the Senate Fore…
Y'All Are Welcome
I don’t know which is more nourishing – getting to know my cousin Jane or getting some of the Powell Farm’s sweet corn grown by her husband Billy and son Bob. You can do both this Saturday at the Farm…
Deja Vu View – $59 Billion Missing from HUD
Inspired by an insight from our attorney, Carolyn Betts, and the practice of one of our favorite journalists, Sam Smith at Progressive Review, we are going to republish bits and pieces of previous art…
Vanity Fair on Bear Stearns
Bringing Down Bear Stearns
By Bryan Burrough – Vanity Fair (Aug 2008)
On Monday, March 10, the rumor started: Bear Stearns was having liquidity problems. In fact, the maverick investment bank had aro…
Ohio Does Sex and Mortgage Fraud
Mark Dann was the attorney general of Ohio. In January, Ohio Attorney General Mark Dann sued Freddie Mac and the members of its board:
Ohio Pension Fund Sues Freddie Mac
That was right after Clevela…
Oklahoma Asserts Sovereignty
View the vote tally in the Oklahoma House of Representatives
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U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Gun Ownership
Wikipedia on Gun Politics
The Supreme Court Opens Fire
The Economist (26 Jun 2008)
Read the Supreme Court Decision
In From a Network Member
A Letter to My Stockbroker
February 2008
Dear John:
I sent you the article on Bill Gross of PIMCO because I was interested in someone who feels as I do—that the U.S. and the dollar are moving in t…
The National Security Business
Charlie Black, in an interview with Fortune, said “a fresh terrorist attack ‘certainly would be a big advantage to him [John McCain].'” Black also “said that the December assassination of former Pakis…
Request for Prayer and Financial Action
In response to the Supreme Court’s decision on Valdez, I would like to ask for prayers for all the people and living things harmed by the Valdez spill and for the people of Alaska. I would also reque…
From Barnes Capital Insight
Here is the year-to-date price change in commodities and stocks:
Crude oil up 43%
Ethanol up 21%
Heating oil up 44%
Natural gas up 77%
Unleaded gas up 40%
Cattle up 1%
Corn up 59%
Soy beans up; 26%
W…
How McCain's Money Works
For those of you who do not typically use financial filings, I thought I would make it easy for you to access information on how the Presidential candidates’ money works. Once you see how to access …
Is Your Safety Deposit Box a Crime Scene?
Money High Street
By Mark Nestmann
For many years, I’ve advocated keeping valuable items in private vaults, rather than safety deposit boxes. A raid June 2 on three private vaults in London has le…
Financial Truffles
I just love reporters who take the time to dig into financial statements and come up with the truffles to be found there. I posted Jonathan Weil’s gem from Boomberg this week on the Fed’s treatment of…
Book Review: Shock Doctrine
I finally finished The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein. What a fine piece of investigative journalism. Klein nails Milton Friedman, Jeff Sachs and the line of economists…
Sam Smith on Hillary Clinton
Most Recent Hillary Clinton Stories:
The Clinton Scandals
What You Won’t Find in The Clinton Museum and Library
The Real Divide on Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama & Vanna White
Th…
"What's Up in Alabama?" Updated
Catherine’s post – “What’s Up in Alabama?” has been updated. ~ View it here.
Jason Defense Advisory Group on Wind Farms
Wind farms that use spinning blades and turbines to generate electricity have the undesirable side effect of disrupting the operation of radar systems. The JASON defense science advisory group was ask…
Court Skinner Hot Tip
The coolest techie we know, Court Skinner of Computers for Everyone, in Palo Alto says Puppy Linux is going to resurrect antique computers (that is, more than ten years old). New computers can use it…
Derivatives Shoot the Moon
A new report from the Bank of International Settlements indicates that global outstanding derivatives just keep growing in amount.
Highlights of International Banking and Financial Market Activity – …
Another Unanswered Question
When Jim Johnson announced his resignation, the first uncensored thought that came to mind was “I wonder if Andrew Cuomo and Jack Kemp where in cahoots on this one?” It was just intuition, but with Ke…
How Obama's Money Works
For those of you who do not typically use financial filings, I thought I would make it easy for you to access information on how the Presidential candidates’ money works. Once you see how to access …
The Smell of Our Money
I first met Jim Johnson in the early 1990’s. I was a great admirer of his predecessor at Fannie Mae, David Maxwell. David had recruited Jim from Lehman Brothers to serve as Vice-Chairman at Fannie Mae…
Alcohol Can Be a Gas
I just saw a fascinating presentation. David Blume explained ethanol and its economics in the context of reviving communities at the Sonnenschien Festival in Hohenwald, Tennessee. Here are links for h…
A Must Read
The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination
Harvard University Commencement Address
By J.K. Rowling – Harvard University Gazette Online (Jun 2008)
View a live video recording or…
Money Supply (MZM)
Money Supply at 5 Jun 2008
St. Louis Federal Reserve Report
~ Previous blog posts on MZM: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
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Adjusted Monetary Base
Adjusted Monetary Base
St. Louis Federal Reserve Report
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Water In The Stock Market
Water Crisis to be Biggest World Risk
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard – London Telegraph (6 Jun 2008)
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In Memorium
Let’s take a moment and give thanks for the life and work of one excellent man.
Utah Phillips passed away on May 23rd. Described as the “Golden Voice of the Great Southwest,” you can learn more about…
American Wisdom
Just 17% Say Federal Government Represents Will of the People
Rasmussen Reports (3 Jun 2008)
Just 17% of voters say that the federal government represents the will of the American people. A Rasmussen…
Let's Help the New President
I have been asked to start a list of things that the President could do to improve the economy. I thought I would start this list and invite you into the invention room to add. Remember, we are in bra…
Most Americans Agree
Neither Honest Nor Trustworthy: The 10 Worst Corporations of 2007
By Russell Mokhiber & Robert Weissman – Multinational Monitor.org (Nov/Dec 2007)
“A November 2007 Harris poll found that less tha…
Comment on Bishop Jake's Blog
Bishop:
Thank you so much for your words on this topic Negative Press Distracts Church from Mission and for offering us the opportunity to access your leadership and inspiration through your blog.
I…
Two New Morsels from GiftHub.org
From Phil Cubeta – At GiftHub.org:
Getting Your Philanthropy Advice from a Loan Shark?
(31 May 2008)
Mr. Repo Man as Philanthropic Advisor
(31 May 2008)
FRED Graph
Total Borrowings of Depository Institutions from the Fed – 1910 to present:
Advice to a University Student
Miss Catherine,
It is a pleasure to be introduced to you. I have been on Solari.com and read many of your papers. Your Narco Dollars series was particularly interesting/upsetting. I never realized ho…
Kirby's Letter to WSJ
Rob Kirby wrote to the Wall Street Journal earlier this week:
Kate Kelly:
Congratulations on your article, “Fear, Rumors Touched Off Fatal Run on Bear Stearns.
Quite a story you’ve written there….
Return on Reputation: Mission Aligned Investing
The proprietor of GiftHub.org has his next comment for us:
Read the full article here.
Community Business – Banking Locally
Tonight, Dennis Bernstein and I are going to be back on Flashpoints helping Dennis switch from his existing bank, Wells Fargo, to a local credit union.
Here are some links that we will be using durin…
Mortgage Market Madness
Oh, my.
Terrorizing honest government regulators and their contractors in life threatening ways, seizing and stealing their software tools and databases providing public access to transparency regard…
The Auction Rate Securities Mess
If you are curious to know more about the headlines regarding losses on auction rate securities, here is a new lawsuit filed against UBS that outlines some of the background and issues.
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Opening This Weekend
John Cusack’s latest . . .
Your Tax Dollars At Work
Good news! The Bureau of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Department of Labor has announced the April Producer Price Index. You will be delighted to hear their finding that gasoline prices decreased 4.6 p…
The Next Shoe to Drop
Rob Kirby of Financial Sense discusses his conversation with Catherine about the demise of Bear Stearns and related events.
The Next Shoe to Drop
By Rob Kirby – Financial Sense WrapUp (19 May 2008)…
Dmitry Orlov's "Reinventing Collapse"
Dmitry Orlov’s book “Reinventing Collapse” is an excellent introduction to the de-industrialization that numerous areas of the world have experienced, written for Americans interested in preparing for…
A New Version of "Survivor"
And You Thought It Could Never Happen
By Sharon Astyk – Casaubon’s Book Blog (14 May 2008)
On Television, the new version of “Survivor” takes over with a new theme – participants must create a fu…
Futures Market 101
One of the signs watched to determine risks of inflation or deflation is the relationship of current commodities prices to those expressed in future contracts. Here are two words we are going to be se…
Pricing Ethics
Does Being Ethical Pay?
By Remi Trudel & June Cotte – Wall Street Journal (12 May 2008)
<ul>”After reading about the company and its coffee, the people told us the price they were willing t…
Freddie Mac Conference
“Now previously we have said that we expect housing prices to fall at least 15% nationally, and today they [have fallen] about 9% through the measure we use which is relative to our market. We want …
Man From Plains
I am a great admirer of patience and fearlessness combined in a persistent person. I got a chance to see Man from Plains which chronicles President Jimmy Carter’s book tour across America to publicize…
The Most Profitable Economic Hit in History
I was speaking with Dennis Bernstein of Flashpoints about our show, Community Business, which we do each Wednesday night. We were talking about Solari Audio seminar, “The REAL Economic Hit Men” I me…
You Can't Take It With You
I just saw an excellent presentation by Kathryn W. Mirree, J.D, called The Top Ten Charitable Planning Ideas for 2008. The seminar was presented by the Planned Giving Council of Greater Memphis and Co…
Volcano in Chile
Chilean Volcano Erupts ~ View all photos in the series
Chile Volcano Forces Evacuations
BBC News (2 Jan 2008)
What's Up in Alabama?
Update:
Men’s Health ranks Birmingham as one of the four most impotent cities in the country. Could this help explain the problems in Alabama?
Impotence Hits You Where You Live
Men’s Health.com
~ Vie…
It Is That Simple
I just listened to a wonderful David Icke interview in which he says that solutions are simple. Right now, everyone pretty much acts by asking and answering “What’s right for me?” If we all just start…
Correction
For some reason (groan) a very old article is circulating on the internet. It includes an estimate of presidential campaign contributions from the largest states that is too high. I calculated it with…
Meditations on Mission Investing – Stanley Sporkin
Jay Taylor just sent out a letter to his subscribers describing a meeting at the Committee for Monetary Research Education, Inc. and his fellow speaker, Stanley Sporkin, as “known for his uncompromis…
Posts on Mission Investing
Human Flourishing in a Constitutional Republic
By Phil Cubeta – Gift Hub (4 May 2008)
Two Gems From Gift Hub
Catherine Austin Fitts Blog Post – Solari (2 Aug 2007)
Financial Ecosystems – Capitalism 3.0
I find Peter Barnes proposals in Capitalism 3.0 to be/have:
1. Well intended. That’s important. Smart people, who are willing to try to figure out what is going on, communicate and collaborate, can…
The Solari Model – Total Economic Return
Introduction
I am writing a series of posts on aligning investment with mission and values, including some point-counterpoints with Phil Cubeta at gifthub.org.
I thought I would begin by posting a …
More Financial Coup d’Etat
Former Goldman Sachs chairman Hank Paulson is not the only person supporting increased powers for the Federal Reserve:
Obama Calls for Overhaul of Financial Regulations
Did you know that Goldman Sa…
Study on Financial Returns of Angel Investors
Largest study on angel investing is released by the Kauffman Foundation and Angel Capital Education Foundation.
From the Press Release:
The largest study on the financial returns of angel investors…
How Does Your Money Work?
By Catherine Austin Fitts
In 1998, I took a first-year Bible class. My teacher was a woman of fearless intelligence who, after spending her work day in a high-powered law firm, had no problem insp…
From the Joe Mysak Transcript
Catherine: I’ve dealt with state and local government in many different – you know, just as a citizen or dealing in business or – and it’s amazing. Everywhere you go, you get somebody that yo…
Sub-Prime Mortgage Woes Are No Accident
By Catherine Austin Fitts
In 1995, a senior Clinton Administration official shared with me the Administration’s targets for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage volumes in low- and moderate-income com…
Letter to Investor’s Business Daily
Investor’s Business Daily
Letters To The Editor
12655 Beatrice St.
Los Angeles, CA
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Congratulations on your op-ed piece, “If U.S. Wins War On Terror, Why Not War On D…
Real Deal Dim Sum — Is the Popsicle Index Important?
By Catherine Austin Fitts
The Popsicle Index is the % of people in a place who believe that a child can leave their home, go to the nearest place to buy a popsicle (ice cream) and come home alone saf…
Unanswered Questions About Andrew Cuomo
By Catherine Austin Fitts
“HUD is Being Run as a Criminal Enterprise”
In 2000, three and a half years after Andrew Cuomo became Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (…
Testimony of Anne Williamson
Testimony of Anne Williamson
Before the
Committee on Banking and Financial Services
of the
United States House of Representatives
September 21, 1999
Before I begin my testimony, I want to take a…
Anne Williamson Testimony
The Rape of Russia
by Anne Williamson
The following is Anne Williamson’s testimony before the Committee on Banking and Financial Services of the U.S. House of Representatives, presented Sept. 21, 199…
US Agricultural Subsidies: Who’s Who In Your Area?
Looks like the debate over agricultural subsidies is rising as the squeeze on the federal budget continues:
$1.3 billion crop subsidies shelled out to nonfarmers, by Dan Morgan, Gilbert M. Gaul, Sarah…
“Ethnic Cleansing” Connected to CIA Drug Dealing in Los Angeles
“Ethnic Cleansing” Connected to CIA Drug Dealing in Los Angeles
by Catherine Austin Fitts – May, 1999
I was ten years old when the combined action of HUD mortgage fraud and heroin trafficking destroy…
CACI Who? Some Thoughts on Who Prevents Transparency, Misplaces $3.3 Trillion and Profits from Prison Abuse in Iraq
[CAF Note: I originally published this on Scoop Media on May 3, 2004. Now that Presidential candidate Donald Trump has introduced a former Vice President of CACI as one of his key foreign policy advis…
The American Tapeworm
[This article was originally published in April 2003]
By Catherine Austin Fitts
A Tapeworm’s Triumph
The other day, a natural healing practitioner explained the strategy used by a tapeworm to pros…
C. Douglas Dillon Dies at 93; Was in Kennedy Cabinet
Sec. C. Douglas Dillon
Irving Resnikoff as ‘Charles J. Fox’
Oil on canvas
1964
By Eric Pace
Correction Appended
C. Douglas Dillon, a versatile Wall Street financier who was named secretary of the …
Kay Griggs: Colonel’s Wife Tell-All Interview
Originally published in December 2005
Kay Griggs speaks freely about the unimagined corruption and extent of the oppressive systems of deception within the leadership nexus of military intelligence…
Catherine at GATA in 2005
YouTube | 25 November 2012
Day Of The Dead: The Haunting Of The White House
Tuesday, 2 November 2004, 3:50 pm
Opinion: www.UnansweredQuestions.org
Distribution via the Unanswered Questions Wire
http://www.unansweredquestions.org/ .
Day of the Dead: The Haunting of the White…
Where Would Jesus Bank?
“And Jesus went into the temple and began to cast
out them that sold and bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the money changers”
~ Mark 11:15
Jesus and the Bankers
I think…
The Real Deal: A Prayer For The Power Of Pennies
Thursday, 11 March 2004, 1:46 pm
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
A PRAYER FOR THE POWER OF PENNIES
A Request for Prayers During Litigation, March & April 2004
by Catherine Austin Fitts
*************…
US News & World Report Doth Protest Too Much
Friday, 19 December 2003, 12:42 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
Mapping The Real Deal with Catherine Austin Fitts
US News & World Report Doth Protest Too Much
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
US NEWS & WORLD…
Let’s Play 20 Questions on “Where is the Money?”
Tuesday, 12 August 2003, 11:06 am
Article: Catherine Austin Fitts
Mapping The Real Deal with Catherine Austin Fitts
Let’s Play 20 Questions on “Where is the Money?”
“When the government pays your exp…
20 Questions On “Where Is The Money?”
“When the government pays your expenses, then your gross is your net.”
— Philadelphia Mafia Leader
Think about it:
1. Rigging g…
The Real Deal: Felix Rohatyn’s Financial Holocaust
Tuesday, 21 January 2003, 12:00 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
Catherine Austin Fitts The Real Deal
Felix Rohatyn’s Financial Holocaust
A Response to the NY Times Bob Herbert’s ” An Appeal to Unc…
The Real Deal: ABC Distracts As Pockets Are Picked
Wednesday, 9 October 2002, 11:07 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
THE REAL DEAL:
JOHN STOSSEL & ABC —
Distracting You With Pocketbooks
While Your Pockets Are Picked
By Rick Ensminger and Catherin…
The Real Deal: Austin Fitts For President, Or Not
Monday, 30 September 2002, 10:55 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
The Real Deal with Catherine Austin Fitts
A Response to a Reader Request That I Run for President of the United States
***********…
The Real Deal: Crying In The Kitchen With Jane
Friday, 16 August 2002, 11:55 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
Crying In The Kitchen With Jane
The Real Deal with Catherine Austin Fitts
Appeared in From the Wilderness, October 1999
*************…
The Real Deal: Hitting On HUD
Monday, 12 August 2002, 11:32 am
Column: Catherine Austin Fitts
Mortgage Market Unanswered Questions – Hitting On HUD
Questions For Investors and Financial Analysts
to Ask the
United States Departme…
Enron Let’s Play 20 Questions
Enron-gate: Let’s Play 20 Questions (2002)
[CAF & BEN: Do you want a brief introductory or conclusion paragraph here, or do you want the sarcasm to speak for itself? Also, one is missing its “answ…
The Real Deal on 9:11: Rewarding Failure
BY CATHERINE AUSTIN FITTS
On September 11, America experienced a national security failure. Despite America’s annual investment of approximately $350 billion in what is supposed to be the world’s f…
Enron: The Anatomy of a Cover Up
Enron: The Anatomy of a Cover-Up
Republished from Scoop Media, The Real Deal,Tuesday, 12 March 2002
Column: Catherine Austin FittsWith Catherine Austin Fitts
Flashpoints News Radio, KPFA, Berkeley,…