Money does not directly buy you happiness, but it does buy you freedom. And happiness is much easier to achieve when you have that.

The best freedom that money buys you is the freedom to tell anyone you like to f*** off.

sharke
Money does not directly buy you happiness, but it does buy you freedom. And happiness is much easier to achieve when you have that.

The best freedom that money buys you is the freedom to tell anyone you like to f*** off.

You can even tell it to anyone you don't like too! 

BobF
Circulation isn't hampered by accumulation.  Circulation is hampered by lack of borrowing.  Money in our economy is borrowed into existence. 

Well, it's good to know that I'm having a discussion with someone who actually has a clue!  Most people don't understand how money is created.  However, I still stand by my point.  Without enough money to go around people can't borrow because they won't be able to show the ability to pay back the loan.  How the Fed killed most of the middle class (including me) back in 2008-9 included having the banks STOP all lending for a bit.  The reason there was a huge problem and the banks had to be bailed out stemmed from over-leveraging the borrowing process.  Originally, if someone deposited a dollar into a bank that institution would lend out nine dollars.  As those loans got paid back with "real" money and wealth was created (a HUGE point missed by socialists).  What caused the problem however, was when a bank lent money to another bank.  So now one "real" dollar got deposited, then nine were lent from one bank to another and that second institution then lent out 81 dollars which was based on one real dollar.  Unfortunately, (or by Fed design to create a collapse), these new loans were risky and very unsecured consisting mostly of real estate to people who couldn't pay back the loans and who had only put up between 0% and 5% down.  When everything came to a head and all banks stopped lending, the foreclosures started (a lot more happened, but that's the quick gist of it).  
 
Once it was all done, banks owned 1/3 of all residential properties (when they're not supposed to own any) and the Fed had managed to make TRILLIONS (which still can't be accounted for).  Since the banks themselves weren't the ones making the money, they had to be bailed out.  The reason the very top bank executives somehow still ended up with multi-million dollar bonuses is because they did exactly what the Fed wanted.  Almost everyone I know that got waxed blames the banks or the government, but it's really above them and, yes, they ARE hoarding it.

I think we're in agreement in how things work.  I'm hung up on the concept of hoarding and how the term applies here.  The scenario I don't like to be seen as real is the one where somebody thinks that the value of your net worth subtracts from what is available to 'go around' for everybody else.
 
I get what you're saying, but I would call that institutional or sanctioned robbery. 

So...if they get the 81 dollars back, will it all be OK?

Did you know that all Fed profits get given to the Treasury?

BobF
Did you know that all Fed profits get given to the Treasury?

They should, but they don't.  There's currently SIX TRILLION missing and unaccounted for.  There are videos out there of Congressmen inquiring about it but getting stone-walled.  In one, the top financial investigator the government has is asked about this and she admits that even her office doesn't have the authority to investigate the Fed (pretty much implying that they are untouchable).

IIRC, the missing $Ts are credit issues to other countries.  From what I've seen, the payments to the Treasury have been made.
 
Absolutely untouchable.  In a way it has to be that way.  If politicians could directly influence the Fed, we would have collapsed from hyper-inflation A Long Time Ago.  That's not to say that I'm a Fed Fan, but you damn sure don't want congress issuing themselves credit.

jamesg1213
So...if they get the 81 dollars back, will it all be OK?

Only if the next shiny VST is on sale.
 
Otherwise......

Hi,
 
I was, once, told by a psychic that one of the funny rules of life is the ... weirdest of them all. He says, when you got it, and think you just got it, give it away. .... you will be rewarded ten-fold!
 
"Having" something, usually means it will be gone tomorrow, or you/I will! End of chapter!