Liberty Lines 3-10-2010

(First published in The State Line Tribune. I waited to put it here for a while so it could be "exclusive" to them. They have no website.)

Recently I have heard a lot of people worrying about the economy. That's understandable. A lot of people are beginning to wake up to realities that only libertarians seemed concerned about just a few short years ago.

The most obvious clue for most people is that the price of gasoline is taking a leap. This will soon translate into higher prices on everything. Of course, you should understand that these things are not actually becoming more valuable; the dollar is simply getting closer to the point of worthlessness due to run-away Federal Reserve counterfeiting.

I can't tell you for certain what will happen with the economy in the near future, but I won't lie to you like those in Washington DC, who are causing the problems, will.

There may or may not be a crisis coming, but there are things you can do that will benefit you regardless of whether America dodges yet another bullet or whether the piper gets paid this time. If no economic collapse occurs, you have done nothing that can harm you in any way; if it does, you will be ready. So, how can you protect yourself and your family in case of an economic crisis?

First of all, remember that US dollars are not real money, but merely a substitute. If they stop buying what you need, stop accepting them as payment for anything- paychecks included. Insist on either concrete things you need in order to survive (food, water, clothing, shelter, medicine, fuel, or ammunition), or things which will retain their value over time which you can then trade for the things you need for survival. Gold, silver, and copper come to mind, as do some durable necessities that you may not personally need, but know that others will. Dollars don't even make the list, since they are less valuable with each passing day, like blackening bananas.

Second, stock up on some things now before they are out of reach. Think of things that you wouldn't be able to do without if store shelves were suddenly empty for weeks at a time. Do you require prescription medicines? Do you have enough food stored, food you will actually eat, and that will last if the electricity goes out for several days? Do you have alternate ways of heating food, and even of opening cans? Do you have a supply of water and a way to make "iffy" water safe to drink? What about toilet paper? What does it hurt to be prepared for the worst while hoping for the best?