Armstrong Economics

Ukrainian intelligence agencies released a serious claim that the Russian Ministry of Defense leaked the Kremlin’s final plan for Ukraine that involves separating the nation into three territories. Interfax Ukraine News?states that their source will propose the divided territories to Donald Trump once he enters the White House, with plans taking until 2045 to achieve. Although no one can confirm this information with certainty, the proposal—which no one will accept—is quite interesting. To begin, Russia will absorb the eastern regions, including but not limited to currently Russian-occupied territories. The second territory, the “pro-Russian state entity,” would not be within Russia but rather a Russian-controlled state. The third portion of land would be considered “disputed territory” that neighboring nations like Romania, Hungary, and Poland could absorb as they see fit. The alleged leaked document also envisions two possible scenarios for victory over Ukraine. Scenario one is the “formation of a multipolar world and the division of spheres of influence by leading actors,” while scenario two is “regionalization/chaotization.” The press has not revealed the exact nature of either scenario, but in both cases, Russia will take back the land that started this entire conflict. There are also two unfavorable scenarios: “dominance of the U.S. and the West” and “acquisition by China of the status of the world’s leading power.” A situation where China usurps Ukraine for itself is quite amusing. The documents allegedly state that “one of the most important tasks is to create a new world order.” That has NEVER been the intention. I must say this all sounds like fearmongering for the West. Kyiv Intendent?reported?Russia has been attempting to overpower the US and post-World War II global financial system. These claims are completely baseless and have no footing in reality. Russia has begged to be accepted into the international community for purposes of cooperation and trade for decades, long before Putin was appointed by Yeltsin. Russia was a shunned nation long before Ukraine or even Crimea for that matter. Putin has been pleading with West for its very existence – but the answer is always NO. https://lnkd.in/eDVWA6cR

The incoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy is tackling a serious problem – the complex tax code. Donald Trump has also expressed a keen interest on simplifying the process and fixing our “broken tax code.” The Internal Revenue Service was multiplied and armed with weapons under Biden-Harris. The administration desperately needed funding for its continuous spending and aid packages, and the American people were an easy target. One can hope that the incoming Trump Administration will help to dismantle the IRS that creates criminals out of everyday citizens who spend weeks if not months trying to determine how much they owe. The government doesn’t seem to know how much they need to extort from citizens, but rest assured, they will hunt you down if you under or overpay. The code is deliberately confusing. “In 1955, there were less than 1.5 million words in the U.S. Tax Code. Today, there are more than 16 million words. Because of this complexity, Americans collectively spend 6.5 billion hours preparing and filing their taxes each year. This must be simplified,” DOGE wrote on its new X account. DOGE has proposed creating an app for Americans to pay their taxes. That is all good and well but until the code is drastically simplified, I do not see how filing on your phone could streamline the process. Still, TurboTax shares fell 5.1% after the rumors broke as did H&R Block by 8.2%. Taxation is indeed a much broader issue than merely federal. State and local governments have been raising taxes at an unseen pace. The cost of government as measured by total revenues as a percent of the total of GDP is a key factor in determining our quality of life, and as we have seen, our quality of life has been drastically reduced as government spending rises. The people cannot possibly be expected to foot this endless bill.?The Founding Fathers of the United States specifically prohibited direct taxation, such as any form of an income tax. One of the primary things is that the tax rate should be cast in stone and it should not change for every election. No one, on a personal level, would go sign a lease on an apartment where the lease said the landlord can change your rent at any time he wants if he spent too much money for himself. . A contract is a contract and you’re not going to have stability until you have something set in stone. A lot of countries have attracted capital by doing precisely this. If you go there and set up a plant, they guarantee not to increase taxes for 20, 30, 40 years. If you’re going to do a business plan then you need to know what your costs are. It can’t be maybe $1 mill this year and next year it’s 25% more. Business plans don’t work like that. The politicians need to just cast it in stone and that’s it; take it off the table. https://lnkd.in/ecH93ftm

COMMENT: Hi Martin, In an effort to put the brakes on the Ukraine escalation, perhaps Trump will announce that if the escalation doesn’t immediately stop, then Zelensky and others, such as those in the illegitimate Biden regime, will be tried for war crimes. Regards, FA in Arkansas REPLY: They should be charged with war crimes. It is the act of war itself that benefits NOBODY. The best a soldier can hold is to come home alive and intact. They get NOTHING from war. I lost most of my high school friends to Vietnam. McNamara admitted he died and that they were wrong back then as well. What did they die for? Strip clubs in Vietnam today? What these people are doing is outrageous. Boris Johnson killed the peace deal, and now over 1 million Ukrainians have died for that. He and the rest are trying to beat Hitler’s death record for the Guinness Book of Records. Zelensky is also firing British STorm Shaddow missiles into Russia. These people are desperate for World War III by December. Trump & RFK had better come out and make it known, or we will see a major war into 2026. (1) inform Zelensky all money will be cut off, including for all his government employees and their pensions, (2) he will put a ban on any investment in Ukraine, and BlackRock will not be able to give him hundreds of billions to line his pockets for rebuilding, (2) pull all funding from NATO, (3) impose trade restrictions on any European nation that supports war against Russia and funds NATO. Otherwise, Europeans should not bother to buy a grave plot. Your leaders will all flee to Miami with Zelensky, and there may not be anyone left to bury your ass. This is nuclear war, not selective bombing, as in World War II. Hitler wants Europe, not destroy it. He stole art from everywhere, and he didn’t bomb Paris because he thought it was a pretty city. He left the monument standing like the Colosseum. With nukes – it’s all gone. NATO is telling your weak leaders that Russia will never fire a nuke so they can use Ukraine to destroy Russia and then walk in and rob everything as the spoils of war. These Neocons have NEVER been one single person since World War II. As McNamara said – “We were wrong!” NATO does not give a second thought to what would happen if they were wrong. They are risking the lives of humanity for their personal hatred. NATO should be put on trial for war crimes. https://lnkd.in/eJrMwhK6

All the European leaders wanted war desperately so they could (1) try to hold together the failing Eurozone and (2) end up with an excuse to default on their debts. The average Russian, European, American, Canadian, Japanese, and Chinese are uninterested in war. The average person wants to get along and deal with everyday life. Sweden and Finland are telling their people to prepare for war. There is nobody in power even saying, let’s talk this out – NOBODY! Germany and Finland launched a probe Monday after an undersea cable linking the countries was severed, warning of the threat of “hybrid warfare” amid heightened tensions with Russia. The USA blew up the NordStream Pipeline, and Germany turned off the gas from NordStream 2 on the orders of the American Neocons, subjecting the German people to much higher gas prices. There is no question now that the war chanting from countries’ foreign ministers said in a joint statement they were “deeply concerned” by the cutting off the communications link through the Baltic Sea, where tensions have increased since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, last Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the Russian leader to withdraw his armed forces from Ukraine and negotiate a peace agreement with Kiev.?You have to wonder if he is drinking too much.?Vladimir Putin replied that any agreement would have to take account of?“new territorial realities.” That was the Minsk Agreement that the people in the Donbas were Russian – not Ukrainian. Zelensky has outlawed their language and their religion, and what started this was the massacre of Russians in Odesa in 2014, where they burned Russians alive as soon as the Ukrainians won their revolution. The West is not interested in peace. They have done nothing but promote this war from the outset. Yugoslavia broke up according to ethnic lines. Is it worth the destruction of Europe to want war with Russia? It did not work out very well for Napoleon or Hitler. In 2014, I warned that Ukraine should have been broken up according to its ethnic lines. Let’s get real here. If Russia walked out, the Ukrainians would slaughter the Russians that live there. The ethnic hatred goes back centuries. This is the same crisis in the Middle East. It is also not about land and more than this Ukrainian war. It is an ethnic view that goes back centuries. There is no living together. That seems to work for only brief moments in history. When Herman Goring was asked how did the Nazis get the people to support the war, he answered straightforwardly, but nobody wanted to believe. He said that was easy.?It was Stanley Milgrim who tested what Goring said and found it to be correct. Stanley wrote his conclusion in?"Obedience to Authority". Most were outraged because they did not want to believe that society could be so easily manipulated. It’s worth the read. https://lnkd.in/egGmg8ss

The elite gathered at the UN’s COP29 in Azerbaijan to discuss how to extort the people to fund their climate change agenda. Numerous nations believe that cryptocurrencies and plastics must be levied from developed nations who are deemed the highest polluting economies. The “expert’s” assumption is that $5.2 billion could be generated by taxing cryptocurrencies due to “the high energy demand of crypto mining,” that releases those dreaded emissions. A separate report stated that a crypto tax could rake in tens of billions per year – hence why I call crypto a bureaucrat’s dream as they can easily track where funds are coming and going. The Global Solidarity Leviestask force?launched in November of last year at COP28 with the primary goal of forcing the world to implement levies to fight climate change. The task force is co-chaired by Kenya, Barbados, and France presently. The European Commission is on board, as is the United Nations, World Bank, OECD, G20, African Union, Coalition of Finance Ministers, and the International Monetary Fund. They are exploring widespread taxation on aviation, fossil fuels, plastics, cryptocurrencies, maritime shipping, and now cryptos. Concrete proposals will be launched in November 2025. They believe that hundreds of billions in additional taxes should be redistributed to poor nations who are disproportionately affected by climate change. How will they change the naturally occurring cycle of nature? They have no idea but they know they need your money to do so. I recently reported how the World Bank cannot account for $41 BILLION in funds designated for climate change. Oxfam had to blow the whistle after conducting a private audit. The World Bank controls 52% of the total flow of climate funding from all multilateral banks combined. This is outright fraud. That amount could not possibly go “missing” due to an oversight or miscalculation. Similar to these proxy wars, absolutely no one knows where or how these funds are being spent. Yet, it is our responsibility to fund these initiatives when it is becoming increasingly clear that the entire climate agenda is a SCAM. They are coming for everything they perceive produces emissions. Could agriculture be next? Will we have a set allotment of breaths we may take per day? The climate scheme will continue to spread so long as governments see they are able to extort the people with no repercussions. https://lnkd.in/egww5rYn

The United States has opened a new military base 100 miles off from Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave between Lithuanian and Poland. The Plot to Seize Russia began many years ago. This is not a new development as George W. Bush began the construction that continued under Obama and was finalized by Biden. “The Polish-American alliance is strong, regardless of who governs in Warsaw and Washington,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski posted to social media, stating that the United States is continuing its geostrategic policies. Perhaps no member in the EU is more eager to rush US funding to Ukraine than Poland. Warsaw is now contributing 5% of its GDP to defense spending in NATO. Russia naturally is opposed to the new base, stating back in 2010 that it did “not understand the logic and focus of U.S.-Polish cooperation in this sphere.” In other words, Russia does not understand the propaganda that it is eager to invade Poland. That was back with Hillary Clinton served as US Secretary of State. She claimed that the base was a two-fold solution to protect Poland and the US against threats from Iran. Putin has been eager to create a neutral zone around Russia’s border. He’s outnumbered by “unfriendly nations” eager to invade. Again, this base was in construction long before even the Crimea incident. It is unlikely that Trump’s new administration will want to spend US funds in this manner. He unapologetically asks what’s in it for the US when providing protection for Europe, but will make moves to align with America First policies. Neutralizing the surrounding area from US presence could be a bargaining tool in ending the war and increasing tensions with those we now call allies. https://lnkd.in/ee79dvUP

The word is out that Donald Trump will begin mass deportation efforts this January. Luckily for migrants, the Canada border remains open thanks to the Liberal government, which is attempting to assure the people that the migrant crisis will not flow north. Abdulla Daoud, executive director of The Refugee Centre in Montreal, claims that “policy takes time.” Daoud has underestimated the newly appointed US border tzar, Tom Homan, and fails to acknowledge that illegals began fleeing America the moment Trump’s victory was declared. Daoud insists the crisis is not imminent. “Whatever Trump will enact, we will not see the remnants probably for another year,” he said. As it stands, he said, the majority of people who come to his centre claim asylum after arriving at the airport.” Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a World Economic Forum darling, insists that the border is secure. “I want people to know their borders are safe and secure, and they will continue to be, come what may, in the world,” Freeland told a reporter with CBC radio. Naturally, she will encourage this surge of illegal migration as she is a former decision-maker for the WEF. Let us not forget that Justin Trudeau tweeted the hashtag #WelcometoCanada in 2017 after Trump began to crack down on migrants. No one knows how many migrants have already entered Canada. The nation’s population reached an all-time high this year after surpassing 41 million despite a sharp decline in the birth rate. Every poll indicates that Canadians want secure borders. They blame the housing crisis and uptick in crime on these illegal residents. Trudeau’s popularity is declining as Canadian society and culture begin to shift, and the future surge of migrants at the Canadian border will only spell trouble for the left. https://lnkd.in/eDe8uEya

People continue to ask if Bitcoin will replace the dollar. They believe that the recent surge in Bitcoin indicates that it will topple the USD as the world’s reserve currency, but that is merely propaganda. You must understand that Bitcoin is simply a?trading vehicle, not a currency. I cannot stress that point enough. My opinion has been unpopular, and clients have walked away due to my stance on crypto. That’s fine, as I am not in this for the money. I can only adequately inform my clients of the unbiased truth and hope that those willing to listen will heed the computer’s warnings. To begin with, there is much speculation about the founder(s) — Satoshi Nakamoto – who created Bitcoin (BTC) on June 3, 2009. The mystery person or group (or government agency) has been MIA since 2011. Yet 1 million Bitcoins remain in their original account, untouched. His wallet is estimated to be worth over $81 billion at the time of this writing, and if this is indeed an individual, he or she is one of the top 15 richest people in the world. They have never moved a fraction of a BTC from their account. So, one wallet contains 5% of all mined bitcoin. Will this person or entity perpetually hold? They expect us to believe some mysterious Japanese man created the blockchain technology and simply evaded all world governments. They claim Bitcoin is an anti-government vehicle, but it is a bureaucrat’s dream because it allows them to track where funds are coming from and going. In 1996, the US government released a white paper entitled,?“How to make a mint: the cryptography of anonymous electronic cash.”?Released by the National Security Agency Office of Information Security Research and Technology, this document explains how a government agency could create something like Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. They had been attempting to create one for years and then magically Bitcoin came on the scene. I encourage anyone interested in crypto to?read my article?regarding this study. Blockchain was created with surveillance at the top of mind. Bitcoin’s price is akin to the problem that existed when the bubble burst in 1966 with mutual funds because they were listed back then. The value can change at a volatility rate of 10x that of the dollar, making it a highly dangerous instrument as a store of wealth. It is solely a trading vehicle until they weigh it and the value is changed. In 1966, investors bid the mutual funds up beyond net asset value, so during the crash, people lost everything when they thought it was a secure investment. The net underlying assets may have dropped 20%, but they paid 20% over the net asset value and then sold at 50% of the net asset value. Many mutual funds crashed 70-90%, whereas the Dow drop was 26.5%. Ever since mutual funds have no longer been allowed to be listed. You go in and out at net asset value. Click below for full post. https://lnkd.in/eJ_y2g8G

A new report by Oxfam,?“Climate Finance Unchecked,”?has determined that the World Bank has $41 billion in unaccounted funds that were destined to fight climate change. This figure represents 40% of all disbursed climate funds by the World Bank. Oxfam’s audit revealed that between 2017 and 2023, between $24 billion and $41 billion simply went unaccounted for and there is absolutely no record of where the money went. No one knows how the money was used as there is no paper trail revealing where the money went. “The Bank is quick to brag about its climate finance billions —but these numbers are based on what it plans to spend, not on what it actually spends once a project gets rolling,” said Kate Donald, Head of Oxfam International’s Washington D.C. Office. “This is like asking your doctor to assess your diet only by looking at your grocery list, without ever checking what actually ends up in your fridge.” The World Bank is a leader in climate finance, controlling 52% of the total flow from all multilateral banks combined. World Bank President Ajay Banga announced in December that the bank achieved 35% of its financing three years ahead of schedule. He then set a new target of 45% by 2025. The bank later said in September that it achieved 44% of climate financing to the tune of $42.6 billion. “We’re putting our ambition in overdrive,” Banga said. The bank acknowledged that it was difficult to keep track of its 800 climate financing projects but offered no insight into the missing funds. “It is clear that no one — including the Bank — has any real idea of how many billions of dollars are going to which climate actions,” the Oxfam report said. Yet, climate activists are demanding $5 trillion in ANNUAL financing for the Global South to pay toward climate debt. Where did the $41 billion go? That large of a sum simply cannot be lost in a mere paperwork or oversight error. The climate change agenda has become a slush fund for the elite who will continue to fund this agenda without taking any responsibility for where the funds go or if they’re actually altering the climate in any meaningful way. https://lnkd.in/ea3i74_z

The media would like you to believe that Vladamir Putin is cheering Donald Trump’s victory, but the Kremlin has reiterated that America remains an unfriendly nation. In fact, Putin did not directly congratulate Trump on his victory, but the Kremlin did comment that his win could be “useful.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said hinted that he believes Trump’s claim that he could end the war in 24 hours are unattainable. “We have repeatedly said that the United States can help end the conflict in Ukraine. This, of course, cannot be done overnight,” Peskov said. He added that he is not aware of any plans by Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate President-elect Trump. Oddly enough, Zelensky DID congratulate Trump. “Congratulations to Donald Trump on his impressive election victory!” he posted on X. “I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote. “I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer.” Zelensky went a step further and said he hopes to congratulate Trump in person, wishing to keep the discussion open. It seems as if Russia is simply tired of America’s involvement in this war. They have been lied to by countless politicians (see: Minsk Agreement) and do not trust the US. Zelensky, on the other hand, must appeal to Donald Trump as Ukraine is dependent on NATO which is dependent on US funding. Now, we wait to see the steps Trump takes to tackle this monstrosity. The feedback from the Ukrainian and Russian leaders is not quite what most expected. https://lnkd.in/eQg2ckAj