The (In)dependence Day Weekend

Rousseau said, “Man is born free, but everywhere is in chains.” Were you forwarded this email? [Sign-up to Rude Awakening here.]( [Unsubscribe]( [The Rude Awakening] The (In)dependence Day Weekend - July 4th has come and gone. Did you celebrate? - If you did celebrate, what exactly did you celebrate? - As Pam’s and my anniversary is July 3rd, I’m relieved of such questions. Recommended Link [The 3rd and Final US Currency Earthquake Has Started]( [Click here for more...]( Thanks to President Biden’s Executive Order 14067, a former advisor to the CIA and Pentagon predicts the 3rd Great Dollar Quake has begun. The first was Roosevelt confiscating private gold in 1934. The second was Nixon abandoning the gold standard in 1971. Now, Biden’s plan could pave the way for “retiring” the US dollar. Your dollars could soon be confiscated – or made worthless. Save your investment and retirement accounts. [Click Here To Learn How]( Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening Good morning on this fine Tuesday from Asti. Pam, Micah, and I spent the weekend celebrating our anniversary in Lake Como. (We don’t have a reliable babysitter here yet. That’s why I’m trying to import my parents sooner rather than later.) Doubtless, you’ve heard about the beauty of Lago di Como, so I’ll try to spare you the gushing reaction to it I had. I’ve traveled much of the world, so I’m thrilled there are still places that can take my breath away. What’s even funnier is that the tallest peak I saw isn’t even in the top 100 on Earth. They’re all in Asia. But in Asia, they don’t have the fresh risotto, carpaccio, and cheese they have on the Italian border with Switzerland. It was a culinary feast, but I couldn’t indulge too much in the wine because I was driving. That’s fine because the adrenaline rush I get from navigating around such a formidable and imposing place makes up for the vino buzz. So while you were indulging in a fantastic barbecue celebrating your independence, or what’s left of it, I was celebrating Dependence Day or D-Day. A fitting name for an anniversary, no? With that said, let’s talk about the old days. Barbecues, Burgers, and Baseball I’m not sure I can accurately describe how much I loved the Fourth of July growing up. There’s a fireworks celebration in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, my hometown, every year. The entire town would descend on our athletic field on Route 17 to lay on the grass and watch a fantastic show. Stars and stripes were everywhere. Grievances, nowhere. The fireworks were the highlight of the summer and meant there were only four weeks left until August Practice began. August Practice, you may know, is the grueling training camp young football players put themselves through to get in shape for the season. When I was growing up, coaches weren’t allowed on the field until September 1st. So the captains of the football teams ran the August sessions. I, myself, had the honor of doing that my senior year in the summer of 1991. It was hell. So July 4th was the cue to enjoy the next month before it got real! Back then, my metabolism was faster than a speeding bullet, and Big Food hadn’t yet figured out how to put us all into a slothful, apathetic trance. I could eat anything. My grandma Lucy used to say, “You can’t pinch an inch!” Well, until my freshman year in college, anyway… It was hot dogs, hamburgers, grandma’s amazing Italian sausage, chicken, bresaola… you name it, I ate it. I topped it off with an oil tanker full of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. It didn’t matter. I weighed 160 pounds when I graduated from high school. I think my belly and butt weigh that much now. But that was America in the 80s. The Best. Period. And right to stake that claim. Europe hadn’t fully rebuilt by then. Asia was still a mess. South America and Africa? Come on. Nowhere, anywhere was as good as America. It was that “shining city on the hill.” I miss it. And though I’m no longer a citizen and haven’t lived there since 1999 - last century; last millennium, even - charts like the below make me sad. The above happens when a country doesn’t stick to its guns and butter. No, The Constitution isn’t a “living document.” (And damn the Founding Fathers for creating “amendments.”) And while we’re at it, Thomas Jefferson should have told Americans that the inalienable rights were [life, liberty, and property]( rather than the “pursuit of happiness,” catchy though it is. That would have told those damn commies where to go: somewhere other than America. But the Founding Fathers were mainly in the right. They laid the foundation for a great nation - one of history’s most significant - by being, essentially, “leave me the hell alone” libertarians. Sure, America has faltered before. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. Wilson dragged an unwilling America into World War I. FDR was all-too-happy to jump into World War II. LBJ’s “Great Society.” The Nixon Shock of 1971. Dubya and Afghanistan. And Iraq. Joke Biden’s economic illiteracy. Heck, even Jimmy Carter doesn’t look that bad in this “Murderer’s Row” of Presidents. But it righted itself every time. Mostly. The jury is still out for this time. This time is scary. Money printing isn’t going to solve America’s problems now. What is America? America’s identity crisis is the problem. What is America now? Sure, it’s the most powerful country on the planet. America can easily coerce its European vassal states into economic suicide. It can make Japan oppose China and Russia, two nations with which it shares maritime borders. To be fair, Japan doesn’t need America’s encouragement to oppose China. But without America’s coercion, would cooler heads prevail in Japan? We may never know. And the immediate problem with America’s insouciant diktats is that it’s completely screwing up the supply chain and driving prices to the moon. Did you see the White House tweet about how they saved you money on this year’s barbecue? Nope. But someone decided to meme-tweet for them: Credit: [Zero Hedge]( Recommended Link [Trump’s Final Gift To America]( [Click here for more...]( There’s a little-known way Trump could – one day – have his revenge. It involves a Federal Ruling he oversaw in the final year of his Presidency that could change America forever… unleash an estimated $15.1 trillion in new wealth… and create countless ways for everyday Americans to benefit. What is this little understood decision? And how will it impact you? [Click Here To Find Out]( And if that wasn’t funny enough, wait ‘til you hear this one. Gavin Newsom [shot a commercial]( to lionize California’s freedom as opposed to Florida’s lack of freedom. I kid you not. This isn’t the Babylon Bee. As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of this exchange between Frasier and Cliff in Cheers: Unfortunately, Governor Gruesome’s constituents don’t seem to corroborate his theory: Credit: [Tax Foundation]( And [U-Haul says the same]( The good news is that America still exists, just as you remember it. You just have to live in the right state to experience the America you want to experience. Wrap Up I genuinely hope you celebrated this weekend. Sitting around moping wouldn’t have done you any good. But getting out there, splashing some cash on a party, and enjoying the freedom you still have matters. And what’s better is this: you have options. You can plan accordingly. Brian Tracy always said, “You can be, have, or do anything you want.” He’s correct. Stay aware. Stay nimble. And the freedom the Founding Fathers wanted for you will be yours. Just maybe not in the way you thought it would be. Until tomorrow. All the best, Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening [Whitelist Us]( | [Archive]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( Rude Awakening is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We do not rent or share your email address. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your Rude Awakening e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from Rude Awakening, feel free to [unsubscribe](. Please read our [Privacy Statement.]( If you are you having trouble receiving your Rude Awakening subscription, you can ensure its arrival in your mailbox by [whitelisting us.]( © 2022 Paradigm Press, LLC. 808 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore MD 21202. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. We expressly forbid our writers from having a financial interest in any security they personally recommend to our readers. All of our employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of a printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. Email Reference ID: 470SJNED01[.](