I used to believe in political incrementalism- the idea that you can change things gradually through better election outcomes.

But maybe it was also just youth, I don’t know.

After spending many years studying how the current monetary system works, studying how past debt and currency cycles ended, and based on practical realities from the past two election cycles, I dropped any notion of incrementalism, at least for the big economic things.

Incrementalism works for minority groups to gain social and political rights. Religious people to practice without interference, women to vote, gay people to marry, etc. Immigration policies. Things like that. But it doesn’t work for the financial system.

Instead, history and current affairs suggest that things generally point in the same structural financial direction, uncontested, until there is a massive fiscal crisis, geopolitical crisis, and trend change. And that is when politics becomes critical in all aspects- as chaos develops, the group that has enough power to set the next order *really* fucking matters. They either build a platform of virtue toward the next cycle, or they fall into the unfortunately common paths of communism or fascism.

And it is not just ideas that triumph, but technology too. Technology plays a big role in which ideas are even workable. Both ideas and technology are important.

So when I realized incrementalism wasn’t working, I sought out other methods.

The weaker method is just social- I try to put things out there with my platform to encourage reason, empathy, human rights, etc. Not partisan but also not necessarily moderate, but rather grounded in firm principles of virtue ethics.

The stronger method is to play some small part in building something better. Alternative money. Alternative communication methods. Either explaining and recommending them to people, or directly venture investing in companies that build on them and help improve the UX and solve new problems.

That’s my goal. I want to do whatever tiny part I can to bring about more peace, more fairness, more opportunity, more growth, and less destruction.

I’m really nerding out on a client theme right now. Can’t wait to share with 0 people who care 😂

could u guys put Adam's real npub in description of nostr profile of blockstream

Could it run the risk of putting nostr in the same crosshairs that the Silk Road got into?

#FreeRoss

Absolutely. Nostr is the killer "app" for Lightning.

Please pray for my uncle, if you can.

He got in a pretty bad accident and broke his spine. He's been in the hospital for a few weeks.

The purpose of the Law is to protect the private property of individuals from plunder. The purpose of the State is to enforce the Law. The State is *supposed* to be the organization of collective defense against the unlawful plunder of individual private property.

Sadly, the Law has been perverted by the State. Today, the State is the greatest plunderer of all, aided by the corrupted Law, which legalizes the plunder of private property, and allows for the State to exert a monopoly on violence to enforce the perverted Law.

The most consequential way in which the State exerts its monopoly on violence is by enforcing its monopoly on money. The State gives itself and its Central Bank lackeys the sole right to control the creation of money. Thus, they control the *value* of the money. When the State controls the money and the Law, they become Legal Counterfeiters, able to destroy the value of your hard-earned money; they debase the currency by inflating its supply out of thin air. The State funds its own expansion and continued monopoly on violence while surreptitiously plundering your wealth through inflation.

They print the money you must use your time and energy to earn, and devalue the money you have already earned by printing more still. By separating the control of money from State, we remove the State’s monopoly on violence and return the Law to its proper state; the defense of our private property, rather than its legalized plunder.

Beneath the Democracy Facade: U.S.'s Sanction Suspension Reveals Energy Policy Failures

In a surprising twist, the U.S. has suspended sanctions on Venezuela's core oil, gas, and gold sectors. Although it's presented under the banner of "promoting democracy," this move appears to be more of a revealing nod to the U.S.'s failed energy strategies and the inefficacy of its past sanctions. The question arises: Is the U.S. truly advocating for democratic reforms, or is this a diversionary tactic to deflect from its policy blunders?

#FlawedStrategies #USVenezuela #BeyondTheFacade #PolicyMisfires

#Zapathon la Visa baby.

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Welcome to the future #reddit ⚡️

In the US, the Fed has created a $200 billion facility to allow banks to pledge as collateral underwater (low rate) bonds for face value, and borrow cash at Fed funds rates. There's about $110 billion lent out under this facility so far.

How rates affect bond prices:

Let's say you have a bond and it's yielding 1%.

Let's say they raise rates and the new bonds being auctioned are yielding 3%.

Now nobody is going to want your 1% yielding bond for the price you paid for it. They'll be willing to pay less for it, because when it matures it will be paid back by the government at face value, so the price difference in effect becomes extra yield, making this boobs yield as much as the new ones in the long run.

Three years ago rates were rock bottom and banks were flush with cash and using it to scoop up bonds. Rates are now over 5% and all of those bonds purchased in 2020 have gone -40% in price.

This isn't one or two banks. This is all the banks. There is a collective unrealized loss in the banking system of over $1 trillion right now.

Let's see what happens next 🎲

I'm somewhat surprised because... not your keys, not your cheese. An "agency"? 🤔