The Little Book of the Shrinking Dollar: What You Can Do to Protect Your Money Now

What Occupy Wall Street Got Right

A recent Huffington Post article by Alexander Eichler proclaimed the following:

The financial industry may have taken a hit during the Great Recession . . . but the financial sector represents a bigger share of the economy today than it did in 2006, recent Commerce Department figures show—despite the bailouts, bank failures and political efforts at reform that have taken place since.

Despite the bailouts, bank failures and political efforts? He could have said “because of” and be telling the truth.

The financial sector counts for 8.9 percent of our GDP. It generates 29 percent of all the profits in America. At its 2001 peak, that figure accounted for 46 percent—that’s almost half of America’s business! No wonder it got too big to fail.

On the flipside, consider that the financial sector is the second-largest group doling out donations to Congress and presidents. Unlike the biggest group—unions—which contribute mostly to Democrats, financial lobbyists spread the dough evenly between the two parties. That’s the way to get taken care of when times are tough, and keep the profits when the money is rolling!

Here’s the trick . . . no one in charge wants sound money—most definitely not the big banks!

Think of it like this. The foreign exchange market got its start in the 1970s, and business has been booming ever since! The turnover in these markets is in excess of $4 trillion per day. That includes all sorts of transactions:

• Spot transactions
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