Americans Spending Like They Won The Lottery
Americans Say They’ve Lost Confidence In The Economy, But They’re Spending Like They Won The Lottery
Oct. 19, 2021 By Jeffry Bartash
Consumers have plenty to spend – and the desire to do so – after big income gains during pandemic. Americans say they are more anxious about the economy, but they are spending record amounts of money as if they have no worries at all. The trajectory of consumer spending — which amounts to 70% of of everything that goes on in the economy — is pivotal to the strength of the U.S. recovery. Can it continue at a rapid pace or will it peter out soon?
Many analysts predict consumer spending will start to fade by early next year and lead to slower U.S. economic growth, particularly with Congress and the Federal Reserve throttling back on emergency stimulus. High inflation is adding to the burden on consumers.
Yet others counter that a huge pile of savings and higher household wealth are enough to keep consumers spending and the economy humming through next year. So far consumers have shown no willingness to cut back, they point out.
“There is no demand problem in the U.S.,” said Neil Dutta, head of macroeconomics at Renaissance Macro Research.
Emerging problems
By some measures, it would be easy to think the U.S. economy is headed for a rough spell. After all, businesses are handcuffed by major shortages, inflation has soared and emergency aid from Washington is drying up. The surge in coronavirus delta cases didn’t help, either.
Yet the main driver of the growth — the American public — is still acting very optimistically even as people tell pollsters they have lost confidence in the economy They are still spending large sums of money and show little sign of pulling back.
A pair of recent reports underscored the resiliency of U.S. households and the broader economy. Start with the astonishing trend of of people quitting their jobs in record numbers during a pandemic.
A record 4.27 million people quit in August, almost 3% of the entire workforce. People quit in greater numbers when they think they are financially secure, that the economy is doing well and that they can find a better-paying job.
Sure enough, that’s what is going on.
A growing labor shortage has forced companies to compete for workers. They are offering bonuses, higher pay and better benefits to attract employees, in many cases poaching them from rivals.
“Employers are no longer calling the shots and the balance of power has clearly shifted in labor’s favor,” economists Aneta Markowskia and Thomas Simons of Jefferies LLC wrote in new report.
“Employers are no longer calling the shots and the balance of power has clearly shifted in labor’s favor.”
To continue reading, please go to the original article here:
Oil Rises On Saudi Supply Disruption Concerns
2026-09-15 01:32 Shafaq News Oil prices rose on Tuesday as concerns over supply disruptions persisted after attacks on Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure left the kingdom's East-West pipeline offline and cast doubt on efforts to ease shipping risks in the Gulf.
This Week Could Be HUGE For Dinar & Crypto
The Dinar Den: 9-14-2026
We are currently witnessing an extraordinary alignment of economic milestones, particularly within a pivotal forty-eight-hour window.
This crucial period brings together the upcoming vote on the Clarity Act in the United States Senate, the drafting of Iraq’s 2027 federal budget, and the Federal Reserve’s highly anticipated decisions regarding interest rates.
These events are not happening in isolation; rather, they represent a convergence of domestic policy, international legislative updates, and global monetary strategy that could collectively influence the future value and utility of the dinar.
TNT:
Tishwash: Al-Zaidi's consultation with the head of Rothschild Bank on expanding Iraq's cooperation with international financial institutions
The Iraqi Prime Minister and the head of the Rothschild Bank met in Paris and discussed ways to expand Iraq's cooperation with international and global banks and financial institutions.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi met and held talks with Edouard de Rothschild, chairman of the Rothschild Bank, at his residence in Paris, the capital of France, on Monday.
"The Baghdad Dinar Is Disappearing... Close The Borders!" The Final Solution Is To Abolish Iraq's Paper Currency!
2026-09-15 | Baghdad - Perhaps no country in the world has abolished paper currency, but amidst the anxiety surrounding discussions in the local market and among banks—both those sanctioned and those not—within an economy mired in a ceaseless war, an Iraqi expert and academic believes that the chaos plaguing the financial market necessitates the "complete abolition of paper currency" and its conversion into a bank card for every citizen.
"Grow Our Way Out of Debt” Is Code for Inflation
Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black / Sovereign Man) September 14, 2026
Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sat down for a fireside chat at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and told the room what the plan is for the national debt.
"We don't have a revenue problem," he said. "We have a spending problem." Contain the spending, add 3% growth, and America can "grow our way out of this."
Ariel: This is an Extreme Wait and See Game
9-14-2026
Many Wanted Me To Comment On This: Here Is My Deal
What we know is that the CBI’s digital currency framework is designed to maintain 1:1 parity between paper IQD and dIQD. The permissioned ledger running through Trade Bank of Iraq, Rafidain, and Rasheed ensures the digital representation mirrors the physical currency’s value.
If the CBI sets the post-RV rate at $3.22, then:
Reset Intelligence: Who Holds the Clock.
By Reset Intelligence | @EXIT_FIAT
Iraq's 2027 budget reached the cabinet today, exactly on schedule. The same day, the prime minister was in Paris with Edouard de Rothschild of Rothschild and Co, talking credit ratings and international banks.
Parliament gets the budget on October 15. For the first time, Baghdad has printed the width of the gap between the draft and the vote. The 2023 record says that gap is where Iraq's rate decisions actually live.
Stephanie Starr: If Congress Advances this
9-15-2026
If Congress advances this, the United States is formally acknowledging Bitcoin as a strategic national asset — something potentially worth holding on the federal balance sheet rather than automatically selling.
Why that matters? Protects U.S. exposure to a scarce digital asset. Strengthens America’s position in the global digital-asset economy. Signals that crypto is becoming part of mainstream financial policy. Encourages long-term regulatory and institutional certainty. Forces other nations to think seriously about their own digital-asset reserves. Moves the conversation from “Should crypto exist?” to “How does America compete?”
Good Morning Dinar Recaps,
GLOBAL BOND WARNING: U.S. TREASURY YIELDS BREAK ABOVE 5% AS OIL SHOCK AND FED RATE FEARS DEEPEN
U.S. Treasury yields have broken above the critical 5% level as surging oil prices, renewed inflation concerns, heavy government borrowing and expectations for another Federal Reserve rate hike intensify pressure across global bond markets.
2027 Budget Heads To Iraqi Parliament October 15
2026-09-14 / 05:58 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraq’s Finance Ministry plans to submit the 2027 federal budget bill to Parliament on October 15, Parliamentary Finance Committee member Jamal Kocher told Shafaq News on Monday, after two years without an enforceable federal budget.
MilitiaMan & Crew: The Reality of the Iraqi Dinar: Daily Analysis and Updates
9-14-2026
The Crew: Samson, PompeyPeter, Petra, Daytrader, Sunkissed, GIGI and Militia Man
No drama. No intrigue. No songs and dances. Just straight, factual news that I read and interpret to the best of my ability after being an avid Dinar investor and insanely obsessed Dinarian for over 15 years.
Follow MM on X == https://x.com/Slashn
KTFA
Monday Night Video
FRANK26…9-14-26…..RIDE THE WHALESHARK
This video is in Frank’s and his team’s opinion only
Frank’s team is Walkingstick, Eddie and Omar in Iraq and guests
Playback Number: 605-313-5163 PIN: 156996#
The Central Bank Of Iraq Is Taking Steps To Reduce The Dollar Gap; A Unified Exchange Rate For Currency Exchange Offices Is Approaching 1320
Last updated: September 14, 2026 Independent/- Informed sources revealed to the Independent Press Agency new moves within the Central Bank of Iraq aimed at reducing the large gap between the official exchange rate of the dollar and the prices circulating in the local market, through a package of measures being worked on to regulate the sale of foreign currency and tighten control over exchange companies, in conjunction with the continued rise of the dollar in Baghdad and other governorates.
25 Years Later— A Reminder That The World Can Change In An Instant
Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black / Sovereign Man) September 11, 2026
At a time in my life which now seems centuries ago, I was once a young lieutenant, barely a year out of West Point, and I had recently been assigned to lead an electronic warfare platoon.
Whenever my unit wasn't deployed or in the field, most of my duty days were spent in a top-secret facility called a SCIF— the kind of place that was guarded by military police and didn't have any windows.
Rob Cunningham: A Marriage Between the US Treasury and Ripple
9-14-2026
A Treasury + Ripple Marriage?
• XRPL as the neutral public road
• UST Validator Node as Treasury’s vehicle
• USTD as Treasury-owned dollar
Ariel: Foreign Currency Holders, this is Connected to Tokenized Assets
9-14-2026
Foreign Currency Holders: This Is Connected To Tokenized Assets
You Definitely Want To Hear This
The Central Bank of Iraq has advanced initiatives toward establishing an official state-backed digital currency framework.
Good Afternoon Dinar Recaps,
CLARITY ACT BREAKTHROUGH: ETHICS DEAL CLEARS PATH TO SENATE VOTE AS DIGITAL ASSET RULES TAKE CENTER STAGE
New ethics provisions and 126 substantive changes have produced a revised CLARITY Act ahead of Tuesday's Senate vote, potentially moving the United States closer to a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets, crypto markets and stablecoins.
Oil breaks $107 mark amid growing supply fears
2026-09-14 01:14 Shafaq News Oil prices rose more than 3% on Monday, after new Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf compounded supply concerns following the closure of a key Saudi oil pipeline.
Emailed to Recaps~ Thank you David
Reset Intelligence Daily - The Budget, the Bill, and the Fed
9-14-2026
Reset Intelligence: The Budget, the Bill, and the Fed.
By Reset Intelligence | @EXIT_FIAT
For 2 decades the dinar's price has had one author. This week, three hands are on it at once.
The Seven Deadly Sins Of Personal Finance
By J.D. Roth —03 June 2019
I've been reading and writing about personal finance for more than thirteen years. In that time, I've consumed a lot of books about money. Lately, I've found that it's fun to revisit old favorites.
Recently, for instance, I've been re-reading Brett Wilder's The Quiet Millionaire [my review]. It's different than most personal finance books. It's targeted at those who are farther along their financial journeys rather than at those just starting out. Still, there are bits and pieces in The Quiet Millionaire that are applicable to everyone.