If global traders try to crash the US Dollar and economy, what would be the appropriate response?

[leveymg]

We are well past the point where most adults still believe that financial markets only or primarily serve the interests of the American people. Even fewer still believe that the Rule of Law governs the global economy in 2011. Given, however, that we are still the predominant economic, military and paramilitary power in the world, how should we treat those who might seek to take advantage of the balance of payments crisis to crash the value of the U.S. Dollar or U.S. Treasuries?

Before you vote, consider the following questions: wasn't the preservation of the "American way of life" the purpose of the Cold War? Weren't we willing and ready for 60 years to "pay any price" and to nuke or assassinate anyone who fundamentally threatened our interests - wasn't that expected, and what's changed? In the Global War On Terrorism, haven't we dealt ruthlessly with those who tried to intimidate us? What is the difference between crashing markets and currencies and hijacking and crashing airplanes, if they both result in massive suffering by ordinary people? Doesn't a Hedge Fund operator who tries to crash U.S. Treasuries now potentially doing more damage to the U.S. than someone who plots to blow up an airliner?

Why should the United States now allow its most important policies to be dictated by a small group of self-interested and unelected global bankers and bonds traders? Why shouldn't they also be treated as enemy aliens if they acted to crash the U.S. economy? Why are they, alone, above any public accountability?

What sort of malfeasance of government and financial elites has led us to the point where we even have to ask these questions? Shouldn't the richest and most powerful people be worried about the worst-case consequences, as well?

Indeed, they should be.

[MrTriumph]

1. What has damaged the US economy the most: China, Caymen Islands or al-Queda?

x

[leveymg]

3. Is there really a difference?

[harun]

13. GOP

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Saddam sought to have his oil purchased with Euros, Gadaffi sought to create

gold currency in his country, the response would be the same.

[RKP5637]

4. Wasn't it Ben Laden's goal to sink the US financially. Seems like we're playing right into

what he said he wanted. The incompetence of DC is astounding.

[newfie11]

6. I wonder if it is incompetence or being bought out

Are these politicians all owned by billionaires and corporations?

[RKP5637]

7. That's a good point! I think some of it is probably due to incompetence, but

the vastness of it is being brought on by billionaires and corporations who have purchased the US government. And a SCOTUS that is perfectly happy with Citizens United. It's a very bad combination and does not bode well IMO for the future of the country (for the majority of the citizenry.)

[Starry Messenger]

5. I think the purpose of the Cold War was to keep socialism from spreading.

Any benefit that came to people here as a result was incidental. That said, anyone who touches SS or any other of our paltry safety net needs a reckoning.

[blindpig]

16. Expropriate & perp walk for anyone handy....

Invade the Caymen Islands as an exclaimation point.

Well, that's what I'd do, anyways.

[hootinholler]

8. "Why are they, alone, above any public accountability?"

Because they have the Christians In Action, who can pass out rockets and rifles like they are pez dispensers and keep it off books, on their side.

You just make sure weapons show up where they're 'needed' and nature will take it's course.

-Hoot

[unkachuck]

9. take the US military....

....and go kick-ass all around the world....after we've nuked London and Tokyo they will have learned to stop fucking with our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and keep buying our worthless paper....

....that is, if they know what's good for them....

[Speck Tater]

10. Other: Move to South America. nt

[newfie11]

12. That maybe my next option n/t

[baldguy]

11. It depends: How much cash have they paid to Republican Congress members & Senators?

[pampango]

15. On a related note: Tell the global traders to get in line behind the repubs who are crashing the

economy without their help.

The repubs do it as a naked political move for more power. I'm not as sure that Asians, Europeans or South Americans would prefer a world without US economy in it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. Why should *global* financial markets serve the interests of the *American* people?

Especially if "serving the interests of the American people" means that people in other countries come off worse in the bargain? Let's not forget that that is how things generally were for quite a while. A small statistic for you: at the start of this century, the US consumed 40% of the world's total energy output. As of now? It's at 25%, the difference being that China and India are both using more of the total. Using 40% of the world's energy with 5% of the population is quite honestly staggering; that's the "American Way of Life" right there. And to think it could be maintained indefinitely is just naïve.

[masmdu]

17. Short