In his latest commentary, Peter Schiff explains how the Cypriot banking crisis reveals the precariousness of the entire international banking system.
This week financial analysts, economists, politicians, and bank depositors from around the world were outraged that European leaders, more specifically the Germans, currently calling many of the shots in Brussels and Frankfurt, could be so politically reckless, economically ignorant, and emotionally callous as to violate the sanctity of bank deposits in order to fund a bailout of Cyprus. The chorus of condemnation may have been the deciding factor in giving the Cypriot parliament the confidence to unanimously vote down the measures in hopes that Berlin will cave or Russia will swoop in with a bailout.
The decision to inflict pain on both large and small depositors was almost universally described as a historic blunder. But the mistake was to do so in a manner that was not camouflaged by financial smoke and mirrors. In truth, rank and file depositors have been paying, and will continue to pay, for all manner of bailouts and stimulus. (Read about the Stimulus Trap in my just released newsletter). Whether it’s through lower interest payments on deposits, inflation, higher taxes, higher borrowing costs, or the accumulation of unsustainable sovereign debt, Cypriots will bear the burden of past profligacy. But the new plan for Cyprus was far too transparent, simple, and direct to survive in a world dependent on deceit and obfuscation. It was dead on arrival.
Peter Schiff Talks Cyprus on Red Eye Radio (Audio)
Gary McNamara interviewed Peter Schiff on Red Eye Radio last night. They spoke about Cyprus, the danger of saving fiat money in banks, and the general mismanagement of the American economy paving the way for the real crash that is yet to come.
Click Here to Listen to Peter Schiff on Red Eye Radio