US Dollar plummets today

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Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,599
19
81
Originally posted by: alien42
shhhhh, dont tell W
Bah, a weak dollar is GOOD for the economy! Don't even think that a weak dollar is bad. "Weak" is a good term anyway. It's a strong word. It's patriotic.

Originally posted by: Darthvoy
Originally posted by: So
I still think it's amazing that the Dems managed to find the one man in the country who could lose to Bush in '04.

that...or the Republicans did a damn good job swindling the sheeple.
Either way, it's two heads of the same beast. The twist: this beast has only one ass, and both heads are shoved in there together. They know it, they like it, and they aren't going to do anything to change it.

As I tend to say about this sort of thing, they fight and spar when the cameras are rolling, but at the end of the day, they shake hands and agree to continue what amounts to political masturbation - they think it feels great (part time job, lobbyist "donations," minimal oversight on shady dealings), it makes a mess of the country, but ultimately it gets nothing useful accomplished.
 

OS

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
15,581
1
76
Originally posted by: Engineer
Oh, and the falling US dollar should attract purchases of US goods and servies since they will be much cheaper because of the exchange rate. On the flip side, imports "could" skyrocket, especially oil (trading at an all time high of $82+ in after hours trading today) which is sold and based on US dollars.

we import more than we export so this is immediately not good for us.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,152
12,327
136
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Either way, it's two heads of the same beast. The twist: this beast has only one ass, and both heads are shoved in there together. They know it, they like it, and they aren't going to do anything to change it.
Well, yeah, it's nice and warm, makes them feel safe, and they've been up there so long the smell is no longer an issue.

 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,381
96
86
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: Engineer
Oh, and the falling US dollar should attract purchases of US goods and servies since they will be much cheaper because of the exchange rate. On the flip side, imports "could" skyrocket, especially oil (trading at an all time high of $82+ in after hours trading today) which is sold and based on US dollars.

we import more than we export so this is immediately not good for us.

Ehh, the trade deficit is only about 800 bill/yr. Take 10% off the dollar and its only 80 billion a year more.

Think of how rich were about to become from selling all that... umm... uhhh... wheat we produce to the rest of the world!


http://www.americaneconomicalert.org/ticker_home.asp

 

eits

Lifer
Jun 4, 2005
25,206
3
81
www.integratedssr.com
Originally posted by: Engineer
Dollar plummets? No way, LOL.

I guess that's what happens when you've got to keep the printing pressing rolling 24-7 to help with the government deficits and especially the trade deficits (nearing 1 trillion per year by itself). Of course, trading paper for PC's, plasma and petrolium isn't such a bad deal, is it? ;)

yup... so true.
 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
Originally posted by: OS
Originally posted by: Engineer
Oh, and the falling US dollar should attract purchases of US goods and servies since they will be much cheaper because of the exchange rate. On the flip side, imports "could" skyrocket, especially oil (trading at an all time high of $82+ in after hours trading today) which is sold and based on US dollars.

we import more than we export so this is immediately not good for us.

Exactly. It would be great if we actually had any significant manufacturing capacity still remaining. However, even with a significantly lower dollar, those industries that do remain, are still competing against China, who's currency, while not directly pegged to the dollar, is still largely influenced by the dollar. Thus, not only do they produce cheaper goods because their manufacturing costs, but their goods also decline in close proximity to ours due to currency pegging.

Their currency *should* increase relative to ours, increasing costs of their goods. However, it doesn't. This is a key thing that many people forget.

As far as goods from other countries and China somewhat, there will be significant inflationary pressures now, since their goods will be more expensive and we still import more than we export.

This, as a whole, is a horrible move for the US. If you want to look at what inflating yourself out of a recession and significant debt does to a country, look at the Wiemar Republic.

Their primary way of getting out of paying reparations to WW1 countries was to print money like mad. This introduced massive inflation, leading to, in some areas, even worse times than the Great Depression in the US. Bread had to be adjusted in price multiple times per day to account for the inflation.

This was nothing more than pandering to Wall St..
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
I'm torn. I had already seen reports about real wages going down, so don't hold much hope of the economy getting righted anytime soon with everything going on. But I also am going to buy a new house within a year and if rates plummet I would be happy to replace my current low interest rate loan with another one :D
 
Mar 10, 2005
14,647
2
0
Originally posted by: Dacalo
At least it will help out U.S. corporations doing business overseas...

thank goodness for that :roll: too bad i don't work for any of them.

poosible upshot: less overseas outsourcing? maybe?
 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
Originally posted by: Ktulu
WAIT A MINUTE!

When did OT turn into P&N?

Here's a great idea, let's silo every possible type of conversation and create 1,000,000 sub-forums, each with 5 posts per week!
 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,381
96
86
You put this thread in P&N and in half an hour well all be telling McCowen to shut up when he says something like:

"Why are you surprised, this is what you wanted your Republican overlords to do."
 

Ktulu

Diamond Member
Dec 16, 2000
4,354
0
0
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
You put this thread in P&N and in half an hour well all be telling McCowen to shut up when he says something like:

"Why are you surprised, this is what you wanted your Republican overlords to do."

True, but the point is to keep him out of OT. ;)
 

glugglug

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2002
5,340
1
81
The dollar is plummetting because they lowered interest rates half a point today to delay the housing crash.
I was hoping they would not do this a) because of the inflationary effect of lower interest rates making a vacation to Europe going to be more expensive soon and b) because a higher rate would help bring real-estate down to where I could afford to buy something.

Well, the decision to lower it half a point is still gonna help with b), because now they inflation is going to get out of control and then they'll need to RAISE the interest rate. Which will bring on the housing crash.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
95,020
15,134
126
Lower dollar is hurting Japan and PRC more than the US. They hold oodles of greenbacks.
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,116
1
0
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
You put this thread in P&N and in half an hour well all be telling McCowen to shut up when he says something like:

"Why are you surprised, this is what you wanted your Republican overlords to do."

Actually it would be:

"Why are you surprised, this is exactly what I predicted in the thread about the Rand Corporation working in conjunction with the Reverse Vampires who are in fact Republicans and their efforts to ruin the economy so they can start making gasoline out of people. I have inside information about this. It is all true, but I can't disclose my sources for fear of being killed."
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: eits
54% of americans think the economy is in good shape... 45% disagree.

reminds me of another poll where dumbasses had the highest percentage... bush - 51%, kerry - 48%

Bush is bad, probably the worst ever.....but Kerry would have been worse.

you're probably one of those people who thought we would all go down in nuclear flames during the reagan era.
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Originally posted by: MrWizzard
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: MrWizzard
Originally posted by: Darthvoy
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: eits
54% of americans think the economy is in good shape... 45% disagree.

reminds me of another poll where dumbasses had the highest percentage... bush - 51%, kerry - 48%

Bush is bad, probably the worst ever.....but Kerry would have been worse.

I still think it's amazing that the Dems managed to find the one man in the country who could lose to Bush in '04.

that...or the Republicans did a damn good job swindling the sheeple.

WAAAAAAAAHAHHAHAAA, people love to wine. Anyone who thinks that a president is the cause of all the countries problems well needs some more education possibly.

But what do I know I am just a sheep. BAAA

You're right, the President hasn't caused any of the country's problems. :confused:

I just love my options, Either ALL of them are his or None of them......BAAAAA

He thinks a President can wage wars and sign bad laws without Congress.
 

upsciLLion

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
5,947
1
81
Originally posted by: sdifox
Lower dollar is hurting Japan and PRC more than the US. They hold oodles of greenbacks.

Guess what happens to the USD index if they decide to dump all those dollars?
 

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
Don't you guys see? Buy having more imports we're effectively (and correctly) shorting the dollar. Those idiots accepted dollars throughout the years and the dollar went down, and soon enough we'll get to buy the dollars back at a lower value.

Take trade theory - every dollar that leaves this country ultimate comes back as consumption or investment.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,234
701
126
Originally posted by: JS80
Don't you guys see? Buy having more imports we're effectively (and correctly) shorting the dollar. Those idiots accepted dollars throughout the years and the dollar went down, and soon enough we'll get to buy the dollars back at a lower value.

Take trade theory - every dollar that leaves this country ultimate comes back as consumption or investment.

Like I said...trading dollars for PC's, plasma (TV's) and petrolium (of course, it comes back to finance it over and over).
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: eits
54% of americans think the economy is in good shape... 45% disagree.

reminds me of another poll where dumbasses had the highest percentage... bush - 51%, kerry - 48%

Bush is bad, probably the worst ever.....but Kerry would have been worse.

and you know that how Oh mighty Seer???