I listened today to an economist talk about what a default on our US Treasury debts would mean to interest rates here in the United States and around the world.
First, it must be understood what is meant when economists refer to the US dollar as the reserve currency of the world. People, corporations, institutions and other countries buy US Treasuries as a means of holding cash. Yes, it is not like dollar bills in your wallet because the US Treasuries that they buy pay an interest rate.
This interest rate is considered by much of the world to be the least likely debt instrument to default. And, because it is considered as such, it carries one of the lowest interest rates for a short term debt instrument, a Treasury Bill.
If the United States defaults on its debt, our US Treasury Bills will no longer be considered the safest short term debt instruments in the world. As a result, interest rates on Treasury Bills, notes and bonds will go up.
But, that is not all! The interest rates on everything else will also go up. Higher interest rates have a way of slowing down the economy, and since US Treasury debt is held by people, corporations, institutions and foreign governments, the economy of the whole world will slow down.
Corporations and other large institutions are constantly looking to invest in bigger and better buildings and plant and equipment, but each project's approval is based on an interest rate assumption for that project. Many projects at higher interest rates are not feasible to do, so they are put back on the shelf for another time. This happening around the world means that economic growth is thwarted!
I don't expect people in Congress to understand what I have just written, but I hope the lobbyists that line their pockets with campaign contribution do. Hopefully, corporate America will explain this to those Republican Congress people that don't understand a fucking thing about economics or for that matter world finance, a world reserve currency or how the economies of the world are so tied together that a default by the United States, the largest economy in the world, will impact the rest of the world too.
Let us pray.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Posts
MONEYTHOUGHT HEADS
About Me
- moneythoughts
- Retired after working with investment securities and portfolios for over 35 years. My interest in politics, history and the economy will provide a jump off for moneythoughts. From time to time I will post pieces of my artwork. I call my artwork political satire and I welcome your comments. I am available to speak or write economic commentary for money managers, brokerage firms or anyone else that thinks my ideas offer something worth while.
1 comment:
My guess is they will go the way of the idiots that think they know whats best, not what the majority want in this country. The Tea Baggers are running this country into the pits of the world. They believe they know all and are driven by some all mighty spirit that only influences them in knowledge and that THEY have the right to tell the rest of us how to think and what to do.
It is on both sides that this dis-pare we are going through rests upon. Back in 2009 or 10 Obama said that there would be some sacrifices needed to be made as GM was directed by the Feds into and out of bankruptcy. The only ones that suffered were the non-union salaried employees of Delphi, a formerly wholly owned subsidiary of GM. Even the IUE/CWA union members came out eventually completely covered by GM/the government by riding on the former salaried workers shirt tails in receiving the same health care we received, and getting their pensions brought back whole. The salaried employees lost from 30 to 70%.
Now the Republicans are doing the same thing. Expecting some of the citizens of this Nation to take it laying down. I do believe that the "get on board" Republicans are going to regret letting the Tea Baggers get on board. They didn't beat Obama in the first round....with head Bagger Sarah/McCain and they didn't get to him in the next round of votes. They don't seem to believe in "it's a law that passed in several ways...votes and the Supreme Court but they do believe they can ignore that fact and hold this country hostage. My fear is that too much further and we may see more violent reactions like the Navy yard and the lady hearing voices but not from people that are hearing things.
Post a Comment