Scenario #4: The War Machine

A command and control world without human values and with little success at optimizing resources perpetuates a state of war.

Weighting = 10%

• Unipolar World
• Negative Return on Investment to Taxpayer

The United States gathers significant global resources back into North America. From “Fortress America”, they can provide support to global allies much more economically.

The US uses its resources, the re-engineering of the US federal budget and the rebuilding of the US defense industrial base to rebuild its war machine and to field space and other secret weaponry launched and managed primarily from North America. This includes improvements in the infrastructure necessary to support this effort. A revitalized military and space program is successful in implementing a unipolar world through a US national security state.

To ensure the cooperation of business leadership, significant additional assets are “piratized.” Congress and the Washington government machinery exact their financial pound of flesh in exchange for cooperation on rebuilding the war machine.  Even greater corporate margins and monopolies continue to support high stock market valuations. Inequality continues to increase, destroying economic potential.

To prevent competition for resources with the war machine, small businesses and farms continue to be forced out of business through government regulation. As government re-engineering, automation and controlled demolitions of underfunded pension liabilities proceed, the middle class is steadily reduced to a small cadre of corporate and government employees.

The United States and its allies in the Anglo-American alliance – US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – use their land and water resources and export capacity within the global food system and increased US energy self-sufficiency to help maintain political dominance. Food serves as a weapon, made more efficient by weather warfare and global surveillance.

Life expectancy of the general population continues to fall while the population is refreshed by young immigrants. The general population experiences significantly greater violence, in part, as a result of intentional divide and conquer politics.

To maintain its unipolar status, the United States continues to promote women and encourage significant divide and conquer strategies globally. The chances of war with China rise, increasing the investment in an arms race primarily related to space and space weaponry.

Scenario #4 – Implications for 2018

Opportunities to create value:

• Focus on your home, your business and your community. Make sure that you are adding value within a country or place likely to remain secure. Geography matters.
• Look for opportunities with new technologies to take advantage of decentralization and globalization.
• Track changes in tax policies and their implications for you and your business.

Be prepared for significant volatility!

Prepare a defensive strategy:

• Retire debt and maintain a low overhead.
• Maintain a cash reserve and liquidity.
• Avoid dependency on government money.
• Maintain a core position of precious metals.
• Maintain resources in multiple jurisdictions.
• Practice “prepping” – you want to be prepared if a real or manufactured natural disasters happen where you are.

Best long-term investment opportunity:

• Your education, health, and career.
• DIY skills.
• Corporate bonds rated “A” or better.
• Income producing agricultural land and operations.
• Income producing real estate in areas with a strong Global 3.0 economy.

Best short-term investment opportunity:

• No way to know – stick to disciplined allocations.