The madness won't stop. We ain't seen nothin' yet . What's after a "trillion"? Quadrillion? Get used to it.
Those who are already in power love to keep the Ponzi scheme going, since it is the root of their power source- confiscating and giving other peoples' property away, in exchange for votes.
The best interview I've seen in a while: A Billionaire’s Bet on Inflation – Frank Giustra Long Form Interview – Video
http://ceo.ca/frank-giustra-long-form-interview/The cut-backs required to balance the system and make it solvent, are labelled "Draconian" by those who want to keep it going. And they are correct: rioting would occur if entitlement programs are cut back significantly. The tipping point has been passed.
Living beyond one's means, on a near global scale, requires more and more dilution of money in order to deal with the debt, hence all become poorer except for the administrators who get their cut first. The majority does't understand the full harmful effects of the term "inflation" , but they may if its called "dilution". You've already lost about half of your purchasing power since 2001 from this money dilution, so it's not just a matter of our children paying for our debt. We are paying the hidden price, now, and have been. Wake up. Get angry.
What can individuals do? I think it's past the point of realistic change now for the system as a whole. But spreading awareness and educating everyone's circle is paramont in moving forward towards stabilizing matters to slow down the collapse. Support "candidates for a slower collapse!" Any honest political party would advertise that. Maybe a new third party- Good luck with that.
Privately, finding ways of securing any savings is key. Giustra is right to a point - better bet on inflation, but dont stop there depending on it. Daniel Amerman provides scary analysis of how phantom high gains resulting from dilution can result in robbery through taxation of all these phoney gains and then some. You'd guess that if gold went to $50,000 an ounce holders would be sitting pretty, right? but actually the double whammy of taxation and loss of purchasing ower would leave holders poorer than prior, if there was no dilution. The admininstrators will rob us of any gains, if only to keep the misery spread out, to show their constituants they are socking it to the "rich speculators."
If they can measure it, they will steal it. Gains from sales of bullion and precious coins, collectibles etc will be highly penalized through this double whammy. Theoretically, the administrators could balance everything and make it workable by allowing the most obvious asset, gold, to be revalued at many many multiples of current valuations. But do you think for a second they will allow private citizens to keep the phantom resultant windfall? No-way, Joe-SAY!
Black markets will exist you say? Yes and people will be imprisoned. But not the top thieves. Finding ways of hiding real assets, preferably producing ones, will be key.
Oh, and despite some critiques, predictions of disease epidemics from system stress and have both historical support and merit beyond the Tin Foil Hat crowd. See the big trends and start implementing solutions before you find yourself too adversely affected. Remember- Noah didn't wait to feel the first raindrops before starting to build his Ark-