Close,Up,Of,Creative,Blue,Binary,Coding,Hologram,With,Dollar

Digital Dollars, Gold Wars, and the Illusion of Prosperity — What You Must Know for the Week Ahead

EDITOR'S NOTES

This past week underscored how rapidly the foundations of economic freedom are eroding. Under the surface of celebratory headlines lies a controlled demolition of the American middle class—through inflation, surveillance, and engineered scarcity. One bright spot? The growing backlash against central bank control. Trump’s recent vow to block CBDCs shows that the issue is finally breaking into the political mainstream. But talk is cheap. The infrastructure for control is already being built—and if you’re not preparing, you’re volunteering.

Eric Blair Jul 21, 25

CBDCs: The Trojan Horse Is Still at the Gate

Trump’s public opposition to CBDCs is a welcome development—but let’s be clear: the system he promises to stop is already under construction. The Federal Reserve continues to pilot digital payment infrastructure through projects like FedNow, and private actors are pushing stablecoins as a backdoor to programmable currency. Whether it comes from a central bank or a “private” proxy, the goal is the same: full-spectrum financial control.

The threat isn't neutralized just because a candidate made a campaign promise. And history tells us: promises don’t stop policy—public pressure does.

Cashless America: The Illusion of Convenience Is Now Policy

Decades of grooming via tap-to-pay and app-based banking have normalized the erosion of privacy. With CBDC-style digital dollars, any dissenting behavior—political donations, unapproved purchases, even buying a plane ticket—can be flagged, frozen, or reversed. We’re not imagining a dystopia. We’re describing the Chinese model already being emulated in Western financial systems.

Russia’s Counterstrike: Gold Price Liberation Begins

While America obsesses over interest rates and CPI headlines, Russia just opened a new front in the war on fiat. Its launch of a gold trading platform outside the control of the LBMA and LME threatens to expose the paper shell game that has suppressed gold prices for decades. If this alternative market gains traction, expect price discovery to finally tilt toward physical demand—driving gold much higher.

The implications are enormous. The petrodollar’s weakening grip. BRICS+ gold trade settlements. You either own the real thing now or chase it later at twice the price.

Silver: Strategic Metal, Strategic Moment

Silver isn’t just for coins anymore. It’s a linchpin of the 21st-century supply chain—from solar panels to battlefield technology. Now, according to Nomi Prins, the U.S. is preparing to stockpile it. That means institutional buying pressure will soon squeeze an already tight market. Retail investors need to move before Uncle Sam jumps the line.

As premiums rise and availability tightens, the window to accumulate affordable silver is closing fast.

Freight Collapse: The Real Economy Is in Recession—Not Recovery

Ignore the pundits. Freight doesn’t lie. Over 4,000 logistics jobs were axed last week alone. Daimler is slashing 2,000 workers in Mexico. UPS and FedEx are bleeding jobs and shuttering facilities. Amazon is pulling back on volume. Warehouses in the Inland Empire are sitting empty.

When the backbone of trade slows, the spine of the economy breaks. The headlines say “growth.” The reality says “contraction.”

A Prosperity Mirage Built on Gig Work and Credit

Stocks are roaring, but it’s gig workers fueling the fake boom. Uber drivers, food couriers, part-time hustlers—all trying to stay afloat while inflation chews through wages. The average American is now renting their future. No assets. No savings. Just subscriptions to survive.

This is the financialization of poverty, and it’s being sold to you as opportunity.

Student Loan Bomb: Round Two

Student loan payments are surging this week. The Biden-era freeze is over. Most borrowers will see their obligations double—pulling cash out of circulation and putting pressure on the very consumers propping up this hollow recovery. That’s not just a personal finance story. It’s macroeconomic dynamite.

Inflation: The Tax They Pretend Doesn’t Exist

The government tells you inflation is “under control.” Meanwhile:
– Bacon is $14 for a 1.5 lb pack.
– Steak is $15.99/lb, up from $9.99 just two years ago.
– Gas is approaching $4 again.
The real CPI is in your fridge, your gas tank, and your rent. It’s not a statistic. It’s your life—and it’s getting more expensive by the day.

Looking Ahead: What This Week Could Bring

Watch for new developments on the CBDC front despite Trump’s pushback. The Federal Reserve isn’t waiting for the election. It’s already testing programmable infrastructure. Also, expect more financial instability headlines out of the freight and commercial real estate sectors.

This is not a drill. It’s not a “blip.” It’s systemic—and accelerating.