I was at a "Balance the Bucks" rally today and read the following poem. Lots of great acts by extrememly talented musicians saying it's time for the people to take back their country.

The Best Money Can Buy
by Robert Michaels

Hear my story, all this is true,
It's not meant to make you feel sad or blue,
When you know the truth, you might find it quite funny,
That the entire world is actually based on money.

China owns more than half of U.S. debt,
But how much money will that country really get
When the Fed prints money by the hour
The dollar loses all its power,
It's a theory Fed Chair Ben Bernanke does not seem to get.

The members of the Federal Reserve, this is great, they disagree,
That doesn't bode well for you and me,
Will the economy inflate or deflate, do we buy gold bullion?
the Kansas City Fed President said the biggest banks are still overleveraged by about $5 trillion--(that's dollars).

California paid China in its IOUs
‘Cause JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo took care of their dues,
So these overleveraged banks now own the golden state,
Wonderful--too little, too late.

But, for some,
this might be good news,
California is thinking of making marijuana legal
That would cure the state's blues,

For that matter, make it legal across the country,
so the federal government can tax it as they choose.

After all, don’t you feel we are all just the best money can buy?
America’s bought and sold on one big lie,
The U.S. can’t seem to make a car and—
We won’t go very far,
‘Cause--we’ll have loads of debt
No matter how hard we try.

Now, did you hear about those toxic loans?
I know you did--we still have them--I hear all the groans.
Foreclosures are in the millions
Government programs costing trillions
And our Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner’s on the phone to Ben,
To print more money for the banks (and his buddies) to lend

Yeah, right. I'm sure a lot of businesses will see those loans.

Let’s face it, we have a role in this.

You and I bought lots of merchandise,
And for all that debt, we need to compromise,
So now let’s stop the debt,
And let’s all make a bet,
That without material things, we can still feel alive and well,
And tell all those frickin' banks they can to go to hell.

Because, as long as bankers have all the dough,
They won't let the rest of us know,
The truth about the government,
And how our tax money is spent
By politicians who are on the take.
Just how much money do all these power-mongers make?

That really is, my country ‘tis of thee
Our sweet land of liberty,
But they raise the cost for you and me,
And pocket the proceeds don't you see.

Don't let the government tell you to start spending,
So they can act like the banks will start lending.
Then we remain slaves to debt,
Adding to credit card payments we never met.

I'm talking about interest rates we never knew were there,
Let me ask you, is that really fair?

And, when that credit card legislation went through
That one that would lower interest rates, too.
Oh, that's right, it's happening next year,
A little too late, indeed, I fear.

So that's my tale, hope it wasn't too long,
But how much longer can this charade go on?
Our expenses are bad--that much is true,
But behave and save, and who knows what you can do?

And, here's the bright spot, this part is really quite funny,
You and I just don't need a lot of money.

For example, love is free for you and me,
Love yourself, keep the faith in this land of liberty,
Appreciate the world, the people, the land and sea,
And you'll understand inside what each of us can and will always be.

Otherwise, you'll just feel we are the best money can buy,
America bought and sold on one big lie,
In a global economy, the U.S. can’t seem to make a car and—
Without universal healthcare our future entrepreneurs won’t go very far,

Because we'll be on the path we're taking right now,
with loads of debt to pay off,
and who in the world knows how?

The biggest concern of the weekend is that when two Federal Reserve presidents disagree on the outlook for inflation and deflation, this is not a good signal that anyone there knows what's going to happen. In fact, they don't.