Im a stock enthusiast and think they will fair better than most investments for a few good reasons.

1. Stocks are not tied to the dollar. This is important for any discussion with my gold bug friends. So even if the dollar goes to zero, hypothetically, not all of your stocks will because the services those companies provide will be valuable to currencies that are in good standing.

2. The rise of index funds. Index funds have lower turnover and generally refuse selling of holdings. With companies like Vanguard alone holding 3 trillion in assets, it will be a tremendous stabilizing force in turbulent markets.

3. Stocks rise with inflation defacto.

4. Just in the last 20 years we have gone through the tech bubble, y2k, Hail Bob, 2008, Mayan 2012 and the latest armageddons include September 23, 2017 and of our the looming collapse of the USA.

So Im not going to blow sunshine up you butt... No, there are serious reasons to be concerned but I would suggest keeping it in prospective.

First, extreme levels of negativity rarely make money. In fact, historically those have been the times to invest.

Second, the Great Depression was caused by a debt bubble, financed mechanizing of farms going bust along with general debt fueled living... Oh wait, that does give some cause for concern. Along with the fact that its when your 401k gets smashed that you usually lose your job-- but again perspective. Those crashes were all a buying opportunity and if you cant buy perhaps your dividends can. Short of a complete collapse that you can never really escape from... yeah thats the point. Extra food.. yes. Bug out bag.. yes.. some guns.. sure. Forget investing so I can pay off my house early but after I lose my job in the collapse and I was putting all my money in my house trying to pay it off early...... It pays to diversify.

Conclusion, keep contributing to your 401k or IRA. At least insure you get your match. Even if you don't want to invest do it. Its free money for goodness sake. Its an emergency fund if it needs to be.

I do plan on staying out of bonds. I will do so for a couple of reasons. First, I think there is a debt bubble and rising interest rates can smash the trading value and therefore principal in bond funds. And bonds dont really get the interest, to return the principal, that can be destroyed from going from 0.5 to say 15% interest rates. Unless you are buying individual corporate bonds but then it won't be liquid enough for you to access it in a time of great turmoil. And lets face it you have a small suspicion that Trump is going default and negotiate on treasuries if he has to right? He has done this before with Trump debt and old habits diehard. Yet he is still here and still successful.

And now that I have left plenty of room for you all to rip me a new one. I will wait until you supply your manifesto so I can promptly destroy it. Cheers

Hi JW, thanks for the commentary! Interesting read... I particularly like your point about Trump defaulting on and restructuring U.S. Treasury Debt (this is a likely scenario). I encourage others to chime in!

Good article here http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-02-18/mother-all-financial-bubbles-very-definition-unsustainable

The Dow is paper like our falling dollar. It is perception that keeps the stocks profitable. We are one catastrophe away from the paper aka our currency and our stocks to fall. Why not invest in hard assets like silver or other currency that will be backed? Notice I did not mention gold? It was once confiscated and illegal to hold here in the US. Shorty after it was mulipulated up so the "establishment" could bank.... they owned it all. The same "establishment" that controls that paper stock. I would rather hold on to something I can hold. Silver ratio to gold is absurb compared to historical ratios. Soon the mulipulation of gold and silver will be released. This is the biggest value for the buck. Bitcoin is questionable due to an emp could wipe that info away and China trying to control but short term a good investment over the next few years. Did you know AIIB/BRICS is currently using currency that is backed by an asset and soon will force the US to back its currency. Mexico will be one of the richest nations here real soon since they have large quantities of silver and will back their currency with it. If you want stocks...go thru China's stock exchange and invest in Iraq or mining companies of silver. Iraq is about to go international and now that is some currency you want to look into if you want paper. The dong of vietnam is another after the playing filed is leveled. The stock you want is the steel makers or the supplier of the pipe for the keystone pipeline if you do stocks and still risky due to one catastrophe. What about Israel .... they soon will be the richest nation in the world as prophesied .... foot of Jasher... oil will be found. Remember they are now energy independent due to natural gas finds, but not the richest nation yet as prophesied. But land after the crash here in the US and if possible sell now to get your equity on your property and be patient. GOD bless all of you here in this sight!!

P.S. meant buy land not but land. Also did not mention currency of Iraq being Dinar. Even Irans currency which is hard to find due to sanctions and being illegal to have but can be found on eBay. Any stocks in Iraq oil companies or mining companies anywhere like Mexico should be done thru other stock exchanges like Iraq or China. Just like the US took over the world currency from Britain so it will happen to the US and sure looking as if China will take over the world scene as they recently where added to the IMF last October and their percentage will increase as ours in the IMF will decrease.

P.S. #2. Kim clement in 2008 prophesied donal trump to be president and the Dow would hit 20,000, and trump will find God during election process and will serve two terms. He is the perfect man for the job of bankruptcy as we will go thru and is temporary and eventually he will fix the US. Unless we are already in the second half of tribulation and soon will see the signs! Repent now and except Jesus Christ as your savior now! Just in case we are already in the last three years of the seven years of tribulation.

Learn from Venazuela and now Brazil... it is coming this way and one ounce of silver will feed a family of four for over three months and one ounce of gold will buy a house!! It is a fact! Get that spritual house in order soon!!

Could California be that catastrophe??? I pray not due to all those lives that could perish due to those old damns being put to the test with all that rain. That state could pull down the entire US. Did I already say ... repent and accept Christ as your savior?!

Folks... think. Trump is bringing back jobs...right? Well sounds to me as if we are switching roles with China. Meaning China has been the labor force of the world and the US has been the consumers that produce nothing. Now we will have the jobs and will be the work force of the world and China will be the new consumers along with India!

Jw why you pushing vanguard?? You work for them?? Sure sounds to me you have interest in stealing people's money as history of stocks have done. You must have forgot 2008 and 2009... or did you bank off others losses?

Jw history in stocks also show every seven years it takes our money ... go back every seven years and see that pattern and we are over due now and what goes up will go down like that paper stock based on perception. Own company via stock.... what a joke! One catastrophe and what company ... as many that closed during 2008 and 2009 because they diversified in stocks ... THAT failed.

Read this and let it sink in

http://www.joshuakennon.com/janitor-ronald-read-leaves-behind-8000000-secret-fortune/

Jw the more you comment the more you sound like a salesman and I bet next you will claim to be able to assist in taking our money. Go sell this crap somewhere else bc your stocks have a seven year history going back to 1929 and takes more than it give out. You should be ashamed in yourself trying to feed your lies to people who do not know stocks seven year cycle and history. It is mulipulated by the establishment as is gold and silver in which all mentioned will soon change. I would rather hold on something the constitution claims as real money! I am not falling for your sales pitch for that paper. Stop trying to sound like you know it all ... and you do know your business as I can tell by those comment above... salesman you are! You are trying to make a buck on this site. Sad and I am done with this thread due to the deep bullshit you shovel! Nite and I hope you get on those knees and pray tonight! That is all I really care about brother in Christ. P.S. I am no fool!!

I respect your educated opinion and you have a right to speak and I am no one to critize. Yet who is correct?? Time will tell all. Let us let those who read our comments allow the Lord to lead them!! Each person is in a different situation and we both have good points. Non bad it was only I did not agree and there is nothing wrong with us not agreeing. Why can we not agree to disagree my friend. Money gold stocks is not my priority and hopefully not your priority. So we both are good salesman. Your soul is a priority... so do me a favor and let me see you text that you have excepted Jesus Christ as your savior ... please and I ask out of love for you. I am not your enemy I just have a different opinion and sure I could be wrong!! Again let's let time answer our opinions. I love you and wish we could be freinds who can disagree and still have love for each other. So...that being said...do you accept Jesus Christ as your savior??? Have no fear as you have mentioned above. With love from a brother in Christ and our infinite creator!

I too accept Jesus Christ as my savior! Love you brother and thank you for sharing! I will take that advice in your last post and too claim no denomination and only our Lord. God be with you and your family.