I Bet Against America. I’m Not Patriotic?

by Darwin on September 8, 2011

traitor

I penned an article earlier this week about how I’m shorting Treasuries, basically because they’re overvalued in my opinion as the US is on the precipice of default within decades and we have deficits projected as far as the eye can see.  While I view this as a sound investment decision (more of a trade really), one commentator in another forum called me out for “betting against America” and being unpatriotic.  I think he might have been kidding to some degree, but I’ve heard this before in other circles, like when people were shorting the Big 3 Autos as they entered bankruptcy and such.  So, I might consider the alternative, which is, I’m doing my patriotic duty to try and change our spending habits in Washington so my kids have a future.  If the only way I can do that is blog about it and bet against Treasuries in the hopes of increasing yields to make it tougher to borrow, isn’t that a good thing?

I’m curious if you think it’s unpatriotic to short the US Treasury.

On that, some much more insightful and fun reading for the week:

The Burning PlatformPONZI SCHEME

The Big Picture – PIMCO’s Gross: QE1 and QE2 ‘destroyed’ credit creation

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Invest It WiselyWhy You Should Use Coupons

JoeTaxpayerHow much do you need to retire?

Retire By 40Save 50% on Your Medical Bills

Budgeting In the Fun StuffRefinancing Update

Sweating The Big StuffSaving Money on Gas Isn’t Always Worth It

Financial SamuraiAn Optimist’s Outlook: Why Not “Unemployment Day” Instead?

Money CrashersList of 16 Major Leading & Lagging Economic Indicators

PT MoneyIs Your Emergency Fund Big Enough?

Oblivious InvestorWho Is Your Money For?

MonevatorTen lessons learned from accidentally starting a business

Money MambaStocks Are Cheap

101 CentavosGold Bubbles and Gold Stocks

Stuff I Wrote Recently:

 

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I hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup – please be sure to check out all these other great blogs…just come back!

 

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

cashflowmantra September 8, 2011 at 11:56 pm

I think most logical investors would conclude that there is only one way interest rates can go from zero and that is up. It only makes sense to bet against Treasuries. That is not unpatriotic but upholding the capitalistic notion of America to the utmost degree.

Reply

JT September 9, 2011 at 8:30 am

Unpatriotic?! LOL

A short bet on Treasuries is nothing more than rational. Yields are lower than inflation, and given the climate, fear is driving people to fixed income. The next move in rates is undeniably up. If that makes you unpatriotic, well, then I’m probably going to be unpatriotic too in the coming days.

I’ll be looking to enter into TLT puts after I get a better feel of how serious the Fed is at breaking the yield curve. If nothing else, I think a out of the money options play would do well, since I have a feeling yields will rally for a duration long enough to give options a jolt. Pure gamma play here, but it’s reasonable, in my view.

Reply

Jeff @ Sustainable life blog September 9, 2011 at 12:21 pm

Making money is not unpatriotic.

Reply

MoneyCone September 9, 2011 at 3:59 pm

Keep emotions out of investing.

Reply

Invest It Wisely September 10, 2011 at 1:34 pm

If they don’t like what someone is saying, slander their person instead, lol… the whole unpatriotic thing is silly. People are not owned by the government; rather, it is the other way around. If anything, the government is unpatriotic for putting special interests above the best interests of the people.

Thanks for the mention!

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