I pulled this off of Facebook. It’s that good. Whether it’s true or not, it makes a very good point.
STORY:
On my way home from work, I stopped at Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat.
I have a $50 bill and a $2 bill. I figure with the $2 bill, I can get something to eat and not have to worry about irritating anyone for trying to break a $50 bill.
Me: ‘Hi, I’d like one seven-layer burrito please, to go.’
Server: ‘That’ll be $1.04. Eat in?’
Me: ‘No, it’s to go.’
At this point, I open my billfold and hand him the $2 bill. He looks at it kind of funny.
Server: ‘Uh, hang on a sec, I’ll be right back.’ He goes to talk to his manager, who is still within my earshot.
The following conversation occurs between the two of them:
Server: ‘Hey, you ever see a $2 bill?’
Manager: ‘No. A what?’
Server: ‘A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me…’
Manager: ‘Ask for something else. There’s no such thing as a $2 bill.’
Server: ‘Yeah, thought so.’He comes back to me and says, ‘We don’t take these.Do you have anything else?’
Me: ‘Just this fifty. You don’t take $2 bills? Why?
Server: ‘I don’t know.’
Me: ‘See here where it says legal tender?’
Server: ‘Yeah.’
Me: ‘So, why won’t you take it?’
Server: ‘Well, hang on a sec.’He goes back to his manager, who has been watching me like I’m a shoplifter, and says to him, ‘He says I have to take it.’Manager: ‘Doesn’t he have anything else?’
Server: ‘Yeah, a fifty. I’ll get it and you can open the safe and get change.
Manager: ‘I’m not opening the safe with him in here.’
Server: ‘What should I do?’
Manager: ‘Tell him to come back later when he has real money.’
Server: ‘I can’t tell him that! You tell him.’
Manager: ‘Just tell him.’
Server: ‘No way! This is weird. I’m going in back.’
The manager approaches me and says, ‘I’m sorry, but we don’t take big bills this time of night.’
Me: ‘It’s only seven o’clock! Well then, here’s a two dollar bill.’
Manager: ‘We don’t take those, either.’
Me: ‘Why not?’
Manager: ‘I think you know why.’
Me: ‘No really, tell me why.’
Manager ‘Please leave before I call mall security.’
Me: ‘Excuse me?’
Manager: ‘Please leave before I call mall security.’
Me: ‘What on earth for?’
Manager: ‘Please, sir..’
Me: ‘Uh, go ahead, call them.’
Manager: ‘Would you please just leave?’
Me: ‘No.’ Manager: ‘Fine — have it your way then.’
Me: ‘Hey, that’s Burger King, isn’t it?’At this point, he backs away from me and calls mall security on the phone around the corner. I have two people staring at me from the dining area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect.A few minutes later this 45-year-oldish guy comes in.Guard: ‘Yeah, Mike, what’s up?’
Manager (whispering): ‘This guy is trying to give me some (pause) funny money.’
Guard: ‘No kidding! What?’
Manager: ‘Get this. A two dollar bill.’
Guard (incredulous): ‘Why would a guy fake a two dollar bill?’
Manager: ‘I don’t know. He’s kinda weird. He says the only other thing he has is a fifty.’
Guard: ‘Oh, so the fifty’s fake!’
Manager: ‘No, the two dollar bill is.’
Guard: ‘Why would he fake a two dollar bill?’
Manager : ‘I don’t know! Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?’
Guard: ‘Yeah.’Security Guard walks over to me and……Guard: ‘Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you’re trying to use.’
Me: ‘Uh, no.’
Guard: ‘Lemme see ’em.’
Me: ‘Why?’
Guard: ‘Do you want me to get the cops in here?’At this point I’m ready to say, ‘Sure, please!’ but I want to eat, so I say, ‘I’m just trying to buy a burrito and pay for it with this two dollar bill. I put the bill up near his face, and he flinches like I’m taking a swing at him. He takes the bill turns it over a few times in his hands, and he says,Guard: ‘Hey, Mike, what’s wrong with this bill?’
Manager: ‘It’s fake.’
Guard: ‘It doesn’t look fake to me.’
Manager: ‘But it’s a two dollar bill.’
Guard: ‘Yeah? ‘
Manager: ‘Well, there’s no such thing, is there?’The security guard and I both look at him like he’s an idiot and it dawns on the guy that he has no clue and is an idiot. So, it turns out that my burrito was free, and he threw in a small drink and some of those cinnamon thingies, too.Made me want to get a whole stack of two dollar bills just to see what happens when I try to buy stuff.Just think…those two will be voting soon!!?!
YIKES!!!
We already have a nation full of them.
MY POINT
Yes, it’s a funny and sad story. But it illustrates a point. When I pay for something I tend to go through this routine….+
Clerk:’That’ll be $6.49″
I pull out a ten.
Me:’Do you take these in lue of cash?”
Clerk: ‘Huh?’
Me:”Do you accept this
paper fiat as cash. If you and I can’t agree to it’s value then it’s worthless.’
Clerk:”What? Is is fake?’
Me:”No. The Federal Government prints these.”
Clerk:’So it’s cash.’
Me:’No, it has no value unless you and I agree that it does. Cash or specifically a bank note can be redeemed for something of value like gold or silver.’
Clerk:’ So it IS cash.’
Me: No. The Federal government does not have the power to issue bank notes. This right is reserved to the States or Banks.’
Clerk:’Who says?’
Me: ‘The Constitution.’
The Story above illustrates just how fragile our economy really is. America was thrown into a Depression when Stock Certificates became worthless. What do you think will happen when people realize that our money is worthless?
What is Our Money Worth?
Here’s a simple illustration. I’m America and you are …say Europe. I have a dollar and you have a Euro. Because we have the same amount they are both worth the same. I print 10 more dollars and you print ten more Euros. Still equal value. But I owe China ten bucks. But I need my ten bucks to pay for groceries (welfare,military, Congressional salaries etc…). So I print up ten more bucks and give it to China.
Now there are $20 out there. I have $10 and China has $10. But Europe still has ten Euros. How much are the dollar worth to Europe? 10 divided by 20. The dollar is worth 50 cents to the Euro. Now lets use real numbers.
$15,671,916,356,611
We REALLY owe China $ 1,148,300,000,000. The FEDERAL Government owes this because China has bought Treasury Notes (IOU’s).
I’ll do the math. China divided by U.S. OMG the numbers are so big my calculator wigs out. I let Google do it…
1 148 300 000 000 divided by 15 671 916 356 611 = 0.0732711925
China’s dollar is worth SEVEN CENTS!!! They have the most. Here are the rest. Russia owns the least God Bless them. They have only $94.6 Billion. Their dollar is worth $0.0060362752.This is inflation. The Federal Reserve Bank is supposed to control the money supply to prevent the dollar from being devalued like this. Under Obama, the Federal Reserve Bank couldn’t care less. It’s letting Obama print all the money he wants.
ASK YOURSELF
Who’s really in the pocket of the Banks the next time you hear Obama say that Romney’s in with Big Oil?
It makes you wonder what secret deal Obama has with Putin who just happened to become Russia’s president again.
Do you really want Obama to keep spending for four more years??
How will your life be when the rest of the world decides that the Dollar is worthless?
This happened to Germany in the 30’s. In fact, it has happened to EVERY country that has monetized it’s debt. Italy in the 80’s and Greece recently. But this story is about Germany. My mother who lived through it told me this story.
The Basket
The German economy had such runaway inflation that the money was worthless and goods and services were scarce. My mother stood in line for bread. She had brought a basket full of money to buy a loaf. The line was long and moved slowly. Mom had to pee. She left the basket of money to mark her place in line and went to pee. When she got back, the pile of money was still there but the basket was gone because it was worth more than the money.
Want More?
Odd Facts About Money
Nano-Printing on Your Personal Checks
