It's all the buzz. Something tells me it's a trap, but the basic way bonds work tells me it seems safe. Are they just trying to take our money before the entire system goes down? Any thoughts, anons?
I typically do the opposite of what mainstream says for investing. Own my share of silver, real estate, etc. Continuing to ponder all options...
Bonds are an indenture. The interest (usury) on a bond is paid for by the people, whether they want to or not, through taxes (property taxes, car "registration", etc.). Bonds are the reason you don't own your car or your house, even if they are "paid off."
Bonds are the method by which the PTB own the world. A municipal corporation is indentured to the bond holder, and the population that lives within that municipal corporation is also indentured to the bold holder by extension. Bonds are slavery, not only in effect, that's actually the definition of a bond. Really its an indenture, but because in this case, legally, it is an indenture from which there is no possibility to escape, it is actual slavery by definition.
With regard to corporate bonds, the corporation (legal, not natural person) becomes the slave. A municipal corporation is similar, except by law the people (natural persons) within that municipality (defined borders of the corporation) are legally responsible for the interest on the bond (even if they didn't ask for it). But for a business corporation, there is no such legal responsibility. The shareholders aren't responsible, the board of directors aren't responsible, the only responsible party is the corporation (legal entity) itself.
So if a business goes belly up, the bond holder is screwed, because there is no legal recourse to recapitalize that bond. If a municipality goes belly up (defaults on the bonds, or the interest) then the bond holders gain management rights of the municipality, and by extension, the people who are legally beholden to pay the interest on those bonds.
This may have happened in 1933 to the United States, and we may be, as an entire group of people, beholden to the bond holders of the United States (Treasury Bonds, AKA The Federal Reserve and other corporate interests all owned by the same people). I am not sure about that last part. I haven't quite gotten there in my research yet. I am still looking for primary sourced evidence that we did in fact default in 1933 (or ever). All I have found so far are rumors or vague statements that are far from conclusive. Nevertheless there may be something there. More research is needed.
Bonds are debt: a company or a city, state, or whatever floats a bond, offering X amount of interest to investors. Over the years, the principle gets paid back to the investors plus the interest.
IF the company, city, state, or whatnot IS ABLE TO PAY.
How likely is that at this point? Almost every government entity is already in debt up to its metaphorical eyeballs. Corporate valuations are jacked up so high that in many cases a 50% drop in stock price would STILL be a horrendous over-valuation.
Investing in bonds today makes very little sense to me. There are probably exceptions, but with other types of investments available, I'm staying away from bonds.
If you don't hold it, you don't own it. Your 401k/IRA is also just a permanent loan to Wall St. until you retire.