Slowly, as Americans are waking up to the fasco-communist police state that surrounds them and realize that the economy in the US will never recover until after the US dollar hyperinflates into worthlessness, we receive more and more emails with sad stories and desperate cries for help.

The stories are often truly sad and usually entail abuse by the police or the state or being wiped out by the corrupt educational system or medical system which are fascist systems now designed to indebt and take as much wealth from Americans as possible.

There is nothing we can do to change the past, obviously. Where we can help, however, is in the here and now.

Before I go into some thoughts and ideas to help those who feel like they are trapped in Amerika, here is an email we received today that is quite representative of the hundreds of emails we receive every single day:

Mr. Berwick,

After reading your article, "The US is Fast Becoming a Third World Police State", I had to say something.

I am in total agreement and wish we could leave the country. But the average middle American has by now been financially handicapped. We at one time had a farm and quite a bit of money in the stock market. Now we are lucky to own our little farm out right, but all other assets have vanished. A medical emergency that occured 6 weeks before I would have been insurance wiped us out. My father had the same problem in the 1970s and it cost about $12,000. For me it was $164,000. Just for the four day hospital stay. I was lucky to of been sent to a "charity" rich hospital. But I was still left with several thousand in medical bills I have had to make payments on. I was not in ICU, this is what they charge for a hospital stay now. And what is scary is the fact if I had the insurance I would of still been saddled with $30-40,000 of debt. So, I was probably lucky I didn't have it.

My husband hasn't been able to find a job in 4 years. I am lucky to work at a school. But the bottom line is that we are living on next to nothing. But a few years ago we WERE middle class Americans. Now we have no savings and live paycheck to paycheck. So, your advice is only good for the folks that are WAY above average now. No one I work with could do what you suggest. And with the inflation coming home to roost....we will be lucky to keep food on our table. I am so thankful my parents have both passed away. They would be devasted to see our country melting away.

Thanks for listening,

Toni in the Pacific Northwest

This is very typical of the stories we hear regularly. It is really heart-wrenching to hear people who sound so despondent.

There are reasons to keep your head up, however. Allow me to make some general comments.

IF YOU STILL HAVE A JOB AND/OR ASSETS

First, for all those in the US today who still have jobs and still have assets, take heed of the many who were in your position only a few years ago and now are impoverished and left with much fewer options. If your work is in any way tied in to the finance industry or government, consider that you have very little time left before you will no longer be employed. The financial industry has been built on 40 years of fiat currency based debt... it has been an illusion. It was not real wealth created and when the US dollar based financial system collapses it will leave a black-hole in the financial industry that will make Black Monday feel like the best of times. Government jobs, as well, are all illusionary and dependent on the printing of money to continue.

If you have extra income, stop all unneccesary consumption and save as much as possible - but, of course, not in US dollars. Put your savings into gold and silver. And, if you've had the idea to expatriate, do it now while you still have the financial means to support yourself for the first few months or years until you can make a life for yourself somewhere else.

IF YOU HAVE NO JOB OR ASSETS

All is not lost if you've been wiped out.

One of the top things that we hear is that many have large amounts of unpayable student loan debt. Remember, this debt only matters in the US. If you were to be able to leave the US and go elsewhere, those debts are meaningless - however, also remember that if you were to return to the US they may go after you at that point. But for many with six-figure, unpayable student debt, this is a matter of escape or being a slave for life to those debts. As well, many have been caught by the thousands of laws in the US and have a criminal record and think this will prohibit them from travel... most countries do not trade this information with the US (Canada does), so you can still leave the US with a criminal record.

Secondly, just because you have no job or job prospects in the US does not mean there aren't plenty of opportunities elsewhere. For Americans, look no further than Canada. Canada cannot find enough people to work in the Oil Sands - and many of those jobs are six-figure jobs, even for basic labor. As well, other mining camps in Canada are in the same situation. And Canada is easy enough, you could take a bus there. Look up Canadian mining companies (most are listed on the TSX and TSX-Venture exchange), call them about work and even just go up and talk with them.

If mining doesn't tickle your fancy, and you are more in finance, look to Hong Kong and Singapore. They are always looking for bright go-getters. In Hong Kong, the max income tax rate is 15%.

Other places that are booming are places like Qatar, where you can see dozens of jobs listed all for 6 figure incomes, usually including free room and board... and they want English speaking foreigners.

Remember, to think outside-the-box. The world of "go to college, get job for life" is over. Now we live in the "go to college, undertake huge amounts of debt, destroy your life". As I've stated in past articles such as "Debtucation" and "The Education Trap", all human knowledge is available for free. Educate yourself and find inventive ways to make yourself of value to others.

YOU HAVE A HUGE ADVANTAGE

That is one thing lost on many Americans... you have a huge advantage over most people in the world already just because you speak English and are familiar with the American style business. Many parts of the world are still learning how to be entreprenurial and how to do business and just by being American and speaking English you add value to many organizations.

I once was paid $5,000/month by a Chinese company to hang out while they made movies. My job? Just be white and shake people's hands. You see, in China, having a white westerner is a status symbol!

GOLD/SILVER STOCKS

Another point that should be made is that even if you just have an extra few thousand dollars that investing those into the right junior gold/silver mining stock could provide 10,000%+ returns over the next few years. That is because as the US dollar based financial system collapses they will continue to inflate the currency. This currency will be looking for the next great bubble... and we think that will be in precious metals mining stocks.

THE COLLAPSE WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES

If, for whatever reason, you can't leave the US to find jobs or opportunities elsewhere, still do not give up hope. The Chinese word for crisis is the mix of the two symbols for "danger" and "opportunity". The majority of Americans will be completely sideswiped by what is to come. For those who are at least aware of what is going on, the coming crisis will also be a time of opportunity. It is said that during the Weimar Germany hyperinflation in the 1920s that hotels could be bought for just 1 or 2 gold coins.

If you are stuck and cannot do much, then at least begin educating yourself about the world as much as possible. Also, learn a second, or a third, language. The two I recommend most at this time are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. With Spanish you will be able to communicate in nearly 50 different countries. As well, almost any language from Asia (Thai, Lao, Burmese, Malay etc) could offer you a world of new opportunities in the years ahead. Another place to look for opportunities is Africa.

KNOWLEDGE AND PREPARATION ARE KEY

As stated above, 99% of people have no idea what is going on and will be shocked when many of the things they were told to believe, such as the US being the freest and richest country on earth, turns out to be false. By being aware of what is going on politically and economically in the world today you are ahead of the game. As things begin to collapse you will see and know what is happening ahead of most people thereby enabling yourself to position yourself ahead of the crowds.

Remember, with the internet, you have the world at your fingertips. Search out opportunities... even in the worst of times people need things. Position yourself to provide for their needs.

AS THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID

Thomas Jefferson once stated, "A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have."

After decades of the government "giving" many Americans everything they need through welfare and socialist wealth transfer schemes, the US is coming out on the other end where the government and the Federal Reserve have now destroyed the US economy to the point of ruin and they will soon go after everything you have to keep itself alive.

For those who have already been financially destroyed by the system, hang in there and follow some of the advice above. For those who have been lucky enough to keep your assets in tact to this point, move now to protect them from the prying claws of government as it strains to drag you down with it.