What is un-patriotic?

[pennypinch]

What is it to be a coward, and what is it to be unpatriotic?

When Thursday comes, are those that pull their portfolios out of the market being unpatriotic? Their actions will lead to a massive downturn in the market, thereby weakening our economic machine. Or is it just smart business to get out during the bloodbath that's already started overseas?

Are those stocking up on gas being unpatriotic? Seems to me they're needlessly hoarding supplies of a resource we all need, but say all borders are closed. Who's the fool then?

I'm still grappling with the question. At what point does self-interest negatively relate to patriotism?

[TheLoneGunman]

So, where WOULD you put your money?

If you pull it out of the stock market (where likely it is involved with companies that have more than just US offices and interests) and into the local bank (which will invest the money in your local community), I would say you are being MORE patriotic.

If you put it into a "safe" investment like Government bonds (which is also what you are doing if you use a money market fund) they you are helping the US even more as you are lending the government cash.

Unless you put it in a mattress, I don't see what is different.

[pennypinch]

Well, what about commodity trading? If I loaded up on oil futures (or heavily sold oil futures, as the case may be).

I agree, most of the place I could put my money would help the country, but most of the things that will MAKE money (and I mean more than the prime rate or whatever piddly rate we get on our checking accounts) are relatively distasteful to the patriotically minded.

[TheLoneGunman]

Originally posted by pennypinch
Well, what about commodity trading? If I loaded up on oil futures (or heavily sold oil futures, as the case may be).

You would lose money.

Traders with LOTS of experience and many times the investment capital are already doing those things. You would be crushed in their wake (like the idiot gas station owners who are gouging prices). They only THINK they are smart, but will soon feel the hammer of the government.

Likely there will be many scams to try to take advantage of the situation and many suckers using them because they think they can get rich quick.

For example in LA, after the big earthquake, they had HUNDREDS of people who claimed to live in the apartment building that collapsed. All these people thought it was an easy way to get money. The government sort it all out and then began jailing those that lied. They wanted to make an example out of them. Even just publishing their names was humiliation as they were ghoolishing trying to profit from someone else's misfortune.