Breaking the Dollar

Why the Trade War Matters

A return of significant volatility to markets over the past several trading sessions prompted this episode's topic: the ubiquitous trade war between the United States and China. Everett walks listeners through the basics about the economic conflict, explaining how the trade war is being fought (tariffs) and what it may cause (global recession). The discussion also "connects the dots" from the spreading domino effect of trade protectionism to the various related tensions in foreign affairs and geopolitics more generally.

Death Of The Gold Standard

Why did the gold standard "fail" in the middle of the 20th century? In this podcast episode, Everett walks through some of the factors that caused governments around the world to abandon the gold standard. He ultimately connects the demise of tying money directly to gold to part of the larger trend of ever-expanding government control and concentration of economic power.

The Fed: What Is the Federal Reserve?

In this episode, Everett traces the history and origins of the central bank of the United States, the Federal Reserve. He explains how the Fed came to be, what roles it is supposed to serve, and why there are important criticisms of the Fed worth considering. The discussion also covers some general concepts about central banks and monetary policy.

What Is Shadow Banking?

As the name implies, shadow banking is a part of the financial system that is often hidden from view. Although shadow banking serves a purpose, it also poses major systemic risks. This episode wrestles with the concept of non-bank lending and delineates why this sector has grown so large. Host Everett Millman also points out some of the unintended consequences and overlooked risk associated with this market.

CLOs: Another Ticking Time-Bomb?

During the last financial crisis, one of the main culprits of the panic was a type of financial product known as a collateralized debt obligation, or CDO. Today the market for a similar product, CLOs, is once again growing at a rapid pace. This episode explores what CLOs are, how they deal with risk, and why it is alarming that these loan bundles are becoming increasingly popular.

Asset Bubbles and Financial Manias

This is Breaking The Dollar the podcast that dismantles some of the biggest misconceptions about money. Presented by Gainesville Coins.Hello and welcome back to Breaking The Dollar. I'm your host Everett Millman and on today's episode we will be discussing asset bubbles, how they happen, what are they, where they come from, and some of the signs you can look for to pick up on whether or not we are in a bubble in any particular market 

What Makes Gold Valuable

In this episode, Everett discuss what makes gold valuable. For thousands of years, gold has functioned as a store of wealth that sees its value climb in times of economic or societal unrest.  Listen in as he covers the many different factors that affect gold's value including jewelry, supply/demand, its chemical makeup, the gold standard, the US Governments Gold Reserves and much more.  

Cryptocurrencies (Part 2): Understanding the Landscape

In this episode, Everett continues his discussion about cryptocurrencies and expands the discussion to addressing the broader altcoin market. He explains why there are so many different cryptocurrencies and what makes this emerging sector so exciting for investors and bystanders alike.

Bitcoin vs. Gold: Is Bitcoin ”Digital Gold”?

There is quite a bit of buzz in the media about Bitcoin. More and more people are interested in finding out what Bitcoin is and how cryptocurrencies work. Will it someday replace the U.S. dollar? Everett gives some background about the Bitcoin vs. gold debate and evaluates whether or not Bitcoin is "digital gold" or "gold 2.0" yet.

Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency: What’s the Big Deal?

Facebook recently announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency called Libra in 2020. Join host Everett Millman as he breaks down the possible implications for the financial system and how a Libra stablecoin compares to existing government-issued currencies. He also details why the broader cryptocurrency market is likely to reject Libra due to its centralized nature and fiat currency backing.