I am something less than an amateur when it comes to economics; for years now, I've optimistically opened the Wall Street Journal or Financial Times only to find my eyes glazing over in bored confusion by the middle of the first paragraph. But over the last couple of weeks, I've developed a bit of an obsession with this murky realm, and I've gained just enough knowledge and confidence to be appalled by this editorial in the New York Times today.

Rightly fearing inflation—AND economic stagnation—the Times's editors call for:

rolling back excessive tax cuts and engaging in government-led health care reform to rein in looming crushing costs...[and promoting] higher domestic savings.

Dear lord. Let me get this straight. The debt-fueled economy is (possibly) on the brink of a major correction (to put it nicely). The Fed's two options are to print more money (issuing more debt) or raise the rates, tightening credit. And the fix, according to the Old Gray Lady, is to take more capital (real or imagined) away from the free market because...government management didn't create the problem in the first place? I'm all for saving, but at this point it's kind of like loading your gun—with blanks, by the way—when the bear has already ripped your throat out.

Add these to the mix, then:

China Threatens to Trigger US Dollar Crash and

Monetary Statistics (way over my head, to be honest)

The picture that emerges won't surprise Ron Paul supporters. I don't have 1/10th of the knowledge necessary to predict anything—but I imagine that Dr. Paul's "I told you so" alarm is blaring somewhere in Iowa right now. Baseless currency, fabricated credit, $1.3 trillion sitting in China's coffers, a $450 billion oil war (that's only increased prices), consumer/investor/citizen malaise, inflation combined with rising prices... It ain't pretty. But it is an opportunity. Once again, Dr. Paul can raise his hand politely and say, "I know why this is happening." And with things going as badly as they might, folks might finally be prepared to listen to Cassandra.