Paulson heads back to congress…  BOJ cuts rates to below the US…  China to continue increasing the value of the Renminbi… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

Stocks are up 20% from their November lows. And they could go much higher. But don’t be fooled by this “sucker’s rally”. The Dow is on its way to 5,000. The Fed is trying to stop it. But remember, the Fed caused this crash. And it was government ‘rescues’ that made the 1930s Depression so Great…

For all the talk we do around here about our unsustainable Empire of Debt, certain events are still startling. Not surprising, but startling.

The government is banking on the American consumer to rescue the economy. But debt-ridden households have had enough, says Andrew Gordon. He says the government’s massive bailout are benefiting very few in the short-term. But the long-term consequences will be felt by all.

It’s abundantly clear now that too much borrowing and spending in recent years is at the core of the current economic crisis. But what perplexes Bill Bonner is that government policy still assumes that more of the same is the only way to get us out of this mess. And Wall Street is only too happy to go along with it…

Gold bugs have suffered one of their worst years in history, says Keith Fitz-Gerald. But the US dollar looks increasingly fragile beyond this period of short-term panic buying. And that means the outlook for gold remains strong. Keith says every investor should ensure gold forms part of their investment strategy for 2009.

Reckless government spending has already put the US taxpayer on the hook for trillions of dollars, says Eric Roseman. And there is no telling how many more bailouts and loans are to come. Eric says gold will emerge as a surrogate currency as the Fed prints the US dollar into oblivion. And that means a sharp return to its long-term bull run.

As the economic crisis continues to unfold, recently a sense of uncertainty has begun to pervade the market. Even dyed-in-the-wool risk takers admit that they don’t know what to think anymore. Inflation, deflation, recession or depression – there are so many vagaries that it appears to be anyone’s guess what will happen next.

Unless you’re a turkey, Thanksgiving is usually a happy holiday. But Bill Bonner says the crumbling economy leaves all of us fearing the axe this year. The global credit crisis has taken us into unchartered territory. And government bailouts will only draw out the inevitable correction.

The U.S. Federal Reserve and Treasury Department announced yesterday (Tuesday) $800 billion worth of stimulus measures to rev up three primary engines of the U.S. economy – homebuyers, consumers and small businesses.