Is the Fed "tapering"? Did the Fed really cut its bond purchases during the three month period November 2013 through January 2014? Apparently not if foreign holders of Treasuries are unloading them.
From November 2013 through January 2014 Belgium with a GDP of $480 billion purchased $141.2 billion of US Treasury bonds. Somehow Belgium came up with enough money to allocate during a 3-month period 29 percent of its annual GDP to the purchase of US Treasury bonds.
Certainly Belgium did not have a budget surplus of $141.2 billion. Was Belgium running a trade surplus during a 3-month period equal to 29 percent of Belgium GDP?
No, Belgium's trade and current accounts are in deficit.
Did Belgium's central bank print $141.2 billion worth of euros in order to make the purchase?
No, Belgium is a member of the euro system, and its central bank cannot increase the money supply.
So where did the $141.2 billion come from?
Comment: ObamaCare was not created out of a sense of compassion. The need for healthcare was invented to line the pockets of the insurance companies and was forced on citizens.
In the U.S., 'medical mistakes' are the 5th leading cause of death and prescription drugs are 300 percent more likely to kill you than the illegal ones. Even U.S. veterans suffer unbelievably under our current healthcare system. How does covering more people, affordable or not, help in any way?