It's a simple concept: the unprecedented combination of geopolitical volatility and flawed monetary policy, combined with domestic division, has never happened in the past the way that it is happening now.

Ergo, while it may sound sensational, it's actually a relatively common sense point: People should expect the world—and with it, financial markets—to be on the edge of volatility like never before.

"Really, Chris. More fear-mongering?" you'll say. "Isn't this just another sensational blog post to try to justify your bullishness on gold and bearishness on risk assets?"

You're welcome to think that way if you'd like, but I believe you'll be doing yourself a big disservice.

Right off the bat, let's examine monetary policy. Sure, rates have been at 5% before, but they haven't been there with $33 trillion in debt outstanding.

In other words, while interest rates aren't at historical highs, as many of my readers pointed out in the comments of my last article, they are the highest they've been with the largest amount of debt outstanding we've ever had. This chart of U.S. debt-to-GDP helps make the point of where we stand:

And it isn't enough that we face an unprecedented amount of debt-service obligations; both our monetary and fiscal policies continue to exacerbate the problem. Our government has proven it absolutely cannot cut spending and has no regard for what can only be described as its toxic and debilitating deficit, even when the nation's finances are at their most precarious.

This shot of our surplus/deficit is, to use financial jargon, f**king insane.