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Over the past week, I’ve had more hate mail from fellow conservatives than I’ve ever had in my life, and I’m not alone. Conservative show host and former Fox News host Todd Starnes told me tonight that he’s never seen anything like it.
“I’ve never gotten this much hate from MAGA world before,” he said.
Like Starnes, I am a Trump supporter. Like Starnes, I do not support Donald Trump’s endorsement for U.S. Senate in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary, Dr. Mehmet Oz. For this, we’re getting lambasted by fellow conservatives for being disloyal.
“What concerns me is that the definition of conservative seems to be evolving,” he said. “Conservative used to define someone who wanted to limit big government, stop out-of-control spending, defend the unborn, support the Second Amendment and fight back against the sex and gender revolutionaries. But now, the definition of conservative seems to be ‘someone who is electable.’
“If you are pro-abortion, anti-Second Amendment and you support radical gender reassignment surgery for minors, you are not a conservative.”
I get it. There are those who have not been dissuaded by reports of Dr. Oz’s leftist past which includes support for keeping Roe v. Wade, gun control, and puberty blockers for transgender children. All they see is President Trump’s endorsement and assume that all is well in the Land of Oz. But I don’t buy it, and apparently many other Republicans aren’t buying it either as the latest polls show Dr. Oz in a three-way tie with Kathy Barnette and David McCormick.
Based on the responses I’ve received from recent viral Tweets and several articles in support of Barnette, I’m not sure many of Dr. Oz supporters really buy into him, either. Most can tell me why they don’t like Barnette, but out of literally hundreds of comments, direct messages, and emails, I have yet to see a single one that attempts to make the case for Dr. Oz other than with two arguments. The first is the aforementioned Trump endorsement. Some have told me they don’t know much about Dr. Oz but if Trump likes him that’s enough for them. The other argument is that he’s supposedly the most electable in a purple state, a claim that I also don’t buy.
One prominent conservative who opposes Barnette is Greg Kelly from Newsmax. He ripped Barnette apart last week on his broadcasts and through social media. Here’s a snippet from a recent post on Newsmax:
Kelly, host of “Greg Kelly Reports,” showed several clips of Barnette to reinforce his suggestion the candidate was “woke” and not conservative. He added she was “unvetted by the press” because media members had been focused on GOP front-runners Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick heading into Tuesday’s primary.
“She sounds like, well, woke, liberal [former New York City] Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said that his son, who happened to be Black, faced racism everywhere he went,” said Kelly, who then showed a video of Barnette speaking before a “Barnette for U.S. Congress” banner.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
I reached out to Kelly for comment but he was unable to go on record. Nevertheless, the fact that we could have a civil discussion about our opposing views was still a good sign.
I’m not here to litigate on behalf of Barnette or against Dr. Oz or McCormick. I’m wondering if things will go back to normal after the primary. It’s a serious question and a real concern. When it’s just Republicans versus Democrats or conservatives vs RINOs, I don’t really care if there’s any reconciliation. It wouldn’t matter if Chuck Schumer or Mitch McConnell knocked on my door and asked what would make me stop attacking them. My answer to both would be for them to retire. Then and only then could we be friends.
With fellow conservatives who support Dr. Oz, I am legitimately concerned about the repercussions of this mini-war that has been raging for about a week. For example, insults were passed back and forth between former acting-DNI Ric Grenell and me. I’ve always liked the guy but after some fairly brutal name-calling, do we make up after Tuesday? I reached out to Grenell via Twitter. If he replies, I’ll add his response here.
Populist pundit Jack Posobiec from Human Events believes we will be able to reconcile after the primary is done. He told me the focus needs to be on the midterm elections.
“Every primary is a hard-fought contest,” he said. “I hope that in the midst of this conservatives and America First populists will remember we all are on the same side, and to treat everyone fairly and truthfully. We all have a long road ahead to November.”
That is hopefully the sentiment we will all fall back on after the primary. As Democrats have proven over the past 16 months, they are an existential threat. As much as I oppose RINO globalist Dr. Oz, I’d still rather see him in the Senate than any Democrat. That didn’t used to be the case; a RINO was once just as bad as a Democrat in my book. But today, I may not like most of what Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, or Susan Collins do with their Senate seats, but at least all of them voted against the radical abortion bill last week. With the Senate as tight as it is, all it would have taken is one of them to have allowed abortion up until birth to be codified.
When the dust settles from Tuesday’s primaries, I hope the America First movement can unify and move forward regardless of who wins in Pennsylvania. Democrats are America’s enemy from within and must be defeated in November.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
