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John Podesta may be one of the most influential people you’ve never heard of. He has held high positions in three presidential administrations and created a nonprofit that influences legislation and policy. He also oversees the spending of hundreds of billions of your tax dollars.
Podesta is one of the major tentacles of the Left’s massive influence campaign in Washington, D.C., a behemoth I call the Woketopus. It’s the subject of my new book, “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government.”
The book explains how the Left’s dark money network props up a system of woke nonprofits — groups advocating climate alarmism, transgender orthodoxy, critical race theory and technocratic government — that staff and advise the federal government, especially in the Biden-Harris administration.
John Podesta’s brainchild, the Center for American Progress, upholds all four major issues and has been particularly active in pushing subsidies for wind and solar, even though fossil fuels and nuclear energy are far more reliable. While many on the Left claim that man-made climate change threatens to destroy our civilization, climate doom predictions have stubbornly refused to come true since the 1970s, and the Left’s purported solutions to this overexaggerated crisis make life harder for Americans and others around the world.
So, who exactly is John Podesta?
1: Background
Podesta grew up in Chicago and attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. He met a young William Jefferson Clinton in 1970 when they both worked in Connecticut for Joseph Duffy, a U.S. Senate candidate. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1976.
Podesta worked as a Justice Department lawyer and then brought his legal expertise to Democratic offices in Congress.
2: The Clintons
Podesta worked in the Clinton White House, rising to be deputy chief of staff in 1997. Podesta coordinated the White House’s responses to the Whitewater probe (which investigated Bill and Hillary Clinton’s real estate investments) and the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The House of Representatives impeached Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in the scandal, though the Senate acquitted him.
Hillary Clinton tapped Podesta to chair her 2016 presidential campaign.
Amid that campaign, WikiLeaks released a 2012 email in which a progressive activist suggested to Podesta that “there needs to be a Catholic Spring [like the Arab Spring], in which Catholics themselves demand the end of a Middle Ages dictatorship and the beginning of a little democracy and respect for gender equality in the Catholic Church.”
Podesta responded, “We created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good to organize for a movement like this. Likewise Catholics United.” Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good received funding from left-wing foundations like George Soros’ Open Society Institutes and the Tides Foundation, groups that also fund Podesta’s left-wing nonprofit, the Center for American Progress.
3: The Podesta Group
John Podesta and his brother Tony co-founded The Podesta Group in 1988, and its fortunes rose with John Podesta’s prominence. The firm developed close ties to the Democratic Party, raking in $29.3 million in 2010 and earning Tony Podesta the rank of third most influential lobbyist in 2007.
Amid then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into ties between then-President Donald Trump and Russia, Tony Podesta dissolved The Podesta Group. The Justice Department investigated Tony Podesta for potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act connected to work he had done on behalf of a Ukrainian political party that supported Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prosecutors closed the investigation without bringing charges.
4: The Center for American Progress
John Podesta combined his connections, his lobbying experience, and his legal and policy background to create a left-wing juggernaut. He founded the Center for American Progress in 2003, which he envisioned as a Democratic alternative to conservative think tanks such as The Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute.
Politico has described CAP as “the most influential think tank of the Biden era.” CAP has fed more than sixty officials into the Biden administration and helped shape Biden’s legislative initiatives and executive actions. Neera Tanden, CAP’s president and CEO from 2011 to 2021, currently serves as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.
While leading CAP, Podesta also joined corporate boards and consulted for left-leaning nonprofits. Between 2010 and 2014, he served on the board of the green energy company Joule Unlimited, which later collapsed.
CAP has long supported electric vehicles and urged the Biden administration to spend more on green technologies. It describes climate change as “the greatest challenge facing the United States — and the world — over the next decade and beyond.” It celebrated the so-called Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, two bills that directed billions of dollars to fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure. (Automakers have been moving away from EVs due to low consumer demand, and they have warned that the Biden-Harris administration’s vision for a quicker transition to EVs is not possible.)
CAP also condemned the increase in U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a curious move because American LNG exports had helped European countries that would otherwise rely on Russian LNG. Billionaire donors pressured John Podesta on the issue, and President Biden announced a temporary pause of pending approvals of LNG exports in January. A judge struck down the pause in July, but the administration appealed that ruling.
5: Directing Billions of Dollars
In August 2022, President Biden signed a law the Democrats titled the “Inflation Reduction Act.” The Inflation Reduction Act arguably worsened inflation, cleared the way for the IRS to hire 87,000 agents, and earmarked $369 billion in climate spending.
Biden touted the law as “the largest climate investment in history.”
Who did Biden pick to determine where all this “climate investment” goes? None other than John Podesta.
This puts the radical activist with close ties to the infrastructure of the Left at the center of a massive federal enterprise where he can advance his agenda in the name of saving the Earth.
Tyler O’Neil is managing editor of The Daily Signal and the author of two books: “Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center,” and “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government.”
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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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.
