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(DCNF)—Several federal agencies have used an executive order signed by President Joe Biden to mobilize demographics who typically favor the Democratic Party ahead of election day, spending taxpayer dollars in the process.
Biden signed Executive Order 14019 in March 2021, directing all federal agencies to evaluate ways in which they can promote voter registration and voter participation. Since then, a number of federal agencies have used Biden’s order to direct federal funds toward boosting turnout among groups that have historically opposed Republicans including Native Americans, college students, newly naturalized immigrants and federal employees. Additionally, multiple agencies have partnered with left-of-center activist groups to implement their voter mobilization plans.
“Federal resources should not be used to help any political party or its candidates in the election arena,” Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Hans von Spakovsky wrote in August. “That is an abuse of our governmental structure that is reminiscent of third-world dictatorships. The states should act to stop what amounts to unlawful, partisan interference by executive branch agencies in the administration of elections and the voting and registration process.”
In his executive order, Biden specifically emphasized that the administration would work to increase “voter outreach, education, registration and turnout” among Native American voters. Fifty-six percent of Native Americans said they planned to vote for Democratic candidates, compared to just 40% who supported Republicans, according to a poll conducted shortly before the 2022 midterm elections. Democratic political committees have poured considerable funds into turning out Native voters and some have attributed Biden’s 2020 victory in Arizona to Natives.
Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland, for instance, used Biden’s executive order to establish voter registration centers at two Native American universities and then went on to write an essay about it urging Natives to vote, documents obtained by the Heritage Foundation via Freedom of Information (FOIA) request show.
“Your voice and your vote can make a difference,” Haaland’s essay reads. “There are places in this country where Native votes can turn the tables and drive our country toward progress.”
Strong turnout among Native Americans in Arizona contributed to Biden’s victory in the state during the 2020 presidential election, the Associated Press reported.
Other agencies, like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL), have also pushed to increase Native turnout in order to comply with Biden’s order.
HHS, through its Indian Health Service program serving about 2.8 million American Indians, has designated multiple of its facilities in Arizona and New Mexico as voter registration agencies, according to a press release. DOL, meanwhile, has authorized its partners serving Native American communities to engage in voter registration efforts.
College students are another demographic that both the Democratic Party and the federal government are intent on turning out ahead of Tuesday’s election. Vice President Kamala Harris leads former President Donald Trump by 38 points among college students, according to an Inside Higher Ed/Generation Lab poll released in October.
In February, the Department of Education (ED) announced that the federal work study program, which provides federal funds to fund employment for low-income students, would be expanded to include work for voter registration organizations. One such job posting at Pennsylvania State University with the League of Women Voters, a pro-abortion organization that typically supports Democrats, called for students to “support the registration and education of community voters” while engaging in “anti-racism practices.”
The website for federal college student aid also directs visitors to voter registration resources, an inclusion the agency notes was made in accordance with Executive Order 14019.
Federal employees, another constituency that strongly supports the Democratic Party, are also set to be major beneficiaries of Executive Order 14019. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced in March 2022 that, to comply with Biden’s executive order, federal workers would be entitled to paid time off to vote in elections.
Federal employees have donated $4.2 million this election cycle, with 84% of their presidential donations going to Harris, Government Executive reported. Not all federal employees are located in the nation’s capital, with many living in Maryland and Virginia, as well as near field offices in other states.
To develop voter mobilization plans, federal agencies collaborated with multiple left-of-center organizations. Among them was Demos, a group that has received millions from the Soros family’s philanthropic network and is aligned with the Democratic Party.
DOL, USDA and DOI all discussed voter mobilization plans with Demos, according to documents obtained via FOIA request by the Heritage Foundation. Demos opposed policies pushed by Trump during his first term, the then-president of the organization testified against the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in 2017 and the group has worked to build support for the Democratic Party’s agenda, according to Influence Watch.
Additional agencies that launched voter mobilization campaigns targeting left-leaning demographics included the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking to boost turnout among newly naturalized immigrants, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) publishing voter information material in languages other than English and HHS monitoring whether its voter mobilization campaigns were targeting racial minorities while working to register low-income people on Obamacare.
EEOC told the Daily Caller News Foundation that its work has been “in compliance with the [executive order].”
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Not all the voter mobilization efforts advanced by the Biden administration target pro-Democratic demographics. The Department of Transportation (DOT), for instance, worked to analyze traffic patterns to figure out how to make getting to polling locations easier and encouraged local transit agencies to be proactive about managing work zones to ensure easy access to voting centers.
Some of the Biden administration’s voter mobilization efforts even targeted traditionally conservative voting demographics, like the Small Business Administration‘s (SBA) effort to turn out small business owners and the Department of Veterans Affairs‘ (VA) work to get veterans to the polls.
Conservatives, however, have raised concerns about these initiatives as well.
The America First Policy Institute, for instance, demanded information about the SBA’s voter registration activities in Michigan in July after noticing that the distribution of federal resources for the campaign could benefit Democrats.
“There is evidence to suggest that the SBA’s largest presence is in the Michigan counties with the highest concentrations of registered Democrat voters, while at the same time it is least active in the Michigan counties with the highest concentrations of small businesses and registered Republican voters per capita,” AFPI executive director for litigation Mike Berry previously told the DCNF.
The VA, meanwhile, adopted an equity action plan in June 2023 in which it stressed its focus on increasing outreach to minority, LGBT and Native American veterans — all groups that tend to favor the Democratic Party.
“What they have done is weaponize all federal agencies on behalf of President Biden’s reelection campaign,” Republican Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, chair of the House Administration Committee, said in May of Biden’s voter registration executive order. “As we see the actions taken by this administration to leverage taxpayer dollars for political purposes, that should be concerning to all citizens.”
OPM, HHS, USDA, DOL, SBA, ED, VA, DOT and DHS did not respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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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.
