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I can already hear the chorus of rebukes from those who claim to be “conservative” or “populist” but who are really just straight-ticket Republicans. “Don’t sacrifice the good to chase the perfect,” someone will say. Someone else will chime in with, “Weak Republican policies are better than strong Democrat policies.” Still others will say, “You’re probably a Democrat pretending to be a Republican.”
In reality, I don’t pretend to be a Republican. I’m an America First patriot, and while I never have and never will vote for a Democrat, there are a whole bunch of Republicans on Capitol Hill who haven’t done anything to earn my vote, either. One of them is Kevin McCarthy, the de facto future Speaker of the House should Republicans regain the majority. Some will say he’s not quite as RINO-evil as his counterpart in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, and I wouldn’t disagree. But that’s like saying we should be thankful to swim in sewage because at least it’s not lava.
When the GOP’s “Commitment to America” was leaked, I instantly hoped it was just an early draft. My initial read revealed it was so replete with milquetoast platitudes and obscure non-promises that certainly McCarthy and his cronies had come up with something that had more legs. We’re in a time when the people crave bold and even bodacious solutions to the massive problems we face. I may not be one of them as I prefer government to just get the heck out of the way instead of trying to solve problems, but ahead of a midterm election against an immensely unpopular member of the other party sitting in the Oval Office, I would have expected a far clearer plan than what was presented.
It turned out Fox News host Tucker Carlson agrees. As he noted during last night’s show after playing a clip of soon-to-be Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni:
“She’s not kidding. She’s as serious as the moment we are currently living through. Our rights are under attack, she said. The sovereignty of our nation is under attack. And critically, ‘The prosperity and well-being of our families is under attack.’
“And that’s true. That’s why it’s resonating, because it’s real and not just in Italy. It’s true here. American families are facing the very same onslaught from the very same poisonous ideologies. The difference is in this country it’s rarely acknowledged except on the fringes.
“Meloni is not on the fringes. She’s the new Prime Minister of Italy, she will be, and she’s saying it out loud. Contrast that to what’s happening in the United States. House Republicans just spelled out what they’re running on. It’s a document called the ‘Commitment to America.’
“It’s fine. Probably not much in it you disagree with it. Have you heard of it? No, you probably haven’t. You probably haven’t read it. Nobody really cares. Why? Because there’s nothing real in it. There’s not a single word in that document about the attacks on the American family that you see every day. That’s at the center of most people’s concerns. ‘How are my kids? Will they have a life that resembles mine? That was called the American Dream, does it still exist? Will they be able to afford to live the way they grew up? Will they have the opportunities that we had?’
“No. People are upset about that. Why wouldn’t they be? But nobody says it and that’s odd because we know, and now it’s been proven that when politicians are brave enough to tell the truth about what’s actually happening, they tend to be rewarded for it.”
Unfortunately, the document isn’t just missing commitments to families. It’s missing a huge concern for millions of Americans, a concern that is spreading in light of recent revelations that have crept into the mainstream. According to Daniel Horowitz at The Blaze:
There is no recognition whatsoever that this is the Fourth Reich, the economic collapse is not by accident, and that we have suffered through the greatest tyranny and civilization destruction of all time. That is to say, the biggest omission from this document is COVID fascism. It’s as if the past two and a half years never occurred. There was no throwaway line even nodding toward banning all mandates, much less reviewing the genocide of gain-of-function research, dangerous vaccines, ending the PREP Act and immunity for pharma, and making sure this can never happen again. There was no recognition that the inflation is a result of the policies from COVID, which the GOP collaborated with. There is also no acknowledgement that the energy crisis is not just about inflation, but about building on the COVID lockdowns and social control to impose an equivalent scenario with energy and food.
History buffs are divided about the effects of Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America,” the spirit animal predecessor of McCarthy’s document. I tend to lean toward it accomplishing very little. Sure, it helped Republicans have an unprecedented red wave and they certainly tried to implement some of those contract proposals, but at the end of the day very little tangible came from it other than to rebuke the Clinton administration and force Senate Democrats to play defense. They passed bills that stalled in the Senate.
Unfortunately, this new version is far weaker, has fewer details, misses the most important issues facing Americans, and has even less of a chance of being successful than Gingrich’s plan. Even if the GOP takes control of the Senate as well, it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to pass anything meaningful that would get signed by Joe Biden. The only real difference they’ll be able to make is to slow the bleeding by not proposing more horrible ideas. Otherwise, they’re going to be allowing the same basic budgets that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are pushing.
One can even argue that this “Commitment to America” is so bland, it even has talking points that are indistinguishable from Democrats. For example, one of McCarthy’s bullet points is to, “Provide greater privacy and data security protections, equip parents with more tools to keep their kids safe online, and stop
companies from putting politics ahead of people.”
I don’t disagree with the sentiment, but it’s not a differentiator. If a Democrat lawmaker said those exact words in a campaign ad, nobody would bat an eye and wokesters wouldn’t call to have the candidate cancelled. Why? Because it’s generic and doesn’t require any actual action. It’s just words. It’s an empty promise. They’ll pass bills that never become law and they’ll claim they’re doing a fabulous job as a result.
There are some good points in the document, but nothing is memorable. Nothing is startling. Gingrich called for big ideas like a balanced budget amendment and term limits. He could do that knowing Bill Clinton would veto anything that made it through the Senate. McCarthy’s document doesn’t even take advantage of that cover. It’s as if the document was written to prevent damage and to not give Democrats anything to attack.
The real power they’ll have is in cutting budgets, which they won’t do. They’ll be able to hold some people accountable through hearings. As important as those two things are, they didn’t promise much in those realms in their Commitment to America. It’s as if they don’t want to commit to real actions.
It’s pure GOP Establishment weakness on full display. At least Gingrich had passion behind his proposals. The Contract With American was, as Shakespeare might say, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” This new Commitment to America still signifies nothing, but also bypasses the sound and fury in favor of safe and uninspiring.
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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.
