(End of the American Dream)—Did you know that FEMA is not answering nearly half of the calls that it receives from those seeking disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene? This amazing fact is being reported by Politico, and it shocked me to the core when I first read it.
If the federal government responds this poorly to a hurricane, what is going to happen when we are facing a major long-term emergency that affects the entire nation? As I have been consistently warning for years, you should not be counting on the government to come riding in on a white horse to rescue you when global events hit the fan. Unfortunately, global events may hit the fan a lot sooner than most people think.
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Politico spoke to a man named Mike Toomey in North Carolina that desperately needs help after floodwaters destroyed his home. When Toomey called FEMA last week, nobody answered his call. Instead, he got a recording that informed him that he was 675th in line to be helped…
Mike Toomey called a federal helpline last week to get disaster aid after Hurricane Helene flooded his home in western North Carolina.
He got a recording instead.
“They said I was 675th in line,” Toomey, a painter in a spattered shirt, recalled as he waited outside a federal recovery center in Hendersonville.
Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina over a month ago. And people like Toomey still can’t get help from FEMA even though they are reaching out.
In fact, Politico says that “hundreds of thousands of people” have not been able to get the assistance from the government that they are hoping for…
Hundreds of thousands of people who are trying to recover from disasters nationwide have been unable to get through to federal call centers or have stayed on hold for excessive periods of time in the weeks since Helene barreled into southern Appalachia last month.
Overwhelmed by Helene and Hurricane Milton, the centers failed to answer nearly half of the incoming phone calls over the course of one week recently. For the calls that were answered, it took more than an hour for federal workers to pick up, on average.
This is the worst federal response to a major natural disaster that I have ever seen.
I honestly don’t know how to explain it.
At one time, most federal agencies exhibited at least a minimal level of competence, but those days appear to be long gone.
In addition to not getting hundreds of thousands of people the help that they desperately need, it is also being reported that hundreds of roads are still closed in North Carolina…
Hundreds of roads in North Carolina remain closed or damaged as Americans try to recover in the aftermath of flooding from Hurricane Helene, according to the New York Times.
Many of the roads have been washed away or severely damaged by the floodwaters that stranded people in remote areas of the state, the newspaper reported on Saturday.
Some of the roadways and portions of major highways have been reopened, the Times reported. “But as of early Saturday, there were just over 700 incident reports noting a portion of road still listed as closed, impassable or otherwise affected by the storm.”
What in the world is taking them so long?
You would think that opening up the roads would be one of the top priorities.
But at this point we are being told that it could take “months” to even get Interstate 40 back to full operation…
Bringing Interstate 40, as well as many other highways and roads, back to full capacity is likely to take months, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars, though officials cautioned it was too early to make formal estimates.
We used to be a country that worked harder than anyone else.
Now we are being run by a bunch of bureaucrats that like to stand around and talk instead of taking action.
After everything that we have witnessed in North Carolina, there should be no doubt about what will happen when a truly apocalyptic national emergency comes along. And that may occur a lot sooner than most people think, because war is here.
In the Middle East, the Iranians are preparing for a major attack against Israel…
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has instructed his forces to prepare a direct attack against Israel after deeming the Jewish nation’s retaliatory strike last week too big to ignore, according to a new report.
While Khamenei attempted to downplay to the public the extent of Israel’s attack on Tehran’s military facilities, privately, he greenlit plans for a counterattack in a meeting with his Supreme National Security Council, three Iranian officials told The New York Times.
The ayatollah allegedly made his decision on Monday after reviewing the damage report from his military officials, which detailed the strikes across Tehran’s missile production plants and defense systems.
Israel has publicly warned that it will hit back even harder than last time if Iran attacks, and the Biden administration has informed Iran that it will not be able to restrain Israel…
“We told the Iranians: We won’t be able to hold Israel back, and we won’t be able to make sure that the next attack will be calibrated and targeted as the previous one,” a U.S. official said.
It appears that this war in the Middle East could soon take an apocalyptic turn, and that would have major implications for the entire planet.
Meanwhile, those living in the EU have been instructed to “stockpile emergency supplies” in case a direct conflict with Russia breaks out…
People living in the European Union should stockpile emergency supplies in the event of war breaking out or another major emergency, a new report has advised.
The report on Europe’s civilian and military preparedness, published on Wednesday, was written by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in his capacity as Special Adviser to the President of the European Commission.
The report notes that the EU was not prepared for either the COVID-19 pandemic or Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and that it needs to move “from reaction to proactive preparedness.”
As I warned my core supporters on Friday, we are closer to a nuclear war with Russia than we have ever been before.
If missiles start falling on U.S. soil, there will be absolutely no help from the federal government.
You will be on your own.
Speaking of nuclear conflict, North Korea just tested a new ICBM that has enough range to easily reach the continental United States…
Pyongyang officials have since identified the massive rocket, which they dub “the world’s strongest strategic missile,” as a new Hwasong-19 ICBM. Given that nuclear warhead-capable ICBMs can reach several thousands of miles away, such a missile would have the capability of hitting the continental United States. And the timing has not been lost on anyone, as it was a mere days before the US presidential election.
“It can be stored and moved anywhere, allowing for excellent mobility, stealth and survivability,” said Kim of the rocket. State media has subsequently released carefully edited, high quality footage of the ‘perfected’ missile launch, which has been widely circulating on Friday:
2024 has been a year of war, but in 2025 we are going to see things go to an entirely new level.
If you are blindly trusting that our government officials have everything under control, you are not being wise because they don’t.
When war comes to U.S. soil, what are you going to do?
Are you going to be counting on the federal government to bring you food and supplies and everything else that you need?
When things go sideways, the federal government is not going to be there for you. At this point, they can’t even take care of the areas of the country there were devastated by Hurricane Helene.
There are many that are trying to sound the alarm about what is coming, but most of the population is simply not listening.
Michael’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
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Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
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Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
