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(The Economic Collapse Blog)—November 5th is still about a week away, but more than 47 million Americans have already voted. Early voting has become quite prominent in states all over the country, and the numbers that we are getting so far appear to be quite promising for the Trump campaign. There have been rumors that the Harris campaign is starting to panic, and I think that they have good reason to panic. Unless something dramatic happens over the next week, it is going to be very difficult for Harris to find a path to 270 electoral votes. Today, I want to take a closer look at the all-important swing state of Pennsylvania. Without Pennsylvania, there is probably no possible way that Harris can win, and right now the numbers we are getting from the state do not look promising for her.
In 2020, Joe Biden got 3,458,229 votes in Pennsylvania and Donald Trump got 3,377,674.
So Biden won the state by a margin of less than 100,000 votes. Unlike other states, in-person early voting is not happening in Pennsylvania. All of the early votes that are coming in are mail ballots, and Democrats tend to dominate mail voting all over the nation.
But the numbers that we are getting from Pennsylvania in 2024 look much different from the numbers that we got from Pennsylvania in 2020.
In 2020, a total of 3,087,524 mail ballots were requested, but in 2024 only 2,090,960 mail ballots have been requested and the deadline for requesting one is almost here. So there will be close to a million fewer mail ballots that could potentially be sent in this time around.
Needless to say, that is huge. In addition, the gap between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to mail voting in Pennsylvania has narrowed considerably this election cycle. In 2020, Democrats returned 1,702,484 mail ballots and Republicans returned 623,404 mail ballots. So Democrats had built up a lead of more than a million votes in the state before Election Day even arrived.
That absolutely gigantic lead proved to be too much, and Trump ultimately lost by a narrow margin. But things are very different here in 2024.
According to the latest numbers, Democrats have returned 823,421 mail ballots and Republicans have returned 443,935 mail ballots.
Instead of the million ballot lead that they had last time, Democrats have only built up a gap of less than 400,000 ballots so far.
Everyone is projecting that Trump will run far stronger than Harris on the day of the election in Pennsylvania, and if Harris ultimately loses Pennsylvania it is hard to see how she could pull together enough electoral votes to win the election.
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But there is still about a week to go until November 5th, and so much could still happen. Hopefully voting will go very smoothly all over the country, but already we are getting some very troubling reports.
For example, on Monday fires were reported at ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington…
Federal authorities are investigating fires at two ballot boxes reported Monday morning in the Portland, Oregon, area.
Police responded to a call about a fire in Portland about 3:30 a.m. Monday, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. An “incendiary device” was placed inside the box and security personnel extinguished the fire, officials said.
Federal officials are investigating the incident in Portland and a second fire in nearby Vancouver, Washington, with the help of state and local law enforcement agencies, said Steve Bernd, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Seattle office.
This should make all of us very angry.
When someone tries to disrupt the voting process, they are committing a crime against all of us.
At this point, police are telling us that the two incidents are connected and they have identified a “suspect vehicle”…
Police say two fires set at ballot boxes in separate states are connected with just eight days until Election Day in what appears to be a serious case of attempted election interference.
In Portland, Oregon, police have identified a ‘suspect vehicle’ after a ballot box in the southeast part of the city was lit on fire early Monday morning and hundreds of votes were destroyed.
Hopefully they will catch whoever did this.
In Colorado, “nearly 30,000 previously cast votes” are getting a second look after a number of fraudulent ballots were caught by authorities…
Mesa County, Colorado, is reexamining nearly 30,000 previously cast votes after the discovery of a dozen fraudulent ballots, with some voters reporting that ballots were intercepted and submitted without their consent.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced Thursday during a press conference that over a dozen mailed ballots were intercepted and cast fraudulently before the actual voters even had a chance to receive them.
This alarming situation has sparked a full-blown criminal investigation, and three of those fraudulent votes were counted before the tampering was caught.
Colorado could be one of the big surprises on November 5th.
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It had been considered to be a lock for the Democrats, but so far Democrats have only built up a lead of about 3 percent in votes cast during the early voting period.
Once we get to the night of the election, most of the nation will be breathlessly awaiting the results. And when it is all over, one side is going to be experiencing very deep emotional pain.
For a long time I have been warning that we will see extreme chaos in the aftermath of this election, and a newly released poll has discovered that most Americans believe that civil unrest is likely…
Most Americans expect violence following Election Day but remain confident their vote will be counted accurately and are willing to accept the results of the presidential race, a new Scripps News/Ipsos poll found.
The survey of 1,000 Americans finds bipartisan concerns over unrest after Nov. 5. Overall, 62% of respondents – including 70% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans – say violence related to the election is “somewhat“ or “very likely.”
And among respondents in the key battleground state of Wisconsin, which was also measured as part of the survey, concerns over violence are higher, at 72%.
My hope is that once a winner is declared, the mainstream media, key celebrities and our top political leaders will all urge Americans to be calm.
But I wouldn’t count on that happening.
Instead, I think that it is far more likely that about half the country will throw a historic temper tantrum, and that won’t be good for any of us.
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.
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.
