Sometimes it feels as if we are drowning in a torrent of bad news. I would suggest, however, that the worse people feel, the more they are waking up to the serious contests of our time. If you are unhappy with the political, economic, and social powers manipulating the world today, the critical first step in fighting those forces is changing the way people think about them. By that measure, people today are changing their minds about the culture and institutions around them faster than ever. Consider some of these fundamental shifts in thinking:
(1) Good vs. evil
Not long ago, it was common for conservatives to see the Marxist left as foolishly mistaken — a collection of young and inexperienced troublemakers who would eventually “snap out” of their common delusions once forced to confront reality.
Now people understand that the left’s real mission is to reject reality. Castrating boys so that they can pretend to be girls is not “healthy.” Perpetuating racism as social policy is not “justice.” Imposing a “woke” State religion over personal conscience is not “moral.” Aiding and abetting child sex–trafficking and drug-smuggling at our borders is not “compassionate.” Stealing property is not “equitable.” Just as with Leninism and Maoism before, today’s leftism is evil.
(2) Parties vs. uniparty
There has been a seismic shift in the way Republican voters see political parties. After Obama forced government-controlled health care on America, the Tea Party movement began a desperate fight against socialism’s advances. From the energy of that movement, Republicans eventually took back the House and Senate. Despite those triumphs, Paul Ryan rubber-stamped Obama’s budgets, while refusing to build Trump’s border wall. McConnell’s Senate Republicans, who had run on repealing Obamacare, cemented socialized medicine with McCain’s decisive betrayal.
Grassroots voters finally rejected Establishment Republicans and catapulted outsider Donald Trump into office. In response, Republicans quietly assisted Democrats in their attempt to remove Trump through the Russia hoax. In the space of a decade, most Republican officeholders were outed as RINOs, before voters properly concluded that they were actually part of a single D.C. Uniparty all along.
(3) Science vs. political manipulation
The only good thing to come out of the government’s COVID lockdowns, forced medical experimentation, and masking theater was its inadvertent creation of a Eureka! moment for tens of millions of Americans who realized that “science” has become irredeemably politicized. When health authorities opted for experimental injections over known medical treatments, they sacrificed lives to push an agenda. When hospitals separated families and forced vulnerable patients onto ventilators, they acted inhumanely. When politicians and corporations censored public dissent, destroyed livelihoods, hobbled childhood development, and terrified the public with known lies, they not only proved that objective science is dead, but also committed crimes against humanity.
(4) Self-determination vs. global government
Just as “RINO” and “Uniparty” have entered our lexicon as profanities, so too has “globalism.” Without respect for the Constitution’s express prohibitions or the American public’s wishes, Deep State bureaucrats and politicians continue to surrender national sovereignty to the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum, the International Monetary Fund, and their globalist brethren. Americans have lost their self-determination and are now ruled by an alliance of spy agencies, central banks, multinational corporations, and transnational interest groups posing as charities. In order to thwart a hegemonic global aristocracy, citizens must defend their national interests.
(5) Elections vs. selections
Every presidential election this century has been tainted by allegations of fraud. Instead of remedying this public perception, election officials and courts have made things worse. Voting has turned into a months-long affair that begins before candidates have even debated and often extends many weeks past Election “Day.” Electronic voting machines remain vulnerable to hacks. Mail-in balloting devoid of fundamental security, identity checks, or signature verification has transformed contests into ballot-stuffing fraud-fests orchestrated by paid political operatives. Secretaries of state refrain from enforcing election law; attorneys general refrain from prosecuting crimes; courts rewrite statutory law to tilt elections. Battleground states routinely suffer from inexplicable counting problems that delay the timely reporting of results. Vote-counting lacks transparency and reproducibility. When lawyers attempt to challenge results, their professional licenses are often threatened. Americans overwhelmingly believe that election cheating is pervasive.
(6) Free speech vs. propaganda
Western governments are so terrified of losing control over their citizens that they attack freedom of speech as a threat to their continued monopolies over information. Words and ideas are now labeled as “hateful” whenever they contradict official State dogma. Debate and argument are censored as “misinformation” so as to stifle dissent. Corporations and bureaucrats have anointed themselves as high priests for assessing “truth” or “disinformation.” Their anti-Enlightenment efforts to smother freethinking have exposed the political Establishment as mere propagandists and bullies.
(7) Money vs. control
More and more people realize that free markets cannot exist alongside central banks that engage in rank manipulation of the economy. Fiat currencies unbacked by precious metals are dying. While private investment bankers and multinational corporations have benefited generously, central bank policies have destroyed ordinary Americans’ economic security. Before the privately run Federal Reserve came into existence, Americans’ intergenerational social mobility was the highest in the world. A century after its creation, income inequality has never been higher. Now, in order to avert a looming economic Armageddon caused by a century of profligate spending, private banks and coercive governments seek to force everyone into a surveillance system based on central bank digital currencies. Until we free our money from government control, totalitarian governments will use money to enslave the people.
(8) Impartial justice vs. targeted persecution
There is no faster way to destroy trust in a nation’s institutions than to use the criminal justice system as a machine for targeting political enemies. Yet that is exactly what the FBI, the Department of (in)Justice, and their unethical allies donning black robes, have done. In any country suffering from corruption, a telltale sign is when agency heads choose to rebuke ordinary citizens for no longer having faith in the system. A healthy system, in contrast, never fears public challenge. The people, upon whose consent government legitimacy rests, have a duty to call out corruption. Consider it an admission of guilt, then, when FBI director Wray or Attorney General Garland condemns Americans for correctly noticing their two-tiered application of “justice.”
(9) Republic vs. empire
As Mark Twain succinctly noted, “America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.” It did not work for the Romans, and it has not worked for American citizens since the end of WWII. The U.S. Constitution severely limits the powers of the federal government while maximizing the powers of the states and the people. Congress alone has the power to declare war. The vast administrative bureaucracy has been divined from thin air. The states have no obligation to obey the federal government when it acts unconstitutionally. D.C. has transformed its limited powers into a global juggernaut beyond accountability. In the process, Americans’ inherent rights and liberties have been abandoned.
(10) Civil war vs. revolution for independence
As Americans have come to terms with these revelations, they have also realized something else: the federal government spends an awful lot of time and resources dividing Americans against one another. Should ordinary citizens ever seek to reclaim their liberties, that future conflict will resemble not America’s regional Civil War, but rather the Revolutionary War’s struggle against government tyranny.
We are living through a combustible era in which common Establishment illusions shatter daily. Paradigm shifts in the way people see their world advance in short years, rather than over decades or centuries. Is this revolution of the mind uncomfortable? Absolutely. It is also the quintessential feature of every great awakening.
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.
