Sen. Jack Reed showed up for a floor speech Wednesday with a poster depicting eight framed photos of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Three of the frames were empty, a consequence of the ongoing dispute between Sen. Tommy Tuberville and the Defense Department over its decision to implement a taxpayer-funded abortion policy.
“If the senator does not come to his senses before Gen. [Mark] Milley retires, fully half of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—our nation’s most vital military leaders—will be empty,” Reed, D-R.I., declared.
Reed proceeded to talk for more than 15 minutes, questioning the motives of Tuberville, R-Ala., and warning of a dire situation if these high-ranking miliary officers weren’t approved for promotion by the Senate.
Yet during his speech, Reed never once mentioned that it was the decision of Democratic leaders—not Tuberville—to prevent the 300 officers from receiving a Senate vote on their promotions.
Tuberville has said on numerous occasions, including this week, that Democrats could proceed with individual votes for each nominee. Instead, he’s objecting to “unanimous consent,” the Senate process of rubber-stamping an entire bloc of nominees without a recorded vote.
Take the case of Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, who President Joe Biden has nominated to replace Milley as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Reed cited Brown’s pending promotion Wednesday while pointing to the poster behind him.
“I’m concerned the senator does not appreciate the gravity of this situation,” Reed said of Tuberville. “These positions cannot simply be filled by other officers. They can only be temporarily covered by their vice chiefs, who must also continue to cover their own jobs. … These are extraordinary challenging times, and the jobs of our vice chiefs are just as important and challenging as the chief of staff or the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
He accused Tuberville of a plot to “extort the Pentagon” while doing so for “his own political gain.”
Senate Rule XIX stipulates that “No Senator in debate shall, directly or indirectly, by any form of words impute to another Senator … any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator.”
In 1 speech @SenJackReed made 3 dubious accusations against @SenTuberville.
Videos ⬇️
— Rob Bluey (@RobertBluey) September 7, 2023
As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Reed is responsible for shepherding nominees such as Brown through his committee, which approved his promotion July 20.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., could have scheduled a vote for Brown before the Senate left for its monthlong August recess or when senators returned this week. But instead of doing so, Democrats reserved time for confirmation votes on Federal Reserve and National Labor Relations Board nominees.
“Chuck Schumer can bring them to the floor one at a time as quick and as fast as he wants to, but he won’t do it because that’s an admittance of being wrong,” Tuberville said in an interview with Newsmax’s Greg Kelly.
Tuberville: 'We're going to have holds for a long, long time, and they can just get used to it'https://t.co/L5BMk6Mq7p
— 1819 News (@1819News) September 6, 2023
The Washington Examiner’s Conn Carroll, a former Senate staffer, crunched the numbers and discovered Democrats could have approved 108 military promotions if they worked an eight-hour day, five days a week instead of leaving town for a month.
“I’m sorry to the officers who have been inconvenienced by Tuberville’s holds, but if these nominations were really an issue of national security, maybe Senate Democrats could have skipped even just one day of their August vacation to confirm even just one of them,” Carroll wrote.
Don’t expect Democrats to change course. In fact, Reed acknowledged to Punchbowl News that Brown and other “vital military leaders” would continue to wait.
Another interesting nugget — Milley’s term ends Oct. 1. The Senate usually holds a floor vote on the Joint Chiefs chair nomination.
But REED told @maxpcohen that this shouldn’t happen bc it would set a precedent for all the others Tuberville is blocking.https://t.co/zMsrXiwov3
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) September 6, 2023
“Democrats are hesitant to put Brown’s nomination on the floor because it would set a precedent for all of the other promotions the Alabama Republican is blocking,” Punchbowl reported.
“What do you do with the rest of them?” Reed told Punchbowl, revealing that Democrats are keen to continue playing political games in hopes that Tuberville will fold under pressure.
Don’t count on it.
“I know I’m doing the right thing,” Tuberville said in an interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast.” “I’m not going to change my mind unless they change this [abortion] policy back the way it was.”
"I am not holding up nominations because they can do them one at a time. I’m holding up the opportunity for them to just say, 'Listen, we want to do 300 at a time,' @SenTuberville says. https://t.co/iT68PKgU7r
— Samantha Aschieris (@samantharenck) September 7, 2023
Tuberville began blocking the promotions of flag officers and military generals in March over objections to the Defense Department’s taxpayer-funded abortion policy. He asserts the Pentagon’s policy was unlawfully implemented without congressional approval and that he won’t release his “hold” on the promotions until the policy is revoked.
The Pentagon’s policy provides three weeks of taxpayer-funded paid leave and reimbursement of travel expenses for military personnel and dependents who are seeking abortions. An estimate from the Rand Corp. predicts the number of abortions in the military eligible for taxpayer-covered expenses would skyrocket from 20 to more than 4,000 each year.
In his Newsmax interview, Tuberville said he would continue to withstand pressure from his Senate colleagues until the Pentagon reversed the abortion policy.
“They don’t know what pressure is. Try coaching in the SEC,” Tuberville said of college football’s Southeastern Conference, where he once was a coach for Auburn University. “There’s no way they’re going to talk me out of this. We’re going to have holds for a long, long time, and they can just get used to it.”
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
Article cross-posted from Daily Signal.
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.
