(DCNF)—Against the backdrop of a sacred pulpit that was instrumental in the fight to secure the rights of democracy, the Biden Administration continued its pattern of deception about election integrity.
On Sunday in Selma, Alabama, Attorney General Merrick Garland vowed to fight against popular, common-sense measures like voter ID laws and to challenge duly enacted legislation that focuses on vulnerable practices like mail-in voting and drop boxes.
Since 2020, Democrats have shown that their threats to election integrity are not empty, and this threat from the nation’s top law enforcement official should concern everyone that cares about security and transparency in our elections.
The fact that the attorney general wants to fight voter ID laws is particularly concerning. Garland chose Selma, Alabama, as the location to talk about voter ID because of the left’s unfounded claims that those laws unfairly affect voters of color. However, a 2021 Rasmussen poll showed that 75% of likely voters support voter ID requirements. Yet, Merrick Garland wants to unravel this basic measure in preventing fraudulent voting.
Garland has also vowed to fight other duly enacted election integrity measures that he deems to be “discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary.” The problem with that is the Left has been lying about the effects of election integrity legislation for years. The passage of Georgia’s Election Integrity Act of 2021 sparked intense debate, with Garland’s own boss, President Joe Biden, calling the law Jim Crow 2.0 to draw attention to the claimed effects of the bill on voters of color.
However, following the enactment of the law, Georgia witnessed a surge in early voting, the type of voting most thought to be affected. The first two days of early voting saw an 85% increase over midterm voting in 2018. Moreover, post-election polling done by the University of Georgia indicated that 99% of Georgia voters did not encounter significant issues while voting. This underscores the accessibility of Georgia’s voting system despite the new regulations.
In addition to voter identification requirements, Garland also signaled his willingness to challenge requirements to drop boxes and mail-in voting. It is unsurprising that he specifically chose those methods of voting, as the loosening of rules in 2020 led to confusion and it seems that Garland wants to be ensure further confusion in 2024.
Much of the developed world warns against mail-in voting due to its ease of corruptibility and serious questions that have been raised in recent elections about the Postal Service’s ability to be a fair arbiter in our elections. The USPS workers union outwardly endorses Democrats, including Joe Biden himself. Can we be sure that they’re being fair? Additionally, a Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports poll revealed that one-in-five mail-in-voters committed some form of fraud in 2020. Given these facts, why would the nation’s top cop forcefully push for such a sketchy method of voting?
While Garland’s policy stances on election integrity are highly concerning, an even bigger issue for Americans may be that the attorney general has committed to challenging, instead of upholding, election laws in an election year. Much of the mistrust of the 2020 election was the result of the left’s last-minute bulldozing of election-process safeguards without corresponding increases in transparency. In many states, this was done unilaterally through the executive branch or the courts, leaving citizens confused and angry. Without COVID as a pretext in the states this year, it seems that Garland is advertising his office as the unilateral authority to change our elections in 2024.
The attorney general would have you think that his statements on Sunday spoke to the disenfranchisement of certain groups of voters. If there was any evidence that the policies he spoke to specifically disenfranchised voters, his comments would seem much more genuine. Instead, he spoke of attacking policies that members of all parties support. Instead of providing evidence of disenfranchisement, he provided evidence of the left’s continual use of election integrity for further political division.
Church is a place where the truth should roam free. Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” However, Merrick Garland used his speech to attack the truth. As election season kicks into full gear, Americans need confidence, not empty rhetoric, injected into the conversation on election integrity and transparency.
Josh Findlay serves as the Director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s national Election Protection Project. Previously, he was the first-ever National Director of Election Integrity for the Republican National Committee.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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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.
