It may not be popular to post this considering the wild political debate within the Republican Party at this time, but the vocal minority of 20 Congressman is in the right as they push to force Kevin McCarthy to stand down and allow someone else to take the helm in the House. Fox News host Sean Hannity is siding with McCarthy because that’s what he’s been instructed to do. He’s playing his role as RINO shepherd to lay guilt on anyone who doesn’t abide by the GOP Establishment’s wishes.
He turned his GOPe spokesperson talents against Congresswoman Lauren Boebert on his show tonight. He questioned why McCarthy should stand down when he has 203 (it’s actually 201 but who’s counting?) supporters on his side while his opposition only has 20. On the surface, it’s a fair question. But the reality is McCarthy has 201 Representatives who are WILLING to let him be Speaker of the House. He does NOT have 201 members who WANT him there.
The fallacy in Hannity’s argument is to assume that nobody could get 218 or more votes from among the 222 Republicans. This is unambiguously false. There are several members who would easily get 218 votes in the caucus and at least a few who would get all 222. McCarthy’s support is by default for many who are voting for him because he has positioned himself as the de facto Speaker. But if you ask his 201 “supporters” if they really want him there rather than simply having a willingness to accept him, you’d find the ranks of his “supporters” would drop dramatically.
I would guesstimate that fewer than a dozen Representatives PREFER McCarthy over all other viable candidates. The lukewarm supporters just haven’t been handed a consensus candidate; thus far none of the Representatives nominated by the band of 20 opposition voters have had universal appeal. This is by design.
The strategy is actually a good one by Matt Gaetz and those standing with him against McCarthy. They are wearing the caucus down with choices that are ideal to the Freedom Caucus like Andy Biggs, Jim Jordan, and Byron Donalds. That’s how negotiations start; you offer up your best-case-scenarios as the starting point and work your way down from there. If their end goal is to have a consensus Speaker, they will nominate someone less “right wing” soon, someone like Steve Scalise or even former Congressman Lee Zeldin. They would have someone very well spoken offer the nomination with a heartfelt plea on the floor after garnering support from some of the members currently supporting McCarthy. As McCarthy sheds votes and shows no signs of recovery, he will be obliged to stand down.
Hannity knows this. That’s why he’s trying so hard to subvert them now knowing in the long run they will prevail.
Conservatives have been compromising for decades at the behest of Swamp mouthpieces like Hannity. It has only worked to keep the Establishment firmly in control. I would argue with a near certainty that Hannity’s forked tongue is, at least in part, what got Donald Trump to back people like Dr. Mehmet Oz and now Kevin McCarthy in the first place.
Here’s the first part of the interview. Admittedly, I couldn’t make it all the way through listening to him constantly interrupt Boebert while simultaneously claiming she was talking over him. Anyone who can stand to watch the whole thing can do so here.
How long has @seanhannity been owned by the Uniparty Swamp? Has it been his whole career or did this just happen in the last few years?
Either some entity has leverage over him, someone's paying him to be this way, or he's always been a serpent who hates this nation.
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) January 5, 2023
The strategy Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, and their fellow conservatives are engaged in is working properly. Soon, they will nominate a consensus candidate and McCarthy will stand down. It’s not ideal, but we need someone better than McCarthy to hold the gavel.
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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.
