(Daily Caller)—Conservatives won major elections in several nations this year, signaling a shift away from left-leaning governance in their respective countries.
Conservative political parties and politicians in Argentina, Switzerland, New Zealand and the Netherlands won major legislative and presidential elections in 2023. Many of these parties and politicians have promised to implement conservative policies after years of leftist governance that has disenchanted a number of voters.
Javier Milei, a libertarian politician and former economist, beat out left-leaning economy minister Sergio Massa in Argentina’s presidential elections in November. Milei, sometimes referred to as “The Madman” by his supporters, is characterized by his firm stance on conservative cultural, political, economic issues and his passionate rants against leftism.
Milei plans to implement the U.S. dollar as Argentina’s official currency as part of a larger effort to fix the country’s economy and culture of poverty, which has grown worse under leftist governance, according to Milei. Argentina’s total inflation passed 160% in December, having increased 12.8% in November alone, according to Reuters.
Milei has also promised to cut half of Argentina’s government agencies, which he often symbolized by wielding a chainsaw on the campaign trail. Weeks after being sworn into office, Milei signed new decrees on Wednesday to start deregulating Argentina’s economy, end export limits and privatize a number of state-owned corporations, according to Reuters.
“This is only the first step,” Milei said on Dec. 18. “The objective is to return freedom and autonomy to individuals and start dismantling the enormous amount of regulations that have impeded, hindered and stopped economic growth.”
In New Zealand, former airline executive and conservative National Party politician Christopher Luxon won the country’s election for prime minister in October, ushering in a conservative government unseen in decades, according to The New York Times. Luxon won after voters overwhelmingly rejected New Zealand’s left-leaning Labor Party which was led by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Many voters cited economic concerns as the reason for electing Luxon and ousting the Labor Party from governance, according to the NYT. Ardern abruptly resigned from her position as prime minister in January after facing sharp criticism from New Zealanders over her harsh COVID-19 lockdown measures.
Under Luxon and newly elected National Party parliamentary representatives, New Zealand is moving to cut taxes, lower interest rates and curtail heightened inflation rates as part of a larger plan to breathe new life into the country’s economy, according to Bloomberg. Luxon is also looking to cut some of New Zealand’s bureaucratic agencies and expand the country’s military agreements, Reuters reported.
In the Netherlands, Geert Wilder’s Party for Freedom seized a victory in November’s national elections, taking 37 of the 150-seat legislature and making it the ruling party, according to the NYT. The victory came partially in response to voter’s dissatisfaction with the liberal governance that had dominated the Netherlands for decades.
Wilder has not yet been named prime minister of the Netherlands as opposing political parties have thus far refused to work with the Party for Freedom, according to Reuters. Wilder, who had been compared to former U.S. President Donald Trump, is considered the representative of the Party for Freedom and has vowed to become the next prime minister.
“Today, tomorrow or the day after, the PVV will be part of government and I will be prime minister of this beautiful country,” Wilders said in November, Reuters reported.
The Party for Freedom advocates for banning the Quran and shutting down Islamic schools over concerns about the “existential threat” of extremist “Islamisation,” according to France24. Wilder’s party advocates for major restrictions on immigration, as the country has historically had high levels of asylum seekers, even more so in the last decade, according to Reuters.
Party for Freedom also advocates for a much stronger police force and has promised funding for 10,000 additional officers, according to the NYT.
“The police need to be in charge in the street again,” the Party for Freedom states. “Criminals have to be arrested immediately and put in prison for a long time.”
In Switzerland, the conservative Swiss People’s Party (SVP) took majority control of the country’s parliament after surging to victory in October’s national elections, according to The Associated Press. SVP campaigned on issues like reducing illegal immigration and restoring a dwindling economy, which voters seemed to be more concerned over than with issues like climate change – a key priority for “green” factions in parliament who lost seats in the October elections.
“It’s perhaps that there was a sort of competition among concerns – and that made the job harder for the Greens to make climate concerns the dominant theme in the media,” Political analyst Pascal Sciarini told the AP, referring to issues voters cared about most.
Besides the U.S., dozens of major foreign countries will host national elections next year, including China, Taiwan, South Africa, India, the European Union nations and potentially the U.K., though the latter could be delayed until the following year, according to the Guardian.
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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.
