(The Epoch Times)—The moment felt crafted to send a message.
Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stood beside former Iowa representative Steve King, who was taken down in the GOP primary by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) after a New York Times article alleged Mr. King had defended white nationalism. Both men were holding their hands over their hearts as they listened to the U.S. national anthem.
Last May, Mr. King in comments to The Epoch Times praised Mr. Ramaswamy, saying that he was “blazing a clear and bold trail for conservatism.” At the time, he had not thrown his support behind any candidate.
Now, though, he has endorsed the anti-woke entrepreneur. Mr. Ramaswamy has made a point of standing by him despite criticism from the legacy press.
“The fact that The New York Times says that Steve King said something a few years ago doesn’t make it true. I’ve gotten to know Steve well and trust him far more than the MSM [mainstream media],” Mr. Ramaswamy, who is of Indian descent, wrote on X on Jan. 2.
“I made a pledge to Steve, and I kept it at the fourth Republican presidential debate, talking about this issue,” Mr. Ramaswamy said at the Capitol.
The former congressman was among those who spoke at a Jan. 10 rally at the Capitol against the use of eminent domain for Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon dioxide pipeline. Legal battles over the approval of its network of carbon capture pipelines are playing out throughout the Midwest, including in North Dakota.
Mr. King, still an influential political figure despite his exile from public office, has been a vocal local critic of the plans.
“It’s all driven by tax dollars and carbon credits,” he told The Epoch Times in May.
At least as early as a June appearance in Sioux City, Iowa, Mr. Ramaswamy was speaking out against the seizure of private farmland through eminent domain for “public use” in the form of a carbon capture pipeline, according to coverage from the Sioux City Journal.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., now an independent candidate, voiced strong opposition to carbon capture pipelines at the Iowa State Fair in August when he was still contending for the Democratic nomination.
Mr. Ramaswamy is reaping political dividends thanks to his strong stance on the issue. Another speaker at the event, state Rep. Steven Holt (R-Denison), announced his endorsement during the anti-pipeline rally. He had, in Mr. Ramaswamy’s delicate phrasing, backed “another candidate” up until that point—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“[Vivek] was, to my knowledge, the first presidential candidate to focus on this issue,” Mr. Holt told the crowd.
Mr. Holt’s perspective contrasts with the view of North Dakota state Sen. Jeff Magrum (R), one of Summit’s biggest foes in the state legislature.
“He [Mr. Ramaswamy] was desperate for attention. Rather than missing a golden opportunity, he jumped onboard,” Mr. Magrum told The Epoch Times.
Just days ahead of the Jan. 15 caucus, it remains to be seen whether Mr. Ramaswamy’s strong stance on pipelines and relentless touring across the state will translate to real votes of support. RealClearPolitics’ polling average has him below former President Donald Trump, Mr. DeSantis, and his bête noire, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley.
Another contender who has been polling below the top candidates, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, dropped out of the GOP race on Jan. 10.
“Better late than never,” Mr. Ramaswamy told The Epoch Times in response to talk of Mr. Christie’s departure, still unconfirmed at the time he spoke.
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He told reporters he was “in this to the very end,” regardless of his performance on Jan. 15.
Founders ‘Rolling Over in Their Graves’: Ramaswamy
The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that “private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
A central concern for pipeline critics is the 2005 Supreme Court decision Kelo v. City of New London. The 5-4 decision—opposed by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, and Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor—permitted the government to take private property and give it to private rather than public parties.
The Court found that the City of New London’s seizure of land to sell to private developers qualified as a “public use” since it was part of the city’s plan for economic development.
“George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton and John Jay are rolling over in their graves, and they were when Kelo v. New London was decided,” Mr. Ramaswamy said.
Eminent domain was also at issue when land was taken in Iowa for the Dakota Access Pipeline, which transports crude oil from the Bakken in far western North Dakota to an oil terminal in Illinois. The Iowa Supreme Court in 2019 held that those takings did not violate the U.S. Constitution or Iowa’s constitution.
The businessman was pressed on his view of oil and gas pipelines by anti-oil protesters.
“I don’t think any private company, including an oil company, should be able to use eminent domain,” he said.
‘Next Week It’s Going to Be Windmills’: Iowa Farmer
Allen and Christine Hayek are among the Iowans who stand in opposition to Summit’s vision.
At the rally, Mr. Hayek was wearing a hat emblazoned with the name of his agricultural operation, “Hayek Farms.” The fact that he shares a last name with Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek, a legendary defender of private property rights, may just be a happy coincidence.
“Next week, it’s going to be windmills, it’s going to be solar panels … They’re literally going to take over every piece of ground we have,” Mr. Hayek told The Epoch Times.
He thinks the Dakota Access case was a little different.
“Even that [served] a public good,” he said.
“This thing serves no purpose other than to stick it [CO2] in a hole,” he added.
Another high-profile attendee of the Jan. 10 carbon pipeline rally was political activist and journalist Laura Loomer.
She told The Epoch Times that she was “ride or die” for President Trump, saying she couldn’t imagine him being prevented from running.
“The American people are not going to stand by for their elections to be stolen by power-hungry secretaries of state and enemies of our justice system. To remove President Trump from the ballot, it would literally cause a revolution in our country,” she said.
She suggested that Mr. Ramaswamy “would make an exceptional GOP nominee in 2028.”
John Haughey contributed to this report.
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.
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