(DCNF)—We’re now entering the fourth straight year of Joe Biden trying to sell the lie to the public that he’s leading our country successfully, and I am certain that this year’s State of the Union address will be no different.
Throughout his entire time in office, Biden has tried to take indisputable facts about his failures and spin them into a fictitious success story. But what he doesn’t seem to realize is that the American people are not stupid, and they see right through his snake oil salesman pitch every time.
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Let’s start with a topic at the forefront of the national debate: illegal immigration and our southern border. In total, there have been over 9 million known illegal border crossings since Biden took office, and in January 2024 alone, there were over 176,000 illegal border crossings – the worst January recorded in U.S. history. Now, in an attempt to save face and point the blame elsewhere, Biden is saying he needs Congress to pass an immigration bill that would give him the authority to secure our southern border. Here’s the thing: He already has that authority and could shut down the border right now if he wanted to, but he doesn’t.
Not only is he lying about his ability to secure our border and stop the massive waves of illegal immigrants, drugs, and human trafficking flowing through it, but he’s the one that caused it in the first place. During his first 100 days in office, Biden took over 90 executive actions to weaken America’s border security, including ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, or “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forced immigrants requesting asylum to wait in Mexico while their claims were being processed.
Make no mistake about it: Biden’s illogical and asinine policies are what led to the worst border crisis in U.S. history, and his refusal to use his existing authority to secure our border only continues to exacerbate the problem. Biden’s backwards thinking regarding illegal immigration is destroying communities across America and has made every state a border state. This madness must end now.
Biden and his administration have also done some Oscar-nominee-worthy spinning regarding our economy, doing splits six ways to Sunday to try to put a positive light on the financial pain Americans are feeling. In recent months, Biden and his administration have attempted to tout misleading metrics on our economy and inflation, but, once again, they don’t realize that the American people are not stupid. Citizens across the United States are still feeling immense stress due to Biden’s ludicrous economic policies and they aren’t fooled by this administration’s conjecture.
Under this administration, overall prices are up over 17%, and roughly $2 trillion in real wealth held by the middle class has been eliminated since March 2022. In 2023, almost 75% of working-class Americans reported cutting back on entertainment and eating out specifically due to inflation. On top of that, 51% of working-class Americans are working more hours. In response to the inflation that this administration is wholly responsible for, the Fed has hiked interest rates 11 times within the last two years alone leading to the highest interest rates we have seen in over 20 years.
This administration has repeatedly tried to sell us the lie that “Bidenomics” is a raging success. Well, according to the facts, this is what Bidenomics is: higher prices, higher inflation, and families having to work more hours just to make ends meet. It’s bad enough that Biden is entirely to blame for Americans’ worsening economic troubles over the past 3 years, but the cherry on top is his insistence on lying to the public about the reality that they’re facing.
Further, Biden has repeatedly shown us that he will bow down to climate extremists at the drop of a dime, regardless of the negative effects on energy costs or America’s energy industry. On day one of this administration, Biden launched his war on domestic energy production by killing the Keystone XL pipeline. Since then, Biden is responsible for depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve by over 40%, bringing it to its lowest levels since the early 1980s. And recently, Biden stopped the approval of liquified natural gas (LNG) exports, even further decimating the United States’ energy industry.
According to the American Petroleum Institute, increasing LNG exports could add as much as $73 billion to the U.S. economy and over 450,000 jobs. Ending this pause and other restrictions on LNG would allow the U.S. to export more, encourage domestic energy production, and reduce our energy supply vulnerabilities. Since Biden took office, his administration has taken numerous actions deliberately designed to stifle domestic energy production, yet, he continues to point the finger elsewhere when energy and crude oil prices skyrocket.
Biden could not have a more abysmal record when it comes to incentivizing domestic energy producers and has severely increased our energy market volatility. This doesn’t just bring more pain at the gas pump, but plummeting energy independence is a major threat to our national security as well. I’ve said all along that the United States needs to be energy dominant again, but Biden has done everything in his power to appease the woke mob and ensure it doesn’t happen.
Joe Biden has made it abundantly clear that he couldn’t care less about what real America is going through or how bad Americans’ wallets are hurting. This administration has made life worse for U.S. citizens at every turn, and during his State of the Union speech, I have no doubt that he will ignore all of the facts and do the same song and dance he’s been doing for over three years now. But the American people see through it. No matter which way you slice it, Biden’s policies are hurting our families, our wallets, and the future of the nation we love.
Sen. Eric Schmitt represents the state of Missouri in the U.S. Senate.
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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.
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