The chaos that we are witnessing in our streets is the direct consequence of the incredibly bad decisions that our leaders have been making for decades. Traditional morality has been banished from our public schools, gang members and drug dealers are constantly pouring across our wide open borders, and in many of our largest cities hardened criminals are let back out into the streets time and time again.
As a result, property crime is out of control, violent crime has risen to very frightening levels, we are in the midst of the worst drug crisis in the history of our country, and sexual predators are seemingly everywhere. I wish that I could call what we are experiencing a “crime wave”, but I can’t because a “crime wave” is just temporary. Sadly, what we are enduring appears to be due to a permanent shift in our culture, and I believe that conditions are only going to get worse during the years ahead.
Los Angeles County recently reinstated their zero bail policy, and local residents are fearing the worst.
If you can believe it, even rapper 50 Cent is horrified. In an ominous Instagram post, he boldly declared that Los Angeles “is finished”…
Rapper Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent, addressed Los Angeles’ crime crisis last week in response to the recent reinstatement of the zero bail policy.
Jackson shared a FOX 11 Los Angeles segment about the zero bail policy on Instagram Reels Thursday. The policy, which was adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to reduce crowding in prisons, drops bail to as low as $0 for suspects accused of misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.
“LA is finished watch how bad it gets out there.SMH [shaking my head]” the “Candy Shop” rapper wrote on Instagram.
Sadly, 50 Cent is right on target.
Crime in the L.A. area is already wildly out of control, and now this zero bail policy is going to make it even worse.
In addition, we are being told that police in Los Angeles County will no longer “detain people for crimes such as theft, shoplifting, drug use, vandalism, battery, and a whole host of other non-serious, nonviolent crimes”…
Los Angeles County Deputy DA John McKinney can be heard in the shared report noting that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will no longer “detain people for crimes such as theft, shoplifting, drug use, vandalism, battery, and a whole host of other non-serious, nonviolent crimes that affect the quality of life for people here in Los Angeles.”
Seriously? So let me get this straight. They are no longer going to detain criminals if they steal things, use illegal drugs, smash windows or beat people up?
I suppose that is one way to get the crime rate to go down. But will letting criminals run wild in the streets really improve things?
Of course not. Just ask the citizens of Chicago.
Years of “soft on crime” policies have only empowered the criminals.
At this point, things are so bad that gangs of thieves drive around the city in broad daylight looking for potential targets to rob. When they find a promising target, they jump out of their vehicles with their guns drawn…
Democrat run Chicago had another weekend of rampant crime. This weekend, armed crews terrorized the city perpetrating dozens of robberies.
A report from the City Police Department shows that robbery at a five-year high in the city, up 14%.
Police believe at least three different crews are involved in this weekend’s rampage, but no arrests have been made.
Similar to prior sprees, these robberies involved three to five armed and masked men who jumped out of vehicles to rob victims on the streets.
Putting violent criminals back into the streets again and again simply does not work.
When will the politicians that are running our major cities finally understand this?
One recent study found that zero bail policies cause crime rates to go up dramatically…
A recent study published by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office found that zero bail policies have “horrific” effects on public safety.
“I mean, we have more people being shot at, stabbed, assaulted, robbed, beaten. These are real victims – and the numbers are staggering under zero bail,” Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig told Fox News Digital.
The study found that suspects released without bail reoffended 70% more often than those who posted bail, and were rearrested on 163% more charges. Suspects released without bail were also accused of three times as many violent crimes.
If you live in Los Angeles or in another major city that has a zero bail policy, I would recommend getting out of there while you still can.
Of course most of our biggest cities are unsafe at this point. According to one recent survey, a whopping 33 percent of all Seattle residents are considering moving out of the city, and “public safety” is one of the primary reasons…
About 33% of Seattle residents surveyed said they were seriously considering moving out of the city. Sixty-seven percent said they were not. The poll of 500 residents was conducted by phone from June 12-16, with a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
Among the residents who say they are considering leaving, 37% blamed rising housing costs, and 34% cited public safety as their primary reason for moving.
A lot of people think that all of this violence is just temporary and that conditions will “return to normal” eventually.
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But that just isn’t going to happen.
The number of mass shootings just keeps going up every year, and during the first half of this year we were already on pace for another brand new record…
As the July 4th weekend approaches mass shootings in the U.S. have reached a record high for the mid-year point—there have been more than 330 mass shootings so far this year, according to data collected by the Gun Violence Archive.
Unfortunately, the second half of 2023 is off to a really bad start, because we had 16 more mass shootings during the Fourth of July weekend…
From the nation’s capital to Fort Worth, Texas, from Florin, California, in the west to the Bronx, New York, in the east, the Fourth of July long weekend in the US was overshadowed by 16 mass shootings in which 15 people were killed and nearly 100 injured.
This is our country now.
The fabric of our society really is unraveling all around us, and we are moving into times when there will be great civil unrest from coast to coast.
I know that this article has been quite heavy, and so let me try to leave you with something to smile about.
In Atlanta, a man recently tried to rob a nail salon, but everybody ignored him…
I have to admit, I found that footage to be quite funny. But there is nothing funny about the violence that is happening in our streets day after day. Decades of incredibly foolish decisions have brought us to where we are today, and our cities are only going to get even more violent from this point forward.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Article cross-posted from End of the American Dream.
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.
