(Daily Signal)—The Biden administration continues to shield from the public its plans for federal agencies to turn out the vote, citing “presidential communications and deliberative process privilege.”
Newly released emails, however, demonstrate the focus of the White House and various government departments on registering voters and getting them out.
In a response to a request by The Daily Signal under the Freedom of Information Act, the General Services Administration refused to provide its strategic plan for implementing President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14019.
Biden signed the order in March 2021 while saying he wanted to increase voter participation. The GSA, the federal government’s chief procurement agency, also runs the Vote.gov website.
A spokesperson for the General Services Administration didn’t respond to The Daily Signal’s inquiries about this report.
Many congressional Republicans, as well as government watchdog groups, expressed concern about federal agencies’ engaging in partisan political activity in violation of laws such as the Hatch Act.
Biden administration agencies have ignored requests from over 50 members of Congress and from media outlets for basic information about implementation of Biden’s order on turning out voters.
In response to The Daily Signal’s request, GSA provided 12 pages of email correspondence that included a White House press release about the executive order.
“GSA, however, is withholding the agency’s strategic plan in full pursuant to FOIA Exemption 5, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5), including under the presidential communications and deliberative process privilege prongs of that exemption,” the agency’s response letter says.
Still, emails between White House officials and GSA officials, obtained by The Daily Signal through the FOIA request, make several references to the strategic plan or to “strategic planning” to boost voter turnout.
Biden’s Justice Department also has refused to release its strategic plan, citing “presidential privilege.” The Foundation for Government Accountability, a watchdog group, sued the Justice Department in federal court in Florida to obtain its strategic plan to register voters and get out the vote.
In an email dated Aug 17, 2021, White House aide Justin Levitt, a senior policy adviser for democracy and voting rights for the Domestic Policy Council, wrote to a GSA employee named Raashi Parihar.
“Following up, still looking for a quick meeting to talk about status of Vote.gov efforts and executive order on promoting access to voting, specifically the strategic plan outlining the steps to modernize and improve the user experience of Vote.gov which I believe is due September 23,” Levitt wrote, referring to Sept. 23, 2021.
Biden appointed Levitt, a Loyola law school professor, to his White House post in April 2021 as Democrats sought to expand the federal government’s role in election administration.
Levitt had been a lawyer in the Obama Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. He was highly critical of Georgia’s election law reforms, and previously worked for the Brennan Center for Justice, a liberal advocacy group that opposes voter ID laws.
On Sept. 28, 2021, Levitt wrote about planning in an email to officials in GSA as well as to these Cabinet-level departments: Health and Human Services; Interior; Education; Veterans Affairs; and Housing and Urban Development.
“Thank you all once again for all of your efforts on strategic planning for EO 14019, Promoting Access to Voting—and for your quick review of summaries of the first public commitments from those plans,” Levitt wrote.
“As mentioned, we planned to release a fact sheet with compilations of those summaries today, including your agency’s good work. The final fact sheet is attached—and WH [White House] Communications plans to release it shortly,” Levitt wrote.
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That day, the White House issued a press release outlining broad ways in which government agencies would respond to the president’s order, including the GSA.
“The General Services Administration will ensure Vote.gov is a user-friendly portal for Americans to find the information they need most to register and vote,” that White House press release said. “Available in over ten languages and in a format accessible for voters with disabilities, Vote.gov will make it easier for eligible users to register to vote or confirm their registration status. Agencies across the federal government will link to Vote.gov to encourage Americans to participate in the electoral process.”
The same press release in September 2021 talked about the strategic plans being prepared by agencies.
“The Executive Order called for each agency to submit to Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice a strategic plan outlining the ways that the agency can promote nonpartisan voter registration and voter participation,” it says. “These strategic plans are just the beginning of each agency’s commitments. In the weeks and months to come, agencies will further build out their capacity to get relevant information out to the public, help eligible voters better understand their opportunities for engagement, and facilitate participation in the electoral process.”
On Oct. 6, 2021, Justin Vail, special assistant to the president for democracy and civic participation on the Domestic Policy Council, emailed officials across numerous federal agencies.
“Thank you all once again for your efforts on strategic planning for EO 14019, Promoting Access to Voting—we enjoyed reviewing your submissions and were excited to share some of the anticipated agency actions with the public,” Vail wrote.
“We look forward to working with you to refine and implement the plans,” the Biden aide added. “To that end, we will host our next interagency meeting on Wednesday, October 20 at 1-2PM ET to discuss next steps. In the meantime, we will be reaching out to each agency to schedule one on one conversations, so please be on the lookout for those invitations.”
John Yuda, who works in information technology management for the General Services Administration, wrote an email to Suzanne Chapman of the Office of Management and Budget on May 19, 2021. OMB is based at the White House.
“The Vote.gov executive team is preparing to respond to the recent Executive Order: Promoting Access to Voting (Sec. 5. Modemizi.ng Vote.gov). We’d like to conduct interviews with stakeholders to document progress and validate expectations for vote.gov going forward,” Yuda wrote in the email to Chapman. “We would appreciate your input as we continue to create our strategic plan.”
Chapman’s response: “Sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”
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.
