We are in a recession. Officially, the White House will find ways to pretend like we’re not, but the accepted signal of recession before the Biden-Harris regime tried to redefine it is two consecutive quarters of GDP decline. That will be announced this week. In the meantime, their spin-doctors are doing everything in their power through corporate media proxies to declare we’re not in a recession. We are, and they know it.
Normally, a recession is what it is and can be handled with sound fiscal policy and efforts to increase consumer confidence. There is a lot of psychology behind a recession. Consumers and producers must have confidence that things are getting better before they actually do, and that really isn’t that hard. But this one is different. It’s manufactured, and not just by the weak actions of the Biden-Harris regime.
On today’s episode of The JD Rucker Show (Brighteon, Apple Podcasts, Rumble), I discussed why this recession is unlike anything we’ve faced in the past, what it means ahead of the midterm elections, and most importantly how Americans should be responding to what is almost certainly going to be a crippled economy for the next year or more.
The Liberal World Order wants to keep us spooked, and it’s working. I use MyPillow sales (promo code “JDR”) as my general barometer for the state of consumer sentiment. Sales seem to go up when people are confident and they go down when people are concerned. Judging by sales recently, I would say the people are tightening their belts more than I’ve ever seen.
Here are some headlines from Tuesday alone that reveal the problem is real and getting worse despite claims by the Biden-Harris regime and corporate media that everything is fine and we should just go about business as usual.
Chris Jacobs at The Federalist writes, “Biden’s Economic Delusions And Deceptions Snub Struggling Families
The White House blog post tried to rebut the notion that two-quarters of negative growth constitutes a recession, calling that metric “neither the official definition nor the way economists evaluate the state of the business cycle.” The administration instead claimed that assessments of the economy should take “a holistic look at the data,” and that, due to “one of the strongest labor markets on record and an elevated stock of household savings,” the economy likely continues to grow.
White House economists can discuss “the state of the business cycle” all they want, but how do families evaluate such claims? Most families would logically rate the economy based on the state of their own personal finances. And on that front, American households have spent the past year getting kicked in the teeth.
Brad Polumbo at Based Politics writes, “New Report Exposes One Overlooked Way Biden Has Worsened Inflation”
In addition to pushing massive, wasteful, ineffective spending bills that drove up inflation, the president has also suffocated the economy with unprecedented amounts of regulatory red tape.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) highlights this overlooked reality in a new report by Jonathan Ingram, Alli Fick, and Haley Holik that was exclusively provided to BASEDPolitics in advance of its release. It calls attention to the fact that “President Biden is issuing more costly regulations than any other president in modern American history.”
“The [federal government] published more than 72,000 pages of new regulations, executive orders, and agency notices in President Biden’s first year—a record high,” the analysis reports.
“Those new regulations were also far more likely to carry a hefty price tag,” it further notes. “In 2021, the Biden administration finalized 69 economically significant regulations—regulations that carry a $100 million annual price tag or have a substantial effect on the economy—more than triple the number finalized in President Trump’s first year.”
Jennifer Sor at MSN reports, “Nouriel Roubini Says Predictions for a Mild Recession Are ‘Delusional’ as Severe Financial Crisis Looms”
Roubini, also known as “Dr. Doom,” said debt ratios are historically high at 420% for advanced economies and climbing, while bailouts during the pandemic have resulted in “zombie corporations” that put the economy at risk.
In contrast, the stagflation seen during the 1970s was accompanied by low debt ratios, and the debt crisis during the 2008 financial crash saw falling inflation.
“This idea that it’s going to be short and shallow, it’s totally delusional,” Roubini said. His warning goes against other predictions on Wall Street for a mild recession, including those from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Pimco, Nomura, and BlackRock’s Larry Fink.
Why This is Different
Past recessions have been caused by a combination of bad policies, bad circumstances, and low confidence from consumers and businesses. This recession is no different from a cause-and-effect perspective, but the real differences between what we’re experiencing today and what we’ve experienced in the past are twofold.
First, the regime doesn’t appear to be doing anything about it. They’re making excuses and trying to redefine terms, but that only affects the consumer/producer sentiment aspect of recession, and it’s not working. Nobody’s buying it. If the White House wanted to fight this, they would make bold moves rather than feeble excuses. Unfortunately for them AND us, we’re in an election year. The bold moves they could make to bring a swift end to the recession would require capitulating to conservative fiscal ideologies and denouncing the woke, green policies the regime is currently embracing.
Second, there are far more outside factors at play with this recession than any in the past. It seems the Liberal World Order is determined to prolong this recession indefinitely. They need a sustained economic downturn and the collapsing of the U.S. Dollar in order to put The Great Reset in full motion.
What We Can Do About It
There are certain best practices in any recession that still apply even in this manufactured one. But there are a few emergency actions we should also be taking just in case I and many others are right that this is going to be prolonged and devastating. We might bounce back quickly. We might continue to plummet until the end of this nation. It’s best to acknowledge both possibilities and act accordingly.
I went into much more detail about each on the show, but here’s an overview.
Do Not Become a Slave to Money
The most important advice that applies in both a regular or manufactured recession regardless of your financial situation is to not become a slave to money. It’s commonplace in America when the economy is good, but when it’s bad it becomes even more prevalent for people to make all of their decisions around their finances.
This obviously sounds like it runs contrary to the notion that we need to tighten our belts and live frugally, but it’s not. We do need to be more financially conscious, but this can descend into full-blown obsession. Money is the root of all evils, and therefore becoming a slave to it means we are most vulnerable. The idea is not relegated to just the wealthy. Money can be the root of evils for those who are not financially secure as well. Live a Biblical life. That means money is secondary no matter how bad things get.
Turn Your Free Time Into Something Productive
In all of the articles I read and videos I watched about recession, nobody talked about this. On the other hand, prepper articles and videos mentioned it often.
It behooves us during this recession (and beyond) to minimize the time we waste and maximize our time for productivity. That can mean learning new skills that can be useful if finances become too tight to pay others to do something for us. It can mean making money on the side. I know a lady who makes about $200 per month uploading videos of her pets to Rumble. She loves it and it helps pay the bills.
Protect Your Wealth and Retirement
I’m not a financial advisor. I’m supposed to say that before mentioning two of our sponsors sell precious metals. In recession markets, the last thing you want is for your wealth or retirement to be locked into fading investments. Gold and silver have traditionally been hedges against such things. Our Gold Guy specializes in bullion and Goldco specializes in IRAs.
Diversify Your Investments
If you have wealth to protect, it behooves you to diversify through a recession. One of our sponsors, Mass Tort Financing, offers accredited investors an investment opportunity that does not correlate with the stock market. Whether you check them out or any other alternative investment strategy, it makes sense to do so now.
Eliminate as Much Debt as Possible
This is a no-brainer, but it’s challenging when we’re often forced to use credit just to pay our bills due to inflation, job loss, or other financially debilitating circumstances. If you can, assess your debt situation and do what you can to improve on it immediately.
Money paid in interest is money wasted.
Tighten Your Belt as Much as Possible Without Causing Too Much Pain
It’s easy to say, “tighten your belt.” It’s tougher to tell people that our mindset and psyche are often even more important than our finances. Some will take frugality to the extreme and make themselves and their families far too unhappy to be worth the extra cash saved.
Be frugal. Don’t be a tyrant. Lord willing, we’ll make it through this. No need to force depression because money is tight.
Build Your Emergency Fund
It’s hard for many Americans to build a savings when there are so many financial challenges facing us, but there’s a chance things can get even worse. This is why having an emergency fund in the form of cash or items of value is important. Besides, we never know when the crap will hit the fan. Having backup cash ready is always a best practice.
Stock Up on Items You Know You’ll Use
When the 2020 toilet paper rush began, I lambasted people for hording two-year supplies of toilet paper. Today, I have a two-year supply of toilet paper. It makes sense to buy certain items that are definitely going to be used eventually while their prices are still relatively low. Chances are strong that they’re not going to get cheaper in the near future.
Be Ready for Collapse
Will we make it through this recession? Probably. We always have in the past. But this recession is, as noted above, very different from past recessions. It makes sense to plan for the possibility of collapse. If it doesn’t happen, praise God! If it does, we need to be ready.
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.
