Join the discussion of this topic that I posted on my Substack.
Today’s morning newsletter is one that is certain to prompt some people to unsubscribe. There are many patriots on both sides of the Trump/DeSantis aisle who will lambast me for criticizing their favorite or complimenting the other. That’s the nature of our current polarized situation in the United States. For many, it’s either complete loyalty or you’re considered part of the problem.
I received many Twitter DM’s yesterday when I expressed my opinion about not being happy with Donald Trump lately. It was shocking to me how so many people consider any criticism of Trump proof that I must be a Democrat. Then there were those who defended Trump to the point of claiming his continued endorsement of the jabs is all “part of the plan.” One person tried to convince me that technically Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin are considered to be “vaccines” now and that’s what he’s actually touting.
I'm sure many of you will block me for saying this, but I don't care. It must be said.
Not happy with Trump. He's still bragging about the jabs. He's still endorsing McConnell RINOs.
I still support him for 2024 but he's approaching my red line.
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) June 13, 2022
To start the discussion, I’ll state my stance. I still support Donald Trump, but I’m very concerned over two things. First, the aforementioned jabs. He’s still claiming he saved millions of lives by getting the Covid injections out there so quickly and that it may have been his greatest achievement as president.
Second, he is picking the wrong people to endorse. To be more accurate, he’s letting his advisors and mega-donors pick the wrong people for him to endorse. They are trying to pick winners rather than picking the best America First candidates. It’s all about having a winning record to demonstrate his control over the GOP, but it’s disingenuous. Endorsing who he thinks is going to win doesn’t mean his endorsements made them win.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is a globalist and left-leaning moderate. He makes Trump’s endorsement of Mitt Romney seem logical. And to those who try to compare him to Trump and others who have switched from Democrat to Republican, I would remind them that Trump’s transition towards populism was clear long before he ran for president. Dr. Oz was defending Roe v. Wade and pushing for gun control until months before he decided he wanted to be a Senator.
Then, there’s Katie Britt in Alabama. This is a trickier one because Trump believes Mo Brooks betrayed him by saying we need to stop focusing on the 2020 election theft and fix things for the future. I disagree with him, but considering he did exponentially more to try to correct the 2020 stolen election than Britt or any of the other candidates for Senate, it’s hypocritical to endorse her.
But here’s the thing. If Trump wasn’t picking winners, he would never have endorsed Britt even if he didn’t want to endorse Brooks. He should not have made an endorsement in the race because Britt is 100% controlled by Mitch McConnell. This is why McConnell’s people will have sunk well over $10 million dollars into the race for Britt before the runoff. McConnell was investing so heavily in Britt to STOP Trump’s endorsed candidate. Britt is the RINO’s RINO, just another McConnell puppet he’ll use to pass anti-American legislation if the GOP retakes the Senate.
With all that said, the body of work for Donald Trump is why I still support him. He did more for America despite being surrounded by RINOs than any president in recent history. There is work to do and I hope his base can sway him again after the midterm elections if he chooses to run. As I’ve long said, I love his policies and hate his choice of people.
H.R. McMaster, Rex Tillerson, Reince Priebus, Omarosa, Bill Barr, Mike Pence, John Kelly, John Bolton, Jim Mattis, Jeff Sessions, Mark Esper, Anthony Scaramucci — I could make a very long list of very bad choices Trump inserted into his White House.
Nevertheless, he’s a proven entity and if he runs, I’m hopeful that he will learn his lessons from his first term and get America First patriots on his team instead of RINOs, Democrats, and Deep State operatives.
As for Ron DeSantis, I like him a lot. I am definitely ready to support him for a 2028 presidential run and 2024 if Trump doesn’t run. I may be persuaded to support him in 2024 even if Trump runs. It’s too early to tell.
One caveat: There’s a hero-worship surrounding DeSantis right now that is unhealthy. His supporters are very much like Trump supporters in believing he can do no wrong. I’m a big fan of improving candidates and politicians, and that requires criticism. Those who believe they can do no wrong are certain to be incorrect.
It’s unfortunate they both reside in Florida. While that fact does not prohibit them from running on the same ticket, it makes it challenging from a Constitutional perspective because the electors in Florida will only be allowed to vote for one or the other. An archaic rule establishes that if they run together, only one or the other can get Florida’s electoral vote. This was based on the original voting process in which the VP was the runner-up in the presidential race. Here’s the text from Article II of the Constitution:
“The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
In 1804, the Twelfth Amendment altered the Electoral College process and created a separate ballot for vice president. But the rule of not being able to use both votes on a person from an elector’s home state remained in effect.
Technically, they could run together but it would be challenging to get them both in office unless they won by more than Florida’s 29 electoral votes. If the GOP controlled the Senate at the time, then it would be fine because they would then install DeSantis if he didn’t get the 270 to win without Florida, but it’s all a headache that pretty much everyone will want to avoid.
In other words, a Trump-DeSantis 2024 ticket is virtually impossible.
So, that’s where I stand. I support Trump. I like DeSantis. If they run against each other, I don’t know which one I’ll support. Whoever wins a primary between them will get my vote in November 2024.
I almost hope one or the other doesn’t run in 2024 so we can avoid the GOP civil war that would ensue. Almost. The side of me that appreciates the merits of discourse and friendly conflict as sharpening tools is actually giddy about the prospects.
Iron sharpens iron. Could a protracted GOP primary be exactly what this nation needs to make both men stronger, or would the conflict drive too large of a wedge within the party, thus aiding the Democrats?
Please post your thoughts in the comments on my Substack.
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.
