Category: Current Events & Politics

An Apolitical Discussion of Politics in the U.S. Today, by W.B.

I would like to start out by saying that most of the people who visit sites like SurvivalBlog know deep in their hearts that something bad is happening or is about to happen. What that is no one is quite sure, but there are so many different things in play that we are deeply concerned. Many things we cannot control because of Nature’s Forces or other Nations’ Forces. The one thing we can control is our Nation’s forces. Can we turn this country around? I don’t know, but I cannot sit around and just get prepared without trying to correct …


Letter: A Forced Digital Currency Swap

Hugh and Jim, Yes, we can be effectively forced into a digital currency swap. Here is a real world example: In the early 1970s (as a young U.S. Army Captain) I was with the G2 Div, 2d Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea (ROK). In those days the military (and presumably civilian) personnel used Military Payment Certificates (MPCs) in lieu of US Dollars. This supposedly helped combat the local ROK black market which was notorious. A decision was made to make a change in the MPC (color, design, etc). The whole conversion process was initially classified until rollout. When …


February in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in February? Gold had a very good February. Starting at $1,126 an ounce, it jumped as high as $1,261 an ounce. By February 11th, spot gold had closed over the $1,200 mark, and never looked back. Toward the end of the month, spot gold was parked above the $1,230 level Factors …


Letter Re: Passports

Dear Editors: Regarding RM’s question about keeping passports current, here is a Wikipedia link that includes information on which countries allow entry to American citizens without the need to obtain a visa in advance.   That provides some interesting reading.  – JustCallMeAnn


Letter: Passports

Hello, We keep reading about having “current passports”. Could you please explain the ‘necessity’ for this? Where might we go? What might it be needed for? Be well! – RM HJL Replies: It can be summed up in one of the survivalist’s creeds (actually, I first heard this from a skydiver): It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. If you don’t have a passport, you have effectively removed the legal means to travel to many foreign countries for a variety of reasons.


More About the Coming Forced Digital Currency Swap

The many recent headlines about doing away with the 500 Euro Bill and the $100 Federal Reserve Note, serve as confirmation of my January 28th Essay: Digital Currency: The Key Tool of 21st Century Monolithic Nanny State Tyranny. The Powers That Be are pushing to go cashless sooner rather than later. In this new era of negative interest rates, there is no point in leaving funds in a bank. However, this could create a shortage of physical cash, and since less than 1% of the money supply is in physical bills (the rest is just electronic ledger entries) there is …


How to Prepare a Refugee Bug Out Bag- Part 2, by Charles T.

Cooking Supplies On the road or in a refugee camp you will need ways to prepare food. Preparing food almost always involves heat, usually provided through fire. When thinking about preparing food in a refugee type situation, you need to think a lot farther than you would for a typical camping situation. Anything that runs off gas or some sort of combustible liquid should be disqualified. Why? Because you will run out of fuel and end up throwing it out anyway. Don’t spend money on a fancy gas burning camping stove; it’s a waste, unless you go camping a lot …


How to Prepare a Refugee Bug Out Bag- Part 1, by Charles T.

The idea of leaving home and “living off the land” is a popular discussion point among preparedness-minded individuals. Many think they will grab their bug out bag and set off for a new life somewhere, foraging for wild edibles and having magical adventures on the way as they live out of their untested $200 tactical bag. Let’s be real for a second. There is a word for someone who has lost their home and is now living out of a backpack; it’s refugee! Last I checked, there was nothing glamorous about being a refugee, and if you are planning for …


Letter Re: Constitutional Carry

Hugh, I’d like to make a comment regarding “Constitutional Carry” laws that are in the works around the country. We had one here in Maine pass last year. Ours has conditions mandating the disclosure of carrying should you encounter a police officer. The premise of creating a state law (with conditions, infringements, etc) in order to enforce a Constitutional law is unconstitutional. This is usurping the Constitution at the state level. Even worse, the “Constitutional Carry” law is just another typical state law that can be repealed by any future legislature. I would encourage anyone in any state that is …


Letter Re: Constitutional Carry

Hugh, I noted the entry in SurvivalBlog.com today about Idaho seeking passage of a “Constitutional Carry” bill. Here in West Virginia, with great grassroots mail, email, and phone support, as well as attendance at the capitol in Charleston, a similar bill passed last year in both the House and Senate, only to be vetoed by the governor in the final week of the legislative session, leaving “no time” to override the veto. This year the measure got an earlier start, and hopefully we will get it passed and manage to override the promised veto in time for the end of …


Letter Re: Digital Currency

Dear Readers, This Digital Currency Nanny State issue has already affected me twice in the last several years. As a business owner in my state, I’m required to pay sales tax and quarterly business taxes via the state website. A few years ago I mistakenly clicked “savings” account instead of “checking” on their site while trying to pay the amount due. Later we received a threatening letter stating they would “seize” assets, property, or funds to get the amount they said we owed. A couple of days later the funds were seized from our account, with a penalty. I didn’t …


Red List, Blue List, Black List, You List

There has been a lot of conjecture in the past 40 years in patriot circles about the existence of government “round up lists”. Large-scale disaster and war planning exercises, like REX-84 (Readiness Exercise-1984) and Jade Helm 2015, have stimulated endless discourse about whether or not the government maintains a so-called “red list” and “blue list” of people that they deem to be dissidents who they might target for harassment, travel restrictions, or even detention without due process of law. Because any such lists would presumably be developed and updated under the wraps of a security classification and the Need To …


Letter Re: Making a “Last Run” When the SHTF – How Do They “Ring Up” Your Purchase?

Hugh, Thank you GMJ for your great article. Having some cash at home is a great idea for when the ATM and credit/debit card readers no longer work with no power. When you make that last run to the grocery store, bring your greenbacks with you. Be prepared if their power is out. You’ve made your organized path through the store and your cart is full. You pull up to the non-functioning conveyor belt to unload your purchase to scan. Because there’s no power it means no barcode price scanner and no credit/debit. The clerk is practically paralyzed, because they …


A Forecast For 2016 and Beyond: Will America’s Cascading Collapse Finally Unfold?

Through their Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP) and Quantitative Easing (QE), the Federal Reserve (“The Fed’) private banking cartel and the U.S. Treasury have conspired to rig the system. They have artificially suspended the boom-bust business cycle for the past seven years, but now, with interest rates finally rising, they’ve run out of their “smoke and mirrors” tricks. We’ve just had the appearance of an economic recovery, when no genuine structural recovery has actually occurred. Just a tiny 25 Basis Points (0.25% ) rise in the Fed Funds Rate in December 2015 caused a near full-scale collapse of the stock …


January in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainsesville Coins where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in January? Gold started the year around the $1,061 mark and quickly blew that away as stocks worldwide saw the worst start to a year in nearly forever. This caught a record number of speculators short, who had to scramble to cover their bets. By the 7th of January, gold had …