Category: Current Events & Politics

Learning From Washington’s Huge Background Checks Mistake

The American electorate has once again proven itself to be easily manipulated by the mass media. Late last year, the voters in the State of Washington foolishly voted in favor of I-594. This ballot initiative fundamentally changed the status of gun owners in the state– treating everyone like suspected felons. Now, the centuries-long tradition of free intrastate commerce in used private party guns has been criminalized. In Washington, it is no longer legal to sell a used gun to your neighbor or even to your cousin. The law has only a few exceptions, such as transfers between immediate family members …


Letter Re: IRS to Pay Back-refunds to Illegal Immigrants Who Didn’t Pay Taxes

Dear Gentlemen, In the article titled, “IRS to Pay Back-refunds to Illegal Immigrants Who Didn’t Pay Taxes” by The Washington Times, raised a red flag to me. As a CPA, I try to look out for my clients so that they do not get in any trouble, but the quote below opened my mind to a problem that is coming. The article stated, “Under the new program, if you get a Social Security number and you work, you’ll be eligible to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit,” Mr. Koskinen said. He said that would apply even “if you did …


Two Letters Re: Caring for Babies in a Post-Collapse World

HJL, Instead of stocking baby food in jars, I have the Kidco Food Mill. This neat item allows baby to “eat what we eat”. While little baby food jars are good for barter, if I had one or more babies show up at my front door, I would want the food mill. Life would get easier and less stressful right away. – C.G. o o o Dear Survival Blog: FC makes some great points in his article on caring for babies in a post-collapse world. We raised our 11 babies and spent very little on baby food because we had …


Letter Re: Trusts

Hi Hugh / JWR, In reply to the post about trusts I would inform your readers of another kind of trust. There are a number of different kinds of trust and many I would not consider to be asset protection; there is however a trust that is known as a Massachusetts or Contract Trust. While most trusts are statutory documents, a Contract Trust is a Constitutional document and has stood the test of multiple court challenges from the likes of the IRS. Many very wealthy people have their assets in this type of trust. This trust does not die until …


Pulling the Trigger, When They Don’t, and After the Action, by K.B.

Are you prepared to take a life, and are you prepared to deal with the consequences? The answer is not as clear as you might think, but there are three very important concepts to understand that might make answering that question easier. First, in what situation would you take someone’s life? Second, how do you respond to someone not firing or freezing up during a firefight? Third, are you prepared to deal with the mental trauma associated with taking someone’s life? These are very real issues that need to be addressed, and this article attempts to show how to deal …


Letter Re: What Happens When A Spouse Dies?

Hugh, I’m responsing to the article “What Happens When A Spouse Dies?” by JEH. The author failed to mention getting a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) to distribute your assets. When a person contacts a lawyer for their will, they ought to ask if the lawyer knows how to prepare an RLT. Each state has different requirements for an RLT, but basically the RLTs are all the same. The RLT allows your assets to be distributed to your heirs TAX FREE and without having to go through probate. It’s a simple document that works along side your will (and in some …


Letter Re: What Happens When a Spouse Dies?

Hugh: The author of this article recommends a Living Will. These documents often express a patient’s wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means. Your readers should be aware that food and water are now considered medical care in all 50 states, rather than normal care of the sick. That means that people who sign Living Wills may be unwittingly authorizing their own starvation and dehydration. It is far better to express your wishes about medical treatment to a loved one whom you trust and instead sign a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare. That gives your loved one …


Letter Re: Keeping Lawmen at Fishbowl Distance

JWR, I wholeheartedly agree with your prescription for law enforcement encounters, but I would add that if the lawmen persist and detain you, your first response should be to ask for an attorney. Without affirmative invocation of your right to an attorney, the questioning will drag on and on. When you request an attorney, they must immediately stop questioning you. However, do not expect an attorney to come waltzing through the door; if you are under arrest, it may take 24-48 hours for you to see one at first appearance, and even then it may be for only a moment. …


Letter Re: Lessons Learned While Living in San Francisco

HJL, After reading this article, I was terribly, terribly incensed at SFPD/OPD. I am a former law enforcement officer from Southern California, and I now work in insurance, handling claims from the Bay Area. Stories like these are unfortunately very common (except for the heroic and dynamic recovery by the author). Hit and run, non-injury accidents, vandalism, and theft from vehicles are basically ignored. My professional advise is not to bother with calling the police unless a suspect is known. The fact that I have to give that advise upsets me to no end. It’s not hard to have good …


Keeping Lawmen at Fishbowl Distance

In recent years, some members of American law enforcement have developed a knack for talking motorists into vehicle searches that would otherwise not be justifiable under the Plain View, Probable Cause, or Reasonable Suspicion doctrines. Their goal is often to smell your breath or to go on a “fishing expedition” looking for illicit drugs, in order to seize assets. My advice is to NOT talk with law enforcement officers, and NEVER consent to any searches. To simplify this, I prepared the following lines for you to print out in large bold type, on an 8-1/2″x11″ sheet of paper, that you …


Lessons Learned While Living in San Francisco, by JGD

I’m writing this as I wrap up my 18th year of living in San Francisco to outline a recent experience with crime in this city. Beneath the surface, this city has big problems. Above the surface, San Francisco is a beautiful city, and it’s a ton of fun to live here. There are thousands of things to do and amazing places to visit; you name it, and it’s here. I’ve got a great career and a beautiful, like-minded woman. I own my house and have a great sailboat and lots of friends. I could not be more blessed. Things just …


Tyranny 101, by M.T. – Part 2

In Part 1, I shared some of the history of tyranny and some of the acts of the well-organized conspirators against liberty, here in America and around the world. However, there is more that should concern us and much to do in preparation. There are other reasons to prepare wisely in a God, guns, and grub reality. Our open society is totally reliant on vulnerable technology. Consider the electrical grid, the water supply, trucking, computers, the Internet, and our food supply in general. All these, as well as many more key categories, are extremely vulnerable to mechanical malfunction, human error, …


Guest Post: Is This the End of 80% Receivers? by Timothy Priebe

While the rest of us were enjoying our own post New Year’s Day activities, BATFE Director B. Todd Jones was approving his department’s latest ruling. On January 2, 2015, ATF Ruling 2015-1 was approved. The ruling was a clarification of ATF Ruling 2010-10. That ruling advised licensed dealer-gunsmiths that they may legally perform certain firearm manufacturing activities on completed firearms if certain conditions were met. However, since that ruling in December of 2010, it appears that issues surrounding “incomplete” or “80% receivers” have moved to the forefront of the ATF’s purview. For those not familiar with “80% receivers”, “blanks”, or …


Tyranny 101, by M.T. – Part 1

This article is a fairly long read, but given the topic, it’s an extremely valuable endeavor. Tyranny is not to be taken lightly; it is as serious as a heart attack or, more aptly, a nuclear strike on our nation. Everything is on the line these days, whether it’s about you and your family or the entire free world. We must all have the courage to stand firm in the truth and the wisdom to prepare for the inevitable. You need strength to get through the truth of our reality, which is exposed in this article. Tyranny, can you define …


Letter Re: College

Hi I live in Utah. I am in my senior year of high school, and I have many choices ahead of me. I’ve been accepted to attend Utah State University to study ranch management. I am very happy about this, but I am worried if those four years of school should go toward prepping? I have been saving for most of my life and have enough money to get myself through school debt free. However, I could buy a small farm with that money and prep. What direction would you recommend for me to take? Thanks T.B. Hugh replies: This …