Buy Used and Save To Increase Your Net Worth
By: Tom Chatham
One of the problems with the credit industry that we have is the fact that you often pay twice or even three times for the object you want to get. Many people do not take the time to calculate the true cost of the things they buy on credit or simply do not care. They want it now and are content to overpay for it as a result.
Another symptom of the society we now have is the demand for cheap products that only last a few years and seem to self destruct. Repairable metal has given way to disposable plastic and solid wood has given way to pressboard. The era of planned obsolescence has taken its toll on our society and we are poorer as a society as a result.
If you go around in life paying twice as much for everything you get and end up with inferior products that do not last, how can you expect anything but to be poorer. This is a fact that seems lost on the new disposable, must have the latest edition generation. Over the years the forgotten frugal ways of the past offer those in this collapsing financial situation we find ourselves in a way out if they choose.
When you are young you want to have the newest and most fashionable items available because things have become status symbols to our society. To have something old or out of date is repulsive to some. This is the mindset we have been programmed with by those who profit from our impulsive buying habits. We as a people must reprogram ourselves to regain the upper hand and free ourselves from this economic system we have created. We must reprogram ourselves to look upon objects that we use in a functional way rather than a fashionable way.
As I sit here and write this article I do so on my Dell laptop circa 2004 that still serves me well. I purchased an old rocking chair recently made of thick solid wood that cost me all of $25, a chair that would sell for over $100 if bought new today. My want of a good lamp led me to the purchase of an old Aladdin Lincoln Drape lamp for $50 which would have cost me over $150 if bought new. To get the most from the money you work so hard for, you must leverage it in a way that increases your net worth and supplies you with the items that provide the needed function. By doing this you will come ahead faster and with less money and that is crucial in tough economic times.
When you need a lamp, find a used one that you like that will last a lifetime or at least can be repaired if it breaks. Good quality used furniture can be found in many places today that provide the function you need at a cheaper price and much of it is built to last a lifetime. When you prepare to buy a large durable item you should look at it and determine if it is something that you could use and then hand down to the next generation.
Sometimes it is necessary to purchase new but you should always analyze the item for price and durability before making your decision. If it is not possible to buy a new item that you want due to price that is when you should search for good used items that are affordable and durable. By taking this approach you will increase your net worth by paying less and getting better items that will last. If you only have to buy furniture for your home one time in your life, that will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you only buy a car every ten or twenty years and get a used one at that, it will save you thousands that you may not have or can use for other things that you need. This is how you can come ahead in life much faster and with fewer worries and headaches that will keep you awake at night.
We are now in a situation that many younger people should take advantage of to insure a good quality of life in the years to come. Many of those from the older generations are retiring and down sizing their homes. Many of these people bought quality American products to furnish their homes when they were starting their families in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. These items are now starting to flow into the used market and those that want quality for a fraction of the price now have a golden opportunity.
One of the greatest stumbling blocks is the programming of the newer generation. Those in the know about what I am saying need to make an effort to educate the next generation before it is too late. If you have children in college and want to help them get a good start in life then why not buy them some good used furniture to give them a helping hand. If things continue to deteriorate that used durable furniture may be all they have to use for many years to come and they will eventually come to appreciate it.
I’ve said before that if you were to go back in time and find yourself living in the 1950’s you might not have all of the technology we have today but you would have a good quality of life even with that old technology and the products they had then. These older products should be a foundation you build on to insure a good quality of life while you work to improve your position. Some of these products are also a good way to store excess wealth until later.
With the decaying economic system we are faced with, it is up to each of us to make the best of what we have, and what we have will likely decrease with the years. By getting the most from our spending dollars we will be in a better position to weather the storm. While you may be able to buy more cheap stuff short term, if it does not last, you will be right back where you started from except without the funds you wasted. It is not always possible to buy the best quality but it should be a top priority when possible and buying used can help you with this. Quality is not expensive, it’s priceless.
Global Electronic Currency; The Perfect Control Mechanism
By: Tom Chatham
In the pursuit of a control grid, for our own good, the global elite will need a global currency. This new currency will likely be completely electronic in nature. It will make it easier for the controllers to create, cheaper allowing them to keep more of the profits and easier to get their hands on what you have anytime they want. With a totally electronic currency there will be nowhere to hide any of your earnings. It will also be much easier for those in control to enforce payments for government mandated services. It will also be much easier for them to implement and enforce new taxes, for your own good.
Healthcare
So you say you don’t need any stinking health insurance. That’s too bad. It’s now mandatory so your account will be debited every week for your health insurance premiums. No way to get around that.
Green energy tax
Since everything is now electronic they will know how much gas you are buying for your car. If you drive too much you’ll be assessed an extra green energy tax for polluting too much. They know how much your electric bill is so if you are using too much electricity you’ll be taxed on that too. But don’t worry, they’ll just automatically deduct it from your account. No messy paperwork to keep track of. Isn’t that thoughtful of them.
Income tax
Since everything you earn has to go through your electronic account, they will know exactly how much money you are earning. They can just deduct your taxes straight out of your account every week. And with a graduated income tax, they will just deduct more as you hit certain income levels. No more messy tax forms every year. Isn’t that nice of them.
Sin purchases
So you want to buy a gun or ammo. Sorry, you don’t have the required permit so the transaction is prohibited. So you want to buy a bottle of wine or that fifth of bourbon?
Sorry, you are drinking too much as indicated by your purchases so this sale is denied. And if you have a DUI, don’t even think about it. Cigarettes are only for the global elite who can afford them so that’s a prohibited item as well. So you want to buy that new luxury car or SUV? Sorry but you don’t have the necessary carbon permits like the well connected people so you’ll have to settle on one of these smaller, more efficient models.
Food purchases
Since every purchase is monitored, everything you buy at the grocery store is monitored. You scan your card before your goods are rung up and anything you shouldn’t have is flagged. Obesity a problem? Not any more. You will be barred from purchasing certain products. Not eating what the government says you should? You will have limits on the quantity of certain items you buy forcing you to buy what they want you to eat. Buying more canned goods than they estimate you are eating? That could get you a visit from the food police to insure you are not hoarding. And don’t get caught growing your own food without the proper permits, you don’t even want to know the penalty for that.
Retirement savings
Since you are too stupid to save money for your retirement they will just deduct a little every week from your account and “keep it safe” until you need it for retirement. And when the time comes for retirement if you have too much money saved up they will just redistribute some of it to the less fortunate, bless their hearts.
Wealth tax
If you live in one of those wealthy countries you’ll have to pay an extra tax for that as well to be redistributed to the poorer countries. That’s only fair, right? Since everything you buy is recorded the tax assessment for property taxes will be much easier as well. How convenient!
Yes, a new electronic currency would solve a lot of problems and free us of all of that messy paperwork we have to do. And since we are too dumb to make our own decisions, the government can help steer us in the right direction in everything we do. Doesn’t that sound like Utopia?
Bank Failures Coming To A Branch Near You
By: Tom Chatham
The U.S. banking system has been in defacto default since 2008. But since everyone needs U.S. dollars to continue commerce around the world it has been put on delay. Everyone has been playing lets pretend. That will not last much longer. The events in Cyprus tell volumes about what is coming to other nations around the world.
As the banks tumble in domino fashion around the world everyone will head for the U.S. as the last safe place to store money. That may be by design. Once in the U.S those assets may have no safe place else to go so they will be essentially trapped. It will be a tempting target for the bankers and politicians to loot. A collapse then could force everyone into a one world currency. But not everyone wants to play with that marked deck.
The BRICS nations just held a meeting in South Africa and one of the things they discussed was the formation of a BRICS equivalent of the IMF and World Bank. They want to establish their own bank to aid emerging economies and they have agreed in principle to collectively finance it with a 100 billion contingency reserve arrangement for starters. These nations have a lot of gold and are increasing supplies as fast as possible. It is likely this new bank will be financed with gold backed currencies at some point. That will give the IMF crooks a lot of heartburn. It may also be the spark that ignites another world war.
The western bankers cannot afford to have a competing currency to anything they create so some type of action will be forthcoming. If people were able to shield their money from the corrupt bankers by moving it to another currency or bank out of the western bankers control it would prevent their plans to force through a one world currency which they would control. It always comes back to they money doesn’t it.
What would stop someone from moving large amounts of money from the U.S. to a BRICS bank? How about the imposing of capitol controls after all of that money is here. That seems likely. And if you are thinking of pulling that money out of the bank and hiding it under your mattress consider this. If a bank holiday is declared in the U.S. they can close the banks on say Friday night and reopen on Monday morning after having locked you out of your accounts all weekend while taking a “fair” percentage for the national good. But it might not stop there.
Suppose after you regain access to your accounts you find they have also devalued the dollar by 20 or 30 percent. They may just forgo the actual theft of money and devalue alone. In any case, they will have succeeded in stealing a large percentage of your money even if it were not in the bank.
I can’t tell you what to do but I don’t keep any more than a weeks worth of operating funds in my account and only about 30 to 60 days worth of cash on hand. Everything else I have is in highly liquid forms like silver. If they pull this I would take my cash on hand and go shopping that weekend before they have a chance to devalue. That would limit my losses and put me ahead of the general population. But that’s just me.
What would you buy in a crunch like this? Anything you can use to take care of yourself. It might be impossible to buy anything on line or through wire transfers but with cash you might visit coin shops, pawn shops, local merchants or look on craigslist for things worth something to you or for later trade. If you need to “store” money why not do so in gold and silver coins, a good used wood stove, a generator or possibly in extra fuel storage. All of these things will become much more expensive after a devaluation.
And always remember, if it isn’t in your direct possession you don’t own it. This will become brutally obvious to those with safety deposit boxes in the future. When they finally pull the plug on U.S. banks you should consider anything you have inside the bank as lost. If you get anything at all back consider yourself lucky. If you keep these things in mind it might not be as painful when it happens. Good fortune favors the prepared mind.
You May Be A Dangerous, Paranoid Doomsday Prepper If…
By: Tom Chatham
Commentators are always quick to link guns and emergency stores to dangerous and paranoid actions that they consider to be tell tale signs someone is going to commit a crime. They always focus on these areas because it is a trait mostly seen in conservatives that know enough to question the governments’ ability to take care of every problem that emerges. In short, if you are not a Liberal that needs the government to make all of your decisions for you and care for you on a daily basis then there must be something wrong with you.
Any deviation from the norm of unpreparedness is a danger sign to these people that you are out of control and need to be stopped, detained and heavily medicated to assure compliance. Only when you are obedient to the state are you normal and safe. So what signs do you look for in a person or group that should make you suspicious?
The purchase of bullets by the thousands
If a person or group feels the need to purchase thousands of rounds of ammo in the belief they may need this to protect themselves and their family from some type of uncontrolled chaos in the future they are obviously troubled individuals. They need to be more sensible like the U.S. government that only buys 1.5 billion rounds of ammo, give or take a few million, that is only the bare minimum necessary for waging a 24 year war.
The purchasing of weapons by the dozen
If a person or group feels the need to have one firearm to protect themselves or their family due to lack of police protection, this is just irrational. And to have a dozen guns is bordering on paranoia. They need to be more like the U.S. government that only has 165.000 armed federal employees, give or take several thousand, and have several thousand automatic rifles on order as well as two million dollars worth of sniper rifles on order from Remington.
The storing of dehydrated and freeze dried foods for several months
If you perceive the potential need for stored food because of distribution problems or social chaos, having food stores for several months is just promoting the panic. You need to be more like the federal government and buy a billion dollars worth of freeze dried foods for “disaster relief operations”.
The building of underground bunkers for several people
The need for hiding underground in a bunker with several people is a clear sign that you are disturbed and very anti social and may be unbalanced. You need to have “shelters” like the U.S. government does that house at least a thousand people, and number no less then 150 nationwide to be considered normal.
Conclusion:
Never order ammo in amounts less than one billion rounds
Never buy weapons in quantities of less than one thousand
Never buy less than one billion dollars worth of freeze dried food
Never build underground shelters that hold less than one thousand persons
Anyone who prepares with less than these amounts should be considered a dangerous and paranoid doomsday prepper by government standards. Any amounts over this are government sanctioned and considered appropriate measures for normal persons to take.
The Double Edged Sword of Control
By: Tom Chatham
With the advent and continuing growth of the police state it might seem reasonable to many that “they” know who potential resisters are and are prepared to round up any dissenters and put them some place safe when it’s appropriate but we also know who they are. It is impossible to implement a control grid without letting the “little people” know who’s in charge. Have you noticed over the years that police increasingly now wear masks when conducting raids and resemble the terrorists we see on TV.
It’s as if they want to hide who they are so no one will know who it is that is taking away your rights. For those that are fooled by the masks here’s a clue, they still wear a uniform. That is one thing they cannot hide. That is also one thing that makes it so dangerous for the dwindling few that are still honest law enforcement officers. When things start to go wrong, everyone with a uniform will be painted with the same brush. There will be nowhere to hide.
The same can be said for homeland security and all the rest. These agencies have distinctive uniforms so everyone will know at a glance that they are in charge. No longer is it necessary to look for a black hat to find the villain, just look at the uniform they wear and that will tell you what side they are on. This has apparently not occurred to the controllers or else they don’t think it matters. That may change.
Since Barrack Obama was first elected president the left wing extremists have come out of the woodwork like a cockroach convention letting out. They have made it known in a very vocal way who they are and what they really stand for. Do they think this has not been noticed or will be forgotten anytime soon? Everyone now knows who all of the extremist, American hating, constitution burning radicals are in this country. That makes it very easy to identify them when things start to breakdown.
Members of congress are now bold enough to say aloud that they are socialists and communists and do so with a sense of pride. They are so emboldened by the advances to their agenda over the last few years they make no attempt to hide it. Many Americans may have a short memory but the one’s who really care about this country will remember. These government officials have marked themselves and there will be a day of reckoning.
The feeling that the new agenda has succeeded and there is no stopping it has caused these people to overplay their hand. In strutting about they have exposed themselves and painted a potential target on their backs that will not go away. By showing themselves to be “in charge” they offer a public that is slowly growing dissatisfied with current conditions a visible place to direct their anger. The controllers will try to divert this anger toward the gun owners, patriots and Christians in this nation when the time comes but that may not work. Too many people now know what is happening and who is to blame and that cannot be changed.
While citizens may be the target of repression, the enforcers will also be exposing themselves and their families to reprisals that they cannot hide from. This is the main reason that ultimately, gun confiscation will be necessary to the controllers. They know they are in a bad position but have made it worse by showing who they are. All of the armored vehicles and bullet proof booths in the world are not going to be enough to keep these people safe when their repression reaches a boiling point.
Every new law and every new action by these government entities will be necessary to show who is in charge and each one of these actions will also foment a rising resistance that will cover this country with a dark cloud that will eventually turn into a rainstorm of biblical proportions. You cannot repress a population without showing yourself and thus leaving yourself open to reprisals. That is a lesson that the cockroach convention will have to learn the hard way. That is the double edged sword all dictators have to deal with.
The Government Loves Boiling Frogs
By: Tom Chatham
The modern day survival movement grew out of the cold war era of the 60s when nuclear war was seen as the ultimate nightmare scenario that humanity had to protect itself from. That evolved in the 70s when a host of other threats were realized. For over 40 years Americans have sought to protect themselves from nuclear war, asteroids, earth changes, solar flares, economic collapse, civil breakdown and a long list of other crises.
Those that prepared in the 70s were sure doom was only a short time away. Every year they continued to prepare and expected the event at any time. Forty years later we are edging ever closer to doom but it still has not happened yet. This is not to say the doomsayers were necessarily wrong, they just misjudged the timing and failed to realize that some of the things they imagined were controlled by human actions that are somewhat unpredictable.
One of the things survivalists have prepared for is an economic breakdown along with all of the connected systems. If a system breaks and living conditions take a sudden and catastrophic dive it becomes evident to even the ones in a media induced coma.
When a break from normality happens suddenly it can cause chaos and riots as people realize they have been sold an illusion. When a breakdown comes slowly over the years, people have time to adjust to this new reality and learn to accept it. This is the boiling frog syndrome where a sudden shock to your system will evoke a response but a slow, steady change will not be perceived as danger until it is too late.
The breakdown of our economic system is a mathematical certainty. Many realized it in the 70s but they failed to realize how long government machinations could stretch it out. The government has known for years the day would come when the system would break and has pursued a boiling frog strategy to prevent a violent reaction from the population.
We are nearing the end of this system but it is in the governments’ best interest to keep it going a bit longer. The closer they can get the population to poverty and misery while the system still appears to work, the less of a violent reaction there will be when it ceases. When people finally find themselves broke and miserable, the majority will accept it as the new normal because they will be acclimated to it.
If you were to look at life today and compare it to the same day in years past, you would probably see a great deal of difference and the negative impacts the changes have had on your life. If you had went from that days reality years ago to today’s reality in only a few days time it would have been brutally obvious something bad had happened to you and this would have spurred you into action. Those that have been awake and those now awakening see this.
Because the masses have been lulled into their new reality it is hoped they will readily accept it when the system breaks. That is why as close as we are to disaster, they will continue the slow decay of society a while longer because it is to their advantage to have the masses accept the new reality and avoid violence. By the time the masses realize what has happened it will be too late to get out of the boiling pot and that is the way the government wants it.
You Can’t Eat Gold
By: Tom Chatham
If you talk to a number of people preparing for bad times eventually you will hear this comment. While it is an accurate observation, it misses the point of a well rounded plan. If you have some wealth and your plan for catastrophic situations is to buy and hold gold and nothing more then essentially you have no plan. That is what this comment really means.
For a person that feels the need to prepare for situations that force you into a survival position you need to place your eggs in several baskets. You need to take care of absolute needs first to get through the situation you perceive. A person needs food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation, security, heat and light as a minimum to get through difficult situations. You need to determine how long the situation may last and how extensive your preparations need to be to get you through it.
In a normal functioning world a person may be able to get by in a situation with just money. Someone displaced by a hurricane can relocate to an undamaged area and just buy what they need until things are repaired but what good is money if money as we know it collapses?
That is the problem with other than normal disasters where supplies are in short supply and those with them refuse to sell at any price. A proper plan addresses this type of breakdown and prepares you for it. So why do so many people say buy gold and silver if it may not buy what you need in a catastrophic disaster?
Gold and silver are a way to store your EXCESS wealth until the situation stabilizes and commerce resumes in some form. You should not be dependant on PM’s to acquire goods DURING the crisis except in emergencies where something out of the ordinary may be needed such as a tire for your car or medicine for an unexpected illness. The things you must have to satisfy day to day needs should already be in your hands when this type of situation emerges.
This does not mean you may not be able to buy goods at all. Producers such as small farmers, fishermen and producers of other goods that people need may still have a production capability and will still need to sell those products to earn a living. Those that have a medium of exchange they will accept will allow the purchase of these items to bolster the items you already have and extend your supplies.
The value of gold and silver become important when the situation stabilizes and you want to improve your living position. They allow you to preserve your wealth and take advantage of bargains when others are unable to buy and acquire property, equipment, businesses and income producing investments such as rental properties. They allow you to get your hard earned savings from back there to up here where they will be needed to insure a good retirement. Precious metals are your life raft when everything else sinks. They allow you to stay afloat along with your other floatation supplies and reach safety.
When someone asks you if they should buy PM’s to get them through difficult times you should ask them what their plan is for food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation, security, heat and light. If they say gold then you are correct for stating, you can’t eat gold.
The List of Many Lists
By: Tom Chatham
Many individuals have published lists of the many things you may need or want during an emergency. The following are a few different lists you may want to ponder while making your plans for self sufficiency or disaster.
Emergency food supply providing about 2,600 calories per day
Item Ounces per day
Whole kernel hard wheat 16
Beans 5
Non-fat milk powder 2
Vegetable oil 1
Sugar 2
Salt (iodized) 1/3
Multi vitamin pills 1 per day
Emergency food supply for a baby
Item Ounces per day
Instant non-fat dry milk 2 ¾ 1 cup + 2 Table spoons
Vegetable cooking oil 1 3 Table spoons
Sugar 0.7 2 Table spoons
Standard daily multi vitamin 1/3 pill
Disaster planning and emergency considerations
Psychological preparations
Know warnings and communication systems
Evacuation plan
Shelter – short term and long term
Ventilation, heating and cooling of shelter
Protection against fires and carbon monoxide
Water
Food
Specialized equipment – NBC, medical, tools, communications, weapons etc.
Light
Shelter sanitation and preventive medicine
Clothing, improvised clothing and protective items
Energy sources
Entertainment
Survival seed supply –
In a situation when you need to bug out and can only take what you can physically carry, you want to take a seed supply that will give you the most food for the space. A supply of seeds that will feed you year round and will fit in your pocket is ideal.
Tomato
Corn
Squash
Beans
Cucumber
Turnips
Cabbage
Spinach
Carrots
Oats, hulless
Cotton seeds – (clothing production) for permanent relocation
Soapwort seeds – (soap production) for permanent relocation
Sprouting potato – if room and weight permit
Subjects of study
Medical – first aid, CPR, wound management, medicinal herbs
Hand made tools for farming
Butchering and preserving wild game
Homemade filters – for water or air
Building structures using locally available materials
Tanning hides and making cloth
Making charcoal and coke from wood
Making cast iron from iron ore bearing rocks
Making green sand molds
Root cellar storage and dehydrating foods
Fire starting methods
Furniture making and joinery methods
Land navigation and time telling methods
Long term bail-out-bag –
For required long term relocation on foot a dual purpose weapon such as an AR15 with .22LR adapter will allow more ammo capacity.
Backpack
Canteen
Water filter
Ziplock bags – various sizes
Seeds
Hunting knife
Gerber tool
Small hatchet and/or folding saw
Magnesium fire starter w/flint
Fishing supplies
Salt, 2 lbs
Folding shovel
Compass
Pencil and small notebook
Playing cards
Cook set – SS or aluminum
Eating utensils
Sleeping bag
Weapon and acc.
Hand crank LED light/radio
Lightweight tarp
Para cord 100’
Medical supplies – iodine, triple antibiotic ointment, gauze, razor, tweezers, aspirin, bandaids, tape
Toilet paper
Dish rag
Rain suit/poncho
Mylar blankets
Hygiene kit
Towel
Multi vitamins
Binoculars
Sewing kit
Bed sheets – multi use item for clothing, filtering, bandages etc.
Duct tape
Magnifying glass
Dry bleach
Anyone that determines a bug out plan may be necessary must also acknowledge that there is the remote possibility you may be forced at some point to relocate on foot with only the items you can carry. A civil breakdown, natural disaster or war could force a permanent relocation to a safe area. In the event this happens you should at least have a list of items you have already designated to carry to enable a fast exit from the area. While many may not see the need there are situations when staying where you are will result in death. If you decide not to develop a walk out plan because you feel you are physically unable to do so, you should reconsider and develop a plan that will work for your situation when the time comes. Time is a critical element when evacuation is necessary and any delay can be deadly. If you had to start over again with only the things you could carry, what would they be? Now is the time to figure that out.
Is DHS Setting Up Local Law Enforcement For Failure?
Mar 26
Posted by sierra2one
By: Tom Chatham
The past several years the federal government has embarked on a strategy of militarizing the local law enforcement agencies around the country. They have provided the money and equipment to give these agencies the appearance of small military units that act in a manner far removed from the community service of days past. This has pushed many local departments away from the friendly approach they utilized in the past to serve the public interest.
I have seen it myself in the local department where I live. In a county with less than 20,000 people we now have a police force with almost 50 officers and the sheriff wants at least 100 more auxiliary police officers. What all of these police are for in this sparsely populated area has yet to be answered. The sheriff has also made it a point to hire deputies from outside the county to ensure there is no close connection between the police and the local community.
This is exactly what the federal government wants, to ensure the local police will not be in a position to side with locals if anything happens. It is in the governments’ best interest to drive a wedge between the communities and law enforcement. The government is apparently designing a confrontation between citizens and the government and they are using local agencies to assist.
A recent purchase of shooting targets by DHS met with outrage by the population when the pictures on them were discovered to be pregnant women, children and old people. It is now known that the designs were not from the target maker but in fact came from law enforcement. This is how you desensitize people to kill others. You reduce the enemy to nothing more than a paper target to prevent hesitation when the time comes to shoot them.
If there is a financial crisis that shuts down the banks for any period of time and prevents the use of plastic forms of money, there will almost certainly be chaos nationwide. There will eventually be riots and looting as people who are dependant on the state for basic necessities start taking what they need. The first line of defense in cases like this are the local law enforcement officers. They will have the task of maintaining order in a quickly deteriorating situation. Many of these confrontations will be violent and require deadly force.
What happens if chaos breaks out and the police have very little or no ammo to use in the preservation of order? Will officers be willing to go out into hostile crowds with little or no weapons to protect themselves? What will violent criminals and gangs do if they realize police have no ammo to shoot them with? Will officers show up to work in circumstances like this if they know they may get killed with little in the way of protecting themselves?
With the support of federal funds and equipment, and with ever more instruction from DHS, many local agencies have become distant and even hostile to the local populations. If something chaotic happens these locals will be less inclined to assist local police and hostile actions will become more likely. This will ultimately lead to the failure of local law enforcement to maintain order in a deteriorating situation. So what would this lead to?
DHS has ordered a great deal of ammo in recent months. Much more than is needed in normal operations. This has helped to dry up the ammo market preventing not only civilians from buying ammo but also police departments nationwide. Since many law enforcement agencies around the country use the same calibers, the massive DHS purchases have led to the shortages in the local agencies. If DHS were really working with local agencies to insure the peace they would be willing to make some of this government stockpile available to local agencies for normal operations.
If chaos breaks out and local agencies are left to their own demise they may run out of ammo early in the game. In some instances it is likely that criminal elements will provoke gun fights with police with the sole purpose of expending their limited supplies of ammo. After several weeks of a slowly developing crisis, many departments may indeed run out of ammo. This would cause an explosion of violence and criminal activity. It would eventually cause people to call on the intervention of federal forces to regain order when local agencies fail.
This is what some have stated the federal government wants to do. Allow chaos to spiral out of control until citizens scream for government control and the government will be waiting on the sidelines with the men and equipment to move in and take charge. After the failure of the local departments the federals will be seen as saviors and nothing they do initially will be questioned.
With the local agencies rendered impotent the federal government will have complete control. This could be one reason for the massive ammo purchases by DHS. If the ammo shortage in the law enforcement community continues and DHS makes no attempt to bolster local supplies then it will be a good indication of their intentions. At some critical time DHS may offer the local agencies full access to ammo but only if the agencies relinquish their authority and are absorbed into DHS. Local agencies that have subverted their local community support will find it difficult to maintain order since the bonds between law enforcement and community have been broken. All of the actions now being taken by law enforcement nationwide will ensure violence if a crisis arises and the probable failure of local agencies. The people should be prepared for that eventuality.
Posted in Commentary
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Tags: Homeland security, law enforcement