Everyone is writing articles about how we (America) got here, I thought I should share my own thoughts. It’s intended to be a call to action, rather than a soliloquy.
How American Ended Up how it Is and how to Fix it by the webmaster
We let them distract us while they filled the college’s with anti American professors. When I refer to anti American, I only refer to values that ignore the history of America and its freedoms. We ignored the first tests of antifa troups called SDS and other left wing organizations. We allowed “terrorists” such as Bernadette Dorn, Angela Davis and Bill Ayers, all convicted criminals to become revered college professors, later to influence one of our most dubious presidents in history. We also ran away, instead of fighting when the left covered up his (Obama’s) history. There is no question that America indeed elected a Manchurian Candidate. We elected congressmen who thought of their service as an occupation with fringe benefits. We continue to do so with “republicans” who are afraid of their own shadows. When they lied to us, such as Tip O’Neil and other democrat leaders, we didn’t take revenge. We let them creep into our local governments and utilities. We never understood that it wasn’t the communist we needed to watch, it was the democrats and their own doctrines that we also didn’t bother to read. “The party left me” is a common excuse used by the middle democrats but it’s just a misunderstanding. The democrats have always been the same, with the same goals. They have always known that they cannot compete with conservatism head to head so they hide their agenda, just like they hid their faces under the sheets as the Klu Klux Clan. Today their minions, antifa do the same thing. It’s time to unmask them all, physically if necessary.
With the ongoing trials of Trump, they have through their actions unmasked themselves to the public to a great extent. They do it with impunity because we have given them so many years of acceptance. The question is, are we going to just allow it or seek revenge on the unmasked, by election, or otherwise. We are at the brink of total chaos. The Merchan trial is really just a test by them to see how far we will let them go. It’s also a dare, hoping that someone who they can pin on the right, makes a move to assassinate Merchan or someone else so a rule of Marshall Law can be declared. It’s time to hold on to your guns and your bibles.
Something that I forgot to mention in my previous post on EDC is tape. I like Gorilla Tape. As with the paracord, you don’t need much but a couple of yards goes a long way. I’ve found the best way to stock it is to either buy some 3/8” flexile tubing or from TAP Plastic buy some of their tube material. It comes in 3’ sections. Either way, cut it so it is just a little wider than the tape. You can role the tape on it and it doesn’t take up much room. I’m sure as I write these articles, I will think of something else.
Go-Bags, Car Bags and Get-Home Bags
The list below comes from 5.11 Tactical. I’ve previously stated I don’t really care about “tactical” but in the case of 5.11, they make pretty good apparel, which I wore for years. I’ve added a few items that I have in mine.
We should also think about the bag and situation you might use it in. There are lots of bags that can carry the items below and anything else you find you might need in your specific situation. From gym bags to hiking back packs, it all depends on the volume and whether you need to be mobile or not. That’s important because if you need to be mobile, you need to put some thought on what you really need to take with you.
Something we need to consider when putting together any sort of bag is how I am going to manage it. Do I have one bag, which resides in my house and it is packed in my car or when I leave. Do I leave it in my car and if I have more than one vehicle, do I transfer it or have multiple bags. Either philosophy takes planning. For a car bag or go bag, this is separate from your every day carry. Much of your EDC may be in the bag but they don’t really substitute each other under normal circumstances.
Car Bags
If you think first that a car bag is first of all an emergency bag for the car and its occupants. For the vehicle, the basic items are things like flares, safety triangles, flashlight, gloves, paper towels and hand cleaner. Also included are basic tools such as screwdrivers, lug wrench, jack and smaller items such as some duct tape, electrical tape, fuses and minimal items that may get or keep you on the road. The kit should also have a good first aid kit. According to statistics you’re car is where you stand the highest exposure to injury or accidents. According to NHTS there were 40,990 traffic deaths in 2023, which was down from the previous years. Traffic accidents are a major cause of life-threatening injuries. In addition to the usual first aid kit items, you should carry more trauma related items in the car kit. This should include large trauma seals, chest seals, athletes’ tape, wound seals and tourniquets for however many people are in the vehicle. That means 3-4 at least. These trauma items should be readily available without digging through your bag. A tourniquet can mean life or death in minutes. Many who spend time away from home or more time on the road would also add a spare radiator hose, belts, gasket material, even a spare alternator and such. It’s also become common to carry a small battery-operated tire inflator and a jump starter. You need to make your own decision based on what your location, condition of your car and situation is. Unless we are in a Mad Max world, I don’t believe any of us are going to do any major repairs while on the road. However, you should have spare clothes in your car aligned with the weather you are traveling to or through.
The Get Home Bag
I separate the get home bag from the go bag, only in the sense of practicality. For myself I don’t have both, but I want to discuss the simple get home bag. Whether you work or spend time on a regular basis away from home, I recommend at minimum a smaller bag that is comfortable to carry for a few hours or a day, maybe two. The get home bag includes your everyday carry items mentioned in the previous article plus a few things to get you home, or safe.
22 liters
First of all I stress comfortable. If your EDC bag or items weighs 2-3 lbs, the get home bag, including the EDC should be well under 20. Hopefully under 15. a get home bag should easily fit in a Including your EDC a get home bag you should include the following but I would also add a few things that may be specific to your needs. There are many bags you can use. I suggest that you look at “civilian” looking bags. They can be bought anywhere from Walmart to REI. The heavier the bag, the more quality you want to look for. A 20 lb bag or 32 or above should have good back support and a comfortable waste band. The Rei shown lists at $59. Between this and $150 you should be able to get a bag for any purpose I describe. The list below I have augmented to delineate get home bag vs bug out. GH/BO
GH/BO EDC bag or items
GH/BO Your EDC should have at least one fire implement but for go or get home you should have three methods. Matches, bic and tungsten fire stick. I would also suggest a few fire starters whether they are homemade, or store bought.
BO Battery-operated or crank radio
BO Handheld communication. I will probably write an article just on this but there is a lot of information out there on everything from citizen radios, to GMRS and Shortwave.
EDC/GH/BO Cash In a bugout situation I would also suggest some metals, such as silver coins or gold. This is really for more long term and/or extreme situations. Some people say you should have up to $500 on you.
GH/BO Emergency blanket. These can be bought almost anywhere and can be packaged in multiples. You may be traveling with someone, so I suggest at least two. These are folded into 3×5 packages and take little room or weight. I do not shop amazon, so I suggest you buy them anywhere else.
BO Extra batteries for radios
GH/BO Extra keys to your house and car
GH/BO Extra socks* This can be situational. If you are at work and need to wear dress attire, you should have a change of clothes with you. Whether it’s in your car or in a bag with you is up to your situation. If you take this seriously, you need to have comfortable clothes geared toward the weather and your location. At minimum, a pair of comfortable walking shoes, a layer, hat and slicker.
GH/BO First-aid supplies these should expand what you carry every day and must include some trauma items, including a couple of tourniquets.
GH/BO Flashlight* The flashlight should be rugged and powerful. Something that is 4-600 lumens. Rechargeable or carry spare batteries. I believe a good headlight is also a must have. It frees up hands for navigation or self-defense if necessary.
GH/BO High-powered snacks. As I listed in my writeup on EDC, I like to include High protein bars, such as Ready Hour bars. My Patriot Supply carries them but there are many on the market. I like having the 25 yr. life on them though.
BO Important documents in sealed plastic bags* Nowadays a thumb drive generally replaces paper documents and is easier to carry. Will there be the availability of a computer, unknown. Some simple photocopies of a few documents, such as ID is a good idea, but you need to make sure they are in a weather tight package. Laminating works good too if you have that option.
GH/BO Knife Both bags should have a fixed blade knife with a full tang. It doesn’t need to be a combat knife, Bowie Knife but should be a strong all-purpose knife that can take some abuse. There are many manufacturers, including Gerber, SOG, Benchmade etc. Just no garbage. You are also going to be able to hang it on to your belt.
GH/GB Medications. If you or members of your party regularly take or need medication for any number of medical issues, you need to try and keep them stocked. Preparation can include a note taped to the bag or in something that you know you are going to look at. Remember, if you are traveling, even for a day, it could extend to multiple days.
GH/GB Multi-tool* I carry a Multi-tool on my belt 99% of the time so it isn’t a question which bag or should I. I suggested a good Mulit-tool in the EDC article so you should be covered in either situation. By now on this list you should be thinking about weight. For the record, I have an additional multi-tool in all of my bags, including my EDC.
GH-GB Personal toiletry items. A small package of Kleenex (car size) and some baby wipes are good to have. This is a perk item so if it makes you feel good to brush your teeth, go ahead and pack but start thinking about weight and size. You don’t need hair mouse but you might want to figure out a way to add toilet paper. Rolls take up a lot of space but you can peal off and fold some. I also always have a roll or two of paper towels in all my vehicles/
GB Spare chargers for electronics. In the get home situation I suggest you just be modest in your use of your phone but I also recommend in the EDC a portable charger (brick). If you are in a car, a car charger is a great start.
GH/GB/EDC Water purification tablets. A few in all bags.
GB Waterproof bags. This can greatly depend on where you are, what is the situation and what the conditions are. Normally I wouldn’t carry any, except some ziplock bags. If you are in a situation where you are kayaking or boating, it is a whole different situation which I don’t intend to address here.
GB Freeze dried or MRE meals. MREs are heavier but you do not need a stove. I’ll talk about that later.The below items are considered to be “extra.” I have kept the list but modified as I see appropriate.
Extra Items
Can opener and utensils
Canned food
Chem lights* Chem lights are a good low level light for a camp. Unfortunately, you can’t turn them on and off.
Complete IFAKAn IFAK is a combat pouch, most often used as a medical pouch. They are just what it says, a separate pouch that would strap on to your bag or vest (another discussion).
Compass* I included the compass in the extra item list, primarily because in most cases you probably are going to be in an urban setting with streets or paths. Besides, to use a compass, you need to know how to use it and let’s face it, most people don’t. However, there are a lot of resources out there to learn how to use one and they are a good item to include in your bag if you have the room. Suunto and Brunton are two of the most popular and can be found at reasonable prices online or at your favorite outdoors store. You do not need a “military grade” compass. They are usually too heavy and bulky, nor do you need a surveyor’s compass. Buy a simple backpacking compass.
Full shelter. With proper preparation and having things such as a poncho, a emergency blanket or two, you can get by without this. Pack it in the car? Sure if you want but your vehicle is a much better shelter if you’re able to use it.
Hand sanitizer These are handy and have become readily accessible due to the Covid years. They make them with carabineers that can be hooked to a backpack.
LED headlamps* I don’t consider a headlamp an optional item in a go bag. They free up your hands for other things.
MREs* MREs are an excellent thing to have in your go bag. They are heavy though compared to freeze dried meals. For longer periods I recommend freeze dried food. These are many outlets to purchase them, whether it’s a sports store or long-term storage outlet. They are now the primary meal for backpacking. You will need a stove though.
Stove* There are several manufacturers of these small stoves. Jetboil is probably the most popular and they make several models. Depending on what you buy, you will need a backpacking pot set, however they do make a model that is pretty compact and has its own kettle which holds the Jetboil tank and mount. Something to think about is the fuel needed. Primus also makes great stoves, including backpacking stoves that are virtually the same as Jetboil. There are also folding stoves that are wood burning or use other fuels. In any case you need to accommodate fuel within your pack for whatever stove you choose. There are also stoves that use a candle like heat. They are not as fast as the stoves mentioned above but can be more compact. The wood burning versions are also extremely light and durable but you need to be confident that you will have dry fuel.
Poncho* A simple poncho is a great addition to any bag. Like the survival blanket they can be packed small. A poncho can serve multiple purposes from simple rain protection to a blanket, tent cover or rain gathering.
Tactical gloves* I consider these to just be good work gloves. Places like Home Depot carry work gloves like these. In my opinion these gloves should be flexible and mainly used to avoid simple injuries, splinters and other camping situations. “Shooting gloves” or cold weather gloves are in addition to these.
Toilet paper* Is an extra item, though is certainly a comfort addition to your supplies but remember weight and space.
ProtectionLethal / non-lethal. Unfortunately, the world can be dangerous. Whether you’re just going for a walk or run, there are bad things out there. Choosing a method of protection is an important one. Depending on where you live, what is available may be more or less limited.
Personally, I believe personal protection should be part of your every day carry. A mistake that many make of which I am also guilty of is not carrying protection 100% of the time. In our society for the most part, we are typically safe. Therefore, carrying personal protection hopefully is never needed. It is for that instance, much like an accident. You don’t go out planning for it to happen, but you want to be prepared to deal with it as best you can.
You need to train for it. However, you should be training with everything we’ve already talked about. Do you know how to properly administer CPR? If you don’t, you should. There are many free resources for getting that training, as well as basic first aid training.
Mace, pepper spray or any name used is usually the most accepted idea of non-lethal protection. There are different types, strengths and volumes, depending on what you use. Some are a mist or fog such as bear spray. Others utilize a gel. Bear spray is typically unlawful to use with humans. Bear spray uses a philosophy of a cloud that engulfs the bears entire head or front end and are made with a volume and charge to disperse at a greater distance from you. Carry it in the woods, for bears but not in the streets for people would be my recommendation.
There are many brands and types of packaging for mace, which I am calling any spray or gel that includes capsaicin. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in most all sprays. As a law enforcement officer or soldier, you might get the joy of having it tested on you, “just so you know what it’s like.” Some, including bear sprays have a training canister. I suggest you use them. I’m not going to recommend any specific brands. I just say that something is good to have in your bag or on your body (better).
The use of lethal protection is a large, no huge decision. Not only do you need to think of the act of possibly taking someone’s life but also the legal consequences. With all force protection you need to be confident that it will not be turned around and used on you. Lethel force is not only the action of using a gun, but it can also be a car, a club, a hammer a knife and the list goes on and on. Many people who don’t want or cannot own or use a gun look at instruments such as batons. 1st of all there are some states and locations where they are illegal for civilians to possess. The second and larger issue with them is that in order to use one, you absolutely must be trained. Police officers who carry them are required to go through many hours of training. It is one of the most dangerous instruments that can be turned against a untrained user. Knives fall into that class, as do any other type of club.
A pistol, while seemingly the last thing people think about is one of the easiest to learn and use confidently. No matter what you choose, learn how to use it and to take care of it. If you are unfamiliar with guns, get help choosing the right one for your needs. Shoot various models at a well-qualified range. Most ranges offer instruction and gun rentals. .40, 9mm and 45 are the most common self defense rounds. Sure, there are those who say .380 or even 22 is a viable weapon. I disagree. De-escalation or escape should be your priority. If that isn’t possible you want to decisively end it. In a future article I may talk about planning and de-escalation. In the military they talk of PACE planning. Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency. For the most part your primary plan should include your own two feet walking away.
Personal protection (plate carrier, vests etc.) In a world where there is no law (WROL) without the rule of law, PPE may become necessary. PPE is used in hazardous environments, such as being used in hospitals and treatment facilities, but also in situations where a mask or blood born disease protection is required. Of course, it is also used in the field where combat is the norm. I will address this in a possible future article.
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Being Prepared
March 23, 2024
You’re thinking about preparing or being prepared. Maybe you’ve already started or have been preparing for years. Many in the general public think of us who believe that preparing for changes in our lives can be a crazy thing. Some imagine that anyone who does this must live in a remote cabin on a plot of land and off the grid (power, sewer, water).
Where you live can limit or govern how you prep but it doesn’t stop you from being prepared. Living in an apartment may hinder what you can stockpile or affect your direction in some ways, however it does not stop you from doing it.
Whether you’re just getting started or have been “prepping” for a while, you’ll need to understand what you are preparing yourself for. There are a lot of things you can prepare for. A natural disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake. Civil unrest. A military or police action from another government, or maybe your own. A loss of a job, a fire in your house or a forest fire threatening your home. When I say home, that includes an apartment, condo, boat, RV or house. Wherever your domicile is.
No matter what threats you believe are coming, each takes a plan. Mike Glover in his book PREPARED does a pretty good job of describing situations that warrant your preparedness. It isn’t a Zombie Apocalypse, take over the government book and I suggest it to anyone who’s getting started or has been doing this for a while.
Most plans start with what are you going to need and for how long. If you are just preparing a bag for your home or car, what’s it for? Is the bag just to get you home or is it to get you somewhere further, safer or is it an escape bag meant for longer term survival. Each situation can have different planning, though there are going to be some basic things that overlap.
What to look for in the bag you’ve decided you need. Note: you do not need to have one type of bag. As I’ve said, many of the items in it are compatible with whatever bag you’re building. Start with the basics, then decide whether you have multiple instance of them or share them between bags.
Let’s get this out of the way. Don’t get hung up in “Military Grade” “Combat Gear” or “Tactical.” Most of those mean nothing except somebody is feeding off your inexperience and there are pitfalls to anything. For now, forget “Camo” “Tactical” crap and just focus on what you need to comfortably carry what you need for as long as you need it. The Gray Man is a description of someone who isn’t noticeable in the surroundings. Thinking along those lines are your best bet.
Lets talk about basic needs. Most experienced people will tell you that the water, food, fire, and shelter are the four most important aspects to your survival. I would add, first aid to that list. What about protection? Sure but the above are what you cannot compromise on. If you done any internet searches, everybody has an opinion on what you can’t do without.
You need to decide on where your supplies above are stored. For that you need to look at your exposure. If you work away from home, whether it ten miles of fifty miles a bag sitting at home isn’t going to give you much support. At least until you get there. At this point I will address different aspects of prep. We’ve talked about Go Bags, Get home bags, Escape bags etc. What about the whole concept of preparation. When I started this, I talked about public perception of preppers. A prepper on a property with acres or at least some space is probably going to be more inclined to “Bug-in.” Bug-out is not the only way to survive. If you belong to a group of like minded people, you may have decided as a group to bug-in. It may not be your house but it is a place chosen because it appears to be the safest place to do so. I encourage you to think not only of bugging out but where is the safest place for me, and my family or friends to be. I assure you that in virtually all cases, it isn’t running through the woods wearing camo. There are extremes from just a chemical explosion or leak which stops you from your usual drive home to a situation where there is no law WROL (World without the rule of law) and everything in between.
EDC
Every day carry is like it sounds. What are you going to have with you at all times, every day. This isn’t separate, it’s part of the system. You’re going to hear everyone’s opinion on what you should carry but your really going to need to make your own decision on what works for you. Here is my list of what I have within reach at most any instance. The first section can be stored in a fanny pack or similar pack.
• Knife. This doesn’t have to be scarry and “tactical,” it just needs to be practical. As a male, mine is a folding knife with a clip that resides in my back pocket. I see many where them in their front pocket. I don’t want it to scratch me every time I reach into my pocket.
• I always have a multi-tool on my belt. A simple one, either Leatherman or Gerber. It doesn’t need a bunch of attachments.
• Swiss Army Credit Card Multi-tool. Yes, you can buy this on Amazon but I don’t shop there. This resides in my wallet.
• Coleman First Aid Tin I buy these several at a time. I give them away, have one in every pack I own.
• Bic lighters. I know, it looks cool striking a fire stick or grinding a wood bow but in an emergency lighting a fire may be the lifesaver you or someone needs. I also include matches.
• Cash. ATM’s don’t always work and if there is no power, no credit cards.
• Small Flashlight. I primarily use Fenix Yes, they are expensive. They are bright and rugged and rechargeable. If you really want to get stealthy, get a red beam light but I don’t see much use for it off the battlefield. There are lots of makers of flashlights. Just choose one that is small enough to carry and is bright enough for your needs. I have several models, where it’s in a car, my home or a bag.
• Snacks. I usually carry a couple of “energy” bars. Something with nuts or a protein. In the short term it’s just to stop your stomach growl. For longer term, such as in a get home bag or go bag I pack Ready Hour Emergency Rations. They come packed in 2,400 calories rations. These come packed with 12 bars. If your EDC bag is a small pack or large enough, I would pack these in it. They are also 25 year stable.
• Charger & cords. I carry a Dark Energy charger (brick). It’s something that has actually come down in price since I bought my first one many years ago. There are many on the market. Just buy one that lasts.
• Paracord & Micro-cord. Just a few yards of each. You’d be surprised on what you can do with them
• Write in Rain pads. I buy the small 3×4 pads at REI. A 3 pack is $9 or so. You’re not going to write a book but you might want to jot something down. Use a mechanical pencil or fine Sharpie with them. You can use any small pad but you should have something.
These items are what I think you should have with you or close to you during the course of the day or night. Your specific needs may be different. Do you need to have some medication with you (in get home or go bag). You may work in an atmosphere that you cannot have knives and such. If so, can you just have a multitool or something similar. Any of these will carry what I have described above.
Next Chapter will be Get-Home and Go-bags
A DC Court of Appeals found that Donald Trump could be held liable for lawsuits concerning the January 6h hoax, committed by Nancy Pelosi, the FBI and other government agencies. Much of the fake news has reported that he is liable, however the ruling really only ordered the lower court to make the decision whether he was acting as the President or a private citizen. There is precedent due to Nixon v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 731 (1982) in front of the Supreme Court. Bill Clinton tried and failed to claim immunity in Jones v Clinton. The court ruled that his behavior as a governor is separate from that of the president.
What this boils down to is just another example of the left, uniparty, RINO segment of the nation trying their best to make sure Donald Trump does not become president for a second term. He is currently defending himself in New York in a completely fraudulent trial, note that it is fraud that the inept attorney general has charged him with but also in a DC Court with an overtly leftist judge. If justice is served, he will get his day in court, a metaphor for justice but it’s doubtful. Meanwhile the polls show him well ahead of all of the Republican candidates, also ahead of Biden. This scares the crap out of the swamp republic. I think we need to take the published polling numbers with somewhat a grain of salt. While I believe generally they are true and if the elections we going to be held fairly, more importantly lawfully he is to be the next president. Remember the Red Wave of 2022? The polls and reporting caused many conservatives to stay home because they thought that their vote wasn’t needed.
In the coming months the democrats will continue to harass Trump and everyone involved. That includes you. If they, et al succeed we will be truly at war, or defeated. This time around antifa (little girls) will be dressed in girly hamas costumes. It’s certain that the government will continue to let them destroy businesses, along with private and public property. Armed with a cadre of supposedly trampled upon degenerates we, the citizens will be pushed to either defend the republic or quietly submit. The question is, is there a Nathan Hale amongst us?
Sen. Derek Stanford, 1st LD, Rep. Davina Duerr, 1st LD, Rep. Shelley Kloba, 1st LD, King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Snohomish County Councilmember Megan Dunn, Snohomish County Councilmember Jared Mead, Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson, Bothell Deputy Mayor Rami Al-Kabra, Bothell Councilmember Jenne Alderks, Bothell Councilmember Amanda Dodd
“I’m plugged into various volunteer communities around Bothell beside Planning Commission”
“Elected 3rd Vice Chair of the 1st Legislative District Democrats, and previously served on the King County Democratic Central Committee.”
“A Democratic Precinct Committee Officer in every place I’ve lived in Bothell, helping people get in touch with their legislators and register to vote.”
“A 2020 US Census Enumerator throughout Bothell to help accurately describe our neighborhoods and get federal dollars for infrastructure.”
There is little doubt what this person will bring to the table if elected to the Bothell City Council. Carston is listed in the Progressive Voters Guide and is guaranteed to live up to his reputation. He is another democrat plant in their goal to forever change Washington State into a Kalifornia north. He will encourage a woke agenda to the council and expansion of “inclusion” “equity” and all of the other buzz words of this generation. All you need to do is read his statement in the voter’s pamphlet.
Let’s keep far left agendas out of our Snohomish county cities. Vote no on Carston Curd.
There are a host of bills being introduced by the majority democrats this session with many of them knowingly violating the state’s constitution and the Constitution of the United States. The reality is that they know it can take years of court procedures to settle these outrageous bills. How about if there was a law passed that any legislator submits a bill knowing that it will not stand up to legal scrutiny under the constitution is personally liable for all costs incurred by the plaintiffs and the state defending it should it be found unconstitutional.
Every once in a while you hear about things that you just can’t fathom. Or, you might just put them in the You Can’t Just Make This Up category. Sadly the level of corruption keeps rising to new levels everyday. No, I’m not talking about the stupid trust baby, Bankman.
Buried in Biden’s American Rescue Plan is a 100 billion bailout of union pensions. I suppose when you voted for your local democrat in congress or the big guy himself or worse yet, as a so called republican you didn’t even bother to vote, you missed the fine print.
The Daily Signal has a little reminder for you about how important it is to vote. You can find it here.
Washington State moved to all mail in or Dropbox ballots many years ago. I have met some who remember when Washington voted like most states at the time by in person voting. I don’t know what the statistics are but I imagine most of the voting takes place in most of the states now with mail in or what it is supposed to be, absentee ballots. Even when we lived in Kalifornia, my wife and I started voting absentee. It started once we were actually going to be absent and then it just became more convenient. Oregon is another state that has has mail in ballots for many years. This goes back even to the mid nineties. My father who lived in a rural area was all for it because they would have to travel to vote. Even then it bothered him that there was nobody there to check your ID.
Voting, at least how you vote has just become a political issue for both parties. What’s missing is the purpose of voting, the duty of voting and the consequences of voting, or not. Our country was established based on the rights of the people. This is clearly set in the constitution and the Bill of Rights. The writers of those documents did their best to protect the majority which I mean as citizens from the politicians. Every article of the constitution is limiting the government. The problem is that “the government” has grown into a bunch of people and is overrun with non elected officials given powers that are opposed to the constitution. Look at the current ruling by the Supreme Court with regards to the EPA. They rectified and limited the powers of an agency that has run amok. Personal note, the EPA was formed during Nixion’s presidency and for many, including myself the absolute worst decision he ever made. CAL EPA is even worse that the federal. This was one of the departments that was weaponized by the Obama administration. Waters of the US was a tool they used to push regulation, even to the point of claiming some cattle ponds were governed by this decree. The IRS was also used by him, yes Obama personally to target people who opposed his amoral governing. He should be in jail for many causes.
But I didn’t start this with the intention of taking on all the ills of our government and it’s passed participants. I wanted to discuss specifically elections in Washington, though my thoughts may be relevant in other states as well. The state of Washington went to all vote by mail in 2005. This was law passed by the legislature. All ballots are intended to be submitted by drop box or by mail. You can however vote in person or drop off your ballot at certain government offices, such as the county auditors office for Snohomish County in Everett. Are the drop boxes monitored, nope. Should they be? Yes, in my opinion.
I have worked several elections in my county. The outline that you can find on the Washington state site is accurate as to the path that the ballots are supposed to take from vote to election. I have worked in several of the sections during the elections, including opening ballots and scanning them. I can say that I found little area in most of the activities for the ability to engage in election fraud. There are two areas on the floor (which I refer to as the area where vote counting takes place). In Washington this is performed by each county. If you go back a few steps you need to start with where does the voter register to vote. Here it is mostly handled by the DMV or department of licensing. When you apply for a drivers license, you are asked if you want to register to vote. That seems safe enough however, Washington grants real driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. There is NO indication or mark on them showing their immigration status. It will only say Federal Limits Apply whis is on every license that is not enhanced. In other words, no different than most. A question you might ask is who insurers them? This one of the first areas I would identify as something that has a potential for fraud. Wishing the election work area are groups handling various tasks. You can refer to the chart provided by the state for the general flow of the ballots. What the flow chart doesn’t mention is adjudication, which is a specific area within the voting center. Like the scanner area, it is a secure area which is behind a fence from the rest of the space. Workers in pairs review ballots that were deemed by either the people who opened the ballots or the scanners to be illegible as to the voters intention. There is a whole article on judging these and I won’t go into what constitutes a ballot needing adjudication. However, this is an area where some dubious activity could be possible but it would take both members of the team to effectively commit a fraud here. Since Washington does not use voting machines, we’re really left with one big area where the vote could be manipulated. That is after the votes have been scanned into the servers on site. The Washington voting website says that the servers are not hooked up to the internet or any other network. That is really hard to verify because while the servers are behind the same fence the scanners and the adjudication personnel are, there is at least one laptop that is out of the cage. I can only speak of Snohomish County. I know that it is possible to delete batches of ballots there. If a fraudulent ballot batch could be introduced, it could be manipulated. Let me say this though. From the time the ballots come in to the work area, they are tracked with a batch number and sequence. The votes are not counted until they are scanned. It is at that point that candidate A or B votes are counted. They may not be tabulated but the scanning software has recorded the vote for each ballot.
Let’s go back to the ballot boxes. In the 2020 elections there was every indication that they were stuffed with multiple batches of ballots by individuals who had no legal rights to be handling other’s ballots. In many instances the boxes themselves were illegal according to their own state voting laws. Washington along with only a few states have no mention of vote harvesting or who can turn in votes for other voters. This is according to Ballot Pedia. Therefore, can Washington enforce any laws with regards to stuffing ballot boxes? It doesn’t look like it to me. Is there mass harvesting of ballots from facilities like rest homes or other care facilities. I believe so. Are ballots collected or stolen in the mail. Yes, I personally know of two cases of third party friends having it happen. Washington has a huge majority of liberals, many who would do anything to thwart conservatism in any form.
we should all be wary of voting fraud in our state. Should Washington return to voting in person? Absolutely. Should Washington have one day for the elections, absolutely. Should Washington get rid of mail in ballots, absolutely with the exception of specific conditions. Outside of an emergency, what stops a voter who knows they are not going to be available to vote on that designated day to vote in person early? By law voters are given the time to vote. Voters need to present their identification for multiple reasons and there is no reason why it cannot be presented to vote. The people of Washington must demand voter integrity. Washingtonians must demand fraud free elections.
There used to be a little spice shop not too far from me called Penzeys Spices. It was unique in that they filled about a thousand square foot of retail space with a good selection of spices and packaged cooking gift sets. We started noticing their demise shortly before Christmas last year when they stopped being a retail store and just had pick up for spices ordered. I imagine they were hit hard by the covid restrictions placed on all businesses by our misguided governor.
They closed the store after the first of the year. I decided to take a look at their on line presence and see if they had closed other stores. From my browsing I saw that they maintained an on line presence and also seem to have a number of stores around the country. In our case, I suppose the location choices for this store could have been better. It’s placement in the center could have been better etc.
While browsing the website I was astonished to find a menu item labeled “About Republicans.” I clicked on it expecting to read some drivel from a left leaning shop keeper which is all to common here in the left coast. Instead it was a soliloquy about the republicans drift from this person’s vision of where the party should be. The reader was forced to assume the writer was an old guard Republican who has watched his party depart sanity. Instead the writing contained all of the catch words of a liberal trying to rationalize his liberalism. In his opinion republicans really have turned into Neanderthals who are afraid of computers “Remember when your distrust of big city types, and your deep rooted beliefs in paying your debts, respecting your marriage, raising kids willing to serve, honoring your word, and going to church every week had you voting for Donald Trump over Joe Biden all because Biden’s son had a computer? Or how you couldn’t vote for Hillary because she was over-prepared and used emails?” Seriously?
Since republicans don’t believe in climate change they want to destroy the earth. One must remember, climate change is the phrase the left switched to when they finally figured out that there is no science for anyone to believe behind global warming. In the seventies, the earth was going to freeze. Yep, I was there too. Biden’s son had a computer and oh what a computer it is. Eventually the Biden organization will be outed. Just like the Clinton’s. Unfortunately much like David Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn, nobody will care any longer. What do you think about them Bill?
You accuse the Republican Party of racism. Back your words up. Meanwhile the left has been murdering non whites for decades under the cover of “woman’s rights” We’ll have those niggers voting for us for decades, famously spoken by LBJ. Welfare is and was a poison gifted by the democrats to the blacks. The same has been true for what we’ve done to the original people of the US, no really the world. Social welfare and ignoring honor has raised generations of dependence upon handouts throughout the civilization.
Your argument give the parameters of either Trump or Biden. Is that really a choice? I’ve been around long enough to vote for Nixon, of course Reagan, and Trump. Nixon was smart enough to know that the corrupt press had already convicted him in the publics view. Forget the things he did do in his administration. Reagan was good man though he was gullible. Tip O’Neal fooled him often. He was honorable enough to recognize that he could not run the country in his growing stages of mental decline. Compare that to the current president who has no business even taking the title. The thought of Biden winning the election is laughable. It didn’t happen and no, I am not delusional.
In closing Bill, can you name five policies that Donald Trump supported during his presidency that you believe harmed the country? Please name five policies that Joe Biden has implemented that are good for the country. Please try to remember, the president should not judged by their tweets or personal faults but by what they did or do for the country. If the opposite were true, how should JFK be judged?
I started this with a conversation among a few friends talking about the nations budget woes, and thoughts on who is really running the country. It got started by reading an essay from Roger Kimball on American Greatness. You can find the article here.
After all of this, I don’t think there’s much difference between the parties. Those of us who aren’t in the in crowd are just worker bees paying for a hive and we have no idea why but continue on. There really does need to be a major reset but not what all of the politicians think. Remember the tea party and all of the senators and congressmen that came in because of that. Today they are nothing more than a bunch of younger versions of the old guard.
We need a balanced budget but not in the form of a bill. It needs to be an amendment to the constitution or such. Otherwise they will just keep passing omnibus bills to avoid having to face reality. I ran across this document concerning the budget process. https://budget.house.gov/sites/democrats.budget.house.gov/files/documents/crs%20budget%20overview.pdf When you look at the amendments you can see why I think a balanced budget should be part of the constitution. Any private organization would have it in the bylaws. I don’t think the founding fathers ever imagined that “the government” would be the largest business in the nation, moreover though the “masons” were in many respect a union, they did not consider that these servants would ever become a unionized working force.
So who’s behind the door with Biden? I think it’s numerous people but mostly from Obama’s court. Susan Rice, definitely along with Obama himself. I think Dick Durban and others are just mouthpieces. Despite all of the squawking from the gang, Ilhan, AOC is just noise. They’re fools and the deep players are just letting them run interference. Republicans too often prove the left’s view of us as true. For the most part we are just the true believers in hope and change. We believe that somehow all of these investigations that our side performs for us in congress will really lead to something. I’ve watched the republicans gain control of both houses and the presidency numerous times over my voting career. How many times has there been any actions that vindicate the corrupt exploits of the left. Reagan was famously duped by then Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neil on several occasions. His agreement for a tax increase was supposed to be met with the house proposing to reduce taxes in other areas. It was just a lie, Democrats lie.
We let them distract us while they filled the college’s with anti American professors. When I refer to anti American, I only refer to values that ignore the history of America and its freedoms. We ignored the first tests of antifa troups called SDS and other left wing organizations. We allowed “terrorists” such as Bernadette Dorn, Angela Davis and Bill Ayers, all convicted criminals to become revered college professors, later to influence one of our most dubious presidents in history. We also ran away, instead of fighting when the left covered up his (Obama’s) history. 
There is no question that America indeed elected a Manchurian Candidate. We elected congressmen who thought of their service as an occupation with fringe benefits. We continue to do so with “republicans” who are afraid of their own shadows. When they lied to us, such as Tip O’Neil and other democrat leaders, we didn’t take revenge. We let them creep into our local governments and utilities. We never understood that it wasn’t the communist we needed to watch, it was the democrats and their own doctrines that we also didn’t bother to read.
“The party left me” is a common excuse used by the middle democrats but it’s just a misunderstanding. The democrats have always been the same, with the same goals. They have always known that they cannot compete with conservatism head to head so they hide their agenda, just like they hid their faces under the sheets as the Klu Klux Clan. Today their minions, antifa do the same thing. It’s time to unmask them all, physically if necessary.
With the ongoing trials of Trump, they have through their actions unmasked themselves to the public to a great extent. They do it with impunity because we have given them so many years of acceptance. The question is, are we going to just allow it or seek revenge on the unmasked, by election, or otherwise. We are at the brink of total chaos. The Merchan trial is really just a test by them to see how far we will let them go. It’s also a dare, hoping that someone who they can pin on the right, makes a move to assassinate Merchan or someone else so a rule of Marshall Law can be declared. It’s time to hold on to your guns and your bibles.
There are several manufacturers of these small stoves. Jetboil is probably the most popular and they make several models. Depending on what you buy, you will need a backpacking pot set, however they do make a model that is pretty compact and has its own kettle which holds the Jetboil tank and mount. Something to think about is the fuel needed. Primus also makes great stoves, including backpacking stoves that are virtually the same as Jetboil. There are also folding stoves that are wood burning or use other fuels. In any case you need to accommodate fuel within your pack for whatever stove you choose. There are also stoves that use a candle like heat. They are not as fast as the stoves mentioned above but can be more compact. The wood burning versions are also extremely light and durable but you need to be confident that you will have dry fuel.
Any of these will carry what I have described above.