Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #292. Thanks for stopping by for this week's edition. I hope you enjoyed a great week wherever you are. I know many who are in to preparedness stopped doing so when President Trump was elected for a second term in office. I would compare this decision to leaving North Carolina on a cross-country road trip on bald tires. I guess many wants to believe this term will be different than the first go round. It may be from actions taken by the administration, but it won't be by the efforts of the left and radicals. As an old boss used to say, "that's about bat crap crazy."
I was doing some grocery shopping for family coming to town and while in our local market I wondered over to the dairy section to price eggs this week. Talk about shock therapy. We typically buy the 60 pack of five dozens which we paid $13.50 for before Christmas, $20 two weeks ago, and now it was priced at $50.98. Oh, how I'm glad we have a lot of dehydrated egg powder stocked away. Hold your breath.....the government expects the price of eggs to increase another 40% by the end of 2025. See for yourself.
We started the HFS Annual March Madness Donation Drive that runs March 1 - 31, 2025. You can donate as you wish at the following link Blog | Survival If you want more information on this topic you can follow this link.Hope for Survival 6th Annual March Madness Donation DriveHope for Survival - Preparedness and Self-Reliance
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Let us move along.
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We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Thoughts for the week - Our elected government and how they screw us with a smile
Over the past years as I started to realize I could see retirement approaching, I started paying closer attention to how the system worked, 401Ks, Social Security, bonds, T-Bills, Roth's and more. Yea, the norm. But what really got my attention and really torched my burner was Social Security funds that I was required to pay in to my entire working life while the government collected from my paycheck, earned interest on my deposits, and then told me how I could get it and the amount, once they voted on another pay raise for the government suits.
A year or two ago I attended a training session on what to expect when I go to draw my social security funds. If someone had struck a match I probably would have exploded. I basically was told all the laws forbidding me from doing A, B, and C, in order to draw MY benefits. Ms. Lucy continued the training to the end, but I was so irritated by the information I had to depart the session.
The system, federal, state, and private, is not written for the average law-abiding system. It is not written for hard working citizens who have trusted elected and appointed officials to have integrity and do what is right for the citizens who sent them to their position.
A medical specialist who is educated and trained for ten plus years will then spend most of their earned income paying off college debt. Yet, a high school kid who can dribble a basketball and is deemed the No 1 recruit coming out of high school is now paid over $1 million dollars to agree to attend a top tier program. The No 1 recruit for 2025 and who has never played a single college basketball minute is on tap to be paid $4 million dollar under the NIL program. Think about that. A sport. Entertainment. Not saving a life or performing a lifesaving surgery or serving on the battlefield or saving the life of the President of the United States.
I know so many citizens who are retired and live off a single Social Security check less than $1,000 per month and struggle daily. Yet, our government freely pays out several thousand dollars monthly to illegal immigrants who broke the law crossing the border and our government is breaking the law inviting them in. Then, they pay them out of the almost bankrupt social security fund. This is the same government who pays single minority women more money to have babies as long as a male is not in the household. Be rewarded for having babies out of wedlock.
Today, Elon Musk is identifying and recovering billion of wasted dollars and the liberal left is crying and screaming over it and as they jump up and down, they scream the Republicans are going to push Grandma off the cliff. As you will read below, Grandma is already off the cliff thanks to the Democratic party historically.
I borrowed this from a conservative Patriot friend because it nails so many untruths spewed daily by the left and their deranged America hating crazies.
Something to ponder: Â Â Â Because if this DOGE thing that Demoncrats keep talking about. Â Here. Â
History Lesson on Your Social Security Card
Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (and some older ones) didn't know this.
It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it. Be sure and show it to your family
and friends. They need a little history lesson on what's what and it doesn't matter
whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts.
Social Security
Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and Card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION was removed.
An old Social Security card with the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message.
Our Social Security
Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised:
1) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary, No longer Voluntary
2) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual
incomes into the Program, Now 7.65% On the first $90,000.
3) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from
their income for tax purposes each year, No longer tax deductible
4) That the money the participants put in went to the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General Operating Fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security
Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and, Under Johnson the money was moved to The General Fund and spent.
5) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton & Gore up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxed. Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put away -- you may be interested in the following:
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----
Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the
General Fund so that Congress could spend it?
A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the Democratically controlled House and Senate.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --
Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding?
A: The Democratic Party.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -----
Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities?
A: The Democratic Party with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the
Senate, while he was Vice President of the U.S.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?
(AND MY FAVORITE):
A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!
------------ -- ------------ --------- ----- ------------ --------- ---------
Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away! And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve.
Actions speak louder than bumper stickers
Let us move along.....
Preparedness -
Mom with a prep - 30 Creative Ways to Repurpose Fireplace Ash Around Your Home - [Mom Prepared] - Excellent suggestions for those with access to ash.
From James Wesley Rawles - Survival Blog - The Savvy Barterer: References, Skills, and Tools for TEOTWAWKI Barter - Good read and things to consider adding to your bartering skills.
Laurie Neverman - Common Sense Home - Easy Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler Recipe with Canned Peaches - One of my favorites. Lets try it.
From Tara Dodrill - Urban Survival Site - 50 Best Plants for Bucket Gardening - For all of you with limited growing space and tools to prepare a garden. Here you go.
From Eric Beuing - Ask a Prepper - Medicinal Herbs You Must Have Before the Next Crisis - Ask a Prepper - Another load of information to help you understand the need and get started with your medicinal herbs.
News for the week -
From Andrea Widburg - American Thinker - Democrats are seen in the shadows of the Zelensky-created diplomatic disaster - American Thinker - Good read. When watching the Oval Office meltdown, I wondered if Zelensky had been pre-conditioned to cause the uproar to generate the response received from the President. What better way to get the world stage in favor of Ukraine.
From Charles Hugh Smith - Of Two Minds - Of Two Minds - Charles Hugh Smith - Good points. Will the training, understanding and skills match and keep up with the rapid advancement of AI and technology.
From Maria Zee - G Edward Griffin Need to Know - Catherine Austin-Fitts Explains the Old System Is Being Destroyed, Technocracy To Replace It - Here fishy, fishy, fishy, come and play with the tamed sharks now. The water is safe and warm just for you.
From Tyler Durden - Zero Hedge - United Nations Chief Warns Of Global Funding Crisis Due To US Cuts | ZeroHedge - Should this come as a surprise to anyone? The new administration has told Pimp daddy we won't be used any longer to fund the cause.
From Off Grid Survival News - Chinese Hackers Breach U.S. Treasury Systems in Major Cyberattack - I don't recall hearing anything about this in the news.
Let us move along.
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Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
Our HFS family has many prayers needs for health and positive uplifting. We love you all and continue praying for each of you.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
Please continue praying for the survivors of the Hurricane Helene disaster, the California wildfires, and the recent floods in Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia. They have many needs and a long haul ahead to recovery.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community, and nation need us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on faith and hope. Remember we are a blessed nation, and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging.
Blessings,
