(Daily Signal)—Democrats gathered in Chicago, Illinois on Monday to kick off the first day of the Democratic National Convention with the ostensible theme “For the People.” Despite the theme, the stage was mostly dominated by political and cultural elites when compared to the Republican National Convention last month in Milwaukee. Rather, it was three other themes that set the tone for the week ahead.
1. Betting Big on Gender Politics
With Democrats set to nominate the first female person of color as a major party’s presidential nominee, the convention to put the spotlight on female speakers. First Lady Jill Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass were among the female politicians who addressed the crowd gathered in Chicago Monday night.
The Democrats’ decision to put its female leaders front and center on night one suggests Democrats are set to lean in on the widening gender gap in American politics that is particularly pronounced amongst young voters. A February Gallup poll found that 40% of women aged 18-29 identify as liberal, while only 25% of young men do.
While political attitudes are not as segmented between the genders in older generations, exit polling from previous presidential elections show how men and women are increasingly sorting themselves into red and blue. In 2008, the gender gap was seven points; by 2020 it was 12 points.
With Kamala Harris atop the Democratic ticket, the gap is poised to grow even wider. “It is now close to, or certainly in the ballpark of, the biggest gender gap we’ve ever seen,” Paul Maslin, a pollster at FM3, told Politico. A recent CBS News/YouGov poll showed women favored Harris by 12 points, while men favored Trump by nine.
All this helps explain why the Harris campaign has opted for an aesthetic (including its co-option of pop star Charli XCX’s “brat” branding) and communications strategy geared towards young women online. Democrats seem to believe turning out these young, female voters come November, though messaging on abortion and other social issues, is the key to victory.
2. Create Chaos on the Right
Democrats seem poised to use the DNC’s domination of the primetime airwaves this week to bait the right into fighting itself. If night one is any indication, Democrats’ strategy to break conservative ranks will be through continued attacks against The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 to pit the think tank against the Trump campaign.
With a comically large copy of the Project 2025 reader, “Mandate for Leadership,” in hand, Michigan Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow took the stage for a primetime speaking slot on night one.
“This is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term,” McMorrow proclaimed on the DNC stage despite both the Trump campaign and Heritage Foundation’s insistence that the campaign and Project 2025 are independent of one another. McMorrow went a step further, claiming that Project 2025 plans “to turn Donald Trump into a dictator” by “reissu[ing] Trump’s Schedule F Executive Order to permit discharge of nonperforming employees” and “ending law enforcement activities of independent agencies.”
“That is not how it works in America,” McMorrow later screamed as screens behind her read “Choose Democracy,” seemingly unaware that the proposals reinstitute elected checks on unelected bureaucrats.
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The doomsday scenario? “Donald Trump would be able to weaponize the Department of Justice to go after his political opponents,” McMorrow said.
Pot, meet kettle.
Before leaving the stage, McMorrow promised that Democrats would be back tomorrow with another speech on proposals in Project 2025, even though the Harris campaign has previously admitted to misleading voters about Project 2025’s objectives and its relationship to the Trump campaign.
3. Out With the Old, In With the new
Monday night also featured ghosts of presidential elections past.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
In what felt like a swan song address, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took the stage Monday night to proclaim that the glass ceiling is shattering for real this time.
“Tonight, so close to breaking through once and for all, I want to tell you what I see through all those cracks and why it matters for each and every one of us. What do I see? I see freedom,” Clinton told the audience. “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our forty-seventh president of the United States.”
The glass ceiling wasn’t the only Clinton reprise in her DNC speech. Clinton went for the deep cut with the revival of her “it takes a village” mantra, the title of her 1996 book. “We have to fight for Kamala as she will fight for us. Because you know what, it still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country and win a campaign,” Clinton said. The late Bob Dole rolls in his grave.
“The future is here. It’s in our grasp,” Clinton said to conclude her remarks. The bitter pill for Clinton to swallow is if that future comes, she likely won’t play a major part in it. “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten played as she exited stage left.
The Bidens won’t be playing a large role in that future either, at least if the party has its way.
First Lady Jill Biden preceded her husband, still the incumbent president, late Monday night. The first lady breezed past lingering questions that remain about the nature of her husband’s decision to not run for reelection. “When I saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris,” Jill Biden said, was a moment she “f[e]ll in love with him all over again.”
“Joe knows that our nation’s strength doesn’t come from intimidation or cruelty. It comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love of a country that shines with promise and renewal,” the first lady claimed. But “Kamala Harris knows that too.”
Harris, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are “inspiring a new generation,” Jill Biden concluded.
Speaking for the old generation, President Joe Biden took the stage at almost 10:30 p.m. Chicago time. Biden was teary-eyed as he walked on stage, and remained visibly choked up as he approached the microphone and the crowd chanted “we love Joe!” and “thank you, Joe!”
In the midst of making official the unceremonious passing of the torch to his vice president, Biden was defiant about his record as president. Biden proclaimed his administration took on Big Pharma, beat back inflation with the Inflation Reduction Act, the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and America’s continued involvement in the war in Ukraine.
Not before long, Biden was scraping the bottom of the barrel. He boasted that his administration has invested in, and built, charging stations from electric vehicles—even though only 7 chargers have been built. The president insisted that now there are fewer border crossings than when Donald Trump left office, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows that in January of 2021 there were 78,414 migrant encounters on the southern border while there were nearly 105,000 in July. Biden also claimed that “when Trump left office, Europe and NATO was in tatters,” despite the largest land war in Europe breaking out under Biden’s watch. Nevertheless, Biden promised it was “not a joke!”
The president had his trademarked stumbles in a stemwinder carried on for nearly an hour, but nothing like the troubles that beset him in the presidential debate that led to his political demise in June.
Nearly an hour in, Biden finally decided to hand Harris the baton as promised. The president said he knew Harris would make a good president “because like many of our best presidents, she was also a vice president.”
“That’s a joke,” Biden added.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.