lewrockwell--2020-12-09--Groundbreaking Study Shows Unvaccinated Children Are Healthier Than Vaccinated Children

Unvaccinated children are healthier than vaccinated children , according to a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health .
The study — “ Relative Incidence of Office Visits and Cumulative Rates of Billed Diagnoses Along the Axis of Vaccination ” — by James Lyons-Weiler , PhD and Paul Thomas , MD , was conducted among 3,300 patients at Dr. Thomas ’ Oregon pediatrics practice , Integrative Pediatric .
This study adds to a growing list of published peer-reviewed papers ( Mawson , 2017 ; Hooker and Miller , 2020 ) that compare the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unvaccinated children .
These studies suggest we have long underestimated the scope of vaccine harms , and that the epidemic of chronic illness in children is hardly a mystery .
The study the CDC refused to do Since 1986 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has been legally obligated to conduct safety studies and issue a safety report on children ’ s vaccinations every two years .
In 2018 , it was determined they had never done so .
It is therefore incumbent upon non-governmental groups to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Foxtop Silent Kids Wal ... Best Price : $ 14.24 Buy New $ 14.99 As the leading governmental organization driving vaccination among Americans , the CDC refuses to incriminate themselves in the epidemic of childhood chronic illness .
It is a classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse .
They are complicit in creating an evidence vacuum to deliberately manage against the possibility of the public turning against vaccination .
Since the Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study demonstrates that vaccinated children have more chronic illness and were also more likely to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks will be sent into another round of apoplectic machinations to attempt to invalidate the results .
Despite the rigor with which this study was conducted , expect critics to do anything but cite opposing science .
They can not .
It simply has not been done .
Instead , expect critics to draw from a hackneyed playbook to draw the attention away from these scientific findings by directing ad hominem attacks on the authors , criticizing the journal where it was published , and claiming that the study design was not sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a dominant scientific paradigm , it ’ s important to remember that the playground of science is not in proof , but in the accumulation of evidence that bolsters an emerging paradigm .
The Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study strengthens this emerging paradigm that vaccines may cause more harm than previously documented and characterized .
A perfect pediatric practice to study health outcomes among varying rates of vaccination Thomas ’ pediatric practice follows The Dr. Paul Approved Vaccine Plan , allowing for fully informed consent and parental decision-making in vaccination choices for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce exposures to aluminum-containing vaccines and to allow parents to stop or delay vaccinations if some telltale signs of vaccine injury were starting to appear .
Conditions like allergies , eczema , developmental delay or autoimmune conditions are typical signs that a child ’ s immune system is not processing vaccines normally .
These conditions serve as early indicators to help the parent and pediatrician consider slowing or stopping vaccination .
As such , Dr. Thomas ’ practice has an incredible mix of children who range from fully vaccinated , to partially vaccinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it the perfect pediatric practice to mine for insights into side effects of vaccination .
YJ.GWL Ultra Soft Roun ... Buy New $ 32.99 The Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study was conducted among pediatric patient records spanning 10 years , from Thomas ’ practice in Oregon .
Instead of using odds ratios of diagnoses in the two groups , the authors found that the relative incidence of office visit was more powerful .
Even after controlling for health care exposure , age , family history of autoimmunity and gender , the associations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust .
Unvaccinated children have less fever , seek 25X less pediatric care outside well-child visits The study found that vaccinated children in the study see the doctor more often than unvaccinated children .
The CDC recommends 70 doses of 16 vaccines before a child reaches the age of 18 .
The more vaccines a child in the study received , the more likely the child presented with fever at an office visit .
The study had unique data that allowed the researchers to study healthcare seeking behavior .
Unlike increases in fever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is accepted as causally related to vaccination , increases in vaccine acceptance was not accompanied by a major increase in well-child visits .
In fact , regardless of how many vaccinations parents decided their children would have , the number of well-child visits was about the same .
Any concerns that the non-vaccinated or less-vaccinated children would avoid the doctor are unfounded , and puts the jaw-droppingly large difference in office visits in perspective — outside of well-child visits , children who received 90 to 95 % of the CDC-recommended vaccines for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely than the unvaccinated group to see the pediatrician for an appointment related to fever .
Compared to their unvaccinated counterparts , vaccinated children in the study were three to six times more likely to show up in the pediatrician ’ s office for treatment related to anemia , asthma , allergies and sinusitis .
The striking charts below show age-specific cumulative office visits for various conditions among the fully vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated .
In a stunning finding sure to rock the psychiatric community , not a single unvaccinated child in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disorder ( ADHD , ) while 0.063 % of the vaccinated group were diagnosed with ADHD .
Likely due to the vaccine-friendly plan parent-doctor dyad decision-making at Dr. Thomas ’ practice , the overall rates of ADHD and autism in the practice were roughly half the rates found in the general population of American children .
Low levels of chicken pox and whooping cough in vaccinated and unvaccinated Regarding the question of whether or not vaccines prevent the infections they are intended to prevent , a quarter of a percent of the vaccinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whooping cough , while a half percent of the unvaccinated were diagnosed with chickenpox , whooping cough , or rotavirus .
Significantly , there were no cases of measles , mumps , rubella , tetanus , hepatitis or other vaccine-targeted infections in either the vaccinated or unvaccinated , during the entire 10.5 year study period .
Teepee Tent for Kids w ... Best Price : $ 56.06 Buy New $ 64.99 Vaccinated 70 % more likely to have any respiratory infection Vaccinations do appear to make recipients more generally susceptible to infections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprising that the vaccinated children in the study appeared at the doctor ’ s office for respiratory infections 70 % more often than the unvaccinated .
This finding is likely why vaccinated children present to the pediatrician so often with fevers .
Your grandmother was right when she asked why kids these days seem to be sick all the time , despite heavy vaccination .
Family history of autoimmunity correlated with ear infection and allergic conditions Dr. Yehuda Shoenfeld and others have described a condition called autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants ( ASIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of autoimmunity appear to pre-dispose vaccinated patients to higher risks of developing an autoimmune condition .
With this in mind , the authors compared patient records from those with a family history of autoimmune conditions — such as multiple sclerosis , type I diabetes or Hashimoto ’ s thyroiditis — to patients whose families do not have autoimmunity .
The results were striking .
Vaccination among children with autoimmunity in their family appeared to increase the risk of ear infection , asthma , allergies and skin rashes relative to the unvaccinated with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study will learn about flaws in past vaccine safety studies , such as over-adjustment bias , in which the data are analyzed many times over in search of the right combination of variables to make associations of adverse health outcomes with vaccines go away .
One of the most important findings of this study is that the comparison of the number of office visits related to specific health condition is a far more accurate tool than just using the incidence of diagnoses .
In fact , the study authors show this with simulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that use odds ratios with incidence of diagnosis are using a low-powered special case of the method introduced by their study , the relative incidence of office visits , because patients with a “ diagnosis ” have at least one billed office visit related to the diagnosis .
The authors conclude that future vaccine safety studies should avoid using weak measures such as odds ratios of incidence of diagnosis .
Since the study found healthcare seeking behavior could not explain vaccination rates , the only remaining explanation of why vaccinated patients require more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with vaccination is that vaccines are not only associated with adverse health outcomes — they are also associated with more severe and chronic adverse health outcomes .
Recalling that 54 % of children and young adults in the U.S. have chronic illnesses that lead to life-long pharmaceutical prescriptions , it seems a lot of human pain and suffering could be reduced by adhering to informed choice regarding the true risks of vaccination , and heeding signs of vaccine sensitivity .
Although the authors call for more studies to be conducted using similar methodology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pause and wonder if they are contributing to life-long chronic illness in some of their patients .
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children ’ s Health Defense .
Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy , Jr. and the Children ’ s Health Defense .
CHD is implementing many strategies , including legal , in an effort to defend the health of our children and obtain justice for those already injured .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s successful mission .

Unvaccinated children are healthier than vaccinated children, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study — “Relative Incidence of Office Visits and Cumulative Rates of Billed Diagnoses Along the Axis of Vaccination” — by James Lyons-Weiler, PhD and Paul Thomas, MD, was conducted among 3,300 patients at Dr. Thomas’ Oregon pediatrics practice, Integrative Pediatric.
This study adds to a growing list of published peer-reviewed papers (Mawson, 2017; Hooker and Miller, 2020) that compare the health of vaccinated children to the health of unvaccinated children. These studies suggest we have long underestimated the scope of vaccine harms, and that the epidemic of chronic illness in children is hardly a mystery.
The study the CDC refused to do
Since 1986, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been legally obligated to conduct safety studies and issue a safety report on children’s vaccinations every two years. In 2018, it was determined they had never done so. It is therefore incumbent upon non-governmental groups to do the work the CDC refuses to do. Foxtop Silent Kids Wal... Best Price: $14.24 Buy New $14.99 (as of 05:20 UTC - Details)
As the leading governmental organization driving vaccination among Americans, the CDC refuses to incriminate themselves in the epidemic of childhood chronic illness. It is a classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse. They are complicit in creating an evidence vacuum to deliberately manage against the possibility of the public turning against vaccination.
Since the Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study demonstrates that vaccinated children have more chronic illness and were also more likely to get respiratory infections, those who downplay vaccine risks will be sent into another round of apoplectic machinations to attempt to invalidate the results.
Despite the rigor with which this study was conducted, expect critics to do anything but cite opposing science. They cannot. It simply has not been done. Instead, expect critics to draw from a hackneyed playbook to draw the attention away from these scientific findings by directing ad hominem attacks on the authors, criticizing the journal where it was published, and claiming that the study design was not sound.
When research highlights anomalies that diverge from a dominant scientific paradigm, it’s important to remember that the playground of science is not in proof, but in the accumulation of evidence that bolsters an emerging paradigm. The Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study strengthens this emerging paradigm that vaccines may cause more harm than previously documented and characterized.
A perfect pediatric practice to study health outcomes among varying rates of vaccination
Thomas’ pediatric practice follows The Dr. Paul Approved Vaccine Plan, allowing for fully informed consent and parental decision-making in vaccination choices for their children. The plan was developed to reduce exposures to aluminum-containing vaccines and to allow parents to stop or delay vaccinations if some telltale signs of vaccine injury were starting to appear. Conditions like allergies, eczema, developmental delay or autoimmune conditions are typical signs that a child’s immune system is not processing vaccines normally.
These conditions serve as early indicators to help the parent and pediatrician consider slowing or stopping vaccination. As such, Dr. Thomas’ practice has an incredible mix of children who range from fully vaccinated, to partially vaccinated, to not vaccinated at all, making it the perfect pediatric practice to mine for insights into side effects of vaccination. YJ.GWL Ultra Soft Roun... Buy New $32.99 (as of 05:20 UTC - Details)
Study results based on relative incidence of office visits
The Lyons-Weiler and Thomas study was conducted among pediatric patient records spanning 10 years, from Thomas’ practice in Oregon. Instead of using odds ratios of diagnoses in the two groups, the authors found that the relative incidence of office visit was more powerful. Even after controlling for health care exposure, age, family history of autoimmunity and gender, the associations of vaccination with many poor health outcomes were robust.
Unvaccinated children have less fever, seek 25X less pediatric care outside well-child visits
The study found that vaccinated children in the study see the doctor more often than unvaccinated children. The CDC recommends 70 doses of 16 vaccines before a child reaches the age of 18. The more vaccines a child in the study received, the more likely the child presented with fever at an office visit.
The study had unique data that allowed the researchers to study healthcare seeking behavior. Unlike increases in fever accompanied by increased vaccine uptake, which is accepted as causally related to vaccination, increases in vaccine acceptance was not accompanied by a major increase in well-child visits. In fact, regardless of how many vaccinations parents decided their children would have, the number of well-child visits was about the same.
Any concerns that the non-vaccinated or less-vaccinated children would avoid the doctor are unfounded, and puts the jaw-droppingly large difference in office visits in perspective — outside of well-child visits, children who received 90 to 95% of the CDC-recommended vaccines for their age group were about 25 times more likely than the unvaccinated group to see the pediatrician for an appointment related to fever.
Compared to their unvaccinated counterparts, vaccinated children in the study were three to six times more likely to show up in the pediatrician’s office for treatment related to anemia, asthma, allergies and sinusitis. The striking charts below show age-specific cumulative office visits for various conditions among the fully vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated.
No ADHD among unvaccinated
In a stunning finding sure to rock the psychiatric community, not a single unvaccinated child in the study was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD,) while 0.063% of the vaccinated group were diagnosed with ADHD. Likely due to the vaccine-friendly plan parent-doctor dyad decision-making at Dr. Thomas’ practice, the overall rates of ADHD and autism in the practice were roughly half the rates found in the general population of American children.
Low levels of chicken pox and whooping cough in vaccinated and unvaccinated
Regarding the question of whether or not vaccines prevent the infections they are intended to prevent, a quarter of a percent of the vaccinated were diagnosed with either chicken pox or whooping cough, while a half percent of the unvaccinated were diagnosed with chickenpox, whooping cough, or rotavirus.
Significantly, there were no cases of measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, hepatitis or other vaccine-targeted infections in either the vaccinated or unvaccinated, during the entire 10.5 year study period. Teepee Tent for Kids w... Best Price: $56.06 Buy New $64.99 (as of 05:20 UTC - Details)
Vaccinated 70% more likely to have any respiratory infection
Vaccinations do appear to make recipients more generally susceptible to infections, so it is ironic, yet not surprising that the vaccinated children in the study appeared at the doctor’s office for respiratory infections 70% more often than the unvaccinated. This finding is likely why vaccinated children present to the pediatrician so often with fevers. Your grandmother was right when she asked why kids these days seem to be sick all the time, despite heavy vaccination.
Family history of autoimmunity correlated with ear infection and allergic conditions
Dr. Yehuda Shoenfeld and others have described a condition called autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA), where genetics and family history of autoimmunity appear to pre-dispose vaccinated patients to higher risks of developing an autoimmune condition. With this in mind, the authors compared patient records from those with a family history of autoimmune conditions — such as multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis — to patients whose families do not have autoimmunity. The results were striking. Vaccination among children with autoimmunity in their family appeared to increase the risk of ear infection, asthma, allergies and skin rashes relative to the unvaccinated with family history of autoimmunity.
Past studies have used a weaker statistic
Readers of the study will learn about flaws in past vaccine safety studies, such as over-adjustment bias, in which the data are analyzed many times over in search of the right combination of variables to make associations of adverse health outcomes with vaccines go away. One of the most important findings of this study is that the comparison of the number of office visits related to specific health condition is a far more accurate tool than just using the incidence of diagnoses. In fact, the study authors show this with simulation — and they point out that studies that use odds ratios with incidence of diagnosis are using a low-powered special case of the method introduced by their study, the relative incidence of office visits, because patients with a “diagnosis” have at least one billed office visit related to the diagnosis. The authors conclude that future vaccine safety studies should avoid using weak measures such as odds ratios of incidence of diagnosis.
Conclusion
Since the study found healthcare seeking behavior could not explain vaccination rates, the only remaining explanation of why vaccinated patients require more healthcare for symptoms of chronic illness associated with vaccination is that vaccines are not only associated with adverse health outcomes — they are also associated with more severe and chronic adverse health outcomes. Recalling that 54% of children and young adults in the U.S. have chronic illnesses that lead to life-long pharmaceutical prescriptions, it seems a lot of human pain and suffering could be reduced by adhering to informed choice regarding the true risks of vaccination, and heeding signs of vaccine sensitivity. Although the authors call for more studies to be conducted using similar methodology, this study should certainly cause pediatricians to pause and wonder if they are contributing to life-long chronic illness in some of their patients.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children’s Health Defense.
Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Children’s Health Defense. CHD is implementing many strategies, including legal, in an effort to defend the health of our children and obtain justice for those already injured. Your support is essential to CHD’s successful mission.


lewrockwell--2020-12-09--In America Democracy Destroyed Democracy

In the United States democracy was destroyed by democracy .
Read on and you will learn what I mean .
When I refer to the US as a democracy usually a couple of readers will inform me that the US is a republic , not a democracy .
They are behind the times .
The US was born as a republic , but the Lincoln Republicans valued empire more than the republic and destroyed the republic by overthrowing the secession of the Southern states with military force .
Once states rights were overthrown , the other parts of the structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic were discarded .
Women and people who were not property owners got the vote .
The US senate was elected instead of appointed by state legislatures .
And today a person does not have to be literate , a citizen , have an ID , or even be alive to vote in the United States .
Today all that remains of the Founding Fathers ’ electoral structure is the electoral college .
We could debate the exact crossover point from republic to democracy , but it is not germane to my point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 16.90 The American Republic was a democracy of male property owners .
The vote was limited to male property owners , because the Founding Fathers ’ intent was to protect property from government .
To succeed in this , the vote had to be limited to those who had a stake in the system .
With the Lincoln Republicans ’ destruction of the republic , the definition of a stake in the system changed in meaning from protecting property from government to the use of government to loot property .
A one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests .
Those with property vote to protect it , and those without property vote to take it away for their use .
Whereas a democracy of property owners is stable , a one person one vote democracy is not .
In America today people without children have to pay a tax on their property to pay for the indoctrination in public schools of other people ’ s children .
The people paying the school tax might be obligated to a mortgage and have only minimal ownership in the property .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners , but they are taxed as if they were .
Rustic Wall Sconces Ma ... Best Price : $ 29.59 Buy New $ 36.96 Then there is the income tax .
Few Americans , despite my decades of instruction , comprehend that an income tax means that the government has an ownership claim on your labor like the “ use rights ” feudal lords had on the labor of serfs and like the claim a slaveowner had on the labor of his slave .
These claims were only partial claims , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If a feudal lord tried to extract more than one-third of a serf ’ s labor , serfs could not reproduce and revolted .
Nineteenth century slaves were more productive due to better technology , so it only took about half of their work output to care for them .
This allowed half of their labor to be appropriated by their owners .
Many “ free ” Americans have experienced marginal tax rates of these magnitudes .
I am certain that our Founding Fathers would have regarded an income tax as serfdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ K ... Buy New $ 21.99 In a republic , such as the one devised by our Founding Fathers , the care for the poor and disabled would fall to the churches and societies such as the Salvation Army .
They do a better job than redistributive government agencies and make unnecessary the use of democracy to vote away the property of others .
But this superior kind of democratic society was foreclosed by Lincoln ’ s war on the South .
One might think that it can get no worse than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us by the Lincoln Republicans , but it has .
The electoral theft we experienced in the November 3 presidential election makes clear that Democrats , presstitutes , and establishment Republicans , such as Bill Barr , Mitt Romney , and Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger , value getting rid of non-establishment Trump far more than they value an honest vote .
My disconcerting conclusion is that not only have we lost a responsible democracy for an irresponsible one , we have even lost a one person one vote democracy .
When Rome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Caesar .
Without even a one person one vote check on government , there is no rule of law .
Law becomes what serves the rulers or those behind them who pull the strings .
We are already experiencing this in the United States .
Justice no longer exists for the just .
Those who reveal to us our loss of civil liberties and loss of protection of law , such as Julian Assange and Edward Snowden , are hunted down just as was Cicero , a high Roman office holder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Roman people from oppression and paid for it with his life .
Americans have been indoctrinated to believe that oppressed minorities , such as Barak Obama , are our hope .
But the Obama regime did not prosecute criminals ; the Obama regime prosecuted the Ciceros among us .
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts

In the United States democracy was destroyed by democracy. Read on and you will learn what I mean.
When I refer to the US as a democracy usually a couple of readers will inform me that the US is a republic, not a democracy. They are behind the times. The US was born as a republic, but the Lincoln Republicans valued empire more than the republic and destroyed the republic by overthrowing the secession of the Southern states with military force.
Once states rights were overthrown, the other parts of the structure built by the Founding Fathers of the Republic were discarded. Women and people who were not property owners got the vote. The US senate was elected instead of appointed by state legislatures. And today a person does not have to be literate, a citizen, have an ID, or even be alive to vote in the United States. Today all that remains of the Founding Fathers’ electoral structure is the electoral college. We could debate the exact crossover point from republic to democracy, but it is not germane to my point.
Rustic Farmhouse Kitch... Buy New $16.90 (as of 05:21 UTC - Details) The American Republic was a democracy of male property owners. The vote was limited to male property owners, because the Founding Fathers’ intent was to protect property from government. To succeed in this, the vote had to be limited to those who had a stake in the system.
With the Lincoln Republicans’ destruction of the republic, the definition of a stake in the system changed in meaning from protecting property from government to the use of government to loot property.
A one person one vote democracy has two distinct interests. Those with property vote to protect it, and those without property vote to take it away for their use. Whereas a democracy of property owners is stable, a one person one vote democracy is not.
In America today people without children have to pay a tax on their property to pay for the indoctrination in public schools of other people’s children. The people paying the school tax might be obligated to a mortgage and have only minimal ownership in the property. In other words, they are not really property owners, but they are taxed as if they were. Rustic Wall Sconces Ma... Best Price: $29.59 Buy New $36.96 (as of 05:21 UTC - Details)
Then there is the income tax. Few Americans, despite my decades of instruction, comprehend that an income tax means that the government has an ownership claim on your labor like the “use rights” feudal lords had on the labor of serfs and like the claim a slaveowner had on the labor of his slave. These claims were only partial claims, like an income tax, never 100 percent. If a feudal lord tried to extract more than one-third of a serf’s labor, serfs could not reproduce and revolted. Nineteenth century slaves were more productive due to better technology, so it only took about half of their work output to care for them. This allowed half of their labor to be appropriated by their owners. Many “free” Americans have experienced marginal tax rates of these magnitudes.
I am certain that our Founding Fathers would have regarded an income tax as serfdom or slavery.
CIGERA 16 Inch Large K... Buy New $21.99 (as of 05:21 UTC - Details) In a republic, such as the one devised by our Founding Fathers, the care for the poor and disabled would fall to the churches and societies such as the Salvation Army. They do a better job than redistributive government agencies and make unnecessary the use of democracy to vote away the property of others. But this superior kind of democratic society was foreclosed by Lincoln’s war on the South.
One might think that it can get no worse than the one person one vote democracy bequeathed to us by the Lincoln Republicans, but it has. The electoral theft we experienced in the November 3 presidential election makes clear that Democrats, presstitutes, and establishment Republicans, such as Bill Barr, Mitt Romney, and Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger, value getting rid of non-establishment Trump far more than they value an honest vote.
My disconcerting conclusion is that not only have we lost a responsible democracy for an irresponsible one, we have even lost a one person one vote democracy.
When Rome reached this point, the solution was a Caesar.
Without even a one person one vote check on government, there is no rule of law. Law becomes what serves the rulers or those behind them who pull the strings. We are already experiencing this in the United States. Justice no longer exists for the just. Those who reveal to us our loss of civil liberties and loss of protection of law, such as Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, are hunted down just as was Cicero, a high Roman office holder and famous orator, who tried to save the Roman people from oppression and paid for it with his life.
Americans have been indoctrinated to believe that oppressed minorities, such as Barak Obama, are our hope. But the Obama regime did not prosecute criminals; the Obama regime prosecuted the Ciceros among us.
The Best of Paul Craig Roberts


lewrockwell--2020-12-09--How the Covid Response Has Destroyed the Personal Finances of Americans

Back when the virus that would soon be known as Covid-19 was just a blip on the radar , Selco wrote an article called , It ’ s Not the Virus You Need to Worry About .
It ’ s the System .
And like much of what Selco writes , it was prophetic .
Here we are , coming up on a year after the virus first began making itself apparent and the world is dramatically different .
Not only are there the inevitable arguments about masks , lockdowns , vaccines , and hypocritical politicians using the whole thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very real effects on everyday families all over the world .
In the United States , our personal finances have taken blow after blow .
Eight million more Americans than last year are now living in poverty as millions of jobs have disappeared , never to return .
Data from the review site Yelp shows that 60 % of the businesses that shut down due to Covid have permanently closed .
People who were formerly struggling are sinking , and many of those who were comfortably middle class are desperately trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buy New $ 325.00 It isn ’ t so much the virus that has caused our financial woes – it ’ s the response to the virus .
Federal , state , and local governments have deemed what businesses are allowed to operate and how they must do so .
This has resulted in the loss of businesses themselves , loss of sales , and loss of jobs .
Nearly every family is feeling the effects to some degree .
Please check out our new frugality website for practical solutions if you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the ways American families are suffering financially due to the response to the virus .
More people are living paycheck to paycheck .
Back in February of this year , a report was released that showed 40 % of American workers were living paycheck to paycheck .
That early 2020 , pre-lockdown report looks like a glimpse of nostalgia from the good old days .
A more recent report has found , due to the Covid response , that now almost two-thirds of Americans are living the paycheck to paycheck life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 100.00 Anyone who has ever lived through this situation knows that paycheck-to-paycheck is a delicate dance and it only takes one small thing to go wrong to cause your house of cards to come tumbling down .
NSF fees , late fees , reconnection fees , extra deposits , overdraft interest , and payday loans can all destroy the financially fragile , leaving them in a downward spiral designed to keep them trapped .
There ’ s a reason that broke people tend to stay broke , and it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irresponsible .
It ’ s because the system is set up in a way that it earns more money by charging poor people extra .
Hardly anyone has an emergency fund left .
Back in 2019 , Bankrate released a survey that said only 40 % of Americans would be able to pay for an emergency costing a thousand dollars out of their savings .
Yet again , those were the good old days .
A more recent survey said that an astounding EIGHTY TWO PERCENT of Americans could no longer handle an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports : An emergency fund is the most important financial prep you can make .
Augason Farms 5-20100 ... Buy New $ 75.00 Many people report making up the difference between their income and output with credit cards and other forms of personal debt .
Unfortunately , with our somber economic forecast , this is just delaying the inevitable implosion of their personal finances .
An October jobs report showed that millions of the positions lost back in March have not returned , and that millions of people have now reached the classification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times reported : In September and October , many large corporations made the decision to end even more jobs .
Augason Farms Breakfas ... Buy New $ 64.25 And then , things had just begun to look up just a little bit for those in service industries when the second round of lockdowns hit crushing the hopes of many of those who were just beginning to get back to work .
The closure of schools has kept many parents from returning to work or caused financial hardship .
It isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made things difficult .
The erratic 2020 school year has also caused financial hardship and in many cases , made it impossible for parents to return to work .
Now , I know a lot of homeschool parents will say that people shouldn ’ t be using public school as a free babysitter .
But the fact remains that many families require two incomes to survive .
In my case , as a single mom , the school year allowed me to make a living .
During the summer , my children had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mercifully , because paying for full-time childcare for both of them would have taken almost every dime I was earning , leaving nothing for housing , food , and other costs .
If you aren ’ t familiar with current childcare costs , a person quoted in the article cited below reported that she and her husband were spending an eye-watering $ 5300 per month for their three children .
Financially speaking , women are suffering the most with regard to pandemic related job losses .
Hundreds of thousands of women left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – in comparison to 216,000 men .
Betsey Stevenson , a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan , explained in an interview why women have been unevenly affected .
I have more than one friend who has been attempting to oversee “ distance learning ” while keeping her job remotely and the stress levels are through the roof .
If you can ’ t afford a nanny or you don ’ t have a family member willing to take on the task , quite simply , someone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when we can least afford to have our incomes drop any further .
The price of food has increased dramatically .
Food prices increased for the fifth month in a row , according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization .
People around the world are seeing a 6.5 % increase in their costs of commodities such as cereals , dairy , vegetable oil , meat , and sugar .
But your trip to the local grocery store may look like a much greater increase than six and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reasons that prices have gone up .
Everything from supply chain shortages to production issues has caused costs to increase .
There are other Covid-related reasons that explain why you may be experiencing sticker shock : There are also fewer sales : While the statistics only note a few percentage points , the real picture looks a lot different .
Don ’ t look for food prices to decrease any time soon .
Our supply chain is still broken and getting worse .
Another lockdown means that store owners will be trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers in order to keep afloat for as long as possible .
The current price increases could be permanent .
The eviction moratorium runs out soon .
And finally , to make matters even more difficult for struggling families , a federal moratorium on evictions will be running out on December 31 , leaving as many as 19 million people at risk of being homeless as 2021 begins .
A few states will continue eviction bans but most will follow the federal guidelines .
It ’ s important to note that people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moratorium will now have to catch up immediately or risk being evicted .
It ’ s projected that 6.7 million households could be affected by the end of the moratorium .
This is , of course , a double-edged sword .
Not all rental property owners are massive corporate entities with teams of lawyers diligently searching for loopholes .
This has been a tremendous hit for Mom and Pop landlords , many of whom invested in real estate to have a bit of income during their retirement .
They have been unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their rent but still had to maintain the property in a manner according to the local bylaws , pay their mortgage payments , and make timely property tax payments .
2021 isn ’ t going to be a magical solution .
A lot of folks have just written off 2020 as “ a bad year ” and seem to believe that the moment this year is over , the curse will be lifted and we ’ ll all be able to go on with our lives having survived it and gotten through it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve written about aren ’ t going to disappear when you put that new calendar on the wall .
Businesses that hung on through Christmas to try and sell their remaining inventory could be closing right after the holiday , leaving even more jobs in the dust .
Lockdowns could very well become even more stringent after the inauguration , which would keep all the same problems going .
It ’ s time to redouble your preparedness efforts and really examine your situation .
This has been more than a pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ catastrophe , just as predicted , and we ’ re in it for the long haul .
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper .
The Best of Daisy Luther

Back when the virus that would soon be known as Covid-19 was just a blip on the radar, Selco wrote an article called, It’s Not the Virus You Need to Worry About. It’s the System. And like much of what Selco writes, it was prophetic.
Here we are, coming up on a year after the virus first began making itself apparent and the world is dramatically different. Not only are there the inevitable arguments about masks, lockdowns, vaccines, and hypocritical politicians using the whole thing as a power grab, but there are very real effects on everyday families all over the world.
In the United States, our personal finances have taken blow after blow. Eight million more Americans than last year are now living in poverty as millions of jobs have disappeared, never to return. Data from the review site Yelp shows that 60% of the businesses that shut down due to Covid have permanently closed. People who were formerly struggling are sinking, and many of those who were comfortably middle class are desperately trying to stay afloat. Gourmet Survival Home ... Buy New $325.00 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
It isn’t so much the virus that has caused our financial woes – it’s the response to the virus. Federal, state, and local governments have deemed what businesses are allowed to operate and how they must do so. This has resulted in the loss of businesses themselves, loss of sales, and loss of jobs. Nearly every family is feeling the effects to some degree. Please check out our new frugality website for practical solutions if you are dealing with financial issues.
Here are some of the ways American families are suffering financially due to the response to the virus.
More people are living paycheck to paycheck.
Back in February of this year, a report was released that showed 40% of American workers were living paycheck to paycheck.
Willis Towers Watson’s Global Benefits Attitudes Survey discovered that although 58 percent of workers think their finances are heading in the right direction, 38 percent of employees are living paycheck to paycheck… …Almost one-fifth of those making more than $100,000 are living paycheck to paycheck, and about one-third say their financial problems negatively affect their lives. The survey polled 8,000 American workers. (source)
That early 2020, pre-lockdown report looks like a glimpse of nostalgia from the good old days. A more recent report has found, due to the Covid response, that now almost two-thirds of Americans are living the paycheck to paycheck life. Mountain House Classic... Buy New $100.00 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
With government shutdowns forcing countless businesses to close and then lay off workers, one in four respondents now feel their income is not stable. Nearly two in three (63%) say they’re going paycheck-to-paycheck since March 2020. Millennials seem to be the hardest hit, with 64 percent saying they’re living off their paychecks. “After the unemployment rate spiked to more than 14% in April, Americans continue to be wary about their job security and income,” writes Highland President Jon Berbaum in a media release. (source)
Anyone who has ever lived through this situation knows that paycheck-to-paycheck is a delicate dance and it only takes one small thing to go wrong to cause your house of cards to come tumbling down.
NSF fees, late fees, reconnection fees, extra deposits, overdraft interest, and payday loans can all destroy the financially fragile, leaving them in a downward spiral designed to keep them trapped. There’s a reason that broke people tend to stay broke, and it’s not because they’re simply lazy and irresponsible. It’s because the system is set up in a way that it earns more money by charging poor people extra.
Hardly anyone has an emergency fund left.
Back in 2019, Bankrate released a survey that said only 40% of Americans would be able to pay for an emergency costing a thousand dollars out of their savings. Yet again, those were the good old days.
A more recent survey said that an astounding EIGHTY TWO PERCENT of Americans could no longer handle an emergency costing $500. Zero Hedge reports:
But perhaps the most alarming number from the entire survey: a whopping 82% of respondents said they wouldn’t be able to cover an emergency $500 expense without borrowing money. For context, prior to the pandemic, surveys showed that roughly half of Americans couldn’t afford a $500 emergency expense, which means the number of people who say they couldn’t cover a small emergency has risen by 60%. (source)
An emergency fund is the most important financial prep you can make. Augason Farms 5-20100 ... Buy New $75.00 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
When your finances are tight, sometimes your first impulse is to spend every dime. Many people focus on things like paying off debts, stocking up on food and supplies, or paying more than the minimum payments on bills. However, that may not be your best bet. Don’t get me wrong – paying off debt is absolutely vital, but most experts recommend establishing an emergency fund as the first step back to financial security. (source)
Many people report making up the difference between their income and output with credit cards and other forms of personal debt. Unfortunately, with our somber economic forecast, this is just delaying the inevitable implosion of their personal finances.
People are unable to find work.
An October jobs report showed that millions of the positions lost back in March have not returned, and that millions of people have now reached the classification of “long-term unemployment.” The New York Times reported:
The Labor Department said on Friday that 2.4 million people had been out of work for 27 weeks or more, the threshold it uses to define long-term joblessness. An even bigger surge is on the way: Nearly five million people are approaching long-term joblessness over the next two months. The same report showed that even as temporary layoffs were on the decline, permanent job losses were rising sharply. Those two problems — rising long-term unemployment and permanent job losses — are separate but intertwined and, together, could foreshadow a period of prolonged economic damage and financial pain for American families. Companies that are limping along below capacity this far into the crisis may be increasingly unlikely to ever recall their employees. History also suggests the longer that people are out of work, the harder it is for them to get back into a job. (source)
In September and October, many large corporations made the decision to end even more jobs. Augason Farms Breakfas... Buy New $64.25 (as of 05:25 UTC - Details)
Disney announced this past week that it would lay off 28,000 U.S. employees as its theme parks struggle. Layoff notices filed with state authorities show that hospitality and service companies across the country, from P.F. Chang’s restaurant branches to Gap stores, are making thousands of long-term staff reductions. Airport bookstores in Pennsylvania and Tennessee are cutting jobs as travel dwindles. So are wineries and upscale sports clubs in California. Airline job cuts run to the tens of thousands. American Airlines started to send furlough notices to 19,000 workers and United Airlines to 13,000 after a federal moratorium expired on Thursday. Those are on top of reductions at other carriers, and existing firings across the industry.
Altogether, nearly 3.8 million people had lost their jobs permanently in September, according to the Labor Department’s latest monthly survey, almost twice as many as at the height of the pandemic job losses, in April. (source)
And then, things had just begun to look up just a little bit for those in service industries when the second round of lockdowns hit crushing the hopes of many of those who were just beginning to get back to work.
The closure of schools has kept many parents from returning to work or caused financial hardship.
It isn’t just the unavailability of jobs that has made things difficult. The erratic 2020 school year has also caused financial hardship and in many cases, made it impossible for parents to return to work.
Now, I know a lot of homeschool parents will say that people shouldn’t be using public school as a free babysitter. But the fact remains that many families require two incomes to survive. In my case, as a single mom, the school year allowed me to make a living. During the summer, my children had wonderful vacations with both sets of grandparents, mercifully, because paying for full-time childcare for both of them would have taken almost every dime I was earning, leaving nothing for housing, food, and other costs.
If you aren’t familiar with current childcare costs, a person quoted in the article cited below reported that she and her husband were spending an eye-watering $5300 per month for their three children.
While wealthier parents can afford to “get creative,” lower income and many single parents have far fewer options, said Caitlyn Collins, a professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis who studies women and families. Some are leaning on family members or just doing the best they can on their own. Others have been laid off, or have had to quit their jobs to take care of their kids… …The United States has been an outlier on child care long before the coronavirus, Collins said, with price tags far exceeding those in other high-income countries. The average cost of child care for a child under 4 is $9,589 per year, according to New America’s Care Report — more than the average cost of in-state college tuition. It’s much more expensive in big cities: In Washington, D.C., the average cost of care for an infant is more than $24,000. Rising child care costs are particularly “terrifying” for U.S. families, Collins said, because child care already accounts for an enormous part of their budget, often second only to a family’s rent or mortgage. (source)
Financially speaking, women are suffering the most with regard to pandemic related job losses. Hundreds of thousands of women left the workforce in September – approximately 849,000 – in comparison to 216,000 men. Betsey Stevenson, a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan, explained in an interview why women have been unevenly affected.
…the age group that had the biggest decline was thirty-five to forty-four. And it’s not at all surprising to me, in the sense that the people who are really struggling are people with young kids and multiple kids at home. It’s the parents who have a four-year-old, a six-year-old, and a nine-year-old, and those kids are at home, and they’re trying to do Zoom school. It’s really difficult. Even if both parents had the opportunity to work from home, that’s a really hard thing to manage. I want to make sure that I emphasize that that’s one kind of hardship, and then there’s another kind of hardship, which is parents or single moms who had an in-person job and no child care. (source)
I have more than one friend who has been attempting to oversee “distance learning” while keeping her job remotely and the stress levels are through the roof. If you can’t afford a nanny or you don’t have a family member willing to take on the task, quite simply, someone is going to have to stop working at a time when we can least afford to have our incomes drop any further.
The price of food has increased dramatically.
Food prices increased for the fifth month in a row, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. People around the world are seeing a 6.5% increase in their costs of commodities such as cereals, dairy, vegetable oil, meat, and sugar.
But your trip to the local grocery store may look like a much greater increase than six and a half percent. There’s a variety of reasons that prices have gone up. Everything from supply chain shortages to production issues has caused costs to increase. There are other Covid-related reasons that explain why you may be experiencing sticker shock:
Shift to eating at home: In a matter of two months, approximately $23 billion in consumer spending away from home was redirected toward grocery stores as restaurants were forced to close due to COVID-19, according to FMI – The Food Industry Association. Loss of foodservice demand: When restaurants closed, farmers and ranchers lost a key channel for their product. With fewer buyers, it is costly or impractical to harvest, preserve or store some food and beverage products.Increasing production and processing costs: During COVID-19, companies have made investments and adjustments to safeguard their products and employees. This means costs for food production are higher. Some manufacturers have been able to innovate and find new markets for their products, but these changes often entail added costs. Increasing operating costs for grocery stores: Compared to 2019, supermarket operating costs were up 7.9% in April 2020 and 6.7% in May 2020, according to USDA Economic Research Service. Grocery stores have remained open during the pandemic and have had to quickly adjust to new regulations, safety and sanitation practices and enhanced customer education – all requiring resources. In addition, some areas of the grocery store, including salad bars and hot bars, have had to shut down, meaning a loss of revenue. (source)
There are also fewer sales:
Usually, 31.4% of grocery store items are purchased on some sort of sale, but at the end of September the share was 26%, according to market research firm Nielsen. The biggest impact was in the household care department, where just 15% of items were sold on promotion, half the usual amount. Heightened consumer demand and strained supply are giving stores little reason to mark down prices, Nielsen said. (source)
While the statistics only note a few percentage points, the real picture looks a lot different.
Eva Rosol was stunned during the summer when a rotisserie chicken that she could normally find on sale for $6 suddenly set her back $15… ….Ariel Neal, owner of Leira Knows Cocktails and Events, has been opting for more potatoes and starches and fewer fruits and vegetables…She didn’t qualify for unemployment benefits or small business relief, and has been subsisting on her savings and the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. “Before, $20 would have gotten me at least two to three meals,” said Neal, 42, who lives in Calumet City. “Twenty dollars doesn’t do that anymore.” …Yvernia Wilson, who is on a fixed income and vigilant about grocery prices, was taken aback early in the summer when a large package of hamburger meat she’d normally pay $8.99 for was listed at $14 at the Jewel-Osco she shops at on Chicago’s South Side. A nice-sized pot roast for Sunday dinner was almost $20, $6 more than she’d usually spend. Even a package of chicken wings cost $3 more… …Wilson restricts herself to two meats and for some items has resorted to buying cheaper brands she doesn’t necessarily like. She bypasses the organic aisle and sometimes forgoes fruit altogether if it isn’t on sale. (source)
Don’t look for food prices to decrease any time soon. Our supply chain is still broken and getting worse. Another lockdown means that store owners will be trying to get the most money possible from customers in order to keep afloat for as long as possible. The current price increases could be permanent.
The eviction moratorium runs out soon.
And finally, to make matters even more difficult for struggling families, a federal moratorium on evictions will be running out on December 31, leaving as many as 19 million people at risk of being homeless as 2021 begins. A few states will continue eviction bans but most will follow the federal guidelines.
It’s important to note that people who were not paying rent based on the moratorium will now have to catch up immediately or risk being evicted.
The federal mandate doesn’t prohibit late fees (although ), nor does it let tenants off the hook for any back rent they owe. It also doesn’t establish any kind of financial assistance fund to help renters get caught up, a safeguard some say is critical to preventing a massive wave of evictions when the ban eventually lifts…be aware that you may still be held responsible for any back rent you currently owe as well as any rent that accrues between now and the end of your lease (if you have one), whether or not you vacate. (source)
It’s projected that 6.7 million households could be affected by the end of the moratorium.
This is, of course, a double-edged sword. Not all rental property owners are massive corporate entities with teams of lawyers diligently searching for loopholes. This has been a tremendous hit for Mom and Pop landlords, many of whom invested in real estate to have a bit of income during their retirement. They have been unable to evict tenants who aren’t paying their rent but still had to maintain the property in a manner according to the local bylaws, pay their mortgage payments, and make timely property tax payments.
2021 isn’t going to be a magical solution.
A lot of folks have just written off 2020 as “a bad year” and seem to believe that the moment this year is over, the curse will be lifted and we’ll all be able to go on with our lives having survived it and gotten through it.
Unfortunately, the changes that I’ve written about aren’t going to disappear when you put that new calendar on the wall. Businesses that hung on through Christmas to try and sell their remaining inventory could be closing right after the holiday, leaving even more jobs in the dust. Lockdowns could very well become even more stringent after the inauguration, which would keep all the same problems going. It’s time to redouble your preparedness efforts and really examine your situation.
This has been more than a pandemic. It’s been a major economic catastrophe, just as predicted, and we’re in it for the long haul.
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper.
The Best of Daisy Luther


lewrockwell--2020-12-09--What Biden’s First 100 Days Might Look Like

The Biden-Harris administration will confront “ a pandemic , an economic crisis , calls for racial justice and climate change .
The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One.
” So declares the transition team of Joe Biden , to echo what he ’ s defined as the lead items on his presidential agenda .
And if this is his agenda , then how our presumed 46th president will proceed suggests itself .
The COVID-19 pandemic is now close to its apex , with a million new cases and a death toll in excess of 10,000 each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crest of the “ second wave.
” Biden ’ s emphasis , as he has signaled , will be on slowing down the spread of the virus by universal masking and locking up and shutting down sectors of the American economy .
COOFANDY Men ’ s S ... Buy New $ 33.99 Yet , even as the worst of the pandemic appears directly ahead in December and January , the last six weeks of Donald Trump ’ s presidency , the light at the end of the tunnel may be sighted within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines , which have proven 90-95 % effective against the virus , begin to come on line this month .
By the end of Biden ’ s first 100 days , May 1 , the beneficial effect of scores of millions of vaccinations should be visible to all , and the pandemic should be seen as irretrievably receding .
At least , that is the hope and expectation .
And the media would naturally attribute the new dawn not to the triumph of Trump ’ s Operation Warp Speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will almost surely be along the lines of what Congress is now debating , contingent upon whether Mitch McConnell is prepared to accept what comes over from the House .
A trillion-dollar package seems baked in the cake , as the country would not long tolerate congressional inaction if the pandemic were still raging through the population as it is today .
As for racial inequality , the pandemic has exposed , deepened and widened it .
The surge in shootings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is hitting the Black communities hardest .
The decline in test scores at schools where kids have been kept away from formal classes since March is most pronounced among minorities .
Black and Hispanic workers in service industries are a disproportionate share of the victims of the pandemic .
If half a century of social progress after the civil rights revolution of the ’ 60s and eight years of the first Black president have failed to reduce racial disparities in income , wealth , employment and incarcerations , does anyone believe Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change , John Kerry , the new climate czar , will begin his tenure after a year of the deepest reductions in carbon emissions in recorded history .
Legendary Whitetails M ... Buy New $ 79.99 By Dec. 31 , U.S. carbon emissions will have fallen 9 % from the end of 2019 .
Emissions from cars and aircraft fell 4 % in 2020 , from power 2.8 % , and from industry .6 % .
On the flip side , forest fires reduced the 9 % cut in carbon emissions by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in foreign policy where the traps appear .
The drawdown in U.S. troops in Afghanistan , to 2,500 by Jan. 15 , will leave us with the smallest contingent since the U.S. plunged into that country to remake it more in our image in 2001 .
And the troop drawdown comes at a time when the Taliban control the largest swath of Afghan territory since being overthrow 19 years ago .
The possibility of a collapse in Kabul , chaos ensuing and the country disintegrating early in a Biden presidency can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to preside over an American defeat similar to that in Vietnam in 1975 ?
But the truly formidable challenge for a President Biden will be China , which is not the China of 2016 that Vice President Biden recalls .
While the U.S. refuses to recognize China ’ s claims to disputed islets in the East and the South China Seas and has committed itself to defend the Japanese and Philippine claims , Beijing has not backed away from its claims and , indeed , has grown increasingly bellicose in making them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Taiwan .
Yet , what many Americans see as a democratic island of 25 million whose defense is a moral obligation and strategic necessity , China sees as a breakaway province , and signals in every way that it would fight a war rather than let Taiwan go .
These issues are likely to be decided in this decade .
And it is hard to see how the U.S. , 7,000 miles away , with a slowly shrinking share of the world ’ s economic and military power , would prevail indefinitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of proximity and population , and whose power is steadily rising in relative terms to that of the United States .
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan

Shop all books by Pat Buchanan
The Biden-Harris administration will confront “a pandemic, an economic crisis, calls for racial justice and climate change. The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One.”
So declares the transition team of Joe Biden, to echo what he’s defined as the lead items on his presidential agenda. And if this is his agenda, then how our presumed 46th president will proceed suggests itself.
The COVID-19 pandemic is now close to its apex, with a million new cases and a death toll in excess of 10,000 each week. We appear to be near the crest of the “second wave.”
Biden’s emphasis, as he has signaled, will be on slowing down the spread of the virus by universal masking and locking up and shutting down sectors of the American economy. COOFANDY Men’s S... Buy New $33.99 (as of 05:26 UTC - Details)
Yet, even as the worst of the pandemic appears directly ahead in December and January, the last six weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, the light at the end of the tunnel may be sighted within Biden’s first 100 days.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which have proven 90-95% effective against the virus, begin to come on line this month. By the end of Biden’s first 100 days, May 1, the beneficial effect of scores of millions of vaccinations should be visible to all, and the pandemic should be seen as irretrievably receding.
At least, that is the hope and expectation. And the media would naturally attribute the new dawn not to the triumph of Trump’s Operation Warp Speed but to the new president.
Biden’s response to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will almost surely be along the lines of what Congress is now debating, contingent upon whether Mitch McConnell is prepared to accept what comes over from the House.
A trillion-dollar package seems baked in the cake, as the country would not long tolerate congressional inaction if the pandemic were still raging through the population as it is today.
As for racial inequality, the pandemic has exposed, deepened and widened it. The surge in shootings and killings in major cities during the pandemic is hitting the Black communities hardest.
The decline in test scores at schools where kids have been kept away from formal classes since March is most pronounced among minorities. Black and Hispanic workers in service industries are a disproportionate share of the victims of the pandemic.
If half a century of social progress after the civil rights revolution of the ’60s and eight years of the first Black president have failed to reduce racial disparities in income, wealth, employment and incarcerations, does anyone believe Joe Biden has the solution?
As for climate change, John Kerry, the new climate czar, will begin his tenure after a year of the deepest reductions in carbon emissions in recorded history. Legendary Whitetails M... Buy New $79.99 (as of 05:12 UTC - Details)
By Dec. 31, U.S. carbon emissions will have fallen 9% from the end of 2019. Emissions from cars and aircraft fell 4% in 2020, from power 2.8%, and from industry .6%. On the flip side, forest fires reduced the 9% cut in carbon emissions by fully one-third.
Yet, it is in foreign policy where the traps appear.
The drawdown in U.S. troops in Afghanistan, to 2,500 by Jan. 15, will leave us with the smallest contingent since the U.S. plunged into that country to remake it more in our image in 2001.
And the troop drawdown comes at a time when the Taliban control the largest swath of Afghan territory since being overthrow 19 years ago. The possibility of a collapse in Kabul, chaos ensuing and the country disintegrating early in a Biden presidency cannot be ruled out.
Would Biden be willing to preside over an American defeat similar to that in Vietnam in 1975?
But the truly formidable challenge for a President Biden will be China, which is not the China of 2016 that Vice President Biden recalls.
While the U.S. refuses to recognize China’s claims to disputed islets in the East and the South China Seas and has committed itself to defend the Japanese and Philippine claims, Beijing has not backed away from its claims and, indeed, has grown increasingly bellicose in making them.
The U.S. has also been thickening ties to Taiwan.
Yet, what many Americans see as a democratic island of 25 million whose defense is a moral obligation and strategic necessity, China sees as a breakaway province, and signals in every way that it would fight a war rather than let Taiwan go.
These issues are likely to be decided in this decade. And it is hard to see how the U.S., 7,000 miles away, with a slowly shrinking share of the world’s economic and military power, would prevail indefinitely over a China that has the advantages of proximity and population, and whose power is steadily rising in relative terms to that of the United States.
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan