Money

Is The Impeachment Effort Simply A Political Ploy To Win Votes For Democrats In 2020?

Could it be possible that Nancy Pelosi and her minions in the House of Representatives had a completely different goal than we thought this entire time?  As you will see below, the Democrats in the House plan to impeach President Trump, and it could potentially happen by the end of this month.  But there appears to be zero chance that Trump will be removed from office by the Senate, and many will consider that to be a major victory for the Republicans.  So why is Nancy Pelosi pushing ahead when she knows that this impeachment effort is going to fail?  Could it be possible that this entire drama has simply been a political ploy to win votes in November 2020?

Many have assumed that a backlash against impeachment will greatly benefit Trump during this election season.  But history has not been kind to other presidents that have gone through an impeachment process.

In 1868, President Andrew Johnson was impeached by Republicans in the House of Representatives.  Johnson was not convicted by the Senate, but Republicans went on to win the next presidential election.

In 1974, Republican Richard Nixon resigned rather than face almost certain impeachment.  Democrats won the next presidential election even though they had a relatively weak candidate (Jimmy Carter).

In 1998, Republicans in the House of Representatives impeached Bill Clinton, but the Senate did not remove him from office.  However, Republicans did end up winning the presidential election in 2000.

So that means that the opposition party is three for three in cases similar to what we are facing now.

Could that actually be the key number that top Democrats are looking at?

On Thursday, Nancy Pelosi announced that the House is moving forward with articles of impeachment, and one CNN article sounded almost giddy that this is actually happening…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi moved the House much closer to impeachment Thursday when she officially directed the Judiciary Committee to draw up articles of impeachment. (As if it wasn’t already.)

But her announcement all but guarantees that President Donald Trump will be impeached. This is happening, people.

But Trump is not going to be removed from office, and millions of Democrats are going to be deeply disappointed when that does not happen.

Of course Nancy Pelosi has never suggested that her effort will be successful, and she continues to insist that her hand was forced by Trump…

“I’m really sorry the president made this necessary by his complete disregard for the vision of our founders,” she told reporters Thursday. “An impeachment is not a pleasant experience. It can be divisive. We don’t take any glee in this at all. It’s heartbreaking. But the president gave us no choice.”

What Pelosi is trying to do is to take the moral high ground.  Her intended audience is voters in the middle of the political spectrum, because they are the ones that will decide the 2020 election.

And it appears that things could move along quite rapidly in the House from this point forward.  In fact, NBC News is reporting that House Democrats are being told “not to make plans” for the weekend just prior to Christmas…

Pelosi did not say whether she had set a deadline for committees to write the articles of impeachment or when a full House vote would take place. Members who attended a closed-door Democratic caucus meeting on Wednesday, however, said they understood that the House would vote on articles before the holiday recess. One member said they were told to “not make plans” for Dec. 21 or 22, the weekend before Christmas.

I have been warning for months that the Democrats were going to impeach Trump, but at first a lot of people didn’t believe me.

But at this point even Donald Trump appears to be resigned to the fact that he will be impeached…

“If you are going to impeach me, do it now, fast, so we can have a fair trial in the Senate, and so that our Country can get back to business,” the president said in a pair of tweets shortly before Pelosi spoke.

It will only take a simple majority to impeach Trump in the House, and Democrats currently control 233 of the seats.

Of course there is still a possibility that some Democrats could actually vote against Pelosi, and one Democrat has already made it clear that he plans to do just that…

Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, one of two Democrats to vote against formalizing the impeachment inquiry, said he plans to vote against all the articles of impeachment “unless there’s something that I haven’t seen, haven’t heard before.”

He warned Democrats to “be careful what you wish for” and he added that impeachment “is tearing the nation apart. … And I want to bring people together.”

But a whole lot more Democrats are going to have to defect in order for the impeachment vote to fail, and right now there is absolutely no indication that is likely to happen.

In fact, most Democrats can’t wait to impeach Trump.  On Thursday, Representative Al Green actually suggested that they could try to impeach Trump again if the first attempt does not work…

Thursday on C-SPAN, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) discussed impeachment, saying “there is no limit” to how many times the House and Senate can try to impeach President Donald Trump.

Green said he suspects Trump will have additional offenses in the future, so he believes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will “move forward” with a vote to impeach Trump for his alleged quid pro quo demand with Ukraine and then try again “at a later time” if they find more during their investigations.

Sadly, most of the Democrats in Congress don’t seem to understand that they are tearing the country apart, and that could have very serious implications in the not too distant future.

But in Washington, winning is everything, and Democrats are absolutely obsessed with November 2020 right now.

Just consider what Nancy Pelosi told a CNN town hall on Thursday…

“Let’s not even contemplate that,” Pelosi said at a CNN town hall Thursday evening in response to an audience question about what checks will exist in the House of Representatives if Trump is reelected and the impeachment process is over.

“Civilization as we know it today is at stake in the next election, and certainly our planet,” Pelosi said.

Nancy Pelosi knows that the Senate will not vote to convict Trump, but that is not what she is after.

Her grand plan has always been to damage Trump for the 2020 election, and only time will tell if her gamble was successful.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

24 Voices That Are Warning America About What Is Coming, And Most Of Them Are Being Censored And Persecuted

We have reached one of the most critical points in American history, and there should literally be thousands upon thousands of voices sounding the alarm about what is coming.  So where are they?  This is a question that I have been pondering quite a bit lately.  As you will see in this article, there are some wonderful people out there that have been trying to wake America up for a very long time.  Of course many of them are also being viciously attacked and systematically censored by the social media giants.  There is a price to pay for telling the truth in America today, and it is only going to get worse.

My wife encouraged me to write something positive today, and so I am going to give that a shot.  I am so troubled by the direction that this country is heading, and of course I am definitely not alone.  In this article, I am going to share a list of some other prominent voices that are warning about many of the exact same things that I am warning about.  Some of these names you will know, and some of these names you will not know.  My hope is that this list will allow many of you to discover some new voices that will be a blessing to you.  I have never been afraid to promote others, because the truth is that we are all part of the same team.

I apologize in advance for anyone that I may have overlooked that should be on this list.  That is always the danger in making a list like this, and I am sure I will be kicking myself later when readers email me and mention names that I forgot.

And please keep in mind that this is not a list of every good pundit, politician and preacher in America.  Instead, this is specifically a list of those that are sounding the alarm about what is ahead.  It is also important to keep in mind that not everyone on this list approaches things from the same perspective, but all of them deeply love this nation.  We are entering a time that will be unlike anything we have ever seen before in American history, and I wish that I could give you a list of thousands of “watchmen” that are trying to wake people up.  But for now, here is a list of 24 that I would recommend checking out…

#1 Alex Jones and the entire Infowars team – Alex and his team have been “the tip of the spear” for so many years, and I am so thankful for them.  They have been incredibly good to me, and I have always appreciated that they have always allowed me to say whatever I have wanted to say.  I can tell you from firsthand experience that they work incredibly hard, and the service that they provide the American people is invaluable.

#2 Mike Adams – The big tech companies have been trying to erase Mike Adams and NaturalNews.com from the Internet as much as they possibly can, but it hasn’t worked.  People know and trust the Health Ranger, and the information he provides is rock solid.  I have spent time with Mike in person, and he genuinely has a really good heart.  He truly wants to do the right thing, and he keeps getting persecuted for it.

#3 Steve Quayle – Has anyone on the Internet been sounding the alarm longer than Steve Quayle has?  Long before I ever started writing I was listening to Steve, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.  His website is on my list of key news sites that I check on a daily basis, and I greatly admire his passion.  There is no question that he loves America, and it comes out in everything that he does.

#4 Zero Hedge – Speaking of key news sites, the guys over at Zero Hedge are doing an amazing job.  I still remember when Zero Hedge was a relatively new website, and it has maintained the same unique personality all this time.  Today, I consider it to be one of the most important news websites in the entire world.  I don’t just check it daily – I actually check it multiple times per day.

#5 Jonathan Cahn – Do you know why my friend Jonathan Cahn shines so brightly?  It is because he is so rare.  I wish that there were thousands more just like him, but there isn’t.  He is one of the greatest teachers in America, and if you ever want to get really fired up just pull up one of his videos on YouTube.  His books have touched millions and he is working incredibly hard to point America in the right direction.

#6 Dr. Michael Brown – Dr. Brown is one of the names on this list that I have never spoken to personally, but I hope that changes, because we are on the exact same wavelength much of the time.  His articles are always deeply insightful, and he is not afraid to say things that most others in the Christian community will not.  He is deeply intellectual, extremely wise and his voice is desperately needed in a time such as this.

#7 Mac Slavo – Mac has been running my articles on his excellent website for years, and I am very thankful for that.  Our websites came to prominence about the same time, and I have always considered him to be an extremely valuable member of the effort to wake America up.  He has always been very kind to me, and his information has had a tremendous impact from coast to coast.

#8 Daisy Luther – Daisy is known as “the Organic Prepper”, and she is one hard working lady.  She has a true gift for connecting with people, and her practical advice has helped countless numbers of families.  I have been featuring her articles periodically on The Most Important News, and I need to start doing that more often, because people love Daisy Luther.

#9 Carl Gallups – I wish that Carl lived right next door, because he just has a way of making people feel better.  He is simply the kind of guy that people love to hang out with.  I don’t know where he gets all of that energy, and when I got a chance to speak with him in person I was struck by how much joy he exudes.  And despite all of that, he never backs down from telling the truth, and he is always going to tell it to you straight.

#10 Marty Breeden – Many of you may not know Marty yet, but I hope that you soon will.  He is a former police officer with a really big heart, and he has been relentlessly warning America about what is ahead.  He actually went “code blue” twice, and what he experienced during that difficult time in the hospital changed his life forever.  Marty is a personal friend of mine, and I believe that his greatest days are still ahead.

#11 Stan Johnson – I have found that people either love Stan or they hate Stan.  And I can identify with that because I get attacked a lot too.  I love my friend Stan Johnson and I am so thankful for him.  My wife and I have been watching his videos for more than a decade, and he has continued to sound the alarm through thick and thin.  Stan and I developed an instant connection when we first met, and I know that he has a really good heart.

#12 Ricky Scaparo – Doesn’t Ricky do an absolutely fantastic job with End Time Headlines?  I check it every day, and I don’t know where he finds all of those stories.  I always find it humorous when he decides to redesign the site yet again, and hopefully he will stick with the current design for a while because it looks great.  And of course the information that he provides is always top notch.

#13 Dan Catlin – The work that Pastor Dan has done with the homeless in Wichita, Kansas is amazing, and he has been faithfully sounding the alarm on his radio shows for a very long time.  He has been so gracious to have me on his shows over and over again, and he has a super big heart.  I wish that there were thousands more Dan Catlins all over the country, because we definitely need more men like him.

#14 Bree Keyton – You might not know who Bree Keyton is, but you should.  Her work with the pygmies in Africa is the kind of stuff that legends are made out of, and she is absolutely fearless.  Every time I listen to her I learn something new, and she has been relentlessly warning America about what will happen if this nation doesn’t change direction.

#15 Augusto Perez – This is another voice that has been warning America about what is coming for a very long time.  Not a lot of people know Augusto, but he should be one of the most famous preachers in America.  He probably won’t get very popular until things really start going haywire, but Augusto was never in this for the fame.  He is just trying to be faithful to his call, and he is doing a great job.

#16 Zach Drew – I developed a close friendship with Zach from the very first time that I ever visited Morningside.  Of course he has his own show now, and it is doing very well.  Zach wants to be a voice that reaches the Millennials, and that is desperately needed at this hour.  We are losing an entire generation of young people, and I wish that there were thousands of more voices just like Zach trying to wake them up.

#17 Tom Horn – Does anyone else out there still remember Raiders News Network?  Of course that has evolved into SkywatchTV now, and Tom’s impact is literally felt all over the globe.  He dives deep into subjects that hardly anyone else will touch, and he has a sparkling reputation.  I hope that he continues his work for many more years to come, because he has become a tremendous light.

#18 L.A. Marzulli – L.A. has sure been through a lot over the years, but he has never lost his passion for his work.  He has truly gone places that no other researcher has gone before, and my wife and I have been exceedingly blessed by his videos.  And in the times that are coming, I believe that L.A.’s work will become more important than ever before.

#19 WND – Despite everything, WND continues to sound the alarm.  It was one of the very first big alternative websites on the Internet, and it has definitely been through some ups and downs.  But through it all the folks over there have continued to tell the truth, even though they have often paid a great price for doing so.

#20 Paul Begley – How in the world does Paul put out so many videos?  I just checked, and there are now over 14,000 videos on his YouTube channel.  Are you kidding me?  I know how much work it takes to do one video, and he just keeps pumping out multiple videos day after day after day.  He is deeply committed to waking people up, and he has developed a very large following.

#22 Michael Boldea – My wife and I are so thankful for Michael and for his late grandfather.  Michael continues to try to wake up America, and he also continues to help orphans in Romania through Hand of Help.  And this is something that I have found to be true with so many of these watchmen.  They are sounding the alarm, but they are also working hard to help those that are in need around them.

#23 Coach Dave Daubenmire – There is only one Coach Dave, and he is just as relentless as ever.  Could you imagine what this country would look like if we could clone Coach Dave and have those clones replace every single member of Congress?  He speaks the truth with great boldness, and he never backs down.

#24 Greg Hunter – Greg has become one of the top interviewers in America, and I am always amazed by the guests that he is able to book.  He very graciously invited me to be a guest on his show this week, and our conversation is definitely making a lot of waves.  But I think that our conversation after the interview was over was even better.  Greg is a really good guy, and I look forward to being on his show again soon.

So are there other names that you would add to this list?

Please feel free to tell me what you think by posting a comment below…

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Signs Of The Times: Mt. Rainier And The New Madrid Fault Zone Were Both Just Hit By Significant Earthquakes

Mt. Rainier and the New Madrid fault zone are both shaking, and a catastrophic seismic event at either location would cause death and destruction on an unimaginable scale.  Mt. Rainier has been called “one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world”, and scientists tell us that it is just a matter of time before a major eruption occurs.  When that day finally arrives, Mt. Rainier has the potential to bury hundreds of square miles with a colossal tsunami of super-heated mud that is literally several hundred feet deep.  And since Mt. Rainier is very close to major population centers, we are talking about the potential for the worst disaster that we have seen in modern American history.  But a massive earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone actually has the potential to be far worse.  A very deep scar under the ground that was created when North America was originally formed has made that part of the country very mechanically weak, and many experts believe that a big enough earthquake along that fault zone could literally rip the United States in half.

But before we discuss the New Madrid fault zone, let’s talk about what just happened at Mt. Rainier first.

According to the USGS, Mt. Rainier was hit by a magnitude 3.6 earthquake on Sunday afternoon…

After a spurt of seismic activity this weekend, Mount Rainier National Park was shaken by a 3.6 magnitude earthquake Sunday afternoon.

The quake hit at 12:31 p.m. and was felt as far as Kent, nearly 80 miles away, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The relatively shallow quake was centered roughly a mile beneath the earth’s surface.

In addition to that quake, there have been quite a few others in recent days.

In fact, it is being reported that Mt. Rainier has been hit by “more than a dozen” earthquakes since Thanksgiving day.

The Seattle Times is assuring us that this is perfectly normal, but they are also warning their readers that they “should prepare for what might happen in the event of an eruption” just in case…

Regardless, people living near Mount Rainier should prepare for what might happen in the event of an eruption, said Wes Thelen, a research seismologist at the Cascade Volcano Observatory. Specifically, an eruption could cause lahars — large volcanic mudflows — to rip down the side of the mountain.

Many of my readers clearly remember the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, but a catastrophic eruption of Mt. Rainier would be so much worse that the two events would not even be worth comparing.  The following comes from Wikipedia…

If Mt. Rainier were to erupt as powerfully as Mount St. Helens did in its May 18, 1980 eruption, the effect would be cumulatively greater, because of the far more massive amounts of glacial ice locked on the volcano compared to Mount St. Helens,[40] the vastly more heavily populated areas surrounding Rainier, and the simple fact that Mt Rainier is a much bigger volcano, almost twice the size of St. Helens.[49] Lahars from Rainier pose the most risk to life and property,[50] as many communities lie atop older lahar deposits. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), about 150,000 people live on top of old lahar deposits of Rainier.[9] Not only is there much ice atop the volcano, the volcano is also slowly being weakened by hydrothermal activity. According to Geoff Clayton, a geologist with a Washington State Geology firm, RH2 Engineering, a repeat of the 5000-year-old Osceola Mudflow would destroy Enumclaw, Orting, Kent, Auburn, Puyallup, Sumner and all of Renton.[39] Such a mudflow might also reach down the Duwamish estuary and destroy parts of downtown Seattle, and cause tsunami in Puget Sound and Lake Washington.[51] Rainier is also capable of producing pyroclastic flows and expelling lava.[51]

A lahar is essentially a giant tsunami of super-heated mud, and they can be hundreds of feet high.  If you live in that region, you might be thinking that you will just outrun any lahar that is headed your way, but the truth is that the highways will instantly be jammed once an eruption happens and a lahar can travel at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.  The following is how one author described the danger that those living in the area could potentially be facing…

The numerous towns and cities that occupy the surrounding valley would all be at risk for not only severe destruction, but complete annihilation. Residents of cities like Orting, Sumner, Buckley, and Enumclaw are estimated to have no more than 30 minutes before the lahar, speeding down from the many rivers that flow from Mount Rainier, buries their homes and businesses beneath as much as 30 feet of mud and debris. Even the larger cities like Auburn, Puyallup, and Tacoma itself are not safe. Auburn and Puyallup, with nearly 80,000 residents between them, would be covered in 20 feet of mud in less than an hour, and Tacoma, at almost 200,000, is estimated to be hit with nearly 10 feet from the lahar.

As you can see, the death and destruction would be off the charts, and let us hope that such a disaster does not arrive any time soon.

And as I mentioned earlier, a major earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone has the potential to create even greater death and destruction.

According to scientists, the New Madrid fault zone sits directly above a very deep geological scar that was created when North America was formed.  According to Wikipedia, this immense scar makes “the Earth’s crust in the New Madrid area mechanically weaker than much of the rest of North America”.

Today, the New Madrid fault zone is approximately six times bigger than the San Andreas fault zone in California.  It covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, and the largest earthquakes in the lower 48 states have happened in this region.

Scientists assure us that it is just a matter of time before more catastrophic earthquakes hit this fault zone, and that is why what has been happening near the town of Ridgely, Tennessee in recent days is so concerning…

A swarm of at least 15 earthquakes reaching up to 2.1 magnitude rattled Ridgely, Tennessee — a small town near the Mississippi River — over a two-day period, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

The other quakes in the swarm ranged from 1.1 to 1.5 magnitude, according to the USGS.

Most Americans have never heard of Ridgely, and it is definitely a very small town, but what makes this so important is that Ridgely sits directly inside the New Madrid fault zone…

Ridgely is home to just 1,657 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and sits less than four miles from the banks of the Mississippi River.

It’s also part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone — which the Missouri Department of Natural Resources refers to as “the most active seismic area in the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains.”

In 1811 and 1812, four absolutely massive earthquakes along the New Madrid fault zone opened up very deep fissures in the ground, they caused the Mississippi River to actually run backwards in certain places, and they were reportedly felt as far away as Washington D.C. and Boston.

Fortunately, very few people populated the region in those days, but if such a quake happened today the death and destruction would be unimaginable.  The following description of one of the quakes that happened in 1811 comes from Smithsonian.com, and for a moment I would like for you to imagine what would happen if such an earthquake happened in our time…

The Midwest was sparsely populated, and deaths were few. But 8-year-old Godfrey Lesieur saw the ground “rolling in waves.” Michael Braunm observed the river suddenly rise up “like a great loaf of bread to the height of many feet.” Sections of riverbed below the Mississippi rose so high that part of the river ran backward. Thousands of fissures ripped open fields, and geysers burst from the earth, spewing sand, water, mud and coal high into the air.

The New Madrid fault zone has altered the course of the Mississippi River before, and someday it will happen again.

We live at a time when our planet appears to be getting increasing unstable.  In addition to the other earthquakes that I have already mentioned, Alaska was actually hit by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Monday.

Unfortunately, most Americans are not going to start caring about the warning signs until a major disaster has already happened.

Most people will simply not wake up without a major amount of shaking, and let us hope that such a day can be put off for as long as possible.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Solar Minimum Madness: Is Thanksgiving’s Winter Wonderland A Preview Of The Bitterly Cold Winter To Come?

This week, three major winter storms will batter most of the country with ice, snow and bitterly cold temperatures just in time for Thanksgiving.  It is being projected that 55 million Americans will be traveling this week, and so this bizarre weather comes at a very bad time.  But of course we have already seen a series of blizzards roar across the nation in recent weeks and hundreds of record cold temperatures have already been shattered and we are still about a month away from the official start of winter.  Normally, it isn’t supposed to be this cold or this snowy yet, but we don’t live in “normal” times.

Scientists tell us that solar activity becomes very quiet during a “solar minimum”, and when solar activity becomes very quiet we tend to have very cold winters.  And in recent months solar activity has been very, very low.  In fact, we haven’t seen any sunspots at all “since November 2”…

We have not seen any sunspots since November 2, and at that time they were only visible for two days, and prior to that no sunspots since October 2.

Unless things change, and that is not expected to happen, we should prepare for a very cold and very snowy winter.  And this upcoming week is likely to be a preview of coming attractions.  According to CNN, holiday travelers will have three major winter storms to deal with…

As Thanksgiving week starts, a record number of travelers will be dealing with three storms nationwide that will add to the holiday stress.

One storm will lash the East and will affect travel through Sunday, another one will batter the Midwest on Tuesday and a third one will move through the West on Wednesday.

Forecasters are telling us that Denver could receive a foot of snow, but it isn’t too unusual for Denver to get a lot of snow.

But it is unusual for Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to get snow this time of the year, and apparently it looks like that could happen on Wednesday…

By Wednesday Arizona could see snow, as could New Mexico, the northern Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma Panhandle.

As that storm moves through the Midwest, “winterlike travel” is expected over large portions of the heartland…

“At this time, enough snow to create winterlike travel is anticipated from central and northeastern Colorado to much of Nebraska, northern Kansas, much of Iowa, northwestern Missouri, northwestern Illinois, southeastern Minnesota, central and eastern Wisconsin and northern Michigan,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.

Forecasters expect Tuesday into Wednesday to bring the worst conditions in the Midwest, with strong, gusty winds battering such key airports as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Shortly thereafter, an absolutely massive winter storm is going to hit California really hard, and we are being told that “travel may be impossible” in certain areas…

Winter storm watches have already been issued for the Sierra and the National Weather Service is saying travel may be impossible as snow levels drop which could lead to numerous road closures Wednesday into Thursday.

Several feet is forecast to snow in the mountains. In the lower elevations and along the coast, it will be rain with the possibility of totals reaching 5 inches.

This definitely is not normal.

In some parts of the country, it feels like winter already arrived more than a month ago.  This has had a huge impact on harvest season, and unusually cold temperatures could also make things extremely difficult for farmers that plan to grow crops this winter.  The following comes from Martin Armstrong…

The BIG FREEZE is upon us. The volatility in weather that our computer has been forecasting on a long-term basis should result in this winter being colder than the last. In Britain, the snow has hit an already flood-ravaged country as temperatures plunged to -7C. This is part of the problem we face. The ground freezes down and this prevents winter crops. During the late 1700s, the ground froze to a depth of 2 feet according to John Adams.

And over in Scotland, it is being projected that this could be “the coldest winter for 10 years”…

SCOTLAND is forecast the coldest winter for 10 years – with -13C lows, snow, ice and travel woes, with a weak sun and Arctic chills blamed.

The worst winter since 2009-10 is due as the sun is at the weakest point of its 11-year cycle of strength, said The Weather Company, the world’s biggest commercial forecaster.

The last time the sun’s power was as low as now, Scotland saw the bitter 2009-10 winter, Britain’s coldest winter since the 1970s, and the 2010 Big Freeze, with the coldest December ever recorded.

We are witnessing bizarrely cold weather all over the northern hemisphere, but most people don’t understand why this is happening.

More than anything else, solar activity determines whether conditions are going to be warmer or colder than normal.  So this is why the Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmer’s Almanac are both telling us that this winter will be bitterly cold and very snowy…

Not long after the Farmers’ Almanac suggested it would be a “freezing, frigid, and frosty” season, the *other* Farmer’s Almanac has released its annual weather forecast—and it’s equally upsetting.

While the first publication focused on the cold temperatures anticipated this winter, the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that excessive snowfall will be the most noteworthy part of the season.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which was founded in 1792, says that the upcoming winter “will be remembered for strong storms” featuring heavy rain, sleet, and a lot of snow. The periodical actually used the word “snow-verload” to describe the conditions we can expect in the coming months.

Scientists are hoping that solar activity will return to normal soon, but there is no guarantee that will happen.  In fact, in a recent article I explained that some experts believe that we may have entered a “grand solar minimum” similar to the Maunder Minimum that created a “mini ice age” in the 17th century.  The sunspot cycle virtually vanished from 1645 to 1715, and this resulted in bitterly cold temperatures, disastrous harvests and famines that killed millions upon millions of people all over the globe.

Hopefully things will not get that bad any time soon, but without a doubt we live at a time when global weather patterns are going absolutely haywire.  We should be hoping for the best, but we should also be preparing for the worst.

This week, the crazy weather will be a major headache for holiday travelers, but that is just a temporary problem.  If solar activity does not return to normal over the next few years, we will soon have far larger issues to deal with.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

The Mainstream Media Is Filled With Conspiracy Theories Regarding Trump’s Mysterious Visit To The Hospital

On Saturday, President Trump made an unscheduled visit to Walter Reed Hospital.  According to White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, Trump went through “a routine checkup as part of his annual physical”, and after about two hours he departed.  If it was anyone else, this wouldn’t even be news.  But when it comes to Trump, if there is any potential sign of weakness the mainstream media is going to jump all over it.  Even though the White House insists that Trump is in perfect health, the mainstream media refuses to believe it.  In fact, a CNN article about this incident claims that we can’t take anything that the Trump administration tells us at face value because of the “thousands of lies and deceptions” that the Trump administration has supposedly already promulgated…

Like a weekend worrier who shows up at the emergency room, President Donald Trump went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center unannounced for what the White House says were supposedly routine tests. “He’s in good health and it was a routine checkup as part of his annual physical,” insisted White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

Another administration might get the benefit of the doubt in such a case, but after thousands of lies and deceptions, this one deserves nothing of the sort.

Of course that article didn’t actually identify any examples of past “lies and deceptions” by the White House.

A reporter for the Los Angeles Times also accused the Trump administration of a “long history of false statements”…

“Perfect example of how the long history of false statements from White House has worn away any presumption of truthfulness,” David Lauter, the Los Angeles Times’ Washington bureau chief, tweeted. “Maybe Trump’s hospital visit was routine, but burden of proof is on WH to show evidence.”

What we are witnessing is extremely bizarre.  The mainstream media is regularly accusing the president of the United States and those around him of being blatant liars, and they are making it very clear that we shouldn’t believe anything that they tell us.

Could you imagine if they had treated Barack Obama this way?

In order for our system of government to function properly, we need to be able to trust that our leaders are telling us the truth.  If they are not telling us the truth, or if we feel like we are no longer able to trust them, our system is ultimately doomed to fail.

And with each passing day, the mainstream media is working very hard to erode our trust in the White House.  NBC News seems to think that we should be suspicious of what happened at Walter Reed because it deviated from what Trump had done in the past…

Trump, 73, had no public events on his calendar Saturday and no advance guidance was given that he would be getting any kind of medical exam. Trump’s prior two physical exams as president were on the public schedule and advance warning was provided. In addition, those exams did not take place in multiple “phases.” Trump’s most recent physical was in February.

Trump arrived at the hospital at 2:45 p.m. Saturday and spent slightly more than two hours there. He was seen leaving with a tan envelope tucked in his arm. The full annual presidential physical typically takes several hours and is unlikely to be described as a “quick exam and labs,” which is how White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham explained the visit afterward.

And Jonathan Wackrow of CNN pointed out that the medical unit at the White House “could easily accommodate most of what is needed in an annual physical“…

This does not add up; the White House Medical Unit has very comprehensive facilities at the White House complex that could easily accommodate most of what is needed in an annual physical. As a fmr USSS Agent assigned POTUS, I have never seen the annual formality occur in stages.

But just because Trump did something a certain way a couple of times in the past does not mean that he is always going to do things that way in the future.

Trump is known to suddenly change course based on what he is feeling in the moment.  Perhaps he got up on Saturday and decided that getting checked out by a doctor would be a good thing to do, and there wouldn’t be anything wrong with that.

Unfortunately, many in the mainstream media continue to speculate that there must have been some sort of “medical issue” that caused the sudden visit to Walter Reed.  For example, just check out what Joe Lockhart tweeted…

“The one thing you can be absolutely sure of is this was not routine and he didn’t go up there for half his physical,” tweeted Joe Lockhart, a press secretary under President Bill Clinton, who was himself impeached for perjury and obstruction. “What does it mean? It means that we just won’t know what the medical issue was.”

And NBC News actually speculated on the air that President Trump may have a heart problem…

NICHOLS: But at his last check-up, doctors noted a higher coronary calcium score.

TORRES: The calcium score he had from 2018 showed he already had plaque buildup around his heart. That’s a bit concerning.

When Hillary Clinton was literally collapsing in public during the 2016 campaign season, the mainstream media insisted over and over that she was perfectly fine.

But Trump makes one unscheduled visit to the hospital, and all of a sudden the conspiracy theories are running rampant in the mainstream media.

Some outlets are even promoting the theory that this hospital visit was made so that Trump can resign for health reasons…

According to Cheri Jacobus, Trump’s hospital visit was setting up an excuse “so he can quickly resign for alleged ‘health reasons.’”

According to Jacobus, Trump may simply quit, as evidence grows in the impeachment inquiry against him. Vice President Mike Pence would then become president — and would hand Trump a pardon for any crimes he may have committed, due to “compassion” for Trump’s alleged “health issues.”

What a bunch of nonsense.

After everything he has been through, President Trump is definitely not going to resign.  Every time the mainstream media spreads such nonsense they lose even more credibility.

In the old days, the mainstream media would simply report the information that they received from the White House, and what the White House is telling us is that President Trump is “perfectly healthy”…

As Trump was at the hospital, Grisham said, “Anticipating a very busy 2020, the president is taking advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, D.C., to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed.” Afterward, she said Trump “remains healthy and energetic without complaints, as demonstrated by his repeated vigorous rally performances in front of thousands of Americans several times a week.”

Later in the evening, Grisham told NBC News in a statement that Trump “is fine — perfectly healthy.”

But what isn’t healthy is the relationship between the Trump administration and the mainstream media.

During previous administrations, the mainstream media at least attempted to maintain a pretense of objectivity, but those days are long gone.

At this point it is exceedingly apparent that they absolutely hate Trump, and they are going to do their very best to help get a Democrat elected in 2020.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

35 Reasons Why You Should Move Away From California

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a “reboot” button for an entire state?  Because the truth is that if an entire state ever needed to completely start over it is the state of California.  At this point it has become the epicenter for just about everything that is wrong with America, and each year it just keeps coming up with new ways to become an even worse cesspool of social decay and depravity.  Millions of people have already left the state, and millions more are thinking of leaving.  One recent survey found that 47 percent of all Californians are thinking about moving out of the state in the next five years, and a different survey discovered that 53 percent of those currently living in the state would like to leave.  If about half the people in your state are seriously considering leaving, it is safe to say that things have gone horribly wrong.  But instead of changing course, those running California continue taking the state down a very self-destructive path.

It is such a shame, because California should be one of the greatest places in the world to live.  The weather is wonderful most of the year, the state still possesses extraordinary natural beauty, and the tech industry provides plenty of high paying jobs.

When I was growing up, millions of young Americans dreamed of moving there and living “the California dream”, and when I was a young man I seriously explored the possibility of moving there myself.

And the truth is that a lot of great things have come out of the state.  The following comes from a recent article by Ann Coulter…

In the last century, every great thing started in California: surfing, jeans, Disneyland, tax revolts, McDonald’s, movies, car culture, the Grateful Dead, right on red turns, Merle Haggard, skateboarding, Apple computer, and the last two elected Republican presidents not named “Bush.”

But now I don’t know why anyone would want to live there.

If you currently live in California, I am about to tell you a whole bunch of reasons why you should leave.  In fact, if I could get everybody to leave the state, I would.

However, if you feel specifically called to stay, then that is what you should do.  Without a doubt, light is needed the most where things are the darkest, and California needs as much light as it can get right now.

Unfortunately, I believe that it is too late for the state as a whole.  It is headed for a date with destiny, and most of the nearly 40 million people that live there have absolutely no idea what is coming.

If you live in the state and you do not know what you should do, I would get out while you still can.  The following are 35 reasons why you should move away from California…

1. Incredibly high taxes.  At this point, California has the highest marginal tax rate in the entire country.

2. Absurd housing costs.

3. The median home value in the state is now more than half a million dollars, and that is about twice as high as the national average.

4. It has been estimated that it now takes approximately $350,000 a year to live a middle class lifestyle in the city of San Francisco.

5. Endless wildfires.

6. Epic mudslides.

7. Horrific traffic jams.

8. Los Angeles has the worst traffic congestion in the entire world.

9. The education system is awful.

10. Medical tyranny.

11. One of the highest poverty levels in the United States.

12. Thousands of drug addicts are literally pooping in the streets.

13. Almost half of all the homeless people in the entire nation live in California.

14. The state is literally being overrun by millions of rats.

15. Los Angeles has been ranked as the second most rat-infested city in the country.

16. At this point things are so bad that even Los Angeles City Hall is being overrun by rats.

17. Illegal immigration is out of control, and the sanctuary cities in California are making things even worse.

18. Rising gang activity.

19. High crime rates.

20. There is now a law in California that protects shoplifters.  So for those that enjoy shoplifting, this might actually be a reason to move into the state.

21. The drug war that has been raging in Mexico is increasingly spilling across the border.

22. California has been ranked as the worst state in the nation to do business year after year.

23. California is also one of the most litigious states in the entire country.

24. The once pristine beaches in the state are now being “completely overrun with fecal bacteria”.

25. Nancy Pelosi.

26. Kamala Harris.

27. Governor Gavin Newsom.

28. The lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state and the state treasurer are all Democrats.

29. Democrats make up nearly two-thirds of the California State Senate.

30. Democrats make up more than two-thirds of the California State Assembly.

31. Both of the U.S. senators and 46 out of the 53 members of the House of Representatives that California sends to Washington are Democrats.

32. Much of the population is openly hostile to those that identify as conservatives.

33. California has been on the cutting edge of America’s moral decay for decades.

34. There have been more than 100,000 earthquakes in the state so far this year.

35. One day the “Big One” will hit California, and the geography of the state will be dramatically altered.  The devastation will be unlike anything we have ever witnessed, and the death toll will be unimaginable.

If Donald Trump wins the next presidential election, there is a group of activists in California that plan to get a “Calexit” referendum on the ballot for the following election.

Those activists don’t want to be part of a country that would elect Trump two times, because they consider their values to be completely and utterly incompatible with Trump’s values.

But what is happening in this nation is far bigger than just Trump.

To me, it would be wonderful if the rest of the nation decided that their values were completely and utterly incompatible with California’s values.  We desperately need to turn America around, and the way to do that is to head in a completely opposite direction from the way that California is going.

Sadly, it does not appear that is going to happen.  California may be racing ahead of most of the rest of the country, but our final destination will be the same.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Hundreds Of Earthquakes Rattle The U.S. As The Level Of Seismic Activity In North America Continues To Rise

Why is the mainstream media being so quiet about all of the seismic activity that has been happening all across the United States?  During the last 7 days, there has been an earthquake swarm directly along the New Madrid Fault zone, Kansas and Oklahoma have been hit by a very unusual number of significant quakes, and there have been several sizable seismic events in the vicinity of the Yellowstone supervolcano.  But of course the west coast is getting hammered more than anyone else.  According to Cal Tech, there have been more than 1000 earthquakes in California and Nevada over the last week, but of course most of them have been very small.  Overall, the latest USGS numbers tell us that there have been more than 2,000 earthquakes nationally during the last 7 days, and apparently we aren’t supposed to be alarmed by that.  But could it be possible that all of this seismic activity is leading up to something really big?

Over the weekend, we witnessed some very unusual quakes in the middle of the country.  On Sunday, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake rattled Kansas…

The Kansas quake hit at 9:08 p.m. Central time near South Hutchinson, northwest of Wichita, according to the USGS. About 175 people reported feeling the tremor, some as far away as Osborne and Concordia, Kansas.

Thankfully that quake hit in an area with a very low population density, and so it didn’t affect that many people.

But then on Sunday, a series of relatively large earthquakes hammered Oklahoma…

A 3.0-magnitude earthquake hit near Fairview in northern Oklahoma, at 1 a.m. Sunday, followed by a 2.6-magnitude quake at 1:37 a.m. near Quinton in eastern Oklahoma, the USGS reports. A 2.7-magnitude tremor rattled Waukomis in northern Oklahoma at 4:25 p.m. Saturday

Overall, there have been 143 earthquakes in Oklahoma in the last 30 days, and the increasing level of seismic activity in that part of the nation definitely has a lot of people on edge.

But of much greater concern is what has been happening along the west coast.  The two major quakes that hit California in July were followed by more than 100,000 aftershocks, and scientists are warning that this “may have increased stress on parts of a major dormant fault line”…

A series of earthquakes which shook Southern California earlier this year may have increased stress on parts of a major dormant fault line which has not produced any significant activity since records began, according to a study.

Scientists from the University of Iowa examined the so-called Ridgecrest earthquakes, which began with a 6.4 magnitude foreshock in the Mojave Desert on July 4, followed the next day by a 7.1 magnitude quake—the largest in Southern California for two decades. In addition, more than 100,000 smaller aftershocks were recorded.

The “dormant fault line” which they are talking about is the Garlock Fault.

And the Garlock Fault runs directly into the San Andreas Fault.

One day there will be a massive quake that fundamentally alters the geography of southern California, and let us hope that day is delayed for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, we have also witnessed some unusual rumbling off the coast farther north.

In fact, five large earthquakes were detected off of the Oregon coast last month.  The following comes from a news story that was posted on October 21st…

A magnitude-4.6 earthquake Monday morning became the fifth to strike off the Oregon coast since the beginning of the month.

The quake rumbled around 6:47 a.m. about 120 miles west of Bandon and at a depth of roughly 6 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

On Thursday, a magnitude-4.7 temblor struck about 95 miles from Port Orford — just hours after students in Coos and Curry counties participated in an annual earthquake drill.

The reason why these quakes are so alarming is because they happened in the vicinity of the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

As Steve Quayle recently told Greg Hunter, someday the Cascadia Subduction Zone will suddenly come to life, and it will be the greatest natural disaster that we have seen so far in all of American history…

What’s the worst case scenario if the Cascadia Subduction Zone lets loose and volcanos, earthquakes and tsunamis are unleashed? Quayle says “The amount of damage, and I am going to choose my words carefully, is going to be precedent setting. It’s going to be the combination of volcanos going off that are inland from the subduction zone where the plates meet, coupled with tsunamis. . . . When this happens, you will lose eight million to twenty million people. When it happens, you will lose all productivity in the electronic field, obviously Silicon Valley, and all food production in all of California, Oregon and Washington. When it happens, you will have a State of Emergency unlike any other. How about the refugees? There will be 3.5 million refugees to take care of. When this happens, what happens to the underground aquifers, and where does everybody go for fresh water? There will be years of drought, years of famine and years of water, water where did it all go? It is a very dire situation painted by computer models. This is not a sensational thing. It is a reality based, scientific study with the application of what happens.”

Quayle warns that the public would likely have roughly “15 minutes to get to safety,” and “the tsunami waves would be 500 to 1,500 feet tall.”

You can see the trailer for the new film that is being produced about the Cascadia Subduction Zone right here.  I am so glad that this movie is being made, because I have been trying to warn people about what is going to happen for a long time.  For example, the following comes from one of my previous articles entitled “You Have Been Warned: Experts Tell Us That A Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake And Tsunami Will Destroy Everything West Of Interstate 5”…

One day it will happen. With little or no warning, the Cascadia Subduction Zone will produce a catastrophic earthquake and accompanying tsunami that will essentially destroy everything west of Interstate 5 in the Pacific Northwest. It will be the worst natural disaster up to that point in American history, and as you will see below, the experts are saying that we are completely and utterly unprepared for it. Of course the San Andreas Fault gets more publicity, but the truth is that the Cascadia Subduction Zone is capable of producing a quake “almost 30 times more energetic” than anything the San Andreas Fault can produce.

Scientists assure us that it is just a matter of time before such a disaster takes place.

So essentially those living right along the coast are taking a huge gamble.

Day after day, they hope that there is still at least a little bit more time before the Cascadia Subduction Zone absolutely devastates the Northwest.

Of course up until now that gamble has paid off, but one day their luck will suddenly run out.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep.  My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters.  (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing those books you help to support my work.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I can only allow this to happen if this “About the Author” section is included with each article.  In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished.  This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

The Democrats Really Think That They Have Finally Got Trump This Time

It seems like the Democrats have been trying to figure out a way to remove Donald Trump from office forever.  Trump was under investigation even before he won the election, and it has literally been a miracle that his presidency has been able to survive for as long as it has.  But now the Democrats think that they have finally got him.  A parade of witnesses has come forward testifying that Trump pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, and that Trump withheld key military aid from Ukraine as leverage.  Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff and other top Democrats believe that this constitutes an “abuse of power”, and that this “abuse of power” qualifies as a “high crime or misdemeanor”.  Other than Fox News, the mainstream media is solidly behind the Democrats on this, and we have seen a shift in public opinion polls in favor of impeachment.  Many conservatives continue to doubt that an impeachment trial will actually happen, but Nancy Pelosi would have never let things get this far if she didn’t know for sure that she has the votes that she needs to impeach Trump in the House.  At this point, it appears extremely likely that Trump will be impeached, and that will set up a historic trial in the U.S. Senate.

On Tuesday, House impeachment investigators will hear testimony from Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, and according to a draft of his opening statement he plans to tell them that he notified his superiors twice regarding his concerns that military aid to Ukraine was being withheld in order to pressure the Ukrainians to investigate the Bidens…

The White House’s top expert on Ukraine twice notified superiors about concerns that the president and those working for him were linking foreign aid to Ukraine with investigations that would help President Donald Trump politically, a push that he said could undermine U.S. national security, according to an opening statement obtained by USA TODAY.

The testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman before the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees Tuesday will mark the first time lawmakers investigating the impeachment inquiry will hear from someone who listened to Trump’s July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — the call at the center of the impeachment investigation that included a Trump’s request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.

This is likely to be bombshell testimony, but the American public won’t get a chance to hear from Vindman firsthand because the Democrats made a critical strategic mistake.

At the outset of this process, the Democrats decided to keep the proceedings shielded from the American public.  This has opened them up to tremendous criticism from Republicans, and it has resulted in them missing opportunity after opportunity to move public opinion more dramatically.

For the past month, the Democrats have looked like they are trying to hide what they are doing, and the process has been deeply unfair to President Trump.

Finally realizing that they have massively screwed up, the Democrats now plan to hold a vote in the House later this week that will make the next phase of the impeachment inquiry more open to the public.  In a letter to her fellow Democrats in the House, Nancy Pelosi explained why this move is being made at this time.  The following is an excerpt from her letter…

This week, we will bring a resolution to the Floor that affirms the ongoing, existing investigation that is currently being conducted by our committees as part of this impeachment inquiry, including all requests for documents, subpoenas for records and testimony, and any other investigative steps previously taken or to be taken as part of this investigation. This resolution establishes the procedure for hearings that are open to the American people, authorizes the disclosure of deposition transcripts, outlines procedures to transfer evidence to the Judiciary Committee as it considers potential articles of impeachment, and sets forth due process rights for the President and his Counsel.

‘We are taking this step to eliminate any doubt as to whether the Trump Administration may withhold documents, prevent witness testimony, disregard duly authorized subpoenas, or continue obstructing the House of Representatives.

If the Democrats are going to be successful, they need to get somewhere around 60 percent of all Americans on their side, because it is at that level where certain Republicans in the U.S. Senate would feel comfortable betraying Trump.

In order to do that, the Democrats desperately need to get these proceedings on television, and this resolution will finally authorize that.

But will this be a case of too little, too late?

We shall see.

Ultimately, the Democrats never should have gone down this road, and even if everything they are alleging is true there is nothing that Trump has done that represents a “high crime or misdemeanor”.

And with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate, you would think that Trump should be feeling quite safe.

Unfortunately, so far only seven Republicans have publicly stated that they have ruled out removing Trump from office, and most Republican Senators are purposely refusing to take any sort of a public stand.  Here are a few examples…

  • Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho): “I’m a juror and I’m comfortable not speaking.”
  • Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.): “I’d be a juror, so I have no comment.”
  • Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.): “I don’t need a strategy for impeachment because I may be a juror someday.”
  • Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine): “I am very likely to be a juror so to make a predetermined decision on whether or not to convict a president of the United States does not fulfill one’s constitutional responsibilities.”

So much for loyalty.  President Trump recently endorsed Senator Risch, and this is how he is repaying Trump?

If the Republicans in the Senate came together and released a public statement in which they pledged not to remove Trump from office, that would immediately suck all the life out of the impeachment process.

But they are not going to do that.  In fact, there are persistent rumors that quite a few Republican Senators are ready to stab Trump in the back.

Whether you support Donald Trump or not, the truth is that every American should be deeply alarmed by what is happening in Washington right now.  In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville warned us that this might happen someday: “A decline of public morals in the United States will probably be marked by the abuse of the power of impeachment as a means of crushing political adversaries or ejecting them from office.”

The scenario that he warned about is playing out right in front of us, and if Donald Trump is removed from office it is going to cause irreparable damage to our system of government.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep.  My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters.  (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing those books you help to support my work.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I can only allow this to happen if this “About the Author” section is included with each article.  In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished.  This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

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