Political Opinion

Nothing screams Unite the Nation like refusing to answer questions with a stupid smirk on your face… So much for the most transparent administration in history…

Embarrassing’: Joe Biden sits dazed and confused while ignoring questions… The United States currently has a Resident NOT a President in the White House…

He’s been found incompetent to answer to charges… What else could possible be worse? Yet, there he sits, a dazed and confused and US President… He is not a leader by any stretch of the imagination…

I understand there has been a lot of comments since yours, but I will respond to yours.
Nice that you refer to a president and a situation that took place 200 years ago, I am not sure that is where we want to do our comparisons. I believe there were a few other issues also, at that time, that we do not want to influence us today.
I am well aware of the fact the the “greatest democracy on earth” is not in fact a democracy. There is only two parties, really, running for office. And, the voters are voting for a person. Not the overall policy of the party. It is all about the conflict between the candidates, and a contest in bad-mouthing the oponent. At the same time, the party people spend all their time in Congress, trying to stop whatever the opposition is suggesting, just because they are the opposition. Kindergarden.
And finally, you make my point, a country that wants to be the police (beacon) of right and wrong, while domestic problems pile up. And then, right and wrong is becoming not so black/white. And because the political system is based on person, the one in Office is hesitant to make unpopular decisions. All the while, the domestic problems grow. Handing over the wheel to the Donald will accellerate this 10-folds.

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Rarely do we talk about this subject. good to see people are being charge.

Full List of Trump Fake Electors in Each State And the Charges Against Them

Michigan’s attorney general Dana Nessel has announced that more than a dozen Republican figures have been charged with felony offenses as part of a so-called “false electoral” scheme.

The allegations stem from claims that 16 GOP figures in the state plotted to wrongly declare that Donald Trump had beaten Joe Biden in Michigan in the 2020 Election by falsely claiming they were the official slate of electors.

This is the first time anyone has been charged over any “false electors” scheme, which is alleged to have taken place in states across the country in the wake of the last election as part of efforts to keep Trump in power.

Below, Newsweek has compiled the names of each Republican figure who is alleged to have been part of a team of fake electors in their respective state, and whether they are under investigation.

Michigan Alleged False Electors

On Tuesday, Nessel confirmed that 16 people, including Meshawn Maddock, a former co-chair of the Michigan Republican party, and Kathy Berden, a national committeewoman for the Republican National Committee have been charged with felony offenses in relation to the alleged 2020 election plot.

  • Kathy Berden
  • William (Hank) Choate
  • Amy Facchinello
  • Clifford Frost
  • Stanley Grot
  • John Haggard
  • Mari-Ann Henry
  • Timothy King
  • Michele Lundgren
  • Meshawn Maddock
  • James Renner
  • Mayra Rodriguez
  • Rose Rook
  • Marian Sheridan
  • Ken Thompson
  • Kent Vanderwood

Each defendant has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit forgery, two counts of forgery, one count of conspiracy to commit uttering and publishing, one count of uttering and publishing conspiracy to commit election law forgery, and two counts of election law forgery.

Ginni Thomas under scrutiny following arrest of Michigan fake electors

READ MORE

Ginni Thomas under scrutiny following arrest of Michigan fake electors

The suspects are scheduled to appear before Ingham County for arraignment at a date yet to be confirmed.

“The false electors’ actions undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and, we believe, also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan,” Nessel said.

“The evidence will demonstrate there was no legal authority for the false electors to purport to act as ‘duly elected presidential electors’ and execute the false electoral documents,” Nessel added. “Every serious challenge to the election had been denied, dismissed, or otherwise rejected by the time the false electors convened. There was no legitimate legal avenue or plausible use of such a document or an alternative slate of electors.”

Arizona Alleged Fake Electors

Days prior to the charges in Michigan getting announced, it was reported that Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office is investigating the false slate of electors who attempted to claim Trump had won the state in 2020.

Mayes has long suggested she will probe into those who attempted to falsely declare Trump had won the state’s 11 electoral votes in 2020, but until now there were no real signs of any inquiry.

Dan Barr, Mayes’s chief deputy, told The Washington Postthat the investigation is in the “fact-gathering” phase.

“This is something we’re not going to go into thinking, ‘Maybe we’ll get a conviction,’ or ‘Maybe we have a pretty good chance,’” Barr said. “This has to be ironclad shut.”

On 14 December, a group of Republicans, including Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward, and her husband Michael Ward, met to sign a document falsely declaring themselves the “duly elected and qualified electors” for the state and declared Trump the winner. Another group consisting of activists also signed a similar fake declaration.

The fake electors in Arizona include:

  • Kelli Ward
  • Michael Ward
  • Nancy Cottle
  • Loraine B. Pellegrino
  • Tyler Bowyer
  • Jake Hoffman
  • Anthony T. Kern
  • James Lamon
  • Robert Montgomery
  • Samuel I. Moorhead
  • Greg Safsten

Georgia Alleged Fake Electors

In May, it was reported that eight of the 16 people who are under investigation over an alleged fake electoral plot in Georgia have been granted immunity.

The group of 16 Republicans met at Georgia’s state capitol on December 14, 2020, to sign a certificate declaring falsely that Trump had won the presidential election and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.

The immunity deal for the eight Republicans was disclosed in court filings, but no other details were revealed.

The full 16 names are:

  • Joseph Brannan James
  • “Ken” Carroll
  • Vikki Townsend Consiglio
  • Carolyn Hall Fisher
  • State Senator Burt Jones
  • Gloria Kay Godwin
  • David G. Hanna
  • Mark W. Hennessy
  • Mark Amick
  • John Downey
  • Cathleen Alston Latham
  • Daryl Moody
  • Brad Carver
  • David Shafer
  • Shawn Still
  • C.B. Yada

Fulton county district attorney Fani Willis’ investigation into the fake electoral scheme is part of an expansive probe into the attempts to overturn the 2020 election in the state. A decision from Georgia prosecutors on whether to indict Trump and his allies is expected within the next few weeks.

Wisconsin Alleged Fake Electors

In May, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington said that a lawsuit filed by Democrats against 10 fake electors in Wisconsin can go to civil trial in September 2024.

Among the names involved in the suit is:

  • Andrew Hitt, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin
  • Kelly Ruh
  • Carol Brunner
  • Edward Scott Grabins
  • Bill Feehan
  • Robert Spindell
  • Kathy Kiernan
  • Darryl Carlson
  • Pam Travis
  • Mary Buestrin

Wisconsin congressman Mark Pocan previously wrote a letter to the Department of Justice requesting an investigation into the alleged plot.

Elsewhere, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco confirmed to CNN last January that federal prosecutors were looking into the “fraudulent elector certifications” in other states such as Michigan and New Mexico, but no charges have been brought forward.

New Mexico Alleged Fake Electors

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, previously told CNN he was “pleased” the DOJ is looking into allegations of fake electoral scheme in the state.

The alleged fake electors are:

  • Jewll Powdrell
  • Deborah W. Maestas
  • Lupe Garcia
  • Rosie Tripp
  • Anissa Ford-Tinnin

Nevada Alleged Fake Electors

Democratic Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford also told CNN last January that “we welcome the Department of Justice’s recent announcement that it is investigating the fake electors matter, and we look forward to providing any support we can in that endeavor.”

The names of the six alleged fake electors are:

  • Michael J. McDonald
  • James DeGraffenreid
  • Durward James Hindle
  • Jesse Law
  • Shawn Meehan
  • Eileen Rice

Pennsylvania Alleged Fake Electors

Earlier in July, it was reported that Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt met Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team as part of the attempts to overturn the last election, although it is unclear if the alleged fake electoral scheme was a line of questioning.

The group of false electors in the Keystone State are:

  • Bill Bachenberg
  • Lou Barletta
  • Tom Carroll
  • Ted Christian
  • Chuck Coccodrilli [deceased]
  • Bernadette Comfort
  • Sam DeMarco III
  • Marcela Diaz-Myers
  • Christie DiEsposti
  • Josephine Ferro
  • Charlie Gerow
  • Kevin Harley
  • Leah Hoopes
  • Ash Khare
  • Andre McCoy
  • Lisa Patton
  • Pat Poprik
  • Andy Reilly
  • Suk Smith
  • Calvin Tucker

Wisconsin fake elector settlement offers new details on the strategy by Trump lawyers

Kenneth Chesebro and Jim Troupis turned over more than 1,400 pages of documents and messages, as well as photos and video, offering a detailed account of the scheme’s origins in Wisconsin.

March 5, 2024

Two attorneys for then-President Donald Trump orchestrated a plan for fake electors to file paperwork falsely saying the Republican won Wisconsin in a strategy to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory there and in other swing states, according to a lawsuit settlement reached Monday that makes public months of texts and emails.

Under their agreements, Kenneth Chesebro and Jim Troupis turned over more than 1,400 pages of documents, emails and text messages, along with photos and video, offering a detailed account of the scheme’s origins in Wisconsin. The communications show how they, with coordination from Trump campaign officials, replicated the strategy in six other states including Georgia, where Chesebro has already pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the 2020 election.

The agreements settle a civil lawsuit brought by Democrats in 2022 against the two attorneys and 10 Republicans in Wisconsin who posed as fake electors. The Republicans settled in December.

“Our democracy demands better than this,” said Scott Thompson, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys who helped negotiate the agreements. “That is why this lawsuit … consistently sought transparency, accountability and deterrence. We can’t let this happen again.”

The documents show how Chesebro and Troupis, Trump’s attorney in Wisconsin, used arcane laws in rationalizing and drafting the false certificates for the fake electors. They also reveal how the two strategized ways to delay deadlines for certifying electoral votes and sway public opinion, including floating ideas on conservative talk radio.

Government and outside investigationshave uniformly found there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could have swung the 2020 election. But Trump has continued to spread falsehoods about the election.

Wisconsin fake elector settlement offers new details on the strategy by Trump lawyers

“The cases could not throw the outcome into question even if all the potentially fraudulent votes were for Biden, which they were not, and even if those ballots were actually counted, which in most cases they were not…”

“The review also showed no collusion intended to rig the voting. Virtually every case was based on an individual acting alone to cast additional ballots…”

“Every credible examination has shown there was no widespread fraud” in the 2020 presidential election, Ben Hovland, a Democrat appointed by Trump said. “Time and again when we have heard these claims and heard these allegations, and when you do a real investigation, you see that it is the exception and not the rule…”

@SmallPaul Once again paragraphs and paragraphs of waffle from 2021/2022 about fraud that did not happen… Just your usual distraction from the media coverage of a Stumbling, Mumbling, Bumbling US President Joe Biden…

You really are having to clutch at straws…

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We do have Trump lawyers trying to overturn the election

Former President Donald Trump has continued to spout unfounded claims of a stolen election, USA Today reported. President Joe Biden won the election with 306 electoral votes, according to the National Archives.

The Facebook post claims that “no court had the gust to HEAR the evidence” in regards to Trump’s election fraud claims. The post further alleged the “price of getting involved was too high.” (RELATED: Did Georgia Find Over’ 1,600 Instances Of Noncitizens Voting In 2020′?)

This claim is false. While several judges did dismiss cases based on standing and other factors not related to evidence, at least 11 cases brought forth by Trump and his allies were provided the opportunity to present evidence to prove election fraud claims, according to The New York Times. These claims “collapsed under scrutiny,” the outlet reported.

Federal and state judges both consistently found that claims of election fraud were meritless. Check Your Fact has provided examples of judges dismissing cases or declaring the evidence as “non-persuasive.”

  • U.S. Court of Appeals Third Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas dismissed an attempt from the Trump campaign to stop the certification of Pennsylvania’s election, writing in a November 2020 opinion that, “Free, fair elections are the lifeblood of our democracy. Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here.”
  • District Court Judge Linda V. Parker, in dismissing the “Kraken” lawsuit filed by Trump ally and lawyer Sidney Powell, stated that the “closest Plaintiffs get to alleging that election machines and software changed votes for President Trump to Vice President Biden in Wayne County is an amalgamation of theories, conjecture, and speculation…”
  • Wayne County Circuit Chief Judge Timothy M. Kenny denied a request to stop the certification results in Wayne County, Michigan. Kenny wrote in his Nov. 13, 2020 opinion, “Clearly, every legitimate vote should be counted. Plaintiffs contend this has not been done in the 2020 Presidential election. However, plaintiffs have made only a claim but have offered no evidence to support their assertions.”
  • Nevada judge James Russell rejected a Trump campaign lawsuit that sought to overturn the election results in Nevada. In Russell’s Dec. 4, 2020 opinion, he wrote that “the Court finds that there is no credible or reliable evidence that the 2020 General Election in Nevada was affected by fraud.”

Rebecca Green, an associate professor of law and co-director of the election law program at William and Mary Law School, pointed Check Your Fact to a report titled “Lost But Not Stolen,” released by several conservative lawyers and former federal judges. (RELATED: No, Joe Biden Did Not Admit To Election Fraud)

“This Report shows that those efforts failed because of a lack of evidence and not because of erroneous rulings or unfair judges,” the report reads in part. “Judges, legislators, and other election officers, often including members of his own party, gave Trump ample time and every opportunity to present evidence to make his case. Post-election audits or reviews in each state also failed to show any irregularities or fraud that would overturn the electoral results.”

The report found that 20 cases were dismissed, 14 were voluntarily dismissed by Trump and his allies before any evidentiary hearings, and 30 “included a hearing on the merits,” according to the report. The report found that the Trump campaign did win a “Pennsylvania case involving far too few votes to overturn the results did Trump and his supporters prevail.”

“All judicial decisions, and indeed all legal practice, involves two things: (1) determination of the law, and (2) application of the law to the facts,” Jim Gardner, A professor at the University of Buffalo’s School of Law, told Check Your Fact via email. “It is thus impossible for a court to decide a case without “considering” the facts.”

Gardner added that those who lose in court “often claim the former” when the reality is that the court “simply disbelieved” the party’s interpretation of the facts.

In addition to court decisions, investigations and audits have also affirmed that Biden won the election fairly. A June 2021 report released by Michigan’s Senate Oversight Committee “found no evidence of widespread or systematic fraud in Michigan’s prosecution of the 2020 election.” An October 2021 audit affirmed Wisconsin’s 2020 election results. A September 2021 audit of Arizona’s Maricopa County election results also affirmed Biden’s win, according to CNN.

Biden Staff SHUTS DOWN speech mid sentence… Commander and Chief Alzheimer at the podium again… And this is apparently the best candidate Democrats can dig up……

But… Still better than Kamala… Just think how many people have to be complicit in this charade…

I’m convinced his family absolutely hates him. How could anyone allow a family member they love, be made to look a fool in front of the world…?

Just fills the free world full of confidence… Doesn’t it…?

I’m curious how many additional ballots were cast, according to your calculations

Who f’n cares… It was so insignificant from either side it had no barring on ANY results of the 2020 Presidential outcome… You keep fanaticising over every thing Trump says… I haven’t posted a word about election fraud from either side of the Political spectrum…

@SmallPaul How about paying attention to the serious situation currently unfolding in the Middle East… And just how an incompetent Alzheimer riddled US President that is incapable of completing a sentence is going to act in such a dangerous escalation of events in Iran, Yemen and Israel…

A few months back you and your simpleton Comrades in Cluelessness where waffling on about NK’s Kim Jong Un… Posting about Rocketman and Trump’s visit to the hermit nation were close to causing World War Three… And I directed you to the REAL issues escalating the Middle East crisis…

Just more absolute insignificant rubbish, like you have posted above in this thread…

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It’s just that Trump and or his crew keeps the election fraud in their mouth, so it’s on the table, no matter what you think

Now that you threw out multiple ballots, I’m curious, was it the voting machine or the multiple ballots that caused Trump to lose the election?

On all the Biden stuff, I’ll leave it up to you. I’ve already expressed my feelings about it.

Where is your post on the matter. lmao

image

It’s pretty clear, Biden have no choice. My Personal Opinion, Israel has been seeking a direct war with Iran, that would put the United States directly in it. Before the assault on Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus, it had been a proxy war between Israel and Iran.

Iran launches drones and missiles towards Israel in retaliatory attack

US and British warplanes were reported to have downed some Israel-bound Iranian drones late on Saturday, as Israel’s allies rallied to help it defend itself from an unprecedented multi-pronged attack from Tehran.

The White House said the “airborne attack” against Israel was likely to “unfold over a number of hours” and reiterated its “ironclad support” for the Jewish state’s security.

Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his Delaware beach home to return to the White House and convene a meeting of his top national security team.

Britain has also rallied to Israel’s side, with Rishi Sunak condemning the “reckless” action in the “strongest terms”.

The Prime Minister said that the strikes risked “destabilising” the Middle East and that the UK would work with its allies to “prevent further escalation”.

On Saturday night it was reported that British fighter jets took off from Cyprus in order to intercept drones and missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.

US has significant military presence in region and has said it will defend Israel

Ahead of Iran launching dozens of drones toward Israel, President Joe Biden on Friday made clear the US would help defend its ally.

“We are devoted to the defense of Israel,” he said from the White House. “We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed.”

The US has forces in Iraq and Syria that could potentially intercept drones en route to Israel, depending on the location from which they’re launched. US Navy forces in the Red Sea have previously intercepted long-range missiles launched from the Houthis in Yemen toward Israel.

Troops in region: There are thousands of US troops throughout the Middle East, and a US defense official told CNN this week that the Defense Department was moving additional assets to the Middle East.

At the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, the US shifted a significant number of assets to the Middle East in an attempt to act as a deterrence and prevent the conflict from spilling out into the region more broadly.

Another roughly 1,000 US troops are still en route to help set up a floating pier that will be used to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said this week that it was still on track to be operational by late April or early May.

Strike group: The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group remains in the region. The strike group includes 6,000 sailors, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Gravely (DDG 107). The group also includes Carrier Air Wing Three, which is composed of nine squadrons, including four strike fighter squadrons.

Houthi attacks: For the last several months, the US has continuously shot down missiles, rockets, and drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, as well as attacks launched by Iran-backed proxy groups in Iraq and Syria. Three US soldiers were killed in January when a drone was launched at a small US outpost in Jordan.

CENTCOM leader: Gen. Erik Kurilla, the commander of CENTCOM who is the senior general overseeing US forces in the Middle East, was in Israel on Friday for meetings with his Israeli counterparts. A US official told CNN on Saturday that Kurilla had left the country.

https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-04-13-24/h_2046548768dde527e508de1f8dd61806

You guys are wasting time here. Discussing the prison walls in endless details won’t help you.

It’s important to know that you are in prison. Then, it is your responsibility to formulate an exit plan which is moral education.

If you are not going to donate to moral educators or to do it yourself, then it’s better for you to just focus on personal power and forget about politics. Just make money, and move to a better region if your region becomes tyrannical.

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You’re right and I wish most Americans thought that way, but they don’t; as for me, I’m good and will make that decision if necessary

You might be surprised by the following perspectives on Trump’s first and second terms as president, from noted analyst and author Jim Rickards.

Rickards explains that Trump did not expect to win the election in 2016, and was totally unprepared for the monumental task of setting up a new administration. He goes on to outline how a second Trump win in 2024 can — and will — be a totally different scenario.

As always, if you suffer from TDS, skip this post. You won’t like what Jim Rickards has to say. And if your knee-jerk reaction to long articles is “TLDR”, then move on and look for sound-bytes elsewhere — because this is long read.


How Trump Could Beat the Deep State

By Jim Rickards

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Dear Clint,

Let’s say that Trump wins the November election. What would a second Trump presidency actually look like?

Today we’re going to investigate that question. Let’s first back up to the 2016 election.

Trump ran the most incompetent presidential transition process in my lifetime and perhaps the worst in history. The problems began with the fact that neither Trump, his family members. nor his inner circle actually thought he would win the 2016 election — with the exception of campaign manager Steve Bannon.

I predicted Trump would win but I was almost alone in that regard.

Trump picked Chris Christie as his transition manager, seemingly oblivious to the fact that as a prosecutor, Christie had put Jared Kushner’s father in jail. Given Kushner’s role as Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, this was a recipe for failure.

A well-run transition doesn’t start the day after the election. It begins a year or more in advance with a list of loyal appointees ready to go. Trump had no preparation and no team. Christie was fired as transition manager and Mike Pence took over, but the entire process was bungled.

The other problem was that Trump applied the New York real estate developer mentality to his administration. He never worried much about his appointees because if they failed, he could always yell, “You’re fired!”

That may work in New York, but it doesn’t work in Washington. Appointees are protected by politicians, lobbyists and the media. If you fire someone, you can expect a barrage of leaks, policy paralysis and opposition to any new appointee.

Even if a bad choice is fired, the lower levels of the deep state take over and run rings around you while waiting for a replacement who will take months to get a handle on the job in a best case.

Trump never understood any of this.

Trump also trusted the wrong people. He installed James Mattis as secretary of defense, Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, H.R. McMaster as national security adviser and John Kelly as chief of staff. They were all RINOs from the Bush wing of the party.

They were brought in as “adult supervision” of the supposedly reckless Trump, but they all stabbed Trump in the back. Meanwhile, loyal supporters like Steve Bannon and K.T. McFarland were shoved aside.

Trump didn’t learn. He did fire James Comey as head of the FBI (three months too late) but then appointed Christopher Wray as the new FBI director. Wray now works for Biden and puts Trump supporters in jail. But Trump was the one who appointed him.

Trump should have fired the lying Anthony Fauci after one meeting. Instead, he gave Fauci the keys to the U.S. economy. Fauci then implemented lockdowns, school closings, vaccine mandates, masking and social distancing in ways that ruined the U.S. economy and gave Trump’s enemies an excuse to change election laws to favor mail-in ballots, which permits more widespread cheating.

The list goes on. The bottom line is no one was worse at transition planning, appointments, endorsements and tolerance of gross incompetence than Trump. He was his own worst enemy and seemed incapable of learning the ropes in how to deal with Washington bureaucracy and the deep state.

This leaves one overriding question. Has Trump learned anything since leaving office in 2021? Will he have a successful transition this time or simply repeat the blunders of 2017–2021?

Read on to see how Trump could pull it off.

How to Take on the Deep State

By Jim Rickards

Has Trump learned anything since leaving office in 2021? Will he have a successful transition this time or simply repeat the blunders of 2017–2021? To answer those questions, we turn to two books that hold the key to possible success in a new Trump administration. The first is called The Plum Book. The second is called Mandate for Leadership 2025.

“Plum Book” is a nickname for a publication from the Government Printing Office based on the fact that it has a plum-colored cover. The official title is United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions.

It’s a 232-page directory of about 8,000 jobs in the U.S. government with an emphasis on the executive branch (controlled by the president) and independent agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It’s literally page after page of job listings by title, department and pay grade.

What makes the Plum Book special (and indispensable to a presidential transition team) is that the jobs listed in the book are those that are open to political appointment and not subject to a competitive process.

These are the jobs where the president can just pick the person he wants and install that person in a key policy position without going through normal civil service channels. Some of the positions may be subject to Senate confirmation, but that usually poses no difficulty, especially if the new president’s party also controls the Senate.

The Plum Book is like a secret guide to understanding the deep state and putting your own people in place to control it.

Even the most obscure federal agencies have top positions to be filled. They all have a director, one or more deputies, board members, executive assistants, etc. That’s how deep the deep state really is. When Biden calls for an “all of government” approach to climate change or DEI, the Plum Book tells us that means 8,000 hands on deck.

The executive office of the president involves a lot more than 10 or so close assistants in the West Wing such as counsel to the president, chief of staff and a few special assistants. The Plum Book lists 83 separate jobs (not including clerks, interns and executive assistants).

These jobs support the president only and do not come close to covering the entire executive branch. Among these positions are “special assistant to the president and assistant communications director for strategic messaging,” and “special assistant to the president and deputy director of White House information technology.” As you can see, even the assistants and deputies have assistants and deputies.

So if Trump wins the election, the Plum Book will be an important tool to put the right people in place…

Still, the Plum Book is only the beginning of a successful transition. It tells us what positions need to be filled but does not offer a guide to policy. The selection of individuals for appointments needs to be guided by a set of policies that can act as a filter for choosing the right individuals.

Who is doing the hard work of outlining policy initiatives for hundreds of agencies, commissions and offices that comprise the executive branch and ultimately the deep state? It’s fine to win an election and use the Plum Book to fill key positions with competent loyalists, but what policies will they actually implement?

Fortunately for Trump, the Heritage Foundation has done this work. The Heritage Foundation is just one of hundreds of think tanks and policy centers in Washington, D.C. But in 2024 they’ve taken the lead in collecting and publishing policy papers on hundreds of key issues.

Their work is called Mandate for Leadership 2025. I call it the Trump playbook. It’s available online at the Heritage Foundation website. It’s 887-pages long and every page is filled with technical discussion.

The content is conservative but not ideological. There is a fair balance and even competing perspectives. In the section on trade, there is “The Case for Fair Trade” by Peter Navarro and “The Case for Free Trade” by Kent Lassman. It’s likely that the best policy includes some content from both perspectives depending on the specific trading partner, reciprocity and the impact on U.S. jobs.

The Heritage Foundation playbook Mandate for Leadership, combined with the Plum Book and Trump’s apparent willingness to learn from his past mistakes when it comes to appointments completes the Trifecta needed for success in a second Trump administration to destroy the deep state. Investors should hope that Trump stays on that path and listens to the hundreds of experts and institutions that are working hard to make that success a reality.

The difference for investors between another Biden administration and the return of Trump to the White House could not be more stark. The Biden administration has been characterized by excessive regulation, pointless mandates as part of the Green New Scam, open borders bringing crime, drugs and cartel influence into the United States, disastrous wars in Ukraine, Gaza and now the closing of the Red Sea-Suez Canal passage, increased segregation of Blacks in colleges, the destruction of 50 years of progress in women’s sports by allowing competition by men, and a long list of other ruinous policies.

The first Trump administration was characterized by business and personal tax cuts, reduced regulation, no new wars, outreach to nuclear rivals such as Russia and North Korea, tariffs on unfair trade by China, a concerted effort to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, demands that NATO members pay their fair share for mutual defense and a secure southern border with Mexico.

Trump also made an historic three appointments to the Supreme Court, which has emerged as practically the last bastion of constitutional order and the rule of law. There’s no reason to expect any improvement in another Biden administration. In fact, policies will almost certainly grow worse as Biden fails physically and mentally and opens the door to a possible acting president in the form of Kamala Harris, a known dunce.

There’s good reason to believe that a second Trump administration will offer the growth-oriented policies of the first administration with a much more effective decision-making apparatus resulting from attention to the Plum Book, the playbook and the transition process.

A better transition process in a second term means the biggest threat to the deep state in decades. And a new team will put us on the road back to sanity. But powerful people won’t go quietly. A more experienced Trump will conduct a second war to destroy them. Unless they destroy him first.

Regards,

Jim Rickards
for The Daily Reckoning
[email protected].

Thank you for reading The Daily Reckoning! We greatly value your questions and comments. Please send all feedback to [email protected].

James G. Rickards is the editor of Strategic Intelligence. He is an American lawyer, economist, and investment banker with 35 years of experience working in capital markets on Wall Street. He is the author of The New York Times bestsellers Currency Wars and The Death of Money.

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Disengaging from politics is better for personal power, but it ain’t going to improve the world. At the very least, you should donate to moral educators. It is moral obligation.

@Clint Trump will win tthis elections, When Trump ran he wasn’t prepared to be president, so why would he run? That would not be logical. It would have been better to keep that a secret, very bad look for Trump and sound like an excuse for the things he said during his campaign and after he took office.

What anyone outside or inside the US thinks of the US all comes down to what media they watch/listen too

Debt, inflation, illegal immigration, and war have all worsened 10-fold under biden

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Its fair to say that certain domestic problems will be accelerated with anyone in office that tries to derail the globalist agenda.
Its important to look at the source of these issues. Who is stoking the unrest? Who is fabricating stories to pit us against each other?
Mean tweets were not the root cause.

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