Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wants to put the “U.S. budget on blockchain,” a ledger of transactions typically associated with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

“I’m going to put the entire U.S. budget on blockchain so that any American — every American can look at every budget item in the entire budget anytime they want 24 hours a day,” Kennedy said Sunday during a rally in Michigan.

The public accounting of spending would theoretically allow more transparency and accountability into how the government spends taxpayer dollars, although getting every government transaction onto the blockchain would be a Herculean task.

Federal spending is also controlled through legislation, which is available to the public, and federal departments are often audited by government watchdogs such as the Government Accountability Office and their own inspectors general.

“We’re gonna have 300 million eyeballs on our budget, and if somebody is spending $16,000 for a toilet seat, everybody’s gonna know about it,” Kennedy said, appearing to reference a long history of scandals stemming from reports that the Pentagon paid $640 per toilet seat in the 1980s and $10,000 each for replacement toilet seat covers in 2018.

Kennedy has embraced digital assets, accepting campaign donations in bitcoin and touting plans to back the U.S. dollar with bitcoin if he’s elected to the White House in November.

But Kennedy has also publicly opposed plans for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), which the Federal Reserve is currently “exploring,” as have many Republicans including former President Trump.

While Republicans have rallied against the creation of CBDC, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank will not create one without Congress ordering it through legislation.

The Independent firebrand has described himself as the only pro-cryptocurrency candidate running for president as he wages a longshot bid in a contest dominated by the rematch between Trump and President Biden.

Stand With Crypto — a 501(c)(4) nonprofit launched by grassroots advocates and the crypto exchange giant Coinbase that “champions for clear, common-sense regulations for the crypto industry” — rates Kennedy as “strongly supportive of crypto.”

The advocacy group rates Trump as “supportive” of crypto and Biden as “against” it, although Biden did issue an executive order in 2022 laying out plans for “the responsible development of payment innovations and digital assets” that will help the U.S. maintain its leadership in global financial markets.

Taylor Giorno, The Hill

Actually, we have been saved by fossil fuels. In his 2022 book Fossil Future, Alex Epstein of the Center for Industrial Progress argues that fossil fuels are one of the greatest benefits to human civilization ever and that no viable substitutes exist, at least for now.

I agree, and I will add my own comments as I proceed.

Epstein notes that Earth, absent the benefits of fuel-powered machines and electrical energy created by fossil fuels, is a dangerous place (as noted) characterized by mass poverty, recurring starvation, death from extremely cold or extremely hot temperatures, poor medical care, poor sanitation, exhausting manual labor, bad water, inadequate shelter, devastating natural disasters, and low life expectancy.

The nations that suffer the most today are those that lack such technology. Without fossil fuels, people will keep suffering because they will remain poor and helpless.

Coal, oil, and gas are responsible for almost all the energy created today—about eighty percent. Solar and wind provide only about three percent, though this is gradually increasing. Fossil fuels have allowed humanity, insofar as it has advocated reason, to master nature by following the laws of nature and science, thus enabling the human race to multiply and thrive. Fossils fuels are abundant in nature: plentiful, cheap, and reliable when production and transportation are not opposed by government regulations.

The championed substitutes for fossil fuels today are wind, solar, and batteries. Epstein notes, as have others, the many problems with these sources. Windmills do not work without wind. (I would add that lightning can destroy windmills and windmills can destroy wildlife.) Solar panels do not work without sunlight. Batteries are nowhere near cost-effective enough or efficient enough to store and provide sufficient energy when the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining enough.

In practice, solar, wind, and batteries are not currently viable replacements for fossil fuels. They are unreliable, inefficient add-ons to fossil fuels, and they all need large amounts of fossil fuel backup. They also need generous government subsidies, which will increase the costs of energy. Further, solar is heavily dependent on products from China, which could give China, an imperialist dictatorship, economic and political power over us. (There is some evidence that the panicky attempt to convert to these power sources right away is leading to premature shutdowns of fossil fuels plants.) And Russia’s fossil fuels seek to make us dependent on another dangerous dictatorship.

What about pollution? Epstein documents that it has been decreasing for decades, thanks to technology. Further, he identifies the ways that side effects can be mitigated.

What other alternatives are there for power? Epstein favors two: waterpower from dams and nuclear power. Both are safe, dependable, non-polluting and do not take up much land or harm birds and animals. Some people worry about nuclear waste. So far the problem has not been intractable, and it may be that such waste can be recycled. This will require further study. Dams work well but are not possible everywhere, but nuclear power is potentially available everywhere, and it is available 24/7. Beyond that, nuclear power does not take up much land, does not make noise, does not hurt animals, and is safer than oil.

I would like to stress that any country fully powered by nuclear would not be dependent on fuels or technology supplied by other countries, such as Russia, would not need to worry about price fluctuations, cutoffs, or the wrong weather, and could not be blackmailed.

Sadly, nuclear power is roundly opposed by many and especially by environmentalists—not just in the United States, but also around the world. Even as oil prices skyrocket, England, Germany, and the United States have pushed to close their nuclear plants, though some countries are now worried that they are moving too fast and plan to keep their nuclear plants open. France, to its credit, relies on nuclear for seventy percent of its power. (Note: France is now having problems with some reactors, but one can assume that these problems will be resolved.) The anti-nuclear countries are now having second thoughts about this ill-fated choice.

Epstein argues that biomass and geothermal are at least decades away from becoming even significant supplements to fossil fuels, let alone replacements. In the meantime, he does not think fossil fuels will destroy the Earth.

In a free society, people are always free to create and invent new, cheap, and dependable power sources that are better than what we have now. Some companies are exploring hydrogen. Scientists are exploring nuclear fusion (though it has not been proven to work yet). For now, we will need to rely almost totally on the power produced by fossil fuels to even build new power technologies.

A word is in order about global warming. Let me first say that finding the most useful data is extremely difficult because every site (and I looked at many) has its own agenda in terms of what they choose to post. Give it a shot yourself: try finding a year-by-year account of the average global temperature of the Earth. With all the outcry over global warming and climate change, this information should be more easily accessible.

Here is the best information I have been able to find with respect to global warming. The mean world temperature in 1900 was 56.7 F. In 1999, it was 56.9 F., a negligible change. From 2000 to about April of 2022 (22.4 years), the mean world temperature has increased to 59.7 F., an increment of 2.8 degrees F. This could be of concern. Of course, 22 years is much less than 100 years, so we cannot be certain of what the longer-term trend will be. Further, there are disputes about the accuracy of world temperature readings.

Regardless, an increase of 2.8 degrees will not destroy the Earth. Certainly, it is not enough of a change to call for a sudden and drastic end to fossil fuels. We will need fossil fuels for some time. Most importantly, I am convinced that nuclear power would be a much better replacement for fossil fuels than the unreliable trio that is now favored.

Edwin Locke

Regarding unlimited funding by American taxpayers of the Ukraine government: It’s the conservatives I don’t understand. The ones who claim to want limited government, or no more Big Government. The ones who don’t want vax mandates, socialized medicine, and the like. Obviously, they’re not fans of activist, redistributive government, right? Yet they assume that by transferring mass amounts of unaccountable wealth from one self-evidently corrupt government (America) to another even more self-evidently corrupt government (Ukraine), we’re somehow fighting for “freedom.”

It might be arguably worth it, at least voluntarily, to provide money for ACTUAL freedom fighters. But the Ukrainian government is obviously no more trustworthy than the Russian government or America’s government. And even if you think it IS trustworthy, HOW or WHY do you trust the Biden regime — headed by a criminal family who, the evidence already shows us, has enjoyed shady dealings with Ukraine for years — to ensure that the money is used in the defense of freedom? The Biden regime is the most virulently anti-freedom government America has ever seen. Most conservatives say they understand this. Yet they trust the Biden regime to get the money safely to Ukranians for “freedom”? [And yes, Russia is a corrupt government too. But just because Russia’s government is corrupt does not mean that Ukraine’s government is angelic.]

And why isn’t it working? Why is it that the more billions and billions we send to Ukraine, the more billions they need? Where is the objective endpoint? Or is there none? This sounds more to me like heroin addiction than freedom fighting. What happened to the brains in this country? I understand the leftists in academia and the Democratic Party are lost causes. They are for brutality, not brains. But people on the libertarian, conservative or Ayn Rand “Objectivist” side who claim to be pro-individual rights and pro-mind … how can they possibly make such a brazen, glaring error? Whatever the nature of the error — intellectual or financial — it’s not innocent.

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Interestingly enough, abandonment is a fairly common topic of conversation in the offices of helping professionals, physicians and others. Let’s take a closer look at what is meant by “abandonment issues.”  In general, it has to do with childhood experiences. Real or perceived abandonments by one’s parents can have lasting effects. As Italian athlete Mario Balotelli put it, “They say that abandonment is a wound that never heals. I say only that an abandoned child never forgets.”

From the vantage point of a child, that’s quite possibly true. But children are not adults. When you’re a child, you truly are helpless – and you don’t understand much. But as an adult, you’re capable of self-reliance and independence. Even if you feel that you’re not, you still are. Maybe you never got past that childhood feeling of helplessness and dependence. But it’s a curable problem. And you can always start working on it as soon as you truly want to.

It saddens me when I hear therapists tell their clients they must relive their abandonment issues – over and over again. Why must they relive them? Can’t they just acknowledge them and move on? Why does one have to relive all that angst and sadness for no other reason than to go through them again? Reliving the past might be a good deal for the therapist, but how is it supposed to be a good deal for the person enduring it?

To an adult, abandonment can mean many things. It could mean that somebody no longer loves you. Ouch! Or sometimes people leave you against their will, as in death. Truly terrible. No matter what the circumstances, loss is a terrible thing. When you love someone as an adult, you love them because they are special to you. When the impact of the loss hits, it’s devastating and can last for a while.  It’s like a hole blown in your life. That’s the emotional form the sense of abandonment takes.

On some level you might always feel the loss. But the fact remains: you’re still an adult. You’re able to make rational distinctions no child could ever be expected to grasp. When you’re four, six or ten, you can’t be expected not to take it personally if your father or mother walks out on the family, or exits your life for reasons you do not understand. But as an adult, you have choices because of your adult ability to act as a self-reflective, self-responsible entity. You’re able to think, chart new courses, reinvent yourself and do all kinds of things no child could do. Therein lies the hope, which is always standing side-by-side with abandonment and loss.

When a loss or abandonment in adulthood reminds you, even subconsciously, of similar pain you experienced in childhood, it’s a good thing to know — and it’s worth noting. But you don’t have to relive experiences from age three or twelve in order to get through your experiences at age twenty-five, fifty or seventy-eight. We all have different perspectives at different points in life, and it’s important to apply those perspectives to what you know, and to what you’re experiencing in the present. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them, but living in the past does not teach you anything.

Life must be lived in the here and now, not in the past. The past is indeed part of who we are. But it’s what we do in the present that determines whether we can live happy and psychologically healthy lives.

Michael J. Hurd

The Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is no more.

So the radical Commiefascists (some still call them “Democrats”) now control the whole Congress. The good news, I suppose, is that the legislation and spending won’t be any different. The Republican party has set itself on fire, and seems to be getting what most of them (including Mike Johnson) seem to want: annihilation.

The stage is set for either Biden or someone else, like Gavin Newsom, to keep the Uniparty moving along well past 2024. Like I keep saying: We need a plan B. Electing Republicans has done NOTHING to save us.

On the same day, a man set himself on fire in front of the courthouse where Trump is on trial.

Always remember America was, at its peak, a brilliant, largely benevolent place where freedom was celebrated. The man who set himself on fire, while irrational, was providing an accurate metaphor of what our land of liberty has become. We’re now little different from a third world country — with far less excuse, because we are squandering what a third world banana republic never enjoyed.

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It did not take long for Mike Johnson to be bought and sold. A year ago, he was nobody; today, he cashes in on the Ukraine loot just like a McConnell or a Biden.

At some point, we have to realize: by giving politicians (ANY politicians) unlimited amounts of $$$ that isn’t theirs, we create the perfect conditions for irredeemable corruption. The only solution to government corruption? Defund 90 percent of the government. Return most of the money to the people, where it belongs.

People are saying Jim Jordan should replace Mike Johnson as House Speaker, at least until DemComs steal back the House. I expect he’d be better, though that’s not saying much. I want someone who’s prepared to stop funding the FBI, the NSA, the CIA, the weaponized DOJ, the EPA, HHS, Homeland Security, the Department of Education and to begin the privatization of Social Security and Medicare. Just for starters.

*****************

The criminal “trials” President Trump faces are brazenly, openly rigged, based on the falsehood of the charges and the juries he can expect to face in jurisdictions like NY. I believe Trump will end up in jail, unless he wins the election first. And if Trump somehow wins the election, there will be violence and mayhem, especially in America’s big blue cities, and possibly even civil war. Prepare yourselves, people. These are hard facts. Triumph of good over evil requires stern, cold looks at reality. Brush up on your Winston Churchill. You’re going to need it.

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Both The North Face’s DEI course and Bud Light’s controversial partnership were ideas championed by leftist Ivy League graduates.

As universities peddle far-left ideology into course curricula, they churn out graduates who bring their radical ideas to the workplace, pushing their leftist agenda on companies and society as a whole.

For example, outerwear company The North Face recently made headlines for offering customers a 20% discount for taking an anti-racism course that claims the outdoors are oppressive toward black people and more easily accessible to white people because of white privilege.

The one-hour course teaches concepts of critical race theory and says “people of color are less likely to go climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding and trail running” because they don’t have access to the outdoors due to institutional racism.

The North Face’s antiracism course strongly reflects university courses based on curriculum to promote leftist ideology like critical race theory.

Campus Reform reported Cornell University offers a course for ‘Racial Allyship Training’ that teaches students to ‘disrupt white spaces’ and ‘decenter whiteness.’

Similarly, students at the University of Connecticut are required to take an “Anti-Black Racism” course as part of the core curriculum’s social justice requirement. 

These trends in higher education serve to perpetuate the spread of far-left ideology into corporate environments, where graduates continue to push these radical ideas and agendas.

[RELATED: OPINION: Defund the Police: Another bad idea from higher ed]

Another example of corporate America’s embrace of woke ideology was Bud Light’s decision to feature transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney on the label of their blue-collar beer.  This marketing ploy was disastrous among Bud Light’s consumer base, costing the company more than $1B in sales.

The case of Bud Light serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of woke ideology infiltrating corporations, as the company was forced to lay off hundreds of employees as a result of consumer boycotts.  This example serves as a clear indication that woke capitalism ultimately fails to resonate with consumers and can drive them away from brands. 

Both The North Face’s DEI course and Bud Light’s controversial partnership were ideas championed by leftist Ivy League graduates and show how leftist ideology learned on college campuses eventually graduates to the workplace and society.  

DEI initiatives at North Face are spearheaded by Columbia University graduate Lauren Guthrie, the Vice President of DEI at VP Corporations, the parent company of the North Face. Similarly, Bud Light’s controversial partnership was spearheaded by Harvard University graduate Alissa Heinerscheid, the company’s marketing Vice President.

Companies like the North Face and Bud Light sacrifice profits, face backlash from consumers and tarnish their own brand reputations in pursuit of their commitment to DEI initiatives.

These implications show the destructive impact of university graduates indoctrinated with radical ideas on companies and society, threatening the success of businesses that succumb to their demands.

[RELATED: ‘Shark Tank’ star to teach business students about Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light’s collapsed sales]

As higher education, the economy and society have experienced the destructive effects of DEI initiatives, legislators nationwide are taking steps to restrict DEI on public university campuses.

The University of Florida and Florida International University recently terminated their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion departments to comply with Senate Bill 266, which prohibits Florida’s universities from using public funds for such programs.

Similarly, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Alabama lawmakers are introducing measures to limit DEI at public universities.

Moreover, Campus Reform recently covered the trend of major Wall Street firms reigning back efforts to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) amid heightened criticism.

According to Bloomberg News, major banks such as Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Corp., Bank of New York Mellon Corp., and JP Morgan are reconsidering diversity efforts and, as a result, have been cutting them.

The trend of universities and financial firms retracting DEI efforts underscores the growing skepticism about these initiatives and their impacts.  

[RELATED: More colleges are seeking to institutionalize DEI through rubrics, diversity statements]

The divisive principles of DEI promoted by university graduates are not only eroding the reputation of companies, but also exposing the flaws within our education system.

 America’s universities have become breeding grounds for leftist indoctrination rather than rigorous academic institutions educating and preparing the next generation of leaders. 

Leftist professors use the classroom as a soapbox to indoctrinate students with political ideology and students are expected to accept it.

With universities retracting DEI initiatives and companies recognizing potential issues with hiring woke college graduates, students from institutions without heavy DEI influence may have a competitive advantage in the recruitment process. 

Employers could start viewing candidates from non-DEI-focused universities as safer hires and those from heavily DEI-influenced schools as potential liabilities, negatively impacting their prospects in the job market.

In summary, the spread of far-left ideology from universities to the workplace has led to the dissemination of radical ideas and the promotion of leftist agendas within companies and society, causing adverse effects on businesses and fostering skepticism towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.

Follow Emily Sturge on X and Instagram.

There is a point where the “sovereign” loses all moral, and even legal, legitimacy.

Ask yourself: Are we there yet?

If you think there is one iota of fairness or objectivity in Donald Trump’s Soviet-style “trial,” YOU are part of the problem.

People (conservatives, Republicans, patriots, lovers of liberty) proceed as if Trump will somehow win, as if by magic. And that when he wins, all will somehow applaud him, like he’s George Washington or Ronald Reagan.

What world are you living in?

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The inverse of Ayn Rand’s quote is also true: The more irrational and even psychopathological a culture becomes, the more its people succumb to every form of totalitarianism (green, COVID, socialism, etc).

That’s why elections and politics alone will not save us.

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