Report on the Nation

Here at the homestead we often feel the need to look out over the landscape of our country to see whats going on. We've had a pretty steep learning curve since moving here 5 months ago and being new to homesteading and  prepping. The view of our country from here helps us gauge the best use of our limited resources and areas in our preps to concentrate on. The view hasn't changed much.... still bleak.


More Fedgov waste:

  The Post examined every major project currently funded under the HUD program, analyzing a database of 5,100 projects worth $3.2 billion, studying more than 600 satellite images and collecting information from 165 housing agencies nationwide.

The yearlong investigation uncovered a dysfunctional system that delivers billions of dollars to local housing agencies with few rules, safeguards or even a reliable way to track projects. The lapses have led to widespread misspending and delays in a two-decade-old program meant to deliver decent housing to the working poor. Read more..... washington post investigation

Government agencies blew $125 billion on improper payments

An analysis by the Government Accountability Office found that the majority of the improper payments were concentrated in 10 federal programs which held 94 percent of the total estimated improper payments in 2010, about $118 billion. The big spenders in improper payments came from four major programs: Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. Read more...125-billion-improper-payments 





Widespread waste and fraud in war spending

WASHINGTON – As much as $60 billion in U.S. tax dollars has been lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade due to lax oversight of contractors, poor planning and corruption, according to an independent panel.


Overall, the commission said spending on contracts and grants to support U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to exceed $206 billion by the end of the 2011 budget year. Based on its investigation, the commission said contracting waste in Afghanistan ranged from 10 percent to 20 percent of the $206 billion total. Fraud during the same period ran between 5 percent and 9 percent of the total, the report said. Read more... wartime spending

State Dept. spends terrorism and emergency dollars on parties, rented linens and a kitchen

But an unclassified version of an audit of the K Fund released Thursday noted that auditors sampling records of expenditures in 2008 and 2009 found a total of $723,378 in spending “not made in accordance with the authorized legislation.” In addition, the auditors, working for Inspector General Harold W. Geisel, were unable to find sufficient documentation for an additional $734,840 in expenditures by State Department officials. Read more... state-dept-spends-

Fedgov High jinks:

Dream Act: Obama passes amnesty by a back door ICE directive

The Obama administration memo to John Morton, Director of I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) directs I.C.E. agents now to use “prosecutorial discretion” with regard to enforcing immigration laws. Read more.... amnesty by executive order 

Executive amnesty

If you look at the "policy reform" timeline for ICE since Obama became president it has been one small amnesty after another. 

The Homeland Security Department said Thursday it will halt deportation proceedings on a case-by-case basis against illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria such as attending school, having family in the military or are primarily responsible for other family members’ care.  Read more....executive-amnesty

I have always felt this country a symbol of freedom and hope for the rest of the world. A promised land that people across the globe dreamed of coming too. Any freedom loving person from any place in the world who hoped for a better life, who had the courage and will to travel halfway around the world to get here would be welcome here. However times are different now and so are many of those who try and come here. Our leaders at this very instant manipulate the system to gain favor and votes from the Hispanic community. Immigration is now a tool of the powerful… used to shrink our own influence over them. And to many who come here come… not for freedom but for free stuff and to abuse generosities of our system. And now we have drug & gun trafficking, human trafficking and pathways for terrorists trying to enter our country.
Your right Rourke: our government can send our troops all over the world to protect and secure other's borders from terrorist and the like….. and here?… they molest us as we board airplanes.

slaveboy.. comment at http://modernsurvivalonline.com/


The Blame Game:
Bad luck? Bad faith?

A troubled nation wonders: How did we get mired in 9.1 percent unemployment, 0.9 percent growth and an economic outlook so bad that the Federal Reserve pledges to keep interest rates at zero through mid-2013 — an admission that it sees little hope on the horizon?


In Obama’s recounting, however, luck is only half the story. His economic recovery was ruined not just by acts of God and (foreign) men, but by Americans who care nothing for their country. These people, who inhabit Congress (guess which party?), refuse to set aside “politics” for the good of the nation. They serve special interests and lobbyists, care only about the next election, place party ahead of country. Indeed, they “would rather see their opponents lose than see America win.” The blaggards! Read more... bad-luck-bad-faith

Tea Party Blame and Fairy Tales

When Standard and Poor's downgraded the creditworthiness of the United States government, Sen. John Kerry shamelessly labeled it a "Tea Party downgrade," and no one in the press questioned him. This is beyond ludicrous. It's a deliberate lie on Kerry's part.

How can you blame 87 new Republican House members who weren't in Washington when President Barack Obama was tripling the deficit with trillions in new spending, which Kerry happily endorsed? Read more... tea-party

             

                                        At least the Fed Reserve is on top of there game.. um, maybe not.

It all comes down to confidence and polls show we have none in Fedgov. Why would we? They tell us one thing and do the other. They attempt at every instance to subsidize and nationalize more and more of our economy in order to gain control and influence. Perhaps Fedgov would have more moral authority if there actions matched there words. It may not matter much longer. They long ago ran out of our money, The hour is growing late and borrowing is getting harder. Its not a party thing... oh no.. their all to blame and there's little chance of change. They still spend, willfully worsening our situation and wantonly stealing from our children's futures. You can only squeeze the productive to support the unproductive for so long before the squeezed say enough. 
....... note to self: stockpile more food stuffs and ammo




The Homestead report: the first 5 months


communication:

Communication can be an issue when moving (or bugging out) to the middle of nowhere. If your plan includes bugging out or moving to a rural area It would be wise to look at your communication options. As far as our (non emergency) needs we hoped to maintain the standards most have today: tv, phone and internet. In our case it wasn't that hard. When we first got the farm we used a tv antenna and got 5 stations. 1 was a spanish speaking only, 2 were PBS stations and 1 was a weather station, limited but workable. Before moving here we were able to get satellite tv so now we have 200+ channels. Phone and internet were a bit harder. Our cell carrier had limited coverage in this area. After checking only one other carrier had any coverage at all in this area. It turned out to be a little better then our carriers coverage so we switched and so far so good. With no phone lines or cable we looked to satellite internet to fill our need. After a few calls we found Hughesnet who could set us up. As far as radio we get plenty of stations. We have a pair of walkie/talkies with a 2 mile range that we use around our 40 acres and we are looking into a ham radio setup should the communications grid go down.


Fishing

We are lucky enough to be within a short walk to a stocked catfish pond hidden in the woods. Every time we go we catch a bunch. Not just a great way to spend an afternoon but it helps fill your freezer.
Grandkids love it to. Got to be the easiest way to feed yourself. I wonder if you can live on just fish alone.