A prominent House conservative is calling for a major shift in foreign policy that would end U.S. aid to Ukraine until America’s southern border is secure.
“No more money to secure Ukraine’s border until we secure our own,” Rep. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a keynote speech at the Indiana Republican Party’s recent 2023 State Dinner, prompting a standing ovation.
In an apparently unprecedented move, Indiana GOP Chairman Kyle Hupfer announced at the party’s Aug. 10 dinner that Banks is the presumptive nominee for U.S. Senate.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal, Banks elaborated on why he framed border security as more important to address than additional support toward arming Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“The crisis at the border is the number one issue that every group of Republicans who I speak to across the state of Indiana asks about,” Banks said. “Hoosier voters want to know that they’re electing leaders to Congress who are more focused on solving our problems.”
Banks said he believes this is one of the reasons his candidacy for Senate resonates so strongly with Republicans in Indiana and across the United States.
“With me, they know they’re going to get someone who’s focused on solving our own open-border fentanyl epidemic that’s killing a record number of Hoosiers—and is the leading cause of death [in Indiana],” he told The Daily Signal.
The state GOP officially asked the Republican National Committee to support Banks financially in the open Senate primary to replace incumbent Republican Mike Braun, who is running for Indiana governor.
Banks has no major GOP primary opponents, although Eric Benson, John Rust, and Anthony Tibby are also declared candidates. On the Democratic side, Senate candidates in Indiana so far include little-known hopefuls Marc Carmichael, Valerie Lyn McCray, Keith Potts, Marshall Travis, and Aleem Young.
Banks said that placing America’s southern border before Ukraine isn’t just about the dire crisis of illegal immigration, but providing accountability for spending taxpayer dollars.
“At the moment, there is no inspector general” to oversee U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Indiana Republican said.
”There’s no accountability for the flow of money sent to Ukraine,” he said. “With the current administration asking for another supplemental spending bill, we’re talking about well over $100 billion spent on what’s going on in Ukraine.”
Banks voted against a $1.7 trillion spending package in December that included a $40 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine.
Many Americans have soured on the billions of dollars in financial aid and equipment going to the Ukraine-Russia war. According to a recent CNN poll, a majority of Americans no longer support the massive financial aid packages that have become common in Congress.
GOP leadership in the Senate has remained stalwart in promising aid to Ukraine “for a good deal longer.” But Banks said he thinks Republican voters aren’t going to put up with it for much longer and will “demand” better Senate leadership to solve the border crisis.
“Either you’re more focused on what’s going on over there, or you’re more focused on what’s going on at home,” he said. “As [voters] watch our country crumble from within, they’re demanding leaders at all levels that focus on that instead of focusing on what’s going on in Ukraine or around the world.”
Banks said he doesn’t think that only Republicans are increasingly fed up with a lack of attention to domestic issues.
“I think voters at large, not just Republican voters but all voters, are recognizing that America is weaker than it’s ever been in our lifetime,” he told The Daily Signal.
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What’s the solution? Banks said it’s an inward focus on “solving the energy crisis, solving the border crisis, solving the onset of the drug crisis, solving the economic issues that we have here at home,” and turning Congress’ attention toward threats posed by China.
Banks made it clear that putting America’s needs first “is an important test for Republicans.”
“We have to be on the side of America first—in restoring and rebuilding America—[and] then we can be the leaders around the globe that America has traditionally been,” he said. “America can’t lead abroad when we’re so weak at home, and Reagan understood that. Trump understood that. There are too many Republicans today who don’t understand that.”
Rebutting a common argument that to not give Ukraine a blank check is to support Russia, Banks pointed out that he favored “lethal aid to Ukraine” when Donald Trump was president and accountability measures were in place. And, he noted, he has been sanctioned by Russia.
“I’ve been sanctioned by them for my ‘tough on Russia’ record,” Banks said. “I stood with President Trump when he reversed the weak policies of the Obama administration to give lethal aid to Ukraine instead of Obama’s only sending humanitarian aid in blankets.”
The call to put Americans first might be Republicans’ most effective campaign strategy, Banks said.
“It’s clear if we keep our focus on putting their interests first, then the Republican Party is going to have a bigger election in 2024 than I think what most people are predicting today,” he said.
Ken McIntyre contributed to this report. Article cross-posted from Daily Signal.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.