US Government Gets a Raise by Executive Order


Posted originally on Dec 28, 2023 By Martin Armstrong 

Pensioner UK

President Biden has signed an executive order to implement a 5.2% pay raise for civilian federal workers in 2024, which is the largest pay increase for the federal workforce in over 40 years. This raise includes a 4.7% across-the-board boost to basic pay and an average 0.5% increase in locality pay.

Military service personnel are also expected to receive the same average pay raise, which will not be enough to fix the extremely low recruitment figures. The pay raise will go into effect for the first full pay period of 2024, which for most federal employees begins on January 14. The Office of Personnel Management will publish pay tables outlining the pay raise across all General Schedule pay grades and locality pay areas.

The inflation created by his administration outpaces wages and the cost of living. Now remember that Biden has expanded the government in recent years. Everyone receives a pension, but the funding is simply not there. Government employees have the defined-benefit (DB) while we get the defined contribution (DC) plan. Most state and local government employees, around 87% of those working full-time, participate in a defined benefit (DB) pension plan. They contribute NOTHING but are guaranteed a pension on top of what they earn, plus free healthcare for life.

Franklin Taxes

The vast majority of those in government have not had to save. They will demand a payment when the time comes due. We are to be taxed until we die; upon death, they want what is left.

When the government of ancient Rome could no longer afford to pay the army, the army began sacking Roman cities that opposed their general. They turned inward and cannibalized their own cities, weakening the entire empire, thereby allowing the Barbarians to come through the gates. We have followed the very same mistakes as Rome. This is just how empires always end. We are no different.

Biden Admin Announces Release of Additional $250 Million in Ukraine Funding – Plus Some Other Less Noticed Stuff


Posted originally on the CTH on December 27, 2023 | Sundance

An interesting set of details amid a few reports on Ukraine, with one very interesting White House announcement under section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA).

First, as previously discussed within the year-end National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) there was a supplemental addition of $300 million more for Ukraine.

(VIA CBS) – The Biden administration Wednesday announced a $250 million military assistance package for Ukraine.

The aid package — the final of 2023 — will include arms and equipment, including air defense munitions, anti-armor munitions, ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, and more than 15 million rounds of small arms ammunition, a State Department spokesperson said to CBS News.

“Our assistance has been critical to supporting our Ukrainian partners as they defend their country and their freedom against Russia’s aggression,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, urging Congress to “swiftly” approve further aid to Ukraine. (read more)

Then, there’s something rather interesting….

Remember how we’ve talked about Ukraine being somewhat of a money laundering operation; and the entire series of events being akin to “world war Reddit” without any visible ‘boots on the ground’ war correspondent reporting; and the highly visible structure of the CIA running the operation from Foggy Bottom with the Dept of State controlling the outcomes… Remember all that?

Now, check out this little slush fund:

WHITE HOUSE – “By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $20 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.” (link)

Who/what is that $20 million for?

Curiousor and curiousor….

POLITICO – “With U.S. and European aid to Ukraine now in serious jeopardy, the Biden administration and European officials are quietly shifting their focus from supporting Ukraine’s goal of total victory over Russia to improving its position in an eventual negotiation to end the war, according to a Biden administration official and a European diplomat based in Washington. Such a negotiation would likely mean giving up parts of Ukraine to Russia.

The White House and Pentagon publicly insist there is no official change in administration policy — that they still support Ukraine’s aim of forcing Russia’s military completely out of the country. But along with the Ukrainians themselves, U.S. and European officials are now discussing the redeployment of Kyiv’s forces away from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s mostly failed counteroffensive into a stronger defensive position against Russian forces in the east, according to the administration official and the European diplomat, and confirmed by a senior administration official.

This effort has also involved bolstering air defense systems and building fortifications, razor wire obstructions and anti-tank obstacles and ditches along Ukraine’s northern border with Belarus, these officials say. (MORE)

So, the official narrative has shifted from ‘winning‘ to ‘stalemate‘ to the more recent, ‘lose less’ and prepare for “giving up parts of Ukraine to Russia.”

Hmmm… What’s the DoS/CIA extra $20 million for, again?

Comrade Suspicious Cat remains, well, suspicious….

This Is How They Plan To Interfere In The Next Election (Ep. 2156) – 12/22/2023


Posted originally on Rumble By Dan Bongino on; Dec 22 2023

Zelensky Visits White House Today – A Disgrace to Democracy


Posted originally on Dec 12, 2023 By Martin Armstrong 

ECM Ukraine Russia War

After threatening to send American troops to die in Ukraine if Congress did not approve the latest blank check for Ukraine, Biden has invited Zelensky to travel to the White House today. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the invite will “underscore the United States’ unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion.” Who has unwavering support for Ukraine besides the Neocons? Joe Biden’s approval continues to decline as his support for Ukraine rises. Our elected officials have repeatedly voted to cease funding. And yet, our president has chosen to dismiss the wishes of the people and their representatives.

2023_06_20_21_30_33_Zelenskyy_Questions_US_Presidential_Candidates_Calling_for_Ukraine_Peace_Deal_

America has already sent Zelensky over $111 billion to fight this proxy war. Billions have gone missing from the Pentagon since the war in Ukraine began, and there is no telling how much the government actually gave to Zelensky. Biden’s latest check would be worth $61.4 billion, bringing the US closer to having spent $200 billion on Ukraine since 2022. The entire Ukrainian government is on the US payroll on top of the endless funding to combat Russian aggression.

Do the people not see how offensive Zelensky’s visit is to US democracy? The people said no, the elected officials said no, but the “big guy” at the top is acting as a dictator and dismissing the wishes of the people. The American public has had a significantly lower standard of living since Biden took office, and I cannot think of anyone who wants to pass off our money to a foreign government to fight an undefeatable war.

Zelensky’s presence in Washington is an absolute disgrace to democracy. If the president of the United States cared about his country, he would invite the US Customs & Border Patrol to the White House and focus on redirecting funds to fix America’s broken border. Americans simply want to afford groceries and housing again, but the Biden Administration is DELIBERATELY making it harder for everyone to stay afloat.

Biden Threatens Direct U.S. Troop Fights Against Russia if Congress Doesn’t Fund Ukraine


Posted originally on the CTH on December 6, 2023 | Sundance 

Earlier today Joe Biden threatened U.S. troop engagement with Russian troops if congress doesn’t provide further funding for Ukraine.  As the premise is pushed, a failure to fund the Ukraine war means Russia will move beyond Ukraine into a NATO country.  The premise is nonsense. WATCH:

White House – […] “Congress needs to pass supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess.  It’s as simple as that. 

Frankly, I think it’s stunning that we’ve gotten to this point in the first place.  While Congress — the Republicans in Congress is — are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for and abandon our global leadership not just to Ukraine, but beyond that.   

[…] “I just did a meeting with the G7, which was one of the issues we discussed — all of the European leaders.  We are prepared to stay with us — stay with Ukraine, and our European friends are as well. 

Who in the United States are prepared to walk away from that?  I tell you, I’m not prepared to walk away, and I don’t think the American people are either.

If Putin takes Ukraine, he won’t stop there.  It’s important to see the long run here.  He’s going to keep going.  He’s made that pretty clear.

If Putin attacks a NATO Ally — if he keeps going and then he attacks a NATO Ally — well, we’ve committed as a NATO member that we’d defend every inch of NATO territory.  Then we’ll have something that we don’t seek and that we don’t have today: American troops fighting Russian troops — American troops fighting Russian troops if he moves into other parts of NATO

Make no mistake: Today’s vote is going to be long remembered.  And history is going to judge harshly those who turn their back on freedom’s cause.  

We can’t let Putin win.  I’ll say it again: We can’t let Putin win.  It’s in our overwhelming national interest and international interest of all our friends.

Any disruption in our ability to supply Ukraine clearly strengthens Putin’s position.  We’ve run out of money to be able to do that, in terms of authorization.

Extreme Republicans are playing chicken with our national security, holding Ukraine’s funding hostage to their extreme partisan border policies.” (link)

Servant of the People Leader Said NATO Forced Ukraine to Reject Russian Peace Treaty


Posted originally on Dec 4, 2023 By Martin Armstrong 

2022_03_29_Russia_Ukraine peace talks

Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People, released a damning piece of information that has been swept under the rug as it proves Moscow attempted to end this war long ago. This key information is important to keep in mind as the Neocons have infiltrated all upcoming elections. Davyd was present during the peace talks with Belarus, Russia, and Turkey in 2022, shortly after the war began. Putin allegedly came to the meeting with a drafted peace agreement that would end the war if Ukraine granted Russia neutrality.

The Permanent Neutrality of Ukraine and Security Guarantees contained 18 articles with “everything is spelled out, from military equipment to personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Avoiding future NATO membership was part of the agreement, but Russia was willing to surrender and end the war then and there. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson acting on behalf of NATO allegedly made a surprise visit to Kiev during this time and persuaded Ukrainian officials not to accept the peace treaty.

Hundreds of thousands of lives could have been saved if not for the Neocons. The West orchestrated this entire war from the beginning in an attempt to weaken Russia by any means necessary. Those who claim Putin is a warmonger hellbent on reclaiming the USSR is not listening to the facts. The New York Times estimated that over half a million soldiers had been hurt or killed during the battle back in August. True death figures are never released during times of war. Zelensky does not realize that the Neocons in charge know he will lose. The motives for this type of death and destruction are beyond comprehension.

Ukraine Cannot Win


Posted originally on Nov 28, 2023 By Martin Armstrong 

When I said that Ukraine had lost 100,000 soldiers DEAD, I got a rash of emails claiming I was spreading Russian Propaganda. Then the head of the EU said that in a speech, and Zelensky said it was classified and she had to take that out. Of Ukraine’s 700,000 army, more than 150,000 are DEAD, and nearly 300,000 have been injured. This is why Zelensky has been conscripting 16-year-old boys and, behind the curtain, insisting that the EU forcibly return all able-bodied people to the front line. My same RELIABLE sources have the number of dead and injured Ukrainians approaching 500,000. The battle for Bakhmut was senseless. Zelensky ordered soldiers to their deaths, all to pretend he was winning for fear that the money would stop flowing.

Ukraine not only blew up the Nord Stream, undermining the German economy and sending unemployment up from 4.7% to 5.8%. Zelensky denied that Ukraine blew up the Nord Stream.  Moreover, Ukraine has been behind the assassination attempts inside Russia. Zelensky has been desperate to create World War III. He shot a missile into Poland and tried to blame Russia. The Dutch Court covered up the shooting down of the Malaysian passenger jet when the Ukrainians tried to blame that on the Russian-Ukrainians living in the Donbas. Zelensky is trying to blow up the Turkish pipeline all to undermine the Russian economy with no regard for what that will do to Europe, whom he then demands more weapons and money.

The Neocons have to be removed from power. They have been trying to undermine Russia by cutting off its energy sales since 1980. They imposed sanctions on Poland and Russia while creating pipelines to send gas to Europe. They started the Syrian Civil War, and that was the arms dealings hidden by the Benghazi incident. They signed the pipeline deal from Nigeria to Europe 2 months before they directed the Ukrainians to blow up Nord Stream. Then the Niger coup stopped that pipeline, and Victoria Nuland urgently flew to Niger to try to save the pipeline. The Neocons will not stop, and they pull off these covert acts all outside of Congress, circumventing the Constitution with every breath they take.

They are behind the Middle East war to circumvent the Suez Canal in hopes of destroying that, rerouting everything through Israel to cut off all trade with Russia once again. When will the Ukrainians rise up and overthrow Zelensky, who has sold his country to the Neocons? It looks like his days are numbered as we head into 2024. The Ukrainian people have been played for fools. They have been the vanguard to die for the dreams of the Neocons, and what do they stand to gain? Absolutely nothing!

First Israeli American Released by Hamas – Biden Takes Much Needed Victory Lap


Posted originally on the CTH on November 26, 2023 | Sundance 

While it is good news, excellent news, the Israeli and foreign ‘hostages’ are slowly being released by Hamas, the politics of the dynamic are abundantly clear.

Biden was under extreme political pressure to gain the release of “American” hostages held captive by Hamas and affiliates in Gaza as a result of the October 7th attack and kidnappings.  Prior to Joe Biden taking a victory lap for the release of 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, an Israeli-American dual citizen, all of the key players in the region made advanced notification of the impending release.

Qatari [think Muslim Brotherhood] Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told Face the Nation the release was imminent. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan also made the same prediction, as did several people associated with Gaza relief efforts and the larger agenda to create the two-state solution for Palestinian and Israeli citizens.  In essence, politically Biden needed an American release, and that message was the driving force from Qatar to their allies in Hamas.  Abigail Mor Edan was released as a result.  Biden immediately took a victory lap.

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden confirmed Sunday that the 4-year old American Abigail Mor Edan who was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza is now free.  “She’s free and she’s in Israel now,” Biden told reporters Sunday from Nantucket, where he was spending Thanksgiving weekend with his family. (more)

The background effort is also very clear.  The aligned interests of the Muslim Brotherhood and the U.S. Biden administration is to maintain a gauntlet approach where the two-state solution is the only option for Israel, backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a corner.

[…] “Abigail was among 13 hostages released today from Gaza under the brokered and sustained though intensive U.S. diplomacy. She is now safely in Israel. And we continue to press and expect for additional Americans will be released as well,” Biden said.

According to Israel, 17 hostages were released Sunday including 14 Israelis and three foreign nationals, the young American girl among them.

Abigail, whose name has also been rendered as Avigail Idan in some reports, is the first American hostage who was been released as part of the deal brokered between Israel and Hamas that would allow for the freeing of at least 50 of the more than 200 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a 4-day pause in the fighting and the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Some foreign nationals have also been released by Hamas, including a Russian national.

Abigail’s parents were killed by Hamas attackers Oct. 7. On Sunday, Biden spoke of the events the young girl experienced during the attack, acknowledging that she had been through “a terrible trauma,” as, according to Biden, she witnessed her mother die in front of her before her father was shot and killed while shielding her from attackers. (read more)

If you drop the pretending, it becomes crystal clear to see the hostages are being used as leverage to stop a counteroffensive by the Israeli military.  The Obama/Biden administration alignment with Qatar, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), permeates the media narrative with calls to negotiate terms for peace and hostage release.

Benjamin Netanyahu is being painted into a corner by the Biden administration who are using the U.S. military presence as a shield to force Israel to follow the approved program of the U.S. government.   Biden, et al, want to protect Hamas while simultaneously calling residents of Gaza “victims” to the interests of Hamas and the PIJ.

With 200+ hostages held by Hamas, and up to another 50 held by PIJ, the slow drip of successful hostage release negotiations becomes the justification to stopping the Israeli War counteroffensive.

Obama/Biden et al, want a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.  I believe all efforts are underway to exploit the 10/7/23 terrorist attack to advance that agenda.  Netanyahu is being carefully painted into a position where the survival of Israel will be contingent upon accepting this two-state solution, which essentially means -in the long picture- the elimination of the Israeli state.

Biden will give the outward face of complete support toward Israel; however, the background work will be to protect Gaza, and thereby Hamas, and controllably expand -if needed- the regional conflict, such that a two-state solution becomes the only viable option for the survival of Israel.  Efforts by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood and by extension Iran, will appear to be confronted by Biden, but only insofar as the need for USA military support becomes more important and that dependency paints Netanyahu into a corner.

The nation of Qatar is the financial support system for the Muslim Brotherhood, the political umbrella of extremist (authentic) Islam.  The Brotherhood supports Hamas, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, the Islamic State and all the terrorist affiliates therein.  The Brotherhood leadership live in Turkey, under the protection of Recep Erdogan – who wants to recreate the Ottoman Empire.  The Hamas leadership live in Qatar, under the protection of Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani.  Joe Biden supports the efforts of Erdogan and Thani.

Now, does the 2022 memo pictured left make more sense?

Each of the aforementioned actors, including Obama/Biden and all the U.S. operatives from the State Dept therein, view Israel as the provocateur in the dynamic.  The pro-Palestinian progressive movement within the Democrat Party is visibly part of this dynamic.  Thus, the alignment of common interests can be expanded to include, leftists, Democrats, Palestinians, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Biden Administration and Qatar.   The common enemy, Israel.

Once you understand this dynamic, then you are able to see what happens in the background and how it aligns with the interests of the group.

Blunting any effort by the Israelis in the war against Hamas becomes a matter of taking steps that make it more difficult for the international community to support the Israeli side of the war against Hamas.

Who are the people really driving this narrative and foreign policy effort?  The Obama crew.

One Dictator meets Another Where Elections Are Cancelled for the Duration of the War


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Sep 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Fighting for Democracy when the People are Not Allowed to Vote, with approaching 10 million having Fled Ukraine and would Eagerly Mail-in Ballots to Overthrow Zelensky, who promised peace, and then waged all-out war and totally destroyed Ukraine to occupy the Donbas, which Kiyv waged civil war on the direction of American Neocons since 2014. Suspending election = dictatorship.

Martin Armstrong Predictions Part II / Election Fraud, Food Shortages & Civil Unrest


Armstrong Economics Blog/Armstrong in the Media Re-Posted Sep 9, 2023 by Martin Armstrong