“Domestic divisions are the greatest threat to our national security.” -Susan Rice.
Note: My apologies if I at times engage in “both-sides-ism” in this post, it was meant for a more general audience than NeoLiberal and often times that is the best way to make a point about tribalism to mixed (and tribal) audience. Additionally, I am not highly familiar with Reddit formatting and as such some things might look peculiar. Thank you for reading.
Identity with a political tribe has taken supreme precedence over matters such as ideology. Blind allegiance is rewarded, not independence, thoughtful consideration, or compromise. Dissent has lost much of its political prestige, the respect, if begrudging, for those “profiles in courage” has largely evaporated. Courageous senators of a time not long past were once applauded for their courage, if not their action (Wayne Morse on the Gulf of Tonkin, James Buckley on Watergate, Charles Goodell on Vietnam, or Howard Baker on the Panama Canal)a When we do see courageous political dissent (e.g from John McCain on the Affordable Care Act or Joe Manchin on the nomination of Justice Kavanaugh), its emissaries are greeted with only contempt. The descent of politics into a conflict between groups held in near religious reverence by their followers is antithetical to democracy itself and seems to absolve its participants from the basic rigors of civility. Civil disagreement is trumped by a hatred reminiscent of that between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. From Jesse Helms, Newt Gingrich, or the “Tea Party” on the right to Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and the “Justice Democrats” of the left, polarization has grown steadily worse.
These partisan tribes develop norms that are then used as the standards for partisan to be conforming group members. As people identify with a group more strongly, they conform to these tribal norms to appear as “good” members of their tribe, and those who do not conform to the tribal norms are targeted by the extremists within the tribe through systems such as primaries. For instance, Republican Representative Bob Inglis of South Carolina lost a 2010 primary to Trey Gowdy by 40 points despite having a 93% rating from the American Conservative Union due to Inglis’s support of climate legislation, a post recession bailout, and his opposition to the 2007 troop surge in Iraq. Even dissent as minor as Representative Inglis’s can trigger a tribal reaction from the group. Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler campaigns extensively on her voting record of siding with President Trump on 100% of votes, in my view it is a sad reflection on the state of our political process if an absolute lack of dissent is applauded by one’s supporters.
In 2016 researchers assembled 1,178 Washingtonians for a study on how partisanship affected their perception of a ballot measure that would institute a carbon tax. The group was divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats; those groups were further divided into a groups viewing Republican endorsements of the policy and Democratic opposition, and a group viewing Republican opposers to the policy and Democratic endorsers. While Republicans continually opposed the policy, they were much more prone to supporting it when told that famous Republicans such as George Shultz (An advisor to the Eisenhower Administration, Nixon’s Secretary of Labor and the Treasury, and finally Reagan’s Secretary of State) had endorsed the policy. This gap was only more pronounced among the well educated in these groups. Global warming is an existential threat to humanity itself, yet our views on it are largely informed due to partisan biases as opposed to scientific fact.
The Media’s Role:
The Soviet Union’s propaganda newspaper was entitled Pravda, Russian for truth, so too does Fox News’ motto of “Fair and Balanced” disguise propaganda and an impartiality taken seriously by few. Politics is not a sport, to create policy and build a united nation compromise is second only to the understanding of other’s beliefs. Media-be it from the right or left-portrays political happenings as a conflict between two teams, with a “win” being valued over the nation’s wellbeing, and, as the saying goes, perception often becomes reality. The facile portrayal of politics as a sport in news has led political discourse to increasingly adopt these characteristics. Media gains views through sensationalism and the portrayal of politics as a horse race, but in doing so it preys on our divisions and often provides a platform to those such as climate change deniers or other conspiracy theorists who normally would be shut from the arena of mainstream political belief. As Carlton University professor Jim Davies explains, “everything about the news—from the dramatic headlines to the riveting background music to the colors on the screen (lots of red, which experts agree is one of, if not the most, emotionally charged color)—is engineered to prey on our hardwired impulses to pay attention to what seems exciting and important. The manner in which the news is presented—be it on television or the social feeds on our phone—often triggers the release of dopamine, a powerful neurochemical that tags experiences as meaningful and makes us want to seek them over and over again.”
The national motto of the United States is “E Pluribus Unum” or “Out of Many, One”. Humans are naturally tribal creatures, but our founders understood that democracy requires us to embrace pluralism and unite our many tribes into one united nation. Social media is in diametric opposition to these principles, sorting us into tribal echo chambers by way of clandestine algorithms that dehumanize our opposition and do no more than confirm our biases. Social media has also opened the door to foreign interference in our elections and the inflammation of our tribal instincts by way of Russian, Chinese, or Iranian propaganda. Foreign disinformation now colors our view of our fellow Americans and of our democratic processes themselves. Anti-democratic actors such as Father Coughlinb harnessed the new technology of radio to fan the flames of fascism, but today we are faced with thousands of Fathers Coughlin spreading disinformation not in weekly radio broadcasts, but in a never-ending firehose of social media extremism that pushes our society deeper into division. Tom Wheeler of the Brooking’s Institution put it well; “digital technology is gnawing at the core of democracy by dividing us into tribes and devaluing truth.”
The Importance of Interaction:
I would argue that the best way to stymie hateful tribalism in the media is not to legislation, but often very minor actions taken by us. I would argue two primary actions should be taken; firstly, one should view media from across the political spectrum; secondly, one should engage in discussion with those you disagree with. As Zachary Wood explained in a “Ted Talk”, “tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn't make them go away, because millions of people agree with them. In order to understand the potential of society to progress forward, we need to understand the counterforces.” People increasingly do not interact with ideas they oppose, and in doing so they lose an understanding of those ideas and come to regard their opponents as what is known as “strawmen”, as Krysta Scripter explains “Especially when we hold a strong opinion, it's increasingly less likely that we're talking [..] with anyone who disagrees.” Interaction with those we disagree with also fosters intellectual humility, defined by the Journal of Positive Psychology as “the ability to have an accurate view of one’s intellectual strengths and limitations and the ability to negotiate ideas in a fair and inoffensive manner. “ It has been shown that this intellectual humility can not only improve one’s learning abilities, but their social skills as well.
The engagement with other’s ideas also reinforces the ideal of pluralism, which is often considering an underpinning of democracy. Pluralism, defined by Oxford as “a condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority, etc., coexist.”, allows for a democracy in which diverse ideas are expected to compete, if we cannot coexist with others, we cannot properly function as a democracy. For instance, Marwan Muasher, a Middle Eastern policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, argues that a lack of pluralism has been a defining factor in the destabilization of many areas in the Middle East. By interacting with others, we are learning for ourselves while helping support the foundations of democracy.
System of the Fringes:
The factors contributing to partisanship can be traced to the very roots of our electoral systems themselves. Closed partisan primaries, gerrymandering, and our first past the post voting system collaborate to enable a vocal minority of extremists to hold final sway over our electoral process. Only a small percentage of eligible voters even bother to vote in primaries, and these are commonly the most extreme of the electorate. As former U.S Representative Mickey Edwards(R-OK) notes, only 8% of the total Alabama electorate voted for far-right Judge Roy Moore over incumbent Senator Luther Stranged in the 2017 Republican special election primary, and Strange was by all means more popular among the general electorate than Moore, yet it was Moore who advanced to the general election. In Nebraska’s Second Congressional District progressive Democrat Kara Eastman lost to Republican Don Bacon by 4.8% even as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden carried the district by nearly 6 points; Eastman’s moderate Democratic primary opponent Ann Ashford would have been very likely to win the seat. Candidates such as Moore or Eastman are able to win primaries, and thus advance to be one of two, or even the only, competitive candidate in a general election by appealing to small yet vocal aspects of the electorate. This issue goes all the way to the top; the mostly closed, low turnout 2016 Republican primary led to the rise of the unpopular Donald Trump. The Republican Party was moved into the position to facilitate the rise of Trump by its fringes controlling primaries for years beforehand. The bottom line is clear: primaries do not represent the electorate.
The second issue I would cite is gerrymandering, which is closely connected to the first. Gerrymandering, named for Vice President Elbridge Gerrye, is a practice in which legislatures draw legislative districts in such a way as to maximize the benefits of one political party; Gerrymandering has been a persistent issue throughout American history, but it has become more significant than ever as of late. Competitive elections are a cornerstone of democracy yet Gerrymandering reduces the value of elections while removing competition, allowing politicians to become increasingly radical without facing serious electoral hurdles. A study by Antoine Yoshinaka and Chad Murphy found that “members of the out-of-power party tended to have more drastic changes made to their districts as a way for the in-power party to insulate its members”. For instance, as the Brenna Center for Justices notes that gerrymandering in Maryland removed Republican Roscoe Bartlett in 2012. Maryland’s gerrymandering also means that (relatively) far left Representatives such as Kweisi Mfume and (relatively) far right Representative Andy Harris are both consistently re-elected by large margins; ideally both districts would overlap with more significant support for the other party and ensure competitive elections. Furthermore, if congressional districts were drawn to ensure and encourage competition, the congressional balance would be taken out of the hands of a small number of voters in swing districts. Some would argue that this would allow parties to seize supermajorities, I would disagree as in a congressional map drawn to be as competitive as possible it is unlikely that any party would be able to win all of the competitive seats, and if this were to happen the party would have to have moved to the center enough that it would represent the majority will.
Thirdly, our “first past the post” voting system is flawed. The system allows for phenomena such as “vote splitting” and allows candidates to win with small shares of the vote, as low as under 30% in some primaries or 35% in general elections. This system allows candidates to succeed with wedges of the public and disempowers third parties. For instance, in 1974 former U.S Representative Ray Blanton won the Democratic primary with 22.7% of the vote, Blanton would defeat Republican Lamar Alexander in the general election but his single term as Governor would be marred by scandal and RealClearPolitics would name him one of the “Ten Most Corrupt Politicians” in American history, in the final days of his governorship, he would infamously pardon two dozen convicted murderers and 28 others in exchange for money. More recently, Donald Trump won the 2016 Republican Primary while regularly winning under 40% of the vote due to his divided opposition.
Great political leaders of the past-LBJ, Sam Rayburn, Howard Baker, Bob Dolef-understood the importance of compromise, and only through that understanding were they able to achieve the legislative reforms they did, yet legislative leaders today stifle the legislative process and focus instead on their own interests, putting party above democracy. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-KY) has long been known as a master of legislative obstruction not seen since the days of James Allen, while Representative Justin Amash has said of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (and every Speaker he has experienced-this is not unique to her) tactics “We have not been allowed to offer amendments on the House floor in more than four years. In effect, every bill we vote on is take it or leave it.”. That being said, there are still those who value compromise, such as Senator Diane Feinstein(D-CA) or retiring Senator Lamar Alexander(R-TN), but our legislative leaders, enabled by primaries and our voting system, largely stymie attempts at compromise.
A Framework for Unity:
The majority of Americans are exhausted with partisan tribalism. Most Americans are not far right or far left, yet both sides maintain caricatures of one another, and an increasing number of Americans confine themselves to partisan-not necessarily ideological-echo chambers that fail to provide them with the support for pluralism and understanding of opposing views that is critical to democracy. I argue that three crucial electoral reforms should be instituted, a commission to end gerrymandering, a blanket primary, and ranked choice voting. States have consistently altered their primary systems since Robert La Follette popularized the idea in the early 1900s, one, Indiana, went farther. Indiana was a hotbed of the Klux Klan during the organization’s second wave and officials as influential as the state’s Governor were members of the terrorist group. Members of the Klan were significantly more likely to vote in primaries than any other group and could seize control of the political system due to their high turnout rates in these primaries, this led Indiana to largely do away with the primary system for local elections in 1928; they would not be restored until the mid 1970s. That being noted, I would not advocate for the abolition of primaries, instead I would argue for abolishing the partisan requirements tied to primaries. States such as Vermont allow one to choose whether to vote in the Republican or Democratic primaries in the state regardless of party affiliation, allowing independents and others into the fold and enabling the primary to be more representative.
That being said, some have gone farther and instituted the now largely forgotten “blanket primary”, which I would argue would be the best alternative. A blanket primary system allows voters to vote in any party’s primary for different offices, with the candidate with the best showing from each party advancing to the general election, : this system commonly produced consensus candidates. Washington and Alaska long maintained a “blanket primary” system, which contributed to both states being quite competitive, as liberal Republicans such as Daniel Evans won in the generally Democratic state of Washington. A blanket primary was adopted by California in the 1996, but the Supreme Court overruled decades of precedent in the 2001 decision California Democratic Party v. Jones and deemed the blanket primary unconstitutional. The reasoning in this decision, put forth by Justice Scalia in a 7-2 decisionh, was that parties can govern their own affairs; I would disagree and argue that this falls out of the scope of a “party affair” and would posit that it is an affair of the people and furthermore argue the decision was a violation of states’ rights. As Justice Stevens puts it in his dissent “A State's power to determine how its officials are to be elected is a quintessential attribute of sovereignty.”
Secondly how can gerrymandering be stymied, and how should we redraw the maps? I would suggest one of two solutions, either an algorithm or a nonpartisan committee to redistrict. I would argue congressional maps are best drawn in a manner that would ensure the highest number of competitive districts. FiveThirtyEight, a polling and analysis website ran by Nate Silver, recently released a series of 8 congressional maps gerrymandered in various ways, one of these is drawn to maximize competition. The maximized competition map includes 242 highly competitive districts, this ensures that one’s vote is likely to have a significant impact while ensuring that elections are not confined to several dozen congressional districts, practically disenfranchising large portions of the electorate. As David Daley of the electoral reform organization FairVote notes “If your goal is to reduce polarization, this system would reduce the oversized influence of partisan voters in low-turnout primaries, give moderate and independent voters more choices, and empower the broader electorate that turns out in November general elections”.
Finally, how we can reform our voting system itself. Several ideas have gained popularity, including approval voting (utilized in Bismarck, North Dakota), but by and large the most popular is ranked choice voting, Maine uses ranked choice voting in its elections, and Alaska recently approved a referendum to do so as well. Ranked choice voting would allow people to rank every candidate for an office in order of preference, candidates are eliminated in each round and their votes redistributed to their second choice until a candidate possesses a majority vote. The majority requirement ensures that candidates possess a true mandate for their policies: other effects of ranked choice voting include more moderate candidates as candidates are required to appeal to a larger segment of the electorate, less tribalism and a more civil political culture as candidates are competing for the second or third choice votes of those who may support another candidate as their first-choice vote, and the negation of the “spoiler effect”.
Opponents of ranked-choice voting make several arguments, well summarized in the Heritage Foundation piece “Ranked Choice Voting Is A Bad Choice” but the primary argument is the claim that in a ranked-choice system, one could vote for a candidate they greatly dislike, whom they ranked quite low. I would object vehemently to this argument. Firstly, one would never vote for the candidate they ranked last, and if one were not comfortable voting for multiple candidates they could leave them out of their rankings. Secondly, one will only vote for a candidate ranked low on their ballot if the election is down to that candidate and the candidate or candidates one has ranked lower. For example, if one were to have ranked every third-party presidential candidate above Joe Biden and Donald Trump in this election but still ranked Biden above Trump, their vote would have gone to their second least favored candidate, but only because the alternative was a candidate they favored even less. Our political system is in chaos, and technologies such as social media exacerbate these issues. Electoral reform and reforms to our manner of politics are, frankly, the only way we can escape this political quagmire for brighter pastures.
Footnotes:
a.. The four acts of “political courage” I reference here are as follows; Wayne Morse(D-OR) being one of two Senators to oppose the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution; James Buckley(C-NY) being the first conservative Senator to call for the resignation of President Nixon; Appointed Senator Charles Goodell(R-NY) opposing the Vietnam War, an action which led to his defeat in the 1970 election, losing the support even of the Nixon White House; and Republican Senate Leader Howard Baker(R-TN) aiding President Carter with negotiations surrounding the Panama Canal, which may have cost him the 1980 Republican presidential nomination.
b. Father Charles Coughlin was a radio priest from the late 1930s and early 1940s infamous for his advocacy for, arguably, fascist policies and for sympathizing with the enemy during WWII, his weekly broadcasts attracted millions of listeners until he was removed from air early in WWII, although he continued to preside over his church until his death in the late 1970s.
c. The strawman fallacy is defined by Wikipedia as “a form of argument and an informal fallacy of having the impression of refuting an argument, whereas the proper idea of argument under discussion was not addressed or properly refuted.”
d. I would note that Senator Strange was an appointed incumbent, but an incumbent nonetheless, and one who had demonstrated relative popularity with the general electorate in the past in other races.
e. Gerry was Governor of Massachusetts at the time of the redistricting, and in fairness to him, he was reluctant to support the redistricting bill. The term “gerrymander” comes from a political cartoon soon after the bill was passed.
f. LBJ refers to Lyndon Baines Johnson, I refer more so to his work as Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1960 than to his work in the Presidency. Sam Rayburn, the longest serving Speaker of the House in American history, was LBJ’s counterpart from 1953-1960 and served as Speaker until his death in 1961, both Texans, Rayburn was a significant influence on LBJ and in some ways served as a father figure. Howard Baker served as Republican Senate Leader from 1977-`985, the last four of those years at Majority Leader. Bob Dole served as Baker’s successor, both were influential legislators who valued bipartisanship. Dole himself would cite his work for progressive 1972 Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern to end hunger as the work he is most proud of.
g. James “Jim” Allen served as a Senator from Alabama from 1969-1977 and was an infamous master of senate rules. Allen’s behavior almost single handedly led to the lowering of the filibuster threshold from 67 votes to 60, I would recommend Walter Mondales’s account of the matter, which may be found in his memoir, “The Good Fight”.
h. Justices Ginsburg and Stevens dissented.
Bibliography:
Daley, David. “This Is How We End Gerryamandering.” FairVote, 26 Jan. 2018, www.fairvote.org/this_is_how_we_end_gerrymandering.
Ehret, Phillip J., et al. “Partisan Barriers to Bipartisanship.” Social Psychological and Personality Science, vol. 9, no. 3, 2018, pp. 308–318., doi:10.1177/1948550618758709.
ACU Ratings of Congress: 111th Congress, Second Session (40th Edition). American Conservative Union, 2010. p. 32
Cillizza, Chris. “Analysis: This Republican Senator Is Taking Being pro-Trump to a Whole Other Level.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Oct. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/10/29/politics/kelly-loeffler-donald-trump-georgia-senate-race/index.html.
Packer, George, et al. “A New Report Offers Insights Into Tribalism in the Age of Trump.” The New Yorker, www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/a-new-report-offers-insights-into-tribalism-in-the-age-of-trump.
Farrell, William E. “2 In Indiana Face Stiff Primary Tests.” New York Times, 4 May 1976.
Kraushaar, Josh (April 7, 2009). "Inglis faces fight from the right". Politico.com.
Edwards, Mickey, and Jason Davis. GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government - #187 The Parties vs. the People with Mickey Edwards, Former Congressman.
“Nebraska Election Results: Second Congressional District.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Nov. 2020, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-nebraska-house-district-2.html.
“ NE District 02 - D Primary Race - May 12, 2020.” Our Campaigns , www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=873307.
“2018 United States House of Representatives Elections in Maryland.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 June 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Maryland
Heaton, Andrew, et al. “America Had a Coup in 2010.” The Political Orphanage, 2020, politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/steroids-for-gerrymandering.
Wheeler, Tom. “Technology, Tribalism, and Truth.”
Brookings, Brookings, 7 Feb. 2020, www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2020/02/07/technology-tribalism-and-truth/.
Glynn, Anisha Singh and Nathaniel. “Mitch McConnell: A Legacy of Obstruction.” Center for American Progress, 15 July 2016, www.americanprogress.org/issues/courts/news/2016/07/14/141210/mitch-mcconnell-a-legacy-of-obstruction/.
Amash, Justin. “We Have Not Been Allowed to Offer Amendments on the House Floor in More than Four Years. In Effect, Every Bill We Vote on Is Take It or Leave It.This Is Not Legislating.” Twitter, Twitter, 14 Oct. 2020, twitter.com/justinamash/status/1316417188836839424.
Stulberg, Brad. “Step Away from the 24-Hour News Cycle.”
Outside Online, Outside Magazine, 1 Dec. 2018, www.outsideonline.com/2371546/break-your-digital-addiction.
Fish, Greg. “How The Media Fuels Hyper-Partisanship By Treating Politics Like A Sport.” Rantt Media, Rantt Media, 29 June 2018, rantt.com/how-the-media-fuels-hyper-partisanship-by-treating-politics-like-a-sport.
Wood, Zachary R. “Why It's Worth Listening to People You Disagree With.” Why It's Worth Listening to People You Disagree With, by Unknown Yet, www.dailygood.org/story/2180/why-it-s-worth-listening-to-people-you-disagree-with/.
Muasher, Marwan. “Pluralism Is Necessary for Democracy.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, carnegieendowment.org/2014/02/20/pluralism-is-necessary-for-democracy-pub-54609.
“History of the Blanket Primary in Washington.” Elections & Voting - WA Secretary of State, www.sos.wa.gov/elections/bp_history.aspx.
“California Democratic Party v. Jones.” Casebriefs, www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/constitutional-law/constitutional-law-keyed-to-cohen/protection-of-penumbral-first-amendment-rights/california-democratic-party-v-jones/.
Miller, Peter. “Maryland's Extreme Gerrymander.” Brennan Center for Justice, 7 Mar. 2019, www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/marylands-extreme-gerrymander.
Borger, Julian. “Susan Rice: 'Domestic Divisions Are the Greatest Threat to Our National Security'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Nov. 2019, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/23/susan-rice-interview-trump-family-son.
Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 375-387.
Ten Most Corrupt Politicians, RealClearPolitics, 22 May 2012
“The Atlas Of Redistricting.” FiveThirtyEight, 25 Jan. 2018, projects.fivethirtyeight.com/redistricting-maps/.
Livni, Ephrat “Ranked choice voting and the quest to save democracy in the U.S’, Quartz, 31 July 2019
“Benefits of Ranked Choice Voting.” FairVote, www.fairvote.org/rcvbenefits.
von Spakovsky, Hans. “Ranked Choice Voting Is a Bad Choice.” The Heritage Foundation, 23 Aug. 2019, www.heritage.org/election-integrity/report/ranked-choice-voting-bad-choice.

You may know the name Laci Peterson, but do you know the names of the other women missing from Northern California? Around the time that pregnant Laci Peterson went missing, it has often been said that five other women pregnant women went missing from the Modesto area… But is this really the case?
Few months ago, I did an extensive two-part write-up on the case of Laci Peterson, a young pregnant woman from Modesto, California who was murdered by her husband Scott Peterson in 2002. For whatever reason this case has stayed in the public eye for almost two decades and although her husband is behind bars waiting execution for the murders of Laci and her unborn son, rumors still swirl online that Scott Peterson is innocent and was railroaded Modesto Police Department and the rabid media. If you are interested in this specific case, I would suggest you read my two-part right up which you can find here. https://www.reddit.com/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/ie57ja/extensive_twopart_write_up_on_the_murder_of_laci/ and https://www.reddit.com/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/ie5c6h/extensive_twopart_write_up_the_murder_of_laci/
In case you are unaware here's a brief rundown of Laci Peterson's case. Laci Rocha Peterson was 27 years old 2002. She was married to a 30-year-old man named Scott Peterson and the couple was expecting a baby in February of 2003. Christmas Eve 2002 Laci Peterson went missing and her husband Scott soon came under suspicion. Within days Scott was the prime suspect in Laci’s disappearance. The case of the pregnant mom to be and her handsome husband soon became a media sensation that garnered more attention than anyone ever would have expected. Within a couple of months, it emerged that Scott had had a number of affairs and was uninterested in being a father. Several years later he was convicted for the murder of his wife and son. Laci's body washed up on the shores of the San Francisco Bay less than a mile from where Scott Peterson was fishing on that fateful Christmas Eve, nearly 100 miles from the Petersons’’ home. Due to the passage of time only Laci's torso was found.
For reasons that are somewhat unclear to me, Scott has hundreds or even thousands of supporters online who are convinced of his innocence. Scott's family has paid for several documentaries to be made (Such as the ID network’s “The Murder of Laci Peterson”) that have painted Scott in a good light and made the jury and investigators look like bumbling idiots. Even though Scott has been in jail for 16 years, his supporters still rally around him and create Facebook pages, Innocence websites, petitions, and even primetime documentaries to tout his innocence.
One of their favorite things to bring up is the fact that five pregnant women went missing from the Modesto area within a couple of years Laci going missing. Many Scott supports have claimed that there was clearly a serial killer or a cult targeting pregnant women in the area and that this should create reasonable doubt regarding the guilt of Scott Peterson. Some defenders of Scott have even gone so far to say that all the women missing have similar characteristics. One Facebook page claims that all the missing women were pregnant and Hispanic or Hispanic- passing, like Laci*. On one of the Petersons’ family websites, it claims that many of the women were found in water, and were health conscious as well. If all these things were true, a serial killer would have be considered as a possibility in Laci’s case.
*Just to clarify, Laci was full Portuguese and passed for Hispanic. Her missing flyer even had to note that she was white, but did not look white.
The case discussed most extensively online is the case of Evelyn Fernandez whose headless body was also found washed up on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Various articles and documentaries have talked about the similarities between Evelyn's case and Laci's case, but they also point to these five, other mysterious women who went missing in Modesto during the same timeframe. Evelyn's case has gotten some media attention due to documentaries but it didn't seem like the other women had their stories documented anywhere.
The discovery of Evelyn’s case with circumstances which were so similar to Laci Peterson's disappearance, has also reminded people that attractive, white (or white looking), middle-class women get more media coverage than anyone else. The cases of people such as Evelyn fall by the wayside, meanwhile Laci's case is remembered decades later. And what about the other women? Surely, they deserve some attention as well.
Today, I planned on remembering the women that didn't get the media attention while also looking into the similarities and differences between these women’s cases and the case of Laci's murder, but I discovered something that I did not expect. These pregnant women so often talked about in documentaries and online simply don’t exist.
As many of us know, intimate partner violence is a major problem all over the world. Sadly pregnant women are more likely to be abused or killed by partner than non-pregnant women. Some studies have even shown that homicide is one of the leading causes of death for pregnant people. Most of the time the woman's current or ex romantic partner, and usually the father of the child she is carrying, is the perpetrator of these crimes. When I sat down to write this piece I expected to find stories that fit this scenario, however, this wasn’t the case.
The only information I could find was information on Evelyn and Laci. Begrudgingly, I decided to use the list on ssi.com (which stands For Scott is Innocent), and I found a list of 20 women on this website who the author (Scott’s family and the SPA team) claimed disappeared under similar circumstances to Laci “near” Modesto. However, as I began exploring these cases it quickly became apparent that a majority of the missing persons cases bore no resemblance at all the disappearance and murder of Laci Peterson. And the term “near Modesto” simply meant in California or Washington state. Most of the cases mentioned on the website are solved. But most importantly, some of the women on the list do not even exist and the citations provided for them are websites that don’t work or articles that don’t exist.
Some of the women listed were missing at one point but have since been found alive (1 or 2). Another group were women who were missing at one point but whose cases have now been solved (4). Some cases are mostly solved, but remain unprosecuted (6-7). A fourth group of women on the list, completely do not exist (6, although 2 appear to be a simple mistake). In other words only 4 or 5 of these cases have the potential to be related to the murder of Laci Peterson. Only three women on the list came from Modesto, none of whom were pregnant and two of the cases happened in the 1980s, decades before Laci vanished.
The people on this list come from different backgrounds, regions, races, and ages. Some were mothers or grandmothers, others were high schoolers. As far as I can tell, the five mysterious women who are all pregnant and missing from Modesto never existed. This false piece of information has been spread by Scott Peterson’s supporters for years. Not only is the narrative of a serial killer stalking the area false, it is incredibly rude and disrespectful to these women who have passed on. The Peterson family are using people’s daughters’, mothers’, and friends’ stories to create a false narrative in order to exonerate Scott Peterson, a family annihlator, who is exactly where he needs to be. Let’s look at these cases that are supposed to “prove” that pregnant women were going missing from the Modesto area. All names are taken from the SII website.
Jeannine Sanchez Harms of Los Gatos, California (90 miles from Modesto) went missing in July, 2001 after a night out. The 42 year old worked at a computer company and was not pregnant. Harms case was cold for a few years but has since been solved. Her killer, a spurned lover of Jeannine’s, has since passed away and the case is considered solved and closed.
Toni Clark of San Francisco was a senior in high school and a talented athlete in 1990. Clark was driving home one night when she was struck from behind by another vehicle and presumably flew into the San Francisco bay. Her body was never recovered and she is assumedly decreased. The driver of the other car was tried for vehicular manslaughter but was not convicted as Toni’s body was missing and the jury felt that the no one could prove that Toni had actually died. Toni was about six weeks pregnant at the time. Her case is tragic, but law enforcement believes it was nothing more than a fatal car crash.
Karen Modaffi is one of the women listed on SII.org but she doesn’t exist.
Kristen Smart, a Cal Poly student was a college freshman when she was last seen. She was not pregnant and lived 217 miles from Modesto. The main suspect in her case is a man named Paul Flores who was found to be in possession of some of Smart’s bloodied jewelry. He has never been charged in her case. Law enforcement has confirmed that this case is not related to Laci’s case.
Tera Smith was 16 years old and not pregnant in 1998 when she vanished from Redding, California, 250 miles north of Modesto. The blonde high schooler left her home one day to break up with her boyfriend- a married 29-year-old father. She never returned home and her body has never been found. Tera’s boyfriend was sentenced for statutory rape due to Tera’s age but has never been charged with her murder or disappearance. It is considered closed.
Heather Marie Carpenter was 22 years old in Aug 2003 when she attended a party, doomed to be her last. Carpenter was living in Redding (a five-hour drive from Modesto) and was not pregnant at the time of her death. Patrick Michael Larmour confessed to killing Carpenter and was sent to prison. The case is solved and closed.
Angelina Evans was last seen in Sacramento in May 2001 when she was 26 years old. She was seven to eight months pregnant. She went for a walk, and was never seen again. Very little information is available; however, the case does bear a resemblance to Laci Peterson’s story.
According to SII.org, Consuelo Lomeli, was apparently 8 months pregnant when she last seen in 2002 in Tulare, California. She apparently disappeared with three or four of her children. However, I can find no information on this case. The only place their names are mentioned at all are on a Charley Project blog post comment section with no additional information. It appears she was found alive. This case does not exist.
Guadalupe Areias like Consuelo above was apparently 8 months pregnant when she was last seen 11/26/2001 Longview, WA. However, this person again does not exist.
→ A little digging has led me to believe that Guadalupe they meant to mention was actually Guadalupe Castro who disappeared in Washington state after going to meet with her estranged husband, Gergorio. Sadly, Guadalupe and her older daughter Agueda age 3, have never been located. Gregorio fled the area and has not been seen since shortly after the disappearance of his family. He is considered the prime suspect.
Jeanette Gomez Espeleta of Fullerton, California, a five-hour drive from Modesto, was last seen in November 1998. She was 8 months pregnant. Jeanette was excited to be a mom and had a baby shower planned when she went missing. Jeanette’s ex-boyfriend who was purportedly the father of her unborn child, confessed to killing her and dumping her body in the ocean. He took investigators to the place he dumped her body and although her body was not recovered, he is in prison and the case is considered closed.
Ornaith Murphy and her husband Kieran Murphey were both last seen 12/16/2001 aboard their vessel Sola III which was docked in Jack London Square, near Oakland. The couple were both Irish nationals in their 50s. Ornaith was not pregnant. She and her husband are believed to be lost at sea or victims of a murder suicide. Either way this case does not bear resemblance to Laci’s murder in any way shape or form.
Wendy Jamie Abrams-Nishikai was last seen in Berkeley in 1989. She was not pregnant at the time. Very little information is available.
Amparo Aguilar, age approximately 18, was purportedly last seen in 1999 East Palo Alto. Very little information is available. This woman may be no longer missing, meaning that this case, does not exist.
Kristen Modafferi went missing June 23rd 1997 in San Francisco. She was attending summer classes at UC Berkeley and she was not pregnant at the time. Kristen’s case is odd but there is a prime suspect in her case.
Kathy Irene Sweet, 32, had been dead only a few hours when a Stanislaus County sheriff's deputy found her nude body inside a pickup parked in a north Modesto almond orchard Jan. 14, 1998. She was not pregnant at the time of her death. Her death is believed to be homicide but no other information is available besides one Facebook post from the California DOJ. This case in Modesto bears little resemblance to Laci’s case.
Teiaar Nakea Rowe of Stockton, California was 24 years old when a farm worker found her body dumped in an almond orchard. Teiaar was not pregnant when she passed away. The only information on her case is one Facebook post, and one find a grave memorial.
Lynsie Ekelund, was a physically disabled college student in her early 20s when she disappeared from Placentia, California a six-hour drive from Modesto. She was not pregnant. Her 2001 disappearance was solved after a confession from a man named Christopher Michael McAmis who led investigators to her body. Her case is considered solved and closed.
Ruth Bender, 33, was last seen getting into a green van at the Greyhound bus station in Modesto in 1986, according to the SII.website but his woman does not exist.
→ I believe the woman they tried to profile was actually 15-year-old Susan Robin Bender who went missing in Modesto after getting into someone’s car in 1986. Susan was acquainted with Loren Hertzog, a serial killer and he is presumed to be her killer. An old friend of Susan’s is also a suspect.
Ruth Leamon, 16, went to a Modesto store for a soda in 1982 and never returned. Like Susan, Ruth knew Loren Herzog and he is presumed to be her killer. Leamon was not pregnant when she went missing. Herzog and his accomplice, Wesley Shermantain were in jail at the time of Laci’s disappearance.
Evelyn Hernandez - See information below. Law Enforcement has a prime suspect and the case is considered solved, but not closed.
All in all, four of the women’s cases are solved and closed (Lynsie Ekelund, Jeanette Gomez Espeleta, Jeannine Sanchez Harms, and Heather Carpenter). Seven cases are not closed but have been practically solved (Tera Smith, Ruth Leamon, Susan Bender, Kristen Smart, Kristen Modafferi, and Toni Clark). Five cases-Karen Modaffi, Consuelo Lomeli, Guadalupe Areias, Ruth Bender, and Amparo Aguilar-do not exist at all. Aguilar and Lomeli may have been located alive. Ornaith died at sea in what was most likely an accident.
The only cases that are unsolved are, Teiaar Nakea Rowe, Kathy Sweet, and Angelina Evans, Wendy Abrams-Nishikai, and of course Evelyn Hernandez. Let’s take a closer look.
The Unsolved
Teiaar Rowe was found dead in Stockton, California in an almond orchard. Rowe was 24 or 25 years old at the time. She was clad in only a black-and-white skirt. Detectives said they believe someone dumped Teiaar Nakea Rowe's body in an orchard after killing her elsewhere. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department located Rowe's car in south Stockton. Rowe left behind a husband, four siblings, and several children. Her cause of death was stabbing. Rowe was a similar age to Laci, but she was not pregnant. Rowe was also African American and she was not found in or near the water. If you have any information on Rowe’s case, please call the San Joaquin county sheriff’s office cold case unit at (209) 468-5087.
Kathy Irene Sweet was found dead inside her boyfriend’s truck in north Modesto in 1998. Kathy’s boyfriend has been questioned and partially cleared by the sheriff’s office. Sweet was in her 30s at the time of death. Sweet also used the name Kathy Irene Meadows and sometimes went by the name Cindy. She was not pregnant, she was white, and she was not in water. Tragically, there is only one Facebook post on this case; that is the only information available. Please call Stanislaus area crime stoppers at 209-521-4636 if you have information on this crime.
Angelina Evans was 26 years old when she was last seen in Sacramento, California in May, 2001. From the Charley Project,
“Witnesses saw Evans get into a pickup truck painted black with primer. She has never been heard from again. Evans's family members told authorities that it is uncharacteristic of her to leave without warning. A baby was abandoned shortly after Evans was reported missing, leading to speculation that she was the child's mother. That theory has never been confirmed. Evans's case remains unsolved. Evans's family says she was associating with a rough crowd at the time of her disappearance. She is a Hiram Johnson High School dropout who left behind five children when she disappeared. She was living in a motel on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.”
Like Laci, Angelina was pregnant and in her mid-20s. However, she is not Hispanic or Hispanic passing nor was she found in water. Angelina was believed to be a doe who was found in a burnt-out dumpster in June, 2001, but DNA has ruled it out. If you have any information about Angelina’s disappearance please call the Sacramento Police Department at 916-264-7895 or 916-264-5655. This case unlike the others is somewhat similar to Laci’s case.
Wendy Jamie Abrams-Nishikai, age 21 was a UC Berkeley student with a young daughter. Wendy was last seen on Halloween 1989. She was not pregnant at the time. Although her race is listed as white, she could pass for other races such as Asian or Hispanic/Latina. Abrams-Nishikai is still missing and very little information is available in her case. If you have information please contact the Berkeley Police Department at 510-981-5938.
Evelyn Hernandez- For years, Evelyn has been called the other Laci. Her case was first compared to Laci’s case by attorney Matt Dalton who was briefly a member of Scott Peterson’s defense team.
Evelyn Hernandez was an immigrant from El Salvador who was living in San Francisco in 2002. She was 24 years old and had a five-year-old son named Alexis who she was raising on her own. Alexis’ father was a man in a navy who Evelyn had briefly dated but he was no longer in Evelyn or Alexis’ lives. By age 24 Evelyn was working in the medical profession and was dating a mechanic named Herman Aguilera. Evelyn was 39 weeks pregnant in May 2002, when she was last seen at a convenience store near her boyfriend’s home. Some sources say she was last seen at her son’s school on the same day. At the time Evelyn had just discovered that Herman, the man she had been seeing for quite some time, was actually married. According to family members, Herman was upset that Evelyn was pregnant and told his friends that he didn’t want another child. On May 7th, 2002 Herman reported Evelyn and Alexis missing. In July a pair of legs and a torso washed up on the shore of the Bay only a few blocks from Aguilera’s work place. DNA testing showed that the body was Evelyn’s. Herman immediately “lawyered up” and his wife provided him with a rock-solid alibi. Herman has since left the area but law enforcement has always considered him the prime suspect in the murder of Evelyn and the disappearance of her son Alexis. Tragically, the body of Evelyn’s full-term baby boy, Fernando, has never been located. Please call the San Francisco Police Department at 415-553-1071 if you have any information.
This story is all too tragic, and the parallels to Laci’s case are astounding. Evelyn and Laci were about the same age. Both women were hugely pregnant. Both were recovered from San Francisco Bay, headless and armless. But most importantly, neither appear to be the work of a cult or serial killer, rather both were most likely victims of domestic violence. Evelyn’s case may mirror the case of Laci but it does not prove that pregnant women were disappearing without a trace. Besides this story, none of the other women disappeared or died in circumstances similar to Laci Peterson.
Let’s look now at the cases of the pregnant women
Toni Clark died it was likely a tragic car accident in San Francisco, 90 miles from Modesto.
Guadalupe Castro was last seen in Washington state, 1000s of miles from Modesto, and her husband is most likely to blame.
Jeanette Gomez Espeleta’s case has been solved. Again, her boyfriend was perpetrator. And she lived in San Diego area, not anywhere near Modesto.
Angelina Evans’ case is a little like Laci’s but there is not enough evidence to know anything for sure.
Evelyn Fernandez’s case is similar to Laci’s but her boyfriend is the most likely suspect.
What about those in Modesto?
Kathy Sweet was not pregnant and was in her 30s when she was found dead in Modesto. Very little is known about this case- but it doesn’t bear any resemblance to Laci’s disappearance and murder.
Susan Robin Bender age 15 from Modesto went missing in Modesto after getting into someone’s car in 1986 at the bus station. Susan was not pregnant. Susan was acquainted with Loren Hertzog and Wesley Shermaintine, a serial killer pair who are presumed to be her killers. An old friend of Susan’s is also a suspect. (Shermantine and Herzog, the Speed Freak Killers, were in jail at the time of Laci’s disappearance.)
Ruth Leamon, 16, went to a Modesto store for a soda in 1982 and never returned. Like Susan Ruth knew Loren Herzog and he is presumed to be her killer. Leamon was not pregnant when she went missing. She is also white and the case does not resemble Laci’s case
Conclusion
In conclusion, I set out to write up the cases of the missing pregnant women from the Modesto area but instead I discovered something stranger. After reading about all these people and looking into the unsolved cases, I think it is safe to say that the missing, pregnant Modesto women don’t exist and the outcry about a serial killer being involved in the murders of Laci or Evelyn, was not a misunderstanding. It was a well calculated, fear mongering tactic used to by the Peterson family to create doubt that simply doesn’t exist. And the media ate it up like a salacious sex scandal. So, the next time your friend tries to convince you that Scott Peterson was nothing more than an adulterer, and that a serial killer or satanic cult was actually to blame, remind them that the victims of the killer don’t even exist. And without victims there isn’t a crime spree.
Sources
http://charleyproject.org/case/ornaith-murphy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Freak_Killers
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/homicide-leading-cause-pregnancy-associated-death-louisiana
http://charleyproject.org/case/alexis-geraldo-hernandez
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Kristen_Modafferi
https://www.altaonline.com/dispatches/a5143/a-tale-of-two-killings/
http://charleyproject.org/case/wendy-jamie-abrams-nishikai
http://pwc-sii.com/Research/research/serial.htm
https://www.sjgov.org/sheriff/coldcases/03-17268.pdf

I've seen a lot of posts here asking what a send sale is (which is totally fair since they're not something most stores do!) so just wanted to make a guide in the event people want to learn more about them/how to do one!
What is a send sale?
A send sale is a way to get an item that is available in a store but not online*. It's done by contacting a store that has that item and having them send the item to you.
*Some people will also use send sales to get an item that may be discounted in a certain store, but not online. This can occur when someone returns an item to a store and it's the only one the store has, so they'll put it on markdown. Note that GEC and the lululemon app will not be able to tell you the price of the item in the store as that's up to a store's discretion, but sometimes users here will post that an item is on markdown in their local store which can prompt a send sale.
How do I do a send sale?

1. Figure out what store has your item in stock. While you can do this on the website, you can only search within x miles of a certain zip code. So the easiest way to do this is to use the lululemon app, where you can search inventory for all stores. Here is a great video on how to look up inventory in the app. If the item is not showing in the app because it's out of stock completely, you'll need to contact GEC (lululemon's customer service team) and they will tell you what stores have it in stock, if any.
2. Call the store. It's common for stores to not answer the phone, especially during peak hours. If the store doesn't answer, it's best to leave a voicemail stating that you're looking for a send sale and your call back number but also to call them back later. It really depends on the store how available educators are to answer the phone.
3. Give the educator your info. Once they locate your item, you'll give them your shipping information/credit card number and they'll process your order over the phone. They'll then ship your item directly to you!

Will I get an order confirmation/tracking information?
It's 50/50 on if you'll automatically receive an email with your order confirmation/tracking info. If you don't receive one, you can call the store you ordered from and they should be able to provide that to you. GEC will not be able to help get you tracking info as they operate independently from stores.
Alternatively if you sign up for FedEx Delivery Manager you’ll automatically get an email when there’s a new package headed to your address.
Does it cost extra?
Nope! Shipping is always free, all you need to pay is the cost of the item(s) + applicable tax.
Does every store do send sales?
None of the outlets can do send sales. When it comes to regular stores, some stores may not, especially during busy times like Black Friday or Boxing Day.
The app/GEC told me that x store has my item in stock, but when I called them they don't! What gives?
This can happen for a variety of reasons such as the item being recently sold to someone in person, being on hold for in-store pickup, or just a plain inventory error. That's why I'd recommend first calling the store that has multiples of your item in stock, because there will be a higher likelihood that the item will actually be there.
Can I use my discount (sweat collective, healthcare, military, etc.) during a send sale?
Unfortunately most stores will not honor a discount over the phone.
However some users have reported that a "hack" for this is to go to your local store in person before you buy the item, and the educator can call the store to request the send sale after verifying your ID/the discount applies to you.
Lululemon also states on their website that they will not do price adjustments for discount holders that bought items without using their discount at the time of purchase. However some users have reported success getting a price adjustment by bringing their item to their local store. So it seems like it depends on the store, but know it is technically Lululemon's policy to not perform price adjustments for this reason.
Can I do a send sale internationally?
No, you can only do a send sale from a store within your country.
Do I get a bag with my purchase?
I've personally always received a free bag when I do a send sale, but this seems to depend on the store you purchase from. I assume that states that charge for bags (ie. California) will not include a bag, but I cannot confirm.
Can I buy the item online and set it to pick up in store (BOPIS) to reserve it for myself and then call the store to do a send sale of that item?
In order to pick up a BOPIS order the educator needs to verify your ID to make sure you’re the person who purchased it, which they cannot do over the phone. I assume that they also cannot cancel a BOPIS order (so you can then do a send sale) over the phone either because they can’t confirm you’re the person who made the order, but would love for an educator to confirm.
Educator u/periwinkleravenclaw says their store's policy is they cannot do a send sale for the BOPIS item for the first 24 hours because the product is spoken for, but then after 24 hours they'll cancel the order and put the item back on the floor. So it seems as if the item would be available to do a send sale with after 24 hours have passed, but at that point you’d still have to call to request a send sale anyway so it doesn’t seem worth the effort.
That's all I can think of, but if y'all have any other FAQs about them, comment and I'd be happy to add them. Hope this helps y'all get the items you want :)

" On February 12, 1873, the Coinage Act was passed which demonetized silver, by removing the silver dollar as a unit of account. This was the next stage in the banker’s war on America, the removal of silver and eventually gold as well, from the United States money supply. Since the coinage laws in the Constitution explicitly gave Congress alone the power to coin money, this was the last block the bankers needed to remove by legislation. Congress had reduced the amount of gold and silver in the coins so that American metals would not be exported to foreign countries, because they would not meet international weights and measures. The act of March 3, 1853 created the gold and silver certificates which were fully redeemable in either gold or silver at any time. These were Treasury issues, not the borrowed credit of bankers. " Starting on Page 55 of this online book. https://thepoliticsofpot.com/chapter-8/
On February 12, 1873, the Coinage Act was passed which demonetized silver, by removing the silver dollar as a unit of account. This was the next stage in the banker’s war on America, the removal of silver and eventually gold as well, from the United States money supply. Since the coinage laws in the Constitution explicitly gave Congress alone the power to coin money, this was the last block the bankers needed to remove by legislation. Congress had reduced the amount of gold and silver in the coins so that American metals would not be exported to foreign countries, because they would not meet international weights and measures. The act of March 3, 1853 created the gold and silver certificates which were fully redeemable in either gold or silver at any time. These were Treasury issues, not the borrowed credit of bankers. Quoting from The Coming Battle, Walbert writes: “Prior to 1861, the annual production of silver in the United States never exceeded the value of $100,000, on the other hand, the amount of gold produced in the mines of California, from 1848 to the outbreak of the war, amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars. The greatest amount of gold produced from American mines in any one year was in 1853, when it reached the enormous sum of $65,000,000. The total product of gold from the mines of the United States, from 1848 to 1861, inclusive, reached the grand total of $700,000,000. In the year 1859, that great deposit of silver, was discovered in Nevada, and from this period the United States is reckoned among the greatest producers of silver in the world. In 1860 the production of silver had risen to $150,000, which, up to this period, was the greatest amount ever produced in the United States in any one year. In the same year the production of gold in California alone was $45,000,000 in value. In 1863, the value of the product of silver had risen to $8,500,000. In 1867, silver to the amount of $13,500,000 was produced from the mines of the west – chiefly in Nevada. The production of gold that same year was $51,725,000.
At this period the national debt had reached the enormous sum of $2,700,000,000, the interest of which was payable in coin. The whole annual product of gold mines in the United States would scarcely suffice to pay one half of the annual interest charge upon the national debt held by the national banking money power.” (4) Silver was more like the common man’s gold. It was easier to use in most, smaller transactions and therefore the rising supply of silver in circulation was a direct threat to the banking cartel. This led to a huge conspiracy to manipulate and eventually remove silver as a standard for the dollar. An act of March 3, 1853 had provided that the Secretary of the Treasury issue gold and silver certificates. In 1867 a great international exposition was held to which the nations of the world were invited by the Emperor of France. The goal was to establish a common system of weights and measures related to metal currency. It was believed a common gold standard would regulate silver coinage. Essentially, the bankers were attempting to set the value of gold in relation to silver, since gold was a far more easily controllable commodity. There were efforts underway at this time to remove silver dollars from the currency supply of the United States. Today, many anti-Federal Reserve and people who are against the central banking would have us believe a gold standard is the answer. Apparently, the bankers are the ones who originally pushed for a gold standard, so this would probably not be a good idea, after all. On February 12, 1873 the Coinage Act was passed through Congress. On July 13, 1876, just three years following this act, two Senators made important speeches before Congress, referencing this act. Mr. Holman stated: “I have before me the record of the proceedings of this House on the passage of that measure, a record which no man can read without being convinced that the measure and the method of passage through this House was a ‘colossal swindle.’ I assert that the measure never had the sanction of this House, and it does not possess the moral force of law.” (Cong. Record, Vol. IV, Part 6, Appendix P. 193, 1st Session 44th Congress)
(4) Coming Battle p. 75 55
Another Congressman, Mr. Birchard, a member from Illinois, stated the following: “The coinage act of 1873, unaccompanied by any written report upon the subject from any committee, and unknown to the members of Congress, who without opposition allowed it to pass under the belief, if not assurance, that it made no alteration in the value of the current coins, changed the unit of value from silver to gold.” (Page 4,560) And yet another Congressman, Mr. Cannon, from the same state, had the following words to say: “This legislation was had in the Forty-second Congress, February 12, 1873, by a bill to regulate the mints of the United States, and practically abolish silver as money by failing to provide for the coinage of the silver dollar. It was not discussed, as shown by the Record, and neither members of Congress nor the people understood the scope of the legislation.” (Page 197) Mr. Bright, from Tennessee had this to say: “It passed by fraud in the House, never having been printed in advance, being a substitute for the printed bill; never having been read at the Clerk’s desk, the reading having been dispensed with by an impression that the bill made no material alteration in the coinage laws; it was passed without discussion, debate being cut off by operation of the previous question. It was passed to my certain information, under such circumstances that the fraud escaped the attention of some of the most watchful as well as the ablest statesmen in Congress at the time. … Aye, sir, it was a fraud that smells to heaven, it was a fraud that will stink in the nose of posterity, and for which some persons must give account in the days of retribution.” – (Cong. Record, Vol VII, Part 1, Page 584, 2nd Session, 45th Congress.)
And finally, Senator Thurman, on February 15, 1878, in debate, states the following: “I cannot say what took place in the House, but know when the bill was pending in the Senate we thought it was simply a bill to reform the mint, regulate coinage, and fix up one thing and another, and there is not a single man in the Senate, I think, unless a member from the committee from which the bill came, who had the slightest idea that it was even a squint towards demonetization.” – (Cong. Record Vol. VII, Part 2, Page 1064, 2nd Session, 45th Congress.) During the period of 1873 through 1879 the country went through the Long Depression, triggered by the Panic of 1873. It was during a speech delivered before the Chamber of Commerce, of New York City on March 6, 1876, that Senator Sherman admitted the Congress had done work for Great Britain: “Our coinage act came into operation on the 1st of April 1873, and constituted the gold one dollar piece the sole unit of value, while it restricted the legal tender of the new trade dollar and the half dollar and subdivisions to an amount not exceeding five dollars in one payment. “Thus, the double standard previously existing was finally abolished, and the United States as usual was influenced by Great Britain in making gold coin the only standard. This suits England, but does not suit us. I think with our large silver producing capacity, we should return to the double standard, at least in part, and this will constitute one of the means by which we will enable to resume specie payments.” – (Cong. Globe, Vol. IV, Part 2, Page 1,481, 1st Session, 44th Congress) (5) This should immediately be recognized as Treason committed by the Senators and House members. The Specie Resumption Act of 1875 set this country onto the gold standard, officially. In 1878, when the bloody aftermath and carnage of the coinage laws was visible, John G. Carlisle, Speaker of the House and later Secretary of the Treasury, made the following statement: “According to my views of the subject, the conspiracy which seems to have been formed here and in Europe, to destroy by legislation and otherwise, from three-sevenths to one-half, of the metallic money of the world, is the most gigantic crime of this or any other age.” The United States, by 1878 and the close of the Civil War, had been decimated financially on one hand, due to the influence of the bankers, and left in a state of trauma from the War. Other factions of the same power structure took hold of political manipulations through the war between the North and the South. Once again, the entire event was engineered in part by the Freemasons and their allies.
(5) Coming Battle P. 107-08 56
In the following case, from 1884, the sovereign powers of the United States and the ability to coin money are contemplated once again. This is Juilliard v. Greenman, Supreme Court (1884): “It would be difficult to believe, even in the absence of the historical evidence we have on the subject, that the framers of the Constitution, profoundly impressed by the evils resulting from this kind of legislation, ever intended that the new government, ordained to establish justice, should possess the power of making its bills a legal tender, which they were unwilling should remain with the States, and which in the past had proved so dangerous to the peace of the community, so disturbing to the business of the people, and so destructive of their morality. The great historian of our country has recently given to the world a history of the Convention, the result of years of labor in the examination of all public documents relating to its formation and of the recorded opinions of its framers; and thus he writes: “With the full recollection of the need or seeming need of paper money in the Revolution, with the menace of danger in future time of war from its prohibition, authority to issue bills of credit that should be legal tender was refused to the general government by the vote of nine States against New Jersey and Maryland. It was Madison who decided the vote of Virginia, and he has left his testimony that `the pretext for a paper currency, and particularly for making the bills a tender, either for public or private debts, was cut off.’ This is the interpretation of the clause made at the time of its adoption, alike by its authors and by its opponents, accepted by all the statesmen of that age, not open to dispute because too clear for argument, and never disputed so long as any one man who took part in framing the Constitution remained alive. History cannot name a man who has gained enduring honor by causing the issue of paper money. Wherever such paper has been employed it has in every case thrown upon its authors the burden of exculpation under the plea of pressing necessity.” – Bancroft’s History of the Formation of the Constitution, 2 vol., 134
“And when the Convention came to the prohibition upon the States, the historian says that the clause, “No State shall make anything but gold and silver a tender in payment of debts,” was accepted without a dissentient State: “So the adoption of the Constitution,” he adds, “is to be the end forever of paper money, whether issued by the several States or by the United States, if the Constitution shall be rightly interpreted and honestly obeyed.” Id. 137.
“For nearly three-quarters of a century after the adoption of the Constitution, and until the legislation during the recent civil war, no jurist and no statesman of any position in the country ever pretended that a power to impart the quality of legal tender to its notes was vested in the general government. There is no recorded word of even one in favor of its possessing the power. All conceded, as an axiom of constitutional law, that the power did not exist. “Mr. Webster, from his first entrance into public life in 1812, gave great consideration to the subject of the currency, and in an elaborate speech on that subject, made in the Senate in 1836, then sitting in this room, he said:
“Currency, in a large and perhaps just sense, includes not only gold and silver and bank bills, but bills of exchange also. It may include all that adjusts exchanges and settles balances in the operations of trade and business; but if we understand by currency the legal money of the country, and that which constitutes a legal tender for debts, and is the standard measure of value, then undoubtedly nothing is included but gold and silver. Most unquestionably there is no legal tender, and there can be no legal tender in this country, under the authority of this government or any other, but gold and silver, either the coinage of our own mints or foreign coins at rates regulated by Congress. This is a constitutional principle, perfectly plain and of the highest importance. The States are expressly prohibited from making anything but gold and silver a legal tender in payment of debts, and although no such express prohibition is applied to Congress, yet, as Congress has no power granted to it in this respect but to coin money and to regulate the value of foreign coins, it clearly has no power to substitute paper or anything else for coin as a tender in payment of debts and in discharge of contracts. Congress has exercised this power fully in both its branches; it has coined money, and still coins it; it has regulated the value of foreign coins, and still regulates their value. The legal tender, therefore, the constitutional standard of value, is established and cannot be overthrown. To overthrow it would shake the whole system.” — – 4 Webster’s Works, 271 57
“When the idea of imparting the legal tender quality to the notes of the United States issued under the first act of 1862 was first broached, the advocates of the measure rested their support of it on the ground that it was a war measure, to which the country was compelled to resort by the exigencies of its condition, being then sorely pressed by the Confederate forces, and requiring the daily expenditure of enormous sums to maintain its army and navy and to carry on the government. The representative who introduced the bill in the House, declared that it was a measure of that nature, ‘one of necessity and not of choice;’ that the times were extraordinary and that extraordinary measures must be resorted to in order to save our government and preserve our nationality. (Speech of Spaulding, of New York, Cong. Globe, 1861-62, Part 1, 523.) Other members of the House frankly confessed their doubt as to its constitutionality, but yielded their support of it under the pressure of this supposed necessity.
“The wants of the government could never be the measure of its powers. But in the excitement and apprehensions of the war these considerations were unheeded; the measure was passed as one of overruling necessity in a perilous crisis of the country. Now, it is no longer advocated as one of necessity, but as one that may be adopted at any time. Never before was it contended by any jurist or commentator on the Constitution that the government, in full receipt of ample income, with a treasury overflowing, with more money on hand than it knows what to do with, could issue paper money as a legal tender. What was in 1862 called the “medicine of the Constitution” has now become its daily bread. So it always happens that whenever a wrong principle of conduct, political or personal, is adopted on a plea of necessity, it will be afterwards followed on a plea of convenience.
“The framers of the Constitution, as I have said, were profoundly impressed with the evils which had resulted from the vicious legislation of the States making notes a legal tender, and they determined that such a power should not exist any longer. They therefore prohibited the States from exercising it, and they refused to grant it to the new government which they created. Of what purpose is it then to refer to the exercise of the power by the absolute or the limited governments of Europe, or by the States previous to our Constitution? Congress can exercise no power by virtue of any supposed inherent sovereignty in the general government. Indeed, it may be doubted whether the power can be correctly said to appertain to sovereignty in any proper sense as an attribute of an independent political community. The power to commit violence, perpetrate injustice, take private property by force without compensation to the owner, and compel the receipt of promises to pay in place of money, may be exercised, as it often has been, by irresponsible authority, but it cannot be considered as belonging to a government founded upon law. But be that as it may, there is no such thing as a power of inherent sovereignty in the government of the United States. It is a government of delegated powers, supreme within its prescribed sphere, but powerless outside of it. In this country sovereignty resides in the people, and Congress can exercise no power which they have not, by their Constitution, entrusted to it; all else is withheld. – Juilliard v. Greenman, 110 U.S. 421 Supreme Court (1884) (6)
(6)https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/91050/juilliard-v-greenman/

I just turned 30, I'm unemployed, have no car, live with my grandparents, suffer from depression and severe anxiety, have severe neck and shoulder pain, have few friends and never really had a lasting relationship.
I grew up the son of a single bipolar mother that used me as a surrogate spouse/friend between boyfriends because she was incapable of keeping her own due to her bad decisions. My childhood was ok but when I entered my teens thats when my life really went downhill. I have nothing good to say about age 13-26, but basically my mom constantly gaslit me, most memorable of which was made me believe my grandparents were crazy. After constant verbal abuse and being screwed over by her for years I realized she was the crazy one and aside from a painfully long text or phone conversation every couple months or major holiday I try to avoid contact with her. I moved in with my grandparents and my life officially began anew.
Up until late 2018 my life was looking up. I got promoted to management in my retail sales job, and though stressful and a tough learning curve I was making it. For the first time in my life I thought I was finally going to be self sufficient, I was making enough money to save up for a car and beginning to think I could make it on my own in California where the cost of living is ridiculous. (My biggest fear since I was 13 is being homeless and alone)
On top of my job I was also making friends and joined an online social group. I never really had friends growing up because I have ADHD which was extremely bad as a child. (Even i kinda myself annoying looking back.) I have since then mellowed out and having friends and being accepted to thier friend group was a big deal. I even met a short lived girlfriend through that group.
I should also mention that I was and am still on antidepressants, at the time I was taking medication A. and it helped me function... but little did I know that it wasent just depression I have been battling most of my life. I was also dealing with immense anxiety. Maybe it was being sheltered or something I developed, but it is the single greatest detriment to my happiness. Unfortunately medication A. Didnt really treat anxiety, but life was going too well for me to notice, but for the most part I was gonna be ok.
Then Nov of 2018 happened. I was informed that my store was closing and I was gonna be out of a job. No management positions were available at any other store in my area so I took my severance package and got on unemployment. I feel into a deep depression, but little did I know that my medication wasent treating the underlying cause. I felt like a zombie on it, no energy, dark depressing thoughts constantly, anxiety attacks every night. But I used my newfound free time to relax, got into some competitive PC games, and distracted myself.
One of these distractions was attempting to get out of pain. For background at 19 I was diagnosed with 7 buldging discs and pinched nerves in my neck and left shoulder. A scale from 1-10 my pain is about a constant spasuming 5 on a good day.. my Dr. said it will never get better and all I can do is try to prevent it from getting worse. (I still remmeber that day... I had never cried more in my life.) My doctor put me on a bunch of medicine and when they tried to prescribe me opietes I got a new doctor and took myself off all medications aside from the occasional Tylenol and pain lotion when. Its unbearable. I try to keep stress low because stress=anxiety=pain=stress. Anyways, using my money I had saved from when I was working i bought a nice bed but i was still in pain. A year later different bed, still in pain, tried replacing my desk and chair, still in pain. You get the idea. I ended up getting rid of my bed and just sleep on the floor since its the most tolerable, but im still miserable.
After that was sorted I realized hey I'm having panic attacks every day maybe my antidepressants arnt working. I chose to stop them completely and I was in hell for a month. I finally broke down and called for a therapist and psychiatrist because I was at wits end. Therapy didn't really help much, its kinda like how Joaquin Phoenix describes it in the Joker. They don't really listen, its the same questions every week. It felt like artificial empathy and I got nothing out of it.
Seeing a psychiatrist on the other hand did help. I got on Medication B. and it actually treated my anxiety. For the first year in my life I felt normal, living without anxiety was the best feeling I have ever had and I cant live without it.
Unfortunately during my pursuit of me taking health and losing my job I also had a falling out with the friend group I had due to self sabotage and just realizing that they were kind of toxic and stunting my social growth. One friend from there I tried to hold onto for a year but after constantly being ignored I just let that friendship die. I got my mental health in order but by the time I was ready to salvage my friendships it was too late. I socialized a lot or VR Chat after that but never formed friendships. Making friends is hard... esspecially when you're older.
Anyways, unemployment dried up and I got a season job for a couple months and ended up getting laid off. It was then that I got back on unemployment and 2020 happened... and I'm sure you know the rest. Unemployment got extended, twice, and even now I'm on it from working that job for 2 months. I thank God for that, he has certainly been good to be and has been my foundation through all the hardships in my life. I truly wouldn't not be here without God and even as I sit in my room alone writing this I know his plan for me is much greater than this... but after opening so many doors for me only to shut them all and make me feel like I'm starting all over again is extremely discouraging.
Which brings us to the last three months. My primary doctor was concerned about me gaining weight due to covid and thought my antidepressants were to blame, he recommended that I try an alternative medication. While medicine B. Was great for my anxiety and depression it gave me a ravenous appetite and killed my creativity and motivation. (Kinda like Diane from Bojack Horseman) In hindsight probably laying in my room for 2 years is the reason I gained 27 lbs... but anyways I went on medicine C. and it didn't help at all. Anxiety was back again and God I did not miss it.
So now here we are today, I'm on medication D. And frankly I don't know if its working or not but im giving it a chance. Im 30, still unemployed, have very few friends and the ones I do have seem too busy for me so I dont even bother. I'm trying to wait out covid because I dont want to get my grandparents sick... they are all I fucking have. Im incredibly lonely, I've been searching for a mate for over 10 years and never found someone worth holding onto and it hurts... I dont want to go through the rest of my life alone... I dont want to die alone... I Am scared... I dont want to become homeless...
Even if covid were gone tomorrow id had to go out and get a job, but for what? To litterally break my back working a job I will probably hate just to survive. I'm not lazy. I'm just tired... I'm tired of trying. I dont really find joy in anything anymore. Even if I find a beautiful women, and was financially secure and didn't have to worry about anything... deep in the back of my mind I ask myself... would I be happy? Would this loneliness finally be gone? This life thing is just... fucking hard...
You've reached the end, frankly I'm not sure what possed me to write all this. I'm sorry if you feel I wasted your time. I just needed to write this somewhere so the next time someone asks for my life story I can just link them and dont have to relive it for the 100th time.
Casey

Hello All,
I didn't want any of my research nor solution to go to waste and I know there are many more out there dealing with the uncertainty of being able to pay bills so here you are.
*Original Post - 12/10/2020
​
My History of EDD ID verification issues with an end success story. My ID Verification/Appeal was won/confirmed in 1 weeks time without sending 1 piece of mail. If you relate to the below, then I've left you a solution. Happy Holidays!
​
Back story:
​
Filed for UI at the end of October 2020. Within a week of filing a claim via Phone, I had both a notification at UI Online and received mail asking for ID documents to verify ID. I submitted 3 forms via UI Online; Color copy of Birth Certificate, Color copy (Front/back) of California REAL ID Drivers License, and a copy of my 2019 W-2. They asked for 2 forms, I provided 3. They were submitted Nov 1st, 2020.
​
I waited a week for processing and began calling the main line: 1-800-300-5616 at the start of the 2nd week to get an update, timeframe to expect verification to be completed, etc. Reps advised me that the verification confirmation should be back by the week of Nov 23rd, 2020 but confirmed they had received my documents Nov 1st. I continued like most and checked UI Online at least 2-3 times daily for any kind of update (trust me when I say don't do this, you'll go mad). During this whole time I had certified and continued to do so for all weeks that were available, each week stayed in a "Pending Status". I had also yet to receive the BofA EDD Debit Card. On Nov 19th, 2020, I logged in to UI Online and saw that my Certification weeks had changed to a "Disqualification Status". Of course I was like WTF, so I called the 5616 number to find out what was going on. Spoke to a first Rep and he sounded like he hated life, however he provided me with the ID Verification Dept Phone # (Useless, do not waste your time) and also where to find the Appeal Form Online to Print or Digitally fill out:
https://www.edd.ca.gov/pdf_pub_ctde1000m.pdf
He advised that I would receive the Disqualification decision in the mail and that would provide me with another copy of the Appeal Form, and to mail it to the Return Address/Office that was on the disqualification letter. *I called another Rep after this guy because I felt like he was holding out something, he wasn't I was becoming delusional and paranoid at this point.
​
I had spent many hours and days browsing Reddit and Google for information and help regarding the UI/EDD process both before applying and during. From what I had gathered up to this point from various sources was: Sending the Appeal Form via Certified Mail (that can be tracked) to multiple California UI Appeals Boards Offices as well as Faxing the Appeal Form to multiple different (unchecked) fax numbers seemed to be helping some folks who had been waiting for a while.
​
So as I waited to receive the Disqualification Letter to know where to send my Appeal form too, I complied a list of resources, cross checked information across the web and came up with a plan. I decided I would Fax my Appeal Form to multiple numbers at once and aim them specifically at directed offices and individuals. I would do this prior to mailing anything as nobody had experimented up to this point with this method and I wanted to confirm if Faxing at all was working. I received the Disqualification letter finally (not sure on date) but in the late hours of Nov 30th, 2020, I sent out my Appeal Form Fax and executed my plan using the below method:
​
I used a free online fax service called www.myfax.com to send off the Appeal form and associated ID documents, and extended pages. I put my first name, middle initial, last name, and social security number on the top right of each page (This is a must, also makes it easier for whoever receives the transmission to organize and file your paperwork). I filled out the Appeal form digitally and signed it using Docusign's Sign PDF Free Service (Google it).
​
​
CUIAB - California Unemployment Appeals Board Fax #s:
​
19162636837,CUIAB-Sacramento (Administrative Law Judge -Jodi Remke- of Appellate Operations Office Fax #)
19162636764,CUIAB-Sacramento (Executive DirectoChief ALJ -Elena Gonzales- Field Operations Office Fax #)
19162636765,CUIAB-Sacramento Office of Appeals
19163191077,CUIAB-EDD
18665173830, EDD Fax Number
19166532734, Forgot where this one came from but
​
​
Of course I logged into UI Online everyday after sending off the Fax, but to no avail. By Saturday, Dec 5th with no update, I called the 5616 number to get some answers. The Rep stated the claim was in the same state, nothing had been received/updated regarding an Appeal. Less than a week, not a problem. With rent a month overdue I started to become slightly antsy, so by Sunday night I was building a campaign to spam message politicians, judges, EDD, etc on Twitter, email, fax, etc. contact the News station you know, like a crazy person. Checked UI Online Monday, no update. Wasn't thrilled to check UI Online Tuesday so I didn't until mid afternoon and low and behold my Certification weeks changed from "Disqualification to Paid Status". There was also a button at the top of the UI Online Main Page that said "Re-open Claim" or something similar. I clicked on it and went to start doing it but then stopped, thought about it, and called the 5616 number. Finally got ahold of a Rep near the end of the day and she semi-confirmed that all looked good and was really shocked when I told her I submitted my Appeal just a week ago, said she never sees it happen that quick. I didn't spill the beans about the Fax method, just that I submitted it. She never really gave it that full confidence when talking to me about my status. She provided me with my Customer Number and the Phone number for BofA EDD and said to call them in about 4 days to see if a card was sent out, yet she never confirmed anything on her end. I asked her about the Re-open Claim button and how come the missing weeks to Certify were not giving me the option to certify. She went to do something then said she has to transfer me to a specialist which she immediately did. I was on hold for 2hrs 10 mins + when the lines disconnected and I was given the Sorry we are closed message. Awesome.
​
I called back the 5616 number yesterday Dec 9th, 2020, to pick up where I left off. I immediately got to a Rep, started to speak on my "Story" about half through I could hear clicking and she stopped me and said: Yes I see here that your ID Verification has come back as Confirmed, Payment of $2700 has been issued, and your card has actually been shipped out by BofA today. I mentioned the weeks needing to be certified still and the Re-open Claim button, I told her I didn't want to start it without talking to EDD first. She said that is a really good idea because if you click the Re-open claim button, it can start to cause issues in the system like a "loop", can interfere with your current appeal/adjustment and cause things to potentially start over, etc. Point: Don't click the Re-open Claim button if you get one, call EDD. I refreshed the website with her on the phone and everything was in good standing order. YAYY!!
​
Called BofA EDD Number later that evening, They confirmed payment on the card and that it had been shipped. Should received in 5-7 business days. 12/9/2020 was the phone call, will update here once card is received.
​
​
I know this was super long winded, but from what I've read I wanted to give as much detail as possible so that others who are going through this know they aren't alone and it isn't just them. You will get some good Reps, you'll get some bad, uninterested Reps on the phone, but stay persistent. There are typos strung throughout this writing, I did my best to keep it orderly. DM or drop a comment if you have any questions.
​
Best of luck to all, now I'm off to save the day elsewhere! ;)
​
-F13Avenger

Hello 👋

• Warren Buffett (CEO of Berkshire Hathaway owns ) • Charles Koch (co-owner, chairman, and CEO of Koch Industries since 1967, and his late brother David Koch (deceased) served as executive vice president.) • Bill Gates (roughly 2.32 billion was donated to Gates Foundation by Buffett in 2020) • Brian Hooks (CEO and Chairman of Stand Together. President of the Charles Koch Foundation and Charles Koch Institute • Joseph Grendys (CEO of Koch Foods, he bought out his former boss, Fred Koch, in 1992.) • Anyone else associated 

Maybe you can legally explain yourselves to me in the public eye, I’m all ears, because I’m a little bit confused about certain definitions/the stock market/ organizations/charities/corporations/finical activities and statements/laws/morals/etc...and don’t worry, I’m a nobody, with no money. All I have is knowledge and intuition and I am sure of one thing and that is if you don’t have to follow the rules, why should I???
I believe these charitable organizations, associated individuals, and corporations are committing Fraud, embezzlement, and misappropriation of funds against American citizens by soliciting philanthropic goals, such as seeking cures for diseases (Covid-19) or aiding the families of slain police officers (including the black lives matter) by using manipulative or deceptive manners to collect funds (donations—this includes non-taxable religious organizations).
Below explains in many quotes and examples how this would be possible...bear with me...
🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣
Here’s are some facts and similarities between Buffet and Koch:
“Buffett and Koch have much in common. They were both born in the midst of the Great Depression, and both developed in the Midwestern heritage of industry, thrift and folksy friendliness. They also have a keen ability to make money.
In the latest Forbes 400 Richest People in America issue, Buffett is ranked #2 and Koch is ranked #5. The only reason Charles Koch isn’t the wealthiest man in America is because he shares #5 with his younger brother, David (now deceased). Together, they are worth $82 billion, more than Bill Gates ($76 billion) and Warren Buffett ($62 billion).
Both Buffett and Koch have also taken advantage of the law of compounding. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reinvests all its profits rather than pay an annual dividend. And Koch Industries reinvests 90% of its net income each year.
But, as they say on Wall Street, “there is more than one way to climb a mountain.” Buffett and Koch differ considerably on how they made their fortunes.”
(https://www.stockinvestor.com/20063/koch-buffett-wealth/)
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
Here is some more information about Koch Industries —Charles Koch (co-owner, chairman, and CEO). Koch Industries also includes Koch Foods (chicken plant).
“Koch Industries’ Revenue Growth—
Because Koch Industries is not a publicly-traded company, some of its key financial information is not readily available to investors. However, per an SEC fact sheet, the conglomerate has, since 1960, seen its value grow at a rate 16 times greater than that of the S&P 500.
The industries under the Koch umbrella are diverse, ranging from companies that deal with energy to spandex. Koch companies manufacture paper, process minerals, create fertilizers, and refine oil. Some of the subsidiaries are also involved in ranching, commodities trading, and investing.”
(https://www.investopedia.com/insights/companies-owned-koch-brothers/)
Some vague backstory of Koch Industries...🔪🩸🤡
“Marshall turned his investment in Great Northern Oil Co. with Fred Koch during the 1950s into a 16% stake in Koch Industries, now America's second largest privately held company. When his eldest son J. Howard Marshall III sided with Bill Koch, Frederick R. Koch and other collateral family members in a failed attempt to take over Koch Industries from Charles Koch and David Koch, he purchased back company stock given previously as a gift and removed the eldest son from his estate plan. Conversely, during the same dispute, his youngest son E. Pierce Marshall sided with his father, Charles Koch and David Koch.
Marriages: Marshall married Eleanor Pierce in 1931 and divorced in 1961. They had two sons together: J. Howard Marshall III (born February 6, 1936) and E. Pierce Marshall (January 12, 1939 – June 20, 2006).” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Howard_Marshall
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
This is a random quote shows how Bill Gates stepped down from Berkshire Hathaway in March 2020...right around the Covid19 crisis... coincidence? I think not. There’s always more behind the curtains...
“Acme Brick was an easy target for the conspiracy-minded. Warren Buffett's company bought the Fort Worth, Texas-based business in 2000. Bill Gates sat on the Berkshire Hathaway board until his announcement in March that he’d step down, a fact that web sleuths glommed onto. Gates is at the center of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus.”
(https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-13/buffett-s-brick-company-linked-to-antifa-in-online-conspiracies)
🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭🐭
Take particular notice in the mentioning of the word “de novo” and the quote surrounding it listed below...it’s what ultimately connects the 1% together.
“A publicly traded company may be purchased by one or more other publicly traded companies, with the target company becoming either a subsidiary or joint venture of the purchaser(s), or ceasing to exist as a separate entity, its former shareholders receiving compensation in the form of either cash, shares in the purchasing company or a combination of both. When the compensation is primarily shares then the deal is often considered a merger. Subsidiaries and joint ventures can also be created de novo — this often happens in the financial sector.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_company
———————————————————
“De Novo —[Latin, Anew.] ‘of new.’
A second time; afresh. A trial or a hearing that is ordered by an appellate court that has reviewed the record of a hearing in a lower court and sent the matter back to the original court for a new trial, as if it had not been previously heard nor decided.”
https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/de+novo
🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭🔭
“July 8, 2020 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett has donated roughly $2.9 billion of Berkshire Hathaway Inc BRKa.N stock to four family charities and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the latest but not largest contribution in his plan to give away his fortune.
Four-fifths of the donations go to the Gates Foundation. The rest goes to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for Buffett's late first wife, and charities run by his children Howard, Susan and Peter: the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation and the NoVo Foundation.”
(“In 2020, the NoVo Foundation was one of the key recipients of a $15.97 million gift of Berkshire Hathaway stock from Warren Buffett.”)
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/warren-buffett-donates-%242.9-bln-to-gates-foundation-family-charities-2020-07-08-0
———————————————————
“The NoVo Foundation is the private foundation controlled by Peter Buffett, son of investor and left-of-center philanthropist Warren Buffett, and Peter’s wife Jennifer. Warren provided the initial donation of 350,000 shares of Berkshire Hathaway valued at $1,000,000,000. [1] The foundation directs millions each year to left-of-center groups advocating for abortion, LGBT interests, and liberal economics.
Website: novofoundation.org/
Location: NEW YORK, NY
Tax ID: 47-0824753
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3)-PF
Budget (2015): Revenue: $156,441,003
Expenses: $95,915,729
Assets: $528,162,041
Formation: 2006
Type: Grantmaking Foundation
President: Peter Buffett
Peter Buffett and his wife Jennifer are the co-presidents of NoVo, as well as co-chairs of the board of directors.”
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/novo-foundation/
🃏♠️🃏♣️🃏♥️🃏♠️🃏♣️🃏♥️🃏♠️
“Philanthropy, voluntary organized efforts intended for socially useful purposes. Philanthropic groups existed in the ancient civilizations of the Middle East, Greece, and Rome: an endowment supported Plato’s Academy (c. 387 BCE) for some 900 years; the Islamic waqf (religious endowment) dates to the 7th century CE; and the medieval Christian church administered trusts for benevolent purposes.
Merchants in 17th- and 18th-century western Europe founded organizations for worthy causes. Starting in the late 19th century, large personal fortunes led to the creation of private foundations that bequeathed large gifts in support of the arts, education, medical research, public policy, social services, environmental programs, and other causes.
See Andrew Carnegie; B’nai B’rith; Bill Gates; George Peabody; Rockefeller Foundation; Straus family.
Philanthropy
KEY PEOPLE

• John Ruskin • Cecil Rhodes • William Hogarth • Alfred Nobel • Andrew Carnegie • Bill Gates • Audrey Hepburn • John D. Rockefeller • Imran Khan • Madam C.J. Walker” 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/philanthropy
🌞🌗🌞🌗🌞🌗🌞🌗🌞🌗🌞🌗🌞🌗
“Buffett is a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He founded The Giving Pledge in 2009 with Bill Gates, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Buffett
I must note Jeffery Epstein is also a self-Proclaimed philanthropist—(https://meaww.com/self-proclaimed-science-philanthropist-jeffrey-epsteins-dubios-ties-to-various-charities-revealed)
Oh, and Bill and Melinda Gates are also noted philanthropists who are associated with billionaire investor Warren Buffett and philanthropist, Jeffery Epstein.
“Together, Gates and Buffett established the “Giving Pledge,” a movement encouraging other billionaires to donate most of their wealth to charity either during their lifetimes or after their deaths. The Nonprofit organization pledged a significant amount of money to research and charitable causes during the coronavirus pandemic. He has given more than $50 billion to charity since 1994. However, his wealth has grown even faster than he has donated money.”
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/06/11/fact-check-bill-gates-has-given-over-50-billion-charitable-causes/3169864001/)
This is how all the elites and governments connect together...under an umbrella term known as “Philanthropists”—more information how it all connects together below.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
Notice the name “Donald Ross” in the quote below, his connection to NEO Philanthropy, and especially be aware of his connection to Barack Obama...
“NEO Philanthropy (formerly Public Interest Projects) is a New York-based nonprofit that serves as a fiscal clearinghouse for left-of-center causes. The group serves as a vehicle for center-left foundations to pool resources, hosts donor-advised funds, and sponsors various liberal projects. [1]
Website: neophilanthropy.org
Location: NEW YORK, NY
Tax ID: 13-3191113
DUNS Number: 61-438-0421
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3)
Budget (2017): Revenue: $58,068,414
Expenses: $45,086,138
Assets: $34,839,820
Formation: 1983
Type: Fiscal Sponsorship and Pass-Through Entity
Formerly: Public Interest Projects (1983-2008)
President: Michele Lord Berta Colon (former co-president) Donald Ross (1983-2003)
Notable Projects: Funders Committee for Civic Participation State Infrastructure Fund Shelby Response Fund Four Freedoms Fund
Latest Tax Filing: 2018 Form 990”
NEW YORK PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP (NYPIRG)
Donald Ross worked as the founding executive director of New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) from 1973 to 1982, where he reportedly grew the organization to 180 staffers operating out of 31 offices. Barack Obama, then a student at Columbia University, worked full-time for NYPIRG as a community organizer from February through May 1985. Ross later worked as director of Ralph Nader’s group Citizen Action of New York. ”
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/neo-philanthropy-formerly-public-interest-projects/
———————————————————
“NEO Philanthropy Action Fund (formerly Public Interest Projects Action Fund) is the 501(c)(4) lobbying and election-related advocacy arm of left-of-center funding pass-through NEO Philanthropy (formerly Public Interest Projects). It provides financial support to a number of other left-of-center lobbying and election-related advocacy groups.
Location: NEW YORK, NY
Tax ID: 80-0444461
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(4)
Budget (2016): Revenue: $7,996,232
Expenses: $8,101,542
Assets: $1,288,876
Type: Fiscal Sponsorship and Pass-Through Group
Formerly: Public Interest Projects Action Fund
Latest Filing: 2018 Form 990”
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/neo-philanthropy-action-fund/
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
“Stand Together is an American philanthropic organization that was first established in 2003 and was often referred to informally as the Koch Network. It is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Virginia, and was founded by Charles Koch to assist philanthropic activities across the United States. Formerly known as The Seminar Network, its renaming as Stand Together was announced on May 20, 2019. The founding CEO is Brian Hooks.
In 2003, Charles Koch began hosting annual meetings of business leaders and philanthropists to support various education and policy initiatives. From these seminars grew a philanthropic community of organizations working to address issues such as poverty, addiction, recidivism, gang violence and homelessness. In 2019, this advocacy organization became the Stand Together Foundation.
Brian Hooks is the current Chairman and CEO. He previously served as executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and is also president of the Charles Koch Foundation. Other leadership members include Evan Feinberg, Amy Pelletier, and Kevin Lavelle.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Together
———————————————————
“The Texas Organizing Project is a left-leaning 501(c)(4) nonprofit group that focuses on organizing minority and low-income individuals in Texas’s largest metropolitan areas.
Website: organizetexas.org/
Tax ID: 27-1482075
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(4)
In July 2020, it was announced that the Sandler Foundation would be donating $200 million to “racial justice groups” in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests, and Texas Organizing Project was one of the eight recipients named. The funds will help recipients advocate for left-wing policies in battleground states and create long-term constituencies that support these issues.”
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/texas-organizing-project/
———————————————————
“Sandler Foundation is a left-of-center charitable foundation formed in 1991 with support from Herbert Sandler and Marion Sandler. In 2006, the Sandlers made a contribution of $1.3 billion to the foundation, which was the second largest American charitable contribution of 2006.
Location: SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Tax ID: 94-3147856
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3)
Budget (2017): Revenue: $164,595,644
Expenses: $54,814,998
Assets: $952,650,170
In response to the 2020 George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests, board trustee and Sandler heiress Susan Sandler announced that the Sandler Foundation donated $200 million to “racial justice groups.”
These groups were the Texas Organizing Project, New Florida Majority, New Virginia Majority, the Arizona Center for Empowerment, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civic Engagement Fund, PICO California, and Advance Native Political Leadership.
Sandler explained that her goal was to facilitate change at the policy level to lift people out of oppression, basing her policy prescriptions on her belief that systemic racism is the greatest obstacle facing societal progress.
Sandler and the executive director of the foundation, Vivian Chang, came to the conclusion that establishing power in Republican states will be the most effective way to accomplish this goal.
One of the grant recipients, co-director of PICO California Joseph Tomás McKellar, stated that the initiative “is about building a strong constituency that can withstand the kind of storms of the moment and help us build long-term resiliency and commitment amongst a large base of people for systemic change.” Sandler chose grantees that would use the funds to advocate for Democratic-aligned policies in battleground states and create a long-term constituency that supports these issues.”
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/sandler-foundation/
———————————————————
“PICO California is a left-of-center advocacy coalition comprised of local religious groups in California that advocates for left-of-center policies on racial policy, economic issues, and education.
Location: Sacramento, CA
Tax ID: 84-3224688
Type: Religious group
In July of 2020, the Sandler Foundation announced that it would be donating $200 million to so-called “racial justice” organizations in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. The Sandler Foundation named PICO California as one of its eight grant recipients.”
———————————————————
Public Health Institute
Location: OAKLAND, CA
Tax ID: 94-1646278
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3)
Budget (2016):
Revenue: $101,667,328
Expenses: $102,403,539
Assets: $27,156,840
https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/public-health-institute/
———————————————————
One Percent for the Planet (1% for the Planet) is a left-of-center environmentalist organization founded by the founder of outdoor clothing company Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard.
The organization attempts to create partnerships between companies and environmentalist nonprofits. It allows companies to use its logo on their products, showing that they give to support environmentalist policy and conservation efforts, if they pay a yearly subscription and pledge to donate at least one percent of their sales to environmentalist causes.
It claims 1,200 corporate subscribers, with nonprofit partners in 60 countries.
Website: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org
Formation: 2002
Founders: Craig Matthews Yvon Chouinard
Chief Executive Officer: 2002
Other Name: One Percent for the Planet
Classified: OTHER GROUP
👇👆👇👆👇👆👇👆👇👆👇👆👇👆
1% for the Planet members support a vast network of environmental organizations that focus on six main issue areas: climate, food, land, pollution, water and wildlife. With the clear tie between the health of our environment and the health of humanity, many 1% for the Planet approved nonprofits are working around the clock to both mitigate our environmental crisis as well as provide relief to those affected by this pandemic.
The list below outlines just some of the nonprofits in the 1% for the Planet network providing COVID-19 relief. These environmental nonprofits are on the frontlines ensuring food security for all, providing public health programs and preventing the spread of future catastrophic viruses through conservation.
In short, they are doing what they do best: providing environmental solutions to ensure that our planet and future generations thrive.
Food security: fighting waste and feeding people.
(Below are programs/and non-profit organizations part of “1% of the Planet—other group”)

• Big Green connects kids with real food through a network of Learning Gardens and food literacy programs that promote youth wellness. Understanding the importance of food security and nutrition, Big Green launched a Rapid Response Fund in response to the threat of COVID-19. “Big Green’s communities suffer from inequities in education, health and fresh food availability. For our students, COVID-19 has the potential to set them back further. • Conscious Alliance prevents food waste by seeking donations from food companies that have close-to-code products, inventory mistakes, imperfect (but safe) foods and product lines going through rebranding, and then distributes that food to underserved and communities in need. “Our goal is to ensure that families have nourishment. With schools closing, kids lose access to meal programs that many rely upon. The need for our work becomes even more critical. In addition, as more people have to take off work, the population that needs our help will be expanding.” - Justin Levy, Executive Director of Conscious Alliance • Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce to supply those in need. In response to COVID-19, the Food Forward team has adapted their efforts to establish distribution hubs to serve community members and local hunger relief agencies. • ReFED aims to create a future where food waste prevention is recognized as an untapped strategy that can save resources, create jobs, alleviate hunger, conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In response to the pandemic crisis, ReFED is working with their partner organizations to ensure excess food gets to the people who need it most. • Food Recovery Network unites students at colleges and universities to fight food waste and hunger by recovering perishable food that would otherwise go to waste from campus dining halls and donating it to those in need. In response to COVID-19, Food Recovery Network aimed to make it easy for businesses, schools and restaurants that are temporarily closing their doors to donate excess food to those in need via their Food Recovery Guide. • EcoHealth Alliance leads cutting-edge scientific research into the critical connections between human and wildlife health and delicate ecosystems. With this science, they develop solutions that prevent pandemics and promote conservation. In short, EcoHealth Alliance isn’t just on the front lines of COVID-19 research, they’re also busy working preventing the next global pandemic. This video highlights how this organization works to protect humans and wildlife from the emergence of disease. • Health in Harmony works to create community-led solutions for human health and the health of our planet. As a member of the Planetary Health Alliance, and a leader of Planetary Health in-action, Health in Harmony works with academic institutions, medical professionals, businesses and NGOs to explore innovative solutions to health and environmental challenges. Currently, they are running emergency COVID-19 relief efforts that support rainforest conservation. You can donate here. • Pure Water for the World knows that safe water, sanitization and healthy hygiene practices are critical to the general health and wellbeing of all people. This organization works to provide all communities with access to safe water and proper sanitation education to sustain future generations. During COVID-19, safe water and sanitation prove paramount, which is why they’ve set up an emergency fund to bring these needs to communities around the world. Check out how their work is already impacting people in Honduras and Haiti. 

In this video message, Dr. Jane Goodall explains the relationship between wildlife trafficking, conservation and zoonotic viruses like the coronavirus. Scientific research has proven time and time again that the health of humanity depends deeply on a healthy environment with diverse and thriving ecosystems. In order to prevent future pandemics, we must prevent the degradation of wildlife habitats and stop wildlife trafficking. Below are just a few wildlife nonprofits in the 1% for the Planet network that are fighting for just that:

• The Thin Green Line Foundation protects wildlife’s protectors: park rangers. Park rangers are vital to our planet’s ecosystems as they protect wildlife from poaching and illegal trade. That’s why the Thin Green Line Foundation works to provide park rangers with the support they need to protect threatened species around the world. • The International Fund for Animal Welfare protects animals to ensure that our planet and people can thrive together. In response to COVID-19, IFAW rescue teams donated much-need N95 masks to local hospitals. However, with their conservation efforts, IFAW is also working to prevent the next great outbreak that threatens humanity. 

Curious about how wildlife conservation prevents the spread of human viruses? IFAW answers all your COVID-19 questions.

• The Wildlife Conservation Society aims to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 14 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the planet’s biodiversity. As they explain below, protecting these regions and wildlife, also protects us from future outbreaks. 

“WCS is on the frontlines of this issue to halt the wildlife trade and the ‘wet markets’ where animals are sold and viral outbreaks develop. WCS also remains dedicated to carrying on with our important work to save wildlife, protect nature’s strongholds and inspire people to value nature around the world. Your partnership is more important than ever.”
For all COVID-19 and conservation related news, follow the Wildlife Conservation Society’s updates.”
———————————————————
Just read the definition or description below.... “(as long as it doesn’t provide athletic facilities or equipment), or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.”
What??? Seems like hidden manipulative intent right there...and it was quite the bitch to even find this quote I must add. But I guess that’s the dark side of the moon 🌚 if everyone wants these so-called medical advances, it has to be tested on someone..Wether animal or child, but by now I would hope you can grow/print organs in the lab you can test shit on, so the so called children/animal trafficking isn’t needed so much anymore, which is why I’m assuming they are exposing themselves and I suggest go de Novo and get rid of whatever government-elite world system has been and is currently going on....
1 FOR THE PLANET INC
BURLINGTON, VT 05401-4791 | TAX-EXEMPT SINCE APRIL 2006
EIN: 91-2151932
Classification (NTEE)
Recycling Programs (Environmental Quality, Protection and Beautification )
Nonprofit Tax Code Designation: 501(c)(3)
Defined as: Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition (as long as it doesn’t provide athletic facilities or equipment), or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.
Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
GuideStar
Tax Filings by Year
The IRS Form 990 is an annual information return that most organizations claiming federal tax-exempt status must file yearly. Read the IRS instructions for 990 forms.
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912151932
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
So, your telling me that a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded by Charles Koch in 2003, to assist philanthropic activities across the United States also known as ”Stand Together” or informally as the “Koch Network” also is part of/works together with other non-profit or religious organizations, including the “One Percent for the Planet” organization founded in 2002, which is how all the elites in charge of publicly and privately traded companies connect together.
How so? By self-declaring themselves as philanthropists and associating themselves with and/or founding a non-profit organizations such as ‘Stand Together’ or ‘One percent of the Planet’, who then work together as a network of different organizations and industries (corporations), that focus on six main issue areas: climate, food, land, pollution, water and wildlife. They also note how their organization is aware of the link between the health of the environment and the health of humanity.
These publicly-private run organizations then solicit funds from the public through advertising philanthropic goals through the media, for example, seeking cures for diseases (Covid19 and pushing public vaccination—which is NOT in the best interest of the general public considering normal long-term vaccine trials approved by FDA usually take at least between 7-15 years!) or aiding the families of slain police officers, this also includes pushing donations through Black Lives Matter Movement. This also includes the recent stimulus checks and embezzling and laundering money through the general public without them being aware bc of all the full of shit regulations that exist.
The COVID-19 vaccine is simply a highly deceptive way to solicit donations and allows them to manipulate (blackmail) people through fear into following their selfish agenda. The CEOs, philanthropists, founders, or any other elite who owns or is in charge of a corporation, industry, and/or organizations (including profit and nonprofit and religious) are the ones responsible who own these corporations that give no regard to the environment or human health.
🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡🛡
“Charity fraud, type of fraud that occurs when charitable organizations that solicit funds from the public for philanthropic goals, such as seeking cures for diseases or aiding the families of slain police officers, solicit donations in a deceptive manner or use the monies that they collect for purposes not intended by the donors. Charities are subject to the kinds of fraud that can also plague business organizations, such as embezzlement and misappropriation of funds by executives.
Establishing and prosecuting charity fraud is not necessarily straightforward. Many scholars agree that money solicited by persons or groups that are not legitimate charitable organizations constitutes charity fraud, but the question of fraud is complicated when considering charities that use a high percentage of donations for administrative costs or additional fund-raising rather than for the charitable cause. These kinds of issues, as well as the very large number of charitable organizations worldwide, make charity fraud difficult to monitor and eradicate.
Charity fraud is perceived as a particularly abhorrent kind of deceptive business practice because it abuses the trust of altruistic persons who offer donations with the expectation that they are assisting those in need. Charity fraud can result in a lasting backlash because those responsible have manipulated the emotions and generosity of donors in order to elicit a donation, leading to anger and disillusionment if it is revealed that the charity and philanthropic promises were invalid. Disillusionment and suspicion caused by fraudulent charitable solicitation or misappropriation of funds has the additional effect of tainting the fund-raising appeals of legitimate charities, which suffer by association with those who defraud donors.
Misrepresentation Charities may be guilty of fraud when they mislead donors about the percentage of contributions that is applied to various business expenses, thereby vastly overstating the amount of the contribution that will go to the charitable cause. All charities have some administrative costs, but some charities have exorbitant overhead costs that result in almost none of the donation actually going to the charitable cause.
Charitable organizations may also act in a fraudulent way by misrepresenting themselves or associating themselves in a deliberately vague way with known famous charities or with governmental associations for the purpose of obtaining donations. An example of this kind of deception on the part of a charity is the case of the Police Survivors Fund. It was established in 1999 and disbanded by 2003 when its founder pleaded guilty to various fraud charges.
The aim of the Police Survivors Fund was to aid widows and children of police killed on the job. Though this aim was clearly stated in telephone solicitation calls, other factors were left more vague. Consumers may have been confused by the name of the organization as stated during the telephone solicitations because it sounded official.
The actual connection between any municipal police force and the Police Survivors Fund was not made clear to donors because there was no such sponsorship of the charity by a police force, despite the official-sounding name. The Police Survivors Fund had a fund-raising strategy familiar to prosecutors of charity fraud. Fund-raisers would tell those who were solicited that the donation was for widows and children. They initially asked for a large sum, such as $1,000, and then revised it to a lower figure if the potential donor balked, implying that a $99 donation was the least that could be done for the “widows and children.”
The founder of the Police Survivors Fund also used the September 11 terrorist attacks as a marketing tool, mentioning vaguely that his group was coordinating efforts with a “World Trade Center fund” and noting that other donors had given $911 as a symbolic figure to commemorate the attacks. He collected $441,000, only $14,500 of which was actually given to survivors of slain police officers. Fraudulent fund-raisers may also intimidate those they call by misrepresenting the result of refusing a donation, using fear (suggesting that police departments will no longer answer calls from the residence of a hesitant donor, for example) or social pressure.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/charity-fraud#ref1281929
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
XOXO 💋 ☥

WARNING: It is up to you to judge the accuracy and veracity of the below before trading. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this thread.

Your Pre Market Brief for Tuesday December 15th 2020

Brought to you by MoonGangCapital
You can subscribe to the daily 4:00 AM Pre Market Brief on The Twitter Link Here . Alerts in the tweets will direct you to the daily 4:00 AM Pre Market Brief in this sub.
Other Useful Resources: The Ultimate Quick Resource For the Amateur Trader.
Published 2:33 AM EST / Updated as of 4:00 AM EST
-----------------------------------------------

Stock Futures:

• Pre-Market Trading
• Asian Stocks Set for Muted Start; Dollar Retreats: Markets Wrap

Monday 12/14/2020 News and Markets Recap:

• AN AWESOME MARKET RECAP FROM u/psychotrader00 ( RedditTickers )
• Benzinga's Bulls And Bears Of The Week: Boeing, Netflix, Nike, Starbucks And More

Tuesday December 15th 2020 Economic Calendar (All times are Eastern)

• 01:30 PM Import Prices YoY NOV
• 01:30 PM Export Prices YoY NOV
• 01:30 PM Export Prices MoM NOV
• 01:30 PM Import Prices MoM NOV
• 01:30 PM NY Empire State Manufacturing Index DEC
• 01:55 PM Redbook YoY 12/DEC
• 01:55 PM Redbook MoM 12/DEC
• 02:15 PM Industrial Production YoY NOV
• 02:15 PM Industrial Production MoM NOV
• 02:15 PM Manufacturing Production MoM NOV
• 02:15 PM Capacity Utilization NOV
• 02:15 PM Manufacturing Production YoY NOV
• 03:00 PM IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism DEC
• 09:00 PM Foreign Bond Investment OCT
• 09:00 PM Net Long-Term Tic Flows OCT
• 09:00 PM Overall Net Capital Flows OCT
• 09:30 PM API Crude Oil Stock Change 11/DEC

Overnight News Heading into Tuesday December 15th 2020

(News Yet to be Traded 8:00 PM - 4:00 AM EST)
^{It is up to you to judge the accuracy and veracity of the below before trading. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this thread.}

• TSLA Tesla To See $1.1B In 'Deferred Software Revenue' In 2021, Munster Estimates
• TSLA Elon Musk's SpaceX Seeks To Double Valuation At $92B In New Funding Round: Report
• TSEM Tower Semiconductor and OPIX Announce the Successful Development of a World Class iToF Technology Platform for 3D Imaging and Face Recognition Applications
• AAPL Apple Supplier's iPhone Factory Suffers $7M In Damages During Violent Worker Protests
• EAF GrafTech Announces Upsizing and Pricing of Secondary Offering of Common Stock by Existing Stockholders
• ATA.U Americas Technology Acquisition CORP. Announces Pricing of $100 M IPO
• UBER Uber Fined $59M In California Over Refusal To Share Information On Sexual Assaults
• BNR Burning Rock Announces an Exclusive in-Licensing of a Risk Stratification Test for Early Stage Lung-Cancer Patients from Oncocyte in China
• BCDA ($4.48) BioCardia, Inc. Announces $8.5 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-The-Market Under Nasdaq Rules [Revised]
• UBER DASH LYFT GRUB Uber and DoorDash are hiking food delivery and rideshare prices for Californians to pay for new driver benefits
• WBA CVS COST RAD KR COVID-19 vaccines expected by spring 2021 at drugstore/grocery store
• GOOG GOOGL Google Kills Its Google Home Max Smart Speaker Line
• J Jacobs Secures Place on Irish Water's Engineering Design Services Framework

End of Day and After Hours News Heading into Monday December 15th 2020

(News Traded 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST)
^{It is up to you to judge the accuracy and veracity of the below before trading. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this thread.}

• WM Waste Management Announces Plan to Increase its Quarterly Dividend Rate and a Refreshed Share Repurchase Authorization
• CAH Ohio Chooses Cardinal Health for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
• PTON Spinning creator files patent infringement lawsuit accusing Peloton of stealing its technology for their stationary bikes
• EYRP ERYTECH Completes Enrollment in TRYbeCA-1 Phase 3 Trial in Second-Line Pancreatic Cancer
• XOM North Dakota Sees Its One-Time Oil Gushers Stalled Until 2022
• DIS The Walt Disney Company Schedules Annual Meeting of Shareholders for March 9, 2021
• BSX NVRO Boston Scientific Announces Stipulation Of Dismissal Of Nevro Corporation's Patent Infringement Case In California
• HON Honeywell Acquires Sine Group To Create A Mobile Platform For Honeywell Forge Offerings And To Enhance Connected Buildings Solutions
• NOC Northrop Grumman secures two Air Force contracts worth $185.7M and ~$163.65M
• WD Walker & Dunlop Structures $86 Million in Financing for Seniors Housing Properties
• MMP Kherkher Garcia, LLP Files Suit on Behalf of Burn Victims in Magellan Oil Tank Explosion
• PRIM Primoris Services acquires Future Infrastructure Holdings for $620M
• PEO ADX Adams Natural Resources Fund Initiates Share Repurchases Pursuant To Enhanced Discount Management And Liquidity Program
• TBI PeopleReady’s JobStack App Recognized for Tech Excellence in Staffing During Pandemic
• XOM Engine No. 1 Comments on ExxonMobil’s New Emissions Targets
• NHS Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Announces Final Results of Its Tender Offer and Reduction in Leverage
• SAIC NOC US Department of Defense awards new contracts to NOC / SAIC
• GDYN Grid Dynamics Acquires Netherlands-based Daxx, Expands Footprint in Western Europe
• MTN Vail Resorts, Inc. Announces Commencement of $500,000,000 Convertible Senior Notes Offering
• DCI Donaldson Company Makes Strategic Investment With Key Appointment to Accelerate Growth in Life Sciences
• VGC ($0.98) Vista Gold Drilling Confirms Adjacent Mineralized Zone at the Mt Todd Gold Project
• ARMS ($3.26) On July 24, 2020, Amyris and the members of our board of directors were named as defendants in a putative stockholder class action filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delawa..
• PQG PQG +9.4%, materials segment acquired by The Jordan Company affiliate
• HWKN Hawkins Named One of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek
• NXPI NXP Semiconductors shares fall after Goldman downgrade on lack of upside
• VEEV Samsung Biologics Adopts Veeva Vault QMS to Unify Quality Management
• SAFM The Rising Cost to Feed Animals Is Squeezing Meat Producers
• IIPR Innovative Industrial Properties Expands Real Estate Partnership with PharmaCann at New York Property
• PINS Pinterest Pays $20 Million to End Discrimination Suit by Ex-COO
• NEPT Virtual Conference Marks Launch of Mood Ring™ Cannabis Products in British Columbia
• KAI Kadant Awarded $10 Million Order for Fiber Processing Systems
• LZB La-Z-Boy to resume buybacks
• UTZ Utz Brands Completes Acquisition of ON THE BORDER® Tortilla Chips
• INFU InfuSystem to Present at 13th Annual LD Micro Main Event Tuesday, December 15, 2020
• UNH UnitedHealthcare Introduces Enhancements for Wearable Device Well-being Program, Including Access to Apple Fitness+ at No Additional Cost
• CIO City Office renews 10-year lease with Dallas tenant; includes 3 months abatement
• MDWD MediWound Continues Global Expansion with Distribution Agreement for NexoBrid in United Arab Emirates with Ghassan Aboud Group
• TA TravelCenters of America Closes New $200 Million Term Loan
• WRN Western Copper and Gold Initiates a Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Casino Project
• OPNT Opiant Pharma secures additional BARDA grant of $3.5M for OPNT003
• LLY Lilly Announces 15 Percent Dividend Increase

Possible Dip Buying Opportunities in the near future (Other suggestions appreciated):

Suggested Dip Trading Strategy

• TOL: Poor guidance and headwinds in the real estate market (Reliable company though)
• LEN: Dipping as a result of TOLL's guidance. Posturing for earnings on the 16th
• SPWH: Dropping as analysts expect a decrease in revenue earned next year.
• ITB: Real estate expected to cool off in the winter before popping again in the Spring
• LMT: Typical post dividend dip
• CRM: Dipping because investors assess they paid too much for the Slack purchase
• KMX: Been trading sideways for nearly 6 months. Earnings on 12/22
• BGFV: Post earnings/dividend dip
• VIVO: Volatile growth stock
• WM: Dumping after dividend. News Above: Resuming share repurchase program and upping dividend
• WERN Missed in Revenue last ER. Looks oversold.

Offering News:

• MIRM Mirum Pharmaceuticals Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Stock
• CTAQ Carney Technology Acquisition Corp. II Announces Closing of $402,500,000 Initial Public Offering
• TGTX TG Therapeutics Announces Pricing of Upsized Public Offering of Common Stock
• MUDS Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II Announces Closing of Underwriter’s Option to Purchase Additional Units in Connection with its Initial Public Offering
• TPVG TriplePoint Venture Growth BDC Corp. Announces Extension and Expansion of Its Revolving Credit Facility
• AROC Archrock Announces Upsizing and Pricing of $300 Million of Senior Notes
• CSTL Castle Biosciences Announces Commencement of Proposed Public Offering of Common Stock
• LEAF Leaf Group Announces Closing of Public Offering of Common Stock
• OCUL Ocular Therapeutix to raise $75M in stock offering
• ENLC EnLink Midstream Announces Pricing of $500 Million of Senior Notes Due 2028
• PXLW Pixelworks Announces Closing of $12.0 Million Public Offering of Common Stock
• HYFM Hydrofarm Holdings Group Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering and Full Exercise of Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Shares

Commodities:

• Oil Edges Toward $47 Ahead of U.S. Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout

Other News & Analysis:

• A Stock Trader’s Guide to the Global Covid Vaccine Rollout
• FEYE SWI AONE FireEye Stumbled Across SolarWinds Breach While Probing Own Hack
• SNE MSFT GME AMZN WMT PlayStation 5, Xbox Units Unexpectedly Arrived At GameStop Stores. Of Course, Chaos Ensued
• MRNA PFE BNTX After Pfizer, Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Data Accessed In Cyberattack
• Facebook, YouTube, Twitter Face Multi-Billion Fines In UK Under Online Safety Legislation

Upcoming Earnings:

• Earnings Calendar
• Earnings Calendar II

COVID-19 Stats and News:

• COVID-19 Stats
• Latest Map and Case Count

Macro Considerations:

• Economic Indicators
• Economic Indicator Forecasts
• Tracking America’s Recovery

Other

• Current Trading Halts
• Reg SHO Threshold List
• Short Sale Circuit Breaker
• Highest Short Interest
• Most Recent Insider Filings
• Fear and Greed Index
• OTC Market Snapshot
• Highest Implied Volatility
• Most Recent IPO Filings
• Dividend Calendar
• Most Active Stocks
• Daily Gainers
• Daily Losers

-----------------------------------------------
Subscribe to This Brief and the daily 4:00 AM Pre Market Brief on The Twitter Link Here . Alerts in the tweets will direct you to the daily brief in this sub
Other Useful Resources: Stock Market Tools, Resources, Advice, & Tutorials
WARNING: It is up to you to judge the accuracy and veracity of the above before trading. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this thread.