Badlands News Brief
Badlands News Brief
A Not so Brief Full of Sovereign SIGNAL
The News Cycle is almost impossible to track these days. At least, to do so fully.
That’s where we come in.
In the Badlands News Brief, the Badlands Media team hand pick news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community with some Badlands flavoring to help wash it down.
But before we get onto the Brief, we want to introduce you to a new Sponsor of the Badlands Substack: Ascent Nutrition, who are offering the Badlands audience 15% off their Pine Needle Extract using the promo code: “Badlands.”
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Now, onto the news from Thursday, September 5 …
Hunter Biden pleads guilty to all nine federal tax charges brought by special counsel David Weiss
Hunter Biden on Thursday entered a guilty plea to all nine federal tax charges brought against him by special counsel David Weiss, his attorney said in court Thursday, shocking federal prosecutors.
The president's son remains free on bond until sentencing on Dec. 16.
Abbe Lowell, the first son's attorney, said earlier Thursday in federal court that Biden intends to switch his plea and intends to plead guilty. He initially pleaded not guilty.
Federal prosecutor Leo Wise said that "this is the first we are hearing about this."
A source familiar with the special counsel's team told Fox News digital that this is not a done deal for Hunter Biden, and that it's currently just an offer the defense put on the table.
The judge had Hunter Biden agree under oath to no longer remain silent and told him that if he pleads guilty he gives up all of his rights to a trial.
Before the court took a 30-minute break, Judge Mark Scarsi said that "the court doesn’t need the government’s agreement to accept an Alford plea."
The development comes after Hunter Biden's lawyers had prepared to argue he was too high or drunk to pay his taxes. — FOX News
Our Take: Anyone used to my commentary at Badlands will know I’m far from the most read-up on the various legal witch hunts (on either side) currently playing out in the Info War. That’s more
’s and ’s purview.That said … I know signal when I see it, and this one is SIGNAL AF.
I do subscribe to
’s reading of the Biden Crime Family, in that I believe they are and have been much more overtly controlled by patriots than others. There isn’t hard evidence to support this, but Hunter entering a “shock” plea deal that seemed to take his own Deep State lawyers by surprise on the eve of his trial certainly qualifies.There are any number of ways this could map and spiderweb, but from where I’m sitting, Hunter is doing something the machine did not expect, and if the machine did not expect it, I’m guessing patriots did.
Oh … and there’s always the Q of it all.
From our friend
:
Coincidence. I’m sure. —
Ukraine’s gamble against Russia risks becoming blunder
The Ukrainian advance into Russia’s Kursk region has so far failed to achieve one of its main objectives: diverting Russian troops from the front lines of eastern Ukraine in a bid to reshape the battlefield.
Ukraine’s surprise August incursion has achieved other goals, including dealing a blow to Russia’s image of strength, destroying military assets and taking territory and prisoners for negotiating leverage.
But the failure of the more crucial goal to divert troops has opened the door to criticism of Kyiv’s military gamble, especially as Russia makes advances along the war’s 600-mile eastern front line.
Russian forces have continued pounding away in Ukraine, taking vast swaths of territory in the past month and closing in on the key rail junction town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who just weeks ago was expressing frustration with the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk, touted his military’s progress while visiting a school.
“The enemy did not achieve the main task that they set themselves: to stop our offensive in the Donbas,” he said. “We have not had such a pace of offensive in the Donbas for a long time.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has argued the Kursk offensive is a key part of Kyiv’s strategy and would be included in a proposal for winning the war that he plans to present to the United States this month. — The Hill
Our Take: I gave an in-depth sitrep on this Kursk situation to CannCon on Badlands Daily back on Monday.
I explained the 19th century Prussian origins of the Third Reich's blitzkrieg ("lightning war") doctrine, how the Russians developed a method to defeat it ("Shoulder Defense"), and how the entire story surrounding the Ukrainian/NATO Nazis' decision to invade Kursk is playing out EXACTLY like it did for the German Nazis in 1943. (Hint: it was their undoing.)
For context, here is where Kursk is located, relative to regions of Ukraine that are now under the control of Russia—where most of the fighting has taken place. (The Russian-controlled regions are shaded red. I have circled in blue where the Kursk invasion is taking place.)
The 2024 Kursk invasion strategy is nearly identical to the 1943 Kursk invasion strategy.
1943 Kursk battle map:
2024 Kursk battle map:
It appears that the NATO Nazis strategic intent is three-fold: 1) draw Russian forces away from the east, so they could retake Donetsk; 2) terrorize Russian civilians, so that support for Putin's war wanes; and, 3) attack and destroy the Kurskaya nuclear power plant, which is deep in Russian territory.
It's a rather foolish plan, which highlights the hubris and stupidity of the NATO Nazi high command. It seems obvious that NATO decided to engage in a terrorist campaign against Russian civilians—following in the footsteps of Winston Churchill and Bibi Netanyahu—when they started firing missiles on population centers, killing over 30 and injuring over 140.
This move infuriated Putin, who has prioritized the preservation of Ukrainian civilian life throughout his special military operation. He says now that he cannot negotiate peace with Kiev. The Nazis must all be permanently destroyed.
And what makes NATO's decision an even bigger head-scratcher is that this region of Russia is sparsely populated—something that Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson told Judge Napolitano last week. Just take a look at this side-by-side I made using Google Earth. It's all pastures and forest, with a few small towns.
So NATO failed to terrorize enough Russians to foment unrest/dissent against Putin, but killed enough to secure Putin's wrath, sealing their fate.
Not only did NATO fail to draw Russian forces away from the east, but the Ukrainian forces required to bolster this incursion has left Ukraine's eastern front vulnerable—which the Russians have now exploited. They are marching, full tilt, on the city of Pokrovsk, as Kiev panics and evacuates civilians.
Finally, Putin has said that NATO is trying to strike the Kursk nuclear power plant at Kurskaya, which is DEEP in Russian territory. It seems unlikely, at this point, that Ukrainian ground troops will penetrate that far, though they do have the capacity to strike it with missiles—which they have apparently attempted.
The Russians have dug massive trench lines to defend the power plant from the invaders.
This isn't the first time that the NATO Nazis have attacked a nuclear power plant. Back in May, they launched drones at their own power plant in Zaporizhia, which was under Russian control.
Since that has failed, now the NATO Nazis are allegedly threatening to kill the families of Ukrainian workers at the plant, unless they pass sensitive information to NATO forces. (Churchill would be proud.)
Like we've said all along, the NATO Nazis—who are the progeny of the Third Reich and Eastern European Zionists (from the Pale of Settlement)—are the terrorists who have no problem killing civilians, including Ukrainian civilians, to secure their victory. (Not unlike the Israelis, who were willing to sacrifice their own civilians on October 7th in order to maximize casualties and provoke the necessary public response to justify obliterating Gaza.)
The Russians are the good guys.
Righteous Russia, indeed. Go Putin go. (NATO must be dismantled, and war crime tribunals should be empaneled to prosecute the psychopaths at the Pentagon and State Department who are responsible for this catastrophe.) —
Germany's AfD Party Calls For End To Mail-In Ballots, Launches Probe Into Suspicious Software Error
Although the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured a first-place finish in the Saxony elections on Sunday, the party is still launching an investigation into an alleged computer error that cost them a seat in parliament and is also calling for an end to mail-in votes, citing security concerns and shady practices.
The first issue is the alleged software glitch that resulted in the AfD and the Christian Democrats (CDU) both losing a seat, while the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD) both gained one seat. The party says that it is launching an investigation into this.
“We want to know exactly what went wrong,” said the AfD’s state and parliamentary group leader Jörg Urban in a statement. He is demanding an exact error analysis. “If there are any irregularities, we will take legal action.”
Notably, the loss of one seat resulted in the AfD losing its blocking majority, which would have allowed the party, for example, to block the appointment of certain judges in the state. — ReMix News
Our Take: This is how it’s done. Audit elections even — especially — if you win.
Mail-in balloting and software issues are a global concern, and I look forward to learning what the AfD finds in its investigation.
Holly at Altitude was telling me about her idea the other day for a ‘public trust prenup,’ and it should be seriously considered by Americans in November. The idea is simple:
Audit the election regardless of the outcome.
Win or lose, public trust demands elections that are verifiably accurate. That means that we should check to ensure they’re verifiably accurate, and I don’t mean with risk limiting audits conducted without oversight by the government, essentially checking its own work. Independent audits, conducted regardless of the outcome, would go a long way towards restoring public trust in the system — if such a restoration is warranted.
Apparently, the populists in Germany agree. Let’s see what they find. —
Trump says Elon Musk has agreed to lead proposed government efficiency commission as ex-president unveils new economic plans
Donald Trump unveiled a slate of new economic plans Thursday, including the creation of a government efficiency commission that he said Elon Musk has agreed to lead if the former president is elected in November.
“At the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his complete and total endorsement … I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms,” Trump said in remarks at the Economic Club of New York. “We need to do it. Can’t go on the way we are now.”
Trump in his speech also outlined proposals aimed at further reducing the corporate tax rate and tackling government regulations, including those aimed at energy production. He also vowed to rescind all unspent funds from one of the key laws passed under the Biden administration, embraced cryptocurrency and reaffirmed his plan to place sweeping tariffs on imports.
Trump’s government efficiency commission proposal follows a recent conversation he had with Musk on X, during which the Tesla CEO suggested that the former president should create such a group in an effort to tackle inflation and appoint him to it.
“I’d love it,” Trump responded at the time.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on Trump’s economic proposals, which come just days before he and Vice President Kamala Harris face off Tuesday in Pennsylvania for their presidential debate. Harris has recently released a slew of economic proposals, including measures aimed at aiding small businesses and at making housing, groceries, child-rearing and health care more affordable for the middle class and working Americans. — CNN
Our Take: Donald Trump and Elon Musk have now announced a Government Efficiency Commission that will address systemic corruption while helping to build a bridge to an American Future few thought possible.
And all under the guise of an organic, sudden alliance that emerged on the back of reaction to the current sociopolitical zeitgeist.
And yet ... Elon's references to DOGE (Director of Government Efficiency,) and the fact that he was and is the biggest Department of Defense contractor under Trump, heads up the most powerful decentralized communications infrastructure in the world and first seized the American Mind from the techno-optimist left PROVES more than suggests we're watching the convergence of something that was planned long ago.
If you've been analyzing the Info War through the War of Stories framing, which posits that the main players are cognitive cyphers ... you saw this coming.
"The future is already here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." —
Teasing Putin says Russia backs Kamala Harris, cites her 'infectious' laugh
Russia wants Kamala Harris to win the U.S. presidential election, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday in a teasing comment that cited her "infectious" laugh as a reason to prefer her over Donald Trump.
Putin made the ironic remark a day after the U.S. Justice Department charged two Russian media executives over an alleged illegal scheme to influence the November election with pro-Russian propaganda.
Before President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, Putin had said earlier this year - in another comment widely seen as not to be taken at face value - that he preferred Biden over Trump because the former was a more predictable "old school" politician.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe Moscow actually wants Trump to win because he is less committed to supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia. — Reuters
And …
Liz Cheney says she is voting for Harris for president
Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November, she said during remarks at Duke University, according to audio obtained by CNN.
The former Wyoming congresswoman noted the importance of voting for Harris in states like North Carolina, where she appeared on Wednesday.
“I think it is crucially important for people to recognize, not only is what I just said about the danger that Trump poses something that should prevent people from voting for him, but I don’t believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates’ names, particularly in swing states,” Cheney said.
She made the announcement in North Carolina specifically because it is a battleground state, according to a source close to Cheney.
“And as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris,” she continued.
The Harris campaign highlighted Cheney’s endorsement Wednesday night and pointed to other Republicans who have backed her, including former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. — CNN
Our Take:
It's called, "we do a little trolling, okay?" — President DJT
Vlad knows how to troll with the best of 'em.
From the article:
Asked how he viewed the election now, Putin told an economic forum in Russia's far east that it was the choice of the American people.
But he then added that as Biden had recommended his supporters to back Harris, "we will do the same, we will support her".
Putin and the moderator were both smiling as he made the remark, which drew applause from the audience.
Expanding on his view of Harris, Putin said: "She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her."
Classic.
But wait:
"Ultimately, the choice is up to the American people, and we will respect that choice," the Kremlin leader concluded.
Absolutely based. Love you, Vlad!
Somehow, Putin has been involved in all of my Brief takes today, but I think that just demonstrates that he really is the main geopolitical protagonist, until President Trump makes his triumphant return.
Contrast all of that with what this Wyoming Witch had to say:
Perfection. I couldn't have scripted it any better myself, Liz. The Uniparty grifters are finally ripping off their masks and revealing their reptilian faces to the world. What great timing. The Republican Party is as big of a joke as the Democrat Party. What a bunch of losers!
Ускоряйтесь, товарищи. —
Another Take: Translation aside, one thing to keep in mind here is that Putin's rhetoric regarding the candidacy shift from Biden to Harris almost directly mirrors Trump's.
Remember, Trump said Joe was his number one option, but that Kamala "would be my second choice" as candidate.
Almost like they're saying the same thing, in the same manner, because they're on the same side, fighting against the same people.
It's called ... we do a little trolling. (Jinx
.)The Kamala candidacy is no more a threat to patriot plans than the Biden presidency was.
In fact, when you reframe each as not only survivable, but entirely necessary for the purposes of exposure, disclosure and yes, awakening ... things get decidedly more encouraging.
Unless, of course you believe a centuries-old death cult with the most intricate corruption system in the world decided their best hope to paper over the most fraudulent election theft since the last one was the least popular candidate in recent American history.
Planned long ago. —
Consumer spending data looks solid, but some shoppers continue to struggle
Michael Robert Langdon gets most of his shopping done at bargain chains like Dollar Tree. But even with the store's base price of $1.25, his money only goes so far.
A year ago, Langdon would spend $150 each month on food and toiletries at local dollar stores. Today, his monthly spend is closer to $80. Inflation has taken a toll on his budget, he said. And while he is in low-cost housing, his one-bedroom apartment in Arcata, California, eats up a third of the roughly $1,000 he brings in each month through Social Security Disability Insurance and survivor benefits.
People in poverty “have to really stretch around here," Langdon, 70, told USA TODAY. "Everything is so expensive, and housing is extremely tight.”
Langdon’s story goes against broader economic trends, which show signs of solid U.S. consumer spending despite high interest rates and inflation. But not all shoppers are feeling relief at checkout. As the labor market slows and renters continue to feel pinched from higher housing costs, economists say there are portions of the U.S. population who continue to struggle.
There are "pockets of weakness in an otherwise pretty solid consumer story" boosted by middle- and upper-class spending, said Oxford Economics Deputy Chief U.S. Economist Michael Pearce. "We're seeing a bit of differentiation in terms of (consumer) performance by income, but also by wealth." — USA Today
And …
Recent price swings reflected largely energy- and supply-related shocks rather than macroeconomic overheating
As inflation began to rise in 2021, most policymakers and analysts predicted that the increase would be neither particularly large nor persistent. But by 2022, inflation had become an acute problem for central bankers. Then, after some of the sharpest and most synchronized monetary policy tightening on record, world inflation ebbed almost as suddenly as it had risen.
We see two broad explanations. The first stresses that inflation rose at the same time in most countries because they were subjected—to varying degrees—to a similar sequence of shocks: the pandemic, mobility restrictions, and associated economic policy measures, especially the extent of fiscal and monetary support. This emphasizes domestic drivers. More fiscal and monetary support, tighter labor markets, or less-well-anchored inflation expectations would translate into higher inflation.
The second stresses that inflation rose everywhere at the same time, not because local shocks were identical across countries, but because global causes were at play. The surge in energy and food prices, intensified by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, triggered an energy crisis akin to the 1970s oil shocks. Geopolitics was the cause of both series of events. And it’s true that global energy prices and headline inflation rose together even as long-term inflation expectations held steady. — IMF
Our Take: I remember the day the dollar store changed its prices to $1.25. The public barely noticed, and now more people shop at the dollar store than before. And their dollars are going remarkably less far.
The IMF is telling us that inflation happened everywhere, all at once, because global causes were at play. This may be true, but the recovery is certainly not consistent across the globe.
Consider my breakfast this morning. Two coffees and two handmade pastries, both absolutely delicious, for €6.14. That’s $6.82. We both did a double take. One of the pastries alone would surpass the price of the entire breakfast in Colorado. And no pastries in Colorado could compare to what we ate.
The IMF article notes that French monetary policy uses government subsidies to keep sticker shock away from consumers, so perhaps that accounts for the difference.
I oppose government subsidies, obviously, but I do love affordable breakfast. Also, you can taste the difference, especially in the coffee, and the French get bonus points for serving food that isn’t overtly trying to kill us.
Maybe it still is, but, honestly, what a delicious way to die. —
Putin thanks Saudi Crown Prince for helping arrange major US-Russia prisoner swap
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was grateful to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for helping to arrange the largest prisoner swap between the United States and Russia since the Cold War.
American journalist Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan returned to the United States on August 1, hours after being freed from the Russian detention, as part of the largest prisoner swap between the two countries since the Cold War. The swap deal, which was worked on in complete secrecy for more than a year, included the release of 24 prisoners, 16 of whom were returned to the West from Russia, while eight moved to Russia from the West. — Saudi Gazette
Our Take:
Addressing the Eastern Economic Forum n Vladivostok in Russia, Putin said: “Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince played an active role in the initial stages of this work. We are very grateful to him, as it led to the return of our citizens to the homeland."
Putin also thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for providing the venue for the exchange. He mentioned that several other Arab countries facilitated the swap but did not name them.
(Interesting …)
Putin and Mohammed bin Salman have fostered a close personal relationship since 2015 when the latter visited Russia for the first time. The relationship has helped the leaders of the world’s two biggest oil exporters conclude and maintain the OPEC+ energy deal.
(Very interesting …)
Let's take a look and go find that news story... given the time frame, our boy, Mohammed bin Salman, would have been the Saudi Defense Minister, and nowhere near a household name.
Annnnnd... Here we are:
What's interesting about this 2015 article is that it really contradicts the old mainstream narrative that the Saudis opposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and were helping NATO's attempt to overthrow him. (It also reveals that MBS is a Formula One fan...)
This all tracks, since MBS brought Assad and Syria back into the Arab League on May 19, 2023—eleven years after Secretary of State [Crooked] Hillary Clinton used her clout (blackmail files) to have them expelled in 2012.
As I've said before: the Middle East is healing.
This Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok is pretty cool, and deserves its own write-up; We'll get to that on Monday's brief. For now, let's just acknowledge and admire the epic nature of the Sovereign Alliance, as these powerful leaders use their influence to help one another bring peace and stability to the world, while foiling the schemes of the conniving invalids in the globalist camp.
PS - I didn't include MBS in my Trumpamania roster, mostly out of respect for
, who has had to upload a lot of images and videos for my takes this week. Obviously, his wrestler name would be "The Crown Prince," though I suppose if Hulk Hogan is in the mix, we could go old school and call him "The Iron Sheik." (The 1984 WWF World Heavyweight Championship fight between The Sheik and Hogan is considered by many to be the greatest match of all time. Hulk Hogan won.)
PPS - After 39 years of rivalry, the Sheik still knows how to shit-talk Hulk Hogan. You love to see it. Pure kayfabe. (The Sheik died in June of last year, and Hogan gave a heartfelt tribute. RIP.) —
Harris tries tax triangulation to build distance from Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris chose a rather obscure part of the federal tax code — the top rate for capital gains — to make her first big move toward the center of the 2024 political conversation.
Why it matters: Harris' call for Americans making $1 million a year to pay a 28% capital gains rate marked a symbolic departure from President Biden, who prefers a higher 39.6% tax.
The current top rate is 20%, plus a 3.8% Medicare surcharge.
The big picture: She's spent the first six weeks of her presidential campaign embracing Biden's positions as her own on tax policy and some other areas.
But on Wednesday, she had a clear message for the business community: "Comrade Kamala" she isn't, even for Americans making more than $1 million a year — a group Biden once described as the top "three-tenths of 1% of all Americans."
Zoom in: Harris unveiled her new tax policy at an event in the "Live Free or Die" state of New Hampshire, known for its aversion to taxes. — Axios
Our Take: Accelerationism is burning out the Establishment, as a series of Ouroboros patterns consume them ...
Harris is running away with polling, while rapidly hemorrhaging support.
The Harris campaign is alternating between full scale communist messaging and aping Trump campaign promises. They're going to unburden themselves ... from themselves, while being more themselves than ever.
According to CNN and other MSM apparatchiks, alleged funding of an influence op targeting major Con Inc. figures has destabilized the 2024 election cycle, but ACTUAL interference in US elections is unlikely to ever have a measurable impact on the results of said elections.
In the end, I believe Trump and patriots have the enemy in a series of pincers all over the sociopolitical game board.
They're being given the choice: cede the presidency, and risk the Trump retribution term ... or effect an even more cartoonish election steal than 2020 in full view of an increasingly-aware Collective American Mind. —
We hope you enjoyed this brief look back at the major news items you might have missed in this ever-escalating and ever-accelerating news cycle as the Information War continues to rage on around us.
As always, if you have any thoughts on these news items or the MANY others swirling in the digital ether, drop into the comments below to share them with your fellow Badlanders.
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Liz Cheney. What a joke.
Regarding Hunter's Guilty Plea: Is it possible that he is taking the plea to avoid a trial with all the additional evidence that would produce and with the intent that his father will pardon him? Just a thought...