Page 1 The Sun Bay Paper September 11, 2024 September 11, 2024 Volume 9 Issue 22 From Island to Bay, News on the Level production@sunbaypaper.com www.sunbaypaper.com Right... All Along Digital Version The Right Side Running Out of Time Mayer Rothschild (1744-1812) is famously quoted as saying, “Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes the laws.” The Rothschild banking dynasty has had a significant influence on the creation of the Federal Reserve and the World Bank. David Rockefeller once remarked, “...the world is now more sophisticated and ready to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries.” Did anyone notice the immediate and well-organized protests that followed Trump’s victory in 2016, despite the corporate media declaring his win “impossible” just weeks before? The protests weren’t chaotic; instead, they were Cont. on pg. 2 To all our readers, of the SUN BAY PAPER…there are over 2 million of you…you MUST do all you can to spread the word, near and far that we CANNOT allow Barack HUSSEIN Obama, to pull another coup, another fraud, another act of Treason…and turn this country into the Muslim Nation that he is, successfully doing…just in case you still fail to accept reality! A radical Islamic nation is what he wants and has been and will always want to rule! The ONLY way to overcome the unlawful ballot stuffing, dead man votes and worst of all, computer tampering, is to “SPOT AUDIT” during the election, without interfering. They won’t do that. But overwhelming the votes with 100% Republican votes is up to you. Do you want an Islamic, Muslim nation or our Constitutional Republic? It’s up to you and no one else!!! That will be our, yours and mine, only chance of survival. From the President, to the House and Senate, and every local Attorney General, Judge, District Attorney…every position, we can flip, must be changed to Republican. George Soros, should be charged with Election Interference and stripped of his US Citizenship… violation of his Oath to Citizenship in the United States …reportedly… over 200 such legal positions, like New York’s AG, Chicago’s former Mayor Lightbrain and 198 more! Why? To overthrow your country, what other reason would anyone want all our law enforcement to be Radical Left…ignoring the Constitution for due process, the right to bear arms, the unalienable right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness? Hmmm? Why did Hussein Obama and Soros, go after law enforcement positions…? The same reason I advised President Trump after his 2015 election victory, to fire every single DOJ Attorney, no matter what their affiliation, how long have most been there… as they were mostly picked by Eric Holder in one way or another…mostly scoundrels who would rather put lawmen in jail and let the garbage roam the streets…EXACTLY what they are doing…isn’t it?! I also said he should fire FBI Director Comey!!! Once they are fired, then I recommended he bring in people like J Christian Adams and Troy Gowdy and other competent Republicans attorneys to help take back our Country. Understand, if you control the law, you control everything. That is why Obama/ Soros did what they did/are doing, my opinion. So we need honest people in those positions…do you believe AG Merrick Garland is Cont. on pg 6 America’s Voting process Joint Town Council and Local Planning Agency Meeting Postponed Indefinitely Town of Fort Myers Beach, FL – The joint meeting between the Town Council and the Local Planning Agency to discuss the Comp Plan and Land Development Code, that was proposed at the September 9, 2024, Town Council Meeting is being postponed indefinitely. Town staff would like to hold at least two Public Hearings to hear from our residents on the topic. A date for the Public Hearings will be forthcoming.
September 11, 2024 The Sun Bay Paper Page 2 America’s Voting process Cont. from pg. 1 organized, with pre-printed signs, and paper mache heads of Trump at the ready, with busload after busload of protesters arriving at protest rallies. Doesn’t this, along with other irregularities like the DNC being publicly exposed for working against one of their own candidates, Bernie Sanders, start to seem suspicious? Enter George Soros, the most public face of this long-standing, hidden enterprise, and an ominous figure at that. Soros has a documented history of destabilizing nations, using methods that have been honed by the families of his current associates for centuries. His strategy for America today can be distilled into five basic steps: 1. Create legitimate foundations and nonprofits. 2. Dominate the mainstream media. 3. Undermine the State by sowing doubt. 4. Create electoral crises. 5. Use crises to overthrow the system. These foundations and nonprofits, often operating under various names, are staffed with both op eratives and true believers in “the cause.” and paid protestors who were there just for the money! The “Soros Network” provides a legal and effective way to channel large amounts of money to political allies, increasing their influence. Many members of these organizations move between government work and these foundations, blending their purposes and operations. These groups often influence or even own media outlets, creating a complex and multi-layered system that becomes intertwined with the federal government itself. Through their connections with corporate media—including broadcast media, the press, the internet, social media platforms like Facebook, and even the music industry—these foundations recruit and spread their messages subtly but effectively. They shape the narrative of our world, making ideas like Hillary being the inevitable winner or Trump being too flawed seem like accepted truths. They create a theater of perception, influencing even the smaller day-to-day operations and opinions that most people overlook. Like rust or termites, they never stop their work. This media manipulation is particularly powerful in undermining people’s trust in their elected government institutions. When faith in these institutions erodes, it opens the door for something new to to take their place—something these organizations are more than ready to offer. The media is used to destabilize and delegitimize the institutions people rely on. Notice the growing conversations around the Electoral College, the Constitution, law enforcement, and the FBI? Project Veritas has exposed agitators backed by Soros groups at Republican rallies, and Wikileaks revealed the DNC’s manipulation against Bernie Sanders and the Podesta emails. Soros is also an investor in and owner of much of the electronic voting infrastructure, leading to concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. Remember the Diebold controversies from years past? Digital voting machines can be manipulated without leaving physical evidence like ballots. It’s not difficult to make the entire electoral process appear fraudulent, which many people now believe it is. When neither presidential candidate seems legitimate, the entire system’s validity is called into question. This sets the stage for an electoral crisis. Hillary and her supporters, confident in Soros’ backing, believed they couldn’t lose. But when she did lose, just as the DNC leaks showed had happened to Sanders, half of the voting public was left furious. The goal was to unsettle the nation, and Soros did not attempt to bail out Hillary. This fueled further doubt about the system’s legitimacy, leading to claims that the vote was rigged. Agitators were brought in, and “evidence” surfaced suggesting that Trump, possibly with Russian help, had stolen the election. The Electoral College was blamed, especially if they were to change the results later in December. All of this would have left Hillary deeply indebted to Soros. Soros wouldn’t have been able to control Trump in the same way so protests after the election happened immediately, like they were pre planned. This is how these operations unfold, happening regularly around the world. A Soros-backed revolution, moving us toward a one-world government. In truth, we must face the reality that a coup is underway in our own country, with the majority of people likely supporting it. “We cannot let this kind of mess ever happen again,” they will say. And when plans appear immediately, as if prepared in advance—like the protests at election rallies and after the election happened immediately, like they were preplanned, when/if Trump wins again, don’t be surprised it’s already planned. We will have chaos like we’ve never seen before... There are 20 million new migrants here and if only 10% of them are here with mal intent that would be 2 million... and there are much more than 10% of them here with mal intent... If Trump wins.... with hidden Soros funding they will set the US on fire! The inevitable solution will probably come from the White House. The message will be clear: The government, electoral college and the Constitution must change for the good of the nation, again moving us toward a one-world government. Are you thinking this can’t happen here...... again? It will, but this time.. the upheaval that happened after Trump won in 2016.. will look like a bake sale.... Also: Saudi Arabia failed to renew its 50 year standing contract with the US last June (it was only for 5 years starting in 1974 but has been renewed by SA every time other than last June) symbolically ending the Petrodollar as the sole currency for purchasing Oli barrels... Now the US dollar is on the verge of a crash... a sharp downturn in value. not only due to this, ... the dollar is/was the world monetary fund, 20 years ago, 72% of all global commercial transactions were done in the dollar.... this year only 58%.... so we are losing our status as the world monetary fund...... this has been propping up the dollar for a long time... all this combined with how much money we are printing at the Fed Reserve ...a dollar crash looks very likely...... If you have money set aside, buy some property outside the US ...... NOW ... while it is still worth something. Create an exit plan now.... when the chaos starts it will be too late.. November is right around the corner, after that it will be too late ... and we’ll find out soon enough. God bless America. Sun Bay Paper Contributor
Page 3 The Sun Bay Paper September 11, 2024 New Study: No Evidence COVID Vaccines Provided ‘Any Benefit’ A recent investigation by a group of Canadian researchers into excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic discovered that global patterns of excess mortality couldn’t be solely attributed to the virus, including long COVID. The study, conducted by researchers from Correlation Research in the Public Interest, reviewed excess mortality data across 125 countries during the pandemic. It revealed that mortality trends closely matched the enforcement of restrictions, such as lockdowns, and the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines. The research concluded that the restrictions related to the pandemic were responsible for 30 million deaths worldwide, with 17 million deaths linked to the COVID-19 vaccines. The researchers asserted that “nothing special would have occurred in terms of mortality had a pandemic not been declared and had the declaration not been acted upon.” Joseph Hickey, Ph.D., a co-author of the study and president of Correlation, appeared on “The Defender In-Depth” this week to delve into the study’s findings and to analyze the probable reasons behind the increase in excess deaths and overall mortality. Excess death data ‘not compatible’ with ‘particularly virulent special pathogen’ Hickey clarified that “all-cause mortality” denotes “the total number of deaths without filtering by cause during a specific period,” while “excess deaths” represent “the number of deaths that exceeded what would have been expected during that time frame.” Hickey and his fellow researchers examined pre-pandemic data from 2015 to 2019 and data collected between 2020 and 2023. Hickey noted that the data, gathered from 125 countries, showed “a significant number of excess deaths.” “We calculate that over the COVID period … about 0.39% of the global population died in excess. That compares to about 0.97%” during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918. Hickey highlighted that this was “the largest non-war mortality event in 100 years” on a global scale. The study also discovered that excess mortality patterns around the world were “very heterogeneous,” differing “significantly from country to country,” across regions within the same country, and among different age groups. Hickey remarked: “There are some countries that immediately following the declaration of the pandemic in March of 2020 had an enormous spike in … excess mortality that is very sharp, very fast and very narrow. But that does not occur in all countries. “There are neighboring countries that don’t have that at all. There are countries that do not have any excess mortality throughout all of 2020, and it’s only in 2021 when the vaccines are rolled out, that they suddenly have excess. And that excess can be a sharp spike, or it can be a raised and sustained plateau.” Hickey observed that none of the countries experienced excess deaths before the pandemic was declared, which does not align with the spread of a lethal virus. “If you take the model of a new very deadly pathogen that is spreading around the world, you should not see this very high degree of heterogeneity … it’s simply not compatible with the hypothesis of a particularly virulent special pathogen,” he said. “If there was a specifically virulent and dangerous pathogen that was spreading around the world, it would not wait for a political declaration of a pandemic to start causing excess mortality,” Hickey added. Instead, “a much simpler, much more elegant explanation is that it’s differences in national policies, national measures of one kind or another that are responsible for these very different outcomes in excess mortality,” Hickey said. ‘Biological stress’ caused by ‘political measures’ the ‘big cause’ of deaths According to Hickey, he and his co-researchers used a method known as the “P-score” to calculate excess deaths, taking into account variables like the age structure and health status of a particular country. Their analysis found that “the main correlation between excess mortality and a socioeconomic variable is with poverty.” “Over the whole COVID period … there’s more excess mortality in that adjusted P-score measure when there’s more poverty,” Hickey said. Such as individuals and families beneath the poverty line and the elderly, as of January 2023, the poverty line was $14,891 for an individual and $29,960 for a family of four....and many are surviving on much less. Hickey indicated that people in more vulnerable situations were more likely to suffer negative impacts from restrictive measures such as lockdowns. “It’s really more frail populations … that would be more affected by things like shutting down the economy, the informal economy,” Hickey said. “Having measures that restrict people to remain in their residences, obviously that has a much larger impact on poorer people than richer people in terms of their lifestyle, their ability to do exercise, receive goods by delivery and so on.” Hickey noted that such measures contributed to “biological stress,” which disproportionately harmed the poorer segments of society in most countries. “The data simply does not support the hypothesis of a particularly virulent pathogen that is novel and that is spreading,” he said. “Instead, it has to be attributed to various health measures. And those include things like the early lockdowns, the isolation of vulnerable people in care homes and so on from receiving visitors and seeing their families.” Hickey suggested that treatments such as placing mildly sick patients on “ventilators and the associated medications that are used with those,” combined with the “very significant” stress caused by “curfews and removing opportunities for work [and] leaving one’s home,” created a “large” amount of medically significant stress. “Biological stress that comes from political measures are really the big cause here … creating excess mortality,” he said. “What it does is it makes your immune system less capable to defend you from pathogens” because of a “time-varying and unpredictable stress that is being applied to you in a significant way.” ‘No apparent benefit’ from COVID vaccines Hickey stated that his team’s research also identified COVID-19 vaccines as a major factor contributing to excess deaths. Cont. on pg 4
September 11, 2024 The Sun Bay Paper Page 4 No Evidence COVID Vaccines Provided ‘Any Benefit’ Cont. from pg 3 “The vaccine rollouts involve a direct injection of product into your body that can be toxic,” Hickey said, pointing out that this might be due to several possible factors. He elaborated: “If there is immunosuppression that’s due to the vaccines, is it due to the actual vaccine product and how it interacts with the body, or is it due to something more simple like … some clearly toxic components like the cationic lipid membranes that, when they’re injected, result in your body having to deal with a toxic substance? “Or is it more a more complicated immune system response to receiving the spike antigen and the detailed immune response that goes with that? There’s lots of questions following that hypothesis, and that needs to be studied very carefully going forward.” Hickey also mentioned that vaccine-related impacts might have affected unvaccinated individuals and could have interacted with pandemic-related restrictions. “It’s also possible that if vaccines have an immune-suppressing effect, people who get vaccinated are then more likely to get infected with run-of-the-mill pathogens or omnipresent pathogens,” Hickey said. “Once they’re infected, they could then infect … unvaccinated people who also might be subjected to some immunosuppression based on the measures and the stress that accompanies the vaccine rollouts.” Hickey noted that peaks in excess deaths across the studied countries “correlate very closely” with peaks in vaccination in those same countries. “A significant example can be seen in Australia, where in January 2022—a period during the Australian summer when there’s typically a dip in all-cause mortality—there was a booster campaign underway for the first booster shot. At that precise moment, an unusually high spike in mortality was observed.” Hickey’s analysis also revealed “no apparent benefit of the [COVID-19] vaccines,” highlighting that “the countries that were most vaccinated, that had the highest vaccine uptake, end up having persistent excess mortality into … 2023.” Hickey explained, “Ultimately, the excess mortality is the result of political interventions, including public health measures that should not have been implemented. This also covers the vaccine rollouts, as there is clearly no evidence showing that the vaccines reduced excess deaths or provided any benefit.” ‘All we can do is try to seek the truth’ Hickey mentioned that Correlation is focusing on more “great, interesting research,” including a “comprehensive study of what happened in the spring of 2020 in … subnational jurisdictions,” adding that his team has already found “some very interesting results with that.” “In our forthcoming papers, we’ll be focusing on more specific jurisdictions, and these will be substantial publications once again. Our team at Correlation is working diligently on these projects,” Hickey stated. “We receive no funding from governments or corporations. Any financial support we have comes from individual donations,” Hickey said. “All we can do is strive to uncover the truth ... We’re doing our utmost to shed light on as much as possible.” Bobby Mimmo
Page 5 The Sun Bay Paper September 11, 2024 COVID Vaccination Requirement for Harris Campaign: A Glimpse into Future Policies? Copyright © SBP Media LLC and Sun Bay Paper All rights reserved. This newspaper or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Quote of the Week “What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson The Sun Bay Paper PHONE: (239) 267-4000 MAIL: PO Box 471, Sanborn, NY 14132 E-MAILS: production@sunbaypaper.com thesbpmedia@gmail.com WEBSITE & DIGITAL VERSION: www.sunbaypaper.com OWNER/PUBLISHER: J. GARY DILAURA CONTRIBUTORS: RICHARD LUTHMANN, BOBBY MIMMO The information contained in this publication is for educational, general information, and entertainment purposes only and is never intended to constitute medical, financial or legal advice or to replace the personalized care of a primary care practitioner, financial or legal expert I’m pretty sure none of my followers want to apply to join the “Kamala Harris for President” campaign however some of my readers may.... As Howard Sterns once replied when told that more than half his listeners hated him..... “as long as they’re listening” (I’m paraphrasing) in my case .... as long as they’re reading my stuff , we may yet change a mind or two along the way ... check this out!............. As the race for the 2024 presidential election intensifies, the “Harris for President” campaign has introduced a requirement that has sparked significant debate: all campaign workers must be fully COVID-vaccinated and “up-todate” on all their COVID shots, mandating that anyone wishing to join their team be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This means having not just the original vaccine but also all recommended booster shots, which could potentially include updates for various COVID variants. The requirement is reflecting the stance that vaccination is a critical tool in controlling the pandemic. However, as we have written in numerous articles in the past......... Many studies and reports have exposed the “vaccine” to be detrimental to the well being to many of its recipients... for example: increasing heart attacks in vaccinated 20-35 year olds is up some 600%. I remember reading that their own vaccine trials ... before vaccines implementation... found there were 5 times as many heart attacks in the vaccine group vs the placebo test group...even knowing that recipients had a 500% increase in chance to have a heart attack ..... they still released it, and now the evidence of this is more evedent daily. A Sign of Things to Come? For those skeptical of government mandates, the question looms: Is this a foreshadowing of what a Harris administration might implement on a national scale? Could the vaccine mandate for campaign workers be an indicator of future federal policies, where vaccination becomes a widespread requirement for participation in various sectors of public life? While the current campaign policy is limited to her team, it’s not hard to imagine that similar measures could be proposed at the national level, especially in the context of public health emergencies. This is concerning for those wary of government overreach, particularly when it comes to personal health decisions, even Democrats should be concerned about this..! The debate over COVID-19 vaccines has been contentious from the start. Supporters argue that vaccines are a critical tool in the fight against the virus, significantly reducing the risk of severe illness and death. They see mandates as necessary to ensure widespread protection and to prevent future outbreaks. Opponents, on the other hand, often view these mandates as an infringement on personal freedoms, particularly when it comes to newer vaccine technologies, like the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines which make physical changes to our DNA. The concern is not only about the immediate implications but also about the precedent it sets for government authority over individual health decisions. Her campaign policy could be interpreted as a signal that her administration would implement mandates at the expense of personal choice. For those who are vaccine-hesitant or opposed to mandates, this is a worrisome prospect. Sun Bay Paper Contributor
September 11, 2024 The Sun Bay Paper Page 6 Cont. from pg 1 honest…that he treats ALL citizens equally and provides due process…how about former President Trump? How about Hunter Biden? Get real…! Did Garland charge Obiden’s Vice President with Criminal Negligence, Insubordination, Dereliction of Duty, Sabotage, Failure to enforce Existing Immigration and Naturalization laws, Sedition, Failure to Honor Her Oath of office…pick a few criminal acts. Didn’t Obiden direct her, VP Harris to “Take Charge” of the Border? Well …did she, Mr. AG Garland? Garland should be impeached and charged with Criminal Negligence, Sedition, Treason, himself. Is he not complicit by allowing Obama to overthrow our country? In my opinion, he is responsible for violation of our election laws by the removal of Obiden, replacement of Harris, as the Democrap Candidate…I don’t believe…I may be wrong, but can they…he …anybody, just do that? I thought we had a Constitutional procedure to vote on candidates… was that done? Hell no you say… ? I recommended President Trump to NOT appoint Jeff Sessions as AG for 2 reasons; we could not afford to lose a Senate seat and he is NOT strong…in any way, shape or form! Had President Trump fired Comey and not appointed Sessions’, just those two recommendations… without all the other recommendations I made …none of the BAD things he has endured, both as President and after…would have ever happened. You disbelievers do not understand how serious things are! First of all…why are all these bad things happening? Why is such a rich and smart country in the “shitter”? One man , 3 words,…Barack Hussein Obama…once you understand the man is a fraud…he is NOT Christian, he’s a Radical, Islamic, Muslim…a devout ENEMY of all Christians and the rest of the entire non-Muslim, world!!! He has pulled the biggest scam this world has ever seen…and you are too DUMB to realize it. Look at what your grandchildren and your own children are being taught in grades K-12 and then college. You don’t know …? Well you had better find out… but that is NOT your biggest problem. Listen… you are about to lose the US dollar. Along with your livelihood…seeing some empty shelves in ALL your stores are you? Are food and all other necessary goods more expensive, smaller size and less in number for the buck? Seeing scum on the streets no matter where you live? Afraid to leave your house? YOU ARE SEEING THE EVIDENCE BEFORE YOUR OWN EYES AND WON’T BELIEVE IT, well for Christ’s sake and all our sakes …RECOGNIZE IT? If you don’t, then you are either deaf, blind, dumb or all of the above. Nothing to do with opinions… your Democraps are responsible for the things that are causing your demise! Democraps and Democraps alone made war on fossil fuels, they alone are convincing you that open Borders are good…you mean you disagree? Well dummy, you better do something and do it by voting to get rid of those who want ZERO CO2 emissions BECAUSE HUMANS CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT CO2 and FOSSIL FUELS and anybody who says different is dumb as a brick! I can’t be any clearer! Paying $100 to fill your diesel pick up and not much less for your car? How come you paid $1.87 in Trump’s last year, when we filled our extra diesel tanks? But you DO NOT UNDERSTAND what’s coming. Hussein Obama and many of Bidens family have interests in foreign countries. Which one’s...you ask? Almost all of our enemies…Russia, China, Iran…hell, some of these scoundrels have FREAKING China foreign Agents driving them around. Congressman Swallow and Governor Hochul come to mind. Some have even married into Iranian, Chinese and Russian oligarchy, families without vetting their own wives, I’ll bet. Of course the above is all my opinion which is formed, in part, by many years as an Agent of the FBI…a very Active Agent…who made many more arrests, recoveries, convictions than the entire FBI División, Buffalo, consistently. That’s a fact, to which my many accommodations attest … but that doesn’t explain why “you” should know what’s going on under your nose, or is it? If seeing, with your own freaking eyes, how bad your Democrap , NON-Leaders are pushing us into war; if you don’t understand why, when Obama/Biden stopped millions of barrels of oil from being drilled, transported and processed for fuels, if you cannot find ONE SINGLE REASON why these morons would open your Borders; if you don’t wake up and turn this country back to “right side up”… our Constitutional Republic will be gone, along with…every dollar you have to your name; private ownership of property, businesses, 2,3,4 cars; guns, cabin in the country…and on and on! If you, yes YOU…don’t fight, with your vote, for your unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…there won’t be any…my opinion and I’m sticking to it! Vote for PRESIDENT TRUMP … VOTE REPUBLICAN no matter how much you like or hate that person…because IF YOU DON’T, YOU’LL NEVER HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE AGAIN! J. Gary DiLaura, FBI RET therightsidejgarydilaura.com The Right Side Out of time
Page 7 The Sun Bay Paper September 11, 2024 Hey! You’ve been invited to go boating with your friends! Folks with boats know people will start coming out of the woodwork the moment they buy a boat and are usually more than happy to have some others along. But there are a few rules you need to follow in order to get invited back. Keep in mind, boats aren’t cheap to buy or maintain. Also marine gas ain’t cheap either and someone will be cleaning up a house full of tracked in lake mud after your adventure. They’re spending time and money to take you out so don’t act like some D-bag at a frat party. Here’s a couple of rules to ensure you’ll receive future invites. (Note: When I say guy, I mean guys and girls, I’m from Michigan it’s what we do.) 1) Food – Don’t be the guy that brings one bag of pretzel rods for a full day of boating. Eventually you will get hungry (especially after a few beverages) and when you do you will have to depend on the kindness of others to be fed properly. Mainly because they don’t want your drunk ass passing out due to lack of proper nutrition or falling off the boat. Consider bringing a sub sandwich, chopped fruit, veggies, chips or some other easy to transport food. Be gracious when someone does offer you their food and don’t just take for granted that the host/hostess is supposed to feed you unless this was specifically implied. 2) Drinks – Always bring twice what you can drink. Boating is a communal affair and you may have to share a couple beers. (Because there’s always the person who came completely empty handed or underestimated their ability to consume beverages on a hot day). Also don’t show up with just drinks, put them in a cooler and cover them with ice. Unless you’re bringing Fireball, we’ll make room Cont. on pg 11 How Not To Be “That Guy” When Invited On a Friend’s Boat
September 11, 2024 The Sun Bay Paper Page 8 As of mid-2024, the United States national debt has surpassed the staggering $35 trillion mark, reflecting a rapid and concerning increase over the past few years. This debt level, unprecedented in both scale and its ratio to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has raised alarms about the sustainability of U.S. fiscal policy and the potential long-term economic consequences. The Surge in National Debt Over the past 3.5 years, the national debt has grown by approximately $12 trillion, marking one of the fastest periods of debt accumulation in U.S. history. In January 2020, the debt stood at around $23 trillion. This surge can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the massive federal spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, continued military expenditures, and the expansion of entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The pandemic alone accounted for trillions of dollars in emergency spending, including stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, and support for businesses. These measures were necessary to stabilize the economy during a time of crisis, but they significantly accelerated the growth of the national debt. Debt-to-GDP Ratio: An Alarming Trend The debt-to-GDP ratio is a crucial indicator that compares the country’s debt to its economic output. As of 2024, this ratio has climbed to approximately 130%, up from around 105% just before the pandemic. This sharp increase reflects not only the growing debt but also the uneven recovery of the U.S. economy. While GDP growth has resumed, it has not kept pace with the rapid accumulation of debt. A debt-to-GDP ratio above 100% means that the country owes more than it produces in a year, which can signal potential economic instability. Although the U.S. has managed high levels of debt in the past, particularly during times of war or economic distress, the current situation is more complex. The combination of slow economic growth, rising interest rates, and persistent budget deficits raises concerns about the nation’s ability to manage its debt in the future. The Rising Cost of Interest Payments One of the most immediate concerns associated with the growing national debt is the increasing cost of interest payments. In 2024, the U.S. government is projected to spend over $1 trillion on interest payments alone—an amount that surpasses the federal budget allocations for major areas such as defense, education, and infrastructure. To put this into perspective, interest payments as a percentage of GDP are now nearing 4%, a significant jump from the 1-2% range that was typical in the early 2000s. This rising burden is particularly worrisome because it represents funds that could otherwise be invested in critical areas like healthcare, infrastructure, or education. As interest rates continue to rise in response to inflationary pressures, the cost of servicing the debt is expected to grow even further, potentially crowding out other essential government spending. Impact on Economic Indicators and Fiscal Policy The rapid increase in national debt and the corresponding rise in interest payments are having a noticeable impact on several key economic indicators: Inflation: Higher debt levels can exacerbate inflationary pressures, especially if the government resorts to borrowing from the central bank or increasing the money supply to finance its obligations. Interest Rates: As the government’s demand for credit increases, it can push up interest rates, making borrowing more expensive for businesses and consumers. This can dampen economic growth by reducing investments and consumer spending. Currency Stability: Concerns about the U.S. dollar’s long-term stability could emerge if investors begin to doubt the government’s ability to manage its debt. This could lead to a depreciation of the dollar, increasing the cost of imports and contributing to inflation. Fiscal Policy: The need to allocate a growing portion of the federal budget to interest payments could limit the government’s ability to respond to future economic challenges. With less fiscal flexibility, it may become more difficult to implement stimulus measures or invest in infrastructure during times of economic downturn. Policy Responses and the Path Forward Addressing the $35 trillion national debt will require a combination of fiscal discipline, economic growth, and potentially difficult policy choices. Key strategies include: Spending Cuts: Reducing government expenditures, particularly in areas of inefficiency, could help lower the deficit and slow the growth of the debt. However, such cuts often face political resistance, especially when they involve popular programs. Tax Increases: Raising taxes could generate additional revenue to help pay down the debt, but this approach is politically challenging and could impact economic growth if not implemented carefully. Entitlement Reform: Programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are significant drivers of the national debt. Reforming these programs to ensure their long-term sustainability could be essential, though such reforms are often controversial and politically sensitive. Debt Restructuring: In extreme cases, the government might consider restructuring its debt, though this would likely have severe consequences for the nation’s credit rating and economic stability. Monetary Policy: The Federal Reserve could play a role in managing the debt by keeping interest rates low, but this strategy carries the risk of fueling inflation and creating asset bubbles. The $35 trillion national debt represents a serious and growing challenge for the United States, with far-reaching implications for the economy, fiscal policy, and future generations. The rapid increase in debt over the past 3.5 years, driven by pandemic-related spending and other factors, has brought the issue to the forefront of economic discussions. Managing this debt will require a concerted effort from policymakers, a commitment to fiscal responsibility, and the political will to make tough decisions. The path forward is fraught with challenges, but it is crucial to ensure the long-term financial health and stability of the nation. Sun Bay Paper Contributor The $35 Trillion National Debt: A Closer Look at Its Rapid Growth and Economic Implications
Page 9 The Sun Bay Paper September 11, 2024 ENVIRONMENTAL Since 1990, global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have shown both signs of progress and ongoing challenges. While human activities have significantly contributed to rising CO2 levels, natural events such as volcanic eruptions and forest fires have also played a role. This complex interplay between human and natural factors underscores the urgency of global cooperation to combat climate change. U.S. CO2 Emissions: Sectoral Shifts and Declines The United States has made notable strides in reducing its carbon footprint over the past few decades. Since 1990, U.S. CO2 emissions have decreased by 3.0 percent, a significant achievement given that emissions peaked in 2007 at 15.2 percent above 1990 levels. Among the various sectors of the U.S. economy, transportation has emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for 28.4 percent of the country’s total emissions in 2022. This sector has held the top spot since 2017, reflecting the nation’s dependence on fossil-fuel-powered vehicles. Electric power generation, which includes emissions from power plants, is the second-largest source of CO2 emissions, contributing approximately 25 percent of the total in 2022. Historically, electric power was the largest sector, responsible for around 30 percent of emissions since 1990. However, a gradual shift towards cleaner energy sources like natural gas, wind, and solar has helped reduce the sector’s share. Despite these advances, the U.S. still emits a substantial amount of CO2—approximately 5,050.7 million metric tons in 2023. This figure, while lower than previous years, highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility. China’s CO2 Emissions: Rapid Industrialization and Environmental Costs In contrast to the United States, China’s CO2 emissions have skyrocketed since 1990, increasing by more than 400 percent. This surge is largely due to the country’s rapid economic growth and industrialization. In 2019, China’s emissions surpassed those of all developed countries combined for the first time, highlighting the nation’s significant impact on global climate change. By 2022, China was the world’s largest polluter, releasing 11.4 billion metric tons of CO2. This trend continued into 2023, with fossil CO2 emissions estimated to rise by another 4 percent, driven by increased emissions from coal, oil, and natural gas. China’s total CO2 emissions in 2023 reached approximately 12,667.43 million tons, nearly double those of the United States and more than four times those of India. Despite these alarming figures, China has set ambitious climate goals, including a pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, with emissions peaking no later than 2030. Achieving these targets will require substantial changes in energy production and consumption, particularly in reducing reliance on coal and other fossil fuels. India’s CO2 Emissions: Balancing Growth with Sustainability India, another major player in global emissions, has seen its CO2 output increase by over 300 percent since 1990. This rise parallels the country’s economic expansion and growing energy needs. By 2023, India’s CO2 emissions totaled approximately 2,709.68 million tons, making it the third-largest emitter after China and the United States. India faces a unique challenge: balancing the need for economic development and poverty alleviation with the global imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As the country continues to industrialize and urbanize, its carbon footprint is likely to grow unless there is a significant shift towards renewable energy and sustainable practices. Natural Contributions: Volcanic Eruptions and Forest Fires In addition to human activities, natural events have contributed to global CO2 emissions since 1990. Volcanic eruptions, for example, have released an estimated 200 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. While this is a fraction of what human activities emit annually, it is a reminder that natural processes also play a role in global carbon cycles. Forest fires, however, have had a more substantial impact. Since 1990, wildfires worldwide have released billions of tons of CO2, with some estimates suggesting that fires in recent years have contributed more than 8 billion metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere. These fires not only increase CO2 levels but also reduce the capacity of forests to act as carbon sinks— natural systems that absorb and store CO2. The degradation of these sinks due to fires has been a significant setback, as forests that burn release stored carbon and lose their ability to sequester additional CO2 in the future. The Impact of Carbon Sinks and Global Challenges The degradation of carbon sinks due to deforestation and forest fires is a growing concern. Forests, which have historically absorbed about 30 percent of human-caused CO2 emissions, are now less effective due to increased fires and land-use changes. The reduction in sink levels further complicates efforts to mitigate climate change, as it means more CO2 remains in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Conclusion The global landscape of CO2 emissions is one of contrasts and challenges. While the United States has seen a modest decline in emissions since 1990, countries like China and India have experienced significant increases, compounded by natural events like volcanic eruptions and forest fires. These factors highlight the complexity of the climate crisis and the need for comprehensive, global action. Addressing this challenge will require unprecedented levels of cooperation, innovation, and commitment from all sectors of society. As the world’s largest economies and emitters, the responsibility to lead the way in reducing global emissions and combating climate change falls heavily on the shoulders of nations like China, the United States, and India. Sun Bay Paper Contributor Global CO2 Emissions: Progress, Challenges, and Natural Contributions
September 11, 2024 The Sun Bay Paper Page 10 Saving the Planet! Everything runs by Carbon. It’s the basis for all life on Earth! But most everything we see in the media these days talks about carbon as the bad guy, but Carbon is the good guy. We are 16% carbon and all of it came from eating vegetation and things that eat vegetation! Plants use sunlight as energy and they pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. They turn it into carbon fuel and that’s how they grow. But 40% of that carbon fuel is sent down to their roots, leaking it out in a very strategic way to soil microorganisms....our plants are feeding soil microorganisms carbon and the soil microorganisms are bringing plants mineral nutrients. In the process of all that those soil microorganisms make a carbon glue out of that carbon fuel and they make habitat in the soil. They make little pockets in the soil to control the flow of air and water and that’s one of the ways that carbon gets fixed in the soil. In other words, soil has the unique ability to sequester carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. That’s a big deal......... and what’s even more amazing is the soil contains an entire universe of life........ It’s alive. In every handful of healthy soil, there are more organisms than the number of people who’ve ever lived on planet Earth and those organisms are processing organic matter that’s in the soil and putting the nutrients into a form that the plant needs. Comparing the soil microbial diversity to the microbial diversity that they are now seeing inside the human organism, you have more bacterial cells in your body, then you have human cells. We’re about 1% human and 99% microorganisms. The food that we eat when we chew, we break that food material down into little bits, and that gets eaten by the bacteria in our gut. When you’re eating kale. Your body doesn’t consume kale. The bacteria consumes the kale and you feed off of what the bacteria have processed and released by the consumption of that kale. The key to health is eating dirt. What I mean by that is we need to eat. What’s in the dirt that’s transferred to the plants? Then we eat and create health. The quality of the soil is key, because it’s the beginning of the quality of the food which provides quality health. It all comes from the Earth, big mama. Our health and the health of our planet are connected. If we choose healthy food, there’s a reciprocation. Not only will we feel better, we are healthier, but the Earth is healthier. Taking care of the microbes in the soil is critical for human health but spraying the soil with toxic chemicals, well.... that does something else. All of our soils that are under chemical conventional agriculture are almost completely devoid of microorganisms. Spraying the soil with toxic chemicals kills the very microbes we need to give us health and pull the carbon from the atmosphere. The more tilling is done, the weaker the soil gets. And the more farmers feel compelled to use chemical sprays........ this is the vicious cycle of industrial agriculture, and that cycle was developed as a result of war. The roots of industrial agriculture go back to a German scientist named Fritz Habber. He invented a process for making synthetic nitrogen fertilizer that increased food production. His other scientific breakthrough was the creation of poison known as pesticides. Haber used pesticides as the first chemical weapons in history. Then he develop the poison used in the gas chambers of the holocaust. When the war ended, US chemical companies brought Habber’s poisons back to America. And re-branded his toxic chemicals as pesticides for American farms. DOW set out to demonstrate the effectiveness of its chemical killers on a nationwide scale. When the war ended, all the energy that went into fighting the enemies in the world went into fighting the enemies on the farm. All of a sudden, the chemical fertilizer nitrogen was available, and farmers could toss that on a field, and even if they hadn’t taken care of their soil, they could get a good crop for a while........ together these wartime innovations created the most powerful industrial food production system the world had ever seen. That ushered in this big philosophical shift in terms of how we approached farming, instead of understanding and honoring natural processes, we could just throw out these chemicals. They just threw out more and more of them. It kept going up-and up and up. It takes more nitrogen now to raise a bushel of grain than it did in 1960. Our chemical fertilizers mask the problem of degraded soils! Modern agriculture was not designed for the betterment of the soil. Today most common crops are genetically altered to resist the spraying of toxic pesticides. For example, the number one crop in the United States, field corn, is almost entirely sprayed with glyphosate; a chemical suspected to cause cancer. That’s so over spray. It’s found its way into our drinking water. These chemicals, which were considered dangerous to begin with, are now being used at rates that would have been inconceivable 20 years ago. Every year for every American alive three pounds of toxic chemicals are sprayed onto the food grown on our farms. That goes into the soil, it goes into the water, it goes into our bodies. It’s not just on the food you eat. It’s everywhere. Most of the agricultural industry’s pesticides and herbicides transfer directly through breast milk to babies. There are over 200 peer-reviewed studies that correlate the spraying of these toxic chemicals to effects like ADD in children, pediatric cancers and birth defects. That’s why juries have begun to award billions of dollars in damages to people who contracted cancer after using Glyphosate, .... we know, for example, that glyphosate, which is also known as Roundup, has an effect on the gut microbiome, that may lead to disturbances that can create disease, including cancer. A big reason these chemicals make us sick is because, just as toxic chemicals kill the microbes in the soil, they also kill the microbes in our bodies. Our bodys can handle acute stresses, but cannot handle chronic stresses. The soil ecosystem is the same way. If you keep dumping the fungicide, you keep dumping the herbicide, you keep dumping the insecticide, you keep doing the tillage, …….... that’s chronic stress, and it doesn’t function anymore. Since chemical agriculture ramped up worldwide in the 1970s. We have lost 1/3 of the Earth’s topsoil, but industrial agriculture isn’t just harming our soils. It’s also affecting something much larger. Because the fate of water and carbon are tied to soil organic matter. When we damage soils, you give off Carbon, and Carbon goes back to the atmosphere. Healthy soils absorb water and carbon dioxide. But when we destroy soil, it releases water and carbon dioxide. This dries out the soil and turns it into dust….. The process is called Desertification. And how we deal with it can determine the fate of more than just our climate. Cont. on pg 11
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