President and Chief Creative Content Officer for TheBlaze Joel Cheatwood updates Glenn on Hurricane Sandy's aftermath

October 30, 2012

Writer

President and Chief Creative Content Officer for TheBlaze Joel Cheatwood is based in the NYC office. This morning, Joel joined Glenn on radio to update him on the ramifications of Hurricane Sandy to the New York City area, and the future implications it could have on the election.

Like most event that occur overnight like this, it's hard to know what the damage level in until the light of day. And, as Joel confirmed, that was the case with the widespread devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Joel described how small communities up and down the New Jersey coastline were absolutely devastated.

"I just watched the police chief of a little town in New Jersey, Seaside Heights break down on the air because he's been up all night rescuing people. But he said, my town is devastated. He said 'my town is devastated'. And he related having rescued 25 people overnight, and he himself operating in a five‑ton vehicle. They call it a deuce, almost being swept out to sea. He said, 'I thought he was going to lose my own life'. But he said, 'I go around my town and it's just gone'. And we're seeing that more and more," Joel explained. "We're hearing reports of people trapped in their homes in waist‑deep water with no power. We're not going to know the full extent of this for a very long time. But, you know, we do know we have six and a half million people without power in the Tri‑State area back here and just a lot of devastation."

Everyone in and around the storm area, and even those just looking at pictures and video of the aftermath, are all saying the same thing: "We've never seen anything like this."

The NYC area is the media's hometown, so the coverage of this event is going to be intensive. Unlike most communities, gas prices and shortages won't play a huge factors because many don't own cars or drive. But, as the water recedes and people return home and see the damage, stories will be unfolding.

"How does this play out, you think?" Glenn asked Joel. "What are we looking at in the ‑‑ are we looking at Katrina? Are we look at less than Katrina? What are we looking at?"

"I think that you're going to ‑‑ I think we're going to see this play closer to Katrina. I think you're going to see as the day progresses more and more stories of loss of life, certainly devastation in terms of infrastructures, of towns," Joel answered.

"You know, Manhattan they still don't know what the full damage assessment's going to be because they can't get into the subway tunnels yet. But they do know that there is standing water. You've got an entire metropolis that is completely shut down. I mean, I think that this will probably rank in the books in terms of dollars and maybe loss of life as one of the most expensive catastrophes to hit this country. And I think again it will unfold as the day goes on."

While Mayor Bloomberg did a good job alerting the public of the storm, and closed the subway system early to get people out in the event of flooding, it's likely that many lost their lives down there. Glenn, who lived in the city for a long time, explained how people live in the subway.

" The loss of life that may never be counted of the people who live in those subways who didn't get necessarily the warning until they started to hear that there were no trains and wondered, what, why are there no trains, I'll bet you ‑‑ I'll bet you hundreds of people lost their lives that you will never ‑‑ you may never even know because of the people that live in the subway systems."

Joel agreed.

As much as the focus is (and should continue) to be on the victims of the storm and the best way to provide help to those who need it, the election is only a week away. With power out to millions, widespread devastation, there will be a political impact from Hurricane Sandy.

"How is this do you think going to play out for the president?"

"Well…you've got a huge section of the country that is now going to have to figure out how they start up business again, how they start up just operating in the normal course. And we've got an election a week away. I'm going to be very curious to see how they resolve that," Joel answered. "I mean, you've got polling places at the very least that have been wiped out, you've got people who will have no access to power or transportation for maybe up to two weeks or more. You know, how we conduct an election given these circumstances is going to be really interesting to see."

Some are saying that FEMA is going to be rebuilding the polling places, which will obviously cause many to lose confidence in the election system.

"If a giant government‑run FEMA truck is controlling the polling place, that's not going to give people confidence," Glenn noted.

"I think there's enough justifiable distrust of FEMA on a variety of levels that that's just going to send shivers down the spine of most people," Joel added.

The biggest concern following the storm, should the election not be postponed, is going to be surrounding Tuesday.

"In the most important election in our country's history arguably, you know, you're going to have millions of people who either won't have access or because of their own personal plight will consider that a secondary priority and, you know, what does that mean?" Joel asked.

As Glenn has shared many times, he belies God is not neutral in man's freedom. Because of that, he believes, if people turn to God and are faithful, this will work out how it is supposed to -- what that is, he's not sure. Glenn shared a conversation he and Joel had yesterday before the worst of the storm rolled through on the timing of the storm and his faith.

"We were both saying, look, I know God's will will be done, one way or another. And I don't presume to know God's will and I don't think God ‑‑ you know, God doesn't bring the storms on to punish people or anything like that," Glenn emphasized, "but I can't figure out divine providence because I know God's not neutral in the freedom of man. And I don't know how ‑‑ I mean, divine providence will play a role in this election. That's the only thing that's going to save us. And I can't figure out how this one ‑‑ I mean, this is really take your hands off the wheel, gang, and just live your life and do the right thing because God only knows how this is going to turn out with this hurricane thing now."

"This is one of those supreme examples of a time where I, for the life of me, common sense doesn't play into it, logic doesn't play into it, and I keep reminding myself that there is a much bigger picture that's held by God," Joel responded.

Joel later added that, he continues to remind himself to relax in the fact that God's will is perfection, and that it's okay if he can't figure it out.

"This is such a definitive event, and the timing is so incredible, that you know there's a plan," he told Glenn. "There has to be."

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

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Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

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The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

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Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

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The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

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Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

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Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

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The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

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Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity