Supported
I typically don't cover current events in my blogs. However, today, I want to acknowledge the L.A. fires that have ravaged nine cities to date. Moreover, the fires have not yet stopped, so the total number of towns and areas affected could grow. As a result, I have seen several charitable organizations asking for donations to support the victims. The citizens of the United States are truly amazing and caring individuals. Likewise, their generosity knows no bounds. However, I'm struck by this quick response from charities asking for money to help the affected people of L.A.
Meanwhile, ABC News reported that President Joe Biden announced on Thursday, 1/13/25, that the federal government would cover 100% of the costs of the initial disaster response to the Los Angeles wildfires. So, if all Americans are paying for disaster relief through their federal taxes, why are we being asked to give money to individual charities?
To Clarify, I'm not against charities, but because we have federal organizations like FEMA designed to help, why are there so many commercial requests for money from nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable institution organizations?

Lifer

Are the American people getting conflicting information through traditional news and social media? For example, the news covered a story on (10/3/24) that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not have enough funding to cover the rest of the hurricane season. However, In December 2024, Congress passed a supplemental funding bill that included $29 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund. Congress stated that this significant allocation supports communities devastated by a series of severe natural disasters.
Relief or BAU?
Further, the passage of this bill was a direct response to the immense challenges posed by recent events. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck the southeastern United States, inflicted widespread damage, causing significant loss of life, displacement of residents, and widespread infrastructure destruction. These back-to-back storms overwhelmed existing resources and necessitated a substantial infusion of funds to aid recovery efforts.
However, after investigating the Disaster Relief Fund, I discovered that the total supplemental funding bill passed in December 2024 was a total of $110 billion. So, where do the billions go?
Firstly, Israel Security Assistance receives a significant portion of the $26.38 billion bill allocated for security assistance to Israel, including funding for missile defense systems like the Iron Dome and David's Sling (Raytheon Corp.), foreign military financing, and support for ammunition production.

Anchors Away
Secondly, Ukraine Security Assistance receives $60.84 billion in security assistance to Ukraine aimed at supporting their ongoing conflict with Russia. This funding encompasses replenishing U.S. military stocks, supporting regional military operations, and providing Ukraine with crucial weaponry. What U.S. companies supply Ukraine with weaponry? The largest arms-producing and military services companies worldwide in 2022, by arms revenues (in million U.S. dollars) Lockheed Martin Corp. (U.S.) Northrop Grumman Corp.
Above all, the American people will own the cost of this bill to support the nation in covering 100% of the expenses from natural disasters. However, we will also pay multiple Fortune 500 corporations to provide weapons and system support to foreign countries. Regardless of your opinion on military support, Americans pay, on average, 15% of the yearly budget toward the military. However, the supplemental funding bill passed in December of 2024 was not part of the military budget and does not come out of the military funding.
In other words, it is a separate appropriation. As a result, this means it is a specific allocation of funds outside of the regular budget process. Supplemental funding bills typically rely on various sources, such as increased borrowing, to cover extra costs. In some cases, Congress may implement tax increases to generate more revenue and or money.

Owners
So, with the "new" or additional revenue of $110 billion, the U.S. citizen will receive $29 billion in aid or 31.9% of the total dollars. Raytheon (RTX), Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman will get the additional 68.1% outside their allotted military budget.
Who are the major shareholders of these corporations? The largest individual shareholder of RTX is Vanguard Group Inc., owning approximately 8.81% of the company's outstanding shares. Significant ownership goes to BlackRock, which holds a substantial stake in RTX and represents approximately 7.3% of the company's outstanding shares. Finally, State Street holds approximately 8.41% of the company's outstanding shares. Did you visit my blog on Visa and Mastercard, which has 80% of the market and enjoys 50% margins? Priceless.
Regarding Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, the top three shareholders are the same as RTX. State Stree is first, next is Vanguard Group, and last is BlackRock. There is no coincidence; these companies have incredible resources and are worth trillions of dollars. As of September 30, 2024, State Street Corporation has assets under management (AUM) of approximately $4.7 trillion. Vanguard Group Inc. has an AUM of $8.6 trillion as of March 31, 2023. And BlackRock, Inc. has an AUM of $11.5 trillion as of October 11, 2024.
Living in a Material World
Why am I sharing this information with you? To recognize your discomfort and to be with the sensation. How does this sliver of information feel to you? That is to say when you move on from disbelief, anger, apathy, or exhaustion, where in your body do you feel something? Now, you can recognize the sensation. Once you recognize it, please do not judge it or yourself. In recognition, you have done something many of us do not do on a regular basis.
No more work on your part is required. You do not have to figure out how to solve world peace or balance the budget. You are "FINE"! Let's simply recognize what is happening for us right now.
Meanwhile, As of January 10, 2025, the national debt is $36.17 trillion, or 66% more than the three companies I described above combined AUM. Consequently, the national debt is the sum of all past annual budget deficits (debts) minus yearly budget surpluses (nonspent money). As of September 2024, the Federal Reserve held approximately $7 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities.
In other words, the FED (private corporation) holds a significant portion of the total U.S. national debt. Therefore, the Federal Reserve, a private company that determines monetary policy without influence from Congress, owns about 20% of the U.S. national debt.

We have what it takes
To sum up, I will leave you with this final question. Have we, as a country, ever paid off the national debt? Yes, the United States paid off its national debt once, between 1835 and 1836, during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Side note: this was the only time in the country's history that the national debt was completely paid off.
Jackson's presidency utilized gold, silver (specie), and paper money issued by state-chartered banks during the Free Banking Era from 1836 to 1865. Further, Jackson was a strong opponent of central banks and actively worked to dismantle the Second Bank of the United States, the closest equivalent to a central bank at the time.
Most importantly, he prevented a system like the Federal Reserve from being established until much later in the 20th century. He and others lost that fight when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law on December 23, 1913 (read my blog on the FED here).

A life well lived
You create what you focus on. Fear creates repetition. Love, a.k.a nonjudgment, creates. We can look at what we don't prefer, and once we recognize it, we can move into nonjudgment (love) and create what we desire. I desire abundance for all of us, and I send love to all who are experiencing discomfort.
