The war in Ukraine has been raging for over five hundred days, with no end in sight. In the first year of the war, the U.S. Congress approved over $113 billion in aid for Ukraine.
To prepare for the “spring offensive,” President Joe Biden authorized another $675 million to help the Ukrainian military. After the military progress was halted by the Russians, Biden decided to send controversial cluster munitions to the Ukrainian military.
These munitions are banned by more than 100 nations because of the “large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area.” In many cases, the victims are innocent civilians.
This decision will inevitably lead to an escalation as Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed his country has a “stockpile of different kinds of cluster bombs.” He vowed, “if they are used against us, we reserve the right to take reciprocal action.”
As the war intensifies, there seems to be zero progress on the diplomatic front. However, we need to pursue peace talks immediately before a nuclear war starts.
President Donald Trump has been sounding the alarm about the irresponsible actions of the Biden administration in Ukraine. He posted on Truth Social, “Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III by sending cluster munitions to Ukraine—he should be trying to END the war and stop the horrific death and destruction being caused by an incompetent administration.”
Unfortunately, Biden is President, not Trump. The Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reaffirmed the Biden administration strategy in a meeting with reporters at the G20 Financial Ministers Summit in India. Yellen said that aid to Ukraine was “the single best thing we can do for the global economy.”
Is she right? Is the continuation of the war “the single best thing” for the “global economy.” Of course not, the world does not benefit from the continuation of a brutal war. What is needed is the start of peace negotiations. The United States could broker such talks, but the Biden administration is uninterested.
Instead, Biden just authorized the activation of 3,000 military reservists to support our operations in Europe. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden sent an additional 20,000 troops to Europe, bringing our total forces to over 100,000 on the continent.
These actions lead Central Intelligence Agency veteran Larry Johnson to conclude that “the United States is giving every indication that it is prepared to have a confrontation with Russia.” This strategy is extremely reckless considering that the Russians have the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, and the Ukrainians are having a challenging time providing enough manpower for their military operations.
According to the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet, “Many conscripted men are taken straight off the street by uniformed men….in Subcarpathia, a surveillance camera recorded the overreach of the authorities as a man trying to go to a store was kidnapped from his bicycle in broad daylight.” Many of these abductions have been recorded on video and posted on encrypted apps such as Telegram.
In response, some young men are refusing to leave their homes, hoping to avoid being sent to the front lines of the war. Others are avoiding forced conscription by bribing Ukrainian military recruitment officials. Many of these officials have become rich. In fact, one of them, Yevgeny Borisov, bought a luxury mansion on the Spanish coast and a chain of high-priced retail stores for his wife.
Sadly, corruption is rampant in Ukraine, which is why even supporters of our military assistance efforts, U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), wrote that “Americans lack a proper accounting of how our aid has worked thus far.” In their op-ed, the Senators also noted that “We’ve heard several unsettling reports of bad actors exploiting our generosity. Some of our costly weapons have ended up in black markets. And corrupt officials have tried to line their own pockets.”
Yes, the Senators are correct. Ukrainian officials such as Yevgeny Borisov and others have become wealthy from the war. Incredibly, weapons sent from Ukraine have been spotted in the hands of members of Mexican drug cartels.
This insane gravy train will continue until at least the end of the Biden administration. At a recent bilateral meeting in Lithuania, Biden boasted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States had “given more than every other nation combined in terms of assistance and cost.”
Why has the United States been so generous with our taxpayer funds when many wealthy European nations have barely contributed to the Ukrainian war effort? Biden did not receive the approval of the American people to fund the Ukraine military and government. In addition, there has been no declaration of war by the United States Congress.
At the same time, horrible problems in our country have been ignored by many of the political leaders of both parties. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, wants an increase in military support to Ukraine.
Pence was recently scolded by Tucker Carlson at a presidential primary forum in Iowa. Carlson fumed, “You are distressed that the Ukrainians don’t have enough American tanks. Every city in the United States has become much worse over the past three years. Drive around. There is not one city that has gotten better in the United States, and it’s visible. Our economy has degraded, the suicide rate has jumped, public filth and disorder and crime have exponentially increased, and yet your concern is that the Ukrainians, a country most people can’t find on a map, who’ve received tens of billions of U.S. tax dollars, don’t have enough tanks.”
Rightfully Carlson asked him “where’s the concern for the United States?” Incredibly, Pence claimed it was “not my concern.”
The top “concern” for every presidential candidate should be the United States, not Ukraine. As President Trump noted, we must stop the “insanity” in Ukraine and “return to a focus on America’s vital interests.” Amen.
About the Author
Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and his award-winning program, “Ringside Politics,” airs Saturdays from Noon until 1 p.m. CT nationally on Real America’s Voice TV Network & AmericasVoice.News and weekdays from 7-11 a.m. CT on WGSO 990-AM & Wgso.com. He is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at [email protected]
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.