(End of the American Dream)—Have you noticed that virtually all of our major cities are poorly run? I believe that the condition of our largest metropolitan areas is a warning. If we don’t straighten up, the entire country will soon resemble our core urban areas. Thankfully, there are millions of Americans that strongly support a return to “law and order”, but unfortunately “law and order” is the opposite of what we are witnessing in our biggest urban areas right now. In this article, I would like to check in on what life is like in America’s crime-ridden major cities in 2025…
Let me start with Boston.
Three years ago, Mayor Michelle Wu started handing out crack pipes and other types of drug paraphernalia to addicts, and now Boston’s “ritziest and best-known neighborhood” is essentially an open-air drug market…
Residents of Boston’s ritziest and best-known neighborhood are fuming at the city’s Democratic mayor – blaming her policies for rampant open-air drug use in the upscale area.
Beacon Hill, known for its preserved early 19th century brownstones and cobblestone roads famously saved from the wrecking ball, is now facing a new crisis: an alarming uptick in drug-related incidents.
Infuriated locals have laid blame squarely with Mayor Michelle Wu, who launched an initiative to hand out free crack pipes, syringes, and other drug paraphernalia to addicts on the streets in 2022.
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams continues to insist that he is tough on crime.
But the total number of reported crimes in New York City has increased by 28 percent since the end of 2021…
Felony assaults rose by 29 percent, car thefts by 36 percent and robberies by 20 percent from the end of 2021 to the end of last year, according to the most recent year-end NYPD statistics.
And newly released data covering all 34 crime categories — including quality-of-life infractions like trespassing and graffiti — show total infractions grew 28 percent, from 454,404 at the end of 2021, just before Adams took office, to 580,338 at the end of 2024.
That puts crime back at a level not seen in a decade, and New Yorkers are taking notice.
In Chicago, gang members outnumber the police by more than ten to one.
A very young gang member that was recently interviewed by Vice admitted that it is dangerous to simply stand around outside because you could literally be killed at any moment…
Members as young as 14 years old walk the streets with handguns, warning it’s dangerous just to be outside. “This is our everyday life. Everybody just running around in chaos,” one member said.
“This, right here, right now, is dangerous,” he added, referencing standing outside in the group. “Going to restaurants, that’s dangerous. Going to the laundromat, dangerous. Going to funerals, dangerous.”
To keep each other safe, members “move like the military,” he said, and going to jail is the least of their concerns.
“I’d rather be in the cell than dead,” another young member said.
Conditions are quite chaotic on the west coast as well.
A shocking string of violent home invasions has prompted community leaders in Encino to beg Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for help…
Encino community leaders on Thursday asked Mayor Karen Bass to increase security following a deadly home invasion and a string of other break-ins in the San Fernando Valley hillside neighborhood.
“American Idol” music supervisor Robin Kaye and her rock musician husband, Tom DeLuca, were killed in their Encino home by an intruder earlier this month. The Hayvenhurst Avenue home of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Teddi Mellencamp was also targeted last week by three intruders who jumped a fence and entered the property.
Two other burglaries occurred in recent weeks, including an incident on Ostrom Avenue, where a homeowner shot a 14-year-old intruder, according to residents.
Good luck getting any help from Mayor Bass. At this stage, the entire city is a nightmare.
Just look at what has happened to MacArthur Park. In the old days it was so beautiful, but now it has become an extremely violent drug-infested hellhole…
Once a jewel of this crowded, vibrant, bustling immigrant community, MacArthur Park has fallen into decay, overwhelmed by the crises that afflict Los Angeles and so many other cities: drugs, homelessness, crime, blight. The result has been an alarming downward spiral, driving out families and turning the park into a drug market, with all its attendant violence.
Writ large, the struggle for the park is even larger. If Los Angeles cannot reclaim this piece of ground, cannot bring safety and community back through the city’s mix of enforcement and compassion, then those remedies may have lost their power, and sterner measures may be required for communities to live in peace.
But if you think that Los Angeles is run poorly, you should compare it to San Francisco.
One recent study determined that San Francisco is actually the worst run city in the entire nation…
San Francisco is the worst-run city in the nation, according to a report by WalletHub.
Several other California cities also ranked in the bottom 10 of 148 cities, including Stockton (138), Los Angeles (139), Long Beach (140), Fresno (141), and Oakland (146).
The finance website created a “Quality of Services” score of 36 metrics split into six categories, which was then measured against 148 of the nation’s most populated city’s per-capita budget.
San Francisco came in last overall, ranking 89th in financial stability, 137th in education, 102nd in safety, and 135th in economy.
If we don’t reverse course, eventually the whole country will go down the same road that California has gone.
And that would not be a good thing at all.
Down in San Diego, the pastor of a local Episcopal church was recently caught trying to hook up with “14 and 15-year-old boys”…
San Diego pastor busted by @peoplevpreds for allegedly messaging who he thought were 14 and 15-year-old boys on Grindr.
Reverend Roger Haenke, with St. John’s Episcopal Church, was seen emerging from his home with his husband after being confronted.
The San Diego pastor and professor admitted to using the gay dating app before smacking away the camera.
There are predators everywhere.
Our society is literally teeming with them.
I feel so badly for children that are trying to grow up in the extremely sick and twisted environment that we have created for them.
And sometimes the biggest monsters live far away from our large metropolitan areas.
For example, authorities in a rural portion of Florida recently discovered a “house of horrors” where foster children were literally being caged up…
Stomach-churning details have come to light after a family of four was arrested for allegedly abusing and caging nine foster children, one of whom was just seven years old.
Brian Griffeth, 47, Jill Griffeth, 41, and their biological adult children, Dallin Griffeth, 21, and Liberty Griffeth, 19, were arrested in Fort White, Florida, a small town outside of Gainesville, on July 22 for the alleged crimes.
They all face felony charges of cruelty towards children for the alleged horrific abuse inflicted against the kids living in the so-called ‘house of horrors’.
The tremendous evil that we are witnessing all around us should send us running in the opposite direction.
We desperately need to change direction as individuals, and we desperately need to change direction as a society.
Because if we just keep on doing what we have been doing, we won’t have a country.
We need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and realize what a mess our nation has become.
Ignoring what is going on is not going to solve anything.
If we truly love our country and if we truly love one another, we will try to clean up this mess while we still can.
Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
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.
