America the Titanic: A Chilling Warning Realized in the EPA’s Gold Bar Moment

When Breeauna Sagdal, Andrea Shaffer, and Lisa Logan co-authored America the Titanic for BeefNews.org, they painted a vivid picture of America as a great ship sinking under the weight of centralized control and government overreach. Together, they warned that the U.S. was at risk of locking everyday Americans—the “lower decks”—out of critical decisions about land, water, and their futures. At the time, their insights were bold and urgent.

Now, just weeks later, their warning has proven chillingly accurate. Project Veritas has exposed a frantic rush within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to funnel billions of taxpayer dollars to nonprofits aligned with Biden’s climate agenda before the administration changes hands. Brent Efron, an EPA advisor, went so far as to liken their efforts to “throwing gold bars off the Titanic,” a desperate attempt to preserve their policies.

Efron, who lists himself as a “Special Advisor for Implementation” at the EPA on LinkedIn (view his profile here), is deeply embedded in the agency’s efforts to implement Biden’s climate agenda. His background in policy analysis and climate advocacy underscores his role in distributing over $50 billion in grants, which he openly admits were designed as an “insurance policy” to protect Biden’s policies from a Republican administration.

The authors of America the Titanic didn’t just predict this moment—they provided a roadmap America needs to halt the sinking ship.

The Lower Decks: Revisiting America the Titanic

In their essay, Sagdal, Shaffer, and Logan warned of a growing trend: centralized federal agencies using taxpayer dollars to embed policies into the framework of America’s future, regardless of who holds power. Programs like the Justice40 Initiative, they argued, locked local communities out of decision-making while funding ideological projects under the guise of “resilience” and “equity.”

The essay’s central metaphor—the lower decks of the Titanic—represents ordinary Americans, ranchers, and farmers, locked away while government elites used their positions to steer the ship. The authors laid out a roadmap for unlocking those gates, including:

• Halting harmful executive orders like E.O. 14008 (Justice40 Initiative) that prioritize federal control over local sovereignty.
• Restoring balance between state and federal powers to empower communities closest to the land.
• Exposing these programs to the public to create accountability and mobilize grassroots resistance.

The essay painted a vivid picture of America’s dire state—and offered the tools to turn the ship around.

America The Titanic – Managing After Impact with the Disastrous Biden/Harris Iceberg

Gold Bars Overboard: The Veritas Revelations

Project Veritas’ recent investigation (watch here) revealed that EPA officials are scrambling to distribute billions of taxpayer dollars to nonprofits before the administration changes hands. Brent Efron, a senior advisor at the EPA, admitted to using nonprofits as a political “insurance policy” against Trump’s incoming administration.

“Now it’s how to get the money out as fast as possible before they [Trump Administration] come in … it’s like we’re on the Titanic and we’re throwing gold bars off the edge,” Efron told a Project Veritas journalist.

According to Efron, over $50 billion has already been allocated to nonprofits, many of which are tasked with implementing Biden’s climate agenda long after he leaves office. These organizations act as a buffer, ensuring that the policies stay in place even if Congress or a new administration attempts to claw back the funding.

Efron’s candid remarks confirm the America the Titanic authors’ warning that federal agencies are using taxpayer money to embed ideological goals into the framework of America’s future—cutting out local voices and further consolidating power.

Why Their Blueprint Matters Now

The parallels between America the Titanic and the EPA revelations are striking. Where the EPA sees nonprofits as a lifeboat for their policies, Sagdal, Shaffer, and Logan see them as tools of centralization that deepen the divide between federal power and local governance.

The essay remains as vital as ever because it not only identifies the problem but also provides clear steps to address it:

• Stop the Funding Pipelines: The authors called for immediate action to halt harmful funding initiatives, like those exposed by Project Veritas, to prevent further centralization.
• Reclaim Local Control: Federal programs tied to nonprofits must be scrutinized to ensure that they don’t undermine local decision-making on land, water, and food sovereignty.
• Educate and Mobilize the Public: They emphasized the importance of transparency and grassroots action to hold agencies accountable.

The Beef Initiative echoes these steps, advocating for decentralized food systems and empowering local ranchers to protect America’s land and resources.

The Cost of the EPA’s Gold Bars

The Veritas report highlights what the America the Titanic team warned us about: centralization comes at a cost. The EPA’s spending spree prioritizes policies aligned with global agendas over the needs of rural communities and food producers. Ranchers and farmers—the lifeblood of America’s food supply—are being pushed further from the decision-making table.

These rushed grants aren’t just about environmental policy; they’re about control. Policies tied to land acquisition, SMART Cities, and nonprofit buffers risk eroding local sovereignty, leaving rural communities vulnerable to outside influence.

Our Demands: A Response to the EPA’s Gold Bar Moment

In light of the revelations brought forward by Project Veritas, The Beef Initiative and the I Am Texas Slim Foundation, led by Breeauna Sagdal, stand firm in demanding immediate action to stop the reckless centralization of power and restore sovereignty to America’s land, resources, and communities. Our response is rooted in the values of independence,self-reliance, and accountability that have long defined America’s farmers and ranchers.

The 4 Demands of The Beef Initiative and the I Am Texas Slim Foundation

1. Revoke Executive Orders Undermining Local Sovereignty: Halt E.O. 14008 (Justice40 Initiative), E.O. 14052, and E.O. 14091 to end the federal government’s control over local resources like water, land use, and zoning. These orders prioritize global agendas over the needs of rural communities.
   
2. Defund Nonprofits Acting as Political Buffers: Stop the distribution of taxpayer dollars to nonprofits used to embed federal policies at the local level. These unaccountable entities erode local governance and exploit public resources.
   
3. Protect Private Land Rights and Decentralize Authority: End federal programs like HUD’s Strategic Buyout Funds that seize private property under the guise of resilience. Decentralize decision-making authority back to local communities, empowering them to protect their land and livelihoods.
   
4. End Federal Surveillance and Data Collection: Revoke E.O. 14009 and ban A.I.-driven monitoring tools like SNAP-Ed’s N-PEARS. Stop the invasive surveillance of individuals and families through food assistance programs, which disproportionately affect rural and underserved populations.

Call to Action: A Stand for Sovereignty and Survival

This is not just about bureaucracy or budgets—this is about survival. America’s farmers and ranchers have long been the backbone of this nation, the stewards of the land who provide the food that sustains us all. We know what it means to get up before dawn and fight for every inch of ground. We understand resilience because we live it every day.

Now, we are calling on all Americans to stand with us. The EPA’s gold bar moment is more than a metaphor—it’s a warning. If we allow centralized power to take control of our land, our food, and our futures, we risk losing the very heart of America.

The time to act is now. Join us in demanding accountability, decentralization, and a return to local sovereignty. Together, we can ensure that America’s resources are managed by the hands that care for them most: the hands of its farmers and ranchers.

• Support local ranchers and food sovereignty through The Beef Initiative.
• Read the full America the Titanic essay here: America the Titanic
• Watch the Project Veritas report here: EPA Gold Bars Investigation

Let’s protect the land, the food, and the freedom that built this nation—one rancher, one community, one action at a time.