Protect yourself from an unconstitutional money system
February 17, 2010
Last week we launched our campaign for the new and improved Free Competition in Currency Act. Today, please continue educating Congress about this bill.
You may copy or borrow from this letter . . .
Supporting this bill will enable you to honor your oath of office. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution limits federal powers to only those functions the Constitution specifically mentions. Congress has no power to . . .
* pass a legal tender law
* create a central bank
* create money (the Constitution only authorizes the federal government to make coins out of *existing* gold and silver money)This means that our current system is the exact opposite of what the Constitution requires . . .
* The Federal Reserve, created by Congress, is the nation’s central bank
* Congress has conferred legal tender status on Federal Reserve Notes
* the Treasury’s gold and silver coins are simply collectibles that cannot be used as moneyThe Free Competition in Currency Act would reverse this unconstitutional scheme by . . .
* repealing the legal tender law that established the Federal Reserve’s money monopoly
* allowing the private minting of coins that can be used as money
* prohibiting state and federal taxes on precious metal coins and bullionThese changes would . . .
* allow individuals to settle payments with each other on mutually agreed-upon terms, using Federal Reserve Notes, gold, silver, or any other form of money they might choose
* compel Federal Reserve Notes to compete with other forms of money, such as gold and silverThe Federal Reserve System is unconstitutional and should be abolished. The Free Competition in Currency Act will . . .
* allow the creation of a free market money system parallel to the Federal Reserve system
* prove that we don’t need the Fed
* provide a stable transition leading to the Fed’s ultimate abolitionSupporting the Free Competition in Currency Act will show me that you are committed to . . .
* Honoring the Constitution
* Protecting the value of my money
* Fostering my freedom to choose
END LETTER
You can send your letter using DownsizeDC.org’s Educate the Powerful System.
James Wilson
Assistant Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org
Ensure Balanced Approach to America’s Offshore & Ocean Resources
February 5, 2010
The Obama Administration established an Ocean Policy Task Force last year to propose policies for the management of our oceans and coasts, as well as the resources and activities within those waters. The Task Force has released an Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (the framework) that (if implemented) would significantly impair our nation’s ability to safely develop its own offshore energy, including oil, natural gas and renewable energy, and to engage in other economic, commercial and recreational activities.
If the Administration adopts a system of coastal and marine planning that ultimately restricts access to our nation’s ocean resources, it will pose a significant threat to our economy, our national security and our rights to responsibly utilize our common resources – undermining our ability to produce our own energy and hurting consumers in the long-run.
Consumer Energy Alliance is calling upon President Obama and his Task Force to adopt a framework for coastal and marine spatial planning that successfully recognizes the importance of striking a balance between the protection of our oceans and their economic uses, particularly where responsible energy production is concerned.
CONSUMER ENERGY ALLIANCE
The Washington Democrat Plan: No limits on debt, spending, or arrogance
February 5, 2010
Americans for Prosperity - The toughest part of fighting back against big-government liberals these days is to keep up with all the reckless choices they make with our money and freedom.
You might have noticed, for instance, that Senate Democrats just voted to raise the federal “debt ceiling” – the maximum amount Washington politicians can borrow on the backs of our children and grandchildren – by an eye-popping $1.9 Trillion. Let’s just hope and pray that Obama does not know what comes after a trillion.
That’s the largest national debt increase in American history – and it paves the way for yet another wild Washington spending spree our kids and grandkids will have to pay for.
Our friend Steve Moore, a FOX News contributor and Wall Street Journal editorialist, recently pointed out that at his current rate of spending, President Obama will pile up more national debt in just his first 3 years than every other president combined.
You and I know that this massive big government spending threatens our prosperity and kills innovation and private sector job creation. In future years, my four children and yours will see their taxes used to pay for this big spending.
Sadly, it’s already here. This past December, the interest alone on our current national debt cost $100 billion. Here’s the point. We know the threat of this massive spending, but many of our fellow Americans do not. We’ve got to educate them on the dangers of the Obama spend-a-thon. We’ve got to tell them about the proposed $3.8-trillion Obama budget filled with a deficit of at least $1.6 trillion. We’ve got to get more of our fellow Americans involved in the fight for America’s future.
It’s critical that Americans for Prosperity keeps up our aggressive efforts to get these facts out and tell Americans the truth about the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda – and that we keep giving common-sense Americans a way to fight back and make a difference.
So, I’m asking you to contribute financially today to our Obama Debt Watch effort – an aggressive, integrated online and grassroots tool to get the facts out to our fellow Americans. CLICK HERE
We’ve got to make sure every American knows and understands why all the spending in Washington – and all the debt being piled up right now – is such a dangerous threat to our economic freedoms. While continuing to make sure they don’t bring back the health care takeover, and while launching another aggressive effort in 2010 to stop the radical environmental agenda, AFP must take the fight to the big-government side on their massive spending spree. The debt they are piling up will kill our economy in years to come.
But, we need your help to launch this new Obama Debt Watch effort.
Tim Phillips
Reader Peter P. from California Submits This
January 8, 2010
CALNRA: AB 357 (CCW) Hearing Tuesday, Jan 12
CALNRA: AB 357 (CCW) Hearing Tuesday, Jan 12
01/05/2010 2:30 PM – PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY
AB 357 (CONCEALED FIREARMS LICENSE) (Knight) will will be heard in Assembly Public Safety on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010. Please contact the members of the Assembly Public Safety committee and urge support for the bill.
ONE-CLICK links and other contact tools as well as the bill abstract is available here:
http://calnra.com/legs.shtml?year=2010&summary=ab357
For the latest info on this and other California legislative issues, please visit:
http://calnra.com/legs.shtml
Support: Help Defeat Efforts to Ban North American Energy and Increase Prices at the Pump!
January 7, 2010
The Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is being sold to the American public as a way to blend transportation fuels with low-carbon alternatives so that tailpipe CO2 emissions can be reduced. But the fact is that affordable and reliable lower-carbon fuel options are not yet available. As a result, an LCFS simply will increase the cost of diesel fuel and gasoline and will place certain domestic supplies of transportation fuels off limits. Increasing the cost of transportation fuel and U.S. dependence upon foreign sources of petroleum is simply unsound energy policy.
Join our effort to defeat these measures, which would put an economic stranglehold on America and leave U.S. consumers stuck with higher prices at the pump.
Send in your comments today!
API Launches Interactive Quiz
January 6, 2010
New Year’s Resolution: Get Smart on Energy with College of Knowledge
By Jane Van Ryan | Wednesday 6 January 2010
As we begin a New Year, many of us think about New Year’s resolutions. Some people want to find more time to exercise amid busy schedules, while others hope to learn more about a particular topic that interests them.
If you’re interested in learning more about issues affecting you–particularly energy issues–you’re in luck. Today, we’re launching our newest interactive, College of Knowledge, where YOU are the student.
In this game, you can learn more about energy and show off your knowledge by answering questions about energy economics, security, efficiency and innovation.
To earn your degree from the College of Knowledge, you have to answer questions such as:
- What U.S. state produces the most crude oil?
- What is the term for sensitive electronic sensors that can detect the smell of hydrocarbons?
So pick a course and answer the questions correctly to earn your College of Knowledge degree. And once you pass a certain course, you can grab a blog badge and post it to your blog or Website, letting others know how you did. You also can forward the game along to friends.
As Congress considers energy legislation that could affect all American families and businesses, what better New Year’s resolution than learning the facts about energy versus the political rhetoric?
For additional games and simulations to test your skills and knowledge of the energy industry, visit the Energy Arcade.
Can we afford more deficit spending?
January 5, 2010
The Second Session of the 111th Congress begins today. Let’s tell them what their priority should be this year.
Tell them to cut federal spending! https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/104
You may borrow from or copy this letter:
In 2000, President Clinton projected that the national debt could be eliminated by 2009. http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/new/html/Fri_Dec_29_151111_2000.html
Instead, politicians from both parties have increased the national debt burden to over 90% of GDP, and now you guys are running even bigger deficits, supposedly to boost the economy. But there are two problems with this . . .
First, the economy did better in the 1990s when government deficits were smaller. Over the course of that decade,
* federal spending increased by 13% in constant dollars, while
* the economy grew by 37%In contrast, during the eight years of George W. Bush . . .
* federal spending increased by 35.6%, while
* the economy grew by just 18%And this was before the housing bubble burst!
These facts indicate that increased government spending actually hurts the economy. The reason for this should be obvious.
The more the government spends, the less capital the private sector can utilize. Moreover, while federal spending may put more money in the hands of some people, it does not transform or “stimulate” the economy the way innovations in the private sector do.
The second problem with deficit spending is that we can no longer afford it. Consider this from John C. Goodman in Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/19/medicare-ticking-bomb-opinions-contributors-goodman.html
“For some time, Social Security and Medicare combined have been paying out more than they are receiving in dedicated taxes and premiums. To cover that deficit, we have been drawing on the general revenues (mainly income taxes) of the federal government. Currently, we are taking more than 1-in-7 income tax dollars for this purpose. By 2020, it will be 1-in-4, and by 2030, 1-in-2. Basically, elderly entitlements are on a path that will crowd out spending on every other federal program. Throw in Medicaid, and health care spending alone will crowd out every other thing the federal government is doing by mid-century!”
Please do our economy and the next generation a favor. Dedicate this year to getting the federal government’s fiscal house in order, NOT by increasing taxes, but by cutting spending, immediately.
If you do this, I’m convinced that voters will reward you in November.
END LETTER
You can send your letter here: https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/104
And please consider making a contribution to further our work. https://secure.downsizedc.org/contribute/
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
You did it!
December 31, 2009
Thank you!
And let’s make 2010 even better by retiring Barbara Boxer!
All the best for a Happy New Year
Well, you did it. We raised more than $60,000 online this month, our best online fundraising month ever. Over 20,000 people have contributed to our effort to unseat Barbara Boxer with an average contribution size of just over $50.
This is an uncommon effort. Typically, campaigns for federal office are driven by the big donors and special interests. Not so with our campaign. I thank you for your support and for your interest in our race.
The next five months will be formative, as we first seek to secure the Republican nomination on June 8th, then move forward to beat Boxer with our message of liberty, Constitutional governance, jobs, water, and domestic energy. I’ve appeared at 220 events in the past year, driven 21,700 miles, flown 30,100 miles, and met with over 36,000 concerned citizens. I’ve worked hard because I know what is at stake.
I know a lot of our supporters are in a bind financially because they have lost jobs. If a donation is beyond your means right now, please consider referring at least one of your friends to our campaign. Fill in at least one name and email address for us so we can keep in touch with one more potential voter and donor.
Again, thank you for your support. It means much to me and to my family.
Chuck DeVore
Congress says it’s Constitutional. Do you agree?
December 31, 2009
The Enumerated Powers Act (EPA) requires that every bill must specify its source of Constitutional authority. This would prove very embarrassing to Congress, because there is no Constitutional authority for most of what they pass.
Good news!
Two more House members have co-sponored EPA over the past month, bringing the toal to 56. Sadly, the Senate is still stuck at 22 co-sponsors. You can find . . .
* The House co-sponsors here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-450
* And the Senate co-sponsors here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1319
Let’s flood Congress with letters demanding that every member co-sponsor the Enumerated Powers Act. https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/87
Here is what I wrote in my letter . . .
An example of a tortured justification for an unconstitutional bill is found in Section 1501 of H.R. 3590. It tries to explain the Constitutionality of forcing individuals to buy health insurance.
I suggest you read Cato’s Robert A. Levy and Michael F. Cannon commentary on this. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11042:
As well as economist Fred Foldvary’s commentary. http://www.progress.org/2009/fold643.htm
Congress asserts it can compel Americans to purchase health insurance because NOT purchasing health insurance impacts interstate commerce.
* But for decades Congress has allowed states to bar their residents from purchasing health insurance from another state.
* Which means Congress never previously believed that the purchase (or non-purchase) of health insurance was interstate commerce.
* The decision to NOT purchase a good or service is NOT commerce, let alone interstate commerce.
* But under the absurd logic of this bill, if I choose to take a nap rather than go to a movie, I’m engaging in “commerce” and Congress can compel me to either go to the movie or pay a tax penalty.
In any case, the Commerce Clause is limited by other provisions in the Constitution, such as the Ninth Amendment. As Foldvary states, “the Ninth Amendment recognizes there are moral and common-law rights that exist prior to and apart from the U.S. Constitution.” An individual who chooses to NOT purchase health insurance is NOT harming others. He may be making a rational estimate that the costs of insurance will be larger than the cost of the care he will expect to receive. Whether we agree with his assessment or not, he certainly has a right to control his own body and money. His decision to not purchase insurance does not constitute a violation of anyone else’s rights. Forcing him to purchase a service he does not want, however, is a clear violation of his rights.Moreover, the tax penalty in the bill is unconstitutional. As Levy and Cannon state, it is not an income tax or an excise tax, but “is a fixed amount based on family size. That means it’s levied per person and therefore a ‘direct tax’ under the Constitution, which requires that such taxes be apportioned among the states according to their population, as determined by the census.”
And Levy and Cannon conclude, “Congress’ attempt to punish a non-act that harms no one is an intolerable affront to the Constitution, liberty, and personal autonomy. That shameful fact cannot be altered by calling it health-care reform.”
Any judge or informed citizen should find the reasoning of Section 1501 laughable. That’s the very reason I’m glad it’s in the healthcare bill. Please oppose the unconscionable and unconstitutional healthcare bill. And then please pass the Enumerated Powers Act and force Congress to try to justify other unconstitutional bills.
END LETTER
You can send your letter using DownsizeDC.org’s Educate the Powerful System. https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/87
And share this Dispatch with your friends. http://tinyurl.com/y9wm9je
James Wilson
Assistant Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org
Help Defeat Efforts to Ban North American Energy and Increase Prices at the Pump!
December 8, 2009
The Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is being sold to the American public as a way to blend transportation fuels with low-carbon alternatives so that tailpipe CO2 emissions can be reduced. But the fact is that affordable and reliable lower-carbon fuel options are not yet available. As a result, an LCFS simply will increase the cost of diesel fuel and gasoline and will place certain domestic supplies of transportation fuels off limits. Increasing the cost of transportation fuel and U.S. dependence upon foreign sources of petroleum is simply unsound energy policy.
Join our effort to defeat these measures, which would put an economic stranglehold on America and leave U.S. consumers stuck with higher prices at the pump.
