12.16.08
Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 3:18 pm by Administrator
“It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error, it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.”
American Communications Association v. Douds, 339 U.S. 382, 442 (1950).
Dear Freedom Seekers:
This is a brief account of my journey to federal tax freedom. If you find any interest in my story then you might want to take a similar journey. But be forewarned–this information and advocacy is definitely not for the meek of heart and mind. You will have to work hard to educate yourself and then you will have to summon the courage to act on your knowledge. You must remain undaunted by the continuous-and meritless, legally meaningless-assaults from the IRS.
Here, now, is a very brief account of my journey.
Some years ago I was involved in the “Fair Tax” movement, the ongoing legislative efforts to rid this country of the scourge of the IRS thru enacted federal legislation. I watched this grassroots movement mature into the publication of a book co-authored by the Congressman who originally introduced the legislation, the Fair Tax Act, to the House of Representatives. Yet I realized that the bill didn’t really have any chance of getting to the Floor for a vote. HR 25 has since been through four (4) Administrations without even a chance to be heard.
At that time, I had owned and operated a fairly successful small business and I watched as the IRS kept taking more of my wages and no matter how much I complained to my CPA I was told that it was “the system” and that I just “had to play the game”.
I began asking people with similar dislikes for more information and I happened upon a gentleman who had written a book titled Assumption of Liability. I poured through this book that was emailed to me in Adobe format. I then began my journey; using the knowledge I had gained, to put the internal revenue service and the social security administration on notice through a formal, candid Administrative Process. Using an enacted statute-I had learned that not all of the federal statutes listed in the U.S. Code are enacted-I asked each organization to “show me where I was liable for the Subtitle A federal income tax”. I used the following Code Section to present my inquiry: 5 USC 556(d). This particular section is known as the Administrative Procedures Act and it says, basically, that an agency must show legal proof that their demands for [money or information] is, in fact, required by law. To this day the IRS has not shown me anything. Yet they continue to bother me with their baseless, harassing, meddlesome “Collection Notices”.
The culmination of my efforts in March, 2007, was the issuance of a Dismissal Order For Lack Of Subject Matter Jurisdiction by the IRS’ highest judicial authority, the Chief Judge of the U.S. Federal Tax Court in Washington, D.C. At this time, both my District House Representative and my lead U.S. Senator are aware of my fully legal status as a “non-taxpayer” of the F.I.T. (federal income tax).
Many whom I have told about my journey immediately ask, ‘well, what would happen if everyone stopped paying and stopped filing?’ The answer is: the federal government already collects so much money in the form of excises, imposts and duties that all it has to do is manage those collections. The ultimate fiscal truth is that they do not need our wages; nor are they legally entitled to them.
I entreat any interested people reading this blog to keep an open mind and visit the following site: www.sedm.org. Once there, look for the 1,987 page book, The Great IRS Hoax-Why No One Owes Income Tax. This is a voluminous work with historical, religious, political, ideological, legal, regulatory, statutory and IRS code citings. The sheer size of the work begs serious study and scrutiny. The site has other very valuable resources which have been a huge help to me in my continuing journey to freedom from an oppressive, illegitimate invasion, one which represents the main motivation for the original intent of this country: remember “no taxation without representation?”
We have fallen asleep as a nation and a citizenry. We care more about the next football game or popular song than about the next bill in Congress. We are too busy in our daily lives (too afraid?) to “get involved”. We are dying, as evidenced by the recent election of an individual who wants to take this country farther into socialism than ever before. Our Founders would likely need immediate medical attention for systemic and vascular shock if they could see what we have become–and where we are going.
It is time to wake up and get involved. I tell people, “it’s only the country, stupid”, albeit facetiously. I, for one, have done and will continue to do my part by educating myself daily to the truth regarding the ‘file and pay’ disease that afflicts our consciousness, our wallets and our pocketbooks. Now, more than ever before, we must arise in our most concerted efforts to free ourselves and do what we can to salvage our deteriorating Republic.
Freedom Forever, Justice For All,
Yours Very Truly,
The Beloved
December 11, 2008 By Peter Williams
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11.11.08
Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 5:40 am by Administrator
On November 22nd, rallies in 39 cities will commence at Federal Bank locations throughout America. We have one message: END THE FED.
We will be attending the rally in Chicago and invite all of you to join the rally at your locations.
The official website is www.endthefed.us
For a list of rally locations, click here.
If you don’t know why we should END THE FED, check out these videos:
The Money Masters
Freedom to Fascism
The Truth about the Federal Reserve
Fiat Empire
Please let your family and friends know about this historic rally.
For Liberty,
Restoring the Heart of America
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10.22.08
Posted in Quad Cities IA/IL at 3:52 pm by Administrator
Written by Jeff Ignatius
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
(Author’s note: River Cities’ Reader Publisher Todd McGreevy is a volunteer for and donor to the campaign of Michael D. Elliott.)
Michael D. Elliott was asked a question about closed sessions of the Scott County Board of Supervisors, and it didn’t take long for the conversation to go in another direction. While Elliott speaks eloquently about his plans for the Scott County auditor’s office, many discussions come back to the U.S. Constitution.
“Where can you freely exercise any rights that you supposedly have?” he asked. “You can in your own home, but I think that’s about it. … If you have to ask permission from the government to exercise a right, it’s no longer a right. It’s called a privilege. And we live in a world of privileges now. The Bill of Rights doesn’t exist. It’s a fairy tale, really, in today’s world.”
This is what makes Elliott the most intriguing local candidate in next month’s election. He’s an independent running for the type of office that’s typically reserved for a loyal party soldier. His larger interest - upholding the Constitution - is much bigger than the Scott County auditor position he’s seeking, but it reflects his seriousness as a candidate.
And considering that the right to vote is a constitutional right, there’s a significant overlap between the two.
He called the auditor’s office “the position that has to provide the most amount of honesty and integrity and transparency.” He said in an interview that as the commissioner of elections, the auditor should be nonpartisan. “The auditor’s office specifically is the hub to all of the government - all local government. Everything that occurs in the local government goes through the auditor’s office.”
Seeking the position vacated when Karen Fitzsimmons died in April - after serving more than three decades - Elliott is running against Democrat Roxanna Moritz and Republican Steve Ahrens. Even if you live in Illinois or think the position doesn’t merit much attention, Elliott is still worth getting to know.
Put simply, he’s turned a campaign that was bound to be about personality and party into one about issues and political philosophy.
“If you want to allow people to be citizen advocates and get them more involved with the government, you have to have somebody … in that position that can actually provide all the transparency that’s needed so citizen advocates can actually make decisions like holding their local officials more accountable,” he said. “If we can’t see what’s really going on, then we’re really powerless.”
The Last Stand for a Citizen Advocate
Like Ahrens, Elliott is in his early 30s. Like Moritz, he has a high-school diploma with additional vocational education. (Moritz is in her early 50s. Ahrens has an MBA.)
That’s where any similarities end. Elliott is a Ron Paul supporter who leads the local Super Liberty organization (SuperLiberty.com) and public-access TV show. He owns the Techies computer-service company.
He’s thoughtful and well-read on constitutional issues, and he’s been hosting screenings of Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections throughout the community as part of his campaign. (Two screenings remain between now and Election Day.) While he said there have not been problems with Scott County elections, he’s been focusing on election integrity - in particular ensuring that computer-tabulated results can be and are verified using paper ballots.
Elliott has never run for office before, and got on the ballot this year with nearly 500 petition signatures. So he’s a relative novice, because Moritz and Ahrens were both Davenport alderman. Ahrens then ran for Davenport mayor and is now development director for the city’s Levee Improvement Commission; Moritz is now a member of the Scott County Board of Supervisors.
Part of Elliott’s appeal is that he’s not the (political) party animal that Ahrens and Moritz are. He said that lack of partisanship is critical for an office that runs elections.
“I can provide a nonpartisan stewardship role to that position,” he said. “Instead of being tied to a particular party or have some sort of special interest I cater to, I would only be beholden to the actual voters of Scott County.”
He takes shots at both of his opponents, suggesting that their nominations are the reasons he has been able to mount his campaign. “There seems to be a discontent with the other two candidates that are running, and a lot of people don’t feel like they are qualified to run for that position specifically,” he said.
What qualifies one for the position he left vague. He admitted that his educational background doesn’t distinguish him from his opponents. “The only thing I have is experience” in restaurant and retail management and running his own business, he said.
He added that a technical knowledge of the particulars of the office isn’t necessary because of the experience already on staff. “The elected position is the voters’ watchdog, specifically, and to provide leadership and direction in that office,” he said.
What separates Elliott is his hobby studying political philosophy. It might not be directly applicable to the job of county auditor, he conceded, but “it gives me a broader perspective on the purpose and role of government, and a better understanding of why it’s important to uphold … your oath of office. The auditor also does have to swear an oath to the Constitution.”
So while it might seem an odd fit for someone whose public passion is the U.S. Constitution to run for county auditor, Elliott argues that his commitment to accountability makes it a good fit.
Elliott believes in transparency to the extent that he thinks the Scott County Board of Supervisors shouldn’t go into closed session. (The county auditor is the clerk for the board.)
While the auditor can’t stop the Board of Supervisors from going into closed session to discuss pending litigation or personnel matters, for instance, Elliott said he’d raise the issue privately with supervisors.
“They’re a bad idea,” he said. “You create a lot of suspicions.” Because taxpayers are the “owners” of government, he said, nothing should be kept from them. Citizens, he said, should think, “I should be allowed to be involved. I am the owner, after all.”
Elliott said he believes that the auditor can help people be watchdogs, with the office’s election and financial-reporting responsibilities: “In our current highly institutionalized, large bureaucratic government, the auditor’s office is the only window that the people have into the government itself, to see what the heck is going on and to be able to disseminate the information and do something about what they see. It’s the last stand for a citizen advocate.”
That might spur more people to seek public office. “Maybe a lot more people will step up and start running for offices, and then we can change things that way,” he said.
And while he’s a student of the Constitution and believes that the federal government has grossly overstepped its rights and responsibilities under that document, he said he believes in local government rather than no government.
“Government is a necessary evil,” he said. “I think ideally the local government can best serve the people.” The primary role of the state and federal governments, he said, is ensuring that government action “doesn’t end up infringing on the rights of the individual.”
Raising the Issues
Elliott said that he was asked to run for auditor because some people were discontent with the parties’ nominees.
“Almost half of the people don’t want Ahrens that are Republicans; almost half don’t want Moritz that are Democrats,” he said. “That’s only from the feedback I get from people … .”
Beyond that, he said, the candidates weren’t talking specifically about the changes they’d make. Ahrens’ Web site offers no specific promises, while the only concrete promise Moritz’s Web site makes is to implement House File 653, which allows for same-day voter registration.
“They’re not making a commitment to anything,” Elliott said.
Elliott has pledged to maintain paper ballots as a way to ensure that computer tabulations can be verified. He also said he will implement a 5- to 10-percent spot check of ballots, comparing the electronic count done by the optical-scan system with hand-counted ballots.
And his candidacy seems to be having an effect.
In the Quad-City Times on October 11, Ahrens and Moritz appeared to evade questions about paper ballots and election integrity. In that article, neither candidate promised to maintain a paper ballot, and reporter Kurt Allemeier wrote: “Ahrens and Moritz say he [Elliott] is raising an issue that isn’t relevant.”
But in response to a brief questionnaire from the River Cities’ Reader, Ahrens embraced some of Elliott’s issues. “Fair and transparent elections is the chief job of the county auditor,” he wrote.
He answered “yes” to two questions based on Elliott’s candidacy: “Will you implement a hand count of a certain percentage of paper ballots (5 to 10 percent, for example) to ensure the accuracy of computer-tabulated results?” and “Will you maintain a voting system with a paper trail, assuming that there’s no state or federal law mandating something different?”
Ahrens’ and Elliott’s responses to the questionnaire can be found below. Moritz did not respond to the e-mailed questionnaire or a follow-up phone call.
Elliott has other ideas. He said he wants to improve privacy at the voting booth in some way, and he said he’d like to implement “financial transparency” similar to what Missouri does (http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov). “I’d like to do a real-time expenditure report online, to show what’s going on within the county … as far as expenses go, and then also any contracts … - to post those contracts online as well,” Elliott said.
He also said that he thinks he has “a better chance [of winning] than a normal independent. … I think I wouldn’t have a chance if either of the parties would have actually selected somebody that was generally liked throughout the entire party.”
But he said that he’s already been successful: “If I lose, what have I really lost? I’ve raised the bar in the county. I’ve raised issues. I’ve tried to get the other two candidates to take positions.”
Candidate Web Sites
Roxanna Moritz, Democrat: RoxannaMoritz.com
Steve Ahrens, Republican: Ahrens4Auditor.com
Michael D. Elliott, independent: Elliott4Auditor.com
Responses to Questionnaire Sent to Candidates for Scott County Auditor
The River Cities’ Reader sent a questionnaire to the three candidates for Scott County Auditor. The responses of Republican Steve Ahrens and independent Michael D. Elliott are below. Democrat Roxanna Moritz did not respond to the e-mailed survey or a follow-up phone call.
What improvements will you make to the management of the auditor’s office?
Steve Ahrens: In these economic times especially, government needs to make certain it does all it can to provide taxpayers the greatest bang for their buck. The first thing I will do as County Auditor is to review all expenditures with an eye for saving tax dollars. One such idea that should be explored further is to combine school board and municipal elections. While election law is largely governed at the state level, combining these elections would save tax dollars and increase voter participation. Through working across party lines and with other county departments, we will find ways to save tax dollars and provide the quality services Scott County citizens have become accustomed. Further, Scott County has employees with many years of service to the organization. We need to make sure there is no disruption in the quality of service delivered to taxpayers by planning for the future. In addition, ensuring that employees have the necessary tools to provide quality service is essential.
Michael D. Elliott: All improvements in management of the office will derive from what serves the citizens of Scott County first. As an outsider looking in, it is premature for me to make specific statements about management improvements, especially for an office staff that has dozens of years of experience and history with a very proven and effective track record. My management style is one of collaboration and open communication. I can ensure voters that I will not manage the Auditor’s Office and its staff based upon cronyism. In other words, I don’t have a list of my “people” I will be bringing in, to improve management.
What improvements will you make to customer service in the auditor’s office?
Steve Ahrens: Karen Fitzsimmons served the taxpayers of Scott County admirably for 32 years. I simply hope to build on the strong foundation she laid. The most important thing Karen did was to recruit and develop a very professional and capable staff to serve the taxpayers of Scott County. Under my leadership, the Auditor’s Office will continue to offer the customer-friendly, accessible service to which they are now accustomed. In addition, for the convenience of all citizens, we need to quickly complete the work underway to make more accessible the county mapping system and related “plat room” information by placing it online.
Michael D. Elliott: All services and products the Auditor’s Office provides to the community will be evaluated on user friendliness and accessibility. The citizenry’s viewpoint on these services will be critical to improving customer service. One such way to gain these insights are to engage citizens to act as “secret shoppers” and “audit” our performance so to speak. This can be a volunteer program that could be implemented throughout other departments should it be successful in providing valuable critiques.
Whoever follows in Karen Fitzsimmons’ footsteps will succeed by establishing a culture of collaboration amongst staff, recognizing and supporting the most experienced and effective as leaders from within and leading by example. I see the role of auditor as one of stewardship. This includes maintaining and enhancing the safeguards in place to protect the integrity of the vote, keeping abreast of industry standards, technology and tools such as mapping and accounting software, as well as continuing membership and leadership where possible within county, state and national governmental associations related to the Auditor’s office.
What improvements will you make to ensure the integrity of elections in Scott County?
Steve Ahrens: Conducting fair and transparent elections is the chief job of the County Auditor. The more citizens understand the election process and voting equipment, the better armed with knowledge and more confident they can be in the outcome of any election conducted in Scott County. To this end, as pre-tests are conducted on voting equipment prior to an election, we should invite the public to participate. The 2008 Presidential Election is the first one with this new voting equipment in Scott County. This equipment allows (and any future additions must allow) for greater checks and balances through a special marking system. Basically, a paper trail receipt is printed during an audit of the election. We must always protect the fair, common-sense rules governing the concept of “one person, one vote” by ensuring that voter fraud attempted is voter fraud prosecuted. Finally, the recent phenomenon of early voting, with the appropriate safeguards in place, provides a positive opportunity for additional voters to participate in the election process. For years, Scott County has enjoyed a tradition of accurate and fair elections. This is not by accident, but by active and energetic leadership. Leadership to recognize when updated equipment is needed, leadership in recruiting and training the very best in staff and elections officials and leadership to constantly test the voting equipment being used. Further, as Scott County Auditor, I will engage the public through outreach and educational opportunities, not only about our voting process and equipment, but also through citizenship workshops in our schools.
Michael D. Elliott: We need to continue to maintain the current paper ballot system with a credible audit to ensure the highest level of integrity and protection of our election process. This is the only way to ensure that future generations will enjoy fair, open and honest democratic procedures.
Having all paper ballot counts done out in the public view and ensuring a publicly documented chain of custody for all ballots would increase transparency in elections.
Will you implement a hand count of a certain percentage of paper ballots (5 to 10 percent, for example) to ensure the accuracy of computer-tabulated results?
Steve Ahrens: Yes.
Michael D. Elliott: Yes, this is a goal I have and would like to take the lead in Iowa as this auditing function is already well within the purview of the Auditor’s Office and should be implemented as a continued safeguard of our systems’ accuracy. If the outcome is what everyone thinks it will be, accurate and reliable, then we are only showcasing how strong Scott County’s system is. If there is an issue and it is not accurate then we are doing our job by checking and fixing the system. There is no downside to implementing this audit.
Will you maintain a voting system with a paper trail, assuming that there’s no state or federal law mandating something different?
Steve Ahrens: Yes.
Michael D. Elliott: Yes. We should continue to disallow the use of privatized, paperless computerized balloting systems which have been referred to as “Black Box Voting.” These systems lack transparency because they eliminate a paper ballot audit trail. This should not be misunderstood as an aversion to technology. Any automated systems put in place need to have a paper audit trail for all to see.
I would hope that the Auditor’s Office could help build public awareness about the value and integrity of a paper ballot standard so that if it should be an issue in the future then the people are aware and prepared to influence their legislature.
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10.09.08
Posted in Quad Cities IA/IL at 11:53 pm by Administrator
Michael Elliott Teams Up with Emmy Award Winning Director David Earnhardt and Hosts Public Screenings of the Documentary “Uncounted - The New Math of American Elections”
Michael Elliott, the independent Scott County Auditor candidate, is hosting free public screenings at area libraries and civic venues of the film “Uncounted - The New Math of American Elections”. The eighty minute documentary by filmmaker David Earnhardt covers the controversies surrounding the 2002 and 2004 general elections in Florida and Ohio as well as the dangers facing election integrity amidst the rise of computerized electronic balloting.
[Movie Trailer Available Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nJz09T0HME ]
Elliott said he sought the permission of Mr. Earnhardt to showcase this film as an educational effort to create awareness about the risks of Scott County deviating from its current established and tested paper balloting system.
“This film is not by any means about what is going on in Scott County, which is one of the most reliable counties in Iowa,” said Elliott. “Viewers of this film will have the knowledge of what problems will likely exist with an electronic balloting system, and why we need to ensure a paper ballot system instead.”
The Elliott campaign is excited about the potential for this unique partnership to bring voting rights issues to the forefront during this election. “Mr. Elliott has a firm understanding of the critical issues surrounding election fraud and voter suppression,” said Earrnhardt. The filmmakers encourage the sharing of this documentary much like book clubs, within neighborhood homes and, according to Earnhardt, “For the last nine months we have traveled to 40 cities with the documentary, using it as a tool to shed some much-needed light on the systemic problems inherent in our elections,” says Earnhardt, “and Mr. Elliot’s campaign supports this movement by educating people about the issue of election integrity.”
The film’s promotional material states: “Uncounted is an explosive documentary that shows how the election fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater fraud in 2006 - and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of the 2008 election. This controversial film examines in factual, logical, and yet startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity. Noted computer programmers, statisticians, journalists, and experienced election officials provide the irrefutable proof.”
The film screenings will be held every Thursday and Saturday prior to the election at area libraries and civic venues. The format will be a brief introduction from Mr. Elliott and a question and answer discussion after the eighty minute film.
“The film has a succinct call to action at the end that every voter can take part in and we are hopeful our campaign can help ignite the passion to get involved in this year’s election process,” says Elliott.
Elliott has positioned himself as the only non-partisan candidate for the Auditor’s office and the only candidate who, to date, has been willing to take a stand for paper ballots in order to maintain the office’s integrity and transparency.
The result of this independent candidacy is an environment where both Democrats and Republicans have shown support for Elliott’s campaign.
In late August, Michael D. Elliott successfully exceeded the requirement to be placed on the ballot by petition for the office of Scott County Auditor.
More information can be found at www.Elliott4Auditor.com or www.UncountedTheMovie.com
Thursday 10/02 6 – 8 pm
LeClaire Public Library, 323 Wisconsin Street
Saturday 10/04 2 – 4 pm
Buffalo City Hall, 329 Dodge Street
Saturday 10/11 2 – 4 pm
Bettendorf Public Library, Learning Campus Drive at 18th Street
Thursday 10/16 5:45 – 7:45 pm
Davenport Main Library, 321 Main Street
Saturday 10/18 2 – 4 pm
Location TBA
Thursday 10/23 6 – 8 pm
Bettendorf Public Library, Learning Campus Drive at 18th Street
Thursday 10/30 6:30– 8:30 pm
Figge Art Museum, 225 W 2nd Street, Davenport, IA 52801
Saturday 10/25 2 – 4 pm
Davenport Fairmont Branch Library, 3000 N. Fairmount Street
Saturday 11/01 2 – 4 pm
Davenport Fairmont Branch Library, 3000 N. Fairmount Street
David Earnhardt contact info: Mary Mancini, mary@uncountedthemovie.com or 615-480-4678
Michael Elliott contact info: Elliott4Auditor@gmail.com or
contact Elizabeth Fier, Volunteer Coordinator at 563.676.4989
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:47 pm by Administrator
“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”
Laurence J. Peter
US educator & writer (1919 - 1988)
Where are we going? What is the destiny of America? Who is responsible to save our nation?
It seems apparent that at this time in our history we are struggling to know where we should be going. Given the constant cries for a “bailout” for every form of financial crisis it seems that Americans have resigned themselves to government solutions to our problems. Many are now admitting that our financial crises have been contributed to (if not caused outright) by the government’s unnatural involvement in this economy. Despite this we do not seem to have the courage, or foresight, to address our problems in any other way but through greater government debt, guarantees, etc. Certainly, the endless piling on of debt onto the backs of the American people cannot continue indefinitely.
Is this the direction we really want to go in, or is there any alternative?
To answer this question, I am reminded of Benjamin Franklin. Mr. Franklin has been called “the quintessential American” of his time. He was self-educated and after studying printing in his brother’s newspaper shop he went off on his own to Philadelphia, where he started his own printing company. As reported at The Franklin Institute website:
His most famous publications were a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette and his annual Poor Richard’s Almanack. He had many new ideas for publishing and he is known for printing cartoons, illustrated news stories, and letters to the editor. He believed in the power of the press, using his printing press as a way to bring the news to all people. He used cartoons and pictures so that everyone could understand the news, even people who had not learned to read.
Mr. Franklin was instrumental in bringing street lighting to Philadelphia. Ben also helped to set up the first postal system in Philadelphia. In order to make Philadelphia a safer city, he started the Union Fire Company in 1736. A few years later, in 1752, he set up America’s first fire insurance company. He even organized a Night Watch and Militia to help keep peace and safety in Philadelphia. While in Paris, Ben proposed the idea of Daylight Savings Time.
In 1731, Ben founded America’s first circulating library so that people could borrow books to read even though they might not have been able to afford to buy books to read. He discovered the conductivity of heat by color and established the first volunteer fire-fighting union (in the world!) and fire insurance company in Philadelphia.
In an incredible history of his life, The Real Benjamin Franklin, the essence of Mr. Franklin is revealed. I found it very interesting how creative he and his associates were. For example, he (and his “master-mind” team) had the idea of laying bricks on one city block of Philadelphia. At that time, no city blocks were paved in the entire city. Despite naysayers, they went at it and successfully paved one of the city blocks. As a result, the citizens of Philadelphia became inspired and paved the entire downtown area. Mr. Franklin also devised the first lottery system in order to raise funds for the building of a church in Philadelphia.
He was instrumental in the implementation of a new money system for the colonies, including the printing of a new form of money, so the colonies would not be dependent on British notes.
Addressing other needs of his time he invented the lightning rod, through which he discovered electricity. He also invented the Franklin stove, which was a more efficient way to produce heat from wood (for which he refused a patent, as he stated it should be for the good of the people).
His other inventions include: bifocals, the glass harmonica, the library chair, swim fins, the long reach device, the catheter, and Daylight Savings Time.
So what can “Good old Ben” teach us today? To whom did Mr. Franklin look for the solutions of the problems of his day? He obviously took direct, personal responsibility for his environment and was not afraid to engage in the process of : “ask and ye shall receive.”
Given what he created and cognized, he clearly had opened himself up to receive alternative answers to the dilemmas he and his countrymen faced.
It’s amazing how we take so many of today’s institutions for granted, such as the library, volunteer fire departments, insurance, etc. We often fail to understand that it was committed individuals, such as Benjamin Franklin, who looked problems in their face and asked “how can I help to solve this problem?” instead of: “government, solve this for us, please!”
As we see more and more of the failure of governments surface in the future, let us remember the greatness, the faithfulness and the true righteousness of men like Benjamin Franklin. Let us imbue into our soul their spirit of self-empowerment, and self-reliance. Let us have the courage to take back our sovereignty and our divine right of self government.
I have no doubt that we can save our nation, and end up where we want to go, if only we can remember who we really are.
Edward Noyes
Please visit our website for more thoughts, and our forum for discussion.
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:43 pm by Administrator
It is interesting to consider the effect of the federal government’s involvement in the area of food choice and diet. I have previously stated that the founder’s were adamant that the federal government should not be involved in legislating food choices for our nation. No enumerated powers were given to the federal government in this regard. The 9th and 10th amendments clearly restrain any involvement in these issues. Despite these “chains of the constitution” we, the people, have sat back while the federal government goes merrily on dictating laws and choices for the American people.
9th amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights,shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
10th amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, orto the people.
Thomas Jefferson once stated:
“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls who live under tyranny.”
I had the privilege a few years ago to be a mentor at a local grade school in my home town. This program laudably has the intention of providing support and encouragement to children of single parents. In addition to helping a young 1st grader contemplate reading and how to kick a ball, I would often sit and have lunch with the students. I was appalled at the quality of the food that was being served to the students. I felt that the food was the most packaged,least healthy food any human being could eat. For example, the fried chicken “patties” were formed into hearts and other shapes, and covered with sugar sprinkles in order to encourage the students to actually them. Canned mushy carrots, along with other “vegetables”of the least nutritional content possible were served. Topped with “desert bars” that must have been manufactured by the millions and preserved with who knows what chemicals.
What does this have to do with the federal government, you might ask? Do you remember the food pyramid which was given to “enlighten” the American people as to the “healthy” diet we should all have?
I found the original FDA food pyramid in an article by Disabled World - 2007-10-20. As you may recall the FDA said: “You should center your diet around the foods at the base of the food pyramid, and eat less of the foods at the top.” Here is that pyramid:
Old food pyramid picture
As you can see, we were told to center our diet around bread, cereal rice, pasta, etc.
What’s wrong with this picture? According to Harvard scientist Dr. Walter Willett, the original USDA Food Pyramid is terribly misleading and flawed. He states that the Pyramid has not kept up with scientific nutritional research. The original food pyramid made a number of blanket claims supporting its food list, such as, all fats are bad; all complex carbohydrates are good; protein is protein; dairy products are essential; potatoes are good for you; and there was no recommendation for exercise. Among Dr. Willett’s criticisms include the blanket statement that:
“All complex carbohydrates are good.” Dr. Willet notes that six to eleven servings of carbohydrates are way too much, and that the Pyramid does not differentiate between refined carbohydrates, such as pasta, and truly complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain cereal and bread.
In an article published by NaturalNews.com, Mike Adams states:
A new study says Americans are getting fatter thanks to an increase in their consumption of carbohydrates. Women, the study reveals, are consuming 335 more calories per day than they did in 1971, and men are consuming 168 more. That may not seem like much, but it sure adds up quickly. An extra 335 calories a day packs on an extra pound of body fat every ten days.
The study says most of the increase in calories is from carbohydrates, but it leaves out perhaps the most crucial point of all:these are refined, processed carbohydrates — the very worst kind. From a nutritional standpoint, you can’t paint all carbohydrates with the same brush. Whole grains and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are, of course, far better for you than refined carbohydrates like white flour and refined white sugar. I’ve seen far too many studies lump all carbohydrates into the same category without regard for where they stand on the nutritional scale.
You see the same thing in the Food Guide Pyramid, which puts grains, breads and other carbohydrates as the “eat most” category of foods. That leads most people to falsely believe that eating a dozen doughnuts is keeping them in full compliance with the food guide pyramid,since doughnuts are technically breads and grains.
To help explain how this correlates to food in school systems throughout America I am reminded of the “ketchup is a vegetable”controversy.
From Wikipedia:
The ketchup as a vegetable controversy or ketchupgate refers to a proposed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Drug Administration directive, early in the administration of Ronald Reagan, that would have reclassified ketchup and pickle relish from condiments to a vegetable, allowing public schools to cut out a serving of cooked or fresh vegetable from hot lunch program child-nutrition requirements. The Reagan administration was, in fact, responding to a Congressional cost-savings mandate. The White House Office of Management and Budget estimated a potential US $1 billion annual savings in the cost of subsidized meals for low-income students.
In reporting on the proposed directive Newsweek magazine illustrated their story with a bottle of ketchup with the caption “now a vegetable.” The proposed directive was criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike, and was never implemented.
As we can see the FDA issued specific “guidelines”(which were really mandates) around the foods that could be served to students, all tied to federal subsidizing of meals for low income students. These guidelines led our public school systems to legally adopt the serving of meals that were”nutritious” according to those guidelines. Unfortunately for the poor souls that ate this food, we now have a generation of obese, disease, and cancer ridden people.
(To complete the history of the original food pyramid on April 19, 2005, the USDA, now under assault from numerous scientific nutrition groups, launched their new food guidance system called “My Pyramid,” giving Americans a website to help them calculate their personal healthy food choices, based upon age and activity.)
Why are we continuing to go along with this ridiculous system? In contrast to us paying billions for this “enlightenment from on high” the free market is more than capable of offering real, up to date information, without being told to do so by some government. As one example among thousands, the website noted above (Naturalnews.com)has a service for you to “Stay informed, empower yourself.” Each weekday, they email you breaking news on natural cures, green living, disease reversal and more.
So there you have it. We can have a system that “empowers ourselves,” where we take responsibility for our own health and the health of our children and families; a system that gives us real opportunity for true wellness, long life and abundant health. Or we can continue to allow an unconstitutional,wholly ineffective, system warned against by the founders and specifically by Jefferson whom I must quote again:
“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls who live under tyranny.”
Is it time yet for the Revolution?
Please visit our website for more thoughts, and our forum for discussion.
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:40 pm by Administrator
This week has delivered to the American people the revelation of massive weakness in the financial solvency of our economy. Many of us were previously shocked at the size of the Enron bankruptcy. USA today reported that Enron was valued at over 61 billion dollars at the time of its demise. In contrast, Lehman Brothers’ value was over $690 billion dollars. This was followed by the AIG bailout, which reportedly had one trillion dollars in assets.
Given these crises and those that may follow, what specific steps can we as Americans take that are in line with the founder’s constitution and vision for America?
1. Insist on reform of the monetary system. Without the “fiat” money that is produced by the Federal Reserve Bank, the federal government would be unable to inflate the currency (which has been done since 1913). With a gold and silver backed currency as envisioned by the founders this would be impossible.
2. With the termination of the Federal Reserve Bank the dreaded income tax could eventually be eliminated. This is due to the fact that the income tax serves merely to pay the interest on the national debt. There was no income tax for over 100 years in this country and we had tremendous growth and prosperity. The federal government sufficiently operated on tariffs and excise taxes before the chains of the constitution were broken.
3. The founder’s constitution prohibited a “direct” tax without apportionment amongst the states. The income tax is a direct tax. They were intimately aware that a direct tax was the worse tax in that it “directly” took away from the fruits of the citizen’s labors. In effect it is a form of slavery. When this money is returned to be spent by the people, the economy will strengthen tremendously.
4. End the disastrous war on drugs. The effects of this war include financial incentives for the illegal drug trade, street gangs, and the required “amping up” of police forces to combat non-violent drug users. These officers would then be available to combat real criminals or we could simply reduce the number of law enforcement officers as crime decreases.
5. By simply treating “drug abuse” as a health problem instead of a criminal justice problem we could save billions that are required to incarcerate otherwise non-violent, non-criminal Americans. These Americans could return to being productive citizens, take care of their families and otherwise contribute again to the economy.
6. Return to the founder’s vision of America as a nation founded on peaceful relations with other nations. This would not only save us hundreds of billions of dollars a year, but would free other nations to take charge of and realize their own destiny. Instead of antagonizing citizens of other nations to remove us from their soil, we can concentrate on actually strengthening the defense of our nation at a fraction of the cost.
7. Return to the states, local communities, and parents their sovereign right to educate their children as they wish, without the federal government’s involvement. Once again, we would save hundreds of billions of dollars per year, resulting in a dramatic improvement in the quality of education for our children.
8. Insist that the federal government stay out of non-enumerated areas, and return the sovereignty of these areas to the states or to the people. We were never intended to be a nation that is so dominated by the federal government. The founders wanted 50 (at least) experiments going on based on the states’ right to make their own decisions on their form of agriculture, medicine, education, etc. As relative success (or failure) occurred, society would evolve as the cream would naturally rise to the top.
In conclusion, I am reminded by a statement made by Dr. Ron Paul this past year. He stated that no matter how bad things got, as long as we returned to the principles of freedom we could rise up again and be prosperous. I have no doubt that he is correct. My only real concern is that we are able to recognize what those principles are and what direction we must go in order to return to the founders’ vision of a free and prosperous America.
Please visit our website for more thoughts, and our forum for discussion.
Edward Noyes
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:37 pm by Administrator
James Madison, the father of the US Constitution, stated:
If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. The loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or imagined, from abroad.
We are all aware that George Washington issued a warning in his farewell address against entangling alliances with other nations and cautioned us explicitly to pursue the opposite of war as our fundamental foreign policy.
If possible, Thomas Jefferson was even more opposed to war as an instrument of effective policy. Among the many times he spoke on this subject he stated:
“I love peace, and am anxious that we should give the world still another useful lesson, by showing to them other modes of punishing injuries than by war, which is as much a punishment to the punisher as to the sufferer.”
“War has been avoided from a due sense of the miseries, and the demoralization it produces, and of the superior blessings of a state of peace and friendship with all mankind.”
“Having seen the people of all other nations bowed down to the earth under the wars and prodigalities of their rulers, I have cherished their opposites, peace, economy, and riddance of public debt, believing that these were the high road to public as well as private prosperity and happiness.”
“I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.”
“War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses.”
The founders were intimately aware of the corrupting influence of power and the endless examples in history of rulers taking their nation to war for improper reasons. These reasons included personal glory, revenge against insult or simply a conquest of other lands for the natural resources that said lands possessed. It is a truism that the people fight the wars while the leaders reap the political benefits of conquest.
The concern for the corrupting influence of power was later warned against by Dwight Eisenhower who stated in his farewell address:
“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
Eisenhower’s warning was from one who had personal knowledge of the culture of war given his position as the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, the first supreme commander of NATO and our 34th President.
Today, America has become a nation dominated by a “military industrial complex.” The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, February 20, 2008 reports:
U.S. military spending accounts for 48 percent, or almost half of the world’s total military spending.
U.S. military spending is more than the next 46 highest spending countries in the world combined.
In an article entitled The Billions For “Defense” Jeopardize Our Safety, Center For Defense Information, March 9, 2000 reported:
The lion’s share of this money is not spent by the Pentagon on protecting American citizens. It goes to supporting U.S. military activities, including interventions, throughout the world. Were this budget and the organization it finances called the “Military Department,” then attitudes might be quite different. Americans are willing to pay for defense, but they would probably be much less willing to spend billions of dollars if the money were labeled “Foreign Military Operations.
Given where we obviously are today is there any possibility that America could return to the peace loving nation longed for by the founders? The venerable Benjamin Franklin was once quoted as saying: “He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity shall revolutionize the world.” The originator of that primitive Christianity Jesus of Nazareth (also known as the Prince of Peace) once said: “Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword.” Matthew 26:52.
I can only pray that the American people have the courage to “put thy sword into its place” and return to the “light upon the hill” that lights the way for the world to embrace peaceful resolution to its problems. Given the absolute dominance the military industrial complex now has on our government, the impotence of our elected representatives, and the blatant disregard for constitutional limitations exhibited by the executive branch, it is only we, the people, who can change the direction of our nation.
I leave you with another quote from Thomas Jefferson who gave us our declaration of independence:
I do not believe war the most certain means of enforcing principles. Those peaceable coercions which are in the power of every nation, if undertaken in concert and in time of peace, are more likely to produce the desired effect.
Please visit our website for more thoughts, and our forum for discussion.
Edward Noyes
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:34 pm by Administrator
Americans are justifiably alarmed by the disclosure that every family in America owes approximately $563,000.00 in debt to the government. The federal government debt now stands at almost $10 trillion dollars, with another $50 trillion dollars in unfunded future obligations. What does this fact portend for the future of American taxpayers?
The Brookings Institute in a 2007 article entitled America’s Economy: Headed for Crisis stated that “Raising tax revenues to cover projected government spending would require today’s tax levels to increase by a third to a half by 2030″. (I would note that since 2007, projections have gotten much worse.) How in the world are we, the people, going to handle dramatically increased taxes when we are already severely over taxed? Is there ANY solution to this problem other than increased taxes?
Fortunately, there is a solution; if only we had the understanding, conviction and mutual resolve to implement it. That solution is the U.S. Constitution.
We, the people, allow the federal government to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to regulate American society in areas that the federal government was clearly not intended to have ANY area of influence. Any rational review of the effects of the federal government’s involvement in areas such as education, agriculture, energy policy and criminal justice will reveal that the fed’s involvement has dramatically DECREASED the quality of every area they reach into.
I have previously written about the effects of the federal government involvement in education. Today I would like to discuss how just one area of infringement into regulating what farmers can grow as crops has hurt, not helped, our country.
In an article published on July 15, 2008 NaturalNews.com reported on North Dakota hemp farmers filing suit in the U.S. Court of appeals to overturn a federal ban on the production of commercial hemp. After years of watching Canadians expand their hemp production to 30,000 acres and import the product into the United States, North Dakota government officials petitioned the federal government for an exemption from federal law. But, because federal regulations still prohibit state-regulated hemp farming, North Dakota farmers Dave Monson and Wayne Hague filed a lawsuit on June 9 to overturn this ban.
The United States is the only developed country in the world that outlaws the growing of this crop, despite the 20,000 commercial uses of its plant products. Among its many uses, hemp fiber is reported to be the strongest natural plant fiber in the world. Its oil can be used for food and is an excellent source of bio-fuel, the fiber is ideal for rope, clothing and even building houses. The market for hemp products (genetically distinct from its’ THC laden cousin) is growing world-wide. If allowed to be grown, farmers could produce a crop that requires no federal subsidizing, requires little pest control or fertilizers, and could significantly lessen our dependency on foreign oil. Due to the strength of its fibers it is superior to wood as a source of paper, thereby saving our forests and preserving our environment.
The bottom line is that we are spending (and borrowing) billions of dollars every year to prevent the natural, positive evolution of our society.
This article is only one of hundreds that could be written detailing how the federal government’s improper involvement has hurt our economy and our country. When will we say enough is enough, and demand the end of the unconstitutional, improperly delegated powers now arrogantly flaunted by the feds?
If we remember that we, the people, are the source of all of the power and that no power is delegated to our government servants without our consent there is no question that together we can save this country.
Visit our website for more thoughts or our forums for discussion.
Edward Noyes
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Posted in Restoring The Heart Of America at 11:30 pm by Administrator
It is amazing how far away we as a nation have strayed from the original vision of the founders with regards to the proper role of government. We have, in fact, devolved 180 degrees from that original purpose. Government was intended to be the protector of the rights of the people. Every individual was to be free to pursue his idea of happiness, as long as he did not violate the rights of others to do the same. Government was to step in only when one’s “liberty interest” was violated to “restore” the victim. This was called the restorative justice principle. In fact, there was no “crime” other than treason against the people as a whole, unless there was a victim. No fines were paid to the State. The sole purpose of the law was to restore the victim. Today, we have a vast assortment of “crimes” where the de facto purpose of the law is to collect “fines” for the State. It is, in fact, another tax on the people. As an attorney who practiced criminal defense for many years, I can assure you that the victim (when there is a real crime committed) is rarely restored, and is often left out of the proceedings.
On the other side of the coin, because we have allowed government to pick and choose who obtains the favors of government, government is now used to protect those who destroy the rights of others. Federal and State regulations are issued that protect and “exempt” industries from the violations they cause to others. The inevitable abuse of power by government was the principle reason why the founders said NO power should be given to the federal government to even be involved AT ALL, unless those powers were specifically enumerated in the constitution.
Despite the obvious abuse of power, there are those who still have faith in the government, if only “their” people would be elected into office. “Put good people in and we’ll be okay”, they say. “Elect the representative from my party, and all will be put right” they contend. The two party system is the perfect cover for the abuse of power, as it gives us the illusion of choice. The vast system of bureaucracy continues despite whoever is in office. The big multi-national corporations almost always “donate” to both parties to cover their bases. They will continue to do so as a “cost of doing business” as long as the power to give favors exists. I can assure you that all forms of financial contributions will magically end (without the need for campaign finance reform) if the 10th amendment was restored to its original intent.
Our system of government was unique in history in that it at least attempted to prevent the possibility of abuse of power by TAKING AWAY the power that had throughout history had always been abused. We were given the freedom formula by the founders who did everything they knew how to protect us. It is WE THE PEOPLE who have allowed the abuses to reoccur and it is only WE THE PEOPLE who can possibly restore the constitutional protections.
Please visit our website for more thoughts and this week’s particularly exciting developments, and visit our forum for discussion.
Edward Noyes
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