Real Tax Reform

Real Tax Reform is the one issue that FairTax "HAWKERS" don't address when they are giving their sales pitch. I've talked to a few of these people who are trying very hard here in Michigan to convince us to divert our attention from the fact that the government spends why to much money and spends it on things that violate our right to Freedom of Choice to practice our Faith, and enjoy our Liberties.

FairTax "HAWKERS" remind me of the sales people who sell Time Share. You know, the kind of sales person that once they get you there, they won't let you go until you buy SOMETHING? So, my response to Clay Pigeon is, why not real tax reform, instead of just changing the way the government takes the same amount or more?

Clay Pigeon has left a new comment on your post "There Is Still No Such Thing As a Fair Tax":

Unfortunately positions harden and there isn't much that can be said to change people's minds. As for me, I've read both books, The Fair Tax, and The Fair Tax: Answers to the Critics by G-7 Rep. John Linder and Neal Boortz. I find their arguments compelling and the research done prior to the recommendation of the Fair Tax to be comprehensive. The present Income Tax legislation takes up over 60,000 pages. Its time to abolish the Income Tax and start fresh. In my opinion the Fair Tax is the way to go. That's my personal opinion.

Real Tax Reform
Mises Daily by Laurence M. Vance | Posted on 4/16/2007 12:00:00 AM

Individual income taxes could painlessly be eliminated if federal spending was simply reduced to about the level it was at the beginning of the previous administration. Unfortunately, however, no recent tax reform proposal even addresses the issue of giving the federal government less money to spend.

"All revenue-neutral tax reform proposals allow Congress to maintain its spending orgy while appearing to lower taxes."

The concept of "revenue neutrality" is one that all advocates of liberty and limited government should be suspicious of. All revenue-neutral tax reform proposals allow Congress to maintain its spending orgy while appearing to lower taxes. The federal government is always the winner under any tax reform plan that is revenue neutral. These proposals merely shift the debate from how much wealth the federal government confiscates from its citizens to the manner in which it is done. The real problem is the bloated, profligate monstrosity that the federal government has become.

We just believe that a tax plan that perpetuates the welfare state and pays for the warfare state is not the solution. Obviously, the "best" tax reform plan, from the standpoint of liberty and less government, would be to eliminate taxes entirely. None of us are naïve enough to think that will ever happen as long as we have the state to deal with. However, in the mean time, the next best type of tax reform is one that results in a substantial lowering of the amount of taxes collected. If taxes are cut by a large enough amount, then no one will be too concerned about how the government collects its taxes. Real tax reform begins with the drastic reduction of taxes and tax rates.

Critics of real tax reform (those who espouse "revenue neutral" tax reform plans) have been quick to criticize the rest of us because (so they say) all we do is shoot down their tax reform proposals and never offer any of our own. Therefore, as a first step toward real tax reform, I would like to show, in very simple terms, how individual income taxes could painlessly be eliminated: reduce federal spending to the level it was at the beginning of the previous administration.

At the beginning of this article I said that the total revenue of the federal government during its most recently completely fiscal year was $2.406 trillion and that individual income taxes collected during this period were $1.043 trillion. This means that if you subtract the income taxes collected from total revenue you end up with $1.363 trillion for the federal government to spend. That is just a little less than the government spent during the fiscal year in which Clinton began his first term.

Are income taxes evil? Yes. Should they be eliminated? Yes. Would it be a terrible thing if the federal government still spent over $1 trillion? Yes. But it is a start. It is real tax reform. With no income tax, there will be no capital gains tax, no withholding tax, no EITC welfare program, and no refundable child credit welfare program — all without a NRST. FULL ARTICLE.

Before we can accomplish anything, we need people to start doing their own research on these subjects instead of listening to those who's JOB it is to sell it to you.

A good place to start is by understanding the mind control that has been taking place in our schools as well as our communities since the 1960's.

Time Out Productions Interviews Charlotte Iserbyt

Time Out Productions interviews former senior policy advisor on education to President Reagan, Charlotte Iserbyt.

In the interview, she speaks on her whistle blowing over the years at various levels of the US government.

Her two websites are www.americandeception.com and www.deliberatedumbingdown.com.

DOCTORS WARN: AVOID GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

Having a grandson who is allergic to soy, this story is extremely important to me. My daughter has completely changed her family lifestyle to exclude any soy in the family diet. Today, my 2 year old grandson is a happy healthy little boy who always asks, "Is this good for me?" before putting anything in his mouth.

By Jeffrey Smith
May 30, 2009
NewsWithViews.com

More and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist, and board member of AAEM says, “I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods.” Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.” FULL STORY.

Ireland set to go bust, claims economic historian

Friday, 29 May 2009

A dire warning that the Republic is a prime candidate to go bust has come from one of the world's leading economic historians.

"The idea that countries don't go bust is a joke," said Niall Ferguson, Harvard professor and author of The Ascent of Money.

The problem now is what happens when current monetary policy collides with a policy of "vast government borrowing" on a scale unknown since the 1940s.

"We have the fiscal policy of a world war without a war."

Referring to the clash between inflation and deflation he added: "I don't know who is going to win but we know that while the struggle goes on ordinary people will get trampled. There will be more economic volatility and ordinary people will pay." FULL STORY.

Goldman Sachs Principal Transactions Update: Collapse In Agency Program Trading Volume

Going back to today's ridiculous close, the chart below shows it all: the complete tape painting volume spike at the very end of the day speaks for itself. And as computers now simply issue forced stock recall orders to each other, painting the tape wet with manipulative intent and volume spikes into the last 20 minutes of trading every day, their human creators are left on the sidelines, trying to outshout each other as to the reason for why the market keeps rising while the economy keeps tumbling.



Is there ever going to be any transparency in this market again? FULL STORY

There Is Still No Such Thing As a Fair Tax

The FairTax Plan
Mises Daily by Laurence M. Vance | Posted on 5/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

This the great debate going on today. Do we adopt a taxing plan that conforms with the rest of the world even though it defies all logic and conformity to the Constitution? Is it the name of the tax that excites you? FairTax? Did the Patriot Act excite you also? How about the Military Commission Act? The Federal Reserve Act? Internal Revenue Act? Which of these excited you the most?

[Review of FairTax: The Truth: Answering the Critics (Harper, 2008)]


As a critic of the national retail sales tax plan known as the FairTax, I take Neal Boortz's new book on the FairTax very personally. The book is titled FairTax: The Truth: Answering the Critics. It is intended to be a sequel to The FairTax Book, published in 2005, that offers "eye-opening new insights not covered in the original book."

Boortz is right. There are some eye-opening new insights unique to this sequel. Like the disclosure that you might "owe more in taxes in the first year of a FairTax system than you do today."[1] Or the admission that "the FairTax could be even more progressive than our current system."[2] Or the confession that the "implementation of the FairTax doesn't mean complete annihilation of the IRS."[3] Or the proposal that "a procedure should be set up in the Treasury Department to collect taxes on Internet and catalog sales, remitting the state and local governments' share to them."[4]

As with Boortz's original work, this book is coauthored by Congressman John Linder (R-GA). New this time, however, is the addition of "with Rob Woodall" on the front cover and title page. But although the back cover contains brief bios for Boortz and Linder, there is no information on Woodall, Congressman Linder's chief of staff. As I said when I reviewed Boortz's original book on the FairTax in "There Is No Such Thing As a Fair Tax," since Boortz has previous writing experience, and his name appears in larger letters on the book's cover, I will refer to him as the author.
The FairTax is a revenue-neutral consumption tax in the form of a national retail sales tax on all new goods and services that is designed to replace most federal taxes: personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, estate taxes, gift taxes, unemployment taxes, alternative minimum taxes, capital gains taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes.

Although it seems like the price we would have to pay for the elimination of these taxes is higher prices on all new goods and services because of the imposition of a high sales tax, FairTax proponents claim that the removal of embedded taxes — the tax burdens of businesses that contribute to the overall cost of products — will result in the prices of goods and services falling by enough to offset the amount of the FairTax imposed. In addition to this dubious conclusion, there are some misconceptions about the FairTax that should be pointed out.

I will be quoting Boortz extensively throughout this review since he believes that "opponents who want to criticize the FairTax often feel compelled to misrepresent its principles — or to lie about it outright — to give themselves something to shout about."[5] No shouting on my part will be required. The deceptions, half-truths, and lies of the FairTax will speak for themselves.

The FairTax does not eliminate all taxes. It does not eliminate tariffs on imported goods, federal excise taxes on products like gasoline and tobacco, special taxes on things like telephone service and airline tickets, or any state and local sales, gasoline, or hotel taxes.

The FairTax does not lower the overall tax burden. Since it is revenue neutral, the total amount of taxes the federal government extracts from the citizens of the United States would be the same as it is now.

The FairTax does not eliminate the Sixteenth Amendment. To repeal the Sixteenth Amendment would require a constitutional amendment to that effect, as the Twenty-First Amendment repealed the Eighteenth. Not only is there no guarantee that Congress would propose such an amendment, it would still have to be sent to the states and approved by three-fourths of them.

Even if the prices of goods and services fall after the change to the FairTax system, with the sale of new homes and cars being taxed, as well as services from heart surgeries down to haircuts, the FairTax would result in a tremendous change in American society. Is it worth expending so much effort on changing the way the federal government collects taxes instead of changing the amount that the federal government collects in taxes? This is a question that doesn't even have to be answered since the stated rate of the FairTax is too low to achieve revenue neutrality and the amount by which prices would fall under a FairTax system has been grossly exaggerated.FULL STORY.

Why the BIG push for FairTax?

I have been pondering since yesterday on the question of why all of a sudden, there's a BIG push going on for this so called FairTax. Below is a copy of the email from the National Taxpayers Union asking me for my support.

But like all truly good things in life the FairTax comes with a price -- your personal support...

So please, Rose, ACT today by signing NTU's online petition calling upon both the House of Representatives and the Senate to enact the FairTax and by making a contribution of $25 or $50 or more if you like. Your donation will definitely help NTU expedite passage of the FairTax by convincing Congress to get off their "duffs".

So if you want the FairTax, Rose, it's up to you... Washington cannot and will not ignore the wishes of the voters. So please act today: sign NTU's petition and make your contribution of $25 or $50, to help NTU turn the FairTax into reality!

P.S. Rose, the beauty of the FairTax is that it helps ALL Americans, but it helps the poor and middle-income Americans the most. Helping NTU to enact the FairTax will uplift millions of other deserving folks who genuinely want and need the FairTax for their families and a better life. Please sign NTU's petition and make your donation today!

So who is the NTU and what are they about? Here's what it says on their web site.

Since it was founded over 35 years ago, the National Taxpayers Union's Number One job has been helping to protect every single American's right to keep what they've earned. Our guiding principle has always been: "This is your money and the government should return it to you." We are a nonprofit, non-partisan citizen group whose members work every day for lower taxes and smaller government at all levels.

Why is an organization that claims to be for getting government out of our pockets and reducing the size of government, promoting a NEW TAX PLAN that will do neither? This morning I found the answer.

IRS tax revenue falls along with taxpayers' income

Federal tax revenue plunged $138 billion, or 34%, in April vs. a year ago — the biggest April drop since 1981, a study released Tuesday by the American Institute for Economic Research says.
When the economy slumps, so does tax revenue, and this recession has been no different, says Kerry Lynch, senior fellow at the AIER and author of the study. "It illustrates how severe the recession has been."

For example, 6 million people lost jobs in the 12 months ended in April — and that means far fewer dollars from income taxes. Income tax revenue dropped 44% from a year ago.

"These are staggering numbers," Lynch says.

Big revenue losses mean that the U.S. budget deficit may be larger than predicted this year and in future years. CLICK HERE.

So now we know the real reason why the big push for a National Sales Tax as well as a Larger Michigan Sales Tax. With all the taxable Manufacturing companies moving out of the country, and the loss of jobs along with it, I guess it only makes sense to our politicians to figure out a way to keep the money flowing in.

Not to mention the huge threat that Ron Paul and those dog gone followers of his pose to exposing the Federal Reserve System and the coming inflation.

CLICK HERE Flat Tax and Fair Tax Explained

Boortz vs. Kotlikoff on the FairTax

And for anyone who doesn't want to believe that this is a push by the REPUBLICAN PARTY than Click Here for the sponsors of the Fair Tax Act of 2009.

Ron Paul: We Don't Need More Of The Same!

Ron Paul may try and play kingmaker of sorts in the 2010 elections. With his grassroots army ready to hit the ground, "Paul is expected to set up a campaign he’ll call 'Ten in ’10,'" Roll Call reports. "While he may personally endorse any number of candidates during the course of the cycle -- and in a few races, he already has -- he’ll invite candidates for all offices to seek special attention and assistance from his PAC."

Oh oh, that means more people like maybe....

Peter Schiff on FOX "I might Run for Senate"

The Money Bomb Gets Passed From Ron Paul To Son Rand

The concept of a money bomb, pooling a bunch of campaign donations in a single day, was made famous during Ron Paul’s Presidential campaign of 2007 and 2008. Many others have utilized the practice to draw in campaign funds and press mentions since then. Now, it is Ron Paul’s son, Rand Paul, who is ready for his own.

This one is to raise money for his exploratory committee for the U.S. Senate representing Kentucky. The day is next Monday, June 1st, 2009. The goal is $25k in a single day. More details are here.

We need more Ron Pauls in DC. Without cloning Ron Paul it is unlikely you’ll find someone more similar than his son, Dr. Rand Paul.

Please help Rand Paul out by donating on June 1st!

Michigan's got talent!

One of these days we will be cheering for Kachina on American Idol.

Fruitport High School Senior Spotlight 2009 -- Kachina

FairTax is assinine

(asinine |ˈasəˌnīn|
adjective
extremely stupid or foolish : Lydia ignored his asinine remark. See note at stupid ) as is this fair tax either at the state or federal level.

Here's what the National Tax Payers Union is really all about.

So if you want the FairTax, Rose, it's up to you... Washington cannot and will not ignore the wishes of the voters. (Really, then why haven't they answered our 7 petitions? So please act today: sign NTU's petition and make your contribution of $25 or $50, to help NTU turn the FairTax into reality!

WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING OR RETIRED, STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET OR COMFORTABLE IN THE MIDDLE-CLASS, YOUR BENEFITS WITH THE NEW FAIRTAX ARE TRULY PHENOMENAL!

Dear Rose,

Imagine a NEW tax system that lets you decide when you pay taxes and how much...saves you thousands in income and payroll taxes every year... and finally unburdens youfrom the IRS.

Well, that's exactly what the new FairTax does for you!

You see, Rose, the FairTax repeals all personal income, gift, estate, capital gains, AMT, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment and corporate taxes.

Instead of all these unfair taxes, all we'll have to do is pay a consumption tax at the cash register each time we buy goods and services. But only for new goods because all used goods are tax free.

With the FairTax, the IRS is phased out and no individual or business is required to file an income or payroll tax return again, EVER!

The FairTax fully funds Social Security, Medicare, and all other government services!

And to make sure no family pays any taxes on the necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical care etc), the FairTax has a generous built-in rebate system so each household in America is mailed a check on the 1st of each and every month for between $188-$767!

Rose, the truly incredible benefits and advantages of the FairTax don't stop there...

Since capital and labor won't be penalized by taxes, businesses will stampede to locate in the US. We'll become the #1 place in the world for corporations, manufacturing, plants, and service companies. This translates into JOBS AND MORE JOBS while the Gross Domestic Product explodes 9-14%, supercharging our economy!

Continues funding for Social Security and Medicare and provides for all other government services... Right now, only 40% of our people actually pay taxes out of a population of close to 300,000,000. But with the FairTax, everyone pays a small amount -- honest, hardworking Americans, big-spending teens, 50 million or so annual foreign visitors, illegal aliens, and even those who now escape taxes altogether because they are part of a trillion-dollar underground/criminal economy...
Your spendable income increases by thousands because you get to keep 100% of your paycheck, pension and all other income. This in turn pushes your spendable income upwards an incredible 48.05%!

Hidden taxes (estimated by experts to be 20-25% in the price of everything you buy today from a bar of soap to a car or house) disappear!

Interest rates drop 25% or more which helps businesses expand and create even more jobs while saving you thousands more each year on credit card interest, car loans, your mortgage payment, you name it!

Weeds out all the political graft, fraud, shady transactions and awesome piles of campaign cash funneled by lobbyists, the privileged, the wealthy, and the connected to get tax breaks, exemptions, credits, and other loopholes.
You might be thinking the FairTax is "too good to be true"... NOT SO! The FairTax bill is already in Congress and has over 50 co-sponsors... It's backed by 75 famous economists from such prestigious institutions like Harvard University... even the venerable Alan Greenspan, retired Chairman of the Federal Reserve says that a consumption tax system "would be best from the perspective of promoting economic growth"...

So, we have traction in Washington!

In fact, the only thing that's missing is your additional support, and that's what I'm asking for today...

Imagine a life where wealth and opportunity are in abundance. A life where you keep 100% of your income... foreign companies flock to America creating jobs, a booming economy and a better standard of living for the poor and every other American.

Imagine NO withholding, NO filing, NO heavy-handed enforcement, NO audits, NO confiscation... Imagine NEVER having to file a personal or business income tax return. Being able to give your assets or income to anyone you wish without paperwork, reporting, taxes, or other complications...

How does that make you feel, Rose? If you're like most folks you're "relieved", "excited", or even "ecstatic".

But like all truly good things in life the FairTax comes with a price -- your personal support...

NOTHING you can tell yourself, NOTHING you can say to others, NOTHING you can think or feel or imagine is going to get the FairTax enacted. The only thing that'll work isACTION!

So please, Rose, ACT today by signing NTU's online petition calling upon both the House of Representatives and the Senate to enact the FairTax and by making a contribution of $25 or $50 or more if you like. Your donation will definitely help NTU expedite passage of the FairTax by convincing Congress to get off their "duffs".

I know, some folks I'm writing to today are programmed to believe our elected officials won't act. Others will say it's a waste of their time even to attempt to fight for a change...

...But getting the FairTax enacted isn't any more impossible than any other grassroots movement that changed the world – Women's Suffrage, repeal of Prohibition, Civil Rights, the Berlin Wall and even free market economies in Eastern Europe!

So if you want the FairTax, Rose, it's up to you... Washington cannot and will not ignore the wishes of the voters. So please act today: sign NTU's petition and make your contribution of $25 or $50, to help NTU turn the FairTax into reality!

Sincerely yours,

Duane Parde
President

P.S. Rose, the beauty of the FairTax is that it helps ALL Americans, but it helps the poor and middle-income Americans the most. Helping NTU to enact the FairTax will uplift millions of other deserving folks who genuinely want and need the FairTax for their families and a better life. Please sign NTU's petition and make your donation today!

That's right folks, make your contribution today to unlimited tax collection by state and federal government employees, YOUR EMPLOYEES, those people who receive GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGES at your expense, want you to support this measure here in the great state of Michigan and at the Federal Government level.

God forbid should they have to go out and look for a JOB in this environment.

The Fair Tax Fraud

I just received an email from the National Taxpayers Union asking me to sign their on line petition to get congress to pass this insane Fair Tax bill. I am not only disappointed in this organization, but I am no longer going to subscribe to anything they do or support. I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FAIR TAX AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU!!!

Mises Daily by Laurence M. Vance | Posted on 5/18/2005 12:00:00 AM

Since my recent article on the evils of the withholding tax, I have been inundated with e-mails by supporters of the " FairTax," including a request that I endorse "The Fair Tax Act of 2005" currently pending in the Congress. But like the calls for "fair trade" instead of "free trade," the FairTax is a fraud because it is based on the fallacy that government theft (taxation) should be done in a "fair" manner instead of eliminated altogether.

But could the cure they offer be worse than the disease?

The FairTax is a consumption tax in the form of a national retail sales tax on new goods and services. It is designed to replace "federal income taxes including, personal, estate, gift, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes." The FairTax would also abolish the IRS and repeal the 16th Amendment.

The Fair Tax Act of 2005 is H.R. 25 in the House (introduced on January 4) and the identical S. 25 in the Senate (introduced on January 24). FairTax proponents who complain about the complexity of the Internal Revenue Code are going to have a hard time convincing those of us who have actually read this bill (it came to 59 pages when I printed it out from my computer) that it will simplify the tax code when it contains language exactly like that which appears in the tax code:

(b) Rebate Defined- For purposes of subsection (a) (2), the term 'rebate' means so much of an abatement, credit, refund, or other payment, as was made on the ground that the tax imposed by chapter 41, 42, 43, or 44 was less than the excess of the amount specified in subsection (a)(1) over the rebates previously made.'.

Strangely absent from the list of co-sponsors of H.R. 25 is Congressman Ron Paul(R-TX). Representative Paul has consistently been named the "taxpayers' friend." If the FairTax proposal was as friendly to taxpayers as its proponents say it is, I would expect Congressman Paul's name to be first on the list of co-sponsors.

FairTax advocates claim that their plan would repeal of the 16th Amendment. However, all H.R. 25 does is repeal Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that relates to income taxes and self-employment taxes and Subtitle C that relates to payroll taxes and the withholding of income taxes. The only mention of the 16th Amendment in H.R. 25 is when it says: "Congress further finds that the 16th amendment to the United States Constitution should be repealed."

To repeal the 16th Amendment would require a constitutional amendment. Can Congress be relied on to pass a constitutional amendment that repeals the 16th amendment after a national sales tax has already been enacted? And even if Congress passed a constitutional amendment, it would still have to be approved by three-fourths of the states. Without the repeal of the 16th Amendment, what is to prevent an income tax from being imposed again after a national sales tax has been enacted?

Under the FairTax system, there are no longer any Social Security and Medicare taxes. However, this does not mean that Social Security and Medicare will be eliminated. The inclusion in the combined percentage of the old-age, survivors and disability insurance and the hospital insurance rates means that the Ponzi scheme known as Social Security will continue as is—only the way it is funded will change.

The real problem with the FairTax is threefold. In " An Open Letter to the President, the Congress, and the American People Concerning Reform of the Federal Tax Code," which is posted on the FairTax website along with the endorsement of seventy-five "professional and university economists," we can see the trouble with the FairTax immediately:

We are not calling for elimination of federal taxation, which would be irresponsible and undesirable. Nor does our endorsement call for reduced federal spending. The tax reform plan we endorse is revenue neutral, collecting as much federal tax revenue as the current income tax code, including payroll withholding taxes.

There is only one word to describe the fact that the federal government now spends almost $3 trillion a year: obscene. At least 90 percent of what the federal government spends is unconstitutional, wasteful, or against the limited-government principles of the Founders. The only thing the FairTax does is change the way the state confiscates the wealth of its citizens. As Congressman Ron Paul says: "The real issue is total spending by government, not tax reform." READ FULL ARTICLE AND FAIR TAX BILL.

JEKYLL ISLAND: A NEW BEGINNING FOR AMERICA

“Ironically, 99 years ago this week, a train left Newark, N.J., for Jesup Station, Ga., carrying some of the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world. They met in secret at the Jekyll Island Club and laid the plans to create the Federal Reserve System.

“Another group of people took a train this past week from Newark, N.J., for Jesup Station, Ga., en route to the same Jekyll Island Club. The people in this group are not among the wealthiest people in the world, but they are among the most powerful; they are some of the leaders of the growing freedom movement. Nearly a hundred years ago, a meeting at Jekyll Island produced the Federal Reserve, which now controls our economic destiny. The current meeting at Jekyll Island, organized by the We the People Foundation, seeks to produce a plan to control the Federal Reserve and restore our economic freedom.”

Quoted from Here Comes The Freedom Movement by Henry Lamb, published in WorldNetDaily, May 23, 2009.

Normally, the flag flying from the pole is a pale blue flag with the crest of the Jekyll Island Club. Such was the case on the day the Freedom Movement arrived at the Club.

A short essay was read by Jan Graber explaining how Benjamin Franklin had the Declaration reprinted in multiple languages and shipped to every corner of the globe. As history documents, although the vote for Independence had been decided, no one would step up to sign such a revolutionary document until John Hancock took the first initiative. Badnarik, in his role as Hancock, mock signed the document boldly proclaiming, “There, that ought to be large enough for King George to see without his spectacles.”

Later that evening, by some chance happening, the tattered and worn Jekyll Island Club flag was lowered and the “Gadsden Flag”, aka “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was put in its place. The next morning meeting attendees were greeted in the courtyard with the Gadsden flag fluttering in the wind, hoisted high atop the Victorian era turret. FULL STORY.

Adam Kokesh at the Jekyll Island Project

Memorial Day Parade

The Social Security Scam

Mises Daily by Mark Brandly | Posted on 5/18/2009 12:00:00 AM

Mark Brandly is a professor of economics at Ferris State University and an adjunct scholar of the Ludwig von Mises Institute. Send him mail brandlym@ferris.edu. See his article archives. Comment on the blog.

The release of the 2009 Social Security Trustees Report indicates that the current economic crisis has negatively impacted the Social Security budget. It's now projected that by 2016 Social Security spending will exceed revenues. According to the report, the financial condition of the Social Security program "remains challenging" and "need(s) to be addressed soon." A look at the numbers shows us the severity of the Social Security budget problem.

Social Security is a "pay-as-you-go" system. This means that when you work, the government takes your money and gives it to Social Security recipients. In order to get workers to accept this system, the government promises to take other people's money and give it to you when you retire. Think of it as an exponentially larger version of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

As long as a lot of people die before collecting any benefits, or die without collecting many benefits, the system is financially sound. In 1950, the worker-to-beneficiary ratio was 16.5-to-1. With people living longer, the worker to beneficiary ratio has fallen to 3.1-to-1 and within 20 years it's expected to drop to 2.1-to-1. Due to this falling ratio, over the years the feds have raised tax rates and now must consider further adjustments.

Let's look at the revenue side of things. Each worker's income below about $106,800 is taxed at a 12.4 percent rate. There are no deductions for this tax. All income is taxable income. Even those in the lowest income brackets have roughly one-eighth of their income taken from them to fund the Social Security system.

Few workers, however, understand the tax burden of the Social Security system. On their paychecks, they see that 6.2 percent of their gross pay goes to pay for Social Security. What they don't see is that employers match this tax payment with an equal 6.2 percent payment. It may seem that employers are paying half of the Social Security taxes, but that's not the case. Even though the employers are legally liable for one-half of the tax, they shift the tax onto workers in the form of lower gross wages. Therefore, the Social Security tax burden, 12.4 percent of each worker's gross pay, falls on workers. Half of this burden is hidden from the workers. FULL STORY

Northwood University ~ Discover the leader in you.

31st Annual Freedom Seminar held in conjunction with the Detroit Economic Club’s National Economic Summit June 15 – 17, 2009

Antheneum Hotel Detroit, Michigan

To earn academic credit as a visiting student please visit: http://www.northwood.edu/freedomseminar/

Seating is limited so please RSVP to Brennan Brown at brownb@northwood.edu by June 10, 2009

On Monday June 15, 2009 and Tuesday June 16, 2009, Northwood University is sponsoring a dinner speaker featuring a noted advocate of individual liberty and the free enterprise system. Students may attend either of these events at a cost of $10.00, which includes dinner at the Grand Ballroom of the Atheneum Suites Hotel in Detroit’s vibrant Greektown neighborhood. Both events begin promptly at 7:00 pm.



On Tuesday June 16, 2009 at 7:00 pm, Northwood University welcomes Mr. Peter Schiff, President and Chief Global Strategist for Euro-Pacific Capital. Mr. Schiff is renowned for his accurate forecasts of the U.S. mortgage meltdown and the financial fallout that followed. He served as chief economic advisor to the Ron Paul’s Presidential campaign and appears regularly on CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and Bloomberg TV. He will be offering his strategy recommendations both U.S. policymakers and individual investors.



On Monday June 15, 2009 at 7:00 pm, Northwood University welcomes Dr. Terry Anderson, whose research helped launch the idea of free market environmentalism and prompted public debate over the proper role of government in managing resources. His broad-ranging ideas have provided a refreshing and stimulating look at complex and seemingly intractable environmental problems.

Gitmo North

Most lawmakers view the prospect of moving prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to their districts as a negative proposition. But at least one Democratic senator is open to the idea as a potential economic boost to his struggling state.

Michigan’s Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told CQ Politics that construction and staffing at a new maximum-security prison could help his cash-starved state.

“If the governor and the local officials are open to it, that’s something that should be considered,” Levin said.

Former Michigan Gov. John Engler, a Republican, suggested this month that creating a “Guantanamo North” in the Upper Peninsula could net the state upward of $1 billion per year.

The Buzz says those detainees will prefer waterboarding after enduring an Upper Peninsula winter. KANSAS CITY NEWS

Bill to Audit Fed Gains Serious Momentum

Kurt Nimmo
Infowars
May 22, 2009

It looks like the Federal Reserve may finally have something to worry about now that HR 1207 is finally gaining serious steam. If enacted, HR 1207 will amend title 31 of the United States Code and reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the United States. In other words, for the first time since 1950, the criminals at the Federal Reserve will be forced by law to open their books.



Rep. Ron Paul introduced H.R. 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009, on February 26, 2009.

HR 1207 was sponsored and introduced by Rep. Ron Paul. On February 26, 2009, it was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. It now has 179 co-sponsors (see the list of sponsors below).

If passed, the bill will force the Fed to give a public accounting of the trillions of taxpayer “loans” handed over to the banksters. It will force Congress to audit the Fed and this will force out into the light of day the Fed practice of inflating the currency for the gain of a small number of international bankers. It will reveal the bankster practice of engineering financial crises and depressions — or scientifically created, as Congressman Charles A. Lindberg Sr. said after the Federal Reserve Act was passed in the dead of night — in order to consolidate illicit gains and eliminate competition (as the bankers are monopoly men). FULL STORY

IRS PUTS YOU AT RISK FOR IDENTITY THEFT!!!

IRS lax in destroying sensitive tax papers - report

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Sensitive documents about U.S. taxpayers were found in trash outside all Internal Revenue Service sites visited in a investigation, putting the people at risk of identity theft, an inspector's report says.

The tax collection agency must bolster oversight of contractors who dispose of papers with personally identifiable information, the inspector general for tax administration at the U.S. Treasury said in the report released on Thursday.

"At every location we visited, we found documents containing PII (personally identifiable information) or other SBU (sensitive but unclassified) information in regular waste containers and/or dumpsters," it said.

"If security policies are not adequately communicated and adhered to, sensitive taxpayer information and employee data are at an increased risk of disclosure or other improper usage."

Americans have lost more than $45 billion to identify theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission. FULL STORY.

Rachel Maddow: Indefinite detention? Shame on you... President Obama

Even Rachel can't deny that Obama is now showing his true colors.

The Next Giant Shoe In This Debt Crisis is FALLING NOW!

This is the News Alert that I just received from Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.

Just as we warned, Treasury bond prices are collapsing.

Massive government borrowing and money printing have global investors stampeding for the exits: The U.S. dollar is plunging ... yields are surging ... gold and silver are on a rampage.

BEWARE: Historic stock market bloodletting just ahead — contrarian investments set to soar. Here’s what to do immediately to protect yourself and profit:

This is it, ROSE!

We told you this day would come; and it is dawning NOW:

Yesterday, the price of long-term Treasury bonds collapsed and they’re continuing to fall this morning. Overall, they’re down more in the last five months than at any time in decades.

Two months ago, in the April issue of our Safe Money Report, we warned about this. We told readers the next giant shoe to drop would be a fiasco in the Treasury bond market. Now it’s happening!

By absorbing trillions of dollars of toxic assets, we explained, “Washington has transformed itself into a toxic government. So it should come as no surprise that the government’s most volatile securities — bonds — will be the next victim of the market’s revenge.” We concluded:

“Now, brace yourself for the next shoe to drop in this massive debt crisis: Government bonds!”

We’ve sent you this message over and over again in all our publications. MONEY AND MARKETS

GlaxoSmithKline, IRS Tangle in Tax Court

By JESSE DRUCKER

GlaxoSmithKline PLC is embroiled in a potential $1.9 billion court battle with the Internal Revenue Service, which says the drug maker owes back taxes, interest and penalties stemming from tax deductions Glaxo generated essentially by making payments to itself.

The dispute centers on a practice known as earnings stripping, in which a multinational company reduces its taxes by claiming interest deductions for payments to a related unit overseas. The company claims deductions on its U.S. tax return, but no money ultimately leaves the parent company's coffers, and publicly reported profit is unchanged.

"The ability of U.S. subsidiaries of foreign multinationals to strip away earnings like this is a problem" because it significantly reduces the U.S. corporate-tax base, says Reuven Avi-Yonah, a former corporate tax attorney and now director of the international-tax program at the University of Michigan Law School. FULL STORY

Continental Congress 2009

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The Supreme Court states that the independent grand jury’s purpose is not only to investigate possible criminal conduct, but to act as a “protector of citizens against arbitrary and oppressive governmental action,” and to perform its functions, the independent grand jury “deliberates in secret and may determine alone the course of its inquiry” (United States v. Calandra, 414 U.S. 338 (1974)).

Juror's Guide

Revolutionary changes or just a bad dream

Photography is Not a Crime - It’s a First Amendment Right

Judge tries to block newspaper from printing photos of arrested politician

By Carlos Miller
U.S. District Judge Arthur Spatt has absolutely no clue how the news industry works. And he has no clue how the First Amendment works.

The federal judge found it “troubling” that Newsday published photos of New York legislator Roger Corbin being led away in handcuffs after he was arrested on tax evasion charges earlier this month.

Spatt believes Newsday should have used other photos taken throughout Corbin’s long legislative career. FULL STORY AND PHOTO.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice by Witness Tampering

Our system of justice does work when honest people allow Grand Jury's to do their Job.

"In order for the grand jury to fulfill its vital role in our criminal justice system, it is of paramount importance that the names of witnesses not be disclosed and that witnesses not be discouraged from providing full and truthful testimony," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. "By his conduct, Deputy Bates compromised the system and betrayed his badge."FULL DOJ RELEASE.

GROSS NEGLIGENCE that is occurring RIGHT NOW at the Federal Reserve.

SUPPORT HR 1207 BILL TO AUDIT THE FEDERAL RESERVE

Ron Paul’s Bill To Audit The Federal Reserve Now Has 175 Co-Sponsors

SUPPORT HR 1207 BILL TO AUDIT THE FEDERAL RESERVE

An invitation to all American

It would appear that our Michigan Legislative Council is very interested in the Oath Keepers. I truly hope that their interest is for the good of the people of the state of Michigan.

Domain Name mi.gov ? (U.S. Government)
IP Address 198.109.173.# (Michigan Legislative Council)
ISP Merit Network
Location
Continent : North America
Country : United States (Facts)
State : Michigan
City : Lansing
Lat/Long : 42.7285, -84.5662 (Map)
Language English (U.S.)
en-us

Time of Visit May 20 2009 9:33:29 am

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Too Big to Fail? Could we see the federalization of states?

WILLIAMS: That's right. Well, one of the things I have been watching is, as you've been having, some of our elected officials from the various states have been leading the 10th Amendment state sovereignty issues in their states and supporting resolutions saying, you know, those things not given to the federal government, you know, ought to be reserved to the states and the people, and the federal government has gone way beyond its authority. And it's about time that, you know, we stand up and say enough is enough.

BECK: OK. Tell me what these states have in common: New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Michigan — these are the states in trouble. New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont, Massachusetts.

WILLIAMS: Well, these are...

BECK: They are all the most progressive. They're the one — they're the ones with the biggest state governments.

Derivatives Market Drops for the first time in HISTORY!

Basel, Switzerland -- The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) has announced that the Derivatives market dropped for the first time in History.

The amount of outstanding contracts linked to bonds, currencies, commodities, stocks and interest rates fell 13.4 percent to $592 trillion, the Basel, Switzerland-based bank said yesterday. That’s the first decline in 10 years of compiling the data.

This is the surest sign yet that a massive financial collapse is on the way because the big shots are refusing to go out on a limb for "notional" profits or insure such contracts with credit default swaps.

They know the system is melting down and they're getting out while they can.
FULL STORY.

DETAILS HERE

Uncle Jay Explains “Deficit?” for May 18, 2009

What is the “Deficit?” Some kids at school take Deficit to help their attention, is it like that? No, in the news it’s about grownups who don’t pay attention to their money. That is, OUR money. Uncle Jay explains The Deficit!

American capitalism gone with a whimper

A few words from Russia!

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.

Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them? FULL STORY

"War is a racket"

The real speech re-created by an actor

If you know your history, you know that in 1934 there was an attempted coup in the United States that was thwarted largely due to the efforts of U.S. Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler (ret.)

Look it up.

Among other things, Butler was only one of 19 people ever awarded the Medal of Honor twice and the only person to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor for two different actions.

After it dawned on him how his heroism and the heroism of the troops under his command had been misused, he wrote a book called "War is a Racket" which I can virtually guarantee you never heard about in school.

Butler concluded there are only two reasons to ever take up arms:

1. To defend the country against real - not manufactured - attacks
2. To defend the Bill of Rights

Oath Keeper Sheriff Richard Mack

Oath Keeper Sheriff Richard Mack interview after Oath Keepers muster on Lexington Green, April 19, 2009. http://www.sheriffmack.com/

Alex Jones - Sheriff Richard Mack Pt1

Continental Congress 2009

7 Petitions for Redress of Grievances 96,151 Signatures

We The People Congress

On the Grand Jury

State Language on Jury Nullification

Juror's Handbook

History of the Federal Reserve

G. Edward Griffin on the Reality Report

Ron Paul Discusses Self-Government, Immigration & more with Motorhome Diaries

Motorhome Diaries

In Part I we discuss resources available to those new to the ideas of liberty, immigration, free markets, the welfare/warfare state and bailouts.



In Part II we discuss civil disobedience, jury nullification, secession, monetary policy, the power of ideas, self-government and a voluntary society, advice for activists and the potential for other freedom fighters to join Dr. Paul in the halls of Congress.



Ron Paul presents "Power to the Jury" At Issue (NEFL)

Granholm to Supreme Court? Serious tax issues fit Obama pattern

By Nick, Section News
Posted on Thu May 14, 2009 at 07:28:49 AM EST
Tags: Granholm, Obama, SCOTUS, tax cheat, IRS, lien (all tags)

The Ivory Tower reports this morning that Michigan's very own Governor Jennifer Granholm has landed smack dab on the Obama administration's short list of potential nominees to fill outgoing Justice David Souter's seat on the United States Supreme Court.

Others on the list: California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor, Diane Pamela Wood and former Deputy Attorney General James Comey.

The Detroit Free Press reported that an $800 lien was "placed against the Wayne County home of Granholm and her husband in 2006 for failing to file unemployment insurance reports on their nanny."

But that was only the start of the Governor's difficulties with the tax man. Last year the Internal Revenue Service came calling on Jennifer Granholm in an attempt to collect nearly $20,000 in taxes she'd failed to pay on an inaugural committee, dating all the way back to 2003. To show they were serious they brought a nearly $20,000 tax lien with them. FULL STORY.

MI Governor Granholm Has Upper Hand On SCOTUS - Tax Problems!

Yup, just might be another in a string of Obama administration nominees with tax issues. It's almost a badge of honor with nominees at this point. FULL STORY.

Could tax questions scuttle U.S. Supreme Court nomination for Granholm?

The U.S. Department of Treasury has placed a federal tax lien on the committee to the tune of $19,535 in unpaid taxes that date back to 2003.

That would have been Granholm’s 2002 inaugural committee. Some of the events happened in early 2003. FULL STORY.

MY COMMIT: So what we have here once again, is the Democrats who keep telling us we must pay our fair share so they can live an above average life style while we scrape to put food on the table.

But as we have seen in Obama's administration, LYING on a tax return is no big deal for such a GOOD CATHOLIC like Granholm. In my opinion, the CHURCH should have excommunicated Granholm for her CHOICE to run for office on a Pro Abortion, Pro Homosexual platform along with all the other GOOD CATHOLICS in name only. But then that would publicly admit that the Catholic Church has been taken over by Socialist Communists, wouldn't it.

Americans Largely Silent as Their Nation is Systematically Destroyed

They watch Obamanation grow in unbridled power

CanadaFreePress.com

By JB Williams Tuesday, March 24, 2009

After trillions in taxpayer debt has been foolishly poured into the bottomless black hole of leftist wealth redistribution programs, under the guise of economic “stimulus” or “stabilization” legislation, the new “ONE World” government running Washington DC announces; Geithner, Bernanke Call for New Wind-Down Powers After AIG… and the people still sit silent as they watch Obamanation grow in unbridled power.

Geithner Asks Congress for even Broader Power to Seize private Firms as the average American stumbles through their daily routine as if nothing is happening. Canada Free Press managing editor Judi McLeod writes No cheerleader for propping up greenback at G20 summit asking, “Is the table being set for One World Government rather than speeding the recovery of the worldwide recession at next week’s G20 London summit?”

Obamanation has taken the nation from a trillion in debt to over $4 trillion in debt in the first sixty days, with even more federal spending promised, which could put the nation $10 trillion in debt before the 2010 mid-term election cycle. Amnesty for illegals and ACORN led redistricting will make 2010 and beyond a moot point.

Still, beyond the movement to mail tea bags to members of congress or file another legal demand for proof of Obama’s constitutional eligibility for the office he holds, both of which are like whistling in the breeze, the people remain largely silent.

If you are not familiar with the Democratic Socialists of America or their legislative branch, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, I strongly suggest that you take time to learn them well. They are in charge of your nation. This is who the average American is up against and they are a very well funded and organized enemy of the state.

You will not be able to take your country back without putting these two organizations out of business. The longer you wait, the tougher the battle, the higher the price. FULL STORY.

WE THE PEOPLE...Continuing The Revolution 95,980 Signatures

JOIN Your Local We The People Congress.

BECOME An Educated Grand Juror and An Educated Petit Juror.

Reporting For Jury Duty: Reporting For Jury Duty

‘The Federal Reserve decided we should pay 100 cents on the dollar.’

Liddy revealed, under oath, among other things, that:

‘When the Federal Reserve set up Maiden Lane, they took on responsibility for settlement of all the CDS.’

‘The Federal Reserve decided we should pay 100 cents on the dollar.’

The bottom line is that the testimony was that The Fed decided to settle the contracts in a non-economic manner that resulted in screwing the taxpayer by transferring more than $100 billion dollars of taxpayer money out to these banks when the cash value at the time was FAR LESS! Some of these instruments were trading on the open market for pennies on the dollar. The allegation just made by Liddy is that Bernanke and The Fed literally stole $100 billion dollars from you and I by intentionally and wantonly overpaying on the settlement of these contracts! FULL STORY.

Ron Paul's Son Announces Candidacy for Senate

Dr. Rand Paul, son of 2008 Republican Presidential candidate and fundraising juggernaut Ron Paul, announced his candidacy for US Senator from Kentucky in 2010. He teased the announcement on his Twitter feed, but let the cat out of the bag on the Rachel Maddow Show:

As a candidate, Paul's stands on the issues position him as a sort of "Ron Paul Lite." As enumerated on his website, he mixes more traditionally Republican ideas with Libertarian buzzwords. Like his dad, Rand Paul opposes the Iraq War, dings the Federal Reserve, and pushes back against the department of Education.



Money BOMB for Rand Paul for U.S. Senate! Donate now!! So he will have something to brag about when he announces his run on the Rachel Maddow show tonight!!

https://www.randpaul2010.com/donation

http://www.randpaul2010.com/

Notre Dame to be given 'Collaborator' status?

Abortion opponents say rescind Obama invitation or else

Hanks explained to WND that only once before has the group awarded its Permanent Collaborator Status, to the Weitz Corp., which built Denver's Planned Parenthood megaclinic abortion facility.

"From that founding and the subsequent and ongoing protests of Weitz Corporation executive homes, we are gathering more support from citizens around the country, who still see a moral bright line which should never be crossed," the letter to Notre Dame said.

"Our nation has, sadly, almost forgotten her Declaration of Independence – America's birth certificate," the letter said. "President Obama, incredibly, doesn't seem to be aware of the powerful words proclaiming founding America's reverence for life, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. FULL STORY.

When conscience is criminalized

Julea Ward, who used to be a graduate student at Eastern Michigan University until she was kicked out for her religious beliefs.

Ms. Ward was enrolled in a graduate program at the school and as part of her education was required to enroll in a counseling practicum. In that practicum, she was assigned a case involving a homosexual who needed help. Ms. Ward did not feel that she could affirm the student's homosexual lifestyle because of her Christian beliefs, so she asked her supervisor what she should do. His advice was to refer the student to a counselor who had no qualms with affirming homosexual behavior. That is what she did, and it was all done before she saw the student. There was no counseling that took place between the two, there was no confrontation between the two, and there was no condemnation of homosexuality -- just an honest confession of her deeply held religious belief. But the story doesn't end there.

Julea was summoned to appear before a disciplinary hearing and told that if she wanted to continue on with her graduate program, she would have to submit to a "remediation" program so that she could see "the error of her ways." She refused to be forced into a re-education program designed to convert her from biblical faith, and as a result, she was kicked out of school. There's your tolerance.

Does it scare you that the people overseeing her program weren't content with the fact that she acted properly and with integrity? Does is scare you that they wanted her to change not just her actions, but her religious beliefs?

If you have a child in a publicly funded college or university, this should make all kinds of alarms go off in your head. Any parent who takes their faith life seriously, no matter what brand, should be very concerned.

Publicly funded colleges and universities, and even private schools, used to pride themselves on being open forums, encouraging diversity of beliefs and philosophies. They still think that is what they are, but the truth is becoming clear: they are open to some ideas, as long as they are not from an evangelical Christian worldview, and as long as you don't practice what you preach. FULL STORY.

Missouri lawmakers vote to reject federal Real ID Act

By LEE LOGAN
The Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri lawmakers on Wednesday voted to direct the Department of Revenue to not comply with federal driver’s license requirements.

The federal Real ID Act, passed in 2005, requires states to collect and verify certain information about applicants for driver’s licenses and state ID cards. It was passed in response to national security concerns after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

But some Missouri lawmakers argue Real ID is an unwelcome intrusion into privacy and requires several new technologies that could increase the risk of identity theft.

The Senate voted 32-0 Wednesday to advance the bill to Gov. Jay Nixon. The bill was previously passed by the House. If Nixon signs the legislation, Missouri would join 12 other states that have enacted similar anti-Real ID laws.FULL STORY.

Ron Paul Jury Nullification

White House Czar Calls for End to 'War on Drugs'

Kerlikowske Says Analogy Is Counterproductive; Shift Aligns With Administration Preference for Treatment Over Incarceration

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration's new drug czar says he wants to banish the idea that the U.S. is fighting "a war on drugs," a move that would underscore a shift favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use.

In his first interview since being confirmed to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske said Wednesday the bellicose analogy was a barrier to dealing with the nation's drug issues.

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country." FULL STORY.

Judicial Watch Forces Release of Bank Bailout Documents

Contact Information:
Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305

Washington, DC -- May 13, 2009

Documents Detail Historic Treasury/Bankers Meeting – but Geithner Input on Key Document Withheld from the Public

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it forced the Obama administration to release documents about the October 13, 2008, Treasury Department meeting that coerced major banks to allow the government to take $250 billion equity stakes. Among the other news, the documents confirm former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson told the CEOs of nine major banks that they had no choice but to allow the government to take equity stakes in their institutions. The documents show Obama Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, FDIC Chairman Shelia Blair, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke co-hosted the meeting with Paulson.

Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about the bankers meeting on October 16, 2008. After months of stonewalling, a FOIA lawsuit was filed against the Obama Treasury Department on January 27, 2009. Incredibly, on February 4, Treasury responded it had no documents about the historic meeting. Pressure from Judicial Watch forced Treasury to reevaluate its response, which resulted in this document release last month. Included in the new documents are: FULL STORY

"CEO Talking Points"

"Major Financial Institution Participation Commitments"

Email showing a public relations effort,

WTP To U.S. Court Of Appeals In AIG & $700B Bailout Case:

“This is a Republic, not a Democracy. Please stop the transition.”

Last September, in defense of the Constitution, Bob Schulz sued Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed. Chairman Ben Bernanke to prevent the flow of public funds to AIG until they identified where in the Constitution they found the authority, granted by the People, to give or lend public funds or credit to a private party for a decidedly and definitively private purpose.

Soon after, also in defense of the Constitution, Bob Schulz sued the leaders of the U.S. Executive and Legislative Branches and Fed. Chairman Ben Bernanke, to prevent the flow of public funds under the $700 Billion Bailout Bill (The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008) until they identified where in the Constitution they found the authority, granted by the People, to give or lend public funds or credit to a private party for a decidedly and definitively private purpose.
Despite the fact the bailout legislation passed into law expressly provides for Judicial consideration of injunctions brought on constitutional grounds, the federal District Court dismissed the case on the basis that Schulz lacked “standing” to bring the constitutional challenge and, therefore, the Court lacked “jurisdiction” to hear the case.

Yesterday, Schulz perfected his appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan. His Argument is repeated, below in its entirety. For a full copy of his Brief, including the Facts and Procedural History, click here.

In sum, Schulz argues that the decisions by the federal Courts, in cases (Petitions) seeking Redress of direct violations of the Constitution by officials in the two other branches of the federal Government, have put Schulz (and all other individuals) in the intolerable position of having to rely exclusively on the electoral process (i.e., the majority of people voting) for a guarantee of his Rights, not the Constitution or the Courts.

ARGUMENT:

A. THE JUDICIARY’S APPLICATION OF ITS STANDING
DOCTRINE, COUPLED WITH THE JUDICIARY’S
APPLICATION OF ITS STARE DECISIS DOCTRINE,
IN A STRING OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO
ACTIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT, ADDS UP TO AN
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, INTOLERABLE DEPRIVATION
OF PLAINTIFF’S RIGHT TO A GOVERNMENT
REPUBLICAN IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE.

WE THE PEOPLE CONGRESS

Petitions for Redress of Grievances 95,854 Signatures

Fully Informed Jury Association


Reporting For Jury Duty: Jury Service During The Trial

Justice Powell, in United States v. Calandra, 414 U.S. 338, 343 (1974), stated:

"The institution of the grand jury is deeply rooted in Anglo-American history. [n3] In England, the grand jury [p343] served for centuries both as a body of accusers sworn to discover and present for trial persons suspected of criminal wrongdoing and as a protector of citizens against arbitrary and oppressive governmental action. In this country, the Founders thought the grand jury so essential to basic liberties that they provided in the Fifth Amendment that federal prosecution for serious crimes can only be instituted by 'a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.' Cf. Costello v. United States, 350 U.S. 359, 361-362 (1956). The grand jury?s historic functions survive to this day. Its responsibilities continue to include both the determination whether there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and the protection of citizens against unfounded criminal prosecutions. Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665, 686-687 (1972)."