Liberty Maven

D o w n s i z e r – D i s p a t c h

Quote of the Day: “Nobody can acquire honor by doing what is wrong” – Thomas Jefferson

Directly inspired by DownsizeDC.org, California businessman Jerrol LeBaron has the idea that his state legislators should also be required to read the bills. One advantage in California is he doesn’t have to pressure the State Assembly and Senate — he can go directly to the people. Through California’s initiative-and-referendum process, LeBaron intends to put California’s own version of a Read the Bills Act on the ballot for voters to pass. LeBaron has created Honor in Office to accomplish this.

It is gratifying to see DC Downsizer ideas spread through the country. Success in California will inspire movements in other states and hasten success at the federal level. As the name of the California group suggests, reading the bills really is a matter of honor. An elected legislator really has no other job but to understand what he or she is doing to the people. Otherwise, why have elected representatives at all?

Yet, over the past three weeks, the House and Senate combined to pass 50 bills totaling 2,904 pages. These bills were not read on the floor. They weren’t read by members in their personal time. Most weren’t even read in committee.

(To see the list of bills passed, check out the blog version of this Dispatch.)

Let’s tell Congress that the RTBA movement isn’t going away. Tell them it is actually spreading to the states. Tell them if they don’t introduce and pass RTBA, their very honor is open to question. You can send your message using our easy-to-use Educate the Powerful System.    Read More »

…. debasing the dollar to prop up the housing boom that the FED created.

by Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution
Originally published Monday, June 29, 2009 at http://www.nolanchart.com/article6575.html

“A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

- George Bernard Shaw (photo)

In the June 24, 2009, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) led by FED Chairman Ben Bernanke announced that the FED will monetize another $1.75 Trillion in 2009.  The announcement reads “the Federal Reserve will purchase a total of up to $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage-backed securities and up to $200 billion of agency debt by the end of the year. In addition, the Federal Reserve will buy up to $300 billion of Treasury securities by autumn.”

This is a last-ditch attempt to continue to prop the housing market from a further collapse due to option, Alt-A, ARM mortgages.  As with most of the current interventions, instead of “softening the blow” this action will merely drag out this depression, and likely will make the end resolution that much more catastrophic. Monetization of debt increase the money supply of dollars, which inevitably causes debasement of the dollar by inflation.

Read More »

I make a point to my Congressman that he should seek solutions, not just complain and promote hypocrisy.

by Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution

Originally published Sunday, June 28, 2009 at http://www.nolanchart.com/article6574.html

This open letter is to summarize a point made during a phone call to my Congressman’s office on Friday, June 26. The letter has also been emailed to his office, and during the call I identified myself as a citizen and also a candidate in the 2010 election.

Dear Congressman Dent,

In regards to HR 2346, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, you were quoted on your website this month as saying: “I am disappointed Speaker Pelosi chose not to pass a clean bill to fund our service men and women to fight the radicals and extremists that pose a threat to our national security.”

While I disagree with your reasoning outlined in the announcement, I would have voted against this bill as well. However, this brings up a question – how  does one define a “clean bill.” I ask to you to read a note I sent you earlier this year where I referenced a DownsizeDC.org’s bill reform act to allow only one subject at a time to be listed.

Many people in our district are well aware of your approval of HR 1424, the $700+ Billion “Banker Bailout” in October of last year. Although you voted against the first time, you voted FOR it several days later after the Senate added 332 pages of pork to the original 110-page banker bailout text. Here are some of the added sections which you voted for.

Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility.
Sec. 318. Expensing of environmental remediation costs.
Sec. 319. Extension of work opportunity tax credit for Hurricane Katrina employees.
Sec. 320. Extension of increased rehabilitation credit for structures in the Gulf Opportunity Zone.
Sec. 321. Enhanced deduction for qualified computer contributions.
Sec. 323. Enhanced charitable deductions for contributions of food inventory.
Sec. 324. Extension of enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of book inventory.
Sec. 325. Extension and modification of duty suspension on wool products; wool research fund; wool duty refunds.
Sec. 401. Permanent authority for undercover operations. (as related to tax provisions)
Sec. 501. $8,500 income threshold used to calculate refundable portion of child tax credit.
Sec. 502. Provisions related to film and television productions.
Sec. 503. Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children.
Sec. 504. Income averaging for amounts received in connection with the Exxon Valdez litigation.

I hope you now see the hypocrisy of your own past actions and decide to sponsor a bill that would lead to “clean bills” that are limited to one subject at a time. Not just for Speaker Pelosi and her Democrats, not just for yourself and all Republicans, BUT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

As your constituent, I do not wish to hear complaints from you without either solutions on how to fix them or requests for help.

So, could you please sponsor a bill to promote ‘One Subject at a Time’?  Feel free to contact me with questions.

Let me also voice my disappointment with you, Congressman. If you read HR 2346 closely, you would have also noted that there are many other side topics besides the War of Terror that you support. One of the most important is that the bill gives permission to the IMF to sell major portions of its gold holdings, much of which is on loan from our country. The President and Congress is committing a robbery in awarding our country’s gold to others without public discourse of any sort.  You are remiss in your duty to alert your constituents of this.

On June 4^th, I sent you a note concerning the constitutionality of using of taxpayer funds on the nation’s health care and asked a simple question in regards to HR 2516, the Medical Rights Act, a bill you co-signed. Could you please reply to this question?

On May 7^th, I sent you a note requesting your thoughts on the Federal Reserve (specifically whether you would support abolishing it, and if not, why) and our nation’s monetary policy. Could you please reply and inform me of your stance on the FED and monetary policy?

Jake Towne is running for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 15th District in the 2010 election as a citizen unaffiliated with any political parties.  Jake also writes at www.LibertyMaven.com and www.CampaignForLiberty.com.  A master campaign presentation for internet viewing is available. [Reach the Author Here!]

P.S. You can listen to my most recent interview with “Patriot Pastor” Kinley from last week on BlogTalk Radio here.   On July 1, 4 PM EST, I will be on live with Ken Van Doren of the Voice of Liberty on www.RevolutionBroadcasting.com.

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Summary of Articles and Bibliography for Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution (6/8/2009)