Guest Contributor

MANDEVILLE, LOUISIANA/Mike Church -  Much has been made about the “Tea Party” movement and other American’s calls to “return to the Constitution” and get “our government back” from the politicians and special interests that have stolen it from us and our posterity. There are many thoughtful plans being promoted that should the Republican Party regain control of the House of Representatives, people feel they should pursue. These plans offer various degrees of remodeling the federal system but do nothing to alter its inexorable course toward either an Oligarchy or acting national democratic legislature.

I offer as a counterpoint this brief list of actions that would merely begin the process of “returning to the Constitution”. The list could easily number in the hundreds of pages and resemble one of the current Congress’s legislative acts in both size and scope and even that wouldn’t completely “return us to the Constitution.”

With an open mind and with an even more hopeful heart I offer this brief set of actions that would only begin the “return” process and challenge my fellow citizens to consider the magnitude of what must be done to “secure the [former] blessing of liberty to ourselves AND our posterity.

Authors Disclaimer – I make no claim to the precise naming of all agencies, Acts and or laws cited herein.

1. Freeze all federal hiring, this includes funding requests from the executive branch to hire.

2. Repeal the Budget Act of 1974 and all it’s contingent COLA “mandates” no matter the agency or program they are applicable to.

3. Freeze under threat of rescinding funding any and all new regulations currently under review or consideration

4. Have an up or down vote on a Declaration of War with Iraq and with Afghanistan. if either fails then troop withdrawals must begin immediately.

5. Pass the Private Property Restoration Act which among other things shall forbid any federal magistrate from hearing any cases to restrict use of private property.

6. Repeal the AMT permanently by statute.

7. Repeal the capital gains tax.

8. Refuse to fund the Education Department and the Department of Energy, any programs, grants projects or construction begun under these agencies must cease. The EPA’s charter must be rewritten to make it clear that it only has jurisdiction over federal and or territorial waters and land.

9. Repeal ObamaCare and all contingent legislation. Congress must then use legitimate Commerce Clause powers to “make commerce regular” and remove from the tax code all subsidies, all claims of tax credit, any and all restrictions federal law imposes on the sale or use of major medical health insurance. This must include federal recognition of PPO, HMO or other plans created to satisfy Congress.

10. Repeal the FICA and sunset the program by Jan 1, 2030. Establish a cutoff date for continued payment eligibility such as born on or before December 31, 1959.

11. Repeal the Patriot Act of 2001, 2005 and sunset the Department of Homeland Security on or before December 31, 2012.

12. Repeal all mandates, taxes and law pertaining to the SCHIP program.

13. Announce the return of U.S. Gold and Silver bullion coins as legal tender and order the treasury to begin the purchase of bullion with the intent of eliminating paper currency in favor of gold and silver coin and gold and silver coin backed notes.

14. Pass the Debt Consolidation and Repayment Act. This Act will require the sale of all lands currently “owned” by the U.S. government which do not house “needful buildings, docks, arsenals, forts and magazines”. This is not limited to “Parks” and “National forests”. All proceeds are to be solely applicable to the repayment of the U.S. Governments outstanding debts both domestic and foreign.

15. End the federal tax designations enacted and known as 501 (c), (g), 503, 527 e.g. “non-profits”.

16. Repeal the “Income tax witholding act” and enact an immediate and deduction free, flat income tax law, payable once per year by each citizen.

17. Repeal all corporate and business interest, income and profit taxation.

18. Heed the call of 38 states that shall call an convention to amend the Constitution under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.

Mike Church, Sirius/XM Radio Talkshow Host “The Mike Church Show”, Singer/Songwriter, and Owner “Founding Father Films”

In the sea of nationally syndicated Straussian Neo-Conservative voices which dominate talk-radio, Mike Church is the lone champion of “little-r” Republicanism regardless of which “party” is in control. He speaks passionately about the necessity of returning to a humble foreign policy, abolishing the FEDERAL RESERVE, the insidious nature of Income Taxation, the false choice of Democrat or Republican, and advocates tirelessly for a full-restoration of the Constitution. As such, and as one of the only voices to have a nationally broadcast platform, Mike is quickly becoming a favorite amongst the burgeoning “Liberty Movement” which sprang up across the internet during Dr. Ron Paul’s 2008 Presidential Campaign. Further, Mike is also an author, filmmaker and singer/songwriter in addition to his duties as host of “The Mike Church Show” Mike uses facts and the actual writings produced by the Founding Generation to promote the singular notion that in order to save our future, we must look back to the principles our beloved union was founded upon. He is also known for writing and producing a bevy of parody songs that use humor as a vehicle to drive home serious political points. His rendition of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, “Mrs. Robinson,” aptly entitled “Mr. Jefferson” racked up nearly 200,000 views in its first few days on YouTube and was on its way to becoming viral before Google/YouTube stepped in and pulled the clip from the site for reasons the site has never been able to explain. (the clip was later re-uploaded and spread by others) Still, Mike’s message could not be silenced, as it became the theme song for hundreds of “Tax Day Tea Party” events across the country in 2009. Mike is also the author, producer, and a voice talent behind the heralded documentaries: “Road to Independence” (the story of the Declaration of Independence) and “The Fame of Our Fathers: How Immortality Inspired Our Constitution;” and “The Spirit of ’76”. The third in the series, “Spirit” is also the first feature-length film from Mike Church’s Founding Father Films. The company is currently in production to bring an animated-feature length film version to theaters in the fall of 2010. The Mike Church show can be heard daily Monday through Friday from 6:00am to 9:00am EST on SiriusXM PATRIOT

Allison Bricker

SPRINGFIELD, VIRGINIA – Representative Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty (C4L), formed after his 2008 Presidential Campaign so as to continue advocating the message of limited Constitutional government, has launched a new push to stop H.R. 2454: American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Hoping to build on the successful effort to secure an Audit of the FEDERAL RESERVE, albeit the FOMC and international transactions are still protected from view, C4L now focuses on creating a groundswell to stop the insidious scheme by Corporatists in government to create a ”cap and trade” framework.

If passed and signed into law, the system will solely benefit the largest of companies thus further consolidating their power while simultaneously stifling competition, which of course is the number one sin in the mind of the Corporatist.

Austrian Market analysts estimate that should the bill pass the Senate, we as individuals could see approximately six-hundred and fifty billion in new taxes and caution that such a boondoggle will also prevent the creation of new jobs from upstart companies on Main Street while further insulating Wall Street’s corporation from bearing any form of pressure by the market whatsoever.

Thus, the Corporatists know that such a system should it be proposed voluntarily would suffer a complete failure before it even began due the enormous barriers raised for new and small business, and therefore must rely on the FORCE of government in order to corner the energy market.

As such, C4L has launched an email blitz of its existing members and has created a website, where individuals can consent to sending a letter to both of their Federal Senators. The draft letter goes on to formally request that their Senators vote against both HR 2454 as well as any future efforts at a Cap and Trade scheme, and even goes so far as to urge the Senators to wage a filibuster if needed so as to kill the bill prior to a final vote.

Source(s): Campaign for Liberty, Stop Cap and Tax • Mises Institute, “The Costs of Carbon Legislation” by Robert P. Murphy Published June 01, 2009 • Government Printing Office Online Document Depository, H.R. 2454 • The Washinton Post, “Tilting at Green Windmills” By George F. Will, Published Thursday, June 25, 2009

Allison Bricker

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA – As the Straussian Neo-Conservatives once again fire up the war drums in hopes of dragging this nation into yet a 3rd war in the Middle-East, they look to relegate the complex technological difference between civilian and military-grade nuclear programs to secondary status in favor of their brand of over-masculinized nationalism to achieve their Imperial end.

However, unlike during the run up to war with Iraq, beginning publicly in earnest during the fall of 2002, many  have awoke to the message of Dr. Ron Paul’s 2008 Presidential campaign and are instead turning to the independent new-media in lieu of the corporate-controlled talking heads of network and cable news.

Further, those of us looking to promote a humble foreign policy as envisioned and espoused by the Founding Generation, also have a most articulate advocate thereof in one Mr. Scott Horton. Mr. Horton is an intellectual powerhouse countering each and everyone of the Neo-Conservative Warmonger’s empty, yet emotionally charged rhetoric with facts, reason, and more facts, utterly undercutting the warmonger’s chest-thumping.

This past April, the University of California at Riverside impaneled a discussion group consisting of Reese Erlich, Mr. Horton, Larry Greenfield, and Christopher Records for their discussion entitled, “Obama’s challenge: Iran, Nuclear Weapons & the Mideast” The full debate runs two-and-one-half hours, however the playlist below also includes the individual segments of Mr. Horton and Mr. Erlich. (to skip to the next segment, click the button to the right of the Play button)

Scott Horton – Radio Host, Liberty Radio network, KAOS 95.9, and KUCR 88.3
	Scott Horton, assistant editor for Antiwar.com and host of Antiwar Radio for the Liberty Radio Network, KAOS Radio 95.9 FM in Austin, Texas and KUCR 88.3 in Riverside, California.

Allison Bricker

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – The Republican faithful gathered at the Riverside Hilton hotel in New Orleans for their quadrennial conference SRLC 2010, to discuss election strategies, attend workshops and listen to the Republican party’s s most public figures. Further, the conference’s most highly covered event the straw poll, featured a tie for first place this year between former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney and Texas Congressional Representative, Ron Paul both receiving 24% of the vote.

Representative Paul who failed to place whatsoever in the previous conference in 2006 and who was widely mocked by the Republican status-quo during the 2008 Presidential campaign is finding an ever-growing audience due to his consistent promotion of Constitutionally limited government as well as his dedication to a humble foreign policy more in line with that of the Founding Generation.

This is Representative Paul’s second straw poll victory having placed first by a wide margin during the CPAC conference held this past February. He credits the growing acceptance of the message to both the explosion in information via the internet and the energetic youth who see that their economic liberty is on the hook thanks to promises made by the federal government regarding Social Security, Medicare, continuing imperial wars, and the new massive health care bill signed into law by President Obama.

Nevertheless, even as Representative Paul and the message of Liberty continue to gain momentum, the old-media as the LibertyMaven points out⁽¹⁾ is none to thrilled and spare no chance to minimize the statesman or the prospect of greater Liberty in our lifetime.

Source(s):⁽¹⁾Liberty Maven ^“Straw Poll Media Bias: Ron Paul vs. Mitt Romney” by: Marc Gallagher, published April 10th, 2010 • MinnesotaChris YouTube Channel

Allison Bricker

It may not be televised but its participants will indeed be educated.

THE REGION, INDIANA – The desire which compels me to write and speak in strong opposition towards the oppressive expansion of the American government, whether under Democrats or Republicans, owes its genesis to the firm imploration by my mom that education does not end upon graduation, and instead must be a continual process throughout the course of one’s life. As it is often said, knowledge is power.

The illuminated truth, motivated by my infatuation with the founding of this Republic, came to me through the worn and sometimes crumbling pages of books, not the endless memorization and standardized testing advocated in government schools.

Unencumbered by whitewashed lesson plans and the sometimes-evident pro-statist bias of my teachers and administrators, the ability for me to sit and soak up the words of those dusty essays, journals, letters, and notes is in my opinion, one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments, id est. the Gutenberg Press.

The proliferation of movable-type in the colonies spurred forth the “Challenge of Ideas”, giving rise to the radical Questioning of the absurd notion that rule over mankind came from divinely appointed kings, queens or parliamentary superiority, the “central planners” of their day. Further, its unique place in our history whereby it aided the distribution of both Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence, cements a fondness in my soul for both it and the enlightened distribution of information.

Unfortunately, the business of news, information, and debate had become increasingly consolidated during the course of the last 100 years. As government intervened into the market via absurd licensure schemes under the guise of promoting “fairness”, “public” ownership of the airwaves et cetera, its endless volumes of regulations succeeded only in raising barriers to entry and creating media oligarchies to the benefit of the state. Government sanctioned soap-boxes have proved mightily their efficient processing and packaging of news and information into simplified talking points, but at what cost?

The result of this corporate protectionist media racket; is to have given rise to the sound bite intellect, thereby imbuing legions of collectives charged with half the facts and all the passionate rhetoric once reserved for a Finney tent revival.

Yet we see throughout history that humanity’s yearning for information is as perpetual as a sunrise. Undiscouraged by the darkness, she eternally dawns over the horizon pushing back the shadows and nefarious K-Street deals that go bump in the night, providing her warmth and illumination to the dual pillars known as the trees of Liberty and Knowledge, which to the utter dismay of the D.C. pull-peddlers shan’t be felled.

Indeed the central authority’s arrogance will lead to its own most necessary undoing. Nevertheless fellow readers, windows do not remain in perpetuum. However, our patient suffering at the hands of the old-media spoon-feeders has in large part been relieved via the propagation of citizen journalists and institutions dedicated to the pursuit of Reason and human Liberty.

How many amongst us gave pause just a decade prior to entertain a contrary view on economics outside the Keynesian philosophy, which dominates the airwaves and halls of academia? Further, what is the rise in percentage of Americans who now know that the FEDERAL RESERVE is a private for-profit bank who charges interest to the government in exchange for loans collateralized by our and our posterity’s wages as opposed to just five years previous?

Whereby even just a decade past many swam in a sea of noise almost exclusively dominated by the 24-hour cable news cycle, perhaps unaware of what questions to even ask, let alone where to look, our present station finds us on the familiar yet long undisturbed grounds of our forbearers.

Americans today are questioning the answers like no time in recent memory. The floodgates of knowledge have burst open providing us the gift of distributed learning via wonderful institutions such as the Mises Foundation, which has its entire catalog available for the taking on iTunes university, free of charge. We the People are gathering under varied banners unified solely by dissatisfaction of government intrusion into all spheres of our lives.

The airwaves are humming with talks of finding Constitutional solutions to the present Crisis, such as the symposium being held by Mike Church in Washington tomorrow to discuss the possibility of a remedy at the hands of an Article V convention.

It makes me smile to know that despite the Central Authority’s best efforts to squeeze out dissent, the tighter they grasp, the more we awaken.

Long Live Liberty and let us raise a glass in celebration of the coming Second Age of Reason.

Allison Bricker

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Kurt Wallace, Editor and Publisher of the liberty news aggregation website LibertyPulse, sat down with Professor Kevin Gutzman to help set the record straight regarding some of the misconceptions surrounding what is known as an Article V Convention. Also referred to as a “con-con” by those opposed to the process, an Article  V Convention was primarily inserted into the U.S. Constitution as a fail-safe the states could turn to should the federal government overstep its delegated Constitutional authority. Professor Gutzman, Thomas Woods from the Mises Institute, and several other notables from the Liberty Movement will be joining Sirius talkshow host Mike Church to discuss the matter in greater detail. The Smoking Argus hopes to be able to stream the event live as it the discussion continues this Friday, April 9th from Washington D.C.

The interview with Professor Gutzman runs approximately 24 minutes in length.

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Allison Bricker

QUINCY, ILLINOIS – Representative Phil Hare of the 17th Illinois Congressional District provided keen insight to his and most likely many of his colleagues’ feelings towards the U.S.  Constitution when asked about the authorization for the Federal government’s intervention into health care whereby he stated:

“I don’t worry about the Constitution on this to be honest with you.”

Representative Phil Hare
17th Congressional District of Illinois

 

He then quickly returned to his “appeal to pity” as a justification for the takeover of health insurance by the Central Authority. He spewed forth heartbreaking stump-story after stump-story that would even make Glenn Beck weep crocodile tears in support of involuntary charity. In the comedy of errors that followed, Representative Hare proceeded to confuse the preamble to the Constitution with that of the Declaration of Independence, and squirmed his pull-peddling self straight out of the door after being confronted unto his laughable assertion that he read the health care bill three separate times prior to casting his vote.

Representative Hare like many in Congress, was hand-picked by his fellow Democrat precinct committeemen¹ in 2006 to replace Lane Evans who in the rich Illinois tradition of public-official corruption, announced his retirement after pleading nolo contendere and coughing up $185,000 in Civil fines to the FEC². The penalties were levied by the Federal Election Commission for collusion and misuse of political funds after uncovering a coordinated effort to bypass contribution limitations by then Representative Lane’s campaign fund, the 17th District Victory Fund, and Rock Island Democratic Central Committee.

As a reaction to his sudden YouTube infamy, Representative Hare decided to issue a response video in order to reassure his constituents that the Constitution is “near and dear to his heart”. So much so that it even says so on the  notes he reads from throughout his heart-felt plea to be able to “disagree but not be disagreeable.” Hopefully the voters of Illinois will send this ignorant excuse for a representative packing in November, replacing him with someone who understands and fully appreciates their oath of office to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution.

Source(s): ¹Who Runs Government, a Washington Post Company “Phil Hare (D-17IL)” • ²FEC Press Office: THE FRIENDS OF LANE EVANS COMMITTEE AGREES TO PAY $185,000 CIVIL PENALTY June 28th, 2005

Guest Contributor

A Warning to Freedom Lovers.

A friend of mine told me he went to his storage unit yesterday to stash away some items for safe-keeping. While he was there, an employee of the facility told him agents of the state, in this case, employees of Ontario, Inc. had visited him.

These state employees were handing out a paper with the following content:

Illegal Tobacco – Know the Signs

1. Observe tobacco products.
2. Smell associated with tobacco products.
3. Renters who pay cash.
4. Rental of numerous storage units.
5. Delivery of sea container to a newly rented storage unit.
6. Use of rental vehicles. (i.e. 20′ one-ton truck)
7. Visits by many individuals to the storage unit.
8. Numerous visits to the storage unit.

If you suspect that a unit rented from you is being used to store tobacco products, please contact the ministry of Revenue’s confidential tip line at:

(905) 440-4227 – “We want the information not your name.”

ONTARIO MINISTRY OF REVENUE

Ontario Incorporated (or whichever government you wish to use as an example) is a very large business entity. Unlike most legal business entities, like Wal-Mart or McDonald’s etc., many of the employees of Ontario Inc. are allowed to carry guns. You might wonder why Ontario Inc.’s employees carry guns while those of Wal-Mart and McDonald’s Inc. arm themselves with smiles.

Well, the short answer is that while McDonalds and Wal-Mart are evil, profit seeking companies who must compete for your dollars in what is commonly known as the “private sector,” Ontario Inc. is a loving, caring company who knows it’s goods and services are so superior to anything offered by the private sector that it exempts itself from the restrictions that apply to greedy, privately owned concerns.

It’s “products”, and “services”, are so essential that it need not rely upon your voluntary financial support. It “knows,” how valuable it’s offerings are, sets the price independent of any market forces, and demands that you become it’s customer; or else!

Unlike Wal-Mart or McDonald’s, which must use advertising, smiles and competitive prices to persuade you to part with your dollars, Ontario Inc. has something far more effective, men with guns.

Oh! If only McDonald’s Inc. could have the same privileges and powers as Ontario Inc, it could legislate Wendy’s, Harvey’s, and Burger King Etc. out of existence. It would then become the sole supplier of burgers and fries.

After a few years, once the public had forgotten that they used to have a choice of suppliers, McDonald’s could declare itself essential. It could require that all of the citizens within its jurisdiction pay for its burger making services, whether they used them or not. It would have finally discovered the perfect business model; guaranteed profits, guaranteed success.

Citizens would receive an annual bill from McDonald’s. It might be based upon how many burgers the citizen *should have* purchased the previous year (Note: *should have* – based upon the recommendations of highly paid consultants and McDonald’s funded universities etc.) Payment would be mandatory.

Perhaps, McDonald’s management would have been elected by an ignorant mass of easily manipulated voter/sheep (See the current government of the United States of America.) In addition, the majority of them would have voted for the aspiring CEO because he was a “progressive”, who sincerely believed that the price one paid for burgers ought to be based on the ability to pay. Those with higher incomes would be forced to pay a higher price for their burgers. Those with no income would get their burgers subsidized.

The receivables department of McDonald’s would be staffed by a bunch of Happy Cops dressed up as smiling clowns…. with guns… and the legal power to peer into your financial records…. to make sure you had not made any false statements on your burger returns. And as a BONUS… no need to worry too much about the quality of their product since they are immune from any competitive market forces. They could sell you ground rat if they wanted. (See the recent U.S. Health Care Bill.)

Eventually, organized labor would see the wonderful opportunities available to its members in “representing”, all McDonalds employees. The govern…. excuse me, I meant McDonald’s worker at the drive-thru window asking if you would like fries with your burger would now be making $60, 000 a year. (Irate customers with cell phone cameras might take the occasional snapshot of the McDonald’s order taker snoozing away as the cars sat lined up. People at house parties would proudly proclaim that their son or daughter had just passed the exam and landed themselves a job (for life) at McDonalds.

Clip Courtesy: WGA/Dreamworks/JamesKlanto © 2002 Warner Bros. Pictures

If the above seems far-fetched, I have two words for you … Post Office.

So… back to the tobacco Gestapo… and the company for which they work. It has come to my attention, though I will not say how… that the true market price of a carton of cigarettes is in the neighborhood of $25. However, under Ontario’s monopoly, the price of a carton of cigarettes purchased “legally”, is about $75.00, give or take a few dollars. Government Inc., therefore, is losing about $50 “profit”, on every carton sold outside of its greedy and tenacious authority.

And if one of its gun-toting clowns happens to barge into your storage locker, confiscate your stash and slap you with a nasty and spiteful fine, don’t be confused when he smiles at you and says, “Have a Nice Day.”

Ontario Inc. We will ram it up your butt whether you like it or not. And if you don’t like it, go fuck yourself. Smiles might be free somewhere else, but here; you pay a 5% tax.

Guest Contributor: Freelance Writer and Taxicab Driver

Mr. Weinhold graduated from Mohawk College located in Hamilton, Ontario in 1981 with a degree in Chemical Technology. Passionate about politics and outspoken about the ever-growing largess of government Hans describes himself as a lifelong libertarian. Currently self-employed as a taxicab driver Hans currently spends most of his time loitering, smoking cigarettes, shooting the breeze with his fellow cab-drivers waiting for their next customer from the Hamilton International Airport.

Allison Bricker

This Saturday, March 20th, 2010 is the 7th Anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. Seeking to help bring more public pressure and return the U.S. to a more humble foreign  policy in line with the vision of the Founding Generation, Liberty activists from across the Republic are hosting an all day radio marathon. The group is hoping to raise funds to further fund the Peace Blimp project and other anti-war outreach activities.

The all-star line up includes Trevor Lyman, the originator of both the first money bombs and Ron Paul Blimp, Future of Freedom Foundation President & Founder Jacob Hornberger, Kurt Wallace of LibertyPulse, my debate partner from earlier in the week, Jack Hunter, Editor & Publisher of the DailyPaul, Michael Nystrom, Congressional House candidate and Iraq veteran Adam Kokesh, and many others from the Liberty Movement. In addition, the all-day marathon will include interviews  ranging from  Representatives Ron Paul of Texas and Alan Grayson of Florida to Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney.

Finally, the diverse line up will feature a live performance by Nadir beginning at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. You can tune into the all day event scheduled to run from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at PeacBlimp.com.

Source(s): PeaceBlimp.com

Allison Bricker

Jack Hunter and myself will debate is a Supreme Court ruling on the Chicago Gun ban could violate the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution if their ruling does overturn the Chicago ban in place since 1982. After posting  my reply entitled “Essay No. 3″ to Mr. Hunter’s original YouTube video editorial, Kurt Wallace, Editor & Publisher of “The Liberty Pulse” and a mutual friend to both myself and Mr. Hunter suggested that perhaps the best way to further expand upon our points would be for a somewhat impromptu debate.

Thus, after working out the logistics between the three of us last week, Kurt has agreed to moderate and host the half-hour debate which will air live on LibertyPulse Radio this Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.