Posts tagged: Bailouts

Sunshine on the Federal Reserve

I’ve written many times about the evils of central banking, including our own central bank, the “Federal Reserve”.

Congressman Ron Paul has written a bill, HR 1207 – The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009, that would go a long way to remedying some of our problems by (essentially) subjecting the Federal Reserve System to audits. As it stands we can’t even see how much of our inflationary bailout money (and credit) is going to whom, but this bill would fix that.

Anyway, the bill is getting serious momentum and now has 165 co-sponsors. If your Congressmen (not Senators) are still not on that list, please contact them and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. Here in Utah, both Jason Chaffetz and Rob Bishop have signed on as co-sponsors, so only Jim Matheson remains.

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Tea Parties: Protesting Taxes, Bailouts, Big Government (Spending), Debt, and Inflation

I’ll be taking part in my second-ever protest today. My first was a recent “End the Fed” rally at the SLC branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. Today I’m attending a couple of the Utah Tea Parties.

Frankly, I’m outraged by the tax and spend policies that BOTH major parties have been adhering to lately. Actually, most Republicans prefer the “borrow and spend” method, which is even more insidious: passing our debt to future generations and incentivizing inflation as a “cheap” means of paying that debt.

I think Jefferson said it best:

We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds… [we will] have no time to think, no means of calling our miss-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers… And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for [another ]… till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery… And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.

Although Daniel Webster was more succinct:

The power to tax is the power to destroy.

If you agree with either of those statements, you should join us!

Here’s the most complete set of Utah locations I have found so far:

City: Salt Lake City ~ 1st Event
When: April 15, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Where: Federal Building Plaza, 125 South State Street
Program
Activist and Author Candace Salima
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff
Congressman Jason Chaffetz (3rd District)
Congressman Rob Bishop (1st District)
For more information, contact Adam Gardiner at agardiner14@gmail.com (801-814-8963).

City: Logan
When: April 15, 4:00pm – 6:00 pm
Where: 241 North Main Street (south of Logan Library/City Hall)
For more information, contact Susan Southwick at susanksouthwick@gmail.com.

City: Salt Lake City ~ 2nd Event
When: April 15, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Where: US Post Office Salt Lake City, 1795 W 2100 S
For more information, contact David at saltlaketeaparty@gmail.com (801-377-8224).

City: Provo
When: April 15, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Where: Old Utah County Courthouse at the corner of University and Center
For more information, contact David at saltlaketeaparty@gmail.com (801-377-8224).

City: St. George
When: April 15, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Where: Vernon Worthen Park, 300 S 400 E
For more information, contact Rinda Hunter at rinda.hunter@washco.utah.gov.

City: Vernal
When: April 15, 5:00 pm
Where: 150 East Main Street
For more information, contact Susan Southwick at susanksouthwick@gmail.com.

City: Richfield
When: April 15, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: City Park, near 300 North and Main Street

I hope to see you there!

By the way, I’ll be spending most of my time protesting inflation: the hidden tax.  I’ll do a post illuminating the disasterous effects of inflation later.

Federal Reserve: Financial Overlords

Check Baldwin was the Constitution Party’s 2008 presidential nominee. I voted for him because he is so dead right on so many issues. Here’s one of them:

President And Congress Grovel Before The Fed
By Chuck Baldwin
February 10, 2009

This column is archived at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090210.html

According to Bloomberg News (Monday, February 9, 2009), “The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages.

“The Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have lent or spent almost $3 trillion over the past two years and pledged up to $5.7 trillion more. The Senate is to vote this week on an economic-stimulus measure of at least $780 billion. It would need to be reconciled with an $819 billion plan the House approved last month.

“Only the stimulus bill to be approved this week, the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program passed four months ago and $168 billion in tax cuts and rebates enacted in 2008 have been voted on by lawmakers. The remaining $8 trillion is in lending programs and guarantees, almost all under the Fed and FDIC. RECIPIENTS’ NAMES HAVE NOT BEEN DISCLOSED. [Emphasis added]

“‘We’ve seen money go out the back door of this government unlike any time in the history of our country,’ Senator Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, said on the Senate floor Feb. 3. ‘Nobody knows what went out of the Federal Reserve Board, to whom and for what purpose. How much from the FDIC? How much from TARP? When? Why?’”

Senator Dorgan is exactly right. No one oversees the Fed. The Fed is held accountable to absolutely nobody. But Senator Dorgan (as with everyone else in Congress) has no one to blame but himself. Ever since the Marxist, E. Mandell House, convinced President Woodrow Wilson to create the Federal Reserve in 1913, the Congress of the United States has had virtually nothing to do with the way our fiscal policies are managed. The Fed (which is not even a government agency, but rather a private corporation consisting of mostly foreign bankers) dictates America’s financial policies.

The reality of just how our civil magistrates have come to grovel before the Fed was revealed in a column written recently by Cal Thomas. Mind you, Cal was not trying to castigate President Bush in his column. Just the opposite: his column was full of praise and adulation for the former President. In recounting his last interview with President George W. Bush, however, Cal unwittingly revealed the almost limitless power that the Fed wields over even the President of the United States.

Here is what Cal wrote: “Bush defends himself against a charge by a member of the Republican National Committee that he has behaved like a ’socialist’ because of his massive bailout spending. He [Bush] says he still believes in less government spending, but when Henry Paulson, secretary of the U.S. Treasury, and Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, tell him that if he doesn’t act, the result will be worse that the Great Depression, ‘you can sit there and say to yourself, “well, I’m going to stick to principle and hope for the best, or I’m going to take the actions necessary to prevent the worst.”‘”

In other words, when the Fed says, “Jump!” the President asks, “How high?” And, with the exception of Congressman Ron Paul of Texas (and maybe one or two others), the same is true for members of the House and Senate.

In other words, ladies and gentlemen, America is being run by a private banking cartel, the majority of whom are not even citizens of these United States.

Ever since the Fed was created in 1913, America has been subjected to recession after recession, not to mention one Great Depression. Some are even predicting that the United States is now actually entering a second Great Depression. Please understand this: the Federal Reserve has manipulated every bit of this financial crisis for the express purpose of enriching the international bankers on the backs (and bankruptcies) of the American taxpayers. And what does our illustrious Congress do? They continue to give billions and even trillions of taxpayer dollars to the very same group of gangsters who created and perpetuate this financial fraud. And, as with Congress, Presidents from both major parties likewise promote and defend this chicanery.

Yet, the U.S. Constitution, in Article. I. Section. 8. Paragraph. 5., clearly gives Congress the authority “To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures.”

This constitutional requirement makes two obvious demands: 1) only the elected Congress, not some private foreign (or even domestic) banking interest, has the power to make monetary policy, 2) U.S. currency must be hard currency, i.e. gold and silver. Paper money–known as the Federal Reserve Notes–is not even legal tender under the U.S. Constitution.

In truth, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 is itself unconstitutional. In simple terms, the Act did not amend or expunge Article. I. Section. 8. Paragraph. 5. of the Constitution; it merely ignored it. (And Congresses and Presidents have been ignoring the Constitution ever since.)

In fact, Article. I. Section. 10. Paragraph 1. of the U.S. Constitution specifically states, “No State shall . . . coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts.”

Can anyone not see that the Federal Reserve is an illegitimate system? I will even go so far as to say that the Federal Reserve should be regarded as a corrupt, criminal system! If I were President, not only would I do everything in my power to oppose any and all financial bailouts to these international banksters, I would instruct the Justice Department to pursue criminal charges of fraud, corruption, manipulation, and outright thievery against the Fed. Instead of padding their fat assets in a million-dollar penthouse, they should be serving most of the rest of their lives in the Big House.

In the meantime, Congressman Ron Paul has again introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to terminate the Federal Reserve. It is H.R. 833: To abolish the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal reserve banks. The Bill was introduced on February 3 and, to date, has no cosponsors. That’s right. No cosponsors.

Until the American people demand that their elected members of Congress live up to their duties and responsibilities under the Constitution, they will continue to have their pockets picked clean by these corrupt banksters in New York City (and London) and their contemptible facilitators in Washington, D.C. Passing Dr. Paul’s bill would be a great place to start.

*If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

(c) Chuck Baldwin

If you don’t understand the history and the motives of the Federal Reserve System, you need to get informed. I believe that your very freedom depends on it.

Republican Party Bones Up?

Now we’re talking:

EXCLUSIVE: RNC draft rips Bush’s bailouts
Ralph Z. Hallow (Contact)

Republican Party officials say they will try next month to pass a resolution accusing President Bush and congressional Republican leaders of embracing “socialism,” underscoring deep dissension within the party at the end of Mr. Bush’s administration.

Those pushing the resolution, which will come before the Republican National Committee at its January meeting, say elected leaders need to be reminded of core principles. They said the RNC must take the dramatic step of wading into policy debates, which traditionally have been left to lawmakers.

“We can’t be a party of small government, free markets and low taxes while supporting bailouts and nationalizing industries, which lead to big government, socialism and high taxes at the expense of individual liberty and freedoms,” said Solomon Yue, an Oregon member and co-sponsor of a resolution that criticizes the U.S. government bailouts of the financial and auto industries. Republican National Committee Vice Chairman James Bopp Jr. wrote the resolution and asked the rest of the 168 voting members to sign it.

I hope this resolution passes. It would be a clear sign (to me) that the Republican party is worth saving.

The Current Economic Crisis: A Case Against the Fed

I missed another Liberty Book Club meeting this week, but I have been reading the books. This month’s book was Murray Rothbard’s The Case Against the Fed, which you can buy from Amazon, The Ludwig von Mises Institute, or download for free (MP3s).

Anyone who wants to really understand the underlying causes of our dangerous boom and bust cycles really needs to read the The Case Against the Fed to understand how the Federal Reserve (and other similar central banks) manipulate our money supply. The Case Against the Fed does an excellent job of explaining how fractional reserve banking, “legalized counterfeiting”, and other other inflationary policies really do rob the poor to feed the rich. The book explains how our monetary policy, controlled exclusively by the Federal Reserve with almost no congressional oversight, is a direct cause of economic bubbles and ensuing recessions (or depressions). It even addresses how and why credit crunches occur.

I wish this book weren’t so painfully relevant, but it is. The Federal Reserve’s manipulation of our money supply has been an underlying cause of so much evil in our time –so much so that most of us have never known anything different. It’s like America suffers from battered-wife syndrome, and we’ve lived with it so long that we really don’t know anything else. The problem is hard to identify (our schools teach almost nothing about economics, let alone monetary policy), and possibly harder to admit. It’s like the whole world groans and doesn’t know why.

The current recession was caused by Federal Reserve. Sure, there were lots of other factors, but the Fed was the great enabler of them all. And now they come on their white horses to save us all. How? By consolidating even more wealth into even fewer hands, meanwhile continuing to destroy our currency.

And what do we get out of it? All we get is more debts and more taxes, “known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few…” This whole thing bailout thing is a complete farce.

How much has it cost America to be “rich”? It may well cost us everything.

We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth… Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not…? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth. —Patrick Henry

Please read The Case Against the Fed so you can begin to understand the real truth, and what to do about it. (Yes, the book actually recommends a sane remedy that doesn’t involve guns and pitchforks.) And if you’re interested in joining the Liberty Book Club, contact me and I can put you in touch with the folks that run it.

Also of note, Tomorrow (November 22nd) is End the Fed day. There will be rallies outside 39 Federal Reserve banks around the country, including Salt Lake City. What a great way to raise awareness about a terrible evil! Too long have private bankers manipulated and abused America!

Auto Bailouts

From yesterday’s excellent Campaign for Liberty mailer:

After the Paulson $700 billion bailout package passed in early October, we knew it was only a matter of time before Congress moved to use your money yet again to bail out a struggling industry.

Now, a vote to give funds to the “Big 3″ auto manufactures, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, is likely to come up in the Senate tomorrow [today].

Call your Senators today and ask them to oppose bailing out the auto industry, whether with funds from TARP, revisions of previous loans, or any new grants. To find the information for your Senators, click on our “States” page and look for your state. Phone numbers and links to contact forms can be found near the bottom of each state’s page. We have included recommended letters at the end of this email to send your Senator.

Who knew when we started giving out “free money” with no strings attached that other people might want some as well? This whole thing is absolutely scandalous and inexcusable. Bailouts are nothing more than legalized theft.

Please sign up for Campaign for Liberty if you haven’t yet. Hopefully enough people will rally to the cause of liberty that we can put a stop to this kind of crap.

Chuck Baldwin 2008

I dislike both major-party presidential candidates so profoundly that I would feel extremely uncomfortable giving my vote to either of them. Sure, I like Obama even less than McCain, but luckily I live in a “landslide” state where I don’t have to make the difficult decision of whether I’ll vote for the proverbial “lessor of two evils”. In Utah, I can vote my conscience with a pretty solid confidence that the direct outcome will be exactly the same; Utah will see a landslide win for McCain either way, so why marshal support for someone I don’t even like?

Instead, I’m voting for Chuck Baldwin.

“Why haven’t I heard of Chuck Baldwin”, you ask. Well, it’s either because the main stream media thinks you’re stupid, or because it wants you stupid. I’ll let you decide which.

Chuck Baldwin is the Constitution Party’s candidate for president. If he won (which he won’t) I would be comfortable that our nation would be in good hands.

“But why vote for someone who can’t even win?” Well, technically he could win, but he won’t. Either way voting for someone you like makes a heck of a lot more sense than voting for someone you don’t like –especially if you live in a state (like Utah) where your vote is mostly symbolic.

My vote is a protest: I’m sick of big government Republicans that are nothing more than socialists in sheep’s clothing. They’ve done our country harm, they’ve done my party harm, they’ve done my family harm, and I want them out.

I’ve got a lot to say about how the Republican party has lost its way, but I’ll forbear for now. Suffice it to say that I think it may very well cost us this election –and we deserve to lose. Not that the Democrats are any better (in fact, they’re much worse).

I’ve also got a lot to say about our current voting system, but I’ll forbear for now. (Watch for my upcoming rant.) Until then if you live in a relatively uncontested state, you really should look at your real options: Check out Chuck Baldwin!

In the recent bailout fiasco, while both major-party candidates were using scare tactics to push pork legislation through –chiding each other all the while for not being socialist enoughChuck’s stance against the banking bailouts was constitutional and exemplary. No wonder they didn’t want to invite him to the debates.

Now that’s leadership.

Happy voting!

Knight of the Old Republic

This is who I’m being for Halloween.  :)

Ron Paul was dead right about the economy. If you haven’t watched his videos on YouTube, you should. He was calling the bursting of the housing bubble well before it happened. And the credit crunch? Yep, he’s warned of that too.

Ron Paul would have smoked Obama in the debates, especially on questions regarding the economy. Anyway, there certainly wouldn’t have been any bantering about who didn’t support the bailouts enough. Good grief!

Sadly, the way things are looking I think we’re in for more of the same at best, no matter which major party candidate wins. Now that’s scary.

Happy Halloween!

One Liner

On the bailouts, I just came up with this one liner (in the tradition of Yakov Smirnoff):

“In Soviet America, bank robs you.”

It would be more funny if it weren’t so true –or if it were said by a Ukrainian.