It's time to invest two hours of your Saturday into spreading the word of liberty around Kent County, Michigan.
We'll be meeting Saturday, May 16 at 10 AM at the Lakeside Elementary parking lot.
2325 Hall Street East Grand Rapids, MI 49534
We'll take a few minutes to brief you on the topics (HCR 4 - Michigan's 10th Amendment Resolution) and pass out the petitions. Then we'll pair up in teams of two and hit the pavement! You'll have two hours to turn on as many people to liberty as you can.
Whether you're shy or outgoing, politically active or new to politics, this is a great way to challenge yourself, gain experience and score another victory for liberty. Get the whole family involved and show Michigan and the entire US that the spirit of freedom is popular and stronger than ever!
Contact Eric Larson for more details. See: http://ronpaul.meetup.com/155/calendar/10408184/
Federal Congressional Representative Vern Ehlers hosted his annual town hall question/"answer" forum for his constituents in Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday, May 2, from 9 - 10 AM. The turnout was terrific (say 200 on the low side, many standing) and Ehlers noted it was the largest he'd seen in a few years. As he opened with an update on 'what's going on right now', it quickly became apparent that, although a kind-spoken and intelligent politician, as one audience member put it, he needs a fire lit under him to start working for US, now.
His interpretation of current events was one oft-repeated among government officials; the Democrat/Republican blame game, "ignorance and greed" of subprime mortgages and Wall Street are responsible for the financial mess (one questioner later pointed out Fannie and Freddie), support for GM and Chrysler, and as for the swine flu, take your medications, wear your masks, and wash your hands as often as you can.
[My aside - Remember it is your personal choice to not accept a swine flu vaccination, or any flu shot or medication. Your best defense against any flu is a strong immune system; get sunlight, eat foods it can use (probiotics and raw fruits and veg), stay active, and keep a good attitude. Do not use antibacterial soap, as it disrupts the naturally protective microorganism balance on your hands, which only helps the invading virus. If you & your family need a sweet deal on a quality natural immune booster supplement, message me.]
A few noteworthy points from Mr Ehlers' speech include:
A comparison of Obama's popularity to Reagan's initial popularity. He foreshadowed Obama's would dwindle with time.
Emphasis on the issue of spending - he stated that, growing up during the Depression, er, the Great Depression, he was naturally thrifty and now the excessive spending of this administration is his largest issue. He made a good effort to help us appreciate what a trillion dollars actually looks like - he provided flyers with a visual representation of a million, billion, and then trillion dollars that reinforced the gravity of the numbers generally thrown around so lightly. Although, this effort was probably not required in Grand Rapids, whose large Dutch population has earned a reputation of extreme frugality. I would recommend he pass out his leftover flyers around Washington however.
A mention for cleaning up the Great Lakes and a later admission that he asked for 20-30 billion for this task, somewhat undermining his stance on his "largest issue" (however badly the lakes need it; ) and proving to at least me that currently, Mr Ehlers is not a part of the solution.
Our Representative then opened up the floor to questions and hands flew up across the room. The first few were a little discouraging, one promoting universal health care, another supporting the $70 million bus millage, and a torture memo non sequitur, but our confidence in the crowd and the crowd's reaction grew as audience members addressed the impractical trillion dollar defense budget, the financial ruin of the state of Michigan (not Vern's issue, but important nonetheless, and one we should be prepared to discuss when gathering petitions for HCR/SCR004), and the need for a real alternative to the proposed budget, not a Republican alternative that's only slightly better than the Democrat's.
By some kind of miracle ;-) the mike was then handed to a Campaign for Liberty coordinator who thanked Rep Ehlers for cosponsoring HR 1207 (to applause), and then asked about the consitutionality, especially in relation to the 4th and 10th amendment, of the Real ID act. Ehlers' reply was again, somewhat evasive and a repetition of just how great it will be to live without the inconvenience of carrying a passport when you want to go to Canada, and when that pleased no one, he threw in illegal immigration. He also stated that "we were assured it [the Real ID Act] is constitional", so it must be, and that's that.
Back to the financial issue, which seemed to dominate the discussion, Rep Ehlers agreed we are taxed too much and that the whole situation is a very "complex issue" (a phrase he referred to often), and then offered that the Fed would maybe someday pull some of the printed money back in and we should wait and see. By this time several audience members were directly voicing opposition without waiting for the microphone; shouts of "It's not gonna happen" echoed throughout the room.
Ehlers highlighted the importance of educating the American people that Uncle Sam is not Santa Claus, to much applause. That's another good lesson for DC too!
The questions toward the end were boldest and loudest, as audience members voiced concern over the govt's treatment of banks rejecting stimulus funds, why no Republicans are speaking out against nationalization of private business, the undermining of our personal sovereignty and alarm over the Children's Rights Declaration, and the MIAC document and suppression of our right to free speech. All these received the most enthusiastic crowd support and pretty much silenced him.
Rep Ehlers did affirm his belief in our first amendment and directed us to contact him and his staff for help if anyone gives us trouble over this. Of course, the far-reaching effects of the MIAC and other alienating documents are designed to give us trouble for long after he's out of office. Either way, now I know who's door to knock on if I get arrested and have to pay system fees for my Ron Paul bumper sticker.
Ultimately, the audience did not appear satisfied and the last question still left many answered. I have no doubt it could have continued all day; but in an hour we laid some important issues on the table and established a strong, unified presence as more people grew more frustrated. One member even stormed out toward the end, saying "I thought you were supposed to listen to your constituents, not tell them. Listen!"
While we may not agree with this one's delivery, I could sense everyone agreed with the sentiment. Vern has earned quite a reputation of voting opposite of the way he is asked; and even as several intelligent speakers presented grave issues, we mostly got back more empty rhetoric.
Maybe we need to take a cue from our Representative and host our own town hall meeting, only this time WE will do the talking on stage and our elected officials can sit in the audience and take notes. Why should we restrict our voices to a once-a-year format where our speech is limited and we're subjected to more political doubletalk? Our Representatives serve US.
We walked away feeling good about the direction of the People in Grand Rapids, and even if our only firm promise was on spending, we now have another solid point on which to hold Rep Ehlers accountable. I'll be watching Vern's voting record on spending bills very closely... won't you?
I also had a great laugh when I was driving home and passed an OSA billboard that said "NASA trusts us for I.T."
I pray it's not too late. And it's not - no matter what age you are, how long you've been involved or not involved in the political process, or how little extra time you have in your day, please contact your elected representatives. By not contacting them, you are still affecting the laws of this nation, but they'll go in the direction that doesn't benefit you (or anyone). You might as well start influencing them deliberately by taking two minutes of your day to email your Representative with your issues and even better, solutions. They are listening. And if they don't... they got to GOOOH. That is the most important message of the meeting today. Now get out there and make America proud!
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 (H.R. 1207). I appreciate knowing your thoughts.
The Federal Reserve (the Fed) was created by Congress in 1913 as an independent federal agency to serve as the central bank for the United States. The primary role of the Fed is to formulate the monetary policy for the United States, which includes increasing and decreasing the money supply and controlling interest rates to achieve a healthy economic picture for the entire country. By doing this, the Fed is able to alter the availability and cost of money and credit.
Recently, Representative Ron Paul introduced H.R. 1207, which would require the Comptroller General to audit the Fed before the end of 2010 and report to Congress. I have decided to cosponsor this legislation.
Thanks again for contacting me. With best wishes, I am
Yesterday I was able to make it out to the GR TEA Party. There was an excellent turnout! I brought my camera, but managed to only get about 4 minutes of footage (grabbed the wrong tape). Here is a short video I threw together last night...
Once again, Ron Paul deserved to be in the headlines and once again the national media totally ignored him.Wednesday, the nationwide “Tea Party” protests of big taxes and big spending was the number two story in the nation on most television networks and number one on some. And how could they avoid it?Thousands showed up from coast to coast to express their dismay.What is Obama doing?How can we keep printing paper money?Doesn’t he know that a wave of inflation will hit the shore?
The fact is that the first, notable, Tea Party since Boston was launched at a Ron Paul campaign rally in Austin, Texas in December of 2007.The second was the famous “money bomb” fundraiser for Ron Paul on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party in the middle of the 2008 presidential run.And most of the crowd and organizers of yesterday’s event were Ron Paul supporters.But congressman Ron Paul, the Nostradamus from Texas, who predicted the crisis we now face, was not mentioned once by the national media.
Credit (or blame) for the event was given to former Texas congressman, Dick Armey, a nice guy but not THE guy or to Newt Gingrich, or to Washington conservative think tanks that mine for Ron Paul money but never give him any respect or credit, or FOX television who actually blocked him from an early debate in 2008, or from sinister “corporate interests.” Huh?Gee… I wonder what corporation could possibly be interested in lower taxes and less government spending?General Motors?AIG?
The fact is that many in big business switched to the Democrats in 1964 when they learned how Lyndon Johnson’s new regulations could wipe out their small business competitors and gain them monopolies.And it gained momentum, even in Republican administrations where powerful corporate lobbies ponied up for their share of government largesse.McDonalds, for example, wanted and received government subsidies to compete with French hamburger joints. Chuckle, chuckle.Now you try that.Go ahead.Open a hamburger stand and ask the government for money.Good luck.
Wall Street and big business have been in bed with the Democrats for years.Republican corporate greed is not just a myth, it is true too, but most corporate leaders give to both parties.Silicon Valley is solid Democrat.In 1992 the CEO’s of Apple, HP, Xerox all opposed the Republican incumbent administration.
With this coming Obama inflation the rich will lose half of their wealth but they don’t seem to care.Bill Gates and Warren Buffet keep asking for more taxes.What is the difference for them between $300 billion and $200 billion when they can’t spend or give away fast enough the wealth they have accumulated?And anyway, they will get a big chunk of that paper play money since it will cause an inflationary spiral on the stock market. (That will be nice.It will give the illusion of prosperity.The stock market is finally up. Yay.)But keep in mind, that while you own thousand of shares in your 401 k, the rich own gazillions of shares and can legally print more and give them to themselves as “compensation.”
The poor would love to see the system shaken up.We will be giving them as much of the Obama paper money as we can.We will be paying them to rebuild the infrastructure or in some cases just paying them to watch television and snort coke because they are disadvantaged and deserve it.But their play paper money will be as good as anyone else’s and it will compete with the paper money of producing, working people for goods and services and food.
The price of everything will rocket up except for houses, which will also increase but not even enough to keep up with inflation.They are still overbuilt and they hold the life savings of the middle class.And in spite of all the campaign rhetoric about helping the middle class, it is the middle class that Obama is wiping out.
Oh my, doesn’t he realize?What will happen to us?Somebody tell that nice man. Yep.He knows what he is doing.And he doesn’t care.We had generations to change things for the poor people in the inner cities who endured gun battles every night, when no one should have to experience that once, let along every night.He knows what he is doing.He is shaking things up.American will never be the same again.
The problem is that the middle class is what has made America different from other countries, wealthier than other countries.China and India are about half the world’s population and neither one has ever, ever, ever had a middle class.There is only rich or poor and you know which is the most likely.That’s where we are headed.I’m not saying we will get there, I hope we won’t.But that is surely where we are headed.
So the Tea Party was a protest by some of our more informed citizens who think that the biggest budget in history is a little too big.And Ron Paul, who was virtually ignored, except when the networks interviewed ordinary citizens and found that they all couldn’t stop talking about him, is the man who started this protest.
ABC’s charming, but condescending, Charles Gibson, the one who sternly rebuked Sarah Palin when during one perilous week he thought that St. Obama might possibly be in jeopardy, opened his second segment with this amazing paragraph…
“And across the country today thousands of people protested over the tax system, demonstrating against what they called big government spending.”
Oh, really?They were calling the government “big spenders”?Who are these people, this fringe, this freaky group who think that there is “big government spending”?Where would they get that idea?What right do they have to draw that conclusion?
Obviously, it will take much more spending than this for ABC to state as “a fact” that the government is spending big.Now, what would that amount be?I wonder?How many trillion before a network news writer will allow that there is big spending?Remember, this is not about whether the spending has efficacy or not, ABC will not even admit that the amount is “big.”Kinda lets you know what we are up against - don’t it?
ABC blamed the tax revolt on Fox television and said that Democrats blamed corporate interests, none of the corporate interests were named but ABC reported it anyway, gotta be fair and give the other side.But I was watching ABC, not Fox and I never listen to the radio and I, too, think that we are spending big. Gee, how did I get that idea?Come to think of it, it must have been ABC.Maybe they are part of the very fringe they fear and don’t yet know it.
Ron Paul’s name was not mentioned.Well, I am told that it was mentioned once on Fox by the good Judge Andrew Napolitano.
That’s okay.Keep it up.Makes us mad.Real mad.And we will take over the GOP and we will give the American people a choice, and when the economy is good and shaken, and the middle class has lost 70% of its wealth, and is no longer middle class, then there just might be enough new poor people out there to elect Ron Paul.
Go on, no really, keep it up, keep it up.Give us another news story that ignores the only person in America who saw this coming and the only one who is talking sense and the only one who has the answers.Go on.
We handed out fliers to all these people (well, most of them)
I would estimate this picture accounts for 3/4 of the crowd.
We certainly didn't have as many Campaign For Liberty members as the tea party in Lansing had. However, we distributed 1500 economic freedom fliers and the equivalent of that in HR 1207 (it also included other bills) fliers. Unfortunately having that many fliers still wasn't enough and we ran out before we were able to distribute them to everyone.
Thanks to PC Oldskool we have video!
The reception we recieved was extraordinarily positive; people cheered us, asked for our fliers, and thanked us for the work we were doing. Outside of the C4L presence there were a lot of Ron Paul supporters, Libertarians, Constitutionalists, and young people. This is in a part of Michigan that is generally made up of socially conservative Republicans.
I think the event was a complete success for C4L in West Michigan and I think we will have a lot of success recruiting new C4L members out of this event. Here is a link to the pictures I took at the event.
Not surprising, but here is Debbie's response for others to see.
Thank you . . .
. . for contacting me regarding your opposition to universal health care coverage. I understand your concerns.
When it comes to health care, our families and businesses are in a serious crisis. High health care costs are causing cuts in benefits and increases in premiums, adding to the ranks of the uninsured at alarming rates. But the impact of this problem goes beyond individual families. Skyrocketing health care costs make our businesses less competitive in the global marketplace and cost us good-paying jobs. We are already paying for the uninsured through overuse of the emergency room-the most inefficient and expensive way of providing care.
I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. There is no doubt that the problems we face are complex, but there are real solutions. We can create a system that is uniquely American and shares the cost between the government, businesses, and individuals in a way that is fair and equitable. Now is the time to show the political will to tackle these issues because there is so much at stake. I am committed to working with both my Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to find solutions to America's health care crisis.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please don't hesitate to do so again if my office can be of assistance to you or your family.
This Thursday, April 2nd, at 5:30 PM, at the Kent County GOP HQ, there will be a meeting to plan the GR tea party. There, we will do even planning and make signs and so on. We need a strong C4L showing. See you on Thursday!
I emailed my state senator about representative Opsommer's 10th amendment bill, and here was his response:
Dear Mr. Nannini:
Thank you for your recent e-mail. I appreciated hearing from you on this important issue. As you are aware, Representative Paul Opsommer introduced House Concurrent Resolution 4, which affirms Michigan's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and for the U.S. Congress to halt its practice of passing mandates on states that are not enumerated by the Constitution. This legislation is currently before the House Committee on Government Operations for consideration. On March 3, 2009, Senator Bruce Patterson introduced SCR 4 in the Senate, which contains the same content as HCR 4. Should either resolution come before me on the Senate floor, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind. You can find the most up-to-date information regarding pending legislation online at: http://legislature.mi.gov. Thank you again for your e-mail. I hope you find this information helpful. If there are any other matters pertaining to state government in which I may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
As you can see, he is very non-committal. We need to make sure we are all banging on the doors of our state representatives, and make them know your thoughts. It only takes a minute or two to write an email, so let's start making our voice heard here in MI. Thanks.
Below is the response my representative, Vern Ehlers, gave me in regards to my support of HR 1207. Please take note that he never really attacks the issue of the Federal Reserve and really just gives me a textbook history lesson on it. What is most revealing is that he is in complete support of what it does and its current transparency level -- which is none for all intents and purposes.
Vern Ehlers is a Republican in the House of Representatives and represents the 3rd district of Michigan.
Dear Mr. DeWind,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Federal Reserve (Fed). I appreciate knowing your thoughts.
The Fed was created by Congress in 1913 as an independent federal agency to serve as the central bank for the United States. The primary role of the Fed is to formulate the monetary policy for the U.S., which includes increasing and decreasing the money supply and controlling interest rates to achieve a healthy economic picture for the entire country. By doing this, the Fed is able to alter the availability and cost of money and credit.
The Fed is charged with negotiating and achieving sustained price stability and trying to control inflation. To do this, the Fed targets what is known as the "federal funds rate" which changes the amount of reserves available for lending in the banking system. In the long run, inflation (increases in the general level of all prices) is a natural occurrence. By changing these rates, the possibility of inflation can be diminished.
However, managing monetary policy is not an exact science, and it is subject to many opposing economy theories. The Fed tries to keep the economy operating at an output level consistent with a low rate of inflation. It, therefore, seeks a level of interest rates that will promote economic growth.
By law and practice, the Fed is accountable to Congress. The seven members of the board are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Congress routinely monitors the Fed through formal and informal oversight activities. The Fed reports to Congress twice yearly on its monetary policy, including rate changes, in oversight hearings in February and July as originally required by the Federal Reserve Reform Act.
Thanks again for contacting me. As Congress reviews actions taken by the Fed and considers our economic and monetary policy, I will keep your views in mind. With best wishes, I am
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