Posted by Deb Wells on 10/09/09
Last updated 10/29/09

Since Ron Paul's Audit the Fed bill was introduced, you've reached millions of Americans through phone calls, mailings, radio and television interviews, letters to the editors, emails, social networking sites, door-to-door canvassing, booths at fairs, gun shows and music festivals, and a host of other local events and activities in communities around the country.

Then we turned up the heat.  You put the pedal to the metal, shifted gears and took aim at the Senate.

You made your voices heard loud and clear by calling your Senators and attending Town Hall events, and collected petition signatures for the cause at every possible event.  Then on September 15, you hand-delivered thousands upon thousands of petitions to Senators across the country, making S.604 Mass Action Day a resounding success!

There are currently 30 co-sponsors in the Senate!!

To make it interesting, Campaign for Liberty held a competition.

The following individuals gathered the most signatures on petitions in their states.  They not only win our respect, gratitude, and admiration, they've won a copy of Ron Paul's new book End the Fed and a pocket Constitution, both bearing Congressman Ron Paul's autograph!

A big shout out to Debi Longarello in Florida, Rob Bulas in Ohio and Brent Roos in Illinois for collecting 1,000 or more petitions! 

Please join me in congratulating all of the following Patriots:

And now, for the state that collected the most signatures as a percentage of population:

WASHINGTON STATE

Members gathered a whopping 7,180 unique signatures!

Congratulations to Washington State who wins a $1,500 gift certificate to the Campaign for Liberty store!

Here's how the winner was calculated:  Unique signatures gathered divided by total 2008 est. population.  The winner is based on percent of total population, which is why Washington State edged out Florida for first place. (Although in some cases, twice as many petitions were actually delivered, unique signatures were used in the actual calculation.)

The state of Minnesota came in second with 3,000 unique signatures!

The state of Michigan came in third with 5,622 signatures!

A special shout out to Florida who gathered the most unique signatures with 10,160!

All of these states deserve a big round of applause for getting over 250 unique signatures on Mass Action Day:

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING S.604 MASS ACTION DAY A BIG SUCCESS!!

Keep up the great work!  Let's get a majority in the Senate to co-sponsor!

Posted 10/09/09 VictimOfFeds San Clemente, CA

Why isn't this thing passed yet?

Posted 10/09/09 DemonHunter1989 Great Falls, VA

my senator mark warner still hasn't signed. i've written three letters too (although pre-written). he has shown his true colors. i guess i can't do too much damage to him since i would never vote for that guy to begin with, him being a party-line democrat.

Posted 10/09/09 Josiah Keller Hillsboro, WI

Wait, does the first list mean that over half of the states didn't collect signatures?

Posted 10/09/09 Jonathan Kovaciny Mankato, MN

Don't quit! Printable 10-line petitions for H.R.1207 and S.604: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=21519

Posted 10/09/09 Scott D Chicago, IL

Awesome Job Illinois! Bret Roos is an ANIMAL!

Posted 10/10/09 MarkCrossEA Kissimmee, FL

Congratulation to everyone in Florida who participated. You all did a great job!

Posted 10/10/09 ChrisAlterio Edgewater, FL

Great job to everyone! Keep the pressure on your Senators with phone calls, emails, faxes, snail mail, petition signatures, and if need be find out the your Senator's Legislative Director's contact info in D.C. and try to set up conference calls. Don't stop until they either cosponsor S. 604 or are removed from office.

Posted 10/10/09 foleymo Seattle, WA

Way to go Washington!

Posted 10/10/09 MichaelBarry Sebring, FL

I think we put in a respectable effort in Florida, but does this list mean that as many as 33 states collected fewer than 250 unique signatures? How many signatures were accumulated on the Home Page? Was low petition activity in some states related to the fact that both Senators of that state were already on board?

Posted 10/10/09 Deb Wells Kansas City, MO

Both Senators have cosponsored in some states, a few states are not yet fully organized, and some either chose not to report their number of signatures, or were unable to collect numbers in time to announce. Over 160 thousand petitions were delivered to the Hill by headquarters. It is difficult to estimate the total delivered to regional offices (although it appears that at least as many, if not more, were delivered regionally on Mass Action Day). Members are continuing to deliver signed petitions to regional offices, some on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We can't let up. Many more petitions, letters, faxes and phone calls are needed in order to get a majority to cosponsor in the Senate.

Posted by Deb Wells on 12/31/09
Last updated 12/31/09

I receive information from a publication called "The Future".  They recently posted a reference to the following commentary piece which asks some great questions about global warming:

A Lot of Hot Wind - (International Medical Veritas Assoc. - 2009)
Does anyone notice that the global warming crowd never talks about the sun and its activity? Here's an obviously biased - but interesting - take on the issue that seems provocative (if it all is true and you can sidestep rhetoric). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center has recorded 150 record breaking cold temperatures with another 50 locations recording record breaking ties with old records.

Note:  I worked on a booth at an event with our Kansas State Coordinator, Amanda Dewoody.  The event was a Global Warming BBQ and Film Screening of "Not Evil, Just Wrong" (a challenge to the movie "An Inconvenient Truth"). 

Our event won the national competition for the most creative screening!  You can see our booth at 2:50 on this video:

The polar bear now stands behind my desk.  :)

Posted by Deb Wells on 12/05/09
Last updated 12/04/09

My Campaign for Liberty State Coordinator asked Missouri Local Coordinators to write a blog about our accomplishments.

Following are highlights of what I've done over the past year, outside of my job:

• Lobbied at the State Capitol 3 times
• Testified at a state legislative committee hearing
• Attended lobbyist training at the State Capitol
• Attended / watched Campaign for Liberty training
• Completed all available Campaign for Liberty Local Coordinator Boot Camp steps
• Collected 115 neighbor email addresses
• Wrote 6 newsletters to my neighbors
• Knocked on doors to meet neighbors, collect email addresses and get out the vote for neighbors running for homes association board
• Held a pizza party at my home to teach neighbors Robert's Rules for board meetings
• Worked on 3 projects with a Conservative Training coalition group
• Found 3 conservatives in my immediate neighborhood who will walk door to door with me
• Member of 2 committees: Public Relations and Community Awareness with a Conservative Training coalition group
• District Chair for a Missouri Sovereignty coalition group
• Collected over 200 Campaign for Liberty Audit the Fed petition signatures
• Became a paid member of local Women's Republican Club
• Created a local "Capitalists" group
• Attended Women's Handgun class and became member of a Women's Gun Club
• Set up and worked at 2 gun show booths
• Walked door to door in my Congressman's neighborhood for Audit the Fed
• Attended political training through a coalition group
• Set up and worked at a Campaign for Liberty booth

After thinking about and writing down what I've done this year, I definitely agree with my State Coordinator when she said:  ""Most of us will be amazed at the things we have accomplished when we write them down."

Thank you for the reminder to look back as well as forward, Robyn.  :)

Posted 12/05/09 CrystalEveritt melbourne, FL

That is so inspiring! I bet you feel great after reading your list. Thank you for the blog post Deb! Are you going to make a list of what you want on your accomplished list for next December? They say writing down goals is the first step to achieving them! Thanks again!

Posted 12/05/09 Adam de Angeli Ann Arbor, MI

Jeez. Now I feel kinda embarrassed. Well, maybe if I make my list I'll feel better. I've done a fair amount of extracurricular work for C4L too...

Posted 12/05/09 NathanP Monroe, MI

Great work, keep it up!

Posted 12/05/09 galtgulch9 Southborough, MA

For some reason I tend to just talk to people whom I encounter before, during or after work. Each day I do manage to ask at least one or two folks and simply ask them if they are aware of the Campaign For Liberty. I tell them what we are about and how rapidly we are growing and repeat the website or write it down. I am inspired by all that you have accomplished. I feel the least any of us can do is to pass the torch.

Posted 12/06/09 Proud Reaganite Ypsilanti, MI

You go sister. This year I joined C4L, became a local coordinator, and started to attend meetings at the Washtenaw GOP Executive Committee. Next year I hope to become a precinct delegate and better grassroots activist. I'm one of the many people who decided to get involved after the 2008 Election Cycle.

Posted 12/06/09 BillNM Carlsbad, NM

Beats what I have done, which is to bitch a lot and donate some money. But I do plug C4L every chance I get.

Posted 12/06/09 CharlotteJuett Genoa, NE

Bill, I am guilty of doing what you did. OF course, I live on a farm not in town, so it is hard to get to the neighbors as they are all farmers and ususally very busy. I have sent out hundreds of e-mails, call my congressman, and Senators at least twice a week. Talk to anyone I meet about the dangers of where our country is headed, and where they can join to get their voices heard, including especially the C4L and the 9-12 project. Attended two teaparties in Lincoln and drove a hundred miles one way to do so. Pass my daily Mises articles on to everyone in my e-mail list. Guess I am doing something afterall.

Posted 12/06/09 BillNM Carlsbad, NM

Yes, I have attended the Tea Parties also and we had some good turnout here in Carlsbad; but I don't like the goals of the leadership. The power of the central government is the Federal Reserve Note (FRN), as they just do what they want, borrow or print up enough FRN's to pay for it, and stick the people with the bill through inflation and rising prices. The only goal of the Tea Parties should be END THE FED! Do that and sound money will restrain government and fix the whole mess. (See what I mean by bitching?)

Posted 12/09/09 igillum Corpus Christi, TX

My hat is off to you. With all my complaining about big government, I would fell more justified if I did just a portion of what you are accomplishing. It seems all I make time for is contributions, educating myself and emailing as many as possible with C4L's insight. I need to hit the streets more and volunteer time and services. Thanks for being such an inspiration.

Posted by Deb Wells on 12/04/09
Last updated 12/03/09

Four more House Reps co-sponsored HR1207 on December 1:

Rep Reyes, Silvestre [TX-16]
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23]
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13]
Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2]

The state of Oklahoma is now a premier member of what we call the "HR 1207 100 Club", where all House Reps have co-sponsored Ron Paul's Audit the Fed bill. 

Other HR 1207 100 Club member states:  Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississipi, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

Now, the real test will be whether these 317 co-sponsors will support HR1207 as a stand-alone bill rather than as added language to the woefully inaccurately named ""Financial Stability Improvement Act" (wherein the Fed would be given even more power and thus give us even greater instability).

Every HR 1207 co-sponsor needs a phone call from you to remind them that HR1207 has everything required to stand very well on its own, thank you very much.

Find the full list of co-sponsors here.  Then, click here to find your U.S. House Representative's phone number.

If you see that your House Rep hasn't co-sponsored yet, you might want to ask them why....

After all, isn't transparency exactly what we were promised last fall?

Posted 12/04/09 ed2point0 El Paso, TX

I actually wrote to Reyes about HR 1207, finally he decided to cosponsor it. However, I had the help from my fellow members, if it wasn't for them I would not be able to say that we did our best.

Posted 12/04/09 Colossal Chris Reno, NV

Glad to have helped get Nevada in the 100. Still working on our Senators though.

Posted 12/04/09 frozenfiresoul pittsburgh, PA

This was my reponse from Pennsylvania Congressman Murtha I appreciate your contacting me regarding H.R. 1207, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009. While the Federal Reserve System is a part of the federal government, it is subject to checks and balances, just like all federal departments, bureaus, and independent agencies. It is important that these checks and balances are maintained. The Federal Reserve Transparency Act has been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, a Committee on which I do not serve. I will keep your comments in mind should this bill come to the floor of the House for a vote. Again, I appreciate your contacting me on this issue and I encourage you to keep in touch.

Posted 12/04/09 Paul S. Brighton, MI

Dear Representitive, Passage of HR 1207 as a standalone Bill is my litmus test for the 2010 election. Three major economic meltdowns in under 100 years suggests that our central banking monopoly is unworkable or faulty. HR 1207 is the full audit required.

Posted by Deb Wells on 11/16/09
Last updated 11/15/09

I recently received an email from a fellow Local Coordinator.  In part, she wrote:

"We used to have neighborhoods back when we were kids, when mothers stayed home and kids played outside after school, but that world is long gone. I think this is one of the reasons it's such a hard slog.

Some of us have been going door to door with petitions; people don't even answer the door when you knock, even when they're obviously at home. This is happening now, more than it was, but it's slowed by the inherent social decay."

I responded to this Local Coordinator, and I hope this will give all of our Local Coordinators food for thought and encouragement.  Here is my message:

I grew up the same way and have fond memories of my neighborhood.  I agree that the social structure has decayed, so we need to re-build the social structure first. 

Here's what I'm doing -

My first step was to decide to be a "neighborhood watchdog" of sorts. I attended neighborhood meetings, drove the neighborhood to see if there were things that might hurt the value of property, and counted how many homes are being sold on the market. I started talking to my neighbors during my trips around the neighborhood - would wave, stop the car, or stop to chat about these things when I walked.

I had a pizza party at my house for several of my neighbors and we discussed the board actions of the homes association.  I walked door to door to get email addresses so I could send tips, news and alerts. I now have 125 email addresses and send a monthly newsletter. I have a crime alert sent to me so I can let my neighbors know about crime happening in and around our neighborhood.

We had a board election for our homes association and some of us walked door to door. Almost all of our neighbors were happy to see us. Two of our candidates won and we had a huge turnout at our annual meeting.

My neighbors email me with tips and their opinions and I've got a much better idea of who might be with us based on our conversations. The value of this cannot be under-estimated. I now have 3 solid conservative neighbors that I know will be active with me, and a few others that I'm cultivating.  I know they will help me walk the neighborhood and we are building a network here.

My next neighborhood meeting will be to talk about how to keep our neighborhood safe and maintain property value - these are things that are important to all of us.  There will be food, of course - that always brings 'em in.

Note:  My next step will be to walk door to door with a survey.  It will go something like this:  "Hello, again.  I'm Deb Wells and live right down the street from you.  I will be visiting our government representatives and would like to let them know what is important to you. I have a short survey here....(the survey will contain questions that will let me know who is with us)." 

Next will come a local candidate forum where we'll have the opportunity to control the debate.

* * * * * * *

There are different approaches that Local Coordinators use.  Some have a "sales" personality - they walk right up, knock on the door, introduce themselves and say "I am the neighborhood representative for Campaign for Liberty" and hand their neighbor a flier, speak eloquently about it, and follow up with another visit. 

Some take a slower approach like mine.

Whatever approach you use, there is no feeling like the first time you wave and speak to a friendly neighbor...you suddenly realize deep in your heart that you will be successful because you have begun rebuilding the social structure.

After sending my story to my fellow Local Coordinator, she wrote:

Very interesting. Rebuilding the social structure of the neighborhood will of course have inherent value, quite in addition to providing a framework for getting our message across. One could even posit that the whole "need" for big government is because of the breakdown of the neighborhood, along with the breakdown of the family. In earlier times, one's neighbors and family were the "safety net" that is now provided by the government.

I agree.

It is up to us to build the social structure again and as you begin to do this, soon you will find neighbors who want to help you build, and you'll view your neighborhood and your ability to succeed as a Local Coordinator in a whole different light.  Remember:  If you know that a person is home but won't open the door, they are probably not interested in their community and more than likely, not interested in voting or making a difference.  Spend quality time with friendly neighbors that care - they will become your "army".

For additional news and tips, see:

What is a Local Coordinator - http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=26555
Local Coordinator Training: Step 3 - http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=26815

Posted 11/16/09 American Epirus Omaha, NE

This is excellent advice, Deb. I think the Campaign for Liberty still needs to continue to innovate and push for a commitment to larger-scale, voluntary structure and coordination; but tips and guides like these will allow individual door-to-door volunteers to have an edge on success where they would otherwise struggle. Individual initiative shouldn't be overlooked. However, in my opinion, individual action is not 90%, 80%, or even near 70% of the answer I think committed C4Larians are looking for in the long run, but individual effort and initiative will and can definitely put us on the right track for greater action. Thanks, Deb!

Posted 11/16/09 roserty Orem, UT

This is the perfect example of how we can change our world. We will get no where when we demean others and criticize them for not agreeing with us. But we will win the race if we win over others by showing we care. Miracles can occur when people believe you have their best interests in mind. Good job.

Posted 11/17/09 4RaisingAwareness St. Louis, MO

Great advice. Much of my neighborhood is quite liberal and I was getting a bit discouraged. Your certainty of success with only 3 solid conservatives out of 125 e-mail contacts, lets me know that I should be more hopeful with the 5 solid conservatives I know in a few block area. Thanks for the advice and encouragement. In Liberty, Tamara Donohoe

Posted 11/18/09 sjaye Chicago, IL

Are you saying attending neighborhood meeting should be done before going door to door?

Posted 11/18/09 Deb Wells Kansas City, MO

sjaye, if you feel more comfortable attending neighborhood meetings (in my case, homes association meetings) prior to walking door to door, that is up to you. I felt more comfortable doing that because I had the chance to meet some of my neighbors before knocking on their doors. Then when I knocked on doors, the neighbors I had already met at the meetings were very cordial. The others were less so because they hadn't met me. Your plan for getting to know your neighbors will depend on your personality. If you're an outgoing "sales" type, you'll feel comfortable walking door to door from day one. If you are not necessarily a "sales" type, you will probably feel more comfortable getting to know people a little better before knocking on their doors. Knowing yourself and your personality will help you determine the best way for YOU to begin re-building the social structure in your neighborhood.

Posted 01/16/10 fremmasmind Henderson, NV

What happens when you meet illegal aliens on your neighborhood walks? Do you abet the criminal or report the incident. Remember, they are a good part of the problem with a shortage of middle class jobs, with our hospitals going bankrupt and closing down, states running out of money for unemployment because they now give uneployment compensation to unemployed undocumented aliens. Whats next? Our senate included health care for them at the expense of the taxpayer. We will pay their free medical AND we will pay to have interpretors at every medical to help them understand their medical problems. It seems to me our government is slowly giving away bits and pieces of citizenship to the undocumented. Instead of making the undocumented alien assimilate to the ways of the american we the people are having to assimilate the the new century. Can't say I like what I see so far.