Posted by Heather D on 11/03/09

HR 1207 has come a long way in the 8+ months that we've been working on it, and currently has 308 cosponsors in the House. This is truly an amazing accomplishment when you consider that Dr. Paul has been trying to bring awareness to the secrecy of the Fed for 30 years with little notice by his peers, or from the public at large. We have proven that we are a force to be reckoned with. In under a year, we worked to gain the support of 308 members of the House, and we also saw HR 1207 receive a hearing in front of the House Financial Services Committee.

Of course, when liberty's light begins to shine through the muck and the mire, the establishment takes notice, and they tend to fight back.

According to Campaign for Liberty President, John Tate:

 Mel Watt (D-NC), Chairman of the Monetary Policy Subcommittee, has sided with banking interests and is working to gut substantial audit provisions from H.R. 1207.  The bill Congressman Watt has sent to the full Financial Services Committee contains no audit of the Fed’s monetary   policy-making authority or transparency of the Fed’s secret agreements with foreign central banks. 

Without these provisions, a so-called “audit” of the Fed would be worthless.

HR 1207 could be voted on by the full House Financial Services Committee this week, and it is imperative that we act now to ensure that the original language is restored.

While Dr. Paul will be offering an amendment to restore the original provisions contained in HR 1207, he needs our help to ensure that when the vote is taken, those who have already cosponsored the bill remain faithful to their promise to support a full audit of the Federal Reserve. The committee is made up of 41 Democrats and 29 Republicans. 13 of the Democrats who serve on the House Financial Services Committee have cosponsored this bill, and we need to call them and urge them to vote "YES" on the Paul Amendment.

The following is a list of the 13 Democrats who have cosponsored:

1. Rep. John Adler, NJ (202) 225-4765

2. Rep. Travis Childers, MS (202) 225-4306

3. Rep. Steve Driehaus, OH (202) 225-2216

4. Rep. Alan Grayson, FL (202) 225-2176

5. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, TX (202) 225-2531

6. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, FL Toll Free: 1-877-956-7627

7. Rep. Dan Maffei, NY (202) 225-3701

8. Rep. Brad Miller, NC (202) 225-3032

9. Rep. Walt Minnick, ID (202) 225-6611

10. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, CO (202)-225-2645

11. Rep. David Scott, GA (202) 225-2939

12. Rep. Brad Sherman, CA (202) 225-5911

13. Rep. Jackie Speier, CA (202) 225-3531

When contacting these members, remember that up to this point, these members have been allies on this issue.  A civil yet firm tone should be kept during these calls.  They should be thanked for their cosponsorship, told that Mel Watt’s changes to the bill are unacceptable, and urged to hold the line and honor their promise to support transparency at the Fed by voting “Yes” for the Paul amendment.

We can win this, our first major battle, but in order to do so, we must see it through and call these Representatives. In addition to that, please remember to call Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and urge them to schedule a "stand-alone, up or down vote on the real Audit the Fed bill".

Rep. Barney Frank: (202) 225-5931

Speaker Nancy Pelosi: (202) 225-0100

With a little more effort, we will see HR 1207 pass the House.

Posted 11/03/09 Justin Kapacinskas Des Plaines, IL

Talk about a 15-round heavyweight bout. We really have to go to the mat for this thing, and then keep coming and coming. We are up against the darkest and most corrupt forces on the planet. They will apparently stop at nothing to maintain their power over us.

Posted 11/03/09 Justin Kapacinskas Des Plaines, IL

Oh yea, I love how mum's the word on this in the dysfunctional "mainstream" media, like it doesn't even exist, including from propagandist Glenn B*ck. What a pathetic joke. Everyone, do yourselves a favor and kick Big Brother's telescreen to the curb.

Posted by Heather D on 10/30/09

Consider for a moment the legislation that is making it's way through Congress. Health Care reform bills in the House and Senate are an expensive, unconstitutional power grab that promise to dismantle our health care system, steal our rights to privacy and choice, increase our taxes, and deal a devastating blow to our already failing economy. If that isn't the final nail in our economic coffin, Cap and Trade will finish the job. While enriching certain elites that will buy and sell carbon credits, increased energy costs will inflict severe financial hardship on average Americans who are already suffering in this great recession. Large businesses will move to countries with friendlier laws, and small businesses will simply close their doors, costing valuable jobs that are so desperately needed. The Cyber Security Act will give control of the internet to the government, dismantling our right to free speech. The recently passed hate crimes legislation which was attached to a defense spending bill ensures unequal treatment under the law. This is by no means a complete list, but it demonstrates the extreme depths to which our rights are under assault.

How do we stop this out-of-control spending and outright thievery of our rights as Americans? The first step to reigning in the spending and restoring our rights is to audit the Federal Reserve! When the American people TRULY understand the extent of our debt, the fact that the Federal Reserve system is what causes our constant economic crises, as well as the destruction of the middle class and the value of our currency, THEN the Congress will have no choice but to end their spending frenzy.

There is but ONE bill in the Congress that enjoys the support of 75% of the public, has bi-partisan support, and will help America recover from our current economic situation, HR 1207 and her sister, S 604.

We've worked tirelessly since February to bring awareness to this legislation, and we've managed to get 308 cosponsors in the House and 30 in the Senate. This was by no means an easy thing to do, but we did it, and we should all be proud of that. Our efforts also paid off when HR 1207 received a hearing in the House Financial Services Committee, but our work is not done. Despite the popularity of and support for auditing the Fed, this legislation continues to be ignored.

As Campaign for Liberty President John Tate says, we need to "unleash a torrent of political pressure on Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid..." Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid continue to stand in the way of allowing a vote on this legislation. We have worked far too hard for far too long to allow them to continue to waffle on these bills. It's the bottom of the ninth, and all bases are loaded! It's time to bring the runners home.

Click here to sign the petitions to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid demanding that they bring Audit the Fed to the floor for a vote, if you have not done so already. Then CALL, FAX and EMAIL your Senators and Congressman to insist that they cosponsor this legislation if they haven't already. Ask them to tell Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid to bring HR 1207 and S 604 to the floor for a vote. Spread the word to your family and friends that the final push to get these bills passed has begun, and we need their help to make it happen.

Our freedoms are under attack, but we can change that. Let's clog up the phone lines and crash their servers! It's time to bring Audit the Fed to the floor for a vote.

Posted 10/30/09 spinnikerca Studio City, CA

Per Bloomberg, Ron Paul is saying HR 1207 is being gutted. I don't know how to post so this shows up, but here: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=atc2o1ijLRno We definitely need to clog up the phone lines!

Posted 10/30/09 Isomies Mechanicsville, VA

This is the buzz. According to the article it was North Carolina rep MEL WAT who GUTTED THE AUDIT THE FED BILL. They gutted it, the bastards watered it down. So much for representation. Don't believe for a second that this government represents you or has anything but their own interests in mind. It's enough to make us....

Posted 10/31/09 Linda APO AP, Japan

Rep. Watt was quite pro-Fed during the hearing, too. Are his constituents writing him about this? I don't see anything about there being changes made. Wouldn't that be posted on thomas.loc.gov? Can we see the revised version? Getting this out will let people see what's going on.

Posted 10/31/09 Linda APO AP, Japan

Copied from Bloomberg: Federal Reserve Policy Audit Legislation ‘Gutted,’ Paul Says Share Business ExchangeTwitterFacebook| Email | Print | A A A By Bob Ivry Oct. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Representative Ron Paul, the Texas Republican who has called for an end to the Federal Reserve, said legislation he introduced to audit monetary policy has been “gutted” while moving toward a possible vote in the Democratic-controlled House. The bill, with 308 co-sponsors, has been stripped of provisions that would remove Fed exemptions from audits of transactions with foreign central banks, monetary policy deliberations, transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee and communications between the Board, the reserve banks and staff, Paul said today. “There’s nothing left, it’s been gutted,” he said in a telephone interview. “This is not a partisan issue. People all over the country want to know what the Fed is up to, and this legislation was supposed to help them do that.” The Fed, led by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, has come under greater congressional scrutiny while attempting to end the financial crisis by bailing out financial firms and more than doubling its balance sheet to $2.16 trillion in the past year. The central bank is also buying $1.25 trillion of securities tied to home loans. Paul, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, said Mel Watt, a Democrat from North Carolina, has eliminated “just about everything” while preparing the legislation for formal consideration. Watt is chairman of the panel’s domestic monetary policy and technology subcommittee. Keith Kelly, a spokesman for Watt, declined to comment and said Watt wasn’t immediately available for an interview. Watt’s district includes Charlotte, headquarters of Bank of America Corp., the biggest U.S. lender. Original Language Paul said he intends to introduce an amendment to the bill when it comes to the House floor for a vote restoring the legislation’s original language. Representative Barney Frank, a Democrat from Massachusetts and chairman of the committee, said in interview that he intends to ensure legislation would provide a time lag between FOMC actions and the reporting of them. Such a provision would “lessen the market impact,” he said on Oct. 20. “The importance is to see that there are no abuses and to judge what they did.” The legislation will probably be included in a broader Democratic package of financial-regulation changes in the House, Frank said. To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Ivry in Washington at bivry@bloomberg.net. Last Updated: October 30, 2009 17:48 EDT

Posted 10/31/09 galtgulch9 Southborough, MA

I am not saying it is all that counts, but it is "imperative" that each of us pass the torch. Let people know Campaign For Liberty exists and what we have accomplished with HR1207. Make them aware of our goal to restore the Constitution by replacing those politicians who fail to keep the oath, which is to say all but one or two that we know of, with those who will keep the oath to secure the rights of the individual. The sooner we double and redouble our membership, which is growing thanks to some of us, the sooner we will reach the one million milestone. Then up to two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty two and sixty four millions. The power of compounding is based on each of us doing his or her share. It only takes a few moments, less than a minute to ask if someone you encounter has heard of the Campaign For Liberty. Then the thing about the politicians who take an oath they ignore.

Posted 10/31/09 MichaelBarry Sebring, FL

The fascists are very powerful and will make every possible move to avoid transparency.

Posted by Heather D on 10/30/09
Last updated 10/30/09

The "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (HR 3962) is making it's way through the House, and may come up for a vote on the House floor as early as next week. It is imperative that we all call our representatives and demand that they vote against this bill. (Please suggest the Health Care bills that can be found in this link to your representatives as viable alternatives to support instead.) We need to overwhelm their phone lines voicing our opposition to HR 3962!

Those in favor of HR 3962:

CD-1: Bobby Rush             202-225-4372

CD-2: Jesse Jackson JR     202- 225-0773

CD-4: Luis Gutierrez         202-225-8203

CD-5: Mike Quigley           202-225-4061

CD-7: Danny Davis            202-225-5006

CD-9: Jan Schakowsky      202-225-2111

CD-17: Phil
Hare            &nbs
p; 202-225-5905

Those who are undecided or unclear on HR 3962

CD-3: Daniel Lipinski        202-225-5701

CD-8: Melissa Bean           202-225-3711

CD-11: Deborah Halvorson 202-225-3635

CD-12: Jerry Costello       202-225-5661

CD-14: Bill Foster             202-225-2976

Those opposed to HR 3962

CD-6:  Peter Roskam         202-225-4561

CD-10: Mark
Kirk            &nbs
p;  202-225-4835

CD-13: Judy Biggert          202-225-3515

CD-15: Tim Johnson          202-225-2371

CD-16: Donald Manzullo    202-225-5676

CD-18: Aaron Schock         202-225-6201

CD-19: John Shimkus         202-225-5271

Whether your representative favors, opposes or is undecided on HR 3962, please call them to voice your opposition to this bill.

Posted 11/02/09 sjaye Chicago, IL

Gosh, I feel like I can never count on Gutierrez to be on the right side of anything!

Posted by Heather D on 10/26/09

From Yahoo.com

WASHINGTON – In the health care debate, Democrats and their allies have gone after insurance companies as rapacious profiteers making "immoral" and "obscene" returns while "the bodies pile up."

But in pillorying insurers over profits, the critics are on shaky ground. Ledgers tell a different reality.

Health insurance profit margins typically run about 6 percent, give or take a point or two. That's anemic compared with other forms of insurance and a broad array of industries, even some beleaguered ones.

Profits barely exceeded 2 percent of revenues in the latest annual measure. This partly explains why the credit ratings of some of the largest insurers were downgraded to negative from stable heading into this year, as investors were warned of a stagnant if not shrinking market for private plans.

Insurers are an expedient target for leaders who want a government-run plan in the marketplace. Such a public option would force private insurers to trim profits and restrain premiums to compete, the argument goes. This would "keep insurance companies honest," says President Barack Obama.

The debate is loaded with intimations that insurers are less than straight, when they are not flatly accused of malfeasance.

The insurers may not have helped their case by commissioning a report that looked primarily at the elements of health care legislation that might drive consumer costs up while ignoring elements aimed at bringing costs down. Few in the debate seem interested in a true balance sheet.

Read the rest here

Posted by Heather D on 10/21/09

On October 20, Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Corker (R-TN) introduced The Federal Reserve Accountability Act. The bill, whose name is deceptively similar to HR 1207, The Federal Reserve Transparency Act, does not fully audit the Federal Reserve, and does not provide "accountability". According to a press release issued by Gary Howard, "The bill would permit an audit of the Fed's actions in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and similar high profile bailouts, but would not allow Congress to review the Fed's inflation of the money supply or its agreements with foreign central banks." Additionally, according to Campaign for Liberty President, John Tate, "the names of the institutions who received the funds would not be available until one year after each "emergency" program ended."

Like Illinois Senators Durbin and Burris, Senators Merkley and Corker have waffled on S 604, refusing to support the measure that provides real transparency to the taxpayers, and demands true accountability from the Federal Reserve.

It is pretty clear that the hard work and dedication of Campaign for Liberty members across the country have made an impact on those in Washington. If not for the public awareness of HR 1207 and S 604, this impostor legislation never would have been introduced. Your action is needed again to spread the word about this deceptive bill, and contact Senators Durbin and Burris to let them know that we will not be appeased by their support of any Federal Reserve Transparency bill other than S 604. Please call and/or FAX them, using the numbers provided below. Clicking on their names will take you to their email contact forms.

Dick Durbin: Phone: 202) 224-2152      Fax: 202) 228-0400

Roland Burris: Phone: 202) 224-2854    Fax: 202) 228-3333

Please spread this message around your meetups, Facebook, Twitter, and any other network you use to ensure that our Senators get enough phone calls to guarantee that they fully understand that we will accept nothing less than their full support of S 604.

Posted 10/21/09 libertyforever Island Lake, IL

Thankyou, Heather. Good information.

Posted 10/21/09 sjaye Chicago, IL

Just got through to Burris' office, but got Durbin's phone had a message claiming the line was too busy due to high call volume. I am hoping that this is our people calling him today rather than some harebrained scheme to avoid listening to his constituents. If anyone got through to Durbin today, please let me know.

Posted 10/22/09 kuehltha Mount Prospect, IL

I just got through to both offices and spoke with a person.