Press Release for END THE FED in DC, Please Help Circulate

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2008
CONTACT:
Debbie Krueger not12submit@gmail.com
Jordan Page jordanpagemusic@gmail.com
Adam Kokesh adam.kokesh@gmail.com

Growing Movement Strikes at Fed in Washington, DC

National “END THE FED” day of protest calls for sound monetary policy and an end to bailouts

On November 22nd, commemorating the secretive conception of the Federal Reserve System, a growing movement of citizens concerned with this country's fiscal policies will gather in 39 cities nationwide at each Federal Reserve location to demand an end to the Fed, return to sound monetary policy, and an end to corporate bailouts. In Washington, DC, they will gather across the street from the Board of Governors of the Fed at 20th and Constitution at 1pm. Denied a permit to protest on Federal Reserve grounds by the Fed's Public Affairs Office on the basis that it is private property, the rally with a stage and amplification system will be held across the street with a permit granted by the Parks Department. National coordination is being provided by Aaron Russo's Restore the Republic (restoretherepublic.net) and more information can be found at endthefed.us.

Speakers will include Gary Franchi of Restore the Republic to discuss his organizational plans for furthering this issue and the duty of all patriotic Americans to get involved. Kevin Zeese, former US Senate candidate, current Executive Director of Break the Bailout, (breakthebailout.com) will talk about building a broad coalition to stop further “theft from the taxpayers.” Anthony Teolis, veteran of the First Gulf War, member of Veterans For Peace (veteransforpeace.org) will show how the Fed is the primary enabler of our destructive interventionist foreign policy. Rick Williams is a founder of BreakTheMatrix, (breakthematrix.com) and serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Basic Media, Inc. From the Center for Economic and Social Justice, (cesj.org) Norman G. Kurland, President of the Board of Directors, and former Congressman, the Hon. Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy will outline an alternative just economic system. Paul-Martin Foss, Legislative Assistant to Congressman Ron Paul, will explain pending legislation H.R. 2755 and what the movement can do to support it.

Organizer Debbie Krueger is a former Marine, and a mother of 5, living in Delaware. She was a real estate agent, when she witnessed the bottom dropping out of the housing markets across the country, and decided something needed to be done. Her research led her to the conclusion that the Federal Reserve System is at the heart of the crisis. “I am devoting my time to help shed light on the Federal Reserve, and to find solutions that will bring us back to financial policies that will benefit Americans the most."

Co-organizer and performer for the rally Jordan Page is a young poet, singer/songwriter, guitarist, political activist, and social commentator who has become an outspoken voice promoting freedom and liberty. The hyper-inflation of American currency, the funding of worldwide interventionist military policies, the unconstitutional income tax, the recent bailout, and the engineered economic depressions the Fed causes have all motivated Jordan's involvement in this most historic citizens' movement. “Please stand up for the Constitution on November 22nd and help us to support HR 2755 calling for the abolition of the Federal Reserve.”

Adam Kokesh will serve as master of ceremonies at the rally. He is from Santa Fe, NM and served in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 and has been a vocal critic of the war since leaving the US Marines. He has continued to honor his oath to support and defend the Constitution by taking on those he sees as its domestic enemies, especially the Federal Reserve System. He has also advocated various forms of nonviolent resistance including not paying taxes. “As long as the Federal Reserver System has the power to create money from nothing, the individual income tax is nothing more than a means to oppress and enslave the American people. As with all forms of tyranny, Americans have a duty to resist this injustice.”

# # #

Fwd: How to Cure Political Loneliness

Latest DownsizeDC.org project: the cure for political loneliness amongst liberty minded individuals (Libertarians, Constitutionalists, True Conservative Republicans, etc.) I really think it might work. Too bad it costs money and I have none to give.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Downsizer Dispatch <downsizer-dispatch@downsizedc.org>
Date: Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 6:02 PM
Subject: How to Cure Political Loneliness

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

---

Quote of the Day: "In the long run men hit only what they aim at." -- Henry David Thoreau

Subject: How to cure political loneliness

* How many Americans want smaller government?
* How many Americans would support the "Read the Bills Act" and the "One Subject at a Time Act," if they were introduced to them?

In today's Dispatch we'll answer the first question, and explain how we can use $50,000 in pledges made by two generous donors to answer the second question. We'll also tell you how you can see and receive our new "I Am Not Afraid" t-shirt.

We start by tipping our hat to David Boaz at the Cato Institute for constantly calling attention to the kind of data we're going to share below, and to Ramesh Ponnuru for providing a good recent summary of this information.

CBS pollsters have been asking the following question for decades, "Would you say you favor smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with many services?"

From 1996 through Jan. 2001 the smaller-government side had an average lead of a whopping 20 points. This lead has slipped in the current decade, but as of March-April of this year the sides were tied.

For most of the past three decades a majority of Americans (often a vast majority) have favored smaller government. And even now, when the propaganda drumbeat for more government in areas such as health care and the financial system has been extremely loud, the support for smaller government is close to a majority, according to this poll.

But there are other polls . . .

A similar Washington Post/ABC poll tells the same story. Public opinion swung strongly toward smaller government in the 1990s, and then back the other way in this decade. "But smaller-government has maintained a consistent advantage!"

According to this poll, as of June 2008, the public still favors smaller government 50% to 45%. But there's more . . .

For many years Gallup, ABC and the Washington Post have asked Americans, "is government trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses" or "should government do more to solve our country's problems?" The answers have usually been in favor of smaller government . . .

* By 8-points in September 1992
* By 12-points in October 1998
* By 7-points in September 2002
* And by a whopping 12-points this September, during the height of the financial hysteria!

But it gets even better, because these poll questions are actually rigged in favor of the big government position, and we still win anyway! As David Boaz points out, these poll questions offer a benefit of larger government (more services) without mentioning the cost (higher taxes).

A fair poll question would mention both the cost and the benefit for each side. Has any polling operation asked the question this way? The answer is yes. When Rasmussen asked the balanced version of the question the results were . . .

* A whopping 64% in favor of smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes,
* 14% undecided
* And only a tiny minority of 22% in favor of more government and higher taxes

But these results are even more inspiring than they seem. What's truly amazing is that the vast majority of Americans favor smaller government in spite of the fact that . . .

* They all learned in government schools that government is the font of all things good
* The drama-mongering media constantly promotes the idea that the latest "crisis" is a cataclysmic danger that only government can solve
* Tax-funded "intellectuals" in our universities are constantly at work, pimping for the State
* Politicians spend billions every election telling us that they are the answer to every problem

The case for small government is hardly ever heard by anyone, and yet it still wins in the minds of the American people!

Can you imagine what could happen if our message was heard to the same extent as the propaganda for big government?

How can we make this happen? We think it would only take the organized assistance of a small portion of the 50-60% who already favor smaller government. How could these people be recruited and organized? We have a simple idea -- JUST ASK THEM!

We want to . . .

* Rent lists of politically engaged people
* Send them a letter describing RTBA and OSTA
* Ask them to join Downsize DC for free, by subscribing to the Downsizer Dispatch
* Make a pitch for funds so we can send more RTBA/OSTA letters to more potential recruits

We think this simple plan could make the Downsize DC Army grow very rapidly. Two major donors agree and have pledged a total of $50,000 to help ignite this fire. Their $50,000 is the final piece necessary to raise our entire 2009 budget of $186,000.

At present, we raise $97,000, annually, through monthly pledges (and the rest through one-time donations, with little to spare for advertising outreach).

To get the $50,000 in major donor pledges, and to achieve the goal all we need is the help of our supporters to "Close the Gap" of $39,000.

There are two ways you could help . . .

Close the $39,000 Gap from the top down by making a large pledge in concert with the two supporters who have pledged $50,000. Could you join them by pledging something on the order of $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000?

If you choose this route, with a minimum $500 donation, you won't have to fulfill your pledge until we have all the money raised. That way there's no risk of your contributing a large amount and then wondering if the goal will really be met. When the goal is met we'll tell you, and only then cash your check or process your credit card.

Better yet, we'll use your pledge, along with the $50,000, as a matching fund to encourage smaller donations to help Close the Gap from the bottom up. If you want to join our top donors by making a larger pledge please go to our secure contribution forms and choose the page for top down pledges.

On the other hand, if the above amounts don't fit your budget, could you help Close the Gap from the bottom up by making a smaller cash donation, or by starting a monthly credit card pledge? You can do this using the special secure contribution form we've created for this fundraising drive. Pick the bottom up page.

Please note, smaller bottom up contributions and monthly pledges are immediate donations, not pledges to be fulfilled later. It's a cash or credit card contribution now. In return, we'll send you a special gift as our way of saying, "Thanks."

Everyone who makes . . .

* A one-time donation of $76 or more, or . . .
* A new monthly pledge of $12 or more, or . . .
* A $5 or more increase to an EXISTING monthly pledge . . .

We'll send you our new "I Am Not Afraid" t-shirt (you can see a picture of the t-shirt on the contribution page).

Thanks to the help of our two enthusiastic donors we're suddenly $50,000 closer to being able . . .

* Tap intro the vast majority that favors smaller government
* Benefit from the wide appeal of RTBA and OSTA
* Grow at a very rapid rate

All we need to get that final $50,000 is raise another $39,000. We hope you can help.

Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC Army.

Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

P.S. There is also a Downsize DC lapel pin available for higher levels of support. And, IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY PLEDGING MORE THAN $50 PER MONTH, just tell us your T-shirt size, and we'll send you one as our way of saying thanks for all that support. See the special Close the Gap contribution form for details.

P.P.S. If tax-deductibility is important to you, or you wish to donate securities, you can make your contribution to the "Downsize DC Foundation."

P.P.P.S. Also, in terms of closing the gap, a monthly credit card pledge is worth the amount of the pledge times 12 months, so this is a particularly powerful way to help Close the Gap.

P.P.P.P.S. If you're going to send a check please print out one of the forms for this in our secure contribution pages. Our mailing address is located on both the Top Down and Bottom Up form.

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h
is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc. & Downsize DC Foundation

CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project

http://www.DownsizeDC.org is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a non-profit educational organization promoting the ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, and small government.

You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business associates, and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein as long as attribution is provided for articles and the subscription instructions above are included.

Vote YES on Question 1

Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty has endorsed the The Committee for Small Government's Small Government Act. Before you read the email they sent out though, let me show you exactly what it's going to say on your ballot. I'm an absentee voter, so I've already seen it and voted yes. I sent it off in the mail yesterday, and I hope it gets there on time.

QUESTION 1

LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2008?

SUMMARY

This proposed law would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for all categories of taxable income for the tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

The personal income tax applies to income received or gain realized by individuals and married couples, by estates of deceased persons, by certain trustees and other fiduciaries, by persons who are partners in and receive income from partnerships, by corporate trusts, and by persons who receive income as shareholders of "S corporations" as defined under federal tax law. The proposed law would not effect the tax due on income or gain realized in a tax year beginning before January 1, 2009.

The proposed law states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

A YES VOTE would reduce the state personal income tax rate to 2.65% for the tax year beginning on January 1, 2009, and would eliminate the tax for all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.

A NO VOTE would make no change in state income tax laws.

It is my sincere belief that A YES VOTE on this law would be of great benefit to every citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In fact, I believe that it would have a greater positive impact on the lives of Bay Staters than any other election or law to be decided on on this years ballot.

There are other questions on the ballot which are also very important, such as the presidency (Baldwin or Barr!), as well as QUESTION 2, A YES VOTE would replace criminal penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marjuana with a new system of civil penalties. However, for bay Staters anyway, QUESTION 1 would have the greatest effect, and so I will not be bothered with any further campaigning for any other political cause this voting season.

Now for a message from Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty and The Committee for Small Government.

October 24, 2008

[We wanted to pass along this email from our friends at The Committee for Small Government, who are working hard to end the state income tax in Massachusetts. —Campaign for Liberty]

Two people who share your values. About the writers of the message below:

Carla Howell and Michael Cloud are long-time Ron Paul supporters. They endorsed, campaigned for, donated to, and voted for Ron Paul for President. Carla Howell was a featured speaker at the December 6, 2007 Boston Tea Party Rally for Ron Paul for President at Faneuil Hall (on YouTube). Michael Cloud is a public speaker who has shared the stage with Dr. Paul a dozen times. Both Carla Howell and Michael Cloud joined Dr. Paul as co-plainiffs in the Supreme Court Case against the John McCain/Russ Feingold Campaign Reform Act.

+++++

Urgent Message to You from Two Strong Ron Paul Supporters

from Carla Howell and Michael Cloud

Dear Fellow Supporters of Ron Paul,

Ron Paul campaigned to Repeal the Income Tax – and dramatically shrink the size and power of government. Now you have the opportunity to take the first step to make Ron Paul's dream a reality – by helping us to repeal the income tax in Massachusetts this November 4th.

We are co-sponsors of Ballot Question 1, the legally-binding ballot measure that will END the Massachusetts state income tax.

Maybe you've read articles about our ballot initiative in the 'Wall Street Journal,' 'the New York Times,' 'the Boston Globe,' 'National Review,' 'Reason,' 'CATO,' 'the National Taxpayers Union,' or at LewRockwell.com. Or seen us on CNN or Fox News.

Do we really have a reasonable chance to win? Or is this just another fantasy?

Four different polls show us dead even. One poll shows support for ENDing the income tax at 45% -- with 45% against. 9% undecided. Two other polls show 45% For and 45% Against – with 10% undecided. One strange poll showed 37% For and 37% Against - with 26% undecided.

This is the second time we've put this END the income tax initiative on the ballot. Last time, with a few hundred volunteers - and a total advertising budget of $89,000 – we got 45.3% of the vote. 885,683 votes.

50/50 odds of repealing the state income tax. And a chance of setting in motion a series of state-by-state repeals of income taxes.

Why will Massachusetts voters vote YES – and END the income tax? What are the benefits to them?

1. Our Ballot Initiative will give back over $3,700 each to 3,400,000 Massachusetts workers and taxpayers. $3,700 average. Each worker. Not just once. Every year.

2. It will take $12.6 Billion out of the hands of Massachusetts Big Government – and put it back into the hands of the men and women who earned it. Not just once. Every year.

3. In productive, private hands this $12.6 Billion a year will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in Massachusetts.

4. This will force the state legislature to streamline and cut the waste out of the Massachusetts state spending.

5. This will force the state legislature to get rid of the failed, flawed government programs that don't work – and often make things worse.

6. It'll make the state legislature accountable to Massachusetts workers and taxpayers – instead of the government employees, lobbyists, and special interests who profit from high government spending.

7. With less government and no income tax, Massachusetts will become a magnet to private, productive businesses and individuals. More good jobs and more good workers.

8. And with 3,400,000 Massachusetts taxpayers getting back an average of $3,700 each in their take home paychecks, this just might radically reduce home foreclosures.

Wouldn't these huge, immediate, direct benefits get you to the polls on November 4th?

But there's a huge 900 lb gorilla standing between us and victory.

Who? The Teachers Unions.

Massachusetts Teachers Association, S.E.I.U. (the government employees union), AFL-CIO (who get plush government construction pay), and the other unions who get tax-funded jobs.

Union dues have already bankrolled $2,090,100 of the NO on 1 War Chest. That's 99.93% of the anti tax-cut funding!

In addition, these unions and their allies also reported $443,437 in in-kind donations.

In addition, these unions have mobilized an estimated $1,200,000 worth of paid and unpaid union activists to stop us from ending the income tax.

Plus, with the Massachusetts Teachers Association driving this effort, the unions and their political allies are generating widespread news coverage of Ballot Question 1.

Over 53 newspaper articles and opinion pieces in just the last 10 days!

The unions are very effective. 100% of the newspaper editorials oppose our Ballot Question 1. Over 96% of opinion columns are against us. Over 83% of the newspaper articles are indisputedly against us. The remaining articles usually lean 50% to 70% against Ending the income tax.

Despite our opponents' $2,090,100 in union dues dwarfing our fundraising, despite their several thousand paid and unpaid union activists being over 100 times the number of our volunteers, and despite their overwhelming advantage in Newspaper and TV support –

WE ARE STILL DEAD EVEN IN THE POLLS.

Some polls show us and our opponents each at 45% -- with 10% undecided. One poll shows us and our opponents each at 37% -- with 26% undecided.

With everything they've thrown at us, we're still tied.

With less than three weeks left, we can beat them.

We and our team are doing media interviews, debating our opponents, appearing on talk shows – and we're reaching more and more of the 3,400,000 Massachusetts workers and taxpayers.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association and their allies have already begun as much as $5,000,000 in Negative Ads and Fear Ads in these last 2 or 3 weeks.

To win, we probably need to run $500,000 in our high-impact ads. Or as close to that amount as we can.

We have $49,816 in the bank. We need to raise $450,000 immediately – if not sooner.

Our ads can tip the scales – and give us victory for the taxpayers.

We've developed and tweaked an advertising language, message and approach that's viral. Contagious. Infectious. Persuasive and unforgettable to Massachusetts taxpayers.

Each $20,000 in advertising will produce an additional $40,000 in positive news coverage, publicity, and word of mouth.

Together, you and we CAN win if you donate as much as you can, if your donation helps us run just 10% of the advertising our opponents are running.

Join us, and be an indispensible member of the Army of Davids that ENDS the Massachusetts income tax in less than 3 weeks.

Will YOU please contribute $500 or $250 or $150 right now – so we can produce and place the first wave of advertising?

If you are successful in your career, if you have enough cash or credit to make a larger donation, you will make a huge difference. Will you please donate $10,000 or $5,000 or $2,500 or $1,000 today?

Your donation is our advertising budget – to END the income tax. It's our campaign budget.

Other Ron Paul donors are counting on YOU to give what they are giving. To join them. They need YOU to donate now. Will you please donate $85 or $65 or $45 today?

Even $5 will help.

Don't wait. Please contribute now by credit card by clicking on "Donate" at our web site:

www.SmallGovernmentAct.org

Or please write your check today and mail it to:

The Committee For Small Government
6 Goodman Lane
Wayland, MA 01778

Make history. Make a donation today.

You will remember this for many, many years. Thank you.

Small government is possible.

Your friends and allies,

Carla Howell & Michael Cloud

Co-Sponsors, Ballot Question 1 to END the Income Tax

Please keep in mind that this project is not run by the Campaign for Liberty. All questions and other items of business should be taken care of by contacting those in charge through the information given on their website. Also‚ because we are not in charge of this project‚ Campaign for Liberty cannot make any guarantees about it. However‚ it is our opinion that this is a worthy cause. By participating in this project, you take full responsibility for any issues arising from that participation.

I sincerely hope that all who read this do what they can to have this bill passed. Most importantly, if you're eligible to vote, please remember to do so this Tuesday November 4th. Your vote DOES matter, especially in reguards to this closely devided issue.

Federal deficit soaring, here's how you can help.

The Kansas city star has decided to speak up on our lack of leadership in turning around our national debt. I've got some ways you can personally help reduce our national debt, but first, here's the article.

Posted on Tue, Sep. 09, 2008

Federal deficit soaring, but McCain, Obama offer no answers

By DAVID LIGHTMAN AND KEVIN G. HALL
McClatchy Newspapers

Just weeks before the government's fiscal year ends Sept. 30, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday projected a near-record federal budget deficit of $407 billion, sharply higher than White House projections six weeks ago and more than double last year's figure.

Mammoth federal-budget deficits feed inflation, make America dependent on foreign lenders, cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars in interest payments on the growing national debt and drain capital savings from more productive investments.

The widening gap between what the government spends and the revenue it brings in is sure to weigh on the next president and impede his efforts to spend on new or larger programs or to cut taxes.

Yet John McCain and Barack Obama show few signs that they're ready to take tough steps to curb deficits, according to budget analysts.

"I don't think either candidate is treating the deficit, or the debt, seriously. And I don't see any proposals from either one that would make the situation any better," said Robert Bixby, the executive director of the Concord Coalition, a bipartisan budget-watchdog organization.

Maya MacGuineas, the president of the bipartisan Center for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement that both candidates "are promising hundreds of billions more in spending and tax cuts than they are paying for."

Republican nominee McCain has promised to balance the budget by 2013, but most analysts consider that goal elusive unless lawmakers make radical changes in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid funding. McCain has made no such dramatic proposals.

Obama issued a statement Tuesday on the new data, promising that he'd "bring real change by cutting taxes for middle-class families and small businesses, paying for all his proposals to reduce the deficit" and working toward fiscal responsibility. He'd let tax cuts for the wealthiest earners expire and would impose higher taxes on certain corporations.

However, the Brookings Institution-Urban Institute Tax Policy Center has found that Obama's tax-reduction plan would increase the national debt by $3.5 trillion by 2018. McCain wants to leave existing tax cuts in place rather than let them expire, which the center said would add $5 trillion to the debt.

The CBO also offered a dismal forecast Tuesday, projecting a record deficit of $438 billion in the coming year due to the slowing economy, which would reduce tax receipts to the Treasury.

That fiscal 2009 deficit could rise another $83 billion if Congress, as expected, adjusts the alternative minimum tax. The deficit projection also doesn't include the potential costs to taxpayers from last weekend's seizure of mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The CBO had estimated a takeover cost of $25 billion, although financial experts suggest that it could exceed $100 billion.

The CBO's latest estimate for fiscal 2008 is $18 billion higher than the Bush administration's projection six weeks ago. The record is $413 billion in fiscal 2004. Fiscal 2007's deficit was $161 billion.

"The significant expansion in the deficit is the result of a substantial increase in spending and a halt in the growth of tax revenues," the CBO said.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said that one big reason the deficit went up was the stimulus that President Bush signed into law in February. The CBO said that another large part of the deficit's unexpected growth came from rising unemployment-benefit payments and higher spending to cover insured deposits in insolvent financial institutions.

Another boost to the deficit came from Congress and Bush's appetite for discretionary spending, which is expected to rise by $85 billion, or 8.1 percent, in the current fiscal year, mostly because of higher defense costs.

The CBO projected that economic growth would slow to a 1.5 percent annual rate this calendar year and 1.1 percent next year. Even if the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 expire as scheduled on Jan. 1, 2011, the deficit would be $325 billion the following year.

To bridge the gap between spending and tax revenues, the federal government borrows, increasing the national debt. It's grown from $5.7 trillion in 2000 to almost $9.7 trillion on Tuesday.

Analyst Bixby doubted that either presidential candidate's proposals would make a serious dent in the deficit and debt.

"Even if both of them can pay for their new initiatives and not make the situation any worse, the situation is unsustainable," he said. "Simply treading water is not good enough if you are headed over the falls."

© 2007 Kansas City Star and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.kansascity.com

Sounds pretty bad eh? Well, it is, and here's how you can help. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation lists 10 general things you can do now.

1. Become informed about the key issues facing our country and society.
2. Teach children the importance of being financially responsible.
3. Register to vote. Your vote DOES make a difference. If you want the federal government to address the looming fiscal crisis, vote and let your voice be heard.
4. Engage current and prospective elected officials.
5. Vote for candidates who are leaders and responsible stewards for our future.
6. Hold elected officials accountable for acting on key issues and delivering on their promises.
7. Join with other citizens to broaden public knowledge about our fiscal challenges and support civic groups that are working to address them.
8. Establish a personal budget. Identify essential and luxury items and be diligent in cutting back excessive spending on luxury items.
9. Formulate a financial plan, make sacrifices, but stick to it.
10. Become more responsible in decisions to spend and use credit, save for the future and invest savings wisely.

Now, here are some of my own suggestions on specific ways you can do those ten things.

1. Other than reading my blog? Heh, well, personally I like to to read news.google.com and customize it to leave out the junk about celebrities and focus on the more important things.

2. Be frank with them about how much money you earn. Then tell them how much debt you have, how much the rent, mortgage, groceries, and other things cost. Then tell them how hard the work is to earn he money which goes into paying for all these things and how long it takes sometimes to finish paying off a bill. When they're older you can explain to them that the same principles that govern your family economy also govern the economy of different stores they go to, the school they attend, and even the government.

3. To register to vote online, go here: http://www.rockthevote.com/
I know for many of us it seems pointless to vote because we feel the majority in our state will always vote the same way. For instance, in my home state of Massachusetts we will definitely be voting for Barack Obama. However, if you have a different opinion on who should be president, let it be heard! Even if that person doesn't get any electoral college votes from your state, you can still let other elected officials, as well as other citizens, that there are some people in your state who want this other candidate and therefor may hold different values than one might stereotypically think based on the stat electoral college. Also, I think if everyone who didn't vote because they new it wouldn't make a difference did in fact vote, the total number of these people would in face make a big difference.

4. Engaging current and prospective officials is a really good way to get your voice hear, and believe me, you do have a real chance of making a difference this way. I have personally gotten responses twice from writing emails to my senator and representative. Here's a good website giving some good advice on how to go about engage these sorts of folks. http://www.heartsandminds.org/articles/lobby.htm Here's another helpful tool: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

5. Some of my favorites or Ron Paul, John Cunningham, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin. Here's a website full of other similar-minded folks: http://paulcongress.com/Candidates.html

6. One organisation which is leading the effort to make government accountable is the We The People Foundation and their petitions for redress.

7. Well, I've already mentioned the We the People Foundation. Other good places are the Downsize D.C. Foundation, Ron Paul's Campaign For Liberty, The Heritage Foundation, and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Of these, I find Downsize D.C. the very best, and I think it could be the most effective in getting rid of our national deficit, increasing our freedom, and holding our elected officials more accountable all at once. I love it so much that I'll be dedicating several blogposts to them within this month.

8 and 9. Well, here's one free Christian personal finance book which might be interesting: http://www.scribd.com/doc/835/Managing-Your-Finances
Here's a basic form for you to fill out to set up a budget: http://financialplan.about.com/cs/budgeting/l/blbudget.htm
An About.com article about different helpful computer programs:
http://financialplan.about.com/od/software/tp/MoneySoftware.htm My mother, who also works for the Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank in the accounting department, does her family accounting using Quicken.
Finally, a helpful video: http://www.ehow.com/video_2202023_how-personal-budget.html

10. Using credit wisely (plus tips for people trying to pay off their student loan): http://www.youcandealwithit.com/credit_card_debt/using_credit.shtml
http://alabama.tomorrowsmoney.org/section.cfm/861/863/866
Ways to save money:
http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money
http://alabama.tomorrowsmoney.org/section.cfm/386
http://www.libertydollar.org/

I hope you find this helpful.

In Liberty,

Christopher D. Osborn
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, United States of America

September 2nd Rally for the Republic in Minniapolis, MN

From Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty:

Friday, August 22, 2008

Dear Friends of Liberty,

The schedule is complete, the merchandise is being printed, and arrangements are being finalized.

With only 11 days to go until Campaign for Liberty's Rally for the Republic, your staff is burning the midnight oil trying to nail down all the final details.

This should be one of the biggest and best kick-off celebrations in the history of American politics. I sure hope you will join us.

We've got a jam-packed, exciting day planned for Tuesday, September 2nd, but the excitement doesn't stop after the stage lights turn off at the Target Center.

Grammy award winning guitarist (and Ron Paul supporter) Jimmie Vaughan will be our host and provide the entertainment for The Rally for the Republic After-Party. The party will be taking place at The Lone Tree/Annex - one block away from the Target Center.

It will officially start at 9:30 pm, and it will last until 4 am. There is a $10 cover charge, and there will be a cash bar/limited food menu.

Jimmie Vaughan is the brother of late guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, and a musical legend in his own right. In addition to his involvement with many bands and famous artists over the years, he is an accomplished and successful solo artist that is known for his masterful blues guitar work.

From the official bio on his site:

Known for his deceptively simple yet complex attack, his clean, uncluttered style capitalizes on conveying the emotion and message within the music, He utilizes raw emotion, simplicity, and an elegance that is powerful and accessible, yet communicates exactly what he feels inside. It's an approach that has earned him the respect of many of the greats of contemporary music, and guest appearances on such albums as B.B. King and Eric Clapton's Riding With The King, Bob Dylan's Under The Red Sky, Willie Nelson's Milk Cow Blues, Carlos Santana's Havana Moon and Don Henley's Inside Job.

So, don't feel like you have to rush out of Minneapolis after the Rally! The C4L staff would love to meet you if you are able to attend.

If you have not purchased your ticket yet, I urge you to do so today. We are down to our last few tickets!

For more information about the Rally for the Republic please go to www.RallyForTheRepublic.com. You can also visit TicketMaster.com to guarantee yourself a seat. Ron and I believe this will be one of the most important events in the history of our movement.

If you cannot attend, I sincerely hope you will consider a contribution to Campaign for Liberty to help us defray the costs of this event, and help set the foundation for this vital organization. Just click on the Donate button at the www.RallyForTheRepublic.com main page.

Hope to see you there.

In Liberty,

John Tate


P.S. - We are less than 15,000 people away from hitting our goal of 100,000 members. Can you do me a favor and invite a friend, co-worker, or family member right now to join the Campaign for Liberty? Visit our community page to send invitations through our website.

Latest DownsizeDC Quote

From the Washington Post's annual Mensa Invitational, in which readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here's one of the winners:

"Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with."

This came as the header for the latest Downsizer Dishpatch, DownsizeDC's newsletter. This letter was a nice short was, just talking about the new servers they would be getting and letting us all now that their July Buget decreased substantially because of the great deal they found on the new servers. It's the last day of the month, but they stil need just $563 USD more to pay for what they spent this month.

If you want to help out, you can contribute here.

It also talked about the other great progress they're making, with 50,000 messeges to Congress and 571 new DC Downsizers (DownsizeDC members) this moonth. Both are record breakers for the nonprofit political movement.

Mostly I just wanted to share that first quote though. Hope you enjoyed!

Sincerely, in Liberty and True Brotherly Love,

Christopher D. Osborn - Edgartown, MA.

DownsizeDC.org's “One Subject at a Time Act”

My latest political activism has been involved with DownsizeDC.org. Here's an email I received from them after participating in a letter writing campaign with them.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Downsizer Dispatch
Date: Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 5:53 AM
Subject: Thanks for participating!
To: mvfipher (mvbcdosborn)


Thanks for participating!

Thank you for participating in DownsizeDC.org's letter-writing campaign today. For your convenience, this e-mail contains a copy of the letter we sent on your behalf.

Don't forget to tell your friends about this campaign!

Make Congress pass DownsizeDC.org's "One Subject at a Time Act"

http://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/83

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The Honorable Bill Delahunt
Rayburn House Office Building Suite 2454
Washington DC 20515-2110
william.delahunt@mail.house.gov


The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
Russell Senate Office Building Suite 317
Washington DC 20510-2101
http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm


The Honorable John F. Kerry
Russell Senate Office Building Suite 304
Washington DC 20510-2102
http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm


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Please introduce DownsizeDC.org's "One Subject at a Time Act" (OSTA). You can find the text of the legislation here: http://www.downsizedc.org/osta-legislation.shtml It's not right that our legislatures so often have to choose between voting yes for a piece of legislation which also contains something they very much disagree with, or voting no and not being able to pass a very important piece of legislation because some other junk has gotten thrown in there.

It's time to give you, our legislature, the power to only pass legislation on one topic at a time. It's ridiculous that some legislators try, and succeed at, forcing their unpopular bills to get passed by stuffing them in with something very important which they know will pass.

If OSTA gets passed it will put an end to foolishness like the "REAL ID Act", something wich was apposed by the majority of Congress and we the people, getting passed only because it was attached to a more popular bill, the "Emergency, Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief." (May, 2005).

I want you to be able to vote on only what you truly believe to be good legislation rather than being forced to approve bills that you would rather not see pass in order to get something important done.

Sincerely in Liberty,

Christopher D. Osborn
fipher.blogspot.com

(My name, U.S. Street address, and email were here in the letter my congressmen received)

That's all for tonight. I hope someone out there is reading and agreeing. God bless from Vineyard Haven, MA.

-Christopher D. Osborn


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Seeking redress, M.V. Times Letter

Hey, gues what? I sent a letter to the editor of the Martha's Vineyard Times, the Cape Cod Times, and the Vineyard Gazette, and the M.V. Times published it. I don't know if the Cape Cod times published it... I'll have to find a copy, and the Gazette doesn't come out 'till tomorrow, so we'll see then.

For now, here's the text of the letter:

Seeking redress

To the Editor:

Monday, June 30, may be remembered in history as the day Americans began, in earnest, the moral and solemn process of holding their servant government accountable to the constitution, under threat of withdrawal of allegiance, support and tax money.

To secure this end, the people have begun to claim and exercise a little known, but unalienable, "Right of Redress," rather than depending upon the will of the majority as defined by precinct voters, those who cast votes on Capitol Hill, and those that vote from the inner sanctums of our courthouses.

Most do not know that this profound natural right, first articulated 800 years ago in the Magna Carta, is embodied and protected by the petition clause of the First Amendment, the same amendment which protects your voice in the defense of freedom. Very importantly, academic research since 1986 makes clear that the right to petition for redress is not a redundant statement of the right of speech. It is in fact, the individual exercise of popular sovereignty.

To be sure, the widespread exercise of this Right holds significant implications for our nation and is most worthy of your interest. Here's what some of the Founders, sitting as the first congress, had to say:

"If money is wanted by rulers who have in any manner oppressed the people, they may retain it until their grievances are redressed, and thus peaceably procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions or disturbing the public tranquility." - Journals of the Continental Congress, 1:105113

On June 30, approximately 1,200 American citizens will begin the process of exercising the right by formally serving a legal notice and demand for redress upon the president, the attorney general and every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, at their local district offices. This includes our own.

Demanding an official response within 40 days, the notice includes seven petitions for redress of grievances regarding substantial violations the constitution:

1. The Iraq invasion in violation of the war powers clauses.
2. The Federal Reserve System's violation of the money clauses.
3. The USA Patriot Act's violation of the privacy clauses.
4. The direct, unapportioned taxes on labor in violation of the tax clauses.
5. The federal gun control laws in violation of the Second Amendment.
6. The failure to enforce immigration laws in violation of the "faithfully execute" clause.
7. The construction, by stealth, of a "North American Union" without constitutional authority.

We the people cannot elect our way out of tyranny. Any assertion that by electing either Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama we can cure the ills that now plague America is simply naive or based on a lack of information regarding the corrupting forces that truly influence and control our government and political process.

Remember, when our president originally led us to war in Iraq, he did so with the majority support of not only Congress, but of the people. Credit or blame for whatever actions our government takes, whether it turns out to be for better or worse, cannot be laid upon just one man, administration, or congressional gathering. Whether through apathy, ignorance, vigilance, or brilliance, all our nation's citizenry have some responsibility for what our government does.

We urge you, the media, to learn about this profound right and to cover this event. Our republic faces a watershed moment no less historically compelling or newsworthy than the emergence of the civil rights movement. If liberty is to survive through peaceful means, you must embrace your ability to bring this critical information to your readers.

I know our local papers don't usually cover national news so much, but this really does have the potential to affect us all personally.

I also must admit that I am not as well versed in constitutional law as some, but in the past couple of years I do feel I have learned enough to support this cause and wish that others would do the same. If you wish you may visit www.givemeliberty.org/revolution for details about the plan to restore constitutional order.

I also recommend that every citizen take a closer look at our constitution than most of us do. Some of it is a tough read, but during a time when there is significant discussion about what it's all about and how important it is, I think it's a good thing for every one of us to take a good look at.

Christopher D. Osborn
Vineyard Haven

I look forward to seeing what people have to say about it in the comments section of the website. Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Massachusetts in general actually is a great haven for big government Democrats.