by Russell D. Longcore. CampaignForLiberty.com.
Politics is a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners, winner-take-all, long-term war over the adjudication of power.
Campaign for Liberty sponsored a Regional Convention in Atlanta on January 15-17. The convention was the most eye-opening political event I have attended in recent years.
Over 400 political junkies were in attendance and got far in excess of their money's worth in political training. C4L Director of Development Steve Bierfeldt made arrangements for me to have a pass to the event. Being only recently made familiar with C4L, I had little idea what lessons were in store in this weekend event.
Campaign for Liberty (C4L) is a political organization founded in June 2008. Respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, individual liberty, sound money, non-interventionist foreign policy and stellar grassroots training in political activity constitute the foundation of Campaign for Liberty. C4L is experiencing exponential growth, with over 5,000 new members joining weekly. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
NCCS January Newsletter
From NCCS.net.
"Eighteen Constitutional Questions to ask Candidates in 2010"
With the events of 2009 now a matter of history, it is clear to see that the election year of 2010 will be like no other we have seen. On the one hand we have those running the country who are openly opposed to any form of the Founders' government based on limited, balanced, and carefully delegated powers. On the other hand are those who are awakening to a sense of our awful situation—one that if not immediately and powerfully checked—will no doubt lead to a loss of the very liberty and freedom for which our Founders fought and died. The months leading up to the November 2010 election, with all the petitions, campaigns, promises, and media hype, will be intense, perhaps even brutal, as the two forces battle for control of Congress for the following term.
Once in a while a question will be posed such as this: What can we do when there really is no one on the ballot we feel like we can support? My answer is usually: Then you have learned not to wait until the election to start thinking of good candidates! The process must begin very early. For 2010, it must begin now. . .
To read the entire newsletter, click here.
With the events of 2009 now a matter of history, it is clear to see that the election year of 2010 will be like no other we have seen. On the one hand we have those running the country who are openly opposed to any form of the Founders' government based on limited, balanced, and carefully delegated powers. On the other hand are those who are awakening to a sense of our awful situation—one that if not immediately and powerfully checked—will no doubt lead to a loss of the very liberty and freedom for which our Founders fought and died. The months leading up to the November 2010 election, with all the petitions, campaigns, promises, and media hype, will be intense, perhaps even brutal, as the two forces battle for control of Congress for the following term.
Once in a while a question will be posed such as this: What can we do when there really is no one on the ballot we feel like we can support? My answer is usually: Then you have learned not to wait until the election to start thinking of good candidates! The process must begin very early. For 2010, it must begin now. . .
To read the entire newsletter, click here.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
"The Roots of America's Political Parties"
by Ryan Burgett.
I rarely turn on the radio nowadays, but when I do I am almost always disappointed in what I hear. The top political commentators often have a good grasp on current politics, but when it comes to history, they can not see back beyond their own birth date. I have heard time and time again, "We must bring the party back to its roots!" But do they realize what those roots are? Do they realize where the parties came from? If they learned the truth, they would realize the ignorance of what they have been saying. So where do our modern political parties come from?
While the ideologies of each party can be traced back further, I am going to begin at the founding of the United States. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
I rarely turn on the radio nowadays, but when I do I am almost always disappointed in what I hear. The top political commentators often have a good grasp on current politics, but when it comes to history, they can not see back beyond their own birth date. I have heard time and time again, "We must bring the party back to its roots!" But do they realize what those roots are? Do they realize where the parties came from? If they learned the truth, they would realize the ignorance of what they have been saying. So where do our modern political parties come from?
While the ideologies of each party can be traced back further, I am going to begin at the founding of the United States. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
LBCCS Meeting Review and Resources
Meeting Date: January 15, 2010
Friends of LBCCS,
Thanks to all who came out to our meeting on Friday! We had an excellent gathering at our new location, the Belmont Inne in Bethlehem. Our topic for the night was "Classical Liberalism and the Radical Roots of the American Revolution." We presented the LBCCS definition of a classical liberal (click here to read that), then we loooked at excerpts from the following works which clearly present the ideology of classical liberalism:
John Locke - Second Treatise of Civil Government (Text, Audio)
Thomas Paine - Common Sense (Text, Audio)
Samuel Adams - The Rights of the Colonists (Text)
Thomas Jefferson - The Declaration of Independence (Text, Audio)
We finished by looking at a few basic points clarifying the classical liberal's worldview. (To read these, click here)
In the second part of the meeting, we watched "The Incredible Bread Machine", which is a short film about individual liberty and the menace of government intervention in the economy and our lives.
To watch the video online or download it, click here.
So thanks again to all who attended. We hope to see you next time along with your friends!
Our next meeting will be on February 19 at 7pm, also at the Belmont Inne . Jake Towne will be leading a discussion on Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States which defines the specific powers and responsibilities given to our federal legislature. More information on that meeting will be coming.
In Liberty,
Ryan Burgett
Chairman - L.B.C.C.S.
ryan_burgett@hotmail.com
Friends of LBCCS,
Thanks to all who came out to our meeting on Friday! We had an excellent gathering at our new location, the Belmont Inne in Bethlehem. Our topic for the night was "Classical Liberalism and the Radical Roots of the American Revolution." We presented the LBCCS definition of a classical liberal (click here to read that), then we loooked at excerpts from the following works which clearly present the ideology of classical liberalism:
John Locke - Second Treatise of Civil Government (Text, Audio)
Thomas Paine - Common Sense (Text, Audio)
Samuel Adams - The Rights of the Colonists (Text)
Thomas Jefferson - The Declaration of Independence (Text, Audio)
We finished by looking at a few basic points clarifying the classical liberal's worldview. (To read these, click here)
In the second part of the meeting, we watched "The Incredible Bread Machine", which is a short film about individual liberty and the menace of government intervention in the economy and our lives.
To watch the video online or download it, click here.
So thanks again to all who attended. We hope to see you next time along with your friends!
Our next meeting will be on February 19 at 7pm, also at the Belmont Inne . Jake Towne will be leading a discussion on Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States which defines the specific powers and responsibilities given to our federal legislature. More information on that meeting will be coming.
In Liberty,
Ryan Burgett
Chairman - L.B.C.C.S.
ryan_burgett@hotmail.com
"The Powers Delegated to the Federal Government are Few and Defined"
By Michael Boldin, CampaignForLiberty.com
In New Hampshire, State Representative Dan Itse has introduced House Bill 1343 (HB1343), which, if passed, would create "a joint committee of the legislature to consider the constitutionality of acts, orders, laws, statutes, regulations, and rules by the government of the United States including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and to consider the actions necessary to protect the sovereignty of the state of New Hampshire."
Unlike the many 10th Amendment Resolutions that have been introduced around the country since 2008, HB1343 is legally-binding legislation.
Calling on Thomas Jefferson and the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, the bill reaffirms the principle that it was "We the People" of the several states that created the federal government, and not the other way around. Thus, it’s the people of each state, and not the federal government, that retains sovereignty, which is defined as "final authority" in the American System. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
In New Hampshire, State Representative Dan Itse has introduced House Bill 1343 (HB1343), which, if passed, would create "a joint committee of the legislature to consider the constitutionality of acts, orders, laws, statutes, regulations, and rules by the government of the United States including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and to consider the actions necessary to protect the sovereignty of the state of New Hampshire."
Unlike the many 10th Amendment Resolutions that have been introduced around the country since 2008, HB1343 is legally-binding legislation.
Calling on Thomas Jefferson and the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, the bill reaffirms the principle that it was "We the People" of the several states that created the federal government, and not the other way around. Thus, it’s the people of each state, and not the federal government, that retains sovereignty, which is defined as "final authority" in the American System. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
What Is A Classical Liberal?
A classical liberal believes in the God-given natural rights of human beings to life, liberty and property; and understands that the purpose of government is to protect those rights to the extent that we as individuals can not efficiently do it ourselves. Crime is the forceful violation of another person's rights and the only legitimate circumstance to deprive a person of any of their rights is in response to their unlawful deprivation of another person's rights. And in all cases, the punishment should match the offense plus with extra compensation to the victim. It is a very simple philosophy that leaves no room for large, overbearing government.
The Classical Liberal's Worldview
Law:
Law predates the institution of civil government. There are no such things as law-makers, only law protectors. This natural law comes from God Himself and is perfect, and human laws are made only to the degradation of this law.
Rights:
The natural rights of human beings to life, liberty, and the fruit of their labor (property) are given them by God. These rights are not granted by governments and can not lawfully be taken away by the same.
Force:
There are two kinds of force:
1. Aggressive (or coersive) force, which violates another person's rights and is therefore an unlawful use of force.
2. Defensive (or reactionary) force, which is in response to aggressive force. This is a lawful use of force.
Power:
All power emanates from the individual, thus, power flows upward. Governments therefore receive their power from the individuals that make up their populace, and should be held in check by the same. If a government breaks the social contract, it is the right of the people to remove it and institute proper government in its place.
Goals:
The end of classical liberalism is true liberty. Thus, a classical liberal's job is never done. The classical liberal is always looking forward to that goal. This is in contrast to those that can be called “conservative” which defend the status quo and fight for what was, rather than looking forward to what should be. The true goals of classical liberalism have not yet been accomplished at any point in our country's history. Thomas Jefferson knew and understood this and fought for these goals until he died.
The Social Contract:
As Samuel Adams described in “The Rights of the Colonists,” an individual's relationship to proper government is a contractual business relationship. The people of a land pool their individual power and resources to create an organization, which is a government. This organization has contractual obligations to the people that created it. In this tradition, our founders wrote our Constitution, which begins with the words, “We the people of the United States...” It is the literal contract with America, and lays out the contractual obligations of our nation's federal government. We give the government certain resources, and then they must fulfill certain obligations to us, the people. Those obligations can be found summarized within the preamble to the Constitution, and are “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
Law predates the institution of civil government. There are no such things as law-makers, only law protectors. This natural law comes from God Himself and is perfect, and human laws are made only to the degradation of this law.
Rights:
The natural rights of human beings to life, liberty, and the fruit of their labor (property) are given them by God. These rights are not granted by governments and can not lawfully be taken away by the same.
Force:
There are two kinds of force:
1. Aggressive (or coersive) force, which violates another person's rights and is therefore an unlawful use of force.
2. Defensive (or reactionary) force, which is in response to aggressive force. This is a lawful use of force.
Power:
All power emanates from the individual, thus, power flows upward. Governments therefore receive their power from the individuals that make up their populace, and should be held in check by the same. If a government breaks the social contract, it is the right of the people to remove it and institute proper government in its place.
Goals:
The end of classical liberalism is true liberty. Thus, a classical liberal's job is never done. The classical liberal is always looking forward to that goal. This is in contrast to those that can be called “conservative” which defend the status quo and fight for what was, rather than looking forward to what should be. The true goals of classical liberalism have not yet been accomplished at any point in our country's history. Thomas Jefferson knew and understood this and fought for these goals until he died.
The Social Contract:
As Samuel Adams described in “The Rights of the Colonists,” an individual's relationship to proper government is a contractual business relationship. The people of a land pool their individual power and resources to create an organization, which is a government. This organization has contractual obligations to the people that created it. In this tradition, our founders wrote our Constitution, which begins with the words, “We the people of the United States...” It is the literal contract with America, and lays out the contractual obligations of our nation's federal government. We give the government certain resources, and then they must fulfill certain obligations to us, the people. Those obligations can be found summarized within the preamble to the Constitution, and are “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
LBCCS Meeting Agenda
January 15, 2010
7:00 Opening Remarks - Paul Fiske
7:10 Invocation - Janice Bowman
7:12 Pledge of Allegiance - Eric Adams
7:15 Classical Liberalism Presentation - Ryan Burgett
7:40 Discussion
8:05 Break
8:10 "The Incredible Bread Machine" Video
8:38 Discussion
8:55 Closing Remarks - Paul Fiske
To learn more about this event, click here.
7:00 Opening Remarks - Paul Fiske
7:10 Invocation - Janice Bowman
7:12 Pledge of Allegiance - Eric Adams
7:15 Classical Liberalism Presentation - Ryan Burgett
7:40 Discussion
8:05 Break
8:10 "The Incredible Bread Machine" Video
8:38 Discussion
8:55 Closing Remarks - Paul Fiske
To learn more about this event, click here.
Monday, January 11, 2010
George Washington on Political Parties
Excerpt from George Washington's Farewell Address.
All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.
However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.
However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
"The Invisible Hand Is a Gentle Hand"
by Sharon Harris, TheAdvocates.org.
The enemies of freedom have always maligned the free market. They have perpetuated myths like "dog-eat-dog capitalism," "survival of the fittest," "the law of the jungle." Robber barons. Heartless monopolies. A ruthless Wall Street fleecing a helpless Main Street.
Nonsense.
It's time to speak out for the free market and individual liberty.
The great economist Adam Smith wrote that a free society operates as if "an invisible hand" directs people's actions — in such a way as to serve the interest of the whole society.
That invisible hand is a gentle one. A free market is a gentle market. A free society is a gentle society. A cooperative, compassionate, and generous society. An abundant and tolerant society.
David Friedman, in his book The Machinery of Freedom, notes that there are only three ways to get something: (1) by trading, (2) by receiving a gift (from love or friendship), or (3) by force ("do what I want or I'll shoot you"). Honest, peaceful people operate in the first two ways. Criminals and the state operate by force, aggression, coercion.
The gentle invisible hand vs. the visible fist of force. . .
To read the entire speech, click here.
The enemies of freedom have always maligned the free market. They have perpetuated myths like "dog-eat-dog capitalism," "survival of the fittest," "the law of the jungle." Robber barons. Heartless monopolies. A ruthless Wall Street fleecing a helpless Main Street.
Nonsense.
It's time to speak out for the free market and individual liberty.
The great economist Adam Smith wrote that a free society operates as if "an invisible hand" directs people's actions — in such a way as to serve the interest of the whole society.
That invisible hand is a gentle one. A free market is a gentle market. A free society is a gentle society. A cooperative, compassionate, and generous society. An abundant and tolerant society.
David Friedman, in his book The Machinery of Freedom, notes that there are only three ways to get something: (1) by trading, (2) by receiving a gift (from love or friendship), or (3) by force ("do what I want or I'll shoot you"). Honest, peaceful people operate in the first two ways. Criminals and the state operate by force, aggression, coercion.
The gentle invisible hand vs. the visible fist of force. . .
To read the entire speech, click here.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
"Chasing Gelten Shadows"
by Jake Towne.
“Money is not an invention of the state. It is not the product of a legislative act.” - Carl Menger, 1871
Money is an invention of mankind. Our society refers to the irredeemable scraps of linen and ink as “money,” but in truth the dollar is no such thing. It is merely a currency, a medium of exchange, created by fiat – by government decree and force. The dollar is a phantom I.O.U. note. It is a Ponzi scheme and the central banking system issues new dollar currency whenever it wishes.
Dollars are toxic waste in the literal and fiscal sense. Literally, each dollar bill contains arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium, and cyanide and generates dumpster upon dumpster of hazardous waste every day. Fiscally, the dollar has lost 98.3% of its value as of January 1, 2010 since the creation of the central bank known as the Federal Reserve in 1913. (Note 1) Many Americans are unaware that the electrons and scraps of linen we trade around as currency are mere shadows of sound money. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
“Money is not an invention of the state. It is not the product of a legislative act.” - Carl Menger, 1871
Money is an invention of mankind. Our society refers to the irredeemable scraps of linen and ink as “money,” but in truth the dollar is no such thing. It is merely a currency, a medium of exchange, created by fiat – by government decree and force. The dollar is a phantom I.O.U. note. It is a Ponzi scheme and the central banking system issues new dollar currency whenever it wishes.
Dollars are toxic waste in the literal and fiscal sense. Literally, each dollar bill contains arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium, and cyanide and generates dumpster upon dumpster of hazardous waste every day. Fiscally, the dollar has lost 98.3% of its value as of January 1, 2010 since the creation of the central bank known as the Federal Reserve in 1913. (Note 1) Many Americans are unaware that the electrons and scraps of linen we trade around as currency are mere shadows of sound money. . .
To read the entire article, click here.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Announcing a Special LBCCS January Meeting!
At this month's meeting, we will be discussing Classical Liberalism and the Radical Roots of the American Revolution. Were our founding fathers Conservatives? [Modern] Liberals? Anarchists? We know from history that most of our founding fathers and the architects of the American Revolution were "Classical Liberals." This is the ideology that led them to resist and eventually fight the American Revolution. Some nowadays classify our founding fathers as terrorists, but if you understand their ideology and the true history of what happened, it becomes perfectly clear that they were justified in all that they did and were not "terrosists" even by a stretch of the brain. But were they radicals? Certainly.
Come and join us as we learn and discuss together! We will be meeting for the first time at the historic Belmont Inne in Bethlehem and will also be charging for entrance to the meeting. A snack buffet will be provided by the inn. Please RSVP by Facebook or email (ryan_burgett@hotmail.com) by January 12 so we can properly prepare for the group. We hope to see you there!
Time:
Friday, January 15 @ 7:00pm
Cost:
$8 / person if RSVP'd by the 12th
or
$11 at the door.
Place:
The Belmont Inne
3750 Old Philadelphia Pike
Bethlehem, PA 18015
For a map and to get directions, click here.
Come and join us as we learn and discuss together! We will be meeting for the first time at the historic Belmont Inne in Bethlehem and will also be charging for entrance to the meeting. A snack buffet will be provided by the inn. Please RSVP by Facebook or email (ryan_burgett@hotmail.com) by January 12 so we can properly prepare for the group. We hope to see you there!
Time:
Friday, January 15 @ 7:00pm
Cost:
$8 / person if RSVP'd by the 12th
or
$11 at the door.
Place:
The Belmont Inne
3750 Old Philadelphia Pike
Bethlehem, PA 18015
For a map and to get directions, click here.
"Paper Money and the Constitution"
by Rick Lynch, TenthAmendmentCenter.com.
Why do we have a Constitution? How and why did it come into existence? Just what, exactly, prompted the calling of the Constitutional Convention, which gave birth to it? Most Americans believe, logically enough, that with the passing of the British from the scene it was simply time to create a new government to take the place of the old. That notion, however, ignores the facts that Americans already had a functioning government at the time of the Convention and that that government had been in effect for six years following the final British defeat at Yorktown.
No, the overthrow of the old government and the establishment of the new were prompted by an internal tumult... that had nothing to do with the departure of the British. That crisis revolved around the printing of paper money by some of the newly freed states. . . .
To read the entire article, click here.
Why do we have a Constitution? How and why did it come into existence? Just what, exactly, prompted the calling of the Constitutional Convention, which gave birth to it? Most Americans believe, logically enough, that with the passing of the British from the scene it was simply time to create a new government to take the place of the old. That notion, however, ignores the facts that Americans already had a functioning government at the time of the Convention and that that government had been in effect for six years following the final British defeat at Yorktown.
No, the overthrow of the old government and the establishment of the new were prompted by an internal tumult... that had nothing to do with the departure of the British. That crisis revolved around the printing of paper money by some of the newly freed states. . . .
To read the entire article, click here.
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