Feared by Big Government. Hated by Big Media. Maligned by power-hungry partisans. That's what happens when organized Constitutionalists create an informed electorate that holds public servants accountable.
“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman...
When the internationalist-minded Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) decided it was time to take a hard look at the growing influence of the Tea Party movement in America, it selected “one of the country’s leading students of American foreign policy,” Walter Russell Mead, to do the study. Appearing as the headline article in Foreign Affairs for March/April 2011, his article is entitled “The Tea Party and American Foreign Policy.”
A myriad of chain emails have circulated the internet advocating new amendments be added by way of an inherently risky Constitutional Convention (Con-Con).
Maybe we should we try following the Constitution again before we open up the possibility of rewriting it. It worked pretty well when we actually followed it.
Once again a few well-funded organizations have popped up that are ramping up a nationwide push to have enough state legislatures apply to Congress for a Con-Con. These efforts ha...
Posted by on Friday, February 25, 2011,
In :
Analysis
Enemies of freedom have always used racial and religious differences to divide people while they take more power for themselves. It's no different today.
The Greatest Story Never Told: Another black history month is nearly gone, and it's another year where the government-schools and the pundits fail to teach Americans an important history lesson...the one that goes like this - "OK, for all these years, we've been telling you that states' rights and nullification was evil and all about racism.... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Tuesday, February 22, 2011,
In :
Action
February 22nd - 24th, 2011
To celebrate we’re holding an online radio marathon at http://www.TeaPartyGoesToWashington.com featuring Rand Paul, Ron Paul, John Dennis and more. Check the website for lineup details being added throughout the day.
Bookbombs are a great way for us to spread the message of liberty. A
best selling book gets a lot of media, spreads ideas of liberty and all
of the contributors get a book for their efforts. Everyone wins! And
remember, the Tea Party movement is a he... Continue reading ...
I agree with his points, but would add that use of technology is valuable and the cost of it can be shifted from school to home, because it is not expensive for homes to own computers and other educational technology. See the TECHNICAL HORIZONS IN EDUCATION JOURNAL at http://thejournal.com/Home.aspx and http... Continue reading ...
For some, the mere utterance of the word “nullification” conjures up images of voodoo incantations to exorcize evil spirits, or of “Gomers running around the block yelling ‘Citizen’s arrest.’” For some inexplicable reason, such images were never invoked when ...
Posted by on Saturday, February 12, 2011,
In :
Analysis
Myth: 85% of teacher salaries will come from the salary scale and 15% from merit pay. That means that teachers receive a 15% reduction in salary right off the top and then have to somehow earn it back. There is no way you can earn that back in merit pay. Tom Luna is taking away salaries to fund merit pay. Fact: Under the Students Come First plan, the state will fully restore the instructional salary grid and teachers will continue to be paid based on steps and lanes now and in the future. This...
Posted by on Saturday, February 5, 2011,
In :
Columns
I am writing you in response to Assistant Chief Deputy Brian Kane’s letter to Representative William Killen offering his opinion regarding the Constitutionality of Nullification. As you will soon be pressed to determine the fate of Idahoan’s with regard to the Obama Administration’s mandate to federalize healthcare; I offer the following rebuttal.
You are the Representatives for us the sovereign people of Idaho who are a part of this great nation of States. It is your duty to uphold the... Continue reading ...
Rep. John Rusche (D-Lewiston), the House Minority Leader, voted in 2008 “to direct the Idaho Transportation Board and the Idaho Transportation Department not to implement the provisions of the REAL ID Act of 2005.” Idaho was one of 25 states that helped to nullify this unconstitutional national ID card.
In defiance of common sense, more than 150 years of history and settled law, and the opinions of constitutional experts, Rusche is now engaging in meaningless grandstanding against HB 59, a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Lonnie Pfeifer on Wednesday, January 26, 2011,
In :
Action
I just sent John McGee a letter reminding him that his renewed push for more senseless regulation will not be met with agreement by the more patriotic Americans.
As you may remember a bill was passed in the senate last year to ban texting while driving, it was then defeated in the House. State Senator John McGee has re-introduced the bill again this session. Senator Les Brock has also introduced a bill to ban talking on cell phones without a hands-free device while driving.
Posted by on Tuesday, January 11, 2011,
In :
Columns
As we move into a New Year there seems to be some similarities between our situation today and that of the transition from 1776 into 1777.
Near the end of the year 1776, the thirteen colonies had begun to form a very loose confederation. The war against the tyrannical King George III was not going very well. The disastrous defeat at New York had forced Washington and his army to retreat into a position that...
Posted by on Saturday, December 25, 2010,
In :
Columns
Dear Patriots,
I could start to feel the life force again as the family headed up the Yankee Fork back home for Christmas. It's such a beautiful place we live in here in Custer County and throughout most of America. I got to thinking of the good things in life, bundled up with the family bouncing up the road heading for the mountain. I thought of so many good people who never get a shout out, so many who do so much that we never hear of and rarely catch on the nightly news. But this year ... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, December 9, 2010,
In :
Analysis
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation is proud to introduce A Guide to Sound Money (pdf).
This pocket guide, co-published by Atlas and FreedomWorks, offers a concise, powerful introduction to Sound Money principles. Its easy-to-read and compact style makes it a great primer for distribution at conferences and public meetings, where you can help Atlas kindle grassroots interest and activism in the direction of stronger money. The Guide is intended for both educational use by the broader publ...
WikiLeaks Reveals U.S. & EU Climate Bullying, Bribery, Espionage A series of secret U.S. diplomatic cables released in recent days by the whistle-blower group WikiLeaks shows the American and European governments used monetary incentives, threats, and even espionage to advance their “climate” agenda at the COP15 global-warming summit in Copenhagen last year and beyond. >read story
Posted by on Tuesday, November 30, 2010,
In :
Action
According to a Gallup poll published on October 13, 2010, 59 percent of Americans think the federal government has too much power. This represents a dramatic, 20-percent increase over the past seven years. Furthermore, we’ve all witnessed an amazing series of federal power grabs in the past few years: the bailouts, the government takeovers, the stimulus bill, the healthcare “reform” law known as ObamaCare, the financial regulatory law, the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gases, the tri... Continue reading ...
Campus Liberty Alliance's Sam Antonio sits down with Alex Newman to discuss the youth liberty movement, ending the federal reserve and campus activism.
Alex Newman is a Floridian journalist who writes for The New American Magazine. Currently he is also working with the D.C.-based Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization which identifies and trains conservative and libertarian leaders.
Campus Liberty Alliance's mission is to educate and mo...
It’s difficult for me to understand how Bannock County is always, embarrassingly, the last county in the state to report election results. It’s also difficult to explain away so many seemingly minor problems in vote processing by the county as “human error,” as if that excuses lapses in security or protocol, or the actual count.
Such “human errors” were in abundance for the election two weeks ago. Perhaps the most egregious is the absentee ballot discrepancy. The clerk’s office...
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Sunday, October 31, 2010,
Elect Paul Venable
More the just a Little, BETTER!
Dear Friends of Liberty,
This has been a difficult year for many of us in Idaho and around the country politically and economically. We are all feeling it. In addition, profound and unexpectedly heavy commitments at work and home have limited my ability to pursue a more active campaign. However, it has not limited my desire to continue to advance the cause of freedom. We may appear to face insurmountable odds but our nation's f...
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Wednesday, September 29, 2010,
Dear Friend of Liberty,
These next 48 hours are potentially the most dangerous time of the year, as Harry Reid and his statist allies in Washington, D.C. decide whether to head home for the election or try to sneak in a last minute vote to steal liberty, spend money, or empower big labor and other statist allies.
Thankfully, Senator Jim DeMint has taken a stand for liberty and promised to place a hold on any legislation not agreed to by both parties. This does not guarantee Reid won’t try to...
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Thursday, September 16, 2010,
A educational, motivational seminar on The Making of America is scheduled for Saturday October 23, 2010 in Blackfoot. This is a timely topic as we approach election time and is open to the public of all ages. The speaker is associated with the National Center for Constitutional Studies (www.nccs.net), an educational organization that promotes our liberties through constitutional study programs.
The cost for the seminar is only $10 and will start at 8:30AM and conclude by 4:30PM, with a 45 ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Wednesday, September 15, 2010,
(AP) - It's tea time in America.
Conservative Christine O'Donnell pulled off a stunning upset over nine-term Rep. Mike Castle in the Republican Senate primary in Delaware Tuesday, propelled by tea party activists into a November showdown with Democrat Chris Coons. After a primary season shaped by economic pain and exasperated voters, the grass-roots, anti-establishment movement can claim wins in at least seven GOP Senate races, a handful of Republican gubernatorial contests and dozens of H...
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Monday, September 13, 2010,
The anti-tax Tea Party is gaining traction as 41 percent of likely voters support the movement publicly, up from 34 percent in August.
The uptick comes as lawmakers prepare to debate the fate of Bush-era tax cuts.
Friday's poll results could potentially make it more difficult for Republicans to support President Obama's plan to continue the tax breaks benefiting the middle-class while allowing the ones for the wealthy to expire on schedule at the end of the year.
Posted by Pocatello Tea Party on Monday, September 13, 2010,
Hi everyone, I know I promised this yesterday afternoon but things got a little hectic here.
We will be having an organizational meeting on Friday September 24, 2010 at 7:00 pm in the Sunrise travel building. Those of you who attended the 5000 year leap classes already know where that is for the rest of us it is located at 414 Yellow Stone ave in Pocatello.
The city has responded to my open records request, they want 100 dollars on deposit before they will begin searching for the records. I a... Continue reading ...
A group of South Carolina TEA Parties have issued a censure of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), in the wake of his recent vote to approve Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted on July 20th, along with 12 democrats to approve Kagan’s nomination. The 13-6 vote will move the vote out of the judiciary committee ... Continue reading ...
OATH KEEPERS is a non-partisan association of Military, Veterans, and peace officers who will honor their oaths to defend the Constitution, will NOT just follow orders, will stand for liberty, and will save the Republic, so help us God. Our motto is:
"Not on Our Watch!"
SUMMARY LIST OF ORDERS WE WILL NOT OBEY:
1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.
2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people
As a traditional libertarian, I believe strongly in the right to own property. As a property owner, I have tried to do my best as a fellow citizen by passing the advantages I have in life on to those less fortunate. As such, my rental properties enjoy no cash flow. In fact, I purposely price them significantly lower than the market calls for in an attempt to help those in need: single mothers, special assistance individuals, etc.
I do not run a charity, however, and do charge for rent what I p... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, July 23, 2010,
In :
Tea Party
THERE'S TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT!!!
But you already knew that.
Encroachments on our liberty, misuse of our money, abuses of power; federal, state, county, city, school districts and other taxing districts; they're too big, too expensive, and too intrusive!!! No one can keep track of it all by themselves, let alone hold them all accountable.
Posted by on Tuesday, July 20, 2010,
In :
Tea Party
Many on the mainstream Right are now increasingly beginning to question American foreign policy. This is not only long overdue, but absolutely necessary before genuine conservatism can ever take root.
"Unlike the Right’s past tax revolts, the Tea Party is animated by opposition to the exorbitant level of federal spending and indebtedness. With their rejection of Republican bailouts and “compassionate conservatism,” they have turned away from the ...
I’ve been occasionally watching Glenn Beck on the Fox News Channel and think he has done an admirable job of smoking out and identifying the shockingly hardcore, radical socialists who dominate the Obama administration. He has also done a generally good job talking about the libertarian founding principles of America, how they have been lost, and our duty to regain them. But he has been absolutely abysmal when discussing the subject of Lincoln, the War to Prevent South... Continue reading ...
My name is Brian Schad and I am Idaho's 2nd CD Independent Candidate for this year's general election in November. Like many of you, I have become disillusioned with our federal government, our federal elected leaders, and the unsustainable financial path we are traveling as a country. I have stopped talking politics and began talking about "solutions" last year.
Around that time, I learned how my federal representative - one that I have repeatedly voted for in the past - has ... Continue reading ...
Meltup may be the most important economic documentary ever produced. The Second American Revolution has begun! Please share this documentary with all of your friends and family members immediately!
Posted by on Thursday, July 8, 2010,
In :
Public Shaming
All is not well with your local government.
It seems to have become the ambition of everyone with political power to reward their cronies at everyone else's expense. Loot the public and divide the spoils.
They do it under the guise of stimulating the economy. The problem is that government isn't smart enough to know and shouldn't have the power to decide which segments of the economy prosper at other's expense. Free people make those decisions in a market economy.
In a nutshell, the argument against calling for a constitutional convention is that once convened, such a convention would be free to consider and propose whatever amendments to the Constitution that it deemed beneficial. Which is to say that such a convention could become a “runaway convention” in much the same way that the Constitutional Convention that produced our current U.S. Constitution was a runaway convention that di... Continue reading ...
Posted by Chris Stevens on Sunday, July 4, 2010,
In :
Columns
“All men are created equal... endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
Americans have a great heritage of rebellion to tyranny. It's ingrained in our culture. Every year on Independence Day we remind our children of the sacrifices that were made for our liberty.
Our Founding Fathers rebelled against an out-of-control government after a long train of abuses and usurpations – a government not unlike our modern central government.
After fighting what I believed was an unconstitutional federal income tax, six years ago I capitulated, filed returns, and have since then, paid $120,054 in combined state and federal income taxes (including the interest and penalties). At the time, I was also working toward a settlement with the IRS. What derailed this settlement process was becoming a target for an audit. My experiences provide a case study of why we need to get rid of the income tax on wages... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, June 18, 2010,
In :
Tea Party
NEW YORK (UPI) -- More than two-thirds of U.S. Republican voters said they agree with the core policies of the Tea Party, a survey indicated.
Of GOP voters surveyed online by Angus Reid Public Opinion, 68 percent said they "moderately agree" or "strongly agree" with the Tea Party's core policies, compared with just 7 percent who disagreed.
The poll questions did not define core policies.
Tea Party support among GOP voters has climbed 8 percent since a similar Angus Reid survey in March.
America’s doors are open. The welcome-mat is out .. and we left the lights on. Now, what do we do with 15 million-plus illegal aliens that refuse to assimilate? Are these interlopers who disdain our laws, won’t learn our language, despise our culture and detest our heritage? Well then, why are they still here?
John F. McManus will detail America’s steep descent into darkness. Why must America relinquish her language, culture and heritage? And why won’t Congress stretch fo... Continue reading ...
We need the government to regulate business people, otherwise they will run wild, laying waste to the environment, and selling us bad food, bad drugs, and harmful products.
It would be silly to claim that business people never do these things. After all . . .
* Not all people are good. * Neither are people who are mostly good, consistently good. * And sometimes goodness has nothing to do with... Continue reading ...
(06/01/10) -- As the election season approaches, politicians might find themselves in a tough race to win voter confidence.
The top issue among voters continues to be the state of the economy and how lawmakers are dealing with it.
Our exclusive ABC 12 EPIC-MRA poll finds that 67 percent of the people we surveyed say Congress is being too partisan in how it handles economic issues.
The local RINO* establishment thinks YOU are more dangerous than Democrats. They have been terrified of the Tea Party ever since it started, even if they would like to whip us into line and take advantage of us.
Their actions speak louder than their words and they have repeatedly demonstrated that they don't support the Principles of Liberty.
You deserve to know what has gone on behind the scenes and why some of your efforts have been frustrated. It's also helpful in understanding how so many ... Continue reading ...
Have you noticed how fired up people are all over the country for new faces, new ideas and a return to limited, constitutional government?
Tuesday's election here in Idaho will almost entirely decide who our next representatives will be, and yet the primary will be decided by only 3% of the population. Races are sometimes as close as one vote that decides who the winner will be. Let that vote be yours!
If we elect more career-first, establishment politicians, we won't get balanced budgets. Th... Continue reading ...
Establishment Republican Party (ERP) The Nelson Rockefeller Building K Street Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) GET-PORC
BREAKING: Establishment Republicans Break to Form New Third Party!
-- Abandoned by the grassroots, disenfranchised GOPers break ranks -- -- Crist enthused, Bennett contemplates, Specter may join! --
Washington, D.C. – In a bold preemptive move in anticipation of Tea Partiers, conservatives, and other regular Americans taking over the Republican Party, Republican Nation... Continue reading ...
It's all the current fashion to dump on "capitalism."
It was the greedy free market, supposedly, that created both the housing bubble and the housing bust and led, inevitably, to the "great recession." Capitalism, according to most liberal pundits (and even Alan Greenspan in a bad mood), is an inherently risky and unstable system that requires government regulation to correct its flaws and moderate its excesses.
Let me dissent sharply from that conventional wisdom and argue that... Continue reading ...
State Controller's Four-Year Term Brought 25% Budget Increase and Huge Losses in the School Endowment Fund
Boise - The incumbent was elected to the office of Idaho State Controller in 2006. While serving her current four year term, the Controller’s budget has increased 25%. It had a 45% increase appropriated for 2009, but that was held back by the Governor and Legislature. This expansion of government has not brought a benefit to the citizens of Idaho.
SALT LAKE CITY — Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah has lost his bid to serve a fourth term after failing to advance past the GOP state convention.
Bennett is the first incumbent to lose his seat in Washington this year, the victim of a conservative movement angered by rising taxes and the growth of government.
Bennett was targeted by tea party activists and other groups for supporting a massive bailout of the financial industry, securi... Continue reading ...
On Friday May 7th the people of Pocatello will have a rare opportunity to see eyewitness photos, and hear firsthand descriptions, of the fall of The Berlin Wall from a scientist born and raised in Berlin who took the photos and experienced that world- changing event. Christian Segebade lived in Berlin during the time the Berlin Wall was being built, during its oppressive years of dividing the city, and to witness the day in November, 1989 when the wall’s gates were opened and the tyranny w... Continue reading ...
Brands political opposition with violent labels and has the media as a willing accomplice.
There's a new narrative taking hold in the wake of the recent tea party protests and the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing: The tea partiers' intense opposition to the Obama administration has led to overheated political rhetoric, which could in turn lead to violence.
Former President Clinton has emerged as a leading voice of this new narrative. In interviews, Clinton said it's "legitimate" to draw... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, April 29, 2010,
In :
Analysis
The Corporatist Republicrat duopoly has failed America
Socialism vs Corporatism Lately many have characterized this administration as socialist, or having strong socialist leanings. I differ with this characterization. This is not to say Mr. Obama believes in free-markets by any means. On the contrary, he has done and said much that demonstrates his fundamental misunderstanding and hostility towards the truly free market. But a closer, honest examination of his policies and actions in offic... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, April 22, 2010,
In :
Action
The purpose of this lawsuit is to reverse Supreme Court precedent related to the Commerce clause and thereby overturn Obamacare. The Supreme Court has historically erred in its interpretation of the Constitutional role of the Federal Government. Recent Supreme Court rulings hint that they may be willing to take another look at Commerce clause precedent. Obamacare is so over reaching and so onerous, that it must either be repealed in Congress or struck down in the courts. We must fight this on... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Wednesday, April 21, 2010,
In :
Columns
In reading my past newsletters, you will notice that I have quoted the Founding Fathers numerous times. Some may think I would like America to be the same as it was at that time. That is not the case. There were many who questioned the creation of our Constitution even then. Some were content living under the rule of the Crown before the Revolutionary War in 1776. Others feared the new government and the Constitution that was constructed by those at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787. It is ... Continue reading ...
Liberty Candidates 2010 announces the "Great Patriot MoneyBomb" fundraiser to benefit 126 candidates from 32 states simultaneously over a 3-day period April 16-18, 2010.
What: Great Patriot MoneyBomb grassroots fundraiser benefiting 126 Candidates nationwide
When: Midnight, Thursday April 15 - Midnight, Sunday April 18, 2010
BOISE - Idaho has joined a federal court case in Montana arguing that locally made and used guns should be exempt from all federal laws, including registration requirements.
It’s a follow-up to the “Idaho Firearms Freedom Act” that state lawmakers enacted this year at the urging of Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, who said the bill wasn’t really about gun rights. Instead, Harwood told fellow lawmakers, the measure was intended to spark a federal court cas... Continue reading ...
On April 15, 2009, Main street America gathered in massive public protests against the taxes, bailouts and spending that is destroying the country our forefathers died for.
Congress has refused to follow the Constitution or balance the budget. The U.S. national debt burden is now over $41,212 for every man, woman and child. The free market is being suffocated by bureaucracy.
One year later the protests continue, but with even more to be upset about. Big Gove... Continue reading ...
Opponents have tried to brand the tea party as a group of racists hiding behind
economic concerns... But these black conservatives don't consider
racism representative of the movement as a whole — or race a reason to
support it.
"I've been told I hate myself. I've been called an Uncle Tom. I've been told I'm a spook at the door," said Timothy F. Johnson, chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a group of black conservatives who support free market principles and limited government.... Continue reading ...
The dispute between the Bingham County Commissioners and the Blackfoot Fire Department has been going on for several months now. The City Fire Department provides ambulance service county-wide under a contract with the County. At issue is who is financially responsible when the Fire Department goes over budget. For several years the city and the county split the red ink. This year, the County said they would no longer pay for the City Fire Department’s inability to operate within a budge... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Tuesday, March 30, 2010,
In :
Tea Party
We were down in Mesquite to close the house for the Summer and decided to drive over to Searchlight and see what the fuss was about. The first picture was taken where we parked...at least 3 mile from the event. We arrived in the event area just as Palin was finishing, so much of the crowd was exiting, having been there 2-6 hours. We met people from Alabama, Florida, New York, Michigan and even western Canada. The local TV news estimated the crowd at 8K, but I'm sure it was 12-15K. The we... Continue reading ...
House Bill 391 was signed into state law on 3/17/2010 by the governor, and becomes effective 7/1/2010. This law protects us from Obama's evil efforts to socialize medicine - we don't have to pay for, nor use it. Read Section 39-9003 to see for yourself. Thought you'd like to know.
Posted by on Thursday, March 18, 2010,
In :
Action
In the last 6 months or so, the operation of ambulance services has been a significant issue here in Blackfoot. The current operator of the ambulance - the Blackfoot fire department, has been unable/willing to operate within a budget and demanding additional money from the county. From what I understand, this is not an isolated incident. Bannock county has had similar issues with the Pocatello fire department.
The Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee will be considering a bill to mandate... Continue reading ...
Well, it’s that time again. It’s, once again, time to feed the School District 25 ‘kitty’; their insatiable demand for more, more and MORE!
It seems almost impossible, but it was only last year that SD 25 was demanding a $7.5 million ‘supplemental levy’ to (once again) ‘save the teachers’, or some other absolute need. Of course, we, the voters, saw the fallacy in that attempt at extortion and turned the supplemental levy away, only to have the District retur... Continue reading ...
$3,934,530 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011; $4,131,257 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012; $4,337,819 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013; $4,554,710 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014; $4,782,446 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015; $5,021,568 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2... Continue reading ...
Americans Turn Against Congress,
Want Incumbents Tossed Out
A CBS News-New York Times poll
taken Feb. 3-9 indicates deep
discontent with the statist quo:
* Only 8 percent of Americans want the
current members of Congress re-elected. * Fully 80 percent said members of Congress are more interested
in serving special interests than the people they represent.
* 75
percent disapproved of the job Congress is doing.
* Congress's job
approval rating was 15 (out of a possible 100).
Posted by on Thursday, March 4, 2010,
In :
Public Shaming
Jumbo, full-color postcards recently prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense:
Our incumbent politician, together with his cohorts in Washington, are taxing, borrowing and spending us into oblivion and they have the audacity to abuse their position at our expense. When will it end? Enough already!
Send this all over Idaho.
Call Simpson's local office at 233-2222 and tell him what you think.
Simpson will be in Pocatello on Saturday night for the local GOP's Lincoln Day Banquet.
SALT LAKE CITY - After careful deliberation and thorough legal review, Governor Gary R. Herbert has signed SB11, "Utah State-Made Firearms Protection Act." In making his decision, the Governor weighed the constitutional aspects of the bill with its fiscal impact on Utah taxpayers.
"There are times when the state needs to push back against continued encroachment from the federal government. Sending the message that we will stand up for a proper balance between the state and federal government i... Continue reading ...
Rep. R.J. “Dick” Harwood’s, R-St. Maries, gun fight with the feds has stalled on two concerns raised by lawmakers: one being that it may be unconstitutional, and the other being that the marking to be engraved on guns produced in Idaho might not be specific enough.
According to the text of the legislation, the bill would seek to make Idaho “the freest state in the Union” and would prohibit the federal ... Continue reading ...
Political parties don't hold incumbents accountable so we do by alerting the public about bad behavior that deserves the people's disdain. It's bipartisanship at its finest - public scolding courtesy of the people's special interest group.
Join the fun! Pick a deserving target and send us a short description with a way for subscribers to chastise all miscreants. No personal atta... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, February 26, 2010,
In :
Public Shaming
Last year the Idaho Legislature passed a mandatory midwifery licensure law that has put at least 22% of traditional midwives out of work and has left many mothers and their babies without midwifery services for their home births. Pocatello has lost its only traditional midwife because of this law.
Representative Pete Nielsen introduced legislation in the House State Affairs Committee on Monday, Feb. 21st, that would restore to the families of Idaho freedom of choice for their home births by a... Continue reading ...
It used to be that the further you got away from Washington D.C. the less what goes on there affected you. No more. The federal government's reach into 'Everyday Americans' lives is becoming more profound, more recognizable, and more expensive.
This change has happened because modern technology allows us to see events as they unfold, federal lawmakers are passing bills that will directly affect every American, an... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, February 20, 2010,
In :
Public Shaming
Democrats Under the Influence (DUI) What an embarrassment!
Edgar Malepeai
BOISE - Pocatello Sen. Edgar Malepeai pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in Boise on Thursday. He will pay a $732 fine, serve one year probation, and lose his driving privileges for 90 days. He was also ordered to attend educational classes and a DUI victim's panel.
It gets crazier. After being arrested in December, Malepeai was elected minority caucus chair by his Democratic colleagues. Are they all DUI? These are the same peo... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, February 20, 2010,
In :
Public Shaming
Rep. Hart’s Illegal Immigration Bill Killed in House State Affairs
BOISE - In a one hour Thursday morning hearing, the House State Affairs Committee heard testimony on House Bill 497 which would penalize businesses that employ illegal aliens. The bill was patterned after legislation first passed by the Arizona Legislature in 2007. Immediately upon passage, the Phoenix business community sued the state of Arizona over passage of the measure in Federal court. In 2008, the law was upheld by... Continue reading ...
Rep. R.J. “Dick” Harwood, R-St. Maries, wants to start a gun fight with the federal government. Harwood successfully introduced the bill that would do just that, dubbed the “Idaho Firearms Freedom Act .”
According to the text of the legislation, the bill would seek to make Idaho “the freest state in the Union” and would prohibit the federal government from regulating guns in Idaho which meet certa... Continue reading ...
As far as grassroots activism goes, the surge in Tea Parties across America is one of the more encouraging developments to recently take place. It reminds me of the "Conservative Revolution" of 1994, when the GOP reclaimed both the US Senate and House of Representatives. At that time, it had been over 40 years since the Republican Party controlled both the US House and Senate. And, between the two, the House victories were the most significant.
Contrary to the wishes of Congress, the Supreme Court and the lower courts, “we the people” in our capacity as jurors and state legislators have the power to nullify laws we find unconstitutional.
Did the founding fathers opine on this power? In 1790, James Wilson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and one of the original six Supreme Court justices said, “Suppose . . . a difference of senti... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Monday, February 1, 2010,
In :
Columns
The pressing need to revitalize “the Militia of the several States”
America is being buried in an avalanche of assaults upon her National independence, integrity, and identity—upon her economic prosperity and social stability—upon her cultural heritage—and even upon her ability to survive as a viable political and economic entity. The worst of these include:
Attacks by international “terrorists”—which, whatever their true sources and actual potentials for harm to persons and pro...
Last week, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission kicked off their first round of hearings on the causes of the economic meltdown on Wall Street. The commission is being compared to the the Pecora Commission launched in 1932 to investigate the causes of the Great Depression. The Pecora commission is beloved by those who believe the solution to every problem is more laws because it was used to justify a number of new laws, inc... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, January 15, 2010,
In :
Columns
"DOWNLOAD" FOR BEST COPY (To get the most out of this document, read and study carefully in its entirety.)
Please check pages 8 and 9 for critical information on the essential need for a strong well organized "State Militia" from Edwin Vieira Jr.
Please email and distribute to all officers of government on the local, county and state levels as possible. Particularly the governor and all members of the state legislature. Please also include those on your emailing list.
Group wants to nullify laws it views as unconstitutional
POCATELLO — Chris Stevens, state coordinator of the Campaign for Liberty, said
he’d like to see the principles found in the book, “The 5,000 Year Leap: A
Miracle That Changed the World,” taught on the neighborhood level to help
restore the long-forgotten principles of liberty in the U.S.
“There are various opinions out there on the Republican Party, ...
Posted by Chris Stevens on Monday, December 28, 2009,
In :
Columns
This article was first featured in Sunday's Idaho State Journal.
Once upon a time in a land far away there was a government that thought it had unlimited power over the lives of Americans. But we decided we didn't want bureaucrats running our lives and we fought a war for independence. We chartered a new course of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy.
Our Constitution placed restrictions on the government, not the peop... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Sunday, December 27, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
As most of you well know, the Obama health bill passed the senate and is now headed to conference (combination) of both houses and be voted on in January to be signed by Obama.
A Hard Fought Battle At the National level the Tea Party groups did every thing they could to prevent this along with help from the talk shows and the conservatives in the Republican Party (less the RINOS and moderates). So far it has been demonstrated, despite all our efforts, the Democrat majorities and the President ... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, December 19, 2009,
In :
Columns
"Freedom in America has only one hope: the resurrection of State independence and sovereignty."
According to Rasmussen Reports, "Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters
nationwide say they're at least somewhat angry about the current policies of
the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry.
"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27%
are not angry about the government's policies, including 10% who are Not at
All Angry."
Posted by on Thursday, December 17, 2009,
In :
Action
We had a small victory in the Senate yesterday. Part of the Health Care bill was defeated because one Senator stood on principle and insisted the Senate follow its own rules.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I,VT) introduced a 767 page amendment to the 2064 page Health Care bill. Senator Tom Coburn (R, OK) did not give unanimous consent to suspend the reading of the amendment. According to senate rules if any senator insists on the bill being read it must be read in its entirety, as long as that senat... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Wednesday, December 16, 2009,
In :
News
In regards to federal issues, here's another story you'll never find in the mainstream media, at least not yet! After your review and approval, please send this email out to as many people as you can to develop support to the following members of Congress!
Below you will find a couple of links. One of the links is to the actual bill (H.R. 966) that was presented by Representative Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) to the House Education and Labor Committee calling on the President and Secretary of Educ... Continue reading ...
Last week, in the name of protecting the little guy from Wall Street, the House passed HR 4173 to increase the little guy’s false sense of security in the financial system. This mammoth piece of legislation would massively increase government regulation and oversight in the banking industry under the misguided reasoning that more government could have stopped faulty lending practices, when in actuality it caused them. This bill would also greatly ... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, December 10, 2009,
In :
Columns
The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution states: “Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Upholding the Tenth Amendment is critical if we want to maintain our liberty in the face of unprecedented federal government control. Those of you that are outraged by the health care plan now being debated in the Senate have an opportunity to uphold the Tenth Amendment and, by so doin... Continue reading ...
Running under the Tea Party brand may be better in congressional races than being a Republican.
In a three-way Generic Ballot test, the latest Rasmussen Reports
national telephone survey finds Democrats attracting 36% of the vote.
The Tea Party candidate picks up 23%, and Republicans finish third at
18%. Another 22% are undecided.
Among voters not affiliated with either major party, the
Tea Party comes out on top. Thirty-three percent (33%) prefer the Tea
Party candidate,...
Posted by on Sunday, November 29, 2009,
In :
Columns
Show Me the Money! We need to return to real money By Mark Balzer
What is money?
Money is an interesting concept. Three different dictionaries have slightly different definitions for money. The one thing they all agree on is that money is a medium of exchange. For anything to be money it ... http://www.pocatelloshops.com/new_blogs/politics/?p=5444
Copenhagen treaty and global warming conspiracy Falsified data used to promote treaty By Richard Larsen
Posted by on Thursday, November 26, 2009,
In :
News
General Thanksgiving By the PRESIDENT of the United States of America A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the ma... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Monday, November 23, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
TEA PARTY: The Documentary Film "Cinematic Sneak Peek" Live Webcast with with Movie Producer Luke Livingston FreedomWorks’ Hon. Dick Armey and Matt Kibbe
Even his parents never called him Marvin. To all but his mother and a few other close relatives, he is “Chick.” (His parents called him “Chuck,” after his middle name Charles.) Chick Heileson is one of a growing number of Constitution-oriented citizens who have not only decided to run for Congress, but are also being taken seriously by political pundits. Heileson is running against the liberal R... Continue reading ...
WASHINGTON - November 20, 2009 - During the House Financial Services Committee markup of the Financial Stability Improvement Act of 2009, Congressman Ron Paul's (R-TX) amendment to increase Federal Reserve transparency was passed by a vote of 43 to 26.
During the proceeding, parallel amendments were introduced, one by Paul, the other by Congressman Mel Watt (D-NC), which would have limited the audit to only a narrow examination of TARP funds and lending powers, and would have actually allowed ... Continue reading ...
There is nothing conservative about the war in Afghanistan. The Center for Defense Information said a few months ago that we had spent over $400 billion on the war and war-related costs there. Now, the Pentagon says it will cost about $1 billion for each 1,000 additional troops we send to Afghanistan. One Republican Member from California told me recently that we co... Continue reading ...
Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican who developed a close friendship with President Obama when they served together in the Senate, is threatening to have the entire health care bill read on the Senate floor.
Senior Senate Democratic aides had heard Coburn was considering having potentially thousands of pages read aloud in effort to stall passage. “If he did this it w... Continue reading ...
When those on the political left refer to defenders of the free market system as "right wingers," there is understandable concern about how the term is being abused. Classical liberals, the supporters of both economic and civil libertarianism, have been anything but "right wingers," quite the opposite.
In European political history, the right has been royalists, fascists, traditionalists and even militarists, while the left included ... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Monday, November 16, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Thousands of Americans gathered in over 50 cities and towns for
rapidly arranged events designed to unify and galvanize the over 80% of
Americans that certified polls show oppose any 'path to citizenship' or
Amnesty for illegal aliens.
We elect the government. It works for us. As we watch the Democrats' plans for health care take shape, we can only ask how did our government get so removed, so unbridled, so arrogant that it can tell us how to live our personal lives?
Last Saturday, at 11 o’clock in the evening, the House of Representatives voted by a five vote margin to have the federal government manage the health care of... Continue reading ...
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston County GOP Executive Committee said Tuesday that it’s voted unanimously to censure Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham for "his failure to represent the wishes of the people of South Carolina."
At its November meeting, the Executive Committee said it was disappointed in Sen. Graham for his work on a bipartisan "Cap and Trade" energy bill, along with his positions on multi-billion dollar bank bailouts and a... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Sunday, November 8, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
You elected a new Pocatello Mayor and City Councilman who said they wanted to reduce the size and cost of government.
If history teaches us anything, these newly elected champions of liberty will be patted on the back by those who elected them and told to do a good job. Our champions will then go about their job, surrounded by bureaucracy (which runs the government), and they will soon become part of the problem like most of those who have gone before them.
Posted by on Saturday, November 7, 2009,
In :
Video
On Friday, Congressman Ron Paul and Dr. Rand Paul appeared on The Glenn
Beck Show with guest host Andrew Napolitano to discuss the Republican
Party's future, third parties, and the importance of putting principle
over politics.
Limited-government conservatives have been undermined by big-government neoconservatives.
The founders envisioned a federal government constitutionally limited to defending our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. For that to happen, we must have at least one political party that strongly advocates limiting the power of government. For much of the 19th century, that party was the Democrats. For... Continue reading ...
The government has seized and spent so much in just the last year that it's easy to focus on the issues of the day, losing track of the big picture. In this article I want to step back and survey the incredible growth, from the perspective of monetary policy and then fiscal policy. The situation is dire indeed.
The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply
Undoubtedly the biggest economic issue in free-market circles has been the extraordinary actions... Continue reading ...
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is urging Americans to come to Washington, D.C., next week to roam the halls of Congress and lobby lawmakers against the House Democrats' healthcare reform plan.
The strategy aims at resurrecting the momentum Republicans enjoyed during the August recess, when many critics challenged their members of Congress on healthcare reform. Since then, Dem... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, October 29, 2009,
In :
News
BANNOCK COUNTY - Even as more people are looking to guns as a way to stay safe, carrying a concealed weapon just got a little more expensive for people in Bannock County. http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11395605
Your representatives want to know what you think of this.
Posted by on Tuesday, October 27, 2009,
In :
Action
TO: Republican National Committee
RE: The State of our Nation and our Party
Dear Sir:
I am a monthly donor to the RNC and I will be canceling my support. It is apparent that the RNC is continuing to back those candidates that are not Conservative so I heretofore shall be seeking out Conservatives both locally and nationally and will donate personally to their campaigns. The race in New York is a prime example. The Republican running…well, is a sad excuse for a Republican. She is pro-choice and... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, October 24, 2009,
In :
Columns
The United
States is bogged down in a war in
Afghanistan
where it’s military leaders are yelling for more troops.The
Dollar has plunged in value due to the result of numerous failed “bailouts,”
massive printing of new money, and the exodus of businesses nation wide.Citizens are up in arms over closed door meetings where socialists are
trying to force government health care upon them.Cap and trade
raises it’s ugly head.Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck as we... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Wednesday, October 21, 2009,
In :
Action
Earlier today, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Bob Corker (R-TN) introduced "The Federal Reserve Accountability Act," an attempt to kill HR 1207/S 604 by passing a bill that prevents a full audit and full transparency from America's secretive central bank.
While language in this bill would permit a limited audit of the Fed's actions in the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and similar high profile bailouts, it would not allow an audit to review the Fed's inflation of the money supply or i... Continue reading ...
On October 14, Lord Christopher Monckton gave a presentation in St. Paul, MN on the subject of global warming. In this 4-minute excerpt from his speech, he issues a dire warning to all Americans regarding the United Nations Climate Change Treaty that is scheduled to be signed in Copenhagen in December 2009.
Politicians are engaged in reckless, unaccountable, out-of-control, spending. The Story of Spending tells the true story of government gone wild: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MQ2pk7kkm4
Posted by Chris Stevens on Sunday, October 18, 2009,
In :
Columns
The immature mud slinging that goes on between various political pundits really turns my stomach. Does it win people over calling them names? Does it solidify your base by demonizing others? Or does it just create hysteria in otherwise reasonable people towards their neighbors who might have different political ideas?
Instead of being so divisive, why not discover how you can agree with others? Not everything is left or right. People on both sides agree on a lot of issues. Many Statists on bot... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, October 16, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
World Premier of “Not Evil, Just Wrong” in Pocatello
POCATELLO, ID – The Pocatello Tea Party has teamed up with the Idaho Freedom Foundation for a world premier film event. The film “Not Evil, Just Wrong,” is a feature-length documentary which takes on the conventional wisdom of global warming. This event is being coordinated with the filmmakers and hundreds of other groups nationwide to qualify this event for the World Record Premiere.
The "tea party" movement of 2009 has quickly grown into a phenomenon and is helping to drive the national dialogue on issues like government spending, healthcare reform and widespread allegations of Constitutional infringements at the Federal level. "Tea Party: The Documentary Film" (DVD release date Nov 27) follows the struggles of five grassroots individuals and their transformation from h...
Posted by on Sunday, October 11, 2009,
In :
Columns
From: Rep. Steven Thayn
Our country is in financial trouble for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that few openly discuss our current outmoded, inefficient entitlement system that was created before the importance of the family was recognized. Consider:
2/3 of the federal budget is allocated to social services (entitlements)
85 percent of the Idaho’s budget is for social services (Education and Health and Welfare)
In 1900, only 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was nee...
"The government who robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul," George Bernard Shaw once said.
For a socialist, Shaw demonstrated good sense with that quotation. Unfortunately, America has become a laboratory in which his hypothesis is being tested.
The theory of government I was taught says that government provides benefits, primarily security, to the entire population. In return we pay t... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Wednesday, October 7, 2009,
In :
Action
Reminder to call your US Representative and Senators regarding the proposed Healthare Reform. It has very little to do with giving healthcare to more Americans, but more to aliens, and a gigantic switch of power to the Executive branch (President).
We will not only loose access to private insurance, loose access to healthcare once we reach an age where our medical needs increase, but our legislative and judicial branches of government will be nothing but smoke and mirrors to hide their own in... Continue reading ...
For those market boosters who are prattling on about the possibility of a "jobless recovery," I offer an invitation to join me for a breakfast of "fat-free bacon," "eggless omelets," and "no-carb bread." As unappetizing as such a meal may sound, it would nevertheless offer more substance than the oxymoronic concept of an economic resurgence without job creation.
Those who do cling to the absurd belief that, absent exponential... Continue reading ...
Arrangements have been made with Pocatello Vision 12 to telecast a series of lectures from the Institute on the Constitution. Please tell your Pocatello area patriot associates about it or forward this message to them.
A public service educational series of John Eidsmoe lectures on the United States Constitution is being provided by the Bannock County Constitution Party Central Committee in cooperation with the Institute on the Constitution. More information at http://cpidaho.org & http://iot... Continue reading ...
VERSE Yeah, I remember pennies that you wouldn't want to lose. Yeah, I remember, quarters made of silver through and through. When dollars had real gold on hand, to guarantee their worth, yeah more than just some promise from the Federal Reserve...
They print a trillion in one day, but say we're not allowed to know, exactly how it is they have distributed the dough! Our Leader seems to favor an expansion of their game, but people want to know... Continue reading ...
Posted by Chris Stevens on Friday, September 25, 2009,
In :
News
Congress To Hold Hearings On Federal Reserve Transparency Act
Washington D.C., September 24, 2009 – Tomorrow, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on bringing more transparency to the Federal Reserve. This comes after mounting support of a bill meant to shed light on the closely guarded operations of the institution responsible for the United States’ monetary policy.
Earlier this month, hundreds of thousands of petitions were delivered to lawmakers’ offices urging t... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Wednesday, September 23, 2009,
In :
Action
Your petition is needed to defeat Cap and Tax If passed, Cap and Tax will raise taxes by $650 BILLION, put over 1 million Americans out of work, and give sweeping new powers to government bureaucrats. Your petition is the first step to stopping this Big Government power grab.
Cap-and-trade is not the way to control carbon emissions We know that most Americans are concerned about pollution and the environment, and for those who feel this way, ... Continue reading ...
The Cash for Clunkers and $8,000 Home Purchase Tax Credit are very interesting economic programs. Economics for me boils down to two main forces: supply and demand. When allowed to act freely, supply will balance with demand and set the appropriate price and quantity. However, government influence to increase demand or reduce supply keeps prices higher than the market would. Unfortunately, government programs typically punish those,... Continue reading ...
This was, to be sure, "the home of the free and the land of the brave." Americans were free simply because the government was too weak to intervene in the private affairs of the people — it did not have the money to do so — and they were brave because a free people is always venturesome. The obligation of freedom is a willingness to stand on your own feet.
The early American wanted it that way. He was wary of government, especially one that was out of his reach. ... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, September 19, 2009,
In :
News
Most Americans haven’t thought much about the strange entity that controls the nation’s money. Visitors to Washington can see the Federal Reserve’s palatial headquarters, the monetary parallel to the Supreme Court or the U.S. Capitol. We hear the Fed chairman testify to Congress, citing complex data, making predictions, and attempting to intimidate anyone who would take issue. He postures as master of the universe, completely knowledgeable and in control.
Posted by on Tuesday, September 15, 2009,
In :
Columns
Within the text of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, provision is made for the appointment of a Health Choices Commissioner(1). This commissioner will be granted such power as to make him a threat to the security of every American citizen. Please consider the following analysis of this great threat and do all within your power to help prevent this bill from becoming law.
According to this bill, the Health Choices Commissioner will have the authority to overrule portions of... Continue reading ...
August recess for the nation’s lawmakers was certainly not business as usual this year. With headlines and debate centered on the controversial overhaul of our health-care system, it could be fair to say many of them ran into constituent buzz-saws in their town hall meetings across the country.
While the exchanges at these meetings were sometimes confrontational, the freedom behind such truly grassroots response to a pr... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, September 12, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
IDAHO FALLS - The Great American Tea Party commemorates 9-11. Eyewitness news reporter Hasti Taghi has more from the Veteran's Memorial in Idaho Falls. Video
POCATELLO - The Pocatello Tea Party held its final planning meeting Thursday night before Saturday's big 9-12 event.
The tea party will be at Optimist Park, right in front of the federal building from 11am to 2pm. The public is invited. There will be live music, booths, guest speakers and a patriot par... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Saturday, September 12, 2009,
In :
News
Rep. Barney Frank Agrees to Hold Hearing on Federal Reserve Transparency September 25
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Congressman Ron Paul informed Campaign for Liberty that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank will hold hearings on H.R. 1207, Congressman Paul’s bill to audit the Federal Reserve. The hearings are tentatively set to take place Friday, September 25th at 9:00 am.
“The Federal Reserve wields tremendous power and is at the center of our current economic storm of deficit... Continue reading ...
A thesis that explains the role of the family in providing social services and how government social programs in the 20th century have increased social problems, undermined the family unit, and increased government spending. An alternative model of social service delivery is offered with a politically acceptable route to accomplish this goal. Read Here
Posted by on Wednesday, September 9, 2009,
In :
News
A Look at the Income Tax Summary: The federal income tax is an unnecessary and immoral tax. I am in favor of abolishing the federal income tax and eventually the entire IRS. YOUR income from YOUR labor belongs to you and no one else, especially the government, has the right to steal it from you. Most Americans are unaware that while the government collects $1,200 billion in federal income taxes and collects roughly $3,000 billion in total taxes, the fact is that "only" $67 billion is necessary... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Sunday, September 6, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
9-12 Pocatello Tea Party Expects Huge Crowds From Southeast Idaho Region
POCATELLO, ID – In a celebration of American liberty and rights, people from all walks of life and various political backgrounds will rally for the Constitution in front of the federal building at Optimist Park, 912 N 7th, in Pocatello on Saturday, September 12th, from 11 AM to 2 PM.
They want their elected representatives to get the message: “We the people are your employers. You work for us. We hired you, we can f... Continue reading ...
Posted by Mark Balzer on Sunday, September 6, 2009,
In :
Columns
Cui bono? A simple legal term
literally who benefits? In other words who is enlarged who is made
freer given more liberty?
The opposite is “Cui plagalis” who
is penalized, or who loses? Or in other words who is restricted, who
is diminished who gets less power.
The question “who benefits” is used
to begin many criminal investigations. Who benefits from the death of
John Doe? Once this question is asked the police can begin to limit
their suspect list.
Of course, we can expect the usual accusations of hypocrisy: Would
have the Republicans objected had Bush done this? Would the Democrats
have been so favorable toward it had it ...
Posted by on Tuesday, September 1, 2009,
In :
News
If they could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, just 25% of
voters nationwide would keep the current batch of legislators.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds
that 57% would vote to replace the entire Congress and start all over
again. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure how they would vote.
Overall, these numbers are little changed since last
October. When Congress was passing the unpopular $700-billion bailout
plan in the heat of a presidential campaign and...
Posted by on Saturday, August 29, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Throughout history governments have ignored the rights of citizens and instead have maximized their own power. Those in public office have used it for their own personal gain, or to take wealth from some and give to others in order to maintain their own power. It is a classic model that hasn’t changed much in thousands of years.
The modern iteration of this is a leviathan federal government run by a political party based precisely on such principles. The bread and circuses of Roman times hav... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Friday, August 28, 2009,
In :
Columns
"These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it Now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph." Thomas Paine, The Crisis, December 1776
An echo from two-hundred thirty-three years in the past resonates today in the hearts of ... Continue reading ...
I, David William Hedrick, a member of the silent majority, decided that I was not going to be silent anymore. So, I let U.S. Congressman Brian Baird have it. I was one questioner out of 38, that was called at random from an audience that started at 3,000 earlier in the evening. Not expecting to be called on, I quickly scratched what I wanted to say on a borrowed piece of paper and with a pen that I borrowed from someone else in the audience minutes before I spoke. So much for the planned talk... Continue reading ...
Not to go all communist on everyone, but this debate on health care
"reform" has really got me fuming over the so-called private sector of the U.S. managed-care system. While combating Obamacare,
it has come to my attention that more and more proponents of the bill
are labeling us as agents of the established health insurance
industry. Supporters of government expansion come to this silly
conclusion because we are opposing the "public option" for insuran...
Posted by on Thursday, August 20, 2009,
In :
Columns
Since the bailouts last fall, lawmakers have been behaving as quasi-owners of the bailed-out banks and businesses, leading to calls for increased regulation of executive compensation and other wasteful expenditures. We have heard much about bonuses and executive pay packages that sound more like lottery winnings than an honest salary.
Many lawmakers voted in favor of these unconstitutional bailouts, believing that these corporations were too big to fail, and allowing them to go under would ... Continue reading ...
The attempted grab for control of our health care system has not been hindered by a lack of trash information. People are catching on to this and shooting holes through the case for social health care left and right. If we are to cut down social health care for good it is necessary to diffuse the propaganda that is being floated in... Continue reading ...
Every year, the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation and the Center for Fiscal Accountability calculate Cost of Government Day. This is the day on which the average American has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of the spending and regulatory burdens imposed by government at the federal, state, and local levels.
In 2009, Cost of Government Day falls on August 12. Working people must toil 224 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government - a full 26 days... Continue reading ...
Those who lived behind the “Iron Curtain,” or even in Nazi Germany, were fearful of expressing their true opinions about their government’s policies. Such reticence was necessary for they lived in fear that something they said might be reported to the authorities, leading to them being whisked away to the Gulag or the concentration camps.
Could such a thing happen in America? While I would certainly hope that it cou... Continue reading ...
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pacific Research Institute has just released The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen's Guide. This is the latest book from health care scholar, and PRI President and CEO Sally C. Pipes.
The book's foreword is by Steve Forbes: “For anyone interested in getting to the core of America's health care troubles, this is the perfect book,” he writes. “And for health care policy makers, it should be required reading.”
Over the August recess, Congressmen will be holding townhalls on healthcare.
There's likely to be a lot of spin and doubletalk. If you're going to one, you should bring a copy of this handy
translation guide (PDF version).
The guts of it is pasted below:
Spin
Translation
No discrimination for pre-existing
conditions
One can wait until one gets sick to sign up for coverage, and thereby game
the system, costing the rest o...
Another example of a hostile crowd at a town hall meeting regarding health care "reform" occurred in Green Bay. After 300 people fille... Continue reading ...
Whether it is a “house,” “nation,” or any specific group, if that entity is “divided against itself” it cannot stand. A specific example of such division would be when I was in High School and two friends would run against each other for either Royalty or political office. Their friends’ votes would be divided and an actually weaker individual would claim the majority of votes. Pride goeth before the fall.
I received in my mail an invitation to a political fundrai... Continue reading ...
Few Americans today know the real story of how America was made. The struggle of the Founders to discover the ideas of freedom will give you a deep appreciation of these people. As each American today experiences this amazing story, he will surely become an advocate and a teacher of America 's formula for freedom.
Join our FREE Webinar Seminars beginning the first Tuesday
of August. We will
teach our regular Making of America seminar but div...
National poll shows vast majority of Americans want transparency for the Fed, underscores Campaign for Liberty’s efforts to pass Audit Bill
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – A recent poll conducted by highly respected Rasmussen Reports found that 75 percent of Americans support an audit of the Federal Reserve, our Nation’s secretive, quasi-governmental central bank. Only 9 percent of respondents opposed an audit, a further indication of overwhelming support for Fed transparency.
We all know health rationing makes good sense. But, did you know that it's popular too?
It is! Citizens from around the country have embraced the chance to give a lot--and take a little.
Are you up for the challenge?
The Health Administration Bureau: dedicated to ensuring that all Americans, regardless of age (where appropriate) and need (where appropriate), receive adequate health care.
More than two centuries ago, our founders set forth a promise to our citizens of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Today those values are being squandered by an electorate that does not truly represent the people, who put their party before character. I write to you today as a supporter of the nationwide Tea Party movement.
I am not an elitist who got a tax cut, a domestic terrorist (as re... Continue reading ...
Join the national "Tea Party Express" tour this August 28 - September 12. Attend one of the 35 tea party rallies that will take place across America. Come join our cause and help us take our country back from the tax-spend-bailout politicians who are hurting America. Continue reading ...
As taxpayers gathered in celebration of American Independence, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) compiled a
brief fact sheet on the federal government and the economy.
Number of
employees at the IRS in FY 2010: Over 100,000
Current IRS
Budget:$11.4 billion
How many words does the IRS Code
contain? The IRS Code is more than 3.4 million
words
How many
hours did individual taxpayers spend complying with
income tax laws in 2009?Individual taxpayers alone
spent an es...
It's time to get more cosponsors for the Parental Rights Amendment! In order to pass the Parental Rights Amendment we need bipartisan support from those in Congress, and we are planning a Cosponsor Drive for Tuesday, July 21, through Thursday, July 23. In this nationwide effort to get support for the Parental Rights Amendment we will be calling all members of the U.S. House and Senate who are not already cosponsors. If your U.S. Representative and Sena... Continue reading ...
Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas W. Elmendorf gave a fiscal wake-up call to Senate Budget Committee members in testimony on July 16, noting that “the federal budget is on an unsustainable path — meaning that federal debt will continue to grow much faster than the economy over the long run.”
As most American school children know, one of the chief complaints that
the American colonists had against the mother country was that they
were taxed without their consent. "Taxation without representation is
tyranny," a phrase often credited to the revolutionary James Otis,
became an American maxim. Colonial Americans were anti-tax to begin
with, but to be taxed by a parliament three thousand miles away without
any say in the matter was into... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, July 16, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Racism is Equivalent to Socialism or Fascism in Contrast to Liberty
POCATELLO, ID – The nationwide Tea Party movement is stirring up quite a bit of controversy, some of which comes from a lack of understanding about what's motivating so many American citizens to take to the streets in protest of what their government is doing. Some critics have jumped to conclusions and made wild speculations about the Tea Parties being driven by Republican sore losers, corporate astroturfing, or even racis... Continue reading ...
The following is based on a talk given at the July 4th Tea Party in Woodbridge, Va.
Two hundred and thirty-three years ago today, a small band of men put their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor on the line against the most powerful nation on earth.
In no uncertain terms, they sent notice that thirteen colonies would be exiting the British Empire and forming their own nation.
Posted by on Friday, July 10, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
The Tea Party Movement Heads to the Nation’s
Capital
Politicians Who Supported Bailouts, Stimulus, and
Record Deficits Will Be Held Accountable
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over
the last six months the national debt skyrocketed by nearly $3 trillion.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, our national debt will
more than double by 2019. Americans will have to pay for this stratospheric
spending spree first by begging foreign nations to buy our bonds, and later
...
A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in California when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and cal... Continue reading ...
America's System Works, But Not the Way You Think!
Our country is ailing. That is the bad news. The good news is that the remedy is so simple and attractive: a return to the principles our Founders taught us.
Respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, individual liberty, sound money, and a noninterventionist foreign policy constitute the foundation of the Campaign for Liberty.
Join us next Thursday evening for an enlightening presentation on issues such as:
We thank all of you who did so much to make the Pocatello 4TH of July Parade and Fairgrounds a successful event!! Whether you were there in Body or Spirit, we thank you for your support, your contributions, your energy, your sacrifice, but most of all your Patriotism!!
We counted approximately 70 red blooded, freedom loving Americans in our entry and many more in support along the parade route. Our group should grow expediently with such positive expose!! Many in the audi... Continue reading ...
If Ron Paul succeeds in getting the Fed audited, the consequences could be far-reaching. Assuming the audit isn't rigged to protect the guilty, as a similar bill was in 1978, the Fed will need every obfuscating Keynesian to testify and write editorials on its behalf, to reassure the public that monetary matters really are best left to the god... Continue reading ...
Everyone seems to feel the excitement and the Spirit of Standing for our Constitution!! Talking to our friends and neighbor and working with fellow Patriots truly increase our own sense of resolve and excitement. We believe it is a true principle that when we bear our feelings and our souls to those around us it strengthens our own passion!! We will be able to show our passion for Freedom and love of Country on the 4Th in the parade and at the fairgrounds. Please......make tim... Continue reading ...
During Reason Weekend, the annual event held by the nonprofit that
publishes Reason.tv, Nick Gillespie caught up with Matt Kibbe of Freedomworks,
the group that has done more than anyone else to coordinate the controversial
and wildly popular Tea Party demonstrations against out-of-control government
spending.
Kibbe, a longtime limited-government activist, explains the
meaning of the Tea Party movement, its grassroots appeal, the mainstream media'... Continue reading ...
Lawmakers Fail to Scrutinize the "10,000 Commandments" of Federal Regulations
Washington, D.C. – Federal regulations impose a whopping $1.17 trillion last year in compliance burdens on Americans, finds a new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute. That amounts to $3,849 for each man, woman, and child in America. The Federal Register, the depository of all rules, stands at a record-high 79,435 pages.
“The U.S. economy lost value in 2008 for the first time since 1990. Meanwhil...
Posted by on Saturday, June 27, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
We hope that we will have HUNDREDS walk in the Parade with us!! For any of you that would like help in making a sign to carry..Sign Making will be Saturday 27Th @1:30 at the back entrance of Columbia Paint. Please bring your card stock, the stick to carry it with, and your wording. There will be stencils, paint and some ideas...if you know of some good Patriot Signs...please bring them.
SIGN IDEAS for the July 4th Tea Parties
* * $11 Trillion and climbing - Now that's a lot of ch...
This week, the Obama administration unveiled another scheme to give more power to an already out of control Federal Reserve under the guise of regulatory "reform." (The 85 page "plan" can be read in its entirety here.)
This Fed power grab will do nothing to help our economy or enable us to take control back from banksters and Wall Street insiders. Instead, their proposal will address our economic crisis by creating more rules, regulations, and government agencies. And of course, the plan...
Having practiced medicine for over 30 years, Congressman Paul gives his perspective on the past and future of medicine in this country, and the effects of government and special interests on quality, costs and access.
Posted by on Wednesday, June 17, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Dear Patriots,
We had a Tea Party Planning meeting Thur. the 11Th. This is an update as some of you were not able to attend and asked to be kept in the loop.
The Pocatello 4Th of July Parade starts at 10 AM. The parade route starts at the Railroad parking lot, travels up Center Street to 8Th and turns south to the ISU parking lot. We will be "handing out" candy instead of throwing since their was a near injury last year with children running into the street to pick up candy. We plan t...
Montana state Rep. Joel Boniek, shown with his mule Jesse, introduced a bill seeking to exempt from federal regulation any firearm made and used within the state borders.
An expanded federal role prompts declarations of state sovereignty. Montana goes further with a gun bill defying U.S. firearm restrictions. The goal: Keep Washington on its side of the fence.
Posted by Mark Balzer on Monday, June 15, 2009,
In :
Columns
All young animals grow up. I have been watching the nesting robins in my front yard. First watching the nest building, the eggs being laid and tended, waiting for the eggs to hatch. Then watching the fledglings grow and eventually learn to fly and leave the nest.
This is the normal order of things, I guess since my wife and I are on the cusp of being empty nesters ourselves this natural process has taken on renewed significance. Like the robins the best we can do as parents is prepare our ch...
It has been alarming to me how the landscape of the American economy has become so dramatically altered over the past few months. The lines have become increasingly blurred between government ownership and corporate control with what’s happened in the auto and banking industries, and it appears the Obama administration is not going to stop there. Next stop is health care. Even more alarming is the fact that so many of our fellow citi...
The Obama administration wants to pledge $100 billion in U.S. taxpayers' money to the International Monetary Fund. This provision is included in an appropriations bill containing supplemental funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Luckily, many Republicans and Democrats are vigorously opposing Obama's effort to sacrifice American taxpayers on an IMF altar.
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ron Paul's Federal Reserve Transparency Act, HR 1207, has reached and surpassed the level of 218 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, which means it is now cosponsored by a majority of the members.
The 218th cosponsor was Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), and the bill has since received its 222nd cosponsor.
“The tremendous grass-roots and bipartisan support in Congress for HR 1207 is an indicator of how mainstream America is fed up with Fed secrecy,”...
ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--H.R. 1207, The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009, yesterday surged past the 200 co-sponsor mark, nearing a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, introduced by Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), now has 207 cosponsors including 51 Democrats.
Signing on to the bill yesterday were Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and influential Rules Committee Ranking Member David Drier (R-CA). The bill has gained 28 co-sponsors just in the mo...
Last week, General Motors finally declared bankruptcy. Many in government thought $20 billion in taxpayer dollars would save the company, but as predicted, it only postponed the inevitable. The government will dump another $30 billion into GM and take a 60 percent controlling interest for it. Public officials are now involving themselves in tactical business decisions such as where GM's headquarters should move and what kind of cars it wil...
I would consider myself to be the face of the average American. I’ve lived in Pocatello for about 24 years and raised most of my children here. I have four children. Two of my boys are in the military, one son in high school, and a daughter who works locally. I attended ISU and am a nurse. As time moves forward and changes come in our country I note that not all of this change is good. I have wondered how many of the laws being passed could be for the best when they are contra...
With the federal government issuing massive amounts of debt and the Federal Reserve purchasing it in the name of keeping interest rates down, questions have arisen about impact on the U.S. dollar.
On June 2, CNBC's "Power Lunch," aired a clip of the network's chief economics reporter, Steve Liesman interviewing Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner. Geithner claimed the Federal Reserve wasn't monetizing the debt the government...
CampaignForLiberty.com is hosting a study of the United States Constitution from a principle based approach. The class is based on the book, The 5000 Year Leap, and examines the 28 fundamental beliefs of the Founding Fathers which they said must be understood and perpetuated by every people who desired peace, prosperity, and freedom.
This week's principle: "The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is Natural Law."
Do you agree that the Tea Party movement is grassroots democracy in action?
Do you believe that all people, regardless of any outward attribute such as race or gender, should expect fair treatment and equal justice under the law?
Do you agree that that the Tea Party movement is an attempt to present our redress of grievances in a peaceful, non-violent manner?
Posted by Mark Balzer on Monday, May 18, 2009,
In :
Columns
In addition to the Tea Parties this year where individual citizens expressed their displeasure about the actions of the Federal Government, 34 state legislatures including Idaho’s have introduced resolutions asserting their rights under the 10th Amendment.
The Tenth Amendment states; “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." This means if the Constitution does not expr... Continue reading ...
The Federal Reserve's recent and unprecedented actions in the realm of monetary policy have provoked a backlash among the American people. Trillions of dollars worth of loans and guarantees have been provided to Wall Street firms, while Main Street Americans suffocate under harsh taxation, the prospect of higher debt levels and increasing inflation. These events have awakened many Ame...
Rep. Alan Grayson asks the Federal Reserve Inspector General about the trillions of dollars lent or spent by the Federal Reserve and where it went, and the trillions of off balance sheet obligations. Inspector General Elizabeth Coleman responds that the IG does not know and is not tracking where this money is.
CampaignForLiberty.com is aiming to increase the public's civic knowledge by offering a course that includes a combination of activities - from engaging in frequent conversations about public affairs, to reading about current events and history, and participating in more involved civic activities.
POCATELLO, ID - Have you ever read a book which changed the course of your thinking and your life? That is the nature of this course which uses The 5000 Year Leap as the text.
Posted by on Thursday, April 30, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Greetings!
We thought it would be good to let everyone know what happened at the July 4Th TEA PARTY prep-meeting on Tues the 28Th. We have the use of Dale Kirkham's vintage fire truck to put in the parade. We plan to have 3 people be in front of the fire truck in costume: a flag bearer of the 13 star flag, a drummer, and a fife (flute) player. We hope to have some banners depicting our motto or message. We are open to suggestions: Tea Party Revolution, Campaign for Liberty, ????. P... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Thursday, April 30, 2009,
In :
Columns
Modern U.S. political history is a story of both parties, committed to statism, at war with American liberty.
"Americans are tired of partisan bickering. They are looking for their representatives in Washington to put partisanship aside and get to the work of the American people."
Statements like this have become a mantra over the past few decades. Like Democracy, "Bipartisanship" is now held up as an ideal and an end in and of itself. It would seem that no matter how ludicrous or destructi...
Thank you everyone who wrote, called, faxed, signed, collected petition signatures, and showed up to help Campaign for Liberty’s fight to force the Fed to tell us the truth about our money. Our efforts are paying off! People aren't falling for the tired old, "Vote for me and then go back to sleep."
"Big Spender Simpson" decided he better throw a bone to the revolution that's brewing in his district. Today he became somewhere around the 100th cosponsor of HR 1207, to "Audit the Fed." Why was... Continue reading ...
The Campaign For Liberty is Petitioning Congress to “Audit the Fed”
Pocatello, ID – Local members of Campaign for Liberty visited the district offices of Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson across the state today to deliver petitions as part of a national grassroots action event.
The petitions from constituents in the 2nd district urge Rep. Simpson to cosponsor H.R. 1207, legislation authorizing a thorough audit of the Federal Reserve. The efforts coincided with the delivery of over 47,000...
Posted by Mark Balzer on Tuesday, April 28, 2009,
In :
Columns
Tax Freedom Day this year will occur later this year than it ever has, according to the Tax Foundation the tax freedom day adjusted for the deficit will occur on May 29, 2009
In another measure, Deficit Day, the day where the federal government runs out of tax revenue and begins living on borrowed money occurs earlier this year than it ever has in the history of the country.
Our current President and Congress will have spent all the money our government will collect in taxes this year as of 8...
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class.
That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.
Posted by on Wednesday, April 22, 2009,
In :
Action
In addition to our $11 trillion national debt, Congress, the Treasury Department, and the Federal Reserve have put us on the hook for almost $10 trillion in bailouts and loans.
Yet, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke recently flat out said, “No” to Congress when asked to name which financial institutions have received trillions of dollars in these loans from the Fed.
The Federal Reserve, the unelected central bank of the U.S., refuses to fully disclose its operations and agreements to Congress, in... Continue reading ...
Tax Freedom Day® arrived on April 13 this year, the 103rd day of 2009. That means Americans worked about three and a half months of the year, from January 1 to April 13, before they earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels. Tax Freedom Day fell a full two weeks earlier in 2009 than it did in 2007. In fact, not since 1967 has Tax Freedom Day come earlier than this year's April 13 date.
This shift has been driven by two factors: the recessi...
Even as average Americans were planning to get out in towns and cities to demonstrate against Big Government and Big Taxes, Federal Bureau of Intelligence Investigation (FBI) surveillance was being unleashed upon them. In fact, unsuspecting Tax Day TEA Party participants were being closely watched during the demonstration planning stages in a covert operation that began on or about March 23, 2009...
Posted by Bill Corbett on Tuesday, April 21, 2009,
In :
Columns
I love this great and beautiful country, and I often ask myself: “How did we allow ourselves to get into this current mess?” I think because too many of us thought another law would solve another injustice, we have turned the blessing of rule of law into a tyrant. Like Esau, we have traded our children’s, our grandchildren’s and our great-grandchildren’s birthrights for a bowl of lintel soup.
I attended the American Tea Party held in Pocatello last Wednesday where I was approached ...
Gresham Barrett (R-SC) voted for the 2008 bailout just as our Congressman did. These politicians fool partisan constituents by pretending indignation over big spending Democrats. They've had their chance to do the right thing and they failed America. It's time to throw them all out! Why don't we send someone to Washington who will represent our values.
Are Americans fed up with federal bailouts and stimulus packages? Of course they are, mostly...
All this after less than three months of the Obama administration, following eight years of President George W. Bush’s deficit spending.
Still, it would be an error to dismiss the tea parties as strictly a partisan phenomenon. Longtime Pocatello residents may recall the local revolt against property taxes led by the late Al Brewster, who gathered enough support to force local lawmakers to take ...
Posted by Chris Stevens on Sunday, April 19, 2009,
In :
Columns
How could anyone possibly be against opening the checkbooks to show us the spending? In today’s digital world, it’s very simple to put it online for everyone to see where they are spending our tax dollars. There’s no excuse for not doing this.
Spending transparency Web sites in numerous states and localities have saved millions through more efficient government operations, fewer information requests, more competitive contracting bids and lower risk of fraud...
Posted by Richard Larsen on Sunday, April 19, 2009,
In :
Columns
There was a certain sense of empowerment and cohesiveness at the Pocatello TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party held at the Pocatello City Hall parking lot on Wednesday. For many, it seemed comforting to know that they weren’t alone in feeling like our country is being steam-rolled to a socialistic state where those of us who work hard to provide for our families are shouldering the costs of an out-of-control spending machine in Washington. Participants were unified against expansion of governm... Continue reading ...
At the root of our social problems is the neglect of private property rights.
America was founded upon the idea that each individual had an unqualified right to the fruits of his labor.[4] This more than anything was what the founders meant when they spoke the word "liberty." It was the extent to which this right was respected that made America different than every other society in history, before or since. This was the great secret that made America the engine of prosperity and innovation tha...
Posted by Mark Balzer on Saturday, April 18, 2009,
In :
Columns
I would like to take a moment and focus on a couple I met this week, some would say have nothing, I think they have everything.
John Bell, Trina Tubbs, and their dog Bandit set up the Skull Shop on the vacant lot at the corner of Alameda and Jefferson for the last few weeks selling an eclectic selection of flags, belts, necklaces and other items.
John is from Anchorage Alaska. Trina is from Dillingham Alaska, Bandit joined up in one of the towns they set up in when Trina fell in love with ...
An educated public is an essential ingredient of a free society. Ambitious governments would have far greater difficulty implementing schemes that undermine liberty and prosperity were they faced with an informed and vigilant population.
Three books, all relatively short and available online or for purchase, are an excellent starting point for an education in sound economics. For resources specifically addressing the current economic...
Posted by on Tuesday, April 14, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
Taxes, Bailouts, and Spending destroys America... And it’s all being done with your Hard Earned Money!
Come and Join us for a Peaceful and Fun filled Rally Protesting the Stimulus Package, Bailouts, Uncontrolled Government Spending, and Rising Taxes. Bring Signs (no profanity, please), Flags, Food, and Friends.
This is not a partisan event, but simply a chance for all taxpayers, democrats and republicans alike, to voice their concerns about government spending and try to make a difference.
Posted by on Saturday, April 11, 2009,
In :
Action
Thanks for your help everyone! Here are some flyers, the big ones to post around the community and the small ones to hand out. We may even give a stack to any business that might be willing to pass them out for us. Another idea that I had, if anyone has connections or thinks of specific locations for it: many businesses have a marquee that they can change the announcements on. If they support our cause, they may be willing to put in a plug for the TEA party on their marquee. Thanks every...
The Tax Day Tea Party protest is scheduled to begin at noon on April 15, according to Chase Rhen, one of the event's local organizers.
Rhen didn't say how long the protest will last, but indicated that it could last for two or three hours. Participants will protest against perceived wasteful federal government spending. The event's Web site, www.taxdayteaparty.com, lists the other known state venues for the protest:
POCATELLO -- There likely won't be any tea bags in the Portneuf River, but an upcoming protest will give a nod to the Boston Tea Party from more than two centuries ago.
A group of local residents is scheduled to gather in the City Hall parking lot on April 15 as part of a nationwide protest against the massive federal stimulus spending plan. The Tax Day Tea Party was initially inspired by Rick Santelli, on-air editor for CNBC.
According to the event's Web site, Santelli has accused both the W...
Posted by on Thursday, April 9, 2009,
In :
Tea Party
April 15 Tax Day Tea Party at NOON in the Pocatello City Hall Parking Lot
Drink some tea. Talk with people. Hopefully get on the news.
Bring something! A flag, sign, banner, tea perhaps. This will be a peaceful get together and a good opportunity to meet like minded people. Please send out emails and tell your friends.
In addition to the Tea Parties this year where individual citizens expressed their displeasure about the actions of the Federal Government, 34 state legislatures including Idaho’s have introduced resolutions asserting their rights under the 10th Amendment. 
