The Ghost of Liberty

Internet to Traditional Media: We Are Better At This Than You

2012-01-31T04:28:00.001+09:00

Those of us who are in our early 30's are part of the last generation who remembers life without the internet. If you did not know, there was in fact a time when there were no email, chat rooms,social networks,youtube, google, wiki, smartphones or downloading. There was even a time, not all that long ago, when traditional media WAS the media. Yet, those days are long gone. Now the internet is at the center for all human thought and creativity. We have also reached a point in which the internet has become better at doing what traditional media used to be the kings of. The internet is now better at, not only creating and spreading media, but also better at making money from all that creating and spreading.

If you are willing to spend enough time and effort on the net, you can make a whole hell of a lot of money. There are countless people making a boat load of cash by creating and spreading their own media. The net has allowed all of us to get a piece of the action. The basics of the net model is actually pretty simple. It has two basic forms. One form is to give all your products and services away for free to the end user. You develop all the products and services yourself and tell everyone to 'come and get it!' If what you are giving away is useful and popular, you generate a lot of traffic pretty quickly. There are also a lot of other people who want to sell their products but lack the amount of traffic you got. So, you sale ad space to those people who want to sell something. In turn, you make a lot of money from ad revenue. Everyone wins! The prime example of this is Google.

The second basic method is to form a partnership with a company or another person. Let's say someone has developed a really cool way to distribute content but they cannot produce all the needed content to drive enough traffic to sale ad revenue. So, they partner with other people to produce the needed content. The partners make a little money every time their content brings traffic. Again, everyone wins. Youtube is the prime example of this.

These two very basic methods of making money on the net sound like something everyone would be on board with; right? WRONG! There is a big problem with making money on the net which makes traditional media damn angry. The net cuts out the middle man and allows everything to be shared, downloaded and viewed by pretty much anyone at anytime. You no longer have to turn on the TV, go to the local news stand,go to the CD store, a rental shop or even a movie theater to get the media of your desire. You can get any type of media you want quickly from your fellow net users. There is no way in hell traditional media can match the level of distribution the internet can. Traditional media is dead in the water if the net keeps developing in the way it is now. The outdated traditional media needed to find a way to stop this crazy thing called the internet. What did they come up with? Copyright laws!

The outdated media is now attempting to use their outdated laws to shut down the internet. Sounds crazy but that is exactly what is happening. At first, the old media did not have much success using their outdated laws. Then in 1992 the Audio Home Recording Act came into law(know as chapter 10 in US copyright law). It did two things: It allowed people to make home copies of copyrighted material and share it between friends. It also required that all DAT recorders to included The Serial Copy Management System; which prevented the end user from making a copy of a copy. Well, this worked for a while until, of course, people found a way around this. It seems that people were way more creative then the old media thought they were. In 1998 the Digital Millennium Copyright Act came into law(known as chapter 5 subsection 512 of US copyright law). This was the first law used to limit the internet. It was not exactly what old media wanted but it was close. The DMCA made it illegal to store or transmit material which was copyrighted. It also made it harder to use parts of copyrighted material to create something new. Although, it did not make it illegal to share something copyrighted or to provided a link to something which was copyrighted. So, if you stored something copyrighted and transmitted it over the net, your ass was busted. It did not make service providers liable or require them to police which material is transmitted over their networks. Of source, you cannot enforce such a law on the net because the net behaves in such a way which leads to copyrighted material being used in a way which the old media never intended. So, the net laughed and kept on making money using the new internet model.

As the internet continued to evolve and new and exciting ways of creating, sharing and making money developed, the old media damn near had a heart attack. It became very clear that the outdated copyright laws were unable to control the internet. It was even more clear to the internet that the outdated copyright laws got in the way of being creative and cutting out the middle man. Then along comes SOPA(known as HR.3261.IH in the US Congress). SOPA, as most of you know, would finally give the old media exactly what they wanted. It would make it illegal to share, link, talk about or transmit any material deemed to be copyrighted. Also, service providers and websites would be liable for the actions of users. SOPA, as we all know, would kill the internet. There is no way in hell the internet could operate under SOPA. The net has evolved way past SOPA. The framework of the net is not designed to be manage in such a way as SOPA thinks it does. So, the net finally fought back. Major websites carried out a blackout to show Congress, and net users, what a SOPA net would be like. Common since won out and for now SOPA is dead.

Yet, the attack on the net took a very different turn. By way of the UN, another weapon from the old media has hit the net. ACTA(link provides all sections of the treaty) is now the latest attempt to stop the net from doing what it does best; create, share and make money from the fluid open flow of information without the use of a middle man. ACTA is being carried out though the UN. Using the UN in this way is a excellent way to by pass the people of all sovereign nations. ACTA creates an international agency to police anti-piracy in several industries including the internet. It does pretty much the same thing SOPA aims to do but without the consent of the people of sovereign nations. And as you might have guessed Obama signed ACTA while giving strong support at the same time. ACTA is the real internet kill switch everyone has been talking about for several years now. A independent agency which answers to no sovereign government would have the power to shut down any part of the internet at a moments notice if a company says a website has something copyrighted on it in any way shape or form. So, many leaders from many nations are signing up for ACTA without approval from their domestic governments. The battle for a free and open internet is not over by a long shot. Until then the internet will keep doing what it does best; being better at doing what the traditional media used to do.

Freedom of Speech Is the Right to Offend Everyone

2011-12-14T11:05:00.006+09:00

Howdy! Yes, your man of liberty has returned to this little blog. Time to dust off the tables and sweep up a bit. It has been a while so please excuse the mess.

Anyway...

This blog has always focused on Libertarian ideas and issues. Well, with that in mind I was watching an interview that Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell did on Larry King back in 1996(watch it by clicking here) and it got me thinking about if freedom of speech actually has any limits. Of course my first response is HELL NO! Freedom of speech and freedom of expression should, in theory, have no limits at all. Yet, in reality the only real limits in the case of free speech and expression is slander and liable. Both slander and liable are not easy to prove in the court of law because you must prove that what was said or expressed was meant to damage, by way of lying, a person's ability to maintain a job and live within their community. You can also sue someone in civil court for emotional damages if what was said or expressed caused you deep emotional trauma. In both situations, it is very subjective and comes down to a matter of taste in the majority of cases within the US court system.

I did mention Larry Flynt, so before going forward let's take a look at his battle with Falwell all those years ago. Flynt thought it was damn funny to publish a parody of Falwell. So, in Hustler magazine Flynt published a parody ad of Falwell having sex with his mother in an outhouse(after first kicking the goat out of course). It was meant as a joke to give working class people, the majority of Hustlers readership, a good cheap laugh. Well, Falwell took offense to this and dragged Flynt and his company though a long court battle which took years to finally resolve. It was clear from the start that Falwell was not going to win this case in the end. The supreme court finally had to get involved and of course ruled in Flynt's favor. Yes, Flynt lied about the sexual history of Falwell but he did not intend to cause damage to Falwell's ability to maintain a job or live within the community. He was simply expressing himself and making a joke. It was clearly stated under the ad in question that it was a parody and meant as humor. So, what we can learn from that is freedom of speech cannot be limited on matters of taste. The fact that Flynt made an off color joke in a magazine intended to be risky and adult themed is not a violation of Falwell's right to live peacefully in his own community. Nor did such a joke damage Falwell's ability to maintain his job. Yes, Falwell was really offended but it is highly unlikely he suffered any deep emotional trauma. In the case of Flynt VS. Falwell, it is perfectly legal to offend another person in the United States of America.

Now, let's look at another example from, my current home for almost six years, Tokyo, Japan. The laws on freedom of speech and expression are pretty much the same in Japan except for a few minor differences. I will not get into Japanese free speech laws at this time. What I want to point out is the difference between violating someone's rights under the natural law of liberty vs. simply expressing yourself in a manner which might offend others. I took the picture featured in this post at Shibuya, Tokyo. It was in the early evening when a truck rolled by with an ad featuring a row of almost naked young women. The ad was for some web site which had little to do with beautiful young women. In Japan, such types of ads are so common that it is really rare for anyone to feel deeply offended. This truck was driving around the main section of Shibuya to expose this companies ad to as many people as possible. Let's use the America idea of freedom of speech and expression to judge if this ad damages the local business's ability to make money and exist in the community. If this trucking company regularly drives ad trucks around Shibuya featuring almost naked young girls promoting a variety of products, and sales of several businesses in the area drop during the same time, is the trucking company liable for damages caused by the ad?

Frist of all, we would have to prove that the ads directly lead to a drop in sales for the local businesses. The only two ways to do that would be to get ahold of public complaints filed concerning the ads or customers saying, on record, they will not shop at the area due to the ads. Even if you have both of those things it would still be very hard to prove the trucking company is liable for damages. Shibuya is an area in which there are plenty of ads featuring half naked young women. So, it becomes clear very quickly that being offended does not fall into the terms of liable or slander.

It would appear that freedom of speech and expression also includes the right to offend everyone. Morality or personal taste has no bearing on freedom of speech or expression. Like wise, if someone does say something which offends you, it is your right to respond to what was said. You cannot respond with violence or attempt to damage someone's ability to maintain their job or live peacefully within their community. A war of words is the only proper way to respond to speech which offends you; under the natural laws of liberty.

The Resistance of Our Times

2011-01-19T03:01:00.003+09:00

There always comes a point in which most people ask your man of liberty, `What are you resisting? You seem to be against everything.` I considering such a question to be strange and fair at the same time. I consider it strange because it is so clear that humanity is at a cross road between independent republic sovereignty and tyrannical global governance. I also consider it a fair question because, sadly, a lot of people are just not aware of what is happening before their eyes. Humanity, as a whole, are still in a very eyes wide shut situation. It seems as if most people know what is going on but refuse to admit it. They are just not aware of the gravity of our times.

To be frank, we as a human race really are in the fight of our lives. So many things happening at an increasingly fast pace that a man of liberty really is left with little choice but to be against just about everything. After years of watching, reading, writing, researching about world government I know full well that the ideas of liberty are not in favor with the powers that be. It seems every decision, policy and law is totally against the classical ideas of liberty. It is sickening at times that those in power seem to take the position that they grant liberty to those who they see fit to receive it. Liberty is not something to be granted. Yet, it is something every human on the planet is born with and must choose to give it away. All too often most people give up their liberty without a second thought.

The common person just does not see the point in standing up for their born rights as a human being. The image of global government projects such power that most people simply feel powerless. In their minds they must know that their liberty is being taken from them. Yet, they go along with it because they feel powerless. They feel that if they stand up for themselves they will end up being labeled a `trouble maker` and bring great suffering to their lives. So in their feelings of powerlessness and fear they give up their liberty in order to avoid trouble.

They feel safe if they just go along with having their liberty taken from them as long as they don`t say anything. What most people don`t realize is that it will get worse. As global government takes hold the power elite will never be satisfied. They will keep taking more and more until the common people are nothing more than stomach zombies who go along with anything they are told.

This is the resistance of our times. Liberty vs. Tyranny. Such struggle has been fought though out the history of humanity. In our modern times this battle has taken turns which no every foresaw. Which side will you be on when the hammer comes down?

The Power of the Tenth

2011-01-13T05:39:00.000+09:00

2011 has now arrived. Many American`s, having no job and losing hope daily, still found a way to smile and ring in the new year. Now that all the cheap wine has been drank and merry making is over we are still left with the question; How to we take our nation back? So many people are left scratching their heads as to what to do. For many liberty lovers it seems everything attempted to restore liberty to Americans ends in failure. The big knock out blow to government tyranny seems to be unattainable. Maybe it is time to bring out the secret weapon. The one thing which always scares the scum bags running the Federal government is of course the tenth amendment of the US Constitution.

The Tenth Amendment reads as follows:

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.

In short the tenth amendment states that any power not granted to the Federal government,by the US Constitution, is a power of a state or the people directly.

The tenth amendment is often dismissed as simply overstating the already clearly defined relationship between the Federal and State governments. It is also seen as something not to be invoked due to the fact that the tenth was used by the Southern States as a way to justify seceding from the Union during the civil war. The latter point is used by many to dismiss anyone invoking the tenth as grounds to claim the Federal government has overstepped its bounds. Yet, these `talking points` commonly used to marginalize the tenth fail to take from it the power to keep the Federal government in check. Just because it is hard to invoked the tenth successfully, does not mean to cannot be done.

How can the tenth be used to get the Federal government under control? This is a question which gets asked often. Well, there are many things which the Federal government does these days which can be challenged by invoking the tenth amendment. The most effective way to use the tenth is in situations in which the Federal government makes agreements or treaties without making the same agreements or treaties with the states. This becomes very important when you consider all the various treaties the Federal government makes with the UN; just as an example.

Lets take the UN gun ban (which you can read a bit about here) that is slowly coming to realization in the chambers of the UN. This planned treaty would start the process of banning private gun ownership by the central governments of all member nations. Under certain conditions, the Congress could actually ratify this and the Supreme Court could give them a legal pass. Yet, this does not mean that the local state government would be powerless to stop such a clear attack on personal liberty and national sovereignty. The tenth amendment would have to be used by the state governments to block Federal authority.

Some might argue that since the Senate represents, in theory, the states then by the Senate ratifying such a treaty than an agreement will have been reached with the states. This is not true. The Senate is part of the Federal government and makes laws within the power of the Federal government; not the actual states themselves. A national gun ban would be completely out of line with the US constitution; even if the supreme court fails to make a ruling throwing out such a ban. At that point the tenth amendment would come into play. The states would invoked the tenth under the grounds that the only agreement the states have made with the Federal government, concerning the people`s right the hold arms, is the second amendment. The states would reserve the power to regulate fire arms sales and ownership since the Federal government does not have such power from within each state. So the Federal government could sign a UN treaty to ban fire arms but it would only apply on Federal property or outside of a union state(which is all states).

Now this may be a bit of a extreme example, based on something actually happening in UN chambers, but it does outline how the tenth can be used to keep the Federal government in check. Keep in mind the Federal government often abuses the ethos of common law to get around the tenth. This is why it can be hard to invoke the tenth amendment successfully. When attempting to use the tenth amendment a lot of research must be undertaken to ensure the Federal government does not use end-around tactics in common law to dismiss a tenth amendment argument.

For an extra case study in using the tenth amendment on a personal level to protect yourself from Federal intrusion read this.

21st Century Liberty(New Year`s Edition)-Freezing, Starving, and Record Profits

2010-12-28T04:02:00.002+09:00

It has been 18 days since my last post here on The Ghost of Liberty. Don`t worry I am not dead nor have I been arrested. December is usually a busy month for many folks and I am no exception. Although, this season is not so happy for many of our fellow Americans. Poverty has become widespread in our nation. So many people are living on the streets or in half-way houses. There are sure to be many people who will freeze to death during the winter snow storm currently engulfing the east coast. Many of our little ones are going hungry as their parents simply cannot provide them with food. Santa will not visit millions of families this year because they did not pay their bills to the bank. Speaking of banks, many of the nation`s biggest banks have been reporting record profits in 2010. All those people who are starving and freezing to death this winter bailed out those banks in order to insure record profits will be had in 2010. This is the face of American liberty in the 21st century.

It appears that becoming penniless and homeless in the land our forefathers built is the `new way` in modern America. Not only have our leaders sold us out, they have also decided to molest and abuse us when we make an attempt to travel. Yet, though all the suffering, hunger, and humiliation the banks are cleaning up and somehow America is recovering from a economic meltdown. The Federal government gave the people`s money away to the banks and in return the banks took everything from the American people. The United States made an investment in the nation`s largest banks and we have lost everything. We trusted our leaders to do the right thing and they sold us out to greedy cold blooded bankers. It has got to be very clear to the average citizen they have been robbed. How can anyone still believe that the bankers have not set them up and stole the nation`s riches. America got played for a fool big time!

As Americans eat pea soup, sleep on the streets, and listen to their children beg them for food remember why there are no jobs, heat, or food this holiday season. Remember who stole our money. Remember who sold us out. Remember it is time to get mad as hell!

Geraldo Rivera Calls O`Reilly Out on Federal Stings to Create Terrorist.

2010-12-10T01:55:00.001+09:00

The mainstream media can be a fun circus to watch at times. When your brain is so burnt out that only the lowest standards of debate and reporting can keep your attention, it is time for cable news. The cable news in post-modern America is a Stainest vision of how to convince the people that government is good for them. All the time and man power put into `creating the news` might just be the largest fascist corporate propaganda machine in the history of mankind. It sickens the soul to think that they put some slick `professional journalist` with a big white smile praising every action taken by the grand Federal government. Yet, sometimes the raw truth forces it`s way to the surface.

Case in point is the unusual news stories Geraldo Rivera has been picking up over at Fox News Network as of late. This sold out monkey of the corporate media has been pretending to be a journalist of the people since the 80`s. Back then he was busy getting his noise broken by Neo-Nazi`s. These days be is just another gear in the Fox News machine. Yet, we may have hard on Rivera over the years. Recently, as I pointed out in an earlier post Rivera did an entire segment on WTC ' with a group of professionals and victim`s family member. The interview was done on fair grounds and Rivera not once attack his guest. Such `reporting` on any cable news network is rare.

Rivera is at it again, only this time he is mixing it up with the pissed off neo-con Bill O`Reilly. The report was on a young kid in America getting arrested for trying to blow up a Federal building. The report is so clearly pointing out the fact that the government set this kid up was too much for Rivera to keep silent.

US government tracking Americans Without Warrent Though Use of a `Hotwatch`

2010-12-04T03:51:00.000+09:00

American used to project an image of `The land of freedom` to the world. Yet, it seems these days the only image America projects is war,greed, empire and fascism. As an American, it is not easy for your man of liberty to write such words but the truth is written on the wall. Of the numerous policies which destroy liberty in America, the one which may be ruining personal liberty in American the most tracking of US citizens by the Federal government.

Most people are aware of the warrantless wiretapping program which was put in place by Bush W. and maintained by Obama. What has made this policy truly disturbing is that the Federal Government not only was out in the open about it but also defended secretly tracking US citizens without warrants and little or no oversight. At this point one would think that tracking phone calls, e-mails, and text messages would be enough but there seems to be no end to the Federal government desire to track US citizens every move. Due to the efforts of blogger Christopher Soghoian documents have been released which show the Federal Government tracking US citizen`s purchases without warrant and without the person targeted knowledge. As shocking as this new level of government tyranny is, I have no choice but to report that it all true. The document which Chris pressured to get released details exactly how, and by which methods, the Federal government uses so-called Hotwatch tracking to see what any American buys. You can read the doc. by clicking here.

What makes this kind of spying program truly disturbing is that while the released docs. explain what kind of purchases they target and the method of going about it, what it leaves out is the standard to engage in such activity. This document, which took Chris over a year and a half to get release, contains no mention of a need to ask the courts for permission to engage in tracking a US citizen`s financial transactions. On page three of the ten page government doc. is clearly states the number one way in which such authority is granted is by `Administrative subpoena with a court order for non-disclosure.` In short, the government has agents signing off on their own orders to track US citizen`s financial transactions. The teeth of such an order is only a court order which prevents or bank or company from informing the person targeted.

With such a system in place the government now has FBI and CIA agents running around targeting anyone they want for pretty much any reason as long as they say it is for, `an ongoing investigation.` There is no oversight and the courts can do little to stop it. The level of corruption and revenge such policy creates must be massive. With the right paperwork any US citizen can have almost any financial transaction they do tracked and recorded by the government. The docs. express no standard so we can only assume government agents can order a `Hotwatch` whenever they want. When people talk about a police state this is what they are talking about.

The World Does Not Need It`s American Hero Anymore.

2010-11-29T18:13:00.000+09:00

Your man of liberty is always watching, reading and researching the state of liberty in our increasingly complex world. As I was making my rounds on the internet, I ran across an article by famed Libertarian and American Conservative Patrick J. Buchanan. The title of the article is Why are we still in Korea? He pulls no punches in this article and lays out some very clear points about how the old post WW2/Cold War Alliances no longer benefit our grand nation. It should be clear to just about anyone but sadly most of our fellow American brothers just don`t get it. America has long over served it`s role as the world`s hero.

There really is no need for us to have military bases all over the world anymore. Korea is a perfect example of how an American military presence makes things worse not better. For starters the only reason we are in Korea is due to the fact the nation is a ex-colony of Japan. After the war is was necessary for America to set up camp in Korea because Japan had no ability to keep the region stable. America had a responsibility to stabilize East Asia because we had taken over control of Japan; thus ending the Japanese Empire. After an intense war with North Korea we end up staring each other down at the DMZ for over 50 years now. All those years later things are very different. South Korea is one of the strongest nations in Asia with respect to its economy and military. The North Korean military is in a very sad condition. Their military technology is way behind the rest of the world. There is no way the North could muster any kind of fight against the South. Simply put America is not needed in Korea anymore.

What about Japan? Japan ranks sixth in the world for military spending. The military of Japan is highly advanced and fully able to defend itself. They have one of the top economies in the world. Japan is a stable nation and has been for a very long time. The Japanese face very little threat to their nation. They have strong political ties to many of their neighbors. If Japan was attacked by the more aggressive Communist China there is no question they could defend their island nation with no help from the US. While China puts on a front of being unafraid of war, it would be clearly a major disadvantage for them to wage war with any nation in Asia. In reality Japan has very little need for the US military.

So why are we so stuck on the idea that the world needs us? It seems America has a military Empire and does not want to give it up. Despite the fact that most nations with a US military presence have very little need for a foreign army, American insist we must protect people who don`t want to be protected. East Asia is a prime example of the American military Empire having little usefulness in the modern era. We fight the enemies of others because we have no enemies of our own who could pose any threat to our mighty nation.

Our military even goes as far as to look for a fight to be had with other nations. Currently The USS George Washington has left Japan and is meeting up with South Korean forces to engage in military war games as a way to show North Korea just how powerful the American military is. The North has already said they are ready for war and will respond with military action if we come any where close to their border. Our military is provoking a war when it is none of our business in the first place. Even China has told America to return the USS George Washington back to Japan. It is clear our military in East Asia provokes notions of war.

When will the American Hero understand it is time to come home?

The GOP Having Trouble Holding it Together On Earmark Ban

2010-11-29T14:30:00.001+09:00

As anyone with a real sense of liberty is fully aware, the left/right bipolar political establishment in America is nothing more than two management teams fighting for control of the same dirty government. Both so-called parties do not have our interest in mind. Yet, as long as they are in control we must work within this system to restore true liberty and Constitutional law to our grand nation. So then the GOP conference voted on a complete ban on all earmarks, liberty minded citizens took notice. Your man of liberty reported on this event which you can read here. To to shock and awe of libertarians, and liberty minded people in general, the GOP conference voted for an all out ban on earmarks for the 112th Congress. Well as it turns out the GOP may not be ready to stick to their guns on a complete ban on earmarks.

All the heat is centered around H.R. 4783 which pretty much hands out money to settle a disagreement on behave of black farmers and Native American tribes over discrimination they say was carried out by the Department of Agriculture. Now to say that this issue should have never reach the level of a bill in the congress is an understatement. The Dept. of Agriculture clearly failed to deal with this long standing issue. The DOA should have never let it get to this point. The DOA should have dealt with this though the courts or even better allocated money, which they already had on hand, to the states to deal with it. Yet, like a gang of cowards they stoned walled the entire issue and forced Congress to create a spending bill to take care of it. The DOA did this clearly in order to protect their own budget from taking a hit. So a spending bill was created and moved though Congress which put the earmark ban to the test.

From the looks of things GOP leaders were unable to hold to their own rule of banning earmarks. Arizona Sen. John Kyle just could not resist adding an earmark into H.R. 4783. The Senator added a earmark setting aside 200,000,000 billion dollars to settle a Arizona Native American water rights dispute. This super large earmark will be used to make snow at a ski resort, improve water access for some Casinos, and build fish hatcheries. The sad thing about this is that if Arizona did not have to send so much money out of their state and into the hands of the Federal government they could have dealt with this at a state level.

This issue just goes to show the state of Washington. Yet another unconstitutional Department gets into hot water and sets on their hands out of fear of having their budget taking a hit. Congress has to get involved and create a bill which spends even more money. This in turn catches the attention of Arizona, which has a large settlement to take of, which is related to the bill in question. Add to all of this the fact that if Arizona could keep more of their state revenue in the state they could have paid the settlement from their own treasury.

The devil in all of this is Federal taxing being totally out of control. The states or the courts cannot really handle these kinds of issues due in large part to the high amount of Federal taxing. Not even one of Washington`s many Departments can handle disputes involving money because Congress looks for any reason to suck more money out of any section of the government which causes problems. If the DOA actually did decide to settle this issue though the courts or with good old fashion negotiation rest assured Congress would cut their budget and hand it to the Pentagon. Every time an earmark comes up in a bill we will see the insanity of Federal spending.

H.R. 6416 Would Make the TSA Liable For Assaulting Travelers

2010-11-26T04:25:00.001+09:00

Everyone should be aware of the situation with TSA at airports across America at this point. The agency has been carrying out policies which are something one would expect in Communist China. The naked body scanners have been firing dangerous potently cancer causing X-rays at travelers. If travelers choose to opt out they have been subjected to pat downs similar to rape or at least sexual assault. Countless Americans are reporting being groped, including women and young children. The situation has gotten so bad that many Americans are refusing to fly all together. The outrage Americans have against the TSA has now been expressed in the form of legislation.

H.R. 6416 recently introduced in the house by Rep. Ron Paul from Texas would strip the TSA of any immunity from lawsuits filed against it. The bill, commonly know as the American Traveler Dignity Act of 2010 prevents any law from being enacted which offers immunity to any Federal employee, agency, individual or entity, which receives federal funds, who subjects a person to physical contact to board an airplane. In short, if this bill becomes law any TSA agent who gropes or sexually assaults someone during a security check can end up getting their ass sued.

Some of you may be wondering why the states have not taken action against the TSA. Why must it take such extreme means to keep the TSA in line? It is true that the states could kick the TSA out of their airports very easily. The states have the power to refuse any federal law,regulation or agency under the guide line of the 10th Amendment. This does not happen because all the State Attorney Generals would rather protect their own political future than directly go up against the Federal government on a states rights issues like a Federal agencies legal ability to operate within said state. There is also the fact that most State Congresses take a complaint filed against the Federal government by a State Attorney General very seriously. If could mean political suicide if he/she gets it wrong. A keen State Attorney General will wait until a good amount of complaints have been filed with his/her office and then serve those complaints in the form of a class action lawsuit;thus avoiding a direct states rights clash with lawmakers.

H.R. 6416 bypasses politically compromised Attorney Generals by giving the people the direct power to sue the TSA though the courts. It would be a up hill fight to get this bill all the way to the presidents desk but it could happen if enough pressure is placed on Federal lawmakers in Washington. Yet to think in more reality based terms if the bill gets a lot of co-sponsors and becomes a hot bill in Washington the TSA would be scared into ending its current security policy at airports. If this bill gains support rest assured the TSA would reconsider what it is doing to the American people.

Silver Manipulation By JP Morgan Brings Lawsuit

2010-11-23T02:40:00.003+09:00

At this point anyone who has really been paying attention knows that the banking elite have made a mess of the world economy. You should also understand by now that these same banking elite have continued to suck the world dry while at the same time watch it slowly die. What started as a bubble crash in the US housing market quickly spread into a world economic breakdown. People across the United States are losing everything they have worked so hard for while the banking elite get rich beyond their wildest dreams.

As the truth comes out about how the banks stole from everyone and pulled the world into a deep dark hole of endless debt, there are some signs that these international criminals are not getting away with their dirty deeds completely. The silver market has been one which has always been covered in controversy. For years there have been those who have accused big banks of manipulating the silver market. It appears that JP Morgan and HSBC are in hot water as a class action law suit accusing both banks of conspiracy and manipulation of the silver futures market was filed in early November.

The lawsuit centers around June 2008 when JP Morgan took over Bears Stearns. This takeover also handed JP Morgan all of Bears Stearns short positions in the silver market. JP Morgan then teamed up with HSBC to buy as many silver short positions as they could in order to artificially depress the price of silver. Investors lost big time while JP Morgan and HSBC made a huge profit in the process. By controlling a majority of the silver short position contracts the two banks could sale silver shares when they did not actually have any real silver on hand.. They did this over and over again. They would sale silver they never had, and because the price was so low, buy those contracts back and resale them. This kind of business is very illegal to say the least.

This recent lawsuit is just latest suit filed against JP Morgan and HSBC. Back in October of this year two separate lawsuits were filed claiming that two investors had sold silver contracts and lost money due to the actions of JP Morgan and HSBC.

This is the point we have reached with the elite bankers. During this entire Global Economic Meltdown time and time again we have seen banksters do everything they can to suck everyone dry. They want it all at this point and have shown to have the ability to do anything to get it. Nothing is safe in the current economic environment. The international banks are being more ruthless than they have ever been in the past. The more they get the more than want. The level of greed is sickening. The illegal actions of JP Morgan and HSBC only scratch the surface of crimes committed by international banksters. The more people start to wake up and look into what is really going on expect more lawsuits in the future.

Yet, lawsuits are not going to be enough to dismantle the criminal banking system. Direct action always has an effect which no lawsuit can match. Market expert Max Keiser is calling for a run on silver. Keiser calls for people to start to buy just 1 oz of silver and demand physical delivery. JP Morgan does not have enough real silver to keep up with added stress on the market. If a massive amount of people started buying just one or two ounces of silver it would crash JP Morgan for sure. I did it and others should as well.

TSA Naked Body Scanners and Excessive Pat Down Debate Heating Up.

2010-11-17T18:24:00.001+09:00

The issue of Naked Body Scanners and groping at airports by the TSA is heating up as more and more Americans are voicing outrage citing health concerns and personal liberty violations. What started out as a few unfortunate events in which women were touched in degrading fashion has become what appears to be the norm as more travelers across the nation as complaining that are being touched in ways which are offensive.

The new security protocols put into common practice by the TSA have upset American to the point of proactive resistance. The Independent Union of Airline Pilots has issued a warning to all union members to outright refuse submitting to a naked body scan citing health concern that the scanners increase the risk of cancer. The union is also urging all members that a pat down be done in private to the excessive groping involved. As we all know when unions start refusing to comply with policy that situation is reaching a head. Union leader Captain Dave Bates issued a letters to all pilots to begin an outright revolt against the new TSA security protocols which was publish by the Atlantic. You can read the letter by clicking here.

The entire issue brings up an even larger issue in modern America. What is the line which government stops and personal liberty starts? Many Americans feel they are free and the government cannot control their lives. It is in the American spirit to resist any type of government tyranny which is forced on them. To tell a citizen in US that they must do what the government says and there is no other choice is similar to declaring citizens are slaves. The system of the US government structure was created to put the citizens in charge of the nation. If the citizens do not want the government to do something then Washington must obey. In short Washington is confused about who is really in charge in the United States. So where is the line?

Some citizens are fighting back and showing Washington who is in charge. Captain Dave Bates has refused both the body scanners and any pat down. He now faces loosing his job because the TSA will not allow him to go to work. If you cannot trust the pilots then who can you trust?

Geraldo Rivera Gives 9/11 Truth a Voice

2010-11-16T03:05:00.001+09:00

The internet is a buzz over a recent piece T.V. personally Geraldo Rivera did which features Bob McIllvaine and Tony Szamboti. Both men are major proponents for a new 9/11 government investigation. The question of if you believe 9/11 was an inside job or not becomes a side issue when you consider that Rivera has been one of the loudest voices against the 9/11 truth movement. This sudden about face is almost unheard of in modern corp. media. How Rivera got this approved by this bosses is anyone's guess.

This event is huge given the fact the corp. media almost never features 9/11 truth in a positive light on equal footing. In the past the corp. media has attacked mocked and called for the heads of 9/11 truth supporters. Rivera himself once flipped his middle finger at a crowd of loud protesters during a `street` interview. It seemed that the corp. media had decided who their punching bag was and 9/11 truth was an easy target. Bill O`Reily once had a young man who questioned 9/11 on his show and proceeded to berate the gentlemen with insults and threats. If Rivera`s recent piece is a sign that the 9/11 truth movement may be off the corp. media`s hit list we could see more things like this in the future.

Of course the questions that millions of American have deserve to be asked, debated, and looked into with merit and fairness. If all turns out to be nothing more than unconnected facts then that is actually great but the questions about 9/11 must first be asked in the public forum in a non-hostile environment.

No one knows exactly Rivera is having a sudden change of heart but the time being some serious questions are getting a change to breath in the open air a bit.

Below is the video of the interview Rivera did on WTC Building 7

GOP Senators to vote on Earmark Ban

2010-11-15T14:17:00.000+09:00

On November 16,2010 all current GOP senators and GOP senate elect leaders will vote on a moratorium to ban all GOP earmark spending during the 112th Congressional cycle. The Republican Conference, which happens before the start of each new Congressional cycle, is a time when the GOP sets it`s agenda and votes on key policies. This years Conference is vital as many newly elected GOP leaders in the Senate are under pressure from voters demanding cuts in spending. While many GOP members have already stated how they are going to vote on the ban, there are still many senators who not said which way they plan to vote. The actual vote is planned to happen very soon so contacting your Federal senator is very important so they know the will of the people loud and clear.

Earmarks, or in Washington `pork,` is money set aside in a spending bill for an individual senators pet project in his home state. Sometimes an earmark can be very good and provide something much needed for a state. Sadly, in most cases earmarks are nothing more than useless spending to warm voters to a certain senator. Everyone has seen the highway signs stating, `Your tax dollars at work.` Those so-called working tax dollars is Federal earmark money which the state could have provided from their own budget. Earmarks are a source of government waste and overspending which have long been a cherished tradition of Congress for decades. Every senator cries for their earmarks when any spending bill goes though the US Congress.

The situation of wasteful spending on earmarks could change if enough pressure is put on elected leaders. The GOP could send a powerful message to Washington which could influence the DNP to follow if the pressure gets heavy enough. The vote will be the first time in a very long time either of the two major parties have voted on suspending earmarks. In order to mobilize the citizens into unified action the website endingspending.com is full of the information on earmarks and actively fight to end this bad habit of the US Congress to throw money down the drain.

To read the official citizens action alert and check a list of how GOP senators have promised to vote on this issue go here.

Two Party System Out of Date

2010-11-15T09:45:00.001+09:00

After the most recent mid-term election is seems that both parties have proven themselves unable to bend to the will of the American people. When the Republicans lost control of the House and Congress the American people put their faith in the Democrats to get the United States out of the war in the middle east, roll back the patriot act and curb the economic crisis. When the Democrat darling Obama won the race for the White House Americans were putting stock in the Democratic party to get American back on the right track. Nothing that the American people had ask of the Democratic party has happened. What choice were the American people left with? Well, in a two party system the only choice presented to the American people is to put the GOP, a party which enraged the American people not so long ago, back into power of the central government. When both parties fail the American people is has become clear that there is pretty much no other options to bend the will of the government in favor of the citizens. There is no where to run to escape a government led by parties which have little interest in serving the citizens of the nation.

The failure of the two party system has made it a out of date political system for 21st century America. Americans need and want real solutions and real representation more in line with the US constitution and the mandates of the American people given during election cycles. Yet, despite it being painfully clear that the two party system is out of date, the GOP and Democratic parties do everything they can to prevent any third parties from becoming a force in Washington. All committee positions are chosen primarily by party affiliation and combined time served. There are only two parties considered for committee positions which are of course GOP and Democratic. Any independent or minor party leader must caucus with one with GOP or democratic to be considered for committee placement. Currently no independent or third party national leader is allowed to be placed on a committee without being a member of a caucus. Yet, caucus requirements only scratch the surface of how the mainline out of date two party system prevents new a political party system from forming.

The biggest hurdle for third parties is actually getting on the ballot. For local and state elections, getting on the ballot is bit a easier. Most local elections require very low fees and citizen signatures of support. In most counties across America getting your name onto a local ballot can be as easy as going down to city hall and declaring yourself a candidate. If there is more than one candidate running under a certain political party a simple primary is held before the main election. This is the way it was done before complete left/right control of the American political system.

On a national level just getting on the ballot is hard enough apart from trying to gather enough funds to compete with the party supported candidates. In most states charge either a large sign-up see and/or notarized petition of several thousands signatures just to get on the ballot. There are many states which have never had a third party challenger or third option under current laws for a national election. The issue of ballot access is not the best in America. The system is clearly set-up to maintain a left/right two party ballot for almost any public election. What are Americans supposed to do with an election process which is, not only broken, but all together useless to the modern American people?

The ballot must finally be open to everyone. The rules for getting on a ballot have got to change in order to reflect the dynamic modern American political landscape. Americans clearly need more options on the ballot. Washington has become a stale and often damaging force in America. New ideas and keen reminders of who is supposed to be in charge are rarely heard in D.C. Open the ballot and Washington will become exciting again.

*for further reading on this issue check out this piece about ballot access in the United States.

Bush Says Waterboardering Was A Good Idea;Formal Top Britsh Official Calls Bull

2010-11-11T04:27:00.000+09:00

When most US presidents leave office they usually ride off into the sunset and enter the next phase of their political life as an elder statesmen. The first years as a formal president are usually spent rounding up the money for a presidential library,building a retirement estate, taking a world tour as a welcomed American statesmen, or writing a book. Considering that Bush W. is a wanted man in a few nations and not very well liked by many others, taking a statesmen world tour is pretty much out of the question. His family is very rich so he has no need to build a retirement estate. No one is looking forward to breaking ground on a Bush W. library any time soon. His biggest option as elder statesmen is to write a book about his days in the White House.

Yes everyone, Bush W. has written a book about his `glorious` days as Commander in Chief of the United States of America. The book is just about to hit bookshelves in America and already it is generating heat within the political circus. According to several media outlets not only does Bush W. admit he gave official approval for US intelligence to use waterboarding as a means to get `information` from suspected terrorist he goes as far to say that,`lives were saved by information gathered from militant suspects.` When Bush named which lives were saved,namely the British, that is when someone from across the pond stood up and called bull.

Formal Top British Minister during the Bush years, Kim Howells, has been quick to point out just how far off base Bush is being with his claims of British lives being saved by American waterboarding methods. Raw story reports that during a BBC radio interview Howells said, `Where I doubt what President Bush said is that this, what we regard as torture, actually produced information which was instrumental in preventing....plots coming to fruition.` Howells is pretty much saying that waterboarding was useless and did little to prevent terror attacks. Most people are already aware that the policy of torture adopted by Bush and continued by Obama is nothing short of forcing suspect of give false information.

As Raw Story reports Howells is not the only British official who put Bush`s claims into question. Formal home shadow security David Davis has come out and said, `People under torture tell you what you want to hear...apart from being immoral, apart from destroying our standing in the world, apart from undermining the way of life we`re trying to defend, it actually doesn`t deliver.`

This sudden outburst of criticisms of Bush`s waterboarding policy could be an attempt by these British officials to distance themselves from being accused of war crimes at a later point. Bush`s brash admission of approving of torture while in office is enough to land him and anyone else defending said policies on trail for war crimes. Apart from Bush saying he approved of torture there is ample evidence locked away within Washington in official White House documents to put away the entire gang involved. Maybe this is why Bush is in no hurry to start work on a Presidential library?

TSA Out of Control?

2010-11-10T14:57:00.002+09:00

If you have been keeping up with the `wonderful` job TSA has been doing recently, you must be aware of the up close and personal security checks the agency has been carrying out recently. Reports are flooding in all over the internet of people complaining that TSA agents have gone too far in how much they touch and view people`s bodies. The TSA has resorted to molesting people, including children, all in the name of protecting us from the `evil` terrorist. The average American is now subjected to a full body scan which exposes their private areas to a TSA agent. If anyone chooses to opt-out of the scan they then are subjected to a rub down which is equal to groping by just about any sane person`s standard. Under strong public outcry the TSA has issued a response attempting to justify these measures instead of a proper formal apology.

How this violates personal liberty should be clear as day to anyone. Yet, we see that a lot of people are going along with this public rape of air travelers. If someone touched a women on the streets the same way TSA agents do at the airport there would be arrests and maybe even an ass kicking coming to anyone who attempted such behavior. When government is stamped on this clear human rights violation it suddenly becomes fine and dandy. How many people would allow someone to cop a feel of their little girl in normal situations? I am sure no one would approve of it. Yet, at the airport parents stand by and watch as some thug from the TSA fondles their little child with no protest.

Have Americans really become this defeated as people to allow the government to treat them like pieces of meat? While the TSA is treating American`s like sex objects at their security check orgies too many people are just letting it happen to them while in their mind justifying it with,`This is meant to keep be safe from terrorist so it is okay for the government to rape me in public view.` It appears that the American police state has been harassing people so much over the years that Americans are starting to happily bend over and take one in the brown hole just to go about their daily lives.

Although, while most people are simply going along with the wishes of the police state some people are not taking it laying down. One professional pilot has out right refused any type of search at the risk of loosing his job. Another long time employee of prisonplanet.com has went public after her and her little girls were sexually assaulted by TSA agents. Many other people are complaining on the internet while local TV news across the nation are reporting people being molested by TSA agents for refusing a full body scan.

So far there have been no response from Washington on this issue. Obama seems too busy brown noising at APEC in Yokohama this week to respond to American`s cry for relief from a government agency gone completely mad.

600 Billion Dollars Into the Market Will Break the Economy

2010-11-10T13:06:00.010+09:00

The latest announcement by the Federal Reserve to infuse another 600 billion dollars into the US market has got a lot of people up in arms to say the least. With the international community screaming bloody murder by this planned move the Fed has a lot of explaining to do if it wants the American people to accept this extreme measure. The core issue is not just pumping more paper money into the market but the fact that do to this the Fed is monetizing debt in order to get all the paper money into the market. It sounds crazy and anyone with a clue can clearly see the epic fail such a policy will bring down the road.

Debt is not money or revenue. It is owed assists which can only raise interest and inflation as it is used over and over again as a weird form of a IOU payment system. Every time this debt is used to buy anything you first have to add the interest which such debt carries to the price of any good or service. If this plan goes though expect to see prices at the supermarket go sky high as the interest starts to add up. The inflation will only compound the problem as the price index tries to balance itself. This is going to create price increases in ways Americans have never seen.

On a global scale, due to the dollar being the world reserve currency, other nations are also going to feel the ill wind of debt backed bonds hitting the international market. What is going to make it really bad is these bonds are going to be bonds which are already owed. What the Federal Reserve is planning to do is repackage those debt heavy bonds though a pay back and then reissue then as new bonds. So nations which already bought those bonds are going to be getting the same bonds only this time with double the debt connected to them. In effect this just adds more international owed debt onto the spreads sheets, of not only America, but also every nation which does business with Fed Reserve connected banks. This is a sink hole from which there is no return.

What is the US Congress preparing to do about this planned moved? Not a lot of being done about this but there is a little hope. When the next congress comes into session Rep. Ron Paul from the 14th district of Texas will become chairman of the House Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology. Paul has earn a reputation for hammering Federal Reverse chairman Ben Bernanke with hard questions which usually hit right the core issues of the suicide policies of the private international bank. Things are about to get really wild.

More Oil Spills In the United States: What the Hell is Going On?

2010-07-30T04:14:00.001+09:00

Your man of liberty post on this little blog of liberty from time to time but not often enough. We are in a info war as you know. With all the battles grounds across the net and in real life this blog truly is a ghost of liberty. None the less the purpose remains the same: Supporting liberty and exposing tyranny and corruption.

One of the biggest events of 2010, and there are many, is the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It has already been pointed out clearly by many dedicated bloggers and independent journalist the lack of action on the part of the Federal government as well steps taken by the Feds to outright refuse international help is well documented. I will not write about what is already well written about in the blogsphere.

What is not being written about enough is why are more, seemly unrelated, oil spills popping up. Recently another spill has happened near the gulf coast.A Oil well is now spewing out oil and gas in the Louisiana marsh after a tug boat hit it. The mainstream media is playing this off by generally taking the stance of `At least it is not as bad as the gulf spill.` As shocking of a position as this may seem it does appear to be the line of thinking the mainstream media is holding into. Yet, the latest spill in the gulf area is sadly not the worst development. The massive spill in the Kalamazoo River in southwestern Michigan is cause to wonder: What the hell is going on? The oil seems to be flowing like water recently and not in a good way. As the EPA makes a half-heart attempt to keep the oil from reaching Lake Michigan wild life, people`s lives and safe drinking water are taking a huge hit everyday. BP and Enbridge Energy have in effect ruin two major waters areas of the United States. We can sit back and point fingers until the cows come home but the real question that should be asked is: Who benefits the most from allowing these situations to happen? It is clear that a lack of effective maintenance and enforcement of regulation designed to ensure maximum safety led to these spills, but who would want these spills to happen?

When looking at who will benefit the most we must look at who can gain the greatest advantage to push though their agenda. One clear group who can gain a ton of advantage would be the carbon tax and cap and trade gang. They have been waiting for a opportunity to jump on any type of catastrophic event to use in order to push though their agendas to enslave people under the false pretense of the so-called green movement. Just ask Spain what a green economy does to a nation. Obama is already starting to try and use the oil spills to convince the masses that a green economy is the only way to prevent a total meltdown of the environment. Even in the face of ensured failure our leaders keep pushing agendas which do not deal with real the problem(which is their problem, reaction,solution method of doing things).

So who will benefit the most? The ones who created the problem by allowing companies to operate with no oversight and then offer proven failed solutions. The Federal government is no friend of the people it seems.

The Tea Party Movement is Being Set Up

2010-04-13T02:51:00.004+09:00

As the fight for liberty heats up in the United States one group has risen to national attention. The Tea Party Movement has attracted Americans from all sectors of the political landscape. Out of outrage and a desire for the US constitution to be restored, mass protest dubbed `Tea Parties` started popping up all across America. Taking their name from the famed Boston Tea Party which sparked the American Revolution. The Tea Party movement has grown into a very large group which is demanding the Federal government get back in line with the US constitution. Sadly, this movement is also quickly gaining the attention of those who would prefer the American people forget about liberty and accept the corporate police state.

The Tea Party movement finds itself in a unique position. Everyone wants to be the life of the party. The core of the Tea Party seems to be people who want the ideas of limited government, maximum personal liberty, end aggressive wars, and of course shut down the Federal Reserve. It is these beliefs that brought about the Tea Party movement in the first place. Yet, groups such as Neo-Cons(Sarah Palin), and and actions by Federal provocateurs The Black Bloc, attempt to undermine The Tea Party Movement`s efforts to restore the US constitution. The mainstream media also loves to take center stage at the party by sinking it`s corporate teeth into every demeaning action taken by the Neo-Cons and Fed backed Black Bloc. These groups are attempting to demoralize the movement because they know the Tea Party represents a direct threat to the global corporate police state agenda. If the Tea Party movement keeps expanding without full infiltration, Americans will place themselves in a good position to successfully fight off the police state which has hijacked our government.

All the attention the Tea Party is attracting is about to get even higher this coming April 15; known as Tax Day in America. A huge Tax protest is planned in Washington D.C. as well as nation wide this coming April 15, 2010. These protests, while sending a strong message, will most certainly attract plenty of agent provocateurs. Evidence that attempts to spark violence is in order can be seem in a recent post by Black Bloc supported Hello Party Crashers entitled `Tea Party Members: Step Aside or be Violently Put Aside.` This clearly shows there is a desire for agent provocateurs to try and incite violence at the up coming protests. On the site homepage www.crashtheteaparty.org they outline a plan to conduct false flag actions to undermine the protests. While they claim they will be non-violent, their planned actions are an attempt to spur others into violence.

This has been done time and time again to shut down large peaceful protests. A perfect example of this is the 1999 Seattle WTO protest A.K.A. The Battle of Seattle. Due to the actions of Agent provocateurs posing as Anarchist brought about one of the largest police brutality events in American history. The city of Seattle suspended the US constitution and illegally arrested hundreds of US citizens.

There is a effort to attempt to create a similar situation at Tea Party Tax Day protests this year. The Tea Party is being set-up front in center. April 15, 2010 will an interesting day. Will the agent provocateurs be able to spur people into violence actions? Be on the look out for a set up on the 15th.

Why The Government Wants You Dependent As A Baby

2010-04-02T06:13:00.002+09:00

When one takes only a passive look at the amount of personal liberty America`s had during the early years of our republic,compared to the current amount of personal liberty, it is clear the US government views us all as babies. During the early years of our grand republic government had very little to do with an individual`s life. Most people went about their daily lives rarely having to go though the government to get something done or make a decision. The people of America lived life on their own terms and really did not need the government to `help` them in their daily lives. Americans were strong and independent people who enjoyed a lifestyle never before seen in the world. These days things are much different.
These days there is not much you can do without the government being somehow involved. It has been this way for so long that most Americans do not even notice just how dependent they are on the government. The list of things an American must get `permission` to do or need `help` from the government to do is so long that a 1,000 page citizens manual would not nearly cover everything.

Lets look as a few simple examples just to illustrate my point:

Fishing
It is Saturday and you wake to discover the weather is nice and it would a perfect day to go fishing. You pack up all your fishing gear and prepare for a lazy day on a river bank. There is only one problem. You don`t have a fishing license. The government has determined you need permission to go fishing because somehow you might catch `too many` fish or not fish correctly and need to be tracked. So, you head on down to the proper government office only to find it is closed on weekends. You check the internet to see if there is a quick digital method to get permission to fish. You find that you can pay for permission to fish over the internet but the government must mail you a special card which says you have permission to fish. In short, you are not going fishing until the government is ready to give you permission.

Drinking Alcohol
Six days a week you pull the late shift at work. You work from 8 pm to 3 am Monday to Saturday. You are a hard working person just trying to make it. It is 3:30 am on a early Sunday morning. You are tired after six days of going non-stop in the rat race. You pull into a quick stop to buy yourself a six pack of beer and a pack of smokes. The store is full of cold beer for the buying but the store clerk tells you none of it is for sale. The government does not give anyone permission to drink alcohol between 3 am and 7 am and on Sunday not until 12 noon. The government has decided that you are not sensible enough to handle alcohol after hours and it is ungodly to drink before 12 noon. In short, you can only drink alcohol when the government says you can.

Protesting
You are really angry about the alcohol law. You talk to several other people and find that many of your fellow citizens are also angry about said law. All of you decide to get pro-active and form a peaceful protest outside of the state capital building. You spend weeks planning the protest and give up all of your free time. You make many banners, signs, and handouts for the protest. The big day finally arrives and everyone meets in front of the capital building for a peaceful protest. After a few hours of chanting and handing out leaflets a team of police officers surround you and your fellow protesters. The police are dressed in full riot gear and tell you to leave the area because you do not a permit to protest. You kindly explain to the lead officer you are simply exercising you right to peacefully assemble. When you try to shake the officers hand he says you tried to attack him. You get beaten-up, arrested, and charged with attempting to incite a riot and protesting without a permit. In short, you cannot disagree with the government unless you have permission.

Flying On An Airplane
You have been though a lot recently. You decide to get out of the country for a week and take a much needed vacation. You set everything up and head to the airport for a week on a beach at an exotic location. You get to the airport and stand in line for an hour to check-in and load your luggage. The staff at the counter gives you a funny look as she checks your ticket and passport. She tells you the gate your flight is departing from. After a long wait in the security line to get though the gate, the TSA agent checks your passport and pulls you out of line. He takes you to a back room and questions you for three hours. In the end you are told you cannot fly on an airplane because you are on a list of people who might cause the government trouble. In short, you cannot get permission to fly if you disagree with the government.

The above example makes it pretty clear how the US government has made babies out of the citizens. You really do need permission to do most things in the United States. Yet the big question is: How does having the people so dependent benefit the government. Well, the government can only maintain a tight grip over the citizens if the citizens depend on the government to go about their daily lives. If the people live their lives in liberty then the government does not have as much power for men to attain. A large powerful government can make men very rich and provide the means to carry out twisted dreams of controlling the masses.

Yet money and power are not the only reason any government would prefer a dependent population. When the citizens are extremely dependent on a large government it limits the people`s ability to resist the will of government. It is much easier to dumb down the population, and have them agree to things which sound logic says is bad, when they depend on the government to live their lives. The American people elect clearly corrupt politicians to lead their nation. They support government agendas which are clearly damaging to the nation. They do these things out of fear big brother will not `take care` of them anymore. The US government and the people who lead it get away with unacceptable actions in the name of the American people, because they have convinced the masses the only way to be safe and survive is to submit and depend on the government. This ideology is the exact opposite of liberty. The foundation of liberty is based on the fact that each person owns him or herself. Each person depends on him or her self to make decisions concerning their life; not any government.

Compete with the Fed Dollar:H.R.4248 - Free Competition in Currency Act of 2009

2009-12-22T03:32:00.000+09:00

What is currency? To be completely frank, currency is nothing more than the value of labor transfered into credit. When you receive currency(or money) you are being giving the value of your labor. In a fare system the harder and better you work the more value your labor will be worth. As your skill increases the amount of currency your labor should earn you. Once you have currency you can use the value of your labor as credit to make profit. i.e. investments, stocks, loans etc...

Unfortunately, this simple concept has been abused and misused in America to the point in which the harder a person works the less value one`s labor can earn. Due to years of inflation, over production of currency, massive debt incurred by government and a one sided banking system based on quick profit rather than sound money policy American`s find themselves deeper in debt the harder they work.

The Federal Reverse Dollar seem to no longer represent the labor of Americans. A lot of the debt put on the Fed dollar was never actually incurred by the American people. Instead, a private bank has been issuing debt loaded notes expecting the American people to fit the bill. Our government has been, for the most part, played along and helped to load up the Fed dollar with so much debt that it will never be paid off.

As the situation looks to suck the American people into a endless black hole of debt there is a solution which does not get talked about enough. Give the Fed dollar some much needed competition. As Congress fast approaches the year end break the one bill which could actually help break the debt chains of the Fed dollar could sadly die and be forgotten. H.R. 4248 known as the `Free Competition in Currency Act of 2009` would repel the laws concerning what is legal tender in the United States. It would stop all taxes on non-Fed coins and other tender which could be used as currency. This bill, introduced by Rep. Ron Paul on Dec. 9th 2009, would allow alternative currency to complete directly with the Fed dollar inside the United States.

As soon as this bill was introduced by Rep. Paul in the house the speaker buried it by referring it to three committees(House Judiciary,House Ways and Means,House Financial Services) for a period to be determined by the speaker. In short, the speaker has decided to keep in bill in committee until it gains enough support to be considered on the floor. The speaker was able to keep the bill from getting much needed attention during the current session of Congress.

To Rep. Paul`s advantage the three committees which H.R. 4248 has been referred to are committees which he is a standing member. The house returns to session Dec. 22, 2009 for a few days before the holiday break starts. If Rep. Paul can gain a few co-sponsors as well as win a few debates in committee he will be able to do two things: reintroduce the bill on the floor and attempt to get it considered for a vote or hold the bill until the first session in 2010 reintroduce an amended version with co-sponsors.

Both options would keep the bill from being completely killed in the house. Yet, Rep. Paul will not be able to pull any of this off by himself. If other members of the house get pressure from those who elected them to co-sponsor the bill it would make Rep. Paul task a lot easier. If you don`t know how to contact your rep. click here.

If you want to fight off the mountain of debt placed on you, your family and friends by the Federal Reserve supporting this bill is a first step.

The Seeker

2009-12-10T07:32:00.001+09:00

Below the stars in heaven there is a planet called Earth. No one knows exactly when or how this little third rate mud ball call Earth came in existence but it has produced a most curious animal known as human. The human dominates planet Earth. They have manipulated it to their liking many times over. Yet, for these fragile creatures complete domination of their surroundings has never been enough. More often than not, humans also desire complete domination of each other.

Time and time again, humans have used every method known to them for the purpose of controlling each other. They have used war, money, government, lies, race, social class etc. all in the quest of gaining total submission of the masses. It would appear humans know no limit to their wicked needs. No God, man made of other wise, can even quill the undying quest of humans to control each other.

In modern human history their quest to completely dominate each other has almost pushed their very existence to the breaking point. Their society is under an extreme amount of stress as those entrusted to guide them quest for an unheard of amount of power. The future of humanity seems dark.

Yet...all is not lost.

In the pit of darkness and decay is someone, or perhaps a group of people, known as the seeker. The Seeker remembers a different path long forgotten by humanity. The Seeker remembers when all men were created equal. The ideas of basic laws concerning liberty are lost in the mind of The Seeker. Not only does The Seeker remember liberty but also lives as if it is the natural way of life.

The Seeker is also on a journey. He/She is looking for hope that liberty has not been completely forgotten by humankind. The Seeker is trying to find a spark of freedom in the heart of humanity. A reason, any any, to keep the flame of liberty burning during the twilight of human history.

The Seeker wants to believe that humanity is simply lost and not a lost cause. Yet, as the flame of liberty burns just a little more weaker everyday it becomes harder for The Seeker to find what he/she is looking for.

Article 1 Section 8: What The US Congress can Actually do According to The People`s Law

2009-09-25T08:02:00.001+09:00

The US government seems to be rather power these days. Many people in other free societies watch in amazement by what the US government is able to do with the approval of the American people. Wait a minute, does the US government really have the `approval of the American people` with every action it takes?

All laws created by the US Federal government come from Congress. They are vested with the power to created law with govern America on the Federal level. Yet, kind of power this actually entail. Article 1 Section 8 of the US constitution explains what congress can actually do in the name of the people.

Here it is in full:

Article 1 Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

Rather short and to the point; right? The rest of Article 1 explains who can serve in Congress, and most importantly, what Congress cannot do. Article 1 has ten sections. Only one section tells Congress what it can do in the name of the people. So in reality, the US Federal Congress is very limited in what it can do. Over the years Article 1 section 8 has never been changed any way shape or form. Yet, over the years Congress has increasingly overstepped its authority.

The question remains; How has Congress been able to approve and carry out anything which the Constitution give it no authority to do? The answer is more simple than most people would think. The people only real back-up plan to keep congress in line has failed to do so. The US Supreme Court is supposed to make sure no laws go into effect which are against the US constitution. The exception to the would be when Constitution is amended. Even in that case the US Supreme Court has the power to block an amendment if it was not approved correctly.

The problem of Congress operating outside it Constitutional bounds is a breakdown of the system of checks and balances. Checks and balances are a corner stone of the US model of government. When this system breaks down an over bearing and massively expansive government exist. Maybe it is time to Congress to read the US constitution again.

You are Sovereign

2009-07-31T05:13:00.000+09:00

Sovereign means to self-govern. This term usually refers to nations yet it also applies to the individual. Many may say, `How can an individual be sovereign?` For many the idea that an individual as sovereign is to suggest that government, society, or even nationality, is useless. This is very far from the truth of course. To be sovereign is the idea that you decide which laws to follow; and which ones not to follow as well. If you do not agree with a law which government mandates, you can choose to not give consent. Sovereign also entails a person`s born right to act on their own accord apart from the will and influence of others.

Government, at any level, must be given your consent to enforce any law on you. In part consent is given though the election of representatives by the people; yet this is not full consent. The elected representative is given the power by the people to create and pass laws. When it comes time to enforce said laws consent must be given again by each individual. For example, when an officer of the law intends to enforce a law passed by the representative said officer must have your consent before he/she can search, interview, or even have direct contact with you. If said officer does get your consent they are in fact stepping on your liberty. The easiest way for an officer to get your consent is when they approach you and engage in conversation. If you also engage in conversation you have given the officer the first step in getting your consent. The search and interview part must be given by asking you if he/she can do such things. If they do not ask you directly then no consent has been given. I could explain all the different methods officers of the law use to get your consent but that is not the point of this blog post.

As well as having the ability to choose which laws an individual wishes to follow, the individual also acts apart from the will and influence of others. A sovereign individual does not have go with the grain. You act on only your own agenda. To be sovereign is to act in your own best interest. Even if everyone around you is going with one certain idea or course of action, you can resist and go with your own agenda. Their influence has no bearing on what the sovereign individual decides to do in the end. I bring up point of sovereign individual`s act on their own agenda because too often give into government influence with respect to which agenda to follow. To be a true sovereign individual it is important to never follow any agenda presented by government blindly. As a sovereign individual you can choose if you follow any agenda presented to you. This fact must never be forgotten.

It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it. --George Washington

Is Government for or Against Your Liberty?

2009-07-24T06:30:00.002+09:00

In the last post I explained the core idea of liberty. In this post it is only natural to examine the relationship between liberty and government. It can be said that government is viewed as a necessary evil for the free man and women. Government is viewed by a free person as a tool to protect liberty. Common sense tells us that the power of government will always be desired by a special kind of vile vermin. The idea of being able to `guide` a nation for personal gain though seemingly consent of the people is too great a temptation for some to resist. Some might suggest that the lack of government all together would prevent power hungry villains from gaining total control over a nation. Yet, the free man knows that a total lack of government would open a Pandora`s box of unthinkable wickedness. For a man of liberty the only acceptable government is one which it is a servant of the people and never gains the power to limit liberty in any way shape or form. In other words, government must be very limited in its powers and always under the weary eye of the people.

Creating and maintaining a limited government which is at the mercy of the people can be a very difficult thing to pull off. The American revolution of 1776 actually produced the ideal form of government to suit a liberty minded person. Sadly, in modern times Americans have been unable to keep government from deciding their liberties for them. The US government is living proof of the danger government can be to liberty. Currently, the once liberty minded US Federal government is one of the largest and far reaching governing bodies in the world. At its disposal is a super advanced military, massive social warfare programs, countless departments, and a often compromised legislative body. The end result has been a lose of personal liberty in the United States.

With the United States dealing with an out of control massive Federal government, how do people prevent government from becoming their masters? There must always be a balance of power between the people and the government. The government must respect the people who entrust them. When the government starts telling people what they can and cannot do with their personal lives the level is off balance. In order to regain the respect and balance the people have a right to refuse to cooperate until the balance has been regained. The revolt can come in many forms; refusing to pay taxes, sign-up for military service, mass labor strikes, public protest, or simply vote out those who are abusing the system.

In short the relationship between government and liberty will always be a shaky one at best. It takes effort to maintain a government based on the ideas of liberty. The people must take an active role in ensuring their government remains their government. When the people choose to let the government run on autopilot their liberties will be taken from them.

The Meaning of Liberty

2009-07-18T02:10:00.002+09:00

Liberty is the natural desire of most human beings. Sadly, the meaning of liberty has been twisted, abused, and misused over the course of human history. Many leaders have risen to power over the years, from Kings and Emperors to Presidents and Tyrants, who have fooled the people into giving up their liberty for a little bit of temporary security. The constant twisting of liberty over the years has caused several generations of people to lack a clear understanding of what liberty liberty meaning exactly.

Liberty, at its core, means each person owns him/herself: in other words self ownership. Each person owns their life and property because of their self ownership. To say that you do not own your life is to imply that there is another person, or group of people, who have a higher command over your life. Your property is the production or fruit of your liberty and life. You create your property though your skills, labor, or talent. You can freely exchange your property with others for their property. Through this free exchange of property any person can gain a vast and diverse amount of property. Under the laws of liberty no one can force you to carry out their will or use your labor for their benefit. You have a born right to defend you liberty and property by any means necessary. If someone tries to take you life or property by force you can ask others to help you defend you life and property. You set your goals based on your own values. You are free.

That is the basics of liberty. All laws,governments, and societies start with these basic ideas. With such an open and free society which can be created by the ideas of liberty, I am surprised that many societies either lack or take for granted the beauty of liberty. Any person, regardless of their starting point on life, can raise to great success in a pure liberty based society. While there are still many `free societies` in the world, recently many people are so quick to give up their liberty and have it dedicated to them by an all powerful centralized government. We are definitely giving in exciting yet scary times.

Now, more than ever, people must be on closer guard to insure their liberty. Many questions regarding nationalism, privacy, government power, and international economic crisis could very well lead to a major change in all of these important issues. In such troubled times no one must feel the lead to hand their life over to another person just for the purpose of continued existence. Will the shining light of liberty survive these confusing times. Lets hope so at least.

Inside the Mind of a Man of Liberty

2009-07-16T18:24:00.000+09:00

For the majority of my life I have really only desired one thing; to live my life free. Now, freedom is seen by some as a very vague idea. Some go as far as to consider the idea relative. Although, there are many people in this post-modern era who see liberty as something to he hated and controlled, I view it as a natural desire of the majority of humans. I have always found the idea of people resisting liberty to be strange. In one respect, the same people who indirectly and activity seek to ruin liberty, tend to make a big fuss about `their rights` and `their freedom` when they are faced a direct threat to their personal liberty. The old idea of `double standard` applies to these folks. The resistance to liberty has gotten greater and more deadly in these modern times. It seems as if many people have been dumb down to the point of having no idea what liberty, or the desire to have it, really means. With such a fact in mind, I decided to create this blog to express the mind of a man of liberty.

So, before we go any further, it is necessary for readers of this blog to get a little background information about me; as you will come to know me better as this blog progresses.

I was born in McDowell County, West Virginia, U.S.A. The area is the poorest county in the poorest state in the union. I did not know the finer things in life growing up in the mountains of West Virginia. My parents were hard working yet unfortunate people. They too had little knowledge of the finer things life has to offer. For the most part, we lived on our own. While we could have sucked off the government tit, we decided instead to find other means of getting by from day-to-day. It was though this experience of growing-up poor, and doing most thing D.I.Y, learned the value of having good relations with people, while at the same time, coming to understand that people refuse to do for themselves. I also learned that people will abuse others as soon as they have any power of influence over to do so. I guess this is why I do not enjoy having my fate in the hands of other people; no matter what the situation. Anyway, that is just a little about me.

What I will write about on this blog:

With this blog, my second on blogger, I will write about; My personal views on matters of liberty, politics(both US and world), and the nature of liberty. it is not my intent to create a blog which will become a magnet for spammers, trolls, and flame attacks. Such comments will be deleted! Also, any anonymous comments will be deleted! So have some balls like John Handcock and sign your name to your own words.

Why title this blog `The Ghost of Liberty`?

There are many reasons for the title of this blog. Many of the reasons are personal; which would more than likely not interest you very much. As far as the personal reasons are concerned I will say this; In many situations in my life I have felt like a ghost of sorts. Also, I feel the idea of liberty is all too quickly becoming a ghost. Many people have either forgotten what liberty means or have chosen to pretend liberty is a bad idea. I view myself, with respect to this blog, as attempting to be a voice of liberty calling out from the darkness.

I hope you enjoy this blog and visit it often. I will post as much as I can. If posting does get lean please keep in mind I live in one of the most crazy cities in the world(Tokyo), there are times when things get me entangled too deeply to have a few moments to sit down and share my thoughts with all of you.

Regards,
The Ghost