Brother Steve, this is the Hy-Jacking of the Republican Party by the Libertarian presidential candidate David Koch.

Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz will go and s the ring now. Now you was telling that the Libertarian Party represents you. HOW?

Brother Deacon,

A true Libertarian wouldn't finance a Republican, unless it was Ron Paul. Does this man have the power to determine the Republican nominee?

“I’m basically a libertarian, and I’m a conservative on economic matters, and I’m a social liberal,” Koch said, who acknowledged that his beliefs about same-s*x marriage and abortion conflict with the conservative beliefs held by many of the candidates propped up by the checks cut by him and his brother. “That’s their problem. I do have those views. What I want these candidates to do is to support a balanced budget. I’m very worried that if the budget is not balanced that inflation could occur and the economy of our country could suffer terribly.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-po...

Brother Steve,

Are you talking about the Hy-Jacking of the Republican Party by the Libertarian presidential candidate David Koch.
Koch is an influential libertarian. He was the 1980 candidate for Vice President of the United States from the United States Libertarian Party and helped finance the campaign.

Are you talking about that man?

Brother Deacon,

Are you saying because of this man I shouldn't be a Libertarian? Because this man David Koch doesn't concern me the least.

Brother Deacon,

I won't be voting in any Primary, and it's a long ways off before I need to consider 4 actual candidates, Libertarian, Green Party, Republican, or Democrat.

Brother Steve,

What I am saying is, a person should vote his interest and things they have in common with their representatives. Now what did you say you have in common with David Koch again?

Brother Deacon,

If David Koch is a Libertarian he should be using his resources to overturn the two-party system. I have no respect for him.

That's what you don't seem to understand Brother Deacon, first and foremost I'm against the two-party system.

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2015

Contacts:
Jay Sweeney 570-587-3603 jnln@epix.net
Hillary Kane 267-971-3559
Carl Romanelli 570 239 3914 cjromanelli@gmail.com

Green Party Hails Federal Court Ruling Concerning Pennsylvania’s Restrictive Ballot Access

The Green Party of Pennsylvania applauds Friday’s Federal Court ruling which has declared Pennsylvania’s restrictive ballot access procedures as unconstitutional. The July 24, Order by US District Judge, Lawrence Stengel takes aim at the restrictive, two-tiered scheme of forcing a disproportionate number of voter signatures, compared to the requirement for major parties; and the threat or imposition of litigation costs and fees on candidates whose nominating petitions are challenged successfully. In cases where independent candidates prevail in a petition challenge, the legal costs can be as high as $50,000.00, Judge Stengel properly notes.

“The restrictions placed on third party candidates is equivalent to a modern day poll tax. Judge Stengel’s decision has made it clear that limiting access to the ballot is an unacceptable infringement on the citizen’s rights to self-determination and their ability to elect candidates that truly represent the citizen’s views and desire for change,” said Hillary Kane, Secretary, Green Party of Pennsylvania.

The initiating suit was filed in 2012 on behalf of Green, Libertarian and Constitution Parties of Pennsylvania, as well as various individuals from the three parties. All three parties have long held the notion that Pennsylvania’s treatment of third party and independent candidates blatantly violates not only the US Constitution, but also the Pennsylvania Constitution, which states that “elections must be free and equal.” The Greens have been plaintiffs in several actions during the past 15 years, and have won some minor victories, but see Judge Stengel’s Order as the most resounding, by far.

Since the Pennsylvania Courts imposed over $80,000.00 in costs and penalties on Ralph Nader (2004) and Carl Romanelli (2006), many candidates from third parties have simply withdrawn from the ballot due to the concern over life ruining fees being imposed on them. That has led to a conspicuous absence of third party candidates on Pennsylvania ballots in subsequent years.
In July of 2008, following the “bonusgate” indictments, it was learned that in both the Nader and Romanelli cases the original challenge was only possible through the unlawful use of taxpayer resources and Democratic personnel of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Carl Romanelli offered, “We have seen that the excessive number of signatures independent candidates must obtain is so obscene that even the very wealthy Democratic Party cannot bring a challenge without employing vast criminality. Even worse is the total disinterest on the part of the Pennsylvania Courts in correcting the situation. Thankfully the Federal Court gets it, and has responded appropriately.”

Jay Sweeney, Chairperson of the Greens in Pennsylvania expressed his appreciation for the representation the party has in Attorney Oliver Hall, “First of all, the Green Party of Pennsylvania would like to thank Oliver Hall, from the Center for Competitive Democracy, for his superlative effort in presenting this case.” He also is calling on the General Assembly to act at once in amending Pennsylvania law at once, as there is legislation pending in the Pennsylvania Senate which would bring Pennsylvania into Constitutional compliance.
“This decision proves what the Green party of Pennsylvania has known all along, elections in Pennsylvania are not open, free and fair. It means that it is now time to move Senator Mike Folmer's Voter's Choice Act, SB 495, through the General Assembly in order to correct this situation,” he suggested.
The Green Party of Pennsylvania is an independent political party that stands in opposition to the two corporate parties. The Green Party of Pennsylvania stands for grassroots democracy, social justice, non violence and ecology.

http://www.gpofpa.org/news

Hay Brother Steve,

I am glad too see a victory in Pennsylvania for voter rights. This is the America I put my life on the line for.

Since you are against the two-party system and you claim to be a Libertarian, and you see in this article what David is doing as a Libertarian, what is it that you have in common with David Koch who was the 1980 candidate for Vice President of the United States from the United States Libertarian Party? What do you have in common with David as one of the founders and chief money backer of the Libertarian Party?

What do you mean: "If David Koch is a Libertarian?"

Brother Deacon,

If you could refer me to David Koch's platform I'll be happy to address his points one by one.

Brother Steve,

Why are you ducking that question? I am more interested in why you feel connected to David Koch and the Libertarian Party.

Since you are against the two-party system and you claim to be a Libertarian, and you see in this article what David is doing as a Libertarian, what is it that you have in common with David Koch who was the 1980 candidate for Vice President of the United States from the United States Libertarian Party?

Brother Deacon,

All I see in this article is he's a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. He sounds like a run-of-the mill mealy mouth politician. I'd be happy to address the Libertarian Party platform instead. I'll throw in the Green Party platform for good measure.

Brother Steve,

David Koch is probably laughing just to see that his money is at work to keep to lower and middle classes confused to who David Koch is. This man is an American businessman, philanthropist, political activist, and chemical engineer.

He joined the family business Koch Industries, a conglomerate that is the second-largest privately held company in the United States, in 1970. He became president of the subsidiary Koch Engineering in 1979, and became a co-owner of Koch Industries, with older brother Charles, in 1983. He is now an executive vice president.

You are trying to convince me that David sound like some fiscal conservative and a social liberal. This man has an agenda and he has summon his boys to meet with him to make this happen.

Now, since you know that David is a very powerful man, why you feel connected to David Koch and the Libertarian Party?

deacon ?

do you think you are MORE important than the KOCH Brothers?

YES!!!!

To me I am more important than the KOCH Brothers.

Brother Deacon,

Why do you insist on connecting me to this Koch character and the Republicans? The Libertarian Party website is right here, in 2015 not 1980. Let's discuss the issues not some fat cat.

http://www.lp.org

Brother Steve,

Your Question: "Why do you insist on connecting me to this Koch character and the Republicans?:"

Wasn't it you who said that you are a Libertarian? Do you really think that the Koch Brothers are not the head of The Libertarian Party?

Why do you think that Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz Set to Audition with the Libertarian Koch Brothers?

Time For Action

We hope you can see the benefits of living in that America envisioned by the founders and by their political heirs, today's Libertarians.

We hope you will want to join the Libertarian Party and become involved in our many activities at the national, state, and local levels.

Are you ready for a change in American politics?

For as long as most of us can remember, Republican and Democratic politicians have talked about solving the problems that face Americans; but their "solutions" have only worsened the situation -- higher and higher taxes; greater intrusions into our personal lives; more rapes, murders, and muggings; and a crumbling public school system graduating fewer and fewer people who can read.

We believe the American people -- like their counterparts in Eastern Europe -- have seen through the charade of big government. We believe the American people are ready for a fresh approach to the problems that plague us. Libertarian ideas were instrumental in the birth of our country, and they can inspire a return to the individual initiative, responsibility, and prosperity that were once part of the American dream. If you agree, we hope you will join us.

What YOU can do next:

Become a Member
Read about the Libertarian Party on Today's Issues
Take Action and help change our country

Issues and Positions

The Libertarian Party on Today's Issues

"Libertarians believe the answer to America's political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade as prescribed by America's founders."

Current Issues
Crime and Violence
Environment
Family Budget
Foreign Policy
Freedom of Speech
Gun Laws
Healthcare
Immigration
Internet
Poverty and Welfare
Privacy
Social Security
Taxes
Tea Party

https://www.lp.org/issues

Crime and Violence

Libertarian Party Program On Crime

Highlights and Summary of
The Libertarian Party's Solution to America's Crime Problem

An approach to criminal justice and crime control that is smart, compassionate and tough. An approach that will make our streets safe again.

America suffers from an epidemic of violence and crime, victimizing one family out of four every year. There is a murder every half hour, a rape every five minutes, and a theft every four seconds.

Despite decades of tough talk, the anti-crime policies of the Republicans and Democrats have clearly failed. The Libertarian Party believes a fresh approach is needed. That's why we're offering this five-point plan for making America's streets safe again:

Step 1. Protect Victims' Rights

Protecting the rights and interests of victims should be the basis of our criminal justice system. Victims should have the right to be present, consulted and heard throughout the prosecution of their case.

In addition, Libertarians would do more than just punish criminals. We would also make them pay restitution to their victims for the damage they've caused, including property loss, medical costs, pain, and suffering. If you are the victim of a crime, the criminal should fully compensate you for your loss.

Step 2. End Prohibition

Drug prohibition does more to make Americans unsafe than any other factor. Just as alcohol prohibition gave us Al Capone and the mafia, drug prohibition has given us the Crips, the Bloods and drive-by shootings. Consider the historical evidence: America's murder rate rose nearly 70% during alcohol prohibition, but returned to its previous levels after prohibition ended. Now, since the War on Drugs began, America's murder rates have doubled. The cause/effect relationship is clear. Prohibition is putting innocent lives at risk.

What's more, drug prohibition also inflates the cost of drugs, leading users to steal to support their high priced habits. It is estimated that drug addicts commit 25% of all auto thefts, 40% of robberies and assaults, and 50% of burglaries and larcenies. Prohibition puts your property at risk. Finally, nearly one half of all police resources are devoted to stopping drug trafficking, instead of preventing violent crime. The bottom line? By ending drug prohibition Libertarians would double the resources available for crime prevention, and significantly reduce the number of violent criminals at work in your neighborhood.

Step 3. Get Tough on Real Crime

The Libertarian Party is the party of personal responsibility. We believe that anyone who harms another person should be held responsible for that action. By contrast, the Democrats and Republicans have created a system where criminals can get away with almost anything.

For instance: sentences seldom mean what they say. Fewer than one out of every four violent felons serves more than four years. Libertarians would dramatically reduce the number of these early releases by eliminating their root cause - prison over-crowding.

Since nearly six out of every ten federal prison inmates are there for non-violent drug-related offenses, it's clear that drug prohibition is the primary source of this over-crowding. It has been estimated that every drug offender imprisoned results in the release of one violent criminal, who then commits an average of 40 robberies, 7 assaults, 110 burglaries and 25 auto thefts. Early release of violent criminals puts you and your family at risk. It must stop.

Step 4. Protect the Right to Self-Defense

We believe that the private ownership of firearms is part of the solution to America's crime epidemic, not part of the problem. Evidence: law-abiding citizens in Florida have been able to carry concealed weapons since 1987. During that time, the murder rate in Florida has declined 21% while the national murder rate has increased 12%.

In addition, evidence shows that self-defense with guns is the safest response to violent crime. It results in fewer injuries to the defender (17.4% injury rate) than any other response, including not resisting at all (24.7% injury rate). Libertarians would repeal waiting periods, concealed carry laws, and other restrictions that make it difficult for victims to defend themselves, and end the prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights of self-defense.

Step 5. Address the Root Causes of Crime

Any society that lets kids grow up dependent on government welfare, attending government schools that fail to teach, and entering an economy where government policy has crushed opportunity, will be a society that breeds criminals. No permanent solution to crime will be found until we address these root causes of crime.

The Libertarian Party would increase employment opportunities by slashing taxes and government red tape. We would also end the welfare system with its culture of dependence and hopelessness. Most important of all, we would promote low-cost private alternatives to the failed government school system.

Conclusion

The Libertarian Party's anti-crime plan would do what the Democrats and Republicans have not done:

Respect the victim's rights and make criminals pay full restitution.
Hold all criminals responsible for their actions.
Double the police resources available for crime prevention without any additional government spending.
Reduce the number of criminals at large on our streets.
Defend the most effective crime deterrent available, the private ownership of guns.
Create jobs, end welfare dependence, and improve education.
This Libertarian program would help make America's streets safe again.

Brother Steve,

This information is great, if I had asked you about the Libertarian Party five-point plan for making America's streets safe again but I did not!

I have answered your question: "Why do you insist on connecting me to this Koch character and the Republicans?:" Wasn't it you who said that you are a Libertarian?

Do you really think that the Koch Brothers are not the head of The Libertarian Party?

Why do you think that Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz set to audition with the Libertarian Koch Brothers?

I see that you have decided to take up dancing and took the two step around my simple questions that I have asked you, WOW! WHY?

To your first question Brother Deacon, no I don't think the Koch brothers are the head of the Libertarian Party. To the second, I don't know why they are auditioning. It's not a news story that interests me, probably because the Republicans don't interest me.

Social Security

Securing Your Retirement


Politicians in Washington are stealing your future.

Every year, they take 12.4% of your income to prop up their failed Social Security system - a system that is heading toward bankruptcy.

If you are an American earning the median income of $31,695 per year, and were given the option of investing that same amount of money in a stock mutual fund, you would retire a millionaire - without winning the lottery or a TV game show.

That million dollars would provide you with a retirement income of over $100,000 per year - about five times what you could expect from Social Security.

Even a very conservative investment strategy would yield three times the benefits promised by Social Security.

Libertarians believe you should be able to opt out of Social Security and invest your money in your own personal retirement account. An account that you own and control - one that politicians can't get their hands on.

Republicans and Democrats say it can't be done - that your Social Security taxes are needed to pay benefits to today's retirees. Instead of letting you invest in your own future, they want you to have faith that someone else will pay your benefits when it comes time for you to retire.

Although most won't admit it publicly, their "solutions" to the Social Security crises all come down to some combination of tax increases and benefit cuts.

Libertarians know that there's a better way.

Countries like Chile, Mexico, Britain, and Australia have successfully made the transition from their failed Social Security systems to healthy systems based on individual retirement accounts. In Chile, over 90% of workers have opted out of the government-run system. It's time America did as well.

The federal government owns assets worth trillions of dollars - assets that it simply doesn't need to perform its Constitutional functions. By selling those assets over time, we can keep the promises that were made to today's retirees, and to those nearing retirement, while freeing the rest of America from a failed Social Security system.

Libertarians will introduce and support legislation to give you that choice, and put you in control of your own retirement future.

Taxes

The Libertarian Party: Working to slash your taxes!


The Libertarian Party is working every day to cut your taxes. By contrast, professional politicians from the other parties just want more of your money, and are busy increasing the size of government.

In the last few decades, the federal government has exploded in size. No area of your life or business is free from the meddling of politicians -- especially your wallet.

It doesn't have to be that way. With less government and lower taxes, you could keep more of what you earn. It would be easier to start new businesses, build new homes, and fuel stronger economic growth.

Just Defend Our Rights

Libertarians believe that if government's role were limited to protecting our lives, rights and property, then America would prosper and thrive as never before. Then the federal government could concentrate on protecting our Constitutional rights and defending us from foreign attack. A federal government that did only those two things, could do them better and at a small fraction of the cost.

How Can We Cut Taxes?

Instead of tending to the basics, government has grown into a bloated conglomerate of political services that gets larger every year -- with no end in sight.

For example, politicians spend millions of dollars to urge people not to smoke -- while spending more millions to subsidize tobacco farmers. They send billions overseas for foreign aid -- while the federal deficit swells. They spend millions to subsidize public art -- while working families struggle to pay their taxes.

Politicians also run trains, bail out savings and loans, construct houses, sell insurance, print books, and build basketball courts -- you name it! But the fact is, every service supplied by the government can be provided better and cheaper by private business.

Privatize And Cut Taxes

All over the world, governments are busy selling airlines, power plants, housing, and factories to private owners. Where inefficient government bureaucrats lost money and squandered tax dollars, hard-working private owners now make profits and create new jobs. Why can't we do the same thing in America?

Defend America: Cut Taxes

Military expenses are over $250 billion a year! A large percentage of this is spent overseas to defend wealthy countries like Germany and Japan -- who then wallop us in international trade. Let's take them off military welfare. We can defend America better and save at least $100 billion a year in taxes.

Stop Bailing Out Industry

No one has the right to cover his losses at taxpayer expense -- and yet wealthy corporations demand exactly that. The federal government has bailed out railroads, banks, and other corporations with your tax dollars. This must stop!

Replace Welfare: Cut Taxes

The bulk of your welfare tax dollars goes to pay the handsome salaries of well-educated welfare workers. The poor get little from government welfare except meager handouts and a cycle of despair. Let's get government out of the charity business. Private charities and groups do a better and more efficient job of helping the truly needy get back on their feet.

Why An Income Tax?

Before 1913, federal income taxes were rare and short-lived. America became the most prosperous nation on earth. The U.S. Government did not try to police the world or play "nanny" to everyone from cradle to grave. People took responsibility for themselves, their families, and their communities. That is how the founders of America thought it should be. And it worked. It can again!

It's Time For Action

Republican and Democratic politicians have refused to reduce the size or cost of government. So we need your help to build a powerful new political party to get the job done -- the Libertarian Party!

Brother Steve,

Thank You for your answer to my question of “Do you really think that the Koch Brothers are not the head of The Libertarian Party?” I am sure that you know that David Koch greatly influence the libertarian Party and many of their policies are his agenda. Did you know that David Koch and family is the fourth richest person in America as of 2012 and he and his family is the ninth-wealthiest person in the world, as of 2014.

When David ran as the Libertarian Party's vice-presidential candidate in the 1980 presidential election. I remember he shared the ticket with presidential candidate Ed Clark and their goal was to abolish and put their hands in Social Security, which you and many seniors now enjoy, run the Federal Reserve Board, wreck the welfare safety net ,Gut the minimum-wage laws, lower corporate taxes to where they would pay less in taxes than their employee’s, at means that corporations can enjoy the commons like roads, bridges without paying tolls, get rid of the EPA which will lower the standards of water which all of us drink and the air we all breathe so, they may cut their cost for pollution controls. Pass laws against solar power because that would cut into their bottom line, they also supported the continual subsidies for agriculture.

Now this campaign of David and Ed got a disheartened and a dejected 1% of the total nationwide vote, at that time this vote was a strong victory for the people and not the corporations. I saw then that a third party candidate can’t win a presidential race. Now that did not stop David from using the libertarian Party machinery to Hijack the badly split Republican Party to pull his draconian measures to past his personal corporate agenda.

This is the reason why Rubio, Bush and Cruz set to audition with the Libertarian Koch Brothers so they can get their war chess filled with monies to do the business of the Koch brothers.

As far as I can see, they want everyone to take control of their finances, health, education and the Koch family corporation will be there to provide the service and not The people of The United States of America, That is not the intent of the founding fathers.

Brother Deacon,

I don't expect to vote for any Republican in 2016.

The one exception would be Rand Paul but just like his Libertarian father the won't give him the nomination. For the same reason he's not auditioning with those Koch brothers you claim are Libertarians.

The younger Paul’s campaign has been an attempt to set himself up both as the obvious favorite for libertarian-leaning voters and as someone who has broader appeal to other factions of the GOP and even the Democratic Party. That would seem to make him the obvious favorite of the Kochs, who are libertarians who also see winning elections as their main priority. It hasn’t worked out that way, however. As Dave Weigel, writing for Bloomberg Politics, noted in January, “Paul libertarianism is not Koch libertarianism.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015...

I am sorry Brother Steve but your boy's Paul Candidacy Is in troll and in free fall as we speak.

I am sorry Brother Steve but your boy's Paul Candidacy Is in trouble and in free fall as we speak. I will keep you posted on the latest with Paul's finance chairman being convicted for Heiness convicted for finance campaign fraud.

This will make Paul's run, very interesting.

Brother Deacon,

He doesn't yet measure up to his father, who is the only one that I fully support. But Rand Paul is better than the rest of them because he was mentored by his father. Rand is trying to be more mainstream than his father but the bottom line is that if he were to become mainstream enough he would no longer be a Libertarian. The party machine is against him no matter what comes of this non-scandal you mentioned.

This is a much, much, much bigger concern to me than any Republican or Democrat candidate.

http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi...

This is breaking news just today. I want to learn more about it so that I may talk with understanding of the material presented.

The indictment marks a new complication for Paul, whose political future is on the line in 2016. He is hoping to hold onto his U.S. Senate seat, which is up for reelection, if he does not win the GOP White House nomination. In a statement, Ron Paul speculated that the indictment may have been timed to hurt his son's presidential campaign.

"I am extremely disappointed in the government's decision," said Paul. "I think the timing of this indictment is highly suspicious given the fact that the first primary debate is tomorrow. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved. I will not be commenting further on this matter at this time."

The charges against Benton, a member of the Paul family by marriage, stem from an endorsement-for-pay scheme during the 2012 campaign of former Republican congressman Ron Paul of Texas, which Benton chaired. Two other former Ron Paul campaign officials were indicted, including John Tate, who was Ron Paul's campaign manager and is now also involved with heading up the pro-Rand Paul super PAC; and Dimitri Kesari, who was Ron Paul’s deputy national campaign manager.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-po...

Brother Deacon,

John Tate is the head of Campaign for Liberty. Now I know this charge is baseless, politically motivated slander.

SUBJECT to brother steve

"ATTN: Brother Steve" Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz Set to Audition with Koch Brothers

selfProfessed brother 'whiteMan' steveAdam, 'blackHebrewIsraelite' deacon Tells you......

"......YES!!!! To me I am more important than the KOCH Brothers....."

Tuesday, August 4th 2015 at 6:52PM
Deacon Ron Gray
Brother Deacon,

Why do you insist on connecting me to this Koch character and the Republicans? some fat cat.

Tuesday, August 4th 2015 at 7:30PM
Steve Williams

*************************
....... You steveAdam Represent All that is Beneath ' 'blackHebrewIsraelite' deacon'sMind..............

Even he and I agree that you should Leave BIA

Here is who they're after:

http://www.campaignforliberty.org

Robert, why do you bother always repeating the subject? Hmm?

SUBJECT to brother steve

"ATTN: Brother Steve" Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz Set to Audition with Koch Brothers

deaconBrother steveAdam, BIA 'selfProfessed whiteMan' OFF SUBJECT asks me...............

"....Robert, why do you bother always repeating the subject? Hmm?
Wednesday, August 5th 2015 at 4:17PM
Steve Williams

*************************************

I like to UNDERSTAND what I am doing and where!
I like to follow the Rules of my BIA Membership Agreement
I comment on the SUBJECT of the Blogger.............

do you? Hmm?

Brother Steve,

Rand Paul super PAC aides take ‘leave of absence’ http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi...

I will keeping my eye on this one.

Brother Deacon, if there ever was an honest politician it was Ron Paul. The ones I suspect are the 'Justice' Department.

OK!!! I will keeping my eye on this one Brother Steve.

Here's some background for you Brother Deacon.

http://www.campaignforliberty.org/ron-paul...

The Federal Reserve & the War on Drugs
POSTED BY C4L_Intern August 06, 2015
By Danny Lewis

The Federal Reserve is now taking part in the drug war. The Kansas City Federal Reserve is bullying Colorado’s Fourth Corner Credit Union which serves the interests of legal marijuana and hemp industries in the state.

An article written by Alt-M reports:

That's right: the Federal Reserve is now in the business of enforcing the U.S. government's drug laws, even if that means making a mockery of both state governments' right to set their own drug policies and the Fed's own governing statutes.

The Fed's involvement in drug prohibition became official last month, when the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City informed Denver's Fourth Corner Credit Union — a non-profit cooperative formed by Colorado's state-licensed cannabis manufacturers — of its decision to deny its application for a master account. Since asking any sort of depository institution to operate without such an account, and hence without access to the Fed's payment facilities, including its check clearing, wire transfer, and ACH facilities, is like asking a commercial airline to make do with propeller-driven biplanes, and established banks don't want the extra hassle that comes with dealing with pot growers, the Kansas City Fed's action forces Colorado's marijuana industry to do business on a cash-only basis, with all the extra risk and inconvenience that entails.

The Federal Reserve has no business enforcing federal drug policies. This is another reason why we must get a vote on Audit the Fed. Please sign Campaign for Liberty’s Audit the Fed petition to Congress.


Print PDF

Tags: Audit the Fed, Federal Reserve, War on Drugs, Colorado, marijuana

Good Morning Brother Steve,

We was talking about if there ever was an honest politician it was Ron Paul. I think that this link tells a lot about the people Ron Paul has under him. Check out my last comment and click on that link, OK? http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi...

Brother Deacon, I have posted a clarification to that story. Are you saying that Ron Paul is dishonest?

SUBJECT to brother steve

"ATTN: Brother Steve" Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz Set to Audition with Koch Brothers

selfProfessed 'whiteMan' steveAdam, at BIA an African American Famiy site, getty a little nutty with 'blackHebrewIsraelite' deacon -- Trading in his Irma picture for nra JuniorCap...........

should you philly folks NOT go to any movies now, steveAdam?

Don't ask me Robert, I don't go to the movies.

Brother Steve,

Where did you post this a clarification to that story? Yes! Ron Paul haired Political thugs and liars To back his campaign Now this reflects his personality. When you lead you lead from the top.

Brother Deacon,

I posted it where you posted the story:

http://blackinamerica.com/cgi-bin/blog.cgi...

Brother Steve,

If my Father was grooming me to take over the presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party I would have behind my son best campaign committee manager that money can buy which Ron thought he had done.




Monday, August 10th 2015 at 10:43PM
Deacon Ron Gray

Brother Deacon,

I want you to remember what you said just now when the time comes that Ron Paul is vindicated. Ron Paul is a man of principle and he could much more easily have abandoned his principles than commit this alleged campaign fraud.

Brother Steve,

I hope that it would be in time for Rand to recover his failing candidacy.

Brother Deacon,

How can any candidacy be characterized as 'failing' 14 months before the fact? Wow.

Brother Steve,

Exactly my point but right now, how can Rand go to the big boys and ask for monies when the Justice Department is looking at your finances.

Would you call that a green light for you as a donor to be associated with?

Brother Deacon, you never commented on the fact it was Michelle Bachman's campaign that Kent Sorenson pleaded guilty to taking money from.

Brother Steve,

The main point is not about Bachman. What I did hear in the news that Ken is a brother in law of Rand. Corruption, bribery and being under indictment. It is all in The Paul Family.

Kent Sorenson, the Iowa state senator embattled over accusations that he inappropriately received pay from at least one presidential campaign in the lead up to the 2012 Iowa caucuses, has resigned from office, according to a Senate leader.

The Milo Republican stepped down just hours after an independent investigator delivered a damning report to the Senate Ethics Committee, which has been investigating his conduct for several months.

The report found “probable cause” that Sorenson broke ethics rules by accepting payments from a political action committee associated with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, and that his denials of taking such payment may represent a felony under Iowa law.

See the 566-page report: Volume 1 | Volume 2

The resignation was announced by Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix in a statement released shortly after 5 p.m.

“Today, I called for Senator Sorenson’s resignation, and he agreed to do so effective immediately,” Dix said in the statement.

In an interview after the statement was released, Sorenson told the Des Moines Register he decided to quit fighting the charges for the sake of his family. It has already cost him thousands of dollars, he said. In an earlier interview, he said he never made any false statements and maintained he violated no ethics rule.

In a 566-page report filed with the Iowa Senate on Wednesday, Mark E. Weinhardt, a specially appointed independent counsel to the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee, reports that Sorenson received money from Bachmann-controlled political action committees by filtering the funds through two separate consulting firms.

Sorenson served as the Iowa campaign chairman of Bachman’s presidential campaign until a dramatic defection to the U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s campaign just days before the Jan. 3, 2012, caucuses.

Senate ethics rules prohibit legislators from receiving payment – either directly or indirectly – from political action committees.

The report also finds that Sorenson received a $25,000 check from a senior official in former Paul’s presidential campaign. He also received $73,000 in wire transfers that Weinhardt called “deeply suspicious.”

Sorenson told the Register he spoke to the special investigator for 2 1/2 hours, then could tell from Weinhardt’s line of questioning that he’d already drawn his own conclusions. At that point, Sorenson said he declined to answer further questions.

Taking money from two corporations is much different from taking money directly from a presidential campaign, he argued. “I don’t believe I lied,” he said. “If you’re a subcontractor, who do you work for? I was never an employee of Bachmann for President.”

His lawyer, Theodore Sporer, said the investigator is taking quite a bit of latitude in his interpretation of the Senate rules.

“(Sorenson) didn’t say anything that wasn’t true and if that broad reading is accurate, it will present a host of problems for the Senate – there would be senators from both sides of the aisle that would have violated this rule,” Sporer said. “I’m going to guess the report skirts around that direct versus indirect issue.”

Sporer added that their comments are about the allegations connected to the Bachmann campaign not the Paul campaign money, which is a separate matter.

Sorenson told the Register that one of his fellow senators knew that presidential candidate Rick Perry was renting building space from him because Perry wanted the senator’s endorsement. Another senator who owns a restaurant catered food for campaign workers, he said.

“So cooking a hamburger for a campaign isn’t working but giving advice is?” Sorenson said.

The report says that in Sorenson’s cases, money from the presidential campaigns was received by a company called Grassroots Strategies, Inc., which was wholly owned by Sorenson. In the case of the payments from the Bachmann-associated PACs, Sorenson took money from Grassroots Strategies as income for himself, Wienhardt found.

For his work on Bachmann’s presidential campaign, Sorenson received payment from the Bachmann For President campaign committee and MichelePAC, a leadership PAC set up by Bachmann to raise money for other candidates, Weinhardt found.

“We believe it was a plain violation of Senate Ethics Rule 6 for Senator Sorenson to accept compensation from MichelePAC to work on Representative Bachmann’s behalf,” Weinhardt writes in the report.

Sorenson’s payments from Bachmann for President, meanwhile, present “a question of interpretation” of the Senate rule – and indicate a need for the Senate to rewrite the rule to clarify its intent.

The report also notes two instances in which Sorenson denied being compensated by the Bachmann campaign in written statements to the Senate Ethics Committee. There is probable cause to believe, Weinhardt found, that those statements are false and that Sorenson knew them to be false when he made them.

Such false statements would constitute felonious misconduct in office, which is a class D felony.

The investigation originated with a complaint from Peter Waldron, a political consultant from Florida who worked on Bachmann’s campaign in Iowa throughout 2011.

In a statement to the Register on Wednesday, Waldron said he was “vindicated” by the report but regretful that Iowa’s first-in-the-nation status had been “soiled” by its findings.

“The people of Iowa must now change the ethics rules by which they control the behavior of their senators in both parties,” he said in the statement. “No payments of any kind, directly or indirectly, can flow to senators if Iowa wishes to preserve it unique role in the presidential nominating system in America.”

Senate Ethics Committee Chairman Wally Horn, D-Cedar Rapids, said he hoped to call a meeting of the committee for early next week to discuss the matter. In an interview before Sorenson’s resignation was announced, he declined to even guess, however, at how the committee might respond to the report.

With Sorenson’s resignation, the issue may now be moot.

The Ethics Committee is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans. It could do anything from dropping the matter entirely to rendering judgment on Sorenson’s guilt or innocence.

Horn also noted that the committee is anticipating another report from Weinhardt, looking at a second set of allegations against Sorenson relating to whether he took money from the Paul campaign.

As of Wednesday afternoon, most senators had not even seen Weinhardt’s report, which was delivered to the Secretary of the Senate’s office in the Capitol. Lawmakers adjourned in May, and are back in the Statehouse infrequently during the interim period.

Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, called on his fellow senators to withhold judgment on Sorenson, noting that potential sanctions could end up before the whole Senate at some point. But he did say the situation points to the need for tougher ethics rules and laws in Iowa.

“We need to protect the integrity of Iowa’s politics,” he said.

That means writing a clearer prohibition on lawmakers receiving compensation from political campaigns and writing such a ban into state law rather than legislative ethics rules, he said. As chairman of the State Government Committee, Danielson has led campaign finance and ethics reform issues before.

Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone and a member of the Ethics Committee, said Wednesday afternoon he’d spent the day out in his soybean fields and was unaware the report had been released.

“My position from the first initial report is that a guy is innocent until proven guilty,” Behn said. “I really want to see the report and find out what’s going on. … I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to say anything yet.”

Sorenson, 41, is a first-term senator representing a district just south of Des Moines. He previously served one term in the House.

In the other major issue Weinhardt reviewed, he found no evidence that Sorenson personally took a list containing the contact information for home-school families from the computer of another Bachmann campaign worker. He find evidence, however, suggesting Sorenson was involved in a conspiracy to obtain the list for use by the campaign.

The list was stored on a computer owned by campaign worker Barb Heki in connection with her work for the Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators. Heki sued Sorenson and the Bachmann campaign for obtaining the list and sending emails to the names it contained. The issue also has been the subject of an Urbandale police investigation.

Weinhardt’s report notes that a third campaign worker, Chris Dorr, took responsibility for taking list, although there is evidence of a conspiracy involving Sorenson.

“The objects of the conspiracy were to remove the list from Ms. Heki’s computer without her knowledge and to make use of the list to [Bachmann for President’s] and Senator Sorenson’s own advantage while knowing that the list had been stolen,” Weinhardt writes.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ind...

Thanks for this update of power and GREED. WOW!!!

Brother Steve, are you still out here?

Posted By: Deacon Ron Gray
Saturday, August 1st 2015 at 8:17AM

SUBJECT to brother steve

"ATTN: Brother Steve" Walker, Rubio, Bush and Cruz Set to Audition with Koch Brothers

"what a difference a day makes"

or 19 days

---- Rubio, Bush and Cruz need to Set to Audition with Billionare Mr. Donald Trump if they want to serve the American People and MAKE AMERICA GREAT again.............

Broher Deacon,

I haven't been hearing much about Rand Paul, but Ben Carson is getting some attention. But for now the media is mostly stuck on Trump.

And the non-issue of the 14th amendment.

My feeling at this point The Donald is leading the agenda in which the republican party should go. I say to the Donald more power to him in his bid for the republican presidential nominee for president.

Can the same be said for Hillary?

Yes, so far the e-mail scandal is not hurt Hillary at all. If put up aginst your boy Rand Paul she would leave him in her dust and the same with the Donald.

The email scandal is hurting Hillary. She won't survive it.

That's why Obama's boy is about to enter the race.

What boy are you talking about?

Biden.

So far Biden has not made that move yet.

Have you heard of any update on Rand yet? He has not been campaigning in the wake of his scandal.

Of course he's been campaigning.

I could not tell...

https://www.randpaul.com/news/rand-paul-ca...

A former aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton who helped set up the server that housed Mrs. Clinton’s private email account plans to invoke his Fifth Amendment right in response to congressional questions about the email practices, according to two people who have been briefed on the matter.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draf...

In this link https://www.randpaul.com/news/rand-paul-ca... you don't find none of Rand's platforms or what he stands for. Best of luck with his apps.

...offering calendar events, campaign news and a featured video...

Thanks Brother Steve,

I will check back...

Hillary finally got on the hot seat with Andrea Mitchell. She got fried.

Rand Paul Interview on Donald Trump, Immigration, and Recent Polls | Meet the Press NBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlH2tdun1Q... what a interview... \\

I am sure that you saw that interview of rands by now, have you?

Yes, thank you Brother Deacon. I watched a few more on that channel too. Unfortunately Rand differs from his father in that he sits on the fence on important issues. Like marijuana. He says he believes it's a state's right to legalize it, but would leave the federal law in place making it a crime. That doesn't make sense.

I do agree with you Brother Steve.

Today, we know that Walker is in trouble even in his own state for his job. Bush is cutting back his campaign staff and now asking his staffers to work for free. It looks like he is in trouble.

Rubio, well I am looking for Rubio and Cruz to ride in on the Koch Brothers donations.

What Koch brother donations?

The Koah Brothers super pack money that go by the name of FREEDOM Foundation, somebody is getting ready to get paid BIG for doing their bidding.

What's become apparent with Bush is that PAC money isn't enough.

The Donald did his JOB and now it is time for him to go.

The media will be the judge of that.

They are listening to the people.

We'll know come election day won't we?

YES WE WILL....

Hay Ron, did you get the news about Jesse Benton?

The former Paul aide Jesse Benton acquitted in campaign fraud case.

RAND Paul's CURRENT super PAC guy. Of course no one is talking about an Obama Administration witch hunt are they Ron?

No there not and really, nobody is talking about Rand Paul neither, sorry.

That's just what you, Obama, and Rachel Maddow wanted. Congratulations.

I hope you end up with Trump.

Really!!! Do you like The Donald?

I hope you do.

Lots of news tonight Ron.

Steven, I asked you a question,

"Do you like The Donald?"

What has happen to The Republican Party? You are watching a war from within The GOP...