Friday, March 27, 2009

Constitutional Tender Bill was heard in Committee!

Dear Friends of Constitutional Tender,

This week, HISTORY WAS MADE. And we have patriots like YOU to thank for it, because YOU took the time to demand that legislators LISTEN.

Now, we have another quick task to do -- which we'll tell you in a moment.

This week, testimony was given at the Georgia House combined Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee / Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee hearing on HB 430, the "Constitutional Tender Act". Testimony in favor of the bill was given by Rep. Bobby Franklin, Bill Greene, Aaron Krowne, Sean Mangieri, Jesse Bickel, and Franklin Sanders.

View the testimonies here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u3B2KbVWto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv1MDWac9-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXqNQNj4T-M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peEs2SteMM8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oHqdEf0Hjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VKvzeePmL4

The witnesses testified and explained to the Members of these Banks and Banking Committee subcommittees the absolute requirement of the U.S. Constitution for the State of Georgia to ONLY use gold and silver coins in its transactions, and a dialogue was begun in the best MEANS by which this should be done. The bureaucrats and banking lobbyists were concerned with cost, efficiency, and change, but it was apparent that they had not read the bill thoroughly or with an open mind, and especially had not read the FAQ on the ConstitutionalTender.com website.

These experts and Rep. Franklin explained to the Members the need to shift away from our fiat money system, and into a sound money system. The hyperinflationary end of various countries' fiat money was explained. The fallacies of fractional reserve banking was shown, and how the system robs the inherent wealth of the American citizens. The likely complete devaluation of Federal Reserve Notes, and thus the need for Georgia to protect its citizens via returning to Constitutional Tender, was also explained.

Testimony in opposition to the bill was given by a state bureaucrat and two banking industry lobbyists. Dan Ebersole, Director of the Georgia Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services, worried that the State would have to start storing physical gold and silver right there in their office, and he'd have to have a bodyguard wherever he went. The question, of course, is why would it have to store the gold physically, if we are already dictating that depositary banks will have to have the appropriate gold/silver backed accounts? Do they have to store physical Federal Reserve Notes right there in their office, too?

Mr. Ebersole also worried that he would have a hard time investing the State's money if we went back to using Constitutional tender. What he doesn't seem to understand is that, as the value of FRNs drops like a base-metal balloon, all that fiat money he has so "wisely" invested will be GONE -- and the people of this State will want to know just WHO is responsible.

The two banking industry lobbyists, Joe Brannen of the Georgia Bankers Association and Steven D. Bridges of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia, were worried that they'd have to change the way they do business. They might have to convert FRNs to real money; they might have to store gold and silver in vaults; they might have to hire bank security; they might have to initiate electronic transactions...

In other words, as one of our folks remarked, it was largely a puerile dodge, where they pretended like we were demanding they go back to pre-19th century money handling, where there aren't even banks and so every transaction consists of gold coin being moved around. They then made a straw man out of that. In reality, we are merely establishing gold coin as a standard backing for electronic money in the manner of the current banking system.

Overall, our folks -- simply citizens of the Sovereign State of Georgia, not bureaucratic wonks or paid lobbyists -- made stunningly adept & forceful presentations. Yes, there was at least one legislator that left in a red-faced huff, remarking that he wasn't going to "waste his time" listening to this stuff; but it was just as clear that many eyes were opened that day, and it seems that several legislators were actually swayed by the sound argumentation.

So, I repeat: HISTORY WAS MADE.

But our work is FAR from over.

You see, with only one week left in this particular session of the Georgia legislature, we won't be able to get a vote on HB 430 yet. It will still be alive (GOOD NEWS!); but in order for the bill to continue to move forward, we need for the next important step to take place:

The LEADERS of the Georgia House of Representatives MUST hear from the people about how IMPORTANT this bill is, and WHY it needs to be considered by the ENTIRE House next session!

So, fellow Constitutionalists, we need to TAKE ACTION AGAIN! Here's how:


  • Contact the two Republican leaders of the Georgia House, Glenn Richardson & Jay Roberts -- their contact info is at the bottom of this message.

  • Quote Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution to them: "No State shall... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts".

  • Simply ask each Leader to read HB 430, the "Constitutional Tender Act," very carefully. It's only four pages long, so it's simple and straightforward. If you're emailing them, point them directly to the bill and to the FAQ page -- if you're faxing them, print those out and include them in the fax.

  • If you want to write more, explain to these Leaders why this bill is so important: because Georgia, like every other state, is in violation of the U.S. Constitution without such a bill (because the State is making some other "Thing" a Tender in Payment of Debts, both to and by the State). Remind each one that State legislators are all required to swear an oath to uphold that Constitution, so ethically and morally they need to do whatever the Constitution requires.

  • You could also inform the Leaders that this type of bill is also needed because, due to the ever-widening circle of economic disaster that is affecting the citizens of every State, we MUST do something to at least begin the process of restoring sound money and a sound economy, whether or not the Federal government or any other State government does so. This would immediately begin the flow of real wealth toward the state's treasury. This would stabilize the state's economy, protect the pensions of state employees, etc. -- and offer many other immediately recognizable benefits.

  • THANK YOU SO MUCH -- it's because of people like YOU, who are willing to take a few minutes of your valuable time to do something like this, that this bill has moved further through the General Assembly than we EVER thought it would this year! We CAN get it even further over the next few months! :-)

    LET'S ROLL! -- http://www.ConstitutionalTender.com/ -- click on "FAQ"



    (Please email info@constitutionaltender.com if any of these contacts don't work)

    PLEASE REMEMBER - BE NICE IN YOUR MESSAGES AND CONVERSATIONS!

    Rep. Glenn Richardson, Speaker of the House
    Room 332 State Capitol
    Atlanta, Georgia 30334
    Office: 404-656-5020
    Fax: 404-656-5644
    Email: glenn.richardson@house.ga.gov

    Home office:
    PO Box 1750
    Hiram, GA 30141
    Phone: 770-445-4438

    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

    Rep. Jay Roberts, Chairman of the Majority Caucus
    415 State Capitol
    Atlanta, GA 30334
    Office: 404-656-5025
    Fax: 404-657-8278
    Email: jay.roberts@house.ga.gov

    Home Office:
    767 Brushy Creek Road
    Ocilla, GA 31774
    Phone: 229-468-5404
    Fax: 229-468-7018

    Saturday, March 21, 2009

    Constitutional Tender hearing scheduled - please help!

    Dear Friends of Constitutional Tender,

    YOU DID IT!

    This week, we asked you to contact the Chairmen of the two subcommittees that HB 430, the "Constitutional Tender Act," was assigned to. Well, you must have done a good job -- because we got a call today from Rep. Calvin Hill's office, letting us know that the subcommittees will be holding a combined hearing on HB 430 -- THIS TUESDAY, March 24th, from 10am-12pm! (in room 415 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building)

    That means we're scrambling to bring in people to testify for those two hours -- experts, regular citizens, etc. But the BIGGEST thing we need is to FILL THAT COMMITTEE ROOM with supporters of the Constitutional Tender Act!

    It's a sure bet that there will be lobbyists there to testify AGAINST this bill. The Georgia Bankers Association has gone on record in opposition to it. The lobbyist for the Community Bankers Association of Georgia stated clearly that they would fight it. And these guys carry a lot of political clout.

    THEY will be there. Will WE?

    You see, WE carry clout, too. Or at least -- we SHOULD. We should be able to stand up and demand that our legislators OBEY the U.S. Constitution.

    We shouldn't HAVE to demand it -- but we SHOULD be able to MAKE it happen!

    There are a number of Members of these subcommittees who have a good idea of what this bill is attempting to do. But in order for the bill to continue to move forward, we need for the next important step to take place:

    The members of these subcommittees MUST hear from the people about how IMPORTANT this bill is, and WHY it needs to be voted favorably back up to the Committee!

    So, fellow Constitutionalists, we need to TAKE ACTION AGAIN! Here's how:
    • Contact the members of the two subcommittees -- their contact info is at the bottom of this message. We've listed them out individually, with names, phone numbers, and email addresses; we've also grouped their addresses with commas and grouped them as a list, so you can pick a list to cut and paste them into your email "To:" line.
    • Quote Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution to them: "No State shall... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts".
    • Simply ask each Member to listen to the testimony on HB 430 with an open mind. Ask them to please begin each question they may have with this phrase: "Since the U.S. Constitution requires every state to ONLY use gold and silver coins in payments to and by the State, then... [insert question here]".
    • If you want to write more, explain to each Member why this bill is so important: because Georgia, like every other state, is in violation of the U.S. Constitution without such a bill (because the State is making some other "Thing" a Tender in Payment of Debts, both to and by the State). Remind each one that State legislators are all required to swear an oath to uphold that Constitution, so ethically and morally they need to do whatever the Constitution requires.
    • You could also inform each Member that this type of bill is also needed because, due to the ever-widening circle of economic disaster that is affecting the citizens of every State, we MUST do something to at least begin the process of restoring sound money and a sound economy, whether or not the Federal government or any other State government does so. This would immediately begin the flow of real wealth toward the state's treasury. This would stabilize the state's economy, protect the pensions of state employees, etc. -- and offer many other immediately recognizable benefits.
    THANK YOU SO MUCH -- it's because of people like YOU, who are willing to take a few minutes of your valuable time to do something like this, that this bill is moving further through the General Assembly than we EVER thought it would this year!

    LET'S ROLL! -- http://www.ConstitutionalTender.com/ -- click on "FAQ"



    (Please email info@constitutionaltender.com if any of these contacts don't work)

    House Banks & Banking Committee:
    CHAIR - James Mills (R-25) - james.mills@house.ga.gov - 404-656-5099

    Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee:
    CHAIR - Calvin Hill (R-21) - chill@gilainc.com - 404-656-0129
    Stephen Allison (R-8) - stephen.allison@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0177
    Clay Cox (R-102) - clay.cox@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0188
    Earl Ehrhart (R-36) - earl@ehrhart.4emm.com - 404-656-5141
    Virgil Fludd (D-66) - vfludd@mindspring.com - 404-656-0314
    Penny Houston (R-170) - penny.houston@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0202
    Rahn Mayo (D-91) - rahnmayo@gmail.com - 404-656-6372
    Greg Morris (R-155) - greg.morris@house.ga.gov - 404-656-5116
    Butch Parrish (R-156) - butch.parrish@house.ga.gov - 404-463-2247
    Allen Peake (R-137) - allen@allenpeake.com - 404-656-0188
    Bobby Reese (R-98) - bobby.reese@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0254
    Jay Shaw - (D-176) - jay.shaw@house.ga.gov - 404-656-7859
    Willie Talton (R-145) - willie.talton@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0254

    Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee:
    CHAIR - Mike Coan (R-101) - repcoan@charter.net - 404-656-6801
    Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-85) - stuckey@mindspring.com - 404-656-7859
    Clay Cox (R-102) - clay.cox@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0188
    Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D-93) - dee.dawkins-haigler@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0287
    SPONSOR - Bobby Franklin (R-43) - bobby.franklin@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0152
    Cecily Hill (R-180) - cecilyhill@tds.net - 404-656-0177
    Darryl Jordan (D-77) - darryl.jordan@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0116
    David Knight (R-126) - david.knight@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0152
    Pete Marin (D-96) - marinstatehouse@aol.com - 404-656-0314
    Randy Nix (R-69) - randy.nix@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0177
    Butch Parrish (R-156) - butch.parrish@house.ga.gov - 404-463-2247
    Martin Scott (R-2) - martin.scott@house.ga.gov - 404-656-0254
    Jay Shaw (D-176) - jay.shaw@house.ga.gov - 404-656-7859
    Tom Weldon (R-3) - tweldon@weldonlawfirm.com - 404-656-0152



    COPY & PASTE:

    james.mills@house.ga.gov
    chill@gilainc.com
    stephen.allison@house.ga.gov
    clay.cox@house.ga.gov
    earl@ehrhart.4emm.com
    vfludd@mindspring.com
    penny.houston@house.ga.gov
    rahnmayo@gmail.com
    greg.morris@house.ga.gov
    butch.parrish@house.ga.gov
    allen@allenpeake.com
    bobby.reese@house.ga.gov
    jay.shaw@house.ga.gov
    willie.talton@house.ga.gov
    repcoan@charter.net
    stuckey@mindspring.com
    dee.dawkins-haigler@house.ga.gov
    cecilyhill@tds.net
    darryl.jordan@house.ga.gov
    david.knight@house.ga.gov
    marinstatehouse@aol.com
    randy.nix@house.ga.gov
    martin.scott@house.ga.gov
    tweldon@weldonlawfirm.com


    OR:

    james.mills@house.ga.gov,chill@gilainc.com,stephen.allison@house.ga.gov,clay.cox@house.ga.gov,earl@ehrhart.4emm.com,vfludd@mindspring.com,penny.houston@house.ga.gov,rahnmayo@gmail.com,greg.morris@house.ga.gov,butch.parrish@house.ga.gov,allen@allenpeake.com,bobby.reese@house.ga.gov,jay.shaw@house.ga.gov,willie.talton@house.ga.gov,repcoan@charter.net,stuckey@mindspring.com,dee.dawkins-haigler@house.ga.gov,cecilyhill@tds.net,darryl.jordan@house.ga.gov,david.knight@house.ga.gov,marinstatehouse@aol.com,randy.nix@house.ga.gov,martin.scott@house.ga.gov,tweldon@weldonlawfirm.com

    .

    Tuesday, March 17, 2009

    Constitutional Tender - Help Needed TODAY

    Dear Friends of Constitutional Tender,

    I need your help RIGHT NOW, to take ONE MINUTE of your very valuable time, for a very quick Action Item to advance HB 430, the "Constitutional Tender Act."

    Tomorrow - Wednesday - I'm heading down to the State Capitol in Atlanta, to lobby several key legislators on the bill, including: Rep. Calvin Hill, Chairman of the Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee, and Rep. Mike Coan, Chairman of the Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee.

    One week ago, Rep. Bobby Franklin, who sponsored HB 430, asked these two Chairs to schedule subcommittee hearings "for the purpose of obtaining input and suggestions from the banking community on how to best comply with the Constitution's mandate that the State use only gold and silver coin."

    http://www.sicm.com/constitutionaltender/BillRequest-HB430.pdf

    To date, neither has agreed to do so -- even though both had said they would.

    So today, RIGHT NOW, I'm asking you to do just one quick thing: Drop Rep. Hill (chill@gilainc.com) and Rep. Coan (repcoan@charter.net) a quick email.

    It doesn't even matter if you live in Georgia. They MUST hear from a LOT of folks, so we can move this bill forward! Again, their contact info is:

    * Chairman of the Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee, Rep. Calvin Hill (R-21) - chill@gilainc.com - 404-656-0129

    * Chairman of the Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee, Rep. Mike Coan (R-101) - repcoan@charter.net - 404-656-6801

    THANK YOU SO MUCH -- it's because of people like YOU, who are willing to take a minute of your valuable time to do something like this, that we have a GOOD SHOT at getting this bill moved through the General Assembly this year -- and even introduced in other states!

    LET'S ROLL!

    http://www.ConstitutionalTender.com/

    Thursday, March 12, 2009

    Business Journals report on the Constitutional Tender Act

    One of our folks was handed a copy of last week's Atlanta Business Chronicle at a Toastmaster's meeting recently. Inside was a long article on the Constitutional Tender Act!

    Click Here to read the article in its entirety. (By the way, the article was apparently also published in sister business journals across the country!)

    Of course, as happens in the media, there were misunderstandings of the bill. For example, it said that while "the state would accept checks or other payments linked to gold coin- or silver coin-backed accounts," it could also "accept Federal Reserve dollars — the existing U.S. standard for nearly four decades — for other types of transactions." That, of course, is incorrect; that section of the bill is referring to what everyone ELSE in the State is allowed to do -- they can use gold, silver, or even worthless pieces of paper with pictures of dead politicians on them. It's their choice under this bill.

    Also, as happens with members of academia, there were even more misunderstandings of the bill. Surprisingly, they came this time from Dr. George Selgin, the "BB&T Chair in Free Market Thought / Professor of Economics" at West Virginia University, whom the article called "an expert on the history of currency standards and monetary theory." Here's what he had to say:

    Selgin said the challenges of re-introducing such a standard, if the bill became law, are numerous.

    “We as a country walked away from gold to fiat money,” Selgin said. “It’s very hard to walk back.”

    Selgin said he sees the bill, rather than attempting to re-introduce a now-defunct financial standard, as creating the artifice of one.

    “Banks would have to meet two sets of standards, one for doing business with the state, and one for everyone else because everyone else uses another standard,” he said. “You’re asking them to create parallel systems, and that’s very difficult.”

    OK, yes, "it's very hard to walk back" to real money. No one is saying that would be something that could happen overnight. BUT, this bill would actually put us on that ROAD back to real money -- by introducing competition in currency. By getting the State to obey the Constitution, and ONLY use gold and silver coin in receiving and making payments, we can begin to get people used to using real money again, because they'll have to use it in their transactions with the State. Once they start doing that, they'll be more willing to use it in their everyday transactions as well -- especially as the fiat money continues its spiral downwards in purchasing power, and the gold and silver maintains its value. At that point, we can see "Gresham's Law" work in reverse -- good money will chase out bad money.

    What is most unsettling, though, it that a prominent academic like Dr. Seglin is willing to look at a bill that attempts to make the State obey the U.S. Constitution in the area of money... and he calls it "a bit kooky." Instead of making suggestions of better ways to make the State enforce the requirement for Constitutional tender, he dismisses it outright as just "creating the artifice" of a "now-defunct financial standard."

    Is this what "experts" in "free market thought" are teaching in the schools these days?

    Monday, March 9, 2009

    Constitutional Tender: ONE MINUTE of your time needed right now!

    Dear Friends of Constitutional Tender,

    I'm writing this note to ask you to take ONE MINUTE of your very valuable time, for a very quick Action Item to advance HB 430, the "Constitutional Tender Act."

    As I reported before, HB 430 was brought up last week in Georgia's House Banks and Banking Committee, and assigned to TWO subcommittees: Financial Institutions & Services, and Regulations & Oversight. This means we're making great progress -- but it also means we now have a LOT of work to do EDUCATING these state legislators on the need for this bill.

    For example, this past week, one of our folks met with the Chairman of one of those subcommittees: Rep. Calvin Hill, from the Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee. In this conversation, Rep. Hill was asked if he would support HB 430; his response was, "I'm with you in spirit, I believe in a gold standard, but I don't think it would be practical to make banks accept gold and silver coins. Where would they store them?"

    Yes, I'm not kidding, that's what he said.

    Another one of our folks had a chat with the Chairman of the other subcommittee: Rep. Mike Coan, from the Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee. In this conversation, Rep. Coan was asked if he would call a hearing to take input from the banks themselves on HOW to enforce the clear language of the U.S. Constitution's requirement for the State to use ONLY gold and silver coins, and since it says we MUST use that, what would be the best way to do so; his response was, "I'll see what I can do."

    Yes, that's what he said when asked to get the State to obey the U.S. Constitution: "I'll see what I can do."

    We need to set these two gentleman straight on this issue... QUICKLY!

    So today, RIGHT NOW, I'm asking you to do just one quick thing: Drop Rep. Hill (chill@gilainc.com) and Rep. Coan (repcoan@charter.net) a quick email.
    • In your emails, you can politely explain to them WHY this bill is so important: because Georgia, like every other state, is in violation of the U.S. Constitution without such a bill (because the State is making some other "Thing" a Tender in Payment of Debts, both to and by the State). Remind them that State legislators are all required to swear an oath to uphold that Constitution, so ethically and morally they need to do whatever the Constitution requires.
    • Inform Rep. Hill and Rep. Coan that this type of bill is also needed because, due to the ever-widening circle of economic disaster that is affecting the citizens of every State, we MUST do something to at least begin the process of restoring sound money and a sound economy, whether or not the Federal government or any other State government does so. This would immediately begin the flow of real wealth toward the state's treasury. This would stabilize the state's economy, protect the pensions of state employees, etc. -- and offer many other immediately recognizable benefits.
    • Finally, ask Rep. Hill and Rep. Coan to please listen with an open mind to the testimony from experts on what exactly it would mean to carry out this bill.
    Chairman Hill and Chairman Coan MUST hear from the people about how IMPORTANT this bill is, and WHY it needs to be voted favorably back up to the Committee!

    These two subcommittees are going to be holding hearings on HB 430 very soon, and we're going to be bringing in as many of our experts as we can to testify and explain the need and the necessity of passing this bill. We'll be letting you know when those meetings are.

    So, fellow Constitutionalists, we need to TAKE ACTION AGAIN! Here's how:
    • Contact the Chairman of the Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee, Rep. Calvin Hill (R-21) - chill@gilainc.com - 404-656-0129
    • Contact the Chairman of the Regulations & Oversight Subcommittee, Rep. Mike Coan (R-101) - repcoan@charter.net - 404-656-6801
    By the way -- you DON'T need to live in Georgia to send these two Chairmen an email! We need EVERYONE'S help!

    THANK YOU SO MUCH -- it's because of people like YOU, who are willing to take a minute of your valuable time to do something like this, that we have a GOOD SHOT at getting this bill moved through the General Assembly this year -- and even introduced in other states!

    LET'S ROLL!

    http://www.ConstitutionalTender.com/