Weekly Update – July 3, 2010
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Start a tradition this year! Take the time to share the meaning of Independence Day with your family this year. Persuade or reward your kids and/or grandkids to let you do a project like one of these three this weekend:
A. Have them watch the ten minute video: ?A Republic?If you can keep it. The American Form of Government?. You can find it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGL8CiUtXF0.
B. Or read them this paragraph from the Declaration of Independence:
?We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,–That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness?. (Read the complete Declaration at our http://www.libertyandprosperity.org website, or get your free pocket sized edition of the Declaration and our Constitution from http://www.askheritage.org/premium.aspx.)
C. Or tell them how Abraham Lincoln made these remarks when he visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia on his way to be sworn in as President in 1861.
?I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the Declaration of Independence. . . It was not the mere matter of the separation of the colonies from the motherland; but something in that Declaration giving liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but hope to the world for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time, the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all should have an equal chance.”
2. March with us in the Galloway Township Independence Day Parade, Saturday, July 3: The parade lineup will begin at 8 a.m. at the Smithville Town Center on Smithville Boulevard at Route 9. The parade route will be up Smithville Boulevard to Moss Mill Road and down Moss Mill Road to the Village Greene at Historic Smithville. (But we need one volunteer to go to the Athena Diner to meet and greet anyone who may not know that we cancelled the Breakfast Discussion. If you can do that, please contact Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net.)
3. Those who saw the ?The Crossing? at ?Liberty at the Movies? in Mays Landing last Tuesday also learned ?the rest of the story?. Mark Hutchinson gave out reprints from a historical review that said the Hessian mercenaries were not surprised because they were partying on Christmas Day. They were exhausted from weeks of previous night attacks by New Jersey patriots–and they did not think the Americans would attack again in the day during a severe snow storm. Seth Grossman also explained why Washington was such an effective and admired commander. According to the book ?Washington?s Crossing? by David Hackett Fischer, ?It was typical of Washington?s style of leadership to present a promising proposal as someone else?s idea, rather than his own. It was his way of encouraging open discussion and constructive debate?.
4. In January of 2008, more than two years ago, the Middle Township Police ordered Liberty and Prosperity members to take down signs opposing Democrat Governor Corzine?s plan to hock New Jersey?s toll roads to borrow $36 billion. Steve Lonegan and Seth Grossman was arrested when they refused. Liberty and Prosperity sued the Middle Township Police, and ?John Doe? defendants for denying our rights of free speech and assembly. Our plan was to take the testimony of the Middle Township Police, and find out who ordered them to take down our signs and arrest Grossman and Lonegan. But the state and the Middle Township Police filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit, and for nearly two years, the judge refused to us take testimony so we can find out who gave the orders to the local police. Yesterday, the judge threw out all motions to dismiss the case, and now we can take the testimony and find out the truth about who gave the orders.
5. Seth Grossman?s column in the Current and Gazette newspapers this week questions Governor Christie?s Propose Constitutional Amendment, and instead gives ?Seven Ideas for Cleaning Up New Jersey?s Fiscal Mess? at http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index….scal-mess.html. What do you think?
1. Distribute all state income tax money equally to every town and school district based on population and number of students. This is the only way to get politics and corruption out of ?property tax relief.?
2. Change the 1968 Public Employment Relations and Civil Service laws so that public “servants” are no longer masters of the people we elect to represent us and no longer forced to join unions to keep their government jobs.
3. Post all public employee contracts and salaries on the Internet so every citizen can quickly see how our tax money is spent.
4. Allow non-union companies to again cut grass, paint walls, install lights and plumbing, etc. in public parks and buildings.
5. Give scholarships and reimbursements to parents who save money for taxpayers by sending their children to private schools that meet public school standards.
6. Get all elected officials and part-time elected officials out of the pension system. The state pension funds are broke, and there was never a constitutional vote to bail them out. Therefore, we can legally do this retroactively.
7. Keep the promises Republicans made in 1993 to adopt term limits, initiative and referendum, and recall laws with realistic signature requirements. Republicans broke those promises right after they won that election. Then they made existing recall laws more difficult by doubling the signature requirements.
7. Liberty and Prosperity Ten Point Program for 2010:
I. No eminent domain for private gain.
II. Enforce federal immigration laws. No amnesty. Deport illegal aliens.
III. Make tax and zoning laws fair, simple, and apply them equally to everyone.
IV. Cut taxes by cutting government spending.
V. Post all government salaries, contracts, and budgets online.
VI. Repudiate (refuse to pay) all state government debts incurred without voter approval in violation of our State Constitution. Repudiate all federal government debts incurred for purposes not permitted by Article I, Section 8 of our Federal Constitution.
VII. Bring “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” back to our public schools and local governments. Let parents apply taxpayer money spent to educate their children to the qualified schools they
choose. Don’t force public employees to pay dues to unions they don’t want to join. Let elected officials again decide what salaries, pensions, and benefits to pay our public “servants”.
VIII. Hold frequent non-binding referendums (public votes) on all issues of public importance.
IX. Term limits for all elected officials. Pensions for none.
X. Audit, reform, or abolish the Federal Reserve Banking System and have Congress establish a stable currency secured by precious metals. or assets with recognized and stable values. Have the United States withdraw from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and any organization which purports to require the U.S. Government to spend money without appropriation by Congress pursuant to the U.S. Constitution.
6. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT!!! We need 400 people to pay $30 dues to keep our message on the radio, the internet and on road signs. If you live near a well traveled rural road, please let us put a sign there! Contact Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or (609) 927-7333.
Liberty and Prosperity 1776, Inc. is a non-profit, education organization. We are registered and recognized by both the State of New Jersey and the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. Our mission is to learn and teach why ‘Liberty and Prosperity’, New Jersey’s motto since 1776, is still true and relevant today — and how Americans can again be free and effective citizens.”
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS: Voting Members: $60 dues; attend 3 business meetings per year; work on one board approved project per year. Non-Voting Members: $30 per year; no attendance or volunteer requirements
Seth Grossman, Executive Director, http://www.libertyandprosperity.org 453 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ 08244, grossman@snip.net. Tel. 609-927-7333.
