Weekly Update – June 26, 2010
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. REPUDIATE UNCONSTITUTIONAL DEBT NOT APPROVED BY VOTERS! We may have a showdown on this real quick. Most experts agree that NJ pension funds are broke, and will be unable to pay pensions in full within 6 years. See http://www.xe.com/news/2010-06-23%20….htm?c=2&t=107. Although the unions blame this on the failures of past governors and current Governor Christie to contribute to the system, the fact is that NJ government pensions are a Ponzi scheme that can never be made solvent. The unions went to court to force tax hikes to fund their pension scheme?and they lost! This week, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that under our State Constitution, taxpayers cannot be forced to pay pension obligations they never voted for!
2. For some unknown reason, leading State Senate Republicans Tom Kean, Jr., Gerald Cardinale, and Joe Pennacchio teamed up with Democrats Steve Sweeney, Richard Codey, and Jeff Van Drew to support a new state Constitutional Amendment to force income and property hikes to FULLY fund ALL state, county, local and public school pensions?including pensions of politicians like the brother of Democrat State Senate Leader Richard Codey, and ex-Republican Senator Nick Asselta. It is called SCR1 in the Senate, and ACR115 in the Assembly. If enacted by the legislature and approved by voters in November, the tax hikes caused by this measure alone will destroy almost all private business in New Jersey, and soon cause massive tax foreclosures of real estate. The measure was approved by the Senate last March 22, but the Assembly has not yet voted. Republican leaders Alex DeCroce and Scott Rumana sponsored this bill in the Assembly. Will the Assembly now rush to put the measure on this November’s ballot? If so, are you ready for battle?
3. Republican Chris Christie is no conservative, and no tax cutter. The only real cuts Christie made to the state budget were $2.56 billion of state rebates of income tax money to taxpayers and mostly suburban school districts and local governments. The income tax was adopted in 1976 to make these payments to cut property taxes. Christie is using most of this money to pay for higher costs in state government and Democrat run cities. Democrats made a deal with Christie to let the big city Democrats who are getting this money vote for the budget if ALL Republicans go along. But right now, Conservative Republicans Allison McHose and Mike Dougherty are NOT going along, and the whole budget deal might crash. If no budget is approved by June 30, state government shuts down.
3. What do you think of Governor Christie?s proposed 2.5% per year limit on county, local and public school government tax hikes? Our group is divided. Some, like Mel Nathanson think it is a step in the right direction, even though there are problems with it. Some, like Seth Grossman, think it is a sham that does not deal with any of the causes of out-of-control government spending, and will actually make things worse. Grossman favors Constitutional Amendments to deal with the root causes of the problem–(a) forcing public employees to pay dues to unions and associations they don?t want to join, (b) forcing towns to hire the most expensive union companies, (c) forcing taxpayers, not clients, to pay big lawyer fees when people sue the government, (d) forcing taxpayers to spend far more on ?special needs? students than for other students, etc. Although Grossman?s views will soon be published in next weeks? Current and Gazette newspapers, http://www.libertyandprosperity.org, they will only represent his personal views. So far, our organization has not taken a stand one way or another on this issue.
4. 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
5. Somers Point Public Schools celebrate Flag Day by ordering all students to make a giant peace symbol in the school yard. This week?s essay by Seth Grossman stresses the importance of teaching American values in our public schhols. What are they? Go to: http://www.libertyandprosperity.org/…article&id=601
6. Start celebrating July 4 Independence Day with Liberty at the Movies on Tuesday, June 29 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Mays Landing Library. We will show The Crossing, the critically acclaimed docu-drama about the decisive Battle of Trenton in 1776. Seth Grossman will lead a brief discussion on the real history behind the movie, and its importance today. Bring your kids and grandkids!
7. Thanks to all who spread our message at the Tea Party Rally last Saturday in Woodstown, and who hosted the breakfast discussion in Northfield at the same time. About 1,000 people attended. But more and more people are asking this question: ?Shouldn?t we be spending more time and money reaching out to others? Aren?t we already spending more than enough time and money on events like this where we only talk to each other??
8. 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.
9. 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.
