Kucinich to force House vote on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Pakistan

Kucinich to force House vote on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Pakistan

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer

December 09, 2009, 2:30PM

Original Story
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich plans to force a House of Representatives vote early next year on whether to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Cleveland Democrat announced Wednesday that he has begun circulating a letter to colleagues that asks if they'd be willing to co-sponsor his two resolutions to "trigger a timeline for a timely withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan."

Although President Barack Obama has said prior congressional actions permit him to respond militarily to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Kucinich says Congress can still revisit the war. He says that the United States should keep trying to bring Osama bin Laden to justice but that pursuing wars throughout the Middle East backfires by inflaming anti-American sentiment.

The White House had no comment on Kucinich's plans.

Kucinich said he was motivated to act by hearing Afghan President Hamid Karzai assert that his country will probably need U.S. financial aid and training for the next 15 to 20 years.

"We shouldn't be there another 15 to 20 months, let alone 15 to 20 years," Kucinich said. "We can't afford the loss of lives. We can't afford the loss of taxpayers' money. We've got to get our priorities straight."

Kucinich expects his resolutions will be referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs when he introduces them in January. If the committee doesn't act within 15 days, he'll move to send the resolutions directly to the House floor. In the past few years, Kucinich used the maneuver to force a floor discussion on impeaching then-Vice President Dick Cheney.

"It is possible that someone could try to short-circuit the debate by moving to table the resolution, but I am hopeful that we will have a debate, given the gravity of the wars," Kucinich said. "The people of the United States are entitled to a debate."

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Firearms Freedom Act

Photo from Perrysburg Tea-Party

Introduced in the Ohio House on October 16, 2009, the “Firearms Freedom Act” (HB-315) seeks “To enact section 2923.26 of the Revised Code to provide that ammunition, firearms, and firearm accessories that are manufactured and remain in Ohio are not subject to federal laws and regulations derived under Congress’ authority to regulate interstate commerce and to require the words “Made in Ohio” be stamped on a central metallic part of any firearm manufactured and sold in Ohio.”

The bill was authored by State Representatives Morgan and Martin, and currently has 15 other co-sponsors. (h/t BuckeyeFirearms.org and OhioFreedom.com)

While the HB315’s title focuses on federal gun regulations, it has far more to do with the 10th Amendment’s limit on the power of the federal government.

Full Article HERE. Click Here to Read More..

Will Ohio Nullify National Health Care?

Hat tip to Michael Boldin

Following the lead of Arizona, Florida, and Michigan, in recent weeks legislators from Louisiana and Georgia announced that they were planning on introducing resolutions for State Constitutional Amendments that would allow the people of those states to effectively opt-out of any future national health care plan.

And now, Ohio joins them.

According to our friends at OhioFreeState.com, Ohio State Senators Grendell and Jones have introduced Senate Joint Resolution & (SJR7).

The resolution proposes:

"to enact Section 43 of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to prohibit a law or rule from compelling a person, employer, or health care provider to participate in a health care system."

If passed by the Ohio legislature, the proposal will go directly to Ohio voters for their approval:

If adopted by a majority of the electors voting on this proposal at a special election held February 2, 2010, Section 43 of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio shall take effect immediately.

The resolution in Arizona (HCR2014) has already passed both the House and Senate, and in 2010, Arizona voters will be the final voice on their proposed Constitutional Amendment.

In Florida and Michigan, similar resolutions have been introduced, but have yet to have formal hearing or debates.

Legislators in GA and LA announced that they'll be introducing similar resolutions in the 2010 legislative session. And sources close to the Tenth Amendment Center indicate that more than 15 states will do the same in 2010.

Click here to read the full text of SJR7 Click Here to Read More..

Dreaming of Freedom AND Talking About Liberty

It is sad that the supporters of Obama cannot win an argument with ideas. It is sadder that they believe censorship of opposing points of view is a good idea. It is sadder even yet, that the chairman of the Democrat Party would lament those pesky First Amendment Rights, which allow people to openly express disagreement with the direction this country is going.



Obama critics speak minds in face of vandalism

By MELISSA TOPEY | Monday, August 31, 2009 1:57 AM EDT

A local couple discovered expressing their political views can come with a backlash -- but they aren't backing down.

Since June, the Morin family has had their home egged, a garage window broken and signs speaking out against the policies of President Barack Obama torn down.

"Why can't I have free speech?" asked Paula Morin, who lives at 328 Fulton St. "I'm very concerned about the direction this country's heading."

Paula said she disagrees with the government bailout of the auto industry and banks, as well as health care reform.

Paula and her husband, Desi, filed a complaint June 10 stating a small window on their garage had been broken out, according to Sandusky police reports. A "Stop Obama Now" cardboard sign taped outside of a bay window had been turned backward in an apparent act of censorship.

Undaunted by the vandalism, she proudly posted a new sign in her home's front window.

"I wasn't going to be deterred. This is my property," Paula said as she sat in her living room with her granddaughters on a recent Friday.

The sign continues to attract attention. Last Sunday, Desi met with officers at the house after noticing someone had thrown a dozen eggs on the house by the sign.

"I hope the police presence was seen," Paula said.

She said they did not report the numerous times signs were torn down.

She doesn't know who is responsible but said she hasn't had any recent trouble with her neighbors. Paula said during the presidential campaign, neither her sign for presidential candidate John McCain nor her neighbor's Obama sign was damaged.

Amy Grubbe, chairwoman of the Erie County Democratic party, said while she and others may disagree with Paula's views, no one has the right to target another person's property in protest.

"She has her First Amendment rights," Grubbe said. "I may disagree with her view, but expressing them is her right. Vandalism of someone's property is not the right way to go about it. It's unfortunate someone has chosen to go about it in that manner." Click Here to Read More..

Upcoming Events Planned

For those who wish to join in and
Water the Tree of Liberty:


1) Children of Liberty Rally

Who: The Children of Liberty

What: Nationwide Recess Rally

Where: Marcy Kaptur's Toledo Office

When: Saturday, August 22, 2009

Time: 12pm

In Association with: American LibertyAlliance http://recessrally.com/

Why: To send Representative Kaptur a clear message that the citizens of the 9th congressional district of Ohio say NO to the nationalized healthcare bill, as proposed by President Obama and the United States Congress.

Toledo, Ohio: On Saturday, August 22, The Children of Liberty will sponsor a local recess rally outside Marcy Kaptur's office. We will gather at 11:15 at International Park and march, together, to Marcy's Maritime office. We are calling on ALL citizens in Marcy Kaptur's districts in Lucas, Erie, Ottawa and Loraine counties to come together and show our discontent with the healthcare legislation. We will not stand for socialized, government controlled healthcare and this staged protest will say loudly, "Marcy, we said NO! Once arriving at her office, we will have speakers regarding healthcare issues. And, a healthcare "town crier" will also be present to read a summary of the bill aloud for all to hear. For more information, contact The Children of Liberty at thechildrenofliberty@yahoo.com or call 419-705-3702.

2)9/12 Protest at the Capital
We (Freedom Works Foundation) will be putting together the details of the week’s events soon. For now, this is our tentative agenda for 9-10 through 9-12.
Thursday, 9-10:
Morning: Liberty Summit with select Congressmen and Senators
Afternoon: Grassroots visits with Representatives and Senators
Evening: Time to explore Washington

Friday, 9-11:
Morning: September 11th Never Forget memorial
Afternoon: Grassroots leadership training seminars
Evening: Special Dinner

Saturday, 9-12:
8:00am Set up for stages and volunteers
10:00am Events begin at U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial
2:00pm March begins at Lincoln Memorial and ends at the U.S. Capitol Building

3) On Sept 15 Audit the Fed Ohio Rally Point.
We (Ohio Campaign for Liberty) will deliver the audit the fed petitions you have been helping to gather to our senators. If you can make the time please join us Sept 15th at 12:30 to delivery those petitions. More details soon but we plan to meet at the Ohio Statehouse west side (High Street).

Senators who have failed to co-sponsor S 604, the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act: Senator Voinovich, Senator Brown

Representatives who have failed to co-sponsor HR 1207 the Federal Reserve Transparency Act: Driehaus (1), Wilson (6), Sutton (13), Kilroy (15), Ryan (17) Click Here to Read More..

Ohio Judge upholds the Constitution

Judge's ruling is called 'unprecedented' when all he did was uphold the Constitution!


U.S. seizure of charity's assets ruled unlawful
Muslim group's rights violated, judge asserts
By ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER

The U.S. government violated the constitutional rights of a local Muslim charity when it froze its financial assets in 2006 and prevented it from adequately defending itself against allegations of ties to terrorism, a federal judge in Toledo has ruled.

Judge James Carr released a 100-page order Tuesday that favored arguments by KindHearts for Charitable Humanitarian Development Inc., which sued the government in October.

The ruling, which attorneys have called unprecedented, agreed with the organization's assertions that KindHearts was denied due process and subjected to the unlawful seizure of its property.

However, the ruling did not go so far as to label as unconstitutional or even vague the legislation used by the government to investigate organizations with potential ties to terrorism.

"Judge Carr's historic ruling makes clear that the government can't circumvent the Constitution, which protects us against unreasonable searches and seizures and affords us the due-process rights of notice and a chance to be heard, even when the government invokes national security as an excuse. We should all celebrate the vindication of those crucial principles. As for KindHearts in particular, Judge Carr's ruling is a critical step toward its goal of defending itself against the government's allegations," said Fritz Byers, one of KindHearts' attorneys.

KindHearts, founded in 2002, was targeted in 2006 by federal agents, who in turn froze the charity's financial assets. According to court documents, the organization was under investigation by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury De-partment and would potentially be labeled as a "specially designated global terrorist."

Jihad Smaili, a KindHearts attorney who has since relocated to California, said yesterday that in the days and weeks after the organization's shutdown, he repeatedly tried to learn what evidence had been collected about the group's alleged affiliation with a militant-terrorist group. He said KindHearts was not allowed access to any information, including the group's own seized documents or its funds to hire attorneys.

"The opinion vindicates KindHearts' position all along, which is that it was shut down without evidence or without any opportunity to present its side to any court," Mr. Smaili said. "And 42 months later, a judge has recognized that there were constitutional violations."

Earlier this year, Judge Carr ordered the government to produce copies of all materials seized in 2006 from KindHearts' headquarters and the home of its president.

The organization's attorneys had argued that without access to the information, it could not defend itself against charges of terrorism by showing where its money was spent. The government countered that opening access could compromise its investigation.

The attorneys, including those from the American Civil Liberties Union, further argued that the government violated search-and-seizure laws when it froze KindHearts' assets without showing probable cause and without obtaining a warrant.

In his order this week, Judge Carr wrote, "KindHearts is indisputably one of 'the people' protected by the Fourth Amendment. If the Constitution affords KindHearts no protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, whom among 'the people' does it protect and who among the people can be certain of its protection?"

The judge further noted that finding the Fourth Amendment inapplicable to the government's "block actions" would disregard its "role as a bulwark against the abuses and excesses of unchecked governmental power."

Charles Miller, a spokesman for the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, said the lengthy opinion will be analyzed so it is wholly understood. He declined comment on the judge's conclusions.

"We're going to review it and then ultimately make a determination of how the government will proceed in this matter," he said yesterday. "It's not just a simple case of reading it, it's a matter of reading the nuances of what it means and then [figuring] out how to proceed."

Though the judge found the organization's rights were violated, he offered no opinion on to what extent KindHearts suffered as a result of the government's actions. Instead, he asked attorneys for both sides to submit additional information and set a Sept. 21 hearing date to review the matter.

Mr. Smaili said KindHearts had about $1 million in its coffers in 2006 that was headed to Pakistan for earthquake relief. Though the group now has access to its funds to pay attorneys, he questioned what will happen to the money he said was at one time slated for humanitarian relief efforts.

"It's a great thing to read, but in reality, KindHearts is shut down forever," Mr. Smaili said.

Judge Carr's decision may be appealed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. At a May 1 court appearance before the judge in which both sides argued their cases, the government indicated if the judge ruled the freeze of assets lifted, it would request a stay until the appellate court hears the case.
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We the people...Constitution rally in Perrysburg

Local Rally draws media attention.



We the people...Constitution rally in Perrysburg

Written by JENISE FOUTS Sentinel Staff Writer
Saturday, 01 August 2009 20:02

PERRYSBURG - Saturday's Northwest Ohio Pro-Constitution Rally at Hood Park was not organized by veteran protestors, irate taxpayers or disgruntled citizens. Its sponsors were two young women in their 20s who want to preserve the future of America.
Sara (George) Lewis, 24, co-organizer with her friend, Adrianne Lee, 25, was pleased it turned out to be a positive event, one of their primary goals. "All of our speakers kept focused on the Constitution and focused on positive activities," said Lewis, adding, "We weren't here to complain. We were here to celebrate the Constitution."
She has attended two TEA party protests which were much larger, while Saturday's rally had a steady crowd of 100 during its two-hour length. "I think one of the differences with the TEA parties, they had an organization behind it, not just two people behind it," said Lewis. "This is an independent cause started by two citizens."
One reason they organized the rally is because "it just seems like people aren't aware what's going on, and people have stopped reading (the Constitution) and understanding what it means," Lewis said. "Even though we still are young we have our futures in mind. When we have children we want them to have the same quality of life and liberty we have today.
"It's looking in the future and making sure we preserve what we have."
When it concluded, her husband, Army Tech Sgt. Joe Lewis, stated, "I think after this people'll open their books and read the Constitution and find out what this is going on. ... I just hope people take action."

Many of the speakers interwove ways to take action within their speeches. Jeffery Webber, 37, a father of four and founder of Network 1776, (www.network1776.org) suggested, "Call radio stations. Start your own Web site. Start a MySpace page. Twitter. Do whatever you can do to make your voice be heard."
Webber brought a huge American flag which he found in a gutter, frozen and tied to a 2-by-4. He had two volunteers hold it up so the audience could see how battered it was. Then Webber had the men turn it upside down.
"This reminded me about our country," he stated, noting its tears, rips and holes. When it was upside down he continued, "This represents our country in distress. America's back is against the wall. Nobody thinks they can make a difference. We can't do it one at a time. We have to do it together and make a stand."
He referenced speaker Scott Allegrini who started Children of Liberty. "There are groups out there. (Or) start your own. We're running out of time. Start doing your research."
Guests heard about a rally in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 12, as well as a class on the Constitution which speaker Ken Matesz will teach in October in Perrysburg. In addition, after the event, attendee Sue Goliver mentioned We By For (the People), a brand new organization which is attempting to preserve the country as a constitutional republic.
Speakers addressed issues such as why the Constitution was written, economic freedom, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms and the cost of freedom.
Co-organizer Lee welcomed the audience. "We gather today to celebrate nothing short of a miracle: The Constitution." She noted the country's Founding Fathers "certainly did not want us controlled by a Nanny State. We are paying attention."
Speaker Joel Rossol said the Founding Fathers understood negative rights, writing into the Constitution what Congress cannot do to impinge upon the rights citizens have.
The youngest speaker, Raymond George, 17, spoke about the Second Amendment's right to bear arms and asked, "If (it) is nullified by some form of law, what's there to stop other amendments from being changed? What about freedom of speech? ... If you start, where will it stop?"
Iraqi War veteran Corey LeRoux announced, "I learned what happens to a country, a people, that do not have a Constitution. Imagine your children playing in a street where a foreign army patrols it, and a bomb can go off. ... It means we must stand together, that with faith with a loud enough voice we can take action, turn our flag the right side up." Click Here to Read More..