Doubt i would vote for him, but hope he is successful.
Ron Paul Goes After The TSA
Last week signaled the end to Texan lawmaker David Simpson’s bill to criminalize TSA groping. Not to be deterred, Ron Paul reintroduced the “American Traveler Dignity Act” on Independence Day. The first introduction died in last year’s session.
This bill “strips” TSA of immunity from laws regarding physical contact, imaging people, or physical harm through radiation emission. Of TSA abuses and failures, Paul said, “They are not above laws the rest of us must obey.” And, “If perpetrators were a gang of criminals” they would be raided by SWAT and armed federal agents, but in this case “the perpetrators are armed federal agents.”
Listen to his statement in the video below.
~Health Freedoms
In the wake of last week’s demise of the effort on behalf of Texas lawmakers to criminalize TSA transgressions, Congressman Ron Paul has taken up the cause, once again proving he is the only serious presidential candidate when it comes to protecting the liberties of Americans.
Paul announced today, on Independence Day, that he will introduce legislation into the House this week that will directly target not only grossly invasive TSA pat downs, but also the use of harmful radiation emitting body scanners.
“This week I am introducing the American Traveler Dignity Act, which establishes that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation emitting from machinery on another person.” The Congressman stated in his weekly Texas Straight Talk update.
“They are not above laws the rest of us must obey.” Paul urged. “As we continue to see more and more outrageous stories of TSA abuses and failures, I hope that my colleagues within the House will listen to their constituents and join with me to support this legislation. ” The Congressman added.
“The press reports are horrifying. 95 year old women humiliated, childen subjected to unwarranted groping and touching of their most private areas, and involuntary radiation exposure.
If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and armed federal agents. Unfortunately in this case, the perpetrators are armed federal agents.
This is the sorry situation ten years after the creation of the Transportation Security Agency. The requirement that Americans be forced to undergo this appalling treatment, simply for the privilege of traveling in their own country reveals much about how the federal government feels about our liberties.
The unfortunate fact that we put up with this does not speak well for our willingness to stand up to an abusive government.
Many Americans continue to fool themselves into accepting TSA abuse by saying ‘I don’t mind giving up my freedoms for security. In fact though, they are giving up their liberties and NOT receiving security in return.
Last week, for example, just days after an elderly cancer victim was forced to submit to a cruel and pointless TSA search, including removal of an adult diaper, a Nigerian immigrant somehow managed to stroll through TSA security checks and board a flight from New York to LA with a stolen expired boarding pass and an out of date student ID as his sole identification. He was detained and questioned, only to be released and do it again five days later.
We should not be surprised to find this government ineptitude and indifference at the TSA.
At the time the TSA was being created, I strongly opposed the federalization of airline security. As I wrote, in an article back in 2001,
“Congress should be privatizing rather than nationalizing airport security. The free market can and does produce excellent security and many industries. Many security-intensive industries do an outstanding job of maintaining safety without depending on federal agencies.
Nuclear power plants, chemical plants, oil refineries, and armored money transport companies all employ private security forces that operate very effectively. No government agency will ever care about the bottom-line security and profitability of the airlines more than the airlines themselves. Airlines cannot make money if travelers and flight crews are afraid to fly, and in a free market they would drastically change security measures to prevent future tragedies.
In the current regulatory environment, however, the airlines prefer to relinquish all responsibility for security to the government, so that they cannot be held accountable for lapses in the future.”
What we need is real privatization of security, but not phony privatization with the same TSA security screeners in private security uniforms, still operating under the guidance of the federal government.
Real security will be achieved when the airlines are once again in charge of protecting their property and their passengers.
In the mean time, this week I am introducing the American Traveler Dignity Act, which establishes that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation emitting from machinery on another person.
It means they are not above laws the rest of us must obey. As we continue to see more and more outrageous stories of TSA abuses and failures, I hope that my colleagues within the House will listen to their constituents and join with me to support this legislation.
Steve Watson
Source:
http://tsatyranny.com/2011/07/ron-paul-goes-after-the-tsa/
http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/07/06/ron-paul-goes-after-the-tsa/
If it moves they want to tax it, becareful of what you do with your overstock of animals and produce. I know it is not here yet, but it is just a matter of time especailly as they look for new revenue streams.
USDA fines family up to four million dollars for selling bunny rabbits
When the Dollarhite family of Nixa, Mo., first started raising and selling bunnies as part of a lesson to teach their teenage son about responsibility and hard work, they had no idea they would eventually meet the heavy hand of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to a recent article covered in Breitbart's Big Government, the USDA recently ordered the Dollarhite family to pay more than $90,000 in fines because they sold more than $500 worth of rabbits in a year -- and if they fail to pay the fine by Monday, May 23, the fine will multiply to nearly $4 million.
It all started back in 2006 when John Dollarhite and his wife Judy rescued two rabbits that ended up breeding. The family cared for and raised the new rabbits, and eventually began to sell them to neighbors, friends, and others for $10 or $15 each. Having started by first selling the animals for meat, and later for show, the Dollarhites carefully and humanely raised the small creatures on their three-acre homestead, all while teaching their son honest values in a business environment similar to running a small lemonade stand.
Eventually, the Dollarhites developed such a highly-respected reputation across Missouri that the popular Branson, Mo., theme park Silver Dollar City, and even a local pet store, Petland, began purchasing bunnies from the family in 2009. And according to John, individuals from both Silver Dollar City and Petland, as well as a rabbit competition judge, told him that the family's bunnies were among the best they had ever seen -- healthy, beautiful, and very well-cared for.
All seemed well until a USDA inspector showed up at the family's home in the fall of 2009, and asked to do a "spot inspection" of the rabbitry. The inspector made no indication that anything was amiss, but only that she wished to see the facility. After meandering the premises, the inspector claimed that a few very insignificant aspects of the raising facility were in violation of USDA standards, even though the Dollarhites were not USDA certified, nor were they required to be. She then asked if the Dollarhites wished to be part of the voluntary USDA certification system, upon which they told her they would look into it.
After the inspector left, the Dollarhites heard nothing more from the USDA until January 2010 when a Kansas City-based USDA inspector called the family and said he needed to have a meeting with them because they sold more than $500 worth of rabbits in a single year. When the Dollarhites asked why this was a problem and what law this violated, the man refused to offer an explanation over the phone.
Upon meeting in person, the inspector said he was only there to investigate the rabbitry and take notes for a report, upon which he instructed the family to contact another USDA office if they failed to hear anything further from the USDA after six weeks. As the eighth week arrived without any communication, John called the office and was redirected to the Washington, DC, office where a lady shockingly and bluntly explained to him that she had his report, and that the USDA planned to prosecute him and his family "to the maximum that we can" in order to "make an example" out of him.
Shortly thereafter, the Dollarhites received a letter from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ordering them to pay a fine of $90,643 for supposedly violating a mystery law that prohibits the selling of more then $500 in rabbits within a year, even though the Dollarhites were in full accordance with Missouri state law, did not sell their rabbits across state lines, and raised their rabbits humanely and in excess of minimum requirements. The letter outlined that the Dollarhites had until May 23 to pay the exorbitant fine, or else face additional fines totaling nearly $4 million -- all for selling about $4,600 worth of rabbits that netted the family a mere $200 in profits.
The whole scenario proves, once again, that the USDA is nothing more than a tag-team terrorist duo with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Both agencies' insatiable lust for power and control over private affairs is never satisfied, as they continue to prowl around like bloodthirsty predators seeking whoever and whatever they can devour. When will Americans finally stand up to their tyranny and say enough is enough?
http://www.naturalnews.com/032476_rabbits_USDA.html#ixzz1RQKCn5Od
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam willing to take lead on Internet sales tax
NASHVILLE -- Gov. Bill Haslam said Wednesday that untaxed Internet sales are eroding Tennessee's tax base and said he's willing to take a leadership role among governors in urging Congress to pass a national approach to collecting sales taxes on goods sold over the Internet.
Bill Haslam
He said Tennessee is already losing between $300 million and $500 million a year on untaxed Internet sales --- a growing number since the states and Congress have been unable for more than a decade to agree on a "streamlined sales tax" process enabling online retailers to collect taxes easily for the nation's thousands of state and local taxing jurisdictions.
"It's not going to begin eroding the state's tax base; it already is. Something has to happen nationally. The whole streamlined sales tax is a big deal, and I'm more than willing to play a leadership role," Haslam said. "It has to be addressed on a national level or we're going to keep playing these kinds of move-around games."
His remarks were part of a discussion with reporters about an advisory opinion issued by state Atty. Gen. Robert Cooper last week indicating the state legislature could enact a law requiring an online retailer with a physical presence in Tennessee to collect sales tax on items it sells to Tennessee residents and businesses.
Cooper made it clear that the opinion addressed online retailers generally and was not directed specifically at Amazon.com, whose dealings with state revenue officials were the focus of a legislative inquiry in May.
The chairmen of the House and Senate finance committees filed but did not pursue legislation to override a secret agreement between Amazon and the state revenue commissioner. That agreement keeps the retailer from having to collect sales tax on Tennessee sales after it locates two distribution centers in the Chattanooga area.
Heamlined sales tax" process enabling online retailers to collect taxes easily for the nation's thousands of state and local taxing jurisdictions.
"It's not going to begin eroding the state's tax base; it already is. Something has to happen nationally. The whole streamlined sales tax is a big deal, and I'm more than willing to play a leadership role," Haslam said. "It has to be addressed on a national level or we're going to keep playing these kinds of move-around games."
His remarks were part of a discussion with reporters about an advisory opinion issued by state Atty. Gen. Robert Cooper last week indicating the state legislature could enact a law requiring an online retailer with a physical presence in Tennessee to collect sales tax on items it sells to Tennessee residents and businesses.
Cooper made it clear that the opinion addressed online retailers generally and was not directed specifically at Amazon.com, whose dealings with state revenue officials were the focus of a legislative inquiry in May.
The chairmen of the House and Senate finance committees filed but did not pursue legislation to override a secret agreement between Amazon and the state revenue commissioner. That agreement keeps the retailer from having to collect sales tax on Tennessee sales after it locates two distribution centers in the Chattanooga area.
Haslam said the state is still in discussions with Amazon about locating two more distribution centers in Tennessee beyond the two under construction but there is nothing new to report.
The governor also said that talk by legislators about a possible two-year moratorium on Amazon sales tax collections, then forcing the Seattle-based Internet giant to collect Tennessee sales tax, could cause Amazon to reconsider whether to build its centers -- and locate jobs -- in the state.
At stake are not only the tax bases of state and local governments but whether Tennesseans who shop online have to pay nearly 10 percent in state and local sales taxes on their purchases.
A group of other online retailers who do collect sales tax because they have physical presence in Tennessee opposed a tax break for Amazon while the legislature was in session and are considering a lawsuit on the grounds that the agreement with Amazon is unfair to other retailers.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jul/06/haslam-willing-take-lead-internet-sales-tax/
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