“Truth persists and illuminates, even if there is no one to utter it.“

Government is not the solution; rather, it is causing the problems.  The below slides (view at Scribd) highlight the economic situation, updated from August and May presentation.  I’ve written about the solutions to the unemployment problem, the deficit, Social Security, and the high costs of health care which are linked below.  Thanks to Lee Trembley for providing some of the research and slides.

A giant land mine is about to go off in the United States, and those responsible walk the halls of our nation’s highest political offices and the Federal Reserve.  I know how to cushion the people from most of the damage.  I have the courage to explain reality to the Republocrats, that is why I am running for Congress.  And it is certainly not all gloom and doom – there is a very bright future for America if we just return to what made our country great – individual liberties, sound money, accountability and the rule of law.

I humbly ask for your vote on November 2nd to stop the endless debt and perpetual wars.

For Liberty and the Constitution,

Jake Towne

Will the real national debt please stand up? The national debt published in the papers and online – which is closely tied to the USTreasury market is now over $13.6 trillion.  Current government plans include massive deficit spending through 2013, and the government’s optimistic projections of a return to “normalcy” after 2013 are not anchored in reality.  Source of budget data.

However, the true national debt is hidden by the cash-based accounting method government uses.  The true national debt is over $120 trillion when GAAP (Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles) are used to identify future taxation sources and future debts such as Social Security and Medicare.  That’s around $400,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country.  Massive reductions in spending and taxation are necessary if America is to regain its financial sovereignty, my proposals are outlined here and in “Guns or Health Care?“

As seen in the official USTreasury report on page 178/254, the total unfunded liabilities for Medicare and Social Security is a jaw-dropping $107 trillion over the future of these programs.  While I predict the Democrats may bear the brunt of the blame for the collapse of Medicare, one must not forget that it was the Republican’s massive expansion of Part D’s prescription drug plan under Bush that severely worsened Medicare’s fiscal situation.  While the situation in Medicare will continue to worsen under the new healthcare legislation – some of my proposals to maintain Social Security are outlined in “Social Security or Insecurity?“

“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance.” – Declaration of Independence, 1776

The quote above from the Declaration is far more true in 2010 than it was in 1776.   Not counting the millions of government contractors, the government’s Republocrat-controlled work force is currently 22.1 million bureaucrats.  This is America’s largest single job sector, and remember, the taxpayer bears the full cost to keep these bureaucrats employed.  Like something out of an Orwell novel, the Washington Post estimates 854,000 bureaucrats are employed to spy on and keep tabs on the rest of us and the world.  Lisa Benson’s cartoon says it all.

Keep in mind bureaucrats make nearly twice the average wage of the private sector, and have better benefits.  My solutions?  First, lead by example.  I will refuse the elite congressional pension and healthcare plans when elected, and keep just the median income for a salary and donate the rest of the $116,000 to local non-profit hospitals.  Second, I favor either a temporary income tax holiday, or simply halting the income tax on the median income, which will abolish the income tax for about 50% of the population and only result in a 3% drop in the taxes collected by the income tax.

Next, notice about 1 in 7 Americans is on food stamps, or 41.8 million people.  USDA link here.  Note the strong rise in number of SNAP food stamp recipients during the past year.  One would expect to see this number dropping or even flat-lining – along with employment rising – if a recovery were underway.  The annual projected cost is now $67 billion, paid for by the ever-diminishing work force.

No jobs, no recovery. BLS link here.  Note that while the “newspaper” unemployment rate is still 9-10%, the U-6 figure – which more accurately describes total unemployment is 16% – a depression statistic.  An estimated 1.6 million will file for bankruptcy this year.   I’ve described the common sense solutions to end the rampant unemployment created by the government almost overnight in the campaign’s Jobs plank.

Since the BLS drops off workers from its U-6 figure, the real unemployment rate is likely greater than 17%.  Shadowstats estimates the rate at about 22%.

The number of new housing starts has reached a 5-decade low, while about 25% of all residential mortgages are underwater.  Note that in prior recession cycles, a quick rebound occurred while this depression looks more like a dead cat bounce.  This is because….

The Federal Reserve bailed out the bankers and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.  The above is built from the Federal Reserve H.4.1 data here.  The black line is the total (reported) balance sheet of the FED, which has more than doubled since the time of the Banker Bailout.  While the original TARP bailout (not shown) accounted for much of the initial sharp increase, most of the debt has been replaced by $1.12 trillion of mortgage-backed securities (the yellow line).

This graph shows the nationalization and propping of America’s entire residential housing industry. The yellow and green lines show the cumulative totals of USTreasury and USAgency debt held by the FED.  While the Federal Reserve has admitted it will take losses on the MBS debt, the question remains as to how much and when.

The purchasing power of the dollar has lost well over 94% since FDR took America off the classical gold standard in 1933 through monetary inflation.  The monetary inflation is caused by the Federal Reserve.  They debase the dollar by creating more and more irredeemable paper dollars, which is of increasing concern since China has stopped buying Treasury debt.  A major reason why healthcare now appears so expensive is this money-printing, as I highlighted in my article “Health Care Solutions.”  Graph provided by Bloomberg Financial, 2009.

The relentless rise in the paper gold price from 2000-2010 is not due to any special circumstance with gold – nor is it a bubble yet – it is solely due to the money-printing and credit expansions of the world’s central banks.  Gold is insurance against the failure of unbacked paper currencies, and this is why all central banks – and more and more individuals worldwide – hold gold reserves.  I’ve written extensively on the Federal Reserve and how sound money effects jobs here.

Now, where do the government and bankers spend a good portion of this currency they created from thin air?  In a word, WAR.  The United States spends more on military expenditures than the rest of the world combined, and the military-industrial-congressional complex that Eisenhower warned about now serves as the world’s largest arms dealers.  Check out this movie clip from “The International” on debt and control. (Graph source and data here)  There are far better solutions to capturing the criminals who attacked America on 9/11 which I write about in my Afghanistan War plank.

To cap off the situation with the dollar, the latest quarterly banking profile from the FDIC state the deposit insurance fund (DIF) is bankrupt.  While consumers at failed banks still receive “insured” funds, the losses are presumably filled in with dollars from the FED, as reported last here.  The current FDIC “watch list” rose to 775 banks, or almost 10% of all FDIC-insured banks in the US per p. 3/26.

CAUTION: LAND MINES

In summary, do not expect a recovery until the Republocrat ruling elite are removed from power or are forced to address the problems the rest of society faces.  As the extravagant $5 million Bill Clinton wedding under heavy security – possibly paid for by the taxpayer – and $7 million John Kerry yacht (and avoidance of >$500,000 in taxes) demonstrate, the elite are not exactly suffering.

The “Great Recession” still has a firm grip on the economy, and the situation continues to deteriorate, now matter what cherry-picked news is shared in the mainstream media.  Sadly, the truth is the situation in America will not improve until the government removes its jackboots from the throat of the economy.  Ceasing all special privileges to special groups would help as well.

That Freedom Shall Not Perish,

TOWNE FOR CONGRESS

Article Archives

As those who have been following the campaign are aware, my independent candidacy was recently endorsed by a major local newspaper, the Express Times, and I destroyed my opponents in the debates, the last one you can watch here or 8 pm this evening on Channel 69 WFMZ-TV.  Momentum is all on the campaign’s side, and anyone in the area is encouraged to spread this issues flyer.

I’d like to conclude with a quote on youth by Randolph Bourne, which explains why the younger generation has to step forward to converse with the older generations.

“Youth is the incarnation of reason pitted against the rigidity of tradition; youth puts the remorseless questions to everything that is old and established – Why? What is this thing good for? And when it gets the mumbled, evasive answers of…… the defenders it applies its own fresh, clean spirit of reason to institutions, customs and ideas and finding them stupid, inane or poisonous, turns instinctively to overthrow them and build in their place the things with which its visions teem. . . .

“Youth is the leaven that keeps all these questioning, testing attitudes fermenting in the world. If it were not for this troublesome activity of youth, with its hatred of sophisms and glosses, its insistence on things as they are, society would die from sheer decay. It is the policy of the older generation as it gets adjusted to the world to hide away the unpleasant things where it can, or preserve a conspiracy of silence and an elaborate pretense that they do not exist. But meanwhile the sores go on festering just the same. Youth is the drastic antiseptic. . . . It drags skeletons from closets and insists that they be explained. No wonder the older generation fears and distrusts the younger. Youth is the avenging Nemesis on its trail. . . .

“Our elders are always optimistic in their views of the present, pessimistic in their views of the future; youth is pessimistic toward the present and gloriously hopeful for the future. And it is this hope which is the lever of progress – one might say, the only lever of progress. . . .

“The secret of life is then that this fine youthful spirit shall never be lost. Out of the turbulence of youth should come this fine precipitate – a sane, strong, aggressive spirit of daring and doing. It must be a flexible, growing spirit, with a hospitality to new ideas and a keen insight into experience. To keep one’s reactions warm and true is to have found the secret of perpetual youth, and perpetual youth is salvation.”

Lastly, a grassroots supporter sent this in to commemorate the campaign’s upcoming victory on November 2nd.  I have a dream as well, thanks to Arianne Elinich for the use of her song.

Jake Towne for US Congress PA-15 – Economy in Pictures (OCT 2010)

Upcoming Events

• Rally to Restore Sanity, 12 PM- 4 PM on Saturday, October 30 at Porter’s Pub, 700 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18036.  MAP.  The Comedy Central march in DC will be televised from 12-3 pm and Jake will be taking questions from 3-4 pm.  This is not a campaign sponsored event.
• Slatington-Walnutport Halloween Parade: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Replay of “Debate at the State”, 8 PM on Saturday, October 30 on WFMZ Channel 69.

• Easton-Phillipsburg Halloween Parade: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Allentown Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Bethlehem Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• NOVEMBER 2nd ELECTION DAY!! Volunteers are needed to hand out literature outside of local polling stations, please volunteer here and share your name, phone #, city, and if you live in the district, your current polling location.
  • Post-Election Victory Party for all volunteers and supporters at 8 PM on Election Day at Pies On Pizzeria at Front and Pine Streets, Catasauqua!!!!

“The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing and expecting a different result.” – Einstein

“The definition of insanity is voting for Republocrats and not expecting more tyranny, war, and debt.” – Towne

Check out the complete footage and clips from the State Theatre Debate in Easton on Monday, it was a clear victory for the campaign!!

Material pickup for the polls is TODAY, Thursday, October 28 at the American Sandwich Company in Coopersburg from 5pm to 8 pm – if you cannot make it, the materials will be delivered but please try to make it!!

I was also invited to attend the “Rally to Restore Sanity” which will take place on Saturday at Porter’s Pub in Easton.  The rally is from 12-3 pm, and I will be there from 3-4 pm to meet people and answer questions.  You can also pick up materials for the polls there as well.

Feel free to volunteer at the polls on November 2nd, and at the below Halloween parades.  Teams will be heading out to canvass and flyer blitz neighborhoods all week and over the weekend, so feel free to join or flyer your own neighborhood.  An electronic copy of the flyer is here.

Yours in liberty,
Jake

• Northampton Community College Forum, October 28, 11 AM till perhaps 12:30 or 1 PM.  Open to public, Q&A. Location Changed!! Location is in the Student Life Zone on the 2nd floor of the College Center.  3835 Green Pond Rd Bethlehem, PA 18020.  Campus Map.
• Live interview on WDIY, 6-7 PM on Thursday, October 28.  Listen locally at 88.1 FM or here online.
• Rally and Poll Materials Pickup, 5PM-8:30 PM on Thursday, October 28 at American Sandwich Company at 7001 Route 309, Fairmont Village Shopping Center, Coopersburg, PA 18036.  MAP.  A volunteer will be there to hand out materials from 5 PM on, Jake will arrive around 7:30 to talk for a bit.

• Rally to Restore Sanity, 12 PM- 4 PM on Saturday, October 30 at Porter’s Pub, 700 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18036.  MAP.  The Comedy Central march in DC will be televised from 12-3 pm and Jake will be taking questions from 3-4 pm.  This is not a campaign sponsored event.
• Slatington-Walnutport Halloween Parade: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Replay of “Debate at the State”, 8 PM on Saturday, October 30 on WFMZ Channel 69.

• Easton-Phillipsburg Halloween Parade: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Allentown Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Bethlehem Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• NOVEMBER 2nd ELECTION DAY!! Volunteers are needed to hand out literature outside of local polling stations, please volunteer here and share your name, phone #, city, and if you live in the district, your current polling location.
  • Post-Election Victory Party for all volunteers at 8 PM on Election Day at Pies On Pizzeria at Front and Pine Streets, Catasauqua!!!!

Independent congressional candidate Jake Towne claimed a clear victory at the “Debate at the State” – held and co-sponsored by Easton’s historic and beautiful State Theatre.  The Express Times was the main sponsor, and is commended by the campaign for its commitment to hear all candidates.

When Towne challenged Mr. Dent on the constitutionality of his support of the War on Terror and the PATRIOT Act’s civil liberty violations, the incumbent had no coherent response and the 20-year career politician pitifully resorted to accusing Towne as believing in 9/11 conspiracies, a complete and utter lie.  Towne also challenged Mr. Callahan on HIS unflagging support of the unconstitutional War on Terror and endless nation-building.

Towne’s closing statement was met with by far the most applause, which is quite significant since most of the crowd were not previous supporters and were converted by the debate.  While the Republocrat candidates were busy with negative mudslinging, Towne focused on offering solutions to the problems the country faces.

The debate will air on Saturday, October 30th on WFMZ-TV, Channel 69.   Watch footage from the Express Times Debate below, and also from the previous WFMZ debate here.  (Photo courtesy Sue Beyer/Express Times)

Closing statement from Jake Towne (below left)  Towne questioning the constitutionality of Mr. Dent’s support of the undeclared wars and PATRIOT Act. (below right)

Towne asking Mr. Callahan to pledge to take a paycut and give up the congressional perks.  When Mr. Callahan first attempted to dodge the question, snickering from the crowd led him to address the question… and say he would think it over.  (below left)  Towne asking Mr. Callahan why he supports the endless and unconstitutional War on Terror and nation-building.  (below right)

To Towne’s delight, Mr. Callahan asked him a question on the federal department of education.  (Below left)  Towne outlines his stance to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and highlights the contrast on bailouts.  (Below right)

Jake takes a moment to state his stance on Cap and Trade and highlighted hydraulic fracturing as the key environmental risk to the district.  Read his solutions with hydraulic fracturing here.  (Below left)  All candidates share their stances on jobs.  See Jake’s plank here.  (Below right)

All candidates are asked a question about troop withdrawal.  Only Towne answers the question while Mr. Dent and Mr. Callahan mudsling at the expense of our veterans.  Only Towne has published a veterans plank.  (Below left)  Towne answers a question on healthcare. (Below right)

Lastly, all candidates are asked a question about negative campaigning.  True to form, Mr. Callahan and Mr. Dent answer by mudslinging, while Jake responds by saying, “I think you see so much negative campaigning because they have no new ideas.”  Jake outlines his “Our Open Office” idea.  (video)

While my Republocrat opponents, Mr. Dent and Mr. Callahan, had enough time to shun six debates locally, they did have enough time to spare for a 1 hour live chat sponsored by the Morning Call.  You can read my transcript here, Mr. Dent’s here, and Mr. Callahan’s here.  Local columnist Bill White wrote that I was the clear victor and the chats were like Secretariat racing two mules.

Mules, donkeys, elephants, whatever.  The career politicians of today are practically dinosaurs, as this short clip demonstrates that both Mr. Callahan and Mr. Dent simply cannot grasp – or, as a far worse possibility, simply won’t talk about – the money-printing practices and upcoming quantitative easing of the Federal Reserve.  They do not wish to talk about their own perks either.  (On the right is a 30 minute interview with Tekoa da Silva of Contrary Investors Cafe.)

Upcoming Events -

• Meet The Candidates Morning with the League of Women Voters, Saturday, Oct 23rd from 10am-noon.  Whitehall Township Public Library at 3700 Mechanicsville Road off of Rt 145.  MAPQUEST.  Refreshments provided by the League.

• Macungie Halloween Parade: 5 p.m. Oct. 23.  Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• Hellertown-Saucon Valley Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 24. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• Express Times Debate, Monday, October 25 at the State Theatre in Easton, 7 PM.  453 Northampton Street Easton, PA 18042.  MAP.  Suggest arriving at 6:30 PM to ensure seating.  Open to public.  Channel 69 to broadcast on October 30 at 8 PM.  Airing live on Service Electric Channel 69.3 Retro TV.
• Northampton Community College Forum, October 28, 11 AM till perhaps 12:30 or 1 PM.  Open to public, Q&A. Location Changed!! Location is in the Student Life Zone on the 2nd floor of the College Center.  3835 Green Pond Rd Bethlehem, PA 18020.  Campus Map.
• Live interview on WDIY, 6-7 PM on Thursday, October 28.  Listen locally at 88.1 FM or here online.
• Rally and Poll Materials Pickup, 5PM-8:30 PM on Thursday, October 28 at American Sandwich Company at 7001 Route 309, Fairmont Village Shopping Center, Coopersburg, PA 18036.  MAP.  A volunteer will be there to hand out materials from 5 PM on, Jake will arrive around 7:30 to talk for a bit.

• Slatington-Walnutport Halloween Parade: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• Easton-Phillipsburg Halloween Parade: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Allentown Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.
• Bethlehem Halloween Parade: 1 p.m. Oct. 31. Help hand out flyers before the parade begins!!  Contact the campaign at 610-392-8156 or towneforcongress@gmail.com for meetup details.

• NOVEMBER 2nd ELECTION DAY!! Volunteers are needed to hand out literature outside of local polling stations, please volunteer here and share your name, phone #, city, and if you live in the district, your current polling location.   
  • Post-Election Victory Party for all volunteers at 8 PM on Election Day at Pies On Pizzeria at Front and Pine Streets, Catasauqua!!!!

At the WFMZ-TV debate last Tuesday, independent congressional candidate Jake Towne challenged both Mr. Dent and Mr. Callahan to take some kind of paycut, not enlist in the pension plan and pay for their own healthcare. With all the job losses and paycuts in the private sector, the least either of these career politicians could do is give up a few perks.  Watch the video here.

Congressmen should buy their own healthcare on the marketplace just like everyone else. The Constitution does not entitle Congressmen to free healthcare or lucrative pensions paying up to 80% of their $174,000 salary, all at taxpayer expense.

Since both Mr. Callahan and Mr. Dent spent most of their camera time bickering about Bethlehem finances, and who resembles Nancy Pelosi the most (Mr. Dent’s voting record matched 70% with Ms. Pelosi’s in the 110^th Congress), a 15-minute shortened version of the WFMZ debate is now available.

Watch the “All You Need to Know From the WFMZ Debate” here. The full debate is here.

Towne is a chemical engineer who worked in the semiconductor industry prior to running for office as an independent private citizen, including the past 4 years in China. Towne has promised to accept only the median household income and not enlist in the congressional health care or pension plans. The $116,000 remainder of the $174,000 salary will be donated to local non-profit hospitals after taxes. He also champions sound money and a novel-yet-simple form of accountable and transparent government, “Our Open Office.”

And don’t miss “Interview with Two Zombies!!”

Towne for Congress has raised $53,375 per its most recent FEC filing. An additional $4,000 was raised from 63 donors on October 14^th during a 24-hour online money bomb.

A flood of support was received after Towne soundly defeated his bickering career politician opponents during a televised debate on WFMZ last night and subsequently was banned from the PBS/Morning Call debate this evening.

During the FEC financial quarter, over $14,239 was raised, an all-time high for the campaign. Towne for Congress remains either the top, or one of the top, independent or major third party fundraisers in the nation for US House. The campaign has raised money from 1,019 individuals with an average of $52 from each donor.

While his career politician opponents have yet to sink a single penny into their own campaigns, Jake is his campaign’s largest contributor with $3,887 donated so far.

Towne for Congress has raised 100% of all funds with donations from individuals, and does not – and never will – accept corporate PAC or lobbyist donations.

Towne is a chemical engineer who worked in the semiconductor industry prior to running for office as an independent private citizen, including the past 4 years in China.  Towne has promised to accept only the median household income and not enlist in the congressional health care or pension plans. The $116,000 remainder of the $174,000 salary will be donated to local non-profit hospitals.

To watch the WFMZ debate, visit http://towneforcongress.com/events/money-bomb-today-and-wfmz-debate-footage/

Today is the anniversary of the September 17, 1787 ratification of the Constitution of the United States.   While the federal government no longer even pretends to follow the Constitution, I would like to write for a moment on the second-most important safeguard the founders tried to leave us.  (The most important safeguard being sound money, which by itself greatly inhibits rash war-making, as beautifully illustrated in this clip.)

“The Congress shall have Power… to declare War.” – The Constitution of the United States, 1787-present. Article I, Section 8, Clause 11.

The founders feared more than anything a strong executive branch, a President that would loom as powerful and as tyrannical as a King George.  While the Constitution bound the sovereign States closer together for the purposes of national defense, Congress was given this grave responsibility for a reason:  as the House of Representatives was directly elected by the people, it was viewed as the safest place to entrust a declaration of war, and people unhappy with Representatives could remove them fairly quickly – within two years.

Two Americans who long foresaw the day when America would ring the world with military bases – over 750 bases in 150 of the world’s 194 countries – were General Smedley Butler, WWI hero with two congressional Medals of Honor, the highest decorated Marine in US history and Garet Garret, who wrote the long-lost text of “The People’s Pottage” in 1953.

These men both understood the clip above – the consequences of the federal government’s actions is the ceding of America’s sovereignty to those who control the debt that endless wars and the military-industrial complex create. The greatest threat to our national security is the national debt, not malevolent boogeymen living in caves in Pakistan. Osama Bin Laden and his ilk will never destroy America – it will be the Congress who first destroy the country financially by looting our blood and treasure.  This is the true threat to our way of life.

Smedley Butler in 1933 wrote “War is a Racket,” which neatly summarizes the true definition of war.  I’ll leave it to the reader to read Butler’s powerful essay.  However, I’d like to partially paraphrase Garret and due to time constraints just weave in some of my own thoughts in what Garret listed way back in 1953 as the five heights that need to be regained in the coming years to restore America and the rule of law, to restore the Constitution:

The first height is a state of mind. To recover the habit of decision the people must learn again to think for themselves; and this requires a kind of self-awakening. This is so because thinking has been laid under a spell. The hypnotic powers are entrenched, combative and dangerous. But once the self-liberated mind had regained that first height, it would see not only that there is an alternative course but that above the noxious emanations of fear and the fog of propaganda the view is fairly clear as to the next steps.

The second height to be regained is intelligent, public debate of foreign policy.  No longer can the President  blindly frog-march the American people to war without a constitutional declaration of war from Congress.  Let foreign policy be debated once more by those who may have to die for it, and let the wind be cold and merciless. Let those  responsible be nakedly exposed to the horrors of war, who so misunderstand the nature of what they have done that they can find no respite, no solace in the abdication of their human responsibilities.

If they can justify themselves to the free and disenthralled intelligence of the people, so that the people knowingly choose to go on with them, then there will be nothing more to say, or to do, but to perform the death rattle of the Republic. Until this is settled it will be useless to discuss domestic policies because what is at stake is the fate of the republican form of constitutional government.

On the next height lies control of the public purse and the national debt.  Until the people have recovered the public purse, they cannot tame Executive Government. Passing laws to control or restrain it is of no avail whatever. The only way to reason with it is to cut it off at the pockets.  When it came to setting up the American government, the Constitution said that control of the purse should be in the hands of the House of Representatives because that was the popular side of Congress. While the people have not always managed the purse well, there is a difference; no matter how badly Congress may manage the public purse, it cannot control the people, whereas in the hands of the government control of the purse becomes the single most powerful instrument of executive policy touching the lives of the people.

The next foe is one of insatiable evil, located right inside the public purse.  It is the fourth branch of the government known as the Federal Reserve.  This monstrous evil’s chief weapon is inflation by the printing press. Its weapon of defense is an invisible vapor, the effect of which is to cause people to become economic alcoholics, afflicted with the delusion that they can get rich by destroying the value of money.

It is no good to think of cutting off the head of this serpent. It has millions of heads, all in the likeness of human heads, and as fast as they are chopped off others appear in place of them. Moreover, at this point, even in the ranks of the dragon hunters, dissensions will break forth, people saying: “Don’t kill him. If he dies  chaos and deflation will come, and this is worse. Only chain him down.” At that every one of the heads begins to grin in a most sardonic manner. The serpent knows its life is safe and wiggling out of its chains is a light morning exercise. (Photo courtesy KamaInv, license)

There is only one thing to do with this monster. It can be sickened and starved, not to death, because the life in it is immortal, but to a harmless shadow. Its food is irredeemable paper money. Sound money is its poison. Victory here will never be complete.  A guardian will need to be left, then a watchman to guard the guardian, and then the people must keep going back to ensure the serpent always remains bound and starved.

These heights in the lost terrain that have been named are vital. To save the constitutional republic they must all be stormed and captured. Others are important, but if these are taken the others can wait; but there is still one more, the last and highest of all, and as you approach it you may understand the serpent’s sardonic grin. The slopes are steep and barren. No enemy is visible. The enemy is within yourself. For, you see, the only way to conquer this peak is with your own fortitude.

The cost of saving the country will be extremely high. It could be as high as the cost of setting it up in the first place, 223 years ago, when the love of political liberty was a mighty passion, and people were willing to die for it.

When the economy has for a long time been moving by jet propulsion, the higher the faster, on the rocket fuel of perpetual war, endless debt, and planned inflation, a time comes when you have to choose whether to go on and on and dissolve your very being in the stratosphere, or decelerate.

However,  deceleration will cause a terrific shock.  Who is willing to face the grim and dangerous realities of the economic depression, of wars without end, that have already begun?

For the good of our children, the answer must be yourself.  No doubt the people know they can have their constitutional republic and democratic elections back if they want it enough to fight for it and to pay the price.  The only problem is that not enough leaders have yet stepped up to the plate with the courage to ask you to choose liberty instead of tyranny.

Choose liberty.

For the Constitution,

Jake Towne

One place where Jake Towne’s independent congressional campaign is already dominating his establishment-backed career politician opponents is on the web.

Towne’s website has an Alexa global traffic rank of 1.2 million, which means only 1.2 million websites have more traffic. Callahan’s website has far less traffic, with 8.4 million websites – including Towne’s – having more traffic, and Dent’s website ranking has the smallest traffic of all with 22.0 million sites having more traffic.

On social networking, Towne has more Facebook fans (1,994) than either Callahan (1,311) or Dent (1,009). On Twitter, Towne’s followers (270) outnumber both Callahan (220) and Dent (96).

Towne’s YouTube video upload views (43,264) dwarfs Callahan’s (2,562) and Dent’s (2,530).

Towne remarks that while internet popularity shows the high level of interest in his independent campaign compared to Mr. Dent or Mr. Callahan, internet dominance is only one factor in winning an election:

“The internet is a great cost equalizer when competing against the budgets of Establishment politicians as it’s a cheap way to get the message out. I believe the true reason for the high traffic to the website is not the fact that I am independent, it is the ideas. Nothing is as powerful as ideas whose time has come. Mr. Callahan and Mr. Dent are just recycling the same failed ideas that have landed the country in so much trouble in the first place.”

Towne is a chemical engineer who worked in the semiconductor industry and resigned his job to abroad in Asia to return home and run for office as an independent private citizen. Towne has promised to accept only the median household income and not enlist in the congressional health care or pension plans. The remainder of the $174,000 salary will be donated to local non-profit hospitals. He also champions sound money and a novel-yet-simple form of accountable and transparent government, “Our Open Office.”

Released to the press on 9/16/2010.

The first debate just concluded a few hours ago, PCN was taping the event but had technical difficulties so the first half is missing.  See below for part 1 and part 2 that was taped.  A volunteer videotaped the event so we hope to have footage soon!  It was the first debate of my life, and went great!!   The event was mobbed with people — after the first several hundred people, the event staff had to turn away scores of residents.  Now that I have debate experience under my belt, I can hardly wait for the next debate on September 24th at Cedar Crest College!!!   Debate schedule here.

Today is the September 14th Money Bomb, put together by grassroots supporters.  The last money bomb in August raised exactly $3000 from 52 donors, and was used to purchase yard signs.

It is expected that all money raised today will go towards radio ads, which are affordable on the local favorite radio stations.  A 30-second spot costs roughly $30 depending on the time and will reach thousands of listeners.  The campaign’s first radio buy commences today at 6 AM, you can listen to the ad and share it below!

The vast majority of the money spent already was used to build the campaign enough momentum to get to this point and finish the arduous petitioning process for ballot access.  I cannot highlight enough how at this point a little money goes a long way. Thank you very much for your support!!



Today is the ninth anniversary of a tragic day in American history. For all the turmoil, mourning, and strife, not much has come from the invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent occupation of Iraq. Osama Bin Laden, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the attacks on 9/11, is either dead or in hiding somewhere in Pakistan. It was a disgusting, cowardly criminal act against a large civilian population that has led our country to where it is today – but we must remember that the motivation used to recruit more anti-American sentiment comes from our endless meddling in Middle Eastern affairs.

Osama Bin Laden was trained and funded by the U.S. to fight the Soviets.  Saddam Hussein was trained and installed by the U.S. in Iraq.  Both actions have had far-reaching consequences for our country and yet we seem not to learn from these affairs.  Although “combat troops” have begun to be withdrawn from Iraq there is no evidence of an actual end to this war.

Five days after the announcement of reaching 50,000 troops, an Iraqi Army HQ in the heart of Baghdad was attacked by suicidal insurgents, and US troops were involved in the combat.  It is likely that 50,000 or more troops will stay indefinitely continuing the cycle of occupation that has befallen us with Germany, Japan, Korea and many other countries.

Our government is now building up the war in Afghanistan, a war that almost certainly cannot be won. Afghanistan has been the grave of many empires – a county which has NEVER been conquered by an outside force. President Karzai has declared that U.S. involvement will be needed in Afghanistan for at least another 10 years! At the same time our economy is in ruins and will only get worse unless we rein in spending and big government on a wide scale. The “hope and change” that was promised to the American people has proven to be nothing more than fuzzy rhetoric.

2010 could prove to be the most pivotal election year in American history. If the unconstitutional wars continue, if the occupations and nation-building missions do not end, if the military-industrial complex and growth of the state continue, there will surely be no return to liberty and freedom in America. Our founders were very wise in pursuing peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all, entangling alliances with none.

We, the people, have allowed our government to shred the Constitution, our only protection from tyrannical government. We have allowed them to pillage our wealth and violate our liberties and freedoms. We must end the notion that today’s government is a benevolent master – if we are to have peace and prosperity we must again force government to be a servant to the people.

The establishment candidates who support endless war and more and more spending are running scared right now. They are scared because they see that ordinary people like Jake Towne are gaining massive amounts of support for their “radical” ideas of peace, liberty, and constitutional limits to their power grabs.

Jake has made public his position on how best to serve our veterans and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He will not back down to these career politicians who do not even give positions on the most important issues. For these it is politics as usual and they are hoping once again to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes.  As Jake wrote in his veterans plank a year ago today:

“Service members shoulder a heavy burden when they volunteer to risk their lives in defense of our country. They perform a necessary function in our society and for their service veterans receive deserved benefits and gratitude. However, the greatest way to honor them is to keep them out of unnecessary conflict. The only just war is one carried out in self-defense, as a non-aggressor, and as a last resort.

It’s important that we have a strong military to deter attacks against the our country and protect it when attacked. However, asking our young men and women to participate in unjust war is a moral abyss that we as a country should never leap into. If we aspire to be a just nation ruled by laws we must resolve to never ask our military men and women to engage in unconstitutional warfare and nation-building missions.”

We must not allow a great tragedy in American history become an even greater tragedy – the complete loss of liberty and freedom and the collapse of our fragile economy. Now is the time to join together to bring peace, liberty, and prosperity back to America. Please consider supporting Jake Towne in any way you can. Visit TowneForCongress to find out more and to voice your opinion on the issues and remember to cast your vote for freedom and constitutional government on November 2, 2010.

- former Staff Sergeant Aaron Emery, United States Army, who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.