Blog of Darryl W. Perry

Congress is Coming Back Soon

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:14:19 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

Quote of the Day:

"I planted some bird seed. A bird came up. Now I don't know what to feed it."

-- anonymous

Subject: Congress is Coming Back Soon

Congress will return to work when the party conventions end. It will be a brief session before they adjourn again to campaign. Short sessions are often full of hi-jinks. Will we be ready to resist?

I'm not sure.

We launched a new website last month. We had to. Congress has made it harder and harder for their constituents to communicate with them through sites like ours. Our new website was designed to make it easier for us to hurdle these barriers. But complex new systems always have problems . . .

Our new site didn't work for many users. People got frustrated, including us. We identified the likely cause of the problem and took steps to fix it, but that took time. Now, we think we're done.

Today, our "beta testers" have been called back into action. If they find the website is working ok, we'll re-launch it tomorrow.

But this month feels lost. And it's not just a feeling. We made the decision to send fewer Dispatches because people were having problems with the site. We want users to have a good experience. Besides, Congress was out of session. The good news is that we've registered more people this month than the last two Augusts ('06 & '07). But the bad new is we're significantly behind in the number of Messages to Congress.

On top of that, August has always been our worst month for fundraising. And when we don't send Dispatches we don't raise money, so this August has been worse than usual. We've raised only about half of our monthly budget need. But it gets worse. There were three pay periods this month. Our staff is tiny, but that third pay period packs a punch given our current situation.

We've made it a policy to always share our problems with you, not just our successes. We consider you a part of our team. Of course, not everyone sees it that way. A couple of years ago, when I wrote a message even more desperate than this one, a pledger wrote to say: "You can't give people bad news. You can't expect them to care about your problems. You need to give them something to be excited about."

I think we've done that all year. But there are always bumps on any journey, and I believe, as a matter of policy, in sharing those with you too.

Now, you'll be pleased to learn that we planned ahead, and that despite all of these challenges, we're not in life threatening financial trouble. We had a reserve fund. But some progress will be lost if we don't get closer to making our monthly budget. Our monthly budget is very modest -- just $15,500. As of right now, we've raised only $8,500 of it. And the month ends in four-and-a-half days, with a holiday weekend.

Some of you are doing well, even while the overall economy is struggling. If that describes you, could you pick up the slack and help the Downsize DC Army move forward?

The most important thing you can do is make or increase your monthly pledge. This sets us up for an even better future. And most people can afford a micro-pledge of $3, $5, or $8. But we need some others to step up with pledges of $15, $25, and $35 as well.

Or you can make a one-time donation. Again, any amount will help! But we really could use a $1,000 or $2,000 donation right now.

Please help us continue what has otherwise been an excellent year full of progress. Please make sure we're ready and raring to go when Congress returns.

You can contribute on the secure form at DownsizeDC.org.

Thank you for your support and thank you for being a DC Downsizer,

Jim Babka

President

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

P.S. If tax-deductibility is important to you, please make your donation to our sister group, the Downsize DC Foundation.

And if you're dropping us a check, you can print out the form or just simply send the check to...1931 15th St. Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223. Please hit Reply, and send us a message if you're mailing a check so that we know it's coming and can plan ahead.

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WTP Updates - Ron Paul �Responds� to Petitions for Redress & Government Puts Kibosh On Hunger Fast

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:31:16 -0500

Read the full update at http://www.wethepeoplefoundation.org/Update/Update2008-08-22.htm

Rebellion Day

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:01:00 -0500

Today (August 23) is Rebellion Day (not a recognized holiday - but should be) commemorating the "Proclamation of Rebellion" issued by King George III in 1775. "A proclamation issued by George III, responding to increasing hostilities in the American colonies."
It is past time that we rebel again, and re-claim our Constitutional Republic, which has been overthrown by career politicians taking more and more power for themselves. I'm not just talking about getting "fresh-faces" in office, I'm talking about getting "Freedom lovers" in office. People who understand what this country was founded upon. People who understand that it is NOT the job of the government to protect me from me. But, most of the people that fit the description listed above are not part of the Republicratic duopoly, and therefore will have a tough time getting ballot access, as access to the ballot is controlled by the Republicratic duopoly. So, we must go about reclaiming our freedom in a way other than via the ballot box (which can't always be trusted with the advent of electronic voting machines). While I support peaceful means to reclaim freedom, (such as running a write-in campaign for US Senate & running for President in 2016) I'm not opposed to using force if necessary.
Not to get off onto a campaign speech, but if/when elected I will eliminate ALL government programs/agencies that are not specifically called for in the Constitution. I will give Native Americans some of the land that we took from them, and Independence (if they want it), I will give all States and Territories an Independence vote.

Quotes from men who understand/understood what liberty really is:

"Never trust your government. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. A revolution is needed every twenty years just to keep the government honest."
Thomas Jefferson

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Thomas Jefferson

"Open your eyes. Accept the painful truth. Do something to correct the wrong."
Thomas Paine

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
Ronald Reagan

"Liberty is lost through complacency and a subservient mindset. When we accept or even welcome automobile checkpoints, random searches, mandatory identification cards, and paramilitary police in our streets, we have lost a vital part of our American heritage. America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long."
Ron Paul

"Fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take OUR FREEDOM!"
William Wallace

More progress on the "Enumerated Powers Act"

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:06:08 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

Change the political environment. Recruit more DC Downsizers. Share this message with others.

Quotes of the Day:

NINTH AMENDMENT: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

TENTH AMENDMENT: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Subject: More progress on the "Enumerated Powers Act"

The "Enumerated Powers Act" would force Congress to cite its Constitutional authority for every law it passes. When we last reported to you in late July this bill had 52 co-sponsors in the House, and had just been introduced in the Senate by Tom Coburn, gaining a whopping 22 co-sponsors almost immediately.

Progress has slowed since then, but there is another new co-sponsor in the House. Representative Pete Sessions of Texas came on board on July 23, 2008, just a couple of days after we last contacted Congress about this bill. Maybe some of you made the difference with Mr. Sessions, so let's keep pushing . . .

* If your Rep. or one or more of your Senators is a co-sponsor, please thank them (we've provided a list of co-sponsors below my signature).

* If one or more of your elected representatives is not on the list, ask them to please become a co-sponsor

You can send your message here.

Please also make a contribution to help DownsizeDC.org make budget for August. With Congress out of session and fewer Dispatches, your DownsizeDC.org is way behind budget. All contributors receive a copy of "The Downsize DC Vision." You can register your support here.

NOTE: You can remove this funding section if you forward this message to others, or post it on your blog. You can also comment on this message or "Digg it" at our blog.

Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC Army.

Jim Babka

President

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

Here are the co-sponsors in the Senate . . .

Sen Allard, Wayne - 6/19/2008

Sen Barrasso, John - 6/19/2008

Sen Brownback, Sam - 6/19/2008

Sen Burr, Richard - 6/19/2008

Sen Chambliss, Saxby - 6/19/2008

Sen Cornyn, John - 6/19/2008

Sen Crapo, Mike 22587 - 6/19/2008

Sen DeMint, Jim - 6/19/2008

Sen Dole, Elizabeth - 6/19/2008

Sen Ensign, John - 6/19/2008

Sen Enzi, Michael B. - 6/19/2008

Sen Graham, Lindsey - 6/19/2008

Sen Grassley, Chuck - 6/19/2008

Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey - 6/19/2008

Sen Inhofe, James M. - 6/19/2008

Sen Kyl, Jon - 6/19/2008

Sen McCain, John - 6/19/2008

Sen Sessions, Jeff - 6/19/2008

Sen Sununu, John E. - 6/19/2008

Sen Thune, John - 6/19/2008

Sen Vitter, David - 6/19/2008

Sen Wicker, Roger F. - 6/19/2008

Here are the co-sponsors in the House . . .

Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 3/6/2007

Rep Barrett, J. Gresham [SC-3] - 12/5/2007

Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6] - 3/6/2007

Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] - 3/5/2008

Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] - 3/6/2007

Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] - 4/24/2007

Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] - 2/13/2008

Rep Burgess, Michael C. [TX-26] - 6/9/2008

Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] - 3/6/2007

Rep Cannon, Chris [UT-3] - 2/25/2008

Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 3/6/2007

Rep Cubin, Barbara - 3/5/2008

Rep Davis, David [TN-1] - 3/27/2007

Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] - 3/5/2008

Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] - 3/7/2007

Rep Feeney, Tom [FL-24] - 4/24/2007

Rep Flake, Jeff [AZ-6] - 3/6/2007

Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5] - 3/6/2007

Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 3/14/2007

Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] - 3/6/2007

Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] - 3/6/2007

Rep Gohmert, Louie [TX-1] - 3/6/2007

Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] - 9/7/2007

Rep Heller, Dean [NV-2] - 8/1/2007

Rep Hensarling, Jeb [TX-5] - 12/12/2007

Rep Herger, Wally [CA-2] - 3/6/2007

Rep Hoekstra, Peter [MI-2] - 12/4/2007

Rep Johnson, Sam [TX-3] - 12/4/2007

Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 3/31/2008

Rep Kline, John [MN-2] - 12/12/2007

Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] - 3/6/2007

Rep Mack, Connie [FL-14] - 12/12/2007

Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] - 3/6/2007

Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 3/6/2007

Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] - 3/6/2007

Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N. [CO-4] - 12/12/2007

Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] - 3/6/2007

Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] - 3/6/2007

Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] - 10/25/2007

Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] - 3/12/2007

Rep Price, Tom [GA-6] - 3/5/2008

Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] - 6/3/2008

Rep Sali, Bill [ID-1] - 12/5/2007

Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5] - 5/15/2008

Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] - 7/23/2008

Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] - 4/23/2008

Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] - 4/9/2008

Rep Stearns, Cliff [FL-6] - 5/23/2007

Rep Tiahrt, Todd [KS-4] - 4/24/2008

Rep Walberg, Timothy [MI-7] - 3/9/2007

Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3] - 4/4/2008

Rep Weldon, Dave [FL-15] - 5/1/2007

Rep Westmoreland, Lynn A. [GA-3] - 3/6/2007

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Backdoor to REAL ID

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:26:21 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

Today, for only the second and final time, I'll be using MY Sunday radio show, which starts at 3:06 PM Eastern (2:06 PM Central, 1:06 PM Mountain, and 12:06 PM Pacific), to launch a DownsizeDC.org campaign -- A Backdoor Real ID Card.

This backdoor Real ID card is called the Transportation Worker Identification Credential; TWIC card for short. My guest, during the second hour, will be Lowell Rogers, a brown-water, tugboat engineer. More about Lowell and the card in just a moment.

But first, I want to announce two other things . . .

First, this is my second-to-last live broadcast. August 24 will be my final episode, and Congressman Ron Paul is scheduled to be the featured guest of that August 24 episode (that's not today, but next Sunday).

Second, this is MY radio show. This program is about what interests me, and you receive this message because of a promotional arrangement between Yours Truly, and DownsizeDC.org. The guests, topics, and views expressed on the show are not those of the staff, management, and sponsors of DownsizeDC.org.

That's relevant because for the first hour we're going to discuss something that may interest you, but it's not normal political fare. But I believe it's relevant.

My guest during the first hour will be Frank Viola, co-author of the book, "Pagan Christianity."

Viola is a conservative, orthodox Christian. It's important to say that, because his book is perceived, by many, to be an attack on religion. It reveals the pagan origins of regular services in a dedicated building, order of worship, professional priests and paid clergy, the sermon, dressing up for Sunday services, choirs, thimbles of wine for communion, and tithing. He accuses the church of being too much like big a corporation, instead of what it should be -- of being oppressive, instead of organic.

This book is, to me, one of the most important books I've ever read, and I'm eager to get Viola on my show, not only because of the personal interest that I and some close friends have in this particular book, but also because I think it's part of an important national, downsizing trend.

Perhaps the best way to sum up the downsizing targets came from author Robert Podolsky, tackling an entity he called the B.O.R.G. Matrix. It's an acronym:

B, as in Big Business and/or Banks

O and R, as in Organized Religion

G as in Government, as in an overarching, intrusive, and expensive State.

There is, in my humble estimation, a growing, post-modern movement that is increasingly impatient with centralized authority figures working from big institutions -- what C. Wright Mills called "The Power Elite."

It's not just Big Government that's coming under scrutiny, it's major corporations, the empire, central bankers, and institutional media who are coming under the microscope as well. The next generation is seeking and finding alternatives based on their niche desires and values, opposed to playing world policeman, questioning our monetary system, and creating their own news sources. Ron Paul tapped into this trend (did I mention he's coming on my show next week?).

Organized Religion is also getting a major and, in my humble opinion, well-deserved deconstruction. I found Viola's book compelling. But please, keep in mind, as my non-religious colleague Perry Willis would be quick to point out: We're building a positive, transpartisan, COALITION -- a movement. It will take lots of different types of people.

So if this topic interests you, please tune in for the first hour. If not, join us for the second hour when we return to more standard fare. (NOTE: Last minute schedule changes happen on live radio). Regarding that second hour . . .

Lowell Rogers has been an engineer on a brown-water tugboat for 23 years. He loves his work, and his employer likes the way Lowell does his job. But starting April 2009, thanks to the Maritime Safety Act, Lowell's employer will have to assume he's a potential terrorist, unless he has a Transportation Worker Identification Credential -- a TWIC card.

The TWIC card will require a criminal background check, and will include Smart Card biometric identifiers. It will place sensitive information about Lowell into a centralized government database. Lowell, as an act of patriotism, will refuse to take what he calls "the Mark of the Beast," and his 23-year career will come to an end. Here's why this matters to you . . .

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wants you to have a Real ID card that's very similar to the TWIC card. But DHS is failing to implement the Real ID because state governments are resisting. Twenty one states are refusing to comply with the REAL ID. It's probably the biggest rebellion against the federal government since the Civil War. So what can the DHS do to overcome this rebellion?

They can "pick off the herd" -- hit one industry at a time until so many people have Smart Cards no one is left to resist. Those with the Smart Cards may even begin to think it would be "just" if everyone had one. It's a classic totalitarian strategy, summed up by the German Pastor Martin Niemoller . . .

"...first (they came) for the Communists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist;

And then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist;

And then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew;

And then . . . they came for me . . . and by that time there was no one left to speak up."

Lowell Rogers may be among the first that they're "coming for," but he won't be the last. The President has issued a presidential directive, HSD12, aiming to force all federal employees AND CONTRACTORS to carry a Smart Card. This means government employees and contractors will be the first part of the herd they pick-off. There are 1.8 million federal employees, excluding elected officials, the military, and employees of the Postal Service. But it won't end there.

DHS is also attempting to impose Smart Cards on truckers and railroad workers, covering another 3.5 million workers. And the maritime/TWIC portion of the strategy will apply to about 700,000 workers.

If DHS can "come for" these 6 million people, how long before you think they're going to get you too? Preventing this from happening starts with defending Lowell Rogers. He's willing to stand up and resist, at the potential loss of his career. How about you?

* Please tune in today to meet Lowell. Call-in and ask him questions.

* Please send Congress a message asking them to repeal and defund the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC card).

Of course, during today's show, we'll have a Gun Owners of America update as well.

The two-hour show starts at 3:06 PM Eastern (2:06 PM Central, 1:06 Mountain, and 12:06 PM Pacific), and maybe you just have questions about Downsize DC.

If so, I'd also love to hear from you at 1-800-259-9231.

Or, if you prefer, send us an email (just type this out as it sounds): CALL at DOWNSIZEDC dot ORG.

You can hear the show online at gcnlive.com/Listen_Live.html

In fact, Genesis Communications now has streaming options through cell phones!

Or you can tune in to one of these stations . . .

* WCER 900-AM Canton, Ohio

* WBCR 1470-AM Maryville/Alcoa, Tennessee

* KLID 1340-AM, Poplar Bluff, Missouri

* KGEZ 600-AM, Kalispell, Montana

And if for some reason you can't catch the live show, my network, Genesis Communications provides a podcast of the show, available a couple of hours after it goes off air, up through the next broadcast.

In fact, if you want to listen to last weeks show, it's still up there -- at least until I go live with today's show.

Happy Listening,

Jim Babka

Host

Downsize DC Conference Call

P.S. I will be appearing at first annual, "Connecticut Liberty Forum," to be held September 27-28, 2008.

I will be speaking there on Saturday, the 27th about "Making Congress Accountable." Also appearing at this Bristol, CT event, with radio sponsorship by WDRC radio, will be . . .

* Michael Cristofaro, Plaintiff in the New London, CT eminent domain case, will talk about that case, after he and Susette Kelo are presented with the very first CT Freedom Fighter Award.

* Robert Levy, Senior fellow in Constitutional Studies, CATO Institute. His topic: �Is the Supreme Court Eroding Our Liberty?� Mr. Levy will stick around to sign copies of his new book, �The Dirty Dozen � How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom�

* Also speaking... Alan Schaeffer, Alliance for the Separation of School & State; Jim Gilchrist, the Minutemen; Bob Schulz, We the People Foundation; Dr. Katherine Albrecht, co-author of "Spychips," and several more.

I want to encourage you to come to this event -- to meet me and hear the other speakers. Please use the code "Downsize DC" to get a discount when you register in advance. Complete details can be found at http://nheld.com/CTLibertyForum.htm

And if you're coming to Bristol, CT, please let me know by hitting Reply to this message. My wife Sue and I like to make time to meet with DC Downsizers when we're traveling. We will be in touch.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Downsize DC Conference Call is Jim Babka's show, and DownsizeDC.org is just an advertising sponsor. The views expressed on the program and the topics chosen by the host, do not necessarily represent the opinions, beliefs, or objectives of the board, staff, and supporters of DownsizeDC.org. This Downsizer-Dispatch is presented as part of a promotional relationship between DownsizeDC.org and Jim Babka.

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TSA Deciding On Whether To Ban Guns In Airports

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:13:54 -0500

Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place Suite 102
Springfield VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

You may not have been watching the battle that is brewing over concealed carry in the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, Georgia, but it may end up affecting you where you live.

Because of what's happening in Atlanta, the Transportation Security Agency could decide to allow airports across the country to ban firearms in areas that currently allow for self-defense.

It all began when Georgia passed a new law allowing permit holders to carry guns onto state parks, into restaurants that serve alcohol, and onto mass transit (such as the non-surveillance areas in airports).

The Hartsfield-Jackson airport responded by defying the state law and banning firearms throughout the entire airport, including areas where
drivers pick up passengers.

This has resulted in a court battle, where presently, a federal judge ruled in favor of the airport's ban. Now, the TSA may step into the fray by
permitting airports across the entire country to ban firearms in those locations that are outside of the boarding areas.

Federal law prevents passengers from bringing firearms past airport checkpoints. But in many states, passengers are allowed to bring guns and knives into areas such as the pick-up points and the main terminal. This is what could change very soon.

"Any decisions we make that affect (Atlanta) could affect every other airport in the country," said TSA spokesman Christopher White to
USA Today (8/7/08).

What's at stake here is not the ability to take guns past surveillance points. What's at stake is the right of self-defense outside of these areas
-- especially where drivers are either dropping off or picking up passengers.

In other words, drivers who have permits are the ones who would be affected the most because they would now have to leave their guns at home -- thus contradicting the very reason they got a concealed carry permit in the first place... the fact that they wanted to carry their guns outside of the house.

ACTION: Please urge President Bush to put the squeeze on the TSA. This president should certainly understand the bad-politics of imposing a gun ban right before an election.

You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send Pres. Bush the pre-written e-mail message below.

You should also include a note about the "Write the Laws Act".

Stop the Killer Horse Hormones

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:51:22 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

Quote of the Day:

"In a society in which it is a moral offense to be different from your neighbor your only escape is to never let them find out."

-- Robert A. Heinlein

Subject: Stop the Killer Horse Hormones

Estrogen hormones derived from animals have dangerous side-effects. Estriol doesn't. But the FDA has banned Estriol in favor of the animal derived hormones. Here's why ...

Wyeth Pharmaceutical makes animal derived hormone medications. On October 6, 2005 Wyeth petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of Estriol, a competitor to Wyeth's "horse hormones." Estriol is chemically identical to human estrogen, while Wyeth's horse hormones are not. Animal derived hormones are associated with a number of health risks, such as blood clots and cancer, while Estriol is associated with a vast number of health benefits, and NO negative side-effects.

On January 9, 2008 the FDA responded to Wyeth's petition by banning the use of Estriol.

It's infuriating to note that the FDA's response to the Wyeth petition calls it a citizen's petition. It was no such thing. It was a petition from a corporation seeking government aid to prohibit a competing product at the cost of increased danger to women's health. By contrast, 70,000 doctors, women, and other real citizens petitioned the FDA to deny Wyeth's request, but the FDA partially sided with Wyeth anyway.

It's even more infuriating to note that the FDA admitted in a press conference announcing the ban that it knew of no evidence of any harm associated with the use of Estriol.

The American Association for Health Freedom summarizes the case for Estriol as follows: "Compounded bio-identical hormones have been used for 50 years, are listed in the US Pharmacopoeia, are state-regulated, are available only with a doctor�s prescription, and were protected by a previous Act of Congress (FDA Modernization Act 1997)."

The FDA admits that it granted Wyeth's request simply because Estriol has not endured the FDA's costly and time consuming approval process. But should the estrogen that naturally flows in a woman's body have to be approved by the FDA? Of course not. Neither then, should Estriol, which is chemically identical to that estrogen! Estriol is human estrogen.

If Estriol needs to be banned from the market then perhaps all women should report to an FDA lab to have their Estriol removed from their bodies.

We are joining with the American Association for Health Freedom to try to stop this outrage. We want to pass two resolutions in Congress: H. Con. Res. 342 and S. Con. Res. 88. Please ask your Representative and your two Senators to co-sponsor H. Con. Res. 342 and S. Con. Res. 88. You can do so here.

We would also like to note that if Downsize DC's "Write the Laws Act" were the law of the land this FDA action would not have been possible. Please send another message in support of the "Write the Laws Act," and use your personal comments to mention the Estriol ban as a reason why we need the "Write the Laws Act." You can send that message here.

Please also consider making a contribution to further our work. You can do so here.

Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC army.

Jim Babka

President

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

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Pretending to be experts

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:46:08 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h July was a busy month in Congress, as the honorable servants of the people rushed to get bills passed before their five-week vacation. Through August 1, the Senate passed 39 bills totaling 2,022 pages, while the House passed 92 bills and 2,267 pages. Fairly "impressive," considering that the Senate was in session for 20 days and the House for just 15 during the month. Many of these bills were brief, and were concerned with veterans affairs, federal buildings, and other topics most of us agree are necessary and proper. But Congress also went beyond the Constitution's limits and passed bills seeking to regulate our lives and manage the economy. Congress passed bills relating to: * health care * tobacco * the safety of children's products * human rights in Burma * home foreclosures * higher education * drugs for animals * boating emissions and safety * railroad safety * digital television * aviation * highway and bridge inspections * third-world diseases * water usage * alleged pay discrimination * handicapped accessibility on buses * sharks * maritime pollution * pensions * municipal building codes * fish stocks * regional development * training for state and local prosecutors (A list of bills, including descriptions and number of pages, can be found below my signature in the blog version of this Dispatch.) Where do members of Congress find the time to learn about all these issues? Where do they find the time to read all these bills? Simply put, they don't. As we wrote in Thurday's Dispatch, "there is no way that any finite human can know enough to have worthy opinions on more than a few subjects. Yet the politicians pretend they're Supermen and Superwomen who know enough to make vast decisions on a wide range of issues, and to force everyone else to abide by their supposed wisdom." We also wrote that, in contrast, the market "takes advantage of the decentralized knowledge of hundreds of millions of people. No one knows everything, or even very much about most things, but most people know many things about small but important areas of life. It is this decentralized knowledge that drives the world." Should Congress spend money on something it knows very little about? Should it pass laws regulating industries it doesn't understand? When they do so, they attract lobbyists looking for breaks and handouts, while the rest of us must comply with the laws and pay the taxes. We at DownsizeDC.org can't force members of Congress to become experts on everything. That would be impossible even if it was desirable. But we can at least force Congress to read the bills before they are passed, by forcing them to introduce and pass the Read the Bills Act. If bills had to be read before a quorum in Congress, Congress wouldn't have time to pass as many bills as they do now. Priorities would have to be established. But they still would have plenty of time to read and pass every necessary bill authorized by Article I, section 8 of the Constitution. They'd have time to exercise legitimate federal powers such as national defense. They'd even have time to become well-informed on the issues related to their powers. But they wouldn't have time to meddle in every sector of the economy, our private lives, and foreign nations. Members of Congress are not, and can not be, experts on everything. The Read the Bills Act prevents them from even pretending to be. Please tell Congress to pass the Read the Bills Act. In your personal message, tell them you know they didn't read the 2000+ pages of bills they passed last month. Tell them that if they are uninformed on an issue and haven't read the bill, they shouldn't pass it. You can send your message here. Also, please consider making a contribution to further our work. You can do so here. Thank-you for being part of the growing Downsize DC Army. James Wilson Assistant to the President DownsizeDC.org D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc. & Downsize DC Foundation CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project http://www.DownsizeDC.org is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a non-profit educational organization promoting the ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, and small government. You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business associates, and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein as long as attribution is provided for articles and the subscription instructions above are included.

Drilling is "One Subject"

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:04:00 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h



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Quote of the Day:



"Drill, drill, drill!"



-- Larry Kudlow, "Kudlow & Company" MSNBC



Subject: Drilling is "One Subject"



There's long been a moratorium on drilling for oil and natural gas on

most of the outer continental shelf. This moratorium expires every

year, unless it's renewed, which it constantly is. And yet, Congress

has never actually voted on this moratorium. Instead . . .



The moratorium is always attached to completely unrelated spending

bills in order to secure passage and sidestep a potential

presidential veto.



This could not happen if Downsize DC's "One Subject at a Time Act"

was the law of the land. 



The Republicans are currently doing a sit-in on Capitol Hill to draw

attention to their desire to lift the drilling moratorium. What this

means is that they want an up-or-down vote on the moratorium as a

single-subject stand-alone bill. The Democratic leadership doesn't

want to give them this because they expect that the moratorium would

fail such a vote.



This is a perfect opportunity to urge Congress to introduce and pass

the "One Subject at a Time Act" (OSTA) Send Congress a message asking

for this. And, if you favor drilling, use your personal comments to

say so. Give the drilling moratorium as an example of why we need

OSTA. You can send your message here.

<http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/83>



Given the trans-partisan nature of Downsize DC we probably have a lot

of people on our list who oppose drilling for environmental reasons.

As always, with any Downsize DC campaign, they are free to sit out on

this one. But here are a few points to consider . . .



* Many environmentalists have switched to favoring offshore drilling

because it would help to reduce natural oil seeps that are harming

the environment in places like Santa Barbara, California. We've

written about this on our blog here.

<http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/does_drilling_harm_or_help_the_environment>



* Most the off-shore finds will probably be natural gas. To the

extent that we can replace coal with natural gas we will reduce air

pollution and carbon emissions.



* Offshore drilling could expand the economy, making the gradual

conversion to alternative energy sources more affordable. Economic

growth expands research and innovation while enabling consumers to

better afford green alternatives. Consumers have already demonstrated

a willingness to pay premium prices for such alternatives. The richer

we become the more this will happen.



Progress on energy efficiency and affordable alternatives is

happening at a rapid rate. We provide examples on our blog almost

daily. If you're not reading our blog, you should.

<http://www.downsizedc.org/>



You can find examples of energy innovations here,

<http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/honda_hybrid_to_get_40_to_50_mpg>



 here,

<http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/doing_more_with_less_airless_tires>

 and here.

<http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/300_mpg_car_goes_into_production>



Please consider visiting our blog daily. And sign up with Digg so you

can Digg our articles and promote them to others. <http://digg.com/>



* Send a message to Congress in support of OSTA

<http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/83>



* Visit our blog daily <http://www.downsizedc.org/>



* Create a Digg account so you can promote our blog

<http://digg.com/>



* And please consider making a contribution to further our work.

<https://secure.downsizedc.org/contributions/>



Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC army.



Jim Babka



President



DownsizeDC.org, Inc.



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D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

http://www.DownsizeDC.org  

& 

Downsize DC Foundation



http://www.DownsizeDC.com   



CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project at

http://www.downsizedc.org/contribute.shtml 



http://www.DownsizeDC.org is sponsored by DownsizeDC.org, Inc. -- a

non-profit educational organization promoting the ideas of individual

liberty, personal responsibility, free markets, and small government.



You are encouraged to forward this message to friends and business

associates, and permission is hereby granted to reproduce any items herein

as long as attribution is provided for articles and the subscription

instructions above are included.

The Knowledge Problem

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 12:19:54 -0500

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

Quote of the Day:

"Whereof we do not know, thereof we cannot speak."

-- Wittgenstein

Subject: The Knowledge Problem

Our elected representatives are good at getting elected. We know this for the simple reason that they were elected. They passed the electoral test. But how much does the electoral test really tell us? Anything?

What else are the politicians good at, besides getting elected? How much do they know about energy, the environment, economics, and the many thousands of other subjects about which they pass judgment almost daily? Is it even possible for mere humans to know so much about so many things? We think not.

Can the politicians rely on experts to make good their lack of knowledge? With what expertise could they possibly decide which experts to use? And how could they find the time to hear and heed all that those experts might have to say?

To what extent does knowledge even guide the decisions politicians make? How often do politicians make a careful study of competing claims and act accordingly? And how many decisions are instead made because of political expediency or self-interest?

If our politicians lack the time to read the bills they pass, do they have the time to read competing studies on complex subjects before deciding how to vote on the bills they haven't read?

It seems to us that our entire legislative system, insofar as it does not obey the limits of the Constitution, is based on a fundamental fraud -- that our politicians know many things about many subjects, and are qualified to plan the lives of millions of people in thousands of ways.

We try to be more humble than the politicians. As a result, there is much that the politicians do about which DownsizeDC.org never utters a word. Whereof we do not know, we tend not to speak. This is not because we lack opinions. We have as many of them as anyone has. But we're aware of our limitations.

You can take our recent Dispatch about the money supply as an example of our reticence about complex, uncertain subjects. We found that data unsatisfying. We found more questions than answers. And when we do not understand something we tend to either remain silent, or to explain our uncertainties and keep studying.

But while we study, the politicians act. And unlike the recommendations we make to you for action, every decision the politicians make is backed by the force of a policeman's gun. We would assert that reckless decisions wedded to coercive force are far more dangerous than doing nothing at all. And more dangerous still than any Downsize DC action item.

All of us suffer from a "knowledge problem." There is no way that any finite human can know enough to have worthy opinions on more than a few subjects. Yet the politicians pretend they're Supermen and Superwomen who know enough to make vast decisions on a wide range of issues, and to force everyone else to abide by their supposed wisdom.

The politicians only passed an electoral test, and yet they feel as though passing that test is the same as passing every test, on every subject.

As for us, we place far more confidence in another kind of test -- the market test. The market test is one where people put their own money where their mouth is, and where no one is coerced to submit to the supposed wisdom of any other person.

But the market test does something else too. It takes advantage of the decentralized knowledge of hundreds of millions of people. No one knows everything, or even very much about most things, but most people know many things about small but important areas of life. It is this decentralized knowledge that drives the world.

A case in point is our ethanol campaign. Many people have knowledge about this subject that we here at DownsizeDC.org do not have. They have written to share this knowledge, and in some cases to refute our claims. We have placed a link to one such refutation on our website, because it is concise and largely compelling -- and we don't know everything.

But one thing is worth noting about those who have written to us about this subject. Almost none of them thinks that government should subsidize ethanol, or mandate its use. Quite the contrary. Instead, they believe that all energy subsidies and mandates should be repealed, so that decentralized knowledge can deliver us with the best solutions in the shortest time at the lowest price.

We agree. And if you agree, please send Congress a message asking Congress to repeal ethanol subsidies and mandates, and while you're at it, use your personal comments to also ask them to repeal all energy subsidies and mandates. You can send your message here.

Please also consider making a contribution to further our work. You can do so here.

Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC army.

Perry Willis

Communications Director

DownsizeDC.org, Inc.

D o w n s i z e r - D i s p a t c h

is the official email list of DownsizeDC.org, Inc. &
Downsize DC Foundation

CONTRIBUTE to the Electronic Lobbyist project