JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LOOKS TO STAMP OUT CONSTITUTIONAL ALTERNATIVES TO THE FED
By Pat Shannan
Following the Justice Department’s recent announcement that it is “lowering
the boom on alternative money,” the debate over what constitutes real currency in the United States is back in the national spotlight.
The federal government is claiming paying for goods and services with “Liberty Dollars” is a crime.
However, NORFED, the producer of both redeemable currency and 1-ounce silver rounds, called “Liberty Dollars,” for the past eight years disputes this. NORFED has recommended its system as “a boost for people who are looking for an inflation-proof currency to protect their purchasing power.”
U.S. Mint spokeswoman Becky Bailey said, “The [Liberty Dollar] coins share some resemblances to real money, such as the term ‘Trust in God’ instead of ‘In God We Trust’ and the use of a torch in the design. . . [but] we don’t want consumers to be fooled. Such similarities may confuse people into thinking the money is real.”
Supporters of backing currency with gold and silver say the federal government’s verbal attack is nothing more than a hollow threat and but one more effort to move Americans’ attention away from the collapsing paper dollar.
So who is fooling whom? There is enough legal precedent out there which says U.S. currency should be backed by commodities.
Article One, Section 10, of the U. S. Constitution says, “No State shall make any Thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts.” It has never been repealed.
The Coinage Act of 1792 defined the “dollar” as a measurement of gold and silver—25.5 grains and 412.5 grains respectively, thereby setting the ratio of value at 16 to 1.
In addition, 12 USC 152 says, “The terms ‘lawful money’ and ‘lawful money of the United States ’ shall be construed to mean gold and silver coin of the United States .” This is a federal law still on the books.
Yet no coins from the U.S. Mint have contained any silver since 1968. The production of gold coins ceased in 1933 with FDR’s confiscation statutes. The first non-redeemable Federal Reserve Notes were issued in 1963 without the then-familiar clause in the upper left-hand corner:
“This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private, and is redeemable in lawful money at the United States Treasury or any Federal Reserve Bank.” But “lawful money” was defined in 12 USC 152 above. The old redeemable notes circulated together with the new “FRAUDs,” or Federal Reserve Accounting Unit Dollars—so called by monetary realists and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas)—for nearly five years until the banks refused to redeem any paper notes for silver after June 24, 1968. Then the bona fide notes were gradually collected by the banks and taken out of circulation.
Silver currently sells for over 10 FRAUDS per ounce. The new “notes,” now a deceptive misnomer, as a “note” by legal definition must be payable in something, claimed to be the entity rather than the receipt for the entity, and the hoax was complete. Now the government could fund itself and not have to depend upon the constitutional “taxes by apportionment.”
After several re-printings and design changes, these are still the same Federal Reserve Notes that Ms. Bailey is proclaiming to be “real money” in 2006.
Can anyone other than a government bureaucrat make such an outlandish statement with a straight face?
“Gasoline does not go up in price,” says NORFED founder Bernard Von NotHaus. “The value of the modern American dollar goes down as the marketplace is flooded with new paper and credit, thereby requiring more for the same hard goods.”
NotHaus added: “We have never issued a ‘coin’ per se, and in no way have attempted to be in competition with any government. Our goal from the beginning [1998] was to replace the fiat currency with lawful money one dollar at a time.”
Reporting on the Liberty Dollar in 2003, national news commentator Paul Harvey wrote:
“What’s new? The Liberty Dollar! Fed Ex competes with the Post Office. So now there’s the Liberty Dollar competing with the greenbacks printed by your government. The Liberty Dollar is backed by gold and silver. Yes, there’s a competitive currency right here in the United States . In five years it has become the second most popular currency in America .”
Today, NORFED claims 10,000 trading associates, (including AFP) with 80 redemption offices around the nation, and 100,000 users of the silver and currency in commerce.
After the silver rounds, as well as paper notes redeemable in silver, had been in national circulation for more than a year, a similar legal question arose in the Seattle area when a newspaper accused the group of fraud, claiming that there were no offices available to redeem NORFED currency. It was quickly quashed.
“It’s not counterfeit money,” said Ron Legan of the Seattle Secret Service office. Legan was speaking about the redeemable notes in 2000 and pointing out that there had been no evidence of “fraud” or even any complaints against NORFED.
Having investigated the matter closely, Legan concluded that the silver certificates were well within the restrictive boundaries of the U.S. monetary guidelines.
“There is no law that says goods and services must be paid for with Federal Reserve notes,” says Andrew Williams, spokesman for the Federal Reserve. “Parties entering into a transaction can establish any medium of exchange that is agreed upon.”
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September 19, 2006
The US Mint News Story in Perspective
The recent United States Mint warning regarding NORFED and the Liberty Dollar offers a rare opportunity. Let's face it, it had to happen... with the growth and prevalence of the Liberty Dollar over the last eight years, the Government had to respond.
They went public and cleared the air in many ways. First, they stated that the gold and silver Liberty Dollar 'medallions' are not US Mint bullion coins, nor are they legal tender... just as NORFED always advertised. Secondly, they stated that the Liberty Dollars are privately produced, and not backed, nor affiliated with, the United States Government... of course not, they're backed by gold and silver, again, just as NORFED has always advertised. Here it is in plain sight... the Liberty Dollar is not a coin, not legal tender, and backed with inflation proof gold and silver!
So what has happened? Goliath just introduced David to millions of Americans as a nationally recognized underdog. Just as Pepsi went up against Coke with their "take the Pepsi Challenge" campaign, the Liberty Dollar will take it to the people to decide which currency they should use. Welcome to "Just try the Liberty Dollar" campaign. So keep doing "the drop" and spreading the word. We are within our rights to offer Liberty Dollars for goods and services to whoever will voluntarily accept them.
Since the Liberty Dollar has hit mainstream media via USA Today, AOL, Reuters, etc visits to our website have soared to almost 10 time's normal traffic. Online orders have skyrocketed as well! Everything from bumper stickers to Liberty Dollars are being ordered plus new Liberty Associates are signing up... America is mad as hell and isn't going to take it anymore. The people are speaking and they want the Liberty Dollar! Comments like "The US Mint can bite me" and "I'm exercising my right to choose" have been included with many of the orders received.
Critical-thinking free individuals, groups and associations are stepping up offering assistance and support to the Liberty Dollar. Let's keep the momentum going, get your orders in now while silver is at its lowest in months... whether Silver Certificates or Silver Libertys, the beautiful new five ounce Eighth Anniversary $100 commemorative or the very spendable $5 "Quarter Lib"... all are right... right now. Buy now and demonstrate your commitment to the value-backed, inflation-proof Liberty Dollar... practice your right to a free-market currency.
I also want to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to every Regional Currency Officer, Liberty Associate, and Liberty Merchant for their past support. Looking to the future our greatest opportunities and challenges are yet to come. Success takes many forms, but the satisfaction of accomplishment, of doing what you set out to do, can offer the greatest reward especially if that reward is returning America to Value - One Liberty Dollar at a time.
Please review our official Disclaimer and Press Release that specifically address the allegations made by the US Mint on Thursday, September 14.
Mike Johnson
Executive Director
NORFED/Liberty Dollar
Remember the old Silver Certificates? They are back, legal and profitable.
8th Anniversary – A Decisive Moment
Fireworks started early for our 8th Anniversary! As you may recall, last month CBS in Chambersburg, PA, aired a fair and honest newscast on the Liberty Dollar. This time CBS was not so honorable. Shortly after the national media erupted with the US Mint warning, CBS News (WCBS in New York City) hereafter referred to as CBS Lies, aired a two-minute liescast, which was one of the crudest hatchet jobs of some time. And to make matters worse, CBS Liescast featured Richard Staropoli, a Secret Service agent who appears to say that even the mere possession of a Liberty Dollar is a crime and you may go to jail. Right! Hundreds of thousands of people with millions of Liberty Dollars are going to be arrested? I don’t think so! But if you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you. In fact, Staropoli did not say that... but due to the really poor editing that CBS Lies did, you might think that is what he said, but didn’t. If this was not such a serious matter and from such a serious source, you would think you might be watching a spoof from Saturday Night Live.
The fact is that for eight years the Liberty Dollar has been a runaway success. Is that the real problem? For eight years the government has acknowledged its existence and that the Liberty Dollar is legal. I would be grossly disappointed if the US government would go back on its word. Who knows, next it might go back on its money! Plus the US Mint and the Liberty Dollar even appeared in the same special on “Making of Money” by the Learning Channel. There has been no secret that we offer a gold and silver alternative to their fiat funny money that constantly loses value. And there is no doubt that we will continue because...
Because this is the Decisive Moment, let there be no doubt that this is the Decisive Moment where America decides if we are to be free to choose what kind of money we use or continue to be slaves to a monetary system that will ultimately be the ruin of our country and the ideals for which it stands.
The free marketplace should decide what is money – not the government. Remember the government is the servant of the people, not the other way around.
And there are many types of monies: credit money, debit money, good money, commodity money, gold and silver money. Money can be little pieces of paper backed
by nothing but the force of government or money can be based in value, backed by gold and silver, as the Liberty Dollars has been for eight years.
In a day when “consenting adults” can do... and often do...anything, don’t we have a right to use gold and silver between “consenting adults”? And isn’t this guaranteed by the US Constitution? Of course it is. We choose – therefore we are free.
Make no doubt about it. This is a Decisive Moment in our country’s history. I urge you to exercise your right to have just weights and measures and honest money. I urge you to get some Liberty Dollars today! I invite you to experience the fun of using gold and silver again while protecting your purchasing power and making a profit. We have a right to choose our money. What says ye?
Meanwhile, if the US government wishes to launch an investigation into the Liberty Dollar, we would like to be officially informed so we can cooperate and hope they will take a look at the US Dollar, national debt, Social Security, etc., too. We definitely do not want any confusion between their god-awful debt ridden money and our beautiful new gold and silver Liberty Dollar. And as we believe we are innocent until proven guilty, we trust that the Liberty Dollar will continue in business while under investigation by the Department of Justice. But should you care? Maybe if you feel your ideals are threatened... But as 90% of all Liberty Dollars are in metal form held by the people, there is no danger to any Liberty Dollars you are holding.
Of course, all this comes as a complete surprise to Mike Johnson, our new Executive Director, who was only on the job for 11 days before the US Mint issued their warning. Please read Mike’s insightful and dedicated comments below.
There you have it. Happy Anniversary! Little Norfed is growing up. And the US Mint and USA Today is helping a lot. Please take action to protect your money and help protect our great country by getting some Liberty Dollars ASAP.
Stop the FED with your own money and make 25% on your money too!
Closing Remarks:
Happy 8th Anniversary! For those who thought we would not last 30 days... they were wrong. For those who think we will not last 30 more days... they will probably be wrong too. I sincerely do not think that it is possible to bar people from using gold and silver between “consenting adults.” Our country is nearing a crisis point, a Decisive Moment, on many fronts. It is time for everyone who believes in the US Constitution and a Republican form of government to take action... before it is too late. Please take as much action as possible. There is safety in numbers and there are a lot of people who support the Liberty Dollar as it has become the rally point for similar ideals. Let your voice be heard!
Many thanks to all the Liberty Associates, Merchants, and RCOs for your continued support. For it is only by banding together and adopting a free and independent currency, which provides us with “just weights and measures” will we be able to throw off the yoke of a manipulated monetary system and generate a peaceful and prosperous society.
Thank you again for all your efforts to return America to value – one dollar at a time!
Bernard von NotHaus
Monetary Architect/Editor
FED UP with the government greenbacks? Check out NORFED alternate gold and silver Liberty Dollar.
"To emit an unfunded paper as the sign of value ought not to continue a formal part of the Constitution, nor even hereafter to be employed; being, in its nature, pregnant with abuses, and liable to be made the engine of imposition and fraud; holding out temptations equally pernicious to the integrity of government and to the morals of the people." Alexander Hamilton, First Secretary of the Treasury
Inflation Proof Money is now available at a discount from NORFED.
