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Our Principles and Policies  radio show for Friday August 3, 2012. Barry Sheets and Chuck Michaelis look at Steubenville Ohio’s push-back against the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s bully tactic against the city’s logo which includes a building with a crucifix.
Article link-Â http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/01/steubenville-city-seal-dispute.html
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Our Principles and Policies radio show for Monday January 30, 2012. Barry Sheets and Chuck Michaelis explode some of the academic mythology of man-made global warming.
Maybe you’re as shocked as we are; maybe not. But we goofed on the attached file for the podcast on Friday December 23, 2011.
Somehow (and the webmaster still doesn’t understand how) a file name that didn’t exist got attached to the podcast and it led to a MUCH older show in the archives which should have been impossible, technically speaking. In any case, it’s fixed now.
You can access the show for 12/23/11 below. Enjoy!
The Institute for Principled Policy is proud to welcome Tom DeWeese, President of the American Policy Center, to Ohio to present a seminar: “Sustainable Development: The United Nations’ Agenda to Eradicate Private Property Rights” on Saturday, April 30th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on the campus of THE Ohio State University, 31 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Ave., Columbus, 43215. Tom will also be signing copies of his new book “Now Tell Me I Was Wrong”.
The Institute is joined in this effort by the Ohio State chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, the Ohio Liberty Council, and the Ohio Freedom Alliance.
The event is free and open to the public.
Join us for a very important discussion on how to combat the attack on property rights being waged through your local governments!
Please RSVP to [email protected]
Reading a recent press release from the FBI regarding the case of Bernard von NotHaus being convicted of the crime of minting his own money, I realized that this case is an interesting study in the application of the Constitution.
As you will note, the federal government relies on Article 1, Section 8, clause 5 to reserve to the government the right to coin money, and as the basis for bringing the conviction against Mr. NotHaus. Now the next phase of the government’s efforts, the forfeiture of Mr. NotHaus’ assets comprising 16,000 pounds of precious metals in the form of coinage, begins.
U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins (Western district, North Carolina) is quoted as stating that Mr. NotHaus’ activities are a “unique form of domestic terrorism”:Â a singularly weighty charge, and one that she directly states “challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government.”
So, here’s the call: the Institute for Principled Policy is calling for short papers, under 1600 words, that will argue for the Consitutionality, or lack thereof, of either Mr. NotHaus’ actions in creating and circulating the “Liberty Dollars”, or of the government’s actions in convicting Mr. NotHaus, including the forfeiture action. Please make your submission to the Institute by no later than April 15th.
Sharpen your pencils (or spray the dust from under your keys), and put on your Constitutional thinking caps. Essays judged to be Constitutionally sound by the Institute’s review board will be published on the site.
“…you won’t know where you’re going…” or so the saying goes. This sentiment is especially true when it comes to understanding and defending our form of government, establishing liberty under law. Amazingly, in Ohio, this education is something that it is going to take an action of the Ohio General Assembly to ensure students in schools receive.
On Tuesday, February 22nd, a press conference was held at the Ohio Statehouse to announce the introduction of the “Founding of America Documents” bill, legislation that would require the teaching, in 9th-12th grade, of such important documents as the US and Ohio constitutions, the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, and the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers. The goal of the legislation is to strengthen Ohio’s American History and Government standards put forth by the Ohio Board of Education, which currently does not require students learning the history of their own form of goverment in any depth whatsoever, receiving a score of 3 out of 10 from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation’s survey “The State of State U.S. History Standards 2011”.
Institute for Principled Policy director Barry Sheets presented his supporting comments at this press conference. The Institute believes that students should be taught the importance of these historical documents, and will be working with sponsors Senator Tim Grendell and Representative John Adams to have this study begin earlier than the 9th grade.
Comments supporting the “Founding of America Documents” bill by Barry Sheets, Director, Institute for Principled Policy:
“Good morning. I am Barry Sheets, director of the Institute for Principled Policy, a non-profit public policy think tank.
The Institute supports the introduction of this legislation, and would like to thank the legislative sponsors of this bill, and the organizations here today who are showing their public support for this common-sense issue.
Yesterday was Presidents’ Day, and today we celebrate the birth of George Washington, the first President under the United States Constitution. We have our students celebrate this day, but they also must understand the document which gave us Presidents in the first place. This bill will have those founding documents taught beginning in 9th grade. This is a good thing, but the Institute would like to see it start even earlier, as early as the 4th or 5th grade level, and develop the foundation blocks for a study of the fundamental documents enumerated in the bill, along with other important documents such as the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Articles of Confederation, among other key writings.
Recently, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni commissioned a study of over 700 American colleges and universities relating to their teaching of our American founding documents. Their findings are startling and disturbing. The survey found that less than 20% of the public institutions require American History, and less than 6% of the private institutions do so. Only 140 schools even required a survey course; 600 schools didn’t. Therefore, if we believe our students will be o.k. if they don’t learn about our founding and form of government in high school because they will surely get it when they go to college (among those students who actually do), we are fooling ourselves and doing these and all students a grave disservice by leaving them ignorant of the history of our American experiment in liberty.
This bill is necessary, and will go far to help encourage students to become engaged citizens. Perhaps we will be able at some point in the future to correct the out of balance practices in our goverment if students read and study these materials, such as this from Federalist 45, penned by James Madison:
‘…powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the state governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiations, and foreign commerce. The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of all the people; and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the state.’
The Institute for Principled Policy stands firmly in support of this legislation, and will work with the sponsors in testimony and advocacy toward passage of this bill. Thank you.”
Today, the Institute for Principled Policy’s executive director, Barry Sheets, participated in a press conference to announce the introduction of pro-life legislation by the Ohio House of Representatives. The legislation, known as the Ohio Human Heartbeat Protection Act, would protect defenseless unborn human beings from abortion by making the abortion act illegal beginning at the point that the heartbeat is detected.
The bill, sponsored by state Representative Lynn Wachtmann of Napoleon (also the chairman of the Ohio House Health committee where the bill will be debated), is the strongest pro-life measure to yet come before Ohio legislators.
The Institute has worked in collaboration with a number of pro-life and pro-family organizations including Faith2Action, Family First, and many county Right to Life organizations in the state as well as attorneys and medical professionals to bring this legislation to the Ohio Legislature. Over forty state representatives have signed on as co-sponsors, and it is likely that upon introduction the bill will have a majority of the Ohio House as co-sponsors.
This effort is being supported by a large grassroots show of support, as over 4,000 red mylar heart-shaped balloons sponsored by pro-life citizens will be delivered to the members of the Ohio General Assembly on Valentine’s Day with the message “Have a Heart! Pass the Heartbeat bill!”
Some pro-life organizations are opposing the Ohio Human Heartbeat Protection Act, stating that the bill has “no chance” of passing US Supreme Court muster. Whether or not this crystal-ball prediction is valid will only be determined by standing on principle and passing the legislation, sending it on to the courts, and only then worrying about whether or not Anthony Kennedy got up on the wrong side of his bed that day.
Nothing ventured; nothing gained. Roe v. Wade stands as a strengthened precedent if it is never challenged. Ohio’s legislators and citizens are up to that challenge. Pass the Heartbeat bill!
There is one very positive result of the recent actions of the Spotsylvania High School officials in exercising their “Gun-Free Schools Act” responsibilities against profligate lawbreaker 14-year-old Andrew Mikel II.  As reported in the Washington Post, Mikel was expelled from the school for utilizing a casing of an ink pen to propel small plastic balls at his classmates. In other words, a spitball shooter. For this heinous crime, Mikel is being not only expelled, but local law enforcement is requiring him to submit to a 12-month “diversion” program in lieu of criminal charges being pursued.
What’s positive in all this, you ask? The answer is buried in the article: the Mikel family has decided to homeschool young Andrew. Instead of subjecting this precocious young man to the “security” regime of the government-run education system, they are planning (and will hopefully continue to persevere in the decision) to take control of their child’s education.Â
The district should take comfort to know that such a dangerous individual will be removed from their community, and the security level of their district can return to the “Yellow” status.
It is another beautiful day here on the shores of Lake James in northern Indiana, and Camp American is in full swing. Dozens of campers, along with a number of adult counselors and staff are into the flow of camp life. Many of the campers are returning for their second, third, fourth or more years of participating in Camp American.
A normal morning at camp consists of an early wake up call, flag raising and morning devotions, a hearty breakfast cooked by the volunteer kitchen staff, and then campers (and many of the staff and assistants) are given three class lecture periods on the Christian history of our nation and our founding documents, are familizarized with the Constitution and how it applies in American life, taught about existing and new issues in the culture that can impact them (and that they can impact), and given tools to be able to apply their learning “in the real world.”
The classes are being taught by some well-recognized names in their fields:Â Tom DeWeese of the American Policy Center, Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America, Dr. Michael Coffman of Environmental Perspectives, Pastor David Whitney of Institutes on the Constitution, Charles Michaelis with the Institute for Principled Policy, and Barry Sheets with Principled Policy Consulting.
Camp wouldn’t be complete without camp activities to keep the young ladies and gentlemen exercising their bodies as well as their brains, so Camp American provides many opportunities for recreation, including basketball, volleyball, skiing, tubing, rollerskating, go kart racing, and bowling to name a few, as well as organized “camp games” to allow for the competitive spirit to be nourished. The week wraps up with the “Constitution Game” a three-hour exercise on how to take hypothetical (and often times real-world) situations and find the Constitutional warrant or prohibition on the situation.
Your correspondent had the opportunity to teach the campers on two subjects: Biblical and Constitutional tools to analyze policy, and a workshop on how to read and analyze legislation. These classes encouraged a great deal of participation from the campers, which helps them retain the information.Â
Camp American is a wonderful opportunity to equip the next generation to engage in the fight for liberty under law. Consider having your 12 and up child be a part of Camp American 2011!
Reprinted with Permission from the Rainrock Nutritionals website
In an article in the Over The Counter Today blog we learned that Sen. John McCain has withdrawn all support of his own bill (S. 3002), the laughably misnamed Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010.
In effect this bill would have imposed draconian penalties for dietary supplement companies who made new products with recently uncovered ingredients if they weren’t marketed in the United States prior to the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (Oct. 15, 1994). In other words, only drug companies would have access to ingredients that became available prior to nearly 16 years ago. If a company were to use one of these ingredients, the FDA would be empowered to call it “adulterated” and to order an instant recall. It also handed the Secretary of Health and Human Services the power to ban ingredients by simply striking them from a list called “Accepted Dietary Ingredients.”
It is clear that McCain is feeling the political heat. He is in a tense primary battle to keep his Arizona US Senate seat and apparently, enough of you have contacted his office and expressed your displeasure with this new power grab to give him the idea that maybe supplements ought to be left alone. This effort of McCain’s was really just one of the many steps the federal government is taking to turn control of all dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals over to the control of international “authorities” by adopting the European “Codex Alimentarius” as law in the United States. This essentially would place all regulation of supplements under the control of European bureaucrats who are themselves under the control of German Pharmaceutical giants.
McCain was convinced by both internal and external pressure to withdraw support for this bill. Your calls helped as did this letter from Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.
But we must be vigilant. Dietary supplements are in the cross hairs of regulators and the current administration. I was told at a meeting of Complementary and Alternative Medicine providers and patients last summer that the Obama health care bill would ensure the continuation of the easy availability of dietary supplements. This is an absurd notion. The European example tells a very different story. Dietary supplements throughout the EU are rapidly becoming an endangered species (except in the UK which doesn’t care for German control of ANYTHING).
Please take this opportunity to join and support the National Health Federation and purchase Director Scott Tips book on the Codex Alimentarius- Codex Alimentarius: Global Food Imperialism