According to court documents, von NotHaus founded the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Code in Evansville, Ind., in 1998, and developed the Liberty Dollar. He touted the silver medallions as an inflation-proof alternative to official currency.
The coins were marked with the dollar sign, the words “dollar,” “USA,” “Liberty,” “Trust in God” (instead of “In God We Trust”) and other features associated with legitimate U.S. coins.
Oooo. Scary stuff. As a bonus, the feds are trying to grab 16,000 pounds of the coins and a cool 7 mil worth of precious metals belonging to von NotHaus. Sticky sticky fingers. Here's the "domestic terrorism" part:
“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins said. “While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country.”
And this spooky statement:
“We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, disruption and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government,” Tompkins said.
Wow. Anne Tomkins is kicking some terrorist ass, isn't she? Protecting Mom and apple pie. And baseball! Too bad she didn't have the stones to go after the criminals who brought our entire freaking financial system to its knees.
I don't know anything about Mr. von NotHaus beyond this article. He could be a certifiable nut with a funny name, or he could be an entrepreneurial citizen trying to make sweet financial lemonade out of bitter lemons. Either way, labeling him a "domestic terrorist" is ridiculous. Who is he terrorizing? Irritating the hell out of the feds is a proud American tradition, not terrorism.
The term "domestic terrorism" should never be used this lightly. To lump von NotHaus together with the evil man who blew up 168 innocent people in 1995 is beyond ridiculous, and it sounds an ominous warning to the rest of us.
The thudding sounds you hear in the hallway are jackboots. Be very afraid if they stop at your door.
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| Do you feel terrorized? |
I wish I had a mason jar full of these coins buried in the back yard. I think there's room next to my stack of gold bars. :))
ReplyDeleteHey, well at least the really left-wing Democrats in Congress are talking about impeaching Obama because of his Libyan actions.
ReplyDeleteLet them tear themselves apart.
But -- on the international front -- did you see where an English columnist is being investigated because she called the palestinians who murdered that Jewish family "savages?"
Apparently Mister NotHaus is an economist, and former master of the Royal Hawaiian Mint, has been involved in this crusade for some time.
ReplyDeleteHis premise is that the Constitution mandates 'hard' money, and the the Fed and federal reserve notes are unconstitutional and illegal.
Sounds ever less nutty to me, given what has gone on since the gold standard was completely abandoned.
Here is an article about him from 2003, which if I knew how to do links, I would add as one:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_9_19/ai_100111691/
His belief that the Federal Reserve and its fiat notes are illegal is, of course, the reason they jumped on him with both jackboots.
ReplyDeleteCan't have the Fed being questioned so soon after they added billions in additional 'money' to the pile that was already chasing mostly foreign-made goods, eh?
Excellent point and well said as usual, Lady Red. One would think there would be more important things for Anne Tomkins to be doing.
ReplyDeleteO/T - From Insty is a link to XKCD where there is a well laid out radiation chart. I mention it because just as the case with the overblown 'terrorism' above it is another example of folks (mainly the media) going hysterical over nothing, in regards to the radiation in/from Japan.
Matt, no. I didn't see that. I can't say I'm surprised...seems like antisemitism is everywhere. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the additional info, DWT. I'm going there now to check it out.
DWT, someone here, can't remember who, darn it, gave me some simple instructions on a very easy way to do links. I'm not sure I can keep it simple but here goes...
ReplyDeleteScroll down to the 'Create a Link' link just below the comment window and click it.
A separate window will open.
In that new window click on the 'Edit HTML' button in the upper right.
You will then see the HTML for the present post.
Highlight what is between the quote marks and paste your link.
Highlight and then type in between the > and < characters the text you would like for your link.
Also, in the sidebar between "We Support Israel" and "Support Our Troops" are lewy's Seekrit Codez. You can zoom over to that page, grab the code, and paste it into your comment. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks both Luthor & Lady Red.
ReplyDeleteI've tried to do it from Lewy's codes before, insuccessfully, I am sorry to say.
Next time I will try from the 'create a link' button.
This should not be as hard as I am making it.
I quote Blogger...."We be sorry, we cannot complete your request" ... apparently they do not like the word "fucking"? Or my political outlook?
ReplyDeleteFuck you Blogger.
DWT, it looks like von NotHaus is the real deal. I've never heard of him before today. I must live under a rock or something.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm a bit steamed that they prosecuted him at all. Have you all heard of him before?
Aridog, blogger is having a tantrum today. It ate my whole post, but THIS time I was smart enough to have copied it before I hit the publish button. HAH! Take that, blogger!
ReplyDeleteI guess we can't complain too loudly. It's free. 8-}
Lady Red, I'd not heard of NotHaus by name, either.
ReplyDeleteBut I had read about his organization somewhere
before, as well as some others who are creating 'money' to be used in specific areas and/or among those who agree to accept it.
PS - blogger at the prior comment the first time I tried, also.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is a terrorist.
ReplyDeleteWell, except for the islamofascists...
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding! Florrie wins the jackpot for the day! Islamofscists and SIEU members....
ReplyDeleteI guess we can't complain too loudly. It's free.
ReplyDeleteRight. :D Just as well anyway, as it was OT and a bit overdone on the fact it took less than 24 hours, after asking for it, for Teh A-rab League to say they didn't like what England, France and the Great Satan *USA) were doing.
They apparently think a "no fly zone" is a game of aerial whack-a-mole for ground fire on aircraft above ... e.g., that the Frogs, Brits and Yanks are supposed to fly around just waiting to be fired upon ... only then should they fire on sacred ground, yada yada.
After watching what news there is until midnight last night I went to bed completely sure, in my gut, that B-2's were on their way, although it was not mentioned. This morning ... Voila'!! ... and the expected whining from Teh Arab League (made up of the same kind of goat fucking none-working despots more or less as Ghadafi ... like you/we expected what? Hello?)
How these be-robed clowns keep their honest working stiffs (the vast majority) in sway is beyond me the "Stepford Arabs" perhaps?
The other side of my "take" on this Libya thing is sleeplessness, cold seats, night mares, and extreme deja vu. The old anxieties do not evaporate over time, and they return. Somebody's son or daughter will wind up there.
ReplyDeleteIt matter little that the Jug Eared Messiah has quibbled and dithered on the subject (and handed it off to others, as per usual) ... we've stepped in to another dung pile.
My original opinion was the Arab League wants a no-fly zone, well let THEM get their F-15 and F-16's in the air and establish it. They have them and we trained them, or the Brits did on Tornadoes, or the French did on Desaults.
Not sure what I think anymore. Do we need Libyans? Other then oil, what do they contribute to the world? Could we just blow the shit out of the whole place, kill almost everyone, then send in Royal Dutch Shell Oil and a bunch of lowlanders in to run the place?
My mind no longer works properly I fear.
Segue back on topic :D ... Meanwhile our government is out there chasing guys who print obvious token silver coins. Never mind the assholes who sell worthless Credit Default Swaps .... and still do so on credit that might rate piss poor on a good day.
Wandering off now ..... ~x(
And Lewy corrects me on CDS stuff ... 5, 4, 3 .... =))
ReplyDeleteCan't remember if I've ever mentioned it here. But for those who use IE... which may only be me. There is an excellent, free, spell check tool called ieSpell that does a lot more than spell check. It looks up on Merriam-Webster, copies and pastes, and a few other functions. A simple right click makes it all work. It makes it very simple to copy a comment before hitting preview or post. I've been using it for about ten years, it's great and has saved me a lot of grief over those years. And no, I don't know the author, just think he wrote a real cool tool.
ReplyDeleteAri, I'm sick of it all, frankly. If I had my way there would be much smoldering, smoking, ash in that part of the world and to hell with the repercussions.
ReplyDeleteGreat, wifey is in the other room watching a travel show on the TV, from which just emanated that GD call to prayer, you know which one I mean. What timing, eh.
The terrorism thing is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI've read some stuff about this case which makes it sound like the law is ridiculously broad; local scrip such as Ithaca Hours have been in use for decades.
Other stuff I've read has to do with the design.
If this were a copyright case, and US money designs were under my copyright, I'd be sending lawyers letters to Mr. NotHaus. Liberty Dollars arguably result in a "substantial likelyhood of confusion" with regular money - e.g. US Silver Eagles (which are legal tender).
I think some similar doctrine is at work here.
I've also heard Liberty dollars are something of a consumer scam. FWIW I've investigated many different ways of owning precious metals and I didn't give Liberty Dollars much consideration.
That said: terrorism? Breathless nonsense on stilts. Doesn't even rise to the level of "man caused disaster". ;)
Oh, and CDS? Ari, AIG's credit was perfectly good. They were backed by the USG implicitly and everyone knew it. That backing became explicit when necessary. No worthless CDS! We're backing them up... you and me and the rest of us... Not terrorism, just run of the mill extortion.
Lewy sez ... [ some how without gagging =)) ] ...
ReplyDeleteAIG's credit was perfectly good. They were backed by the USG implicitly and everyone knew it.
In other words, absolutely bereft of any innate or inherent value. :D
*Securitzing* 100+ pieces of fetid manure does not a Lilac bush make.
# 23 continued ....
ReplyDeleteIn other words, AIG *uttered and published* actually utilizing the full faith and credit of the USG ... whilst von Nothaus only *allegedly* implied it (never miond he actually used a metal with *innate and inherent* value) ... and he gets hammered and may loose all assets, financial and tangible.
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Ari - that's why it is no longer a justice system. Only a legal system now.
ReplyDeleteThe prosecution was a travesty of justice. Where do they get such idiotic jurors, youtube?
ReplyDeleteI don't have too much sympathy for Nothaus though. He sold people vastly overpriced silver coins.