“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” – Thomas Jefferson.

While reading various quotes from Thomas Jefferson I stumbled along this very important and prudent statement. Our State Governments of California and Oregon have not practiced wise and frugal spending. Our Federal Government is now in a total debt of 57 trillion dollars with unfunded liabilities and aid to foreign nations. And according to a debt website “79% ($45 trillion) of total debt was created since 1990, a period primarily driven by debt instead of by productive activity”. California alone is looking at 28 billion dollars by 2010 putting it in “uncharted waters” as far as the solvency of the state and the economic future if its citizens. The Treasurer of California has recently resorted to selling state bonds on the radio trying desperately to seek investors in order to fund various programs and pay down the debt. This may turn out to be a futile attempt to raise sufficient funds and could plunge California deeper into debt and could cause its demise. The other answer is to raise taxes and fees, increase tickets, and continue to tax and over regulate businesses to the point where the thought of opening and operating a business in California is pure suicide.

Oregon’s unemployment rate is reported at 11.9% but could be as high as 21% given season unemployment & those who are underemployed as well as those who have given up on trying t find a job. While there debt picture is not as grim the state government is trying hard to finance its 8 billion dollar liabilities/obligations that are currently unfunded. The Oregon State government is awaiting the disbursement of Federal Stimulus dollars in order to try to put people back to work but the math just does not add up:

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - How much are politicians straining to convince people that the government is stimulating the economy? In Oregon, where lawmakers are spending $176 million to supplement the federal stimulus, Democrats are taking credit for a remarkable feat: creating 3,236 new jobs in the program's first three months.
But those jobs lasted on average only 35 hours, or about one work week. After that, those workers were effectively back unemployed, according to an Associated Press analysis of state spending and hiring data. By the state's accounting, a job is a job, whether it lasts three hours, three days, three months, or a lifetime.

Oregon is not Creating Jobs as it is paying for work with stimulus dollars. Once the money is gone those jobs will cease to exist and getting work for just one week at a time is hardly worth the effort, some will argue anything helps but this is not sustainable! To tax people to pay people without going further and further into debt is like trying to wish away a hurricane. The people deserve a chance at prosperity to build industry by the fruits of ones labor. The individual should not be looked at as a piggy bank to the state. Just as Jefferson quoted above we can not continue to allow government on any level to “not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned” I believe a free state can exist and must in order for our very survival! This dream is waking up and slowly re entering the minds of the inhabitants of Jefferson. Where once a dream existed to throw off the throngs of overreaching government and create the State of Jefferson, now it looks to be a matter of survival rather than a casual choice. Give it some thought. Look at culture of the region; look at commonalities and of the frugal and wise people that make up this land. Look at how so many are suffering financially and will continue to do so unless we take a stand and establish our own state that promotes a healthy financial environment for business to return and provide the chance to prosper again in America. Lets get back to our founding principals, Get involved today! www.jeffersonproposal.org

"Join or Die"

Throughout history many symbols have portrayed metaphors and meanings of hardship and struggle. They served as rallying cries for the people or simply stating the obvious and difficult decisions that had to be made. One of particular note is Ben Franklin’s “Join or Die” emblem that was initially designed as a cause during the French and Indian war was re-invoked during America’s struggle for Independence. It showed the pieces of a snake representing the many colonies and how by joining the fight together they could face the hardship and stand as an equal nation. Many who saw the symbol related with the cause and saw that in order to secure their Liberty they had to “Join” the American Rebellion or “Die” as a result of a tyrannical ruler. They understood if the colonies did not unite as a nation all hope would be lost. This was of great importance to those sitting on the fence, deciding to join the rebellion or try to work with the establishment.
Now Jefferson is faced with a true “Join or Die” decision to make. We know that California is a HUGE overpowering under representative government that while having many areas of political diversity it cannot effectively govern. The budget is unsustainable and as a state is completely broke but refuses to talk about restructuring its system. For Oregon we know that although a smaller State is disenfranchising its people in the south and is wrestling with a massive unemployment rate, one of the highest in the nation! The same Portland/Salem politics and the same answers brought to the table asking, hell begging the Federal government for help in the name of economic “stimulus” which as we know is just to rob the tax payers to pay more over a longer time while the feds print the money to make up for short fall and continue to devalue the World’s Reserve Currency = The U.S. Dollar. The States of Oregon and California have constantly ignored our basic pleas for proper representation and legislation of our distinctively rural areas. They have shut down any hope of a sustainable economy for this region and offer only government jobs as the solution.
Let me ask something does not everyone in the Jefferson territory know of someone or is someone who works for the schools, U.S. Forrest service, Cal Fire, CHP, Oregon State Police, or some other government agency including the cities and towns. Government is the single biggest employer in our region. I do not argue that some of these jobs are essential. Of course we need Police and firefighters but we also need industry and a greater support of our rural based economy. As good, hardworking Farmers struggle with the state and Federal Government over basic water rights and the proposed pacific Corp Dam removal that provides Green energy and Jobs. One thing is for certain we have lost local governmental control as our local governments bow down to state governments as they in turn are on their knees begging for money (our money) to be allocated from the Fed to them. So I ask what are the good people of Jefferson to do? I think the answer is clear, “Join or Die”
Let the people band together as they convince their local governments and county supervisors to embrace this “change” and unite to create a new state, more than a state of mind but a state of Freedom and Independence that does not bow down to the Federal government. We can stand as a free state if we act now and Join together or for certain if we do not act we shall die. Join today www.jeffersonproposal.org

Don’t Tread on Jefferson!

During the American Revolutionary War, one of the common flags carried by the Continental Army was the famous Gadsden Flag depicting a coiled up snake prepared to strike with the famous motto “Don’t Tread on Me”. This motto was meant to imply if the British Army treads any further they will be bitten, HARD! When the Gadsden flag flew high alongside Washington’s Army many early Americans rallied to the cause and took up arms to fight the British off of America’s soil. The metaphor of a coiled snake was meant to represent the American people being constantly “pushed into a corner” by the oppressive tyrannical British Government. The motto served as one last warning to the British troops before the snake bites. The loyal colonialists lost faith in their government gradually when King George III imposed needless taxes and began to strip them of all their rights as Englishmen. After all the countless pleas to the king to address the grievances over the new imposed taxes and the stripping of basic rights; the colonists still remained loyal to their sovereign. After the Kings rejection to even read the Olive Branch Petition the colonial delegates knew that they had been pushed into a corner and had to act. They soon voted to declare the independence for the United States of America. This act was made to ensure their freedoms and rights would be restored and protected. For the first time the ideals of the individual were being realized and that a person’s rights and freedoms are not given to them by a king, emperor or president but by God.
Now the people residing in the Jefferson Territory find themselves at a cross roads themselves. They recognize that the States of Oregon and California will not protect their rights and freedoms for the states have lost their sovereignty as California and Oregon roll over to every demand and usurpation of power by the Federal government. These states along with the Federal Government strip property owners of their land and water rights, impose more taxes and restrictions while guaranteeing them less and less of their Liberty. Once their was an outcry of resistance in 1941 where the people of Jefferson stood up to these irresponsible governments and declared themselves an independent state that would ensure the rights and freedoms of all her citizens. Unfortunately World history caught up to the Jefferson Movement as the Bombing of Pearl Harbor put the resistance movement on hold. Now new trouble brews in Jefferson as they see more and more of their rights stripped away. We are pushed right back in the corner and prepared to strike, the old motto has returned “Double Crossed” again as the governments of Oregon and California have promised to address the grievances but in the end do not even take the time to read them just as King George had done. Look at Jefferson suffering needlessly in her economy by restrictions on logging and water usage for the farmers as the tyrannical governments prepare for a final blow and strip the dams away in the name of protecting the environment. While there are countless reasons that fuel the Jefferson Cause will the people of Jefferson rise to say “enough is enough”?
Let our words meet action as we begin to organize. I challenge you to find like minded Jeffersonians in you area and become involved in your community to spread the Jefferson Story of Individual Freedom and Personal Responsibility. Only uniting as one will strengthen our cause as we speak with one voice “Don’t’ Tread on Jefferson”. Be a part of the action and Contact the Jefferson Action Committee, for the more you delay the more you jeopardize your freedoms!

"When in the Course of Human Events"

We all remember these decisive words from our Declaration of Independence. “When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…” The necessary act of separation came to be known in the minds of the American Patriots as the only measure that would insure their Liberty and ultimately establish their Independence. I feel that the necessary act of separation came to realization gradually by smaller measures over time until finally the common man in the American Colonies had no resemblance to the common man in Great Britain. Different culture and traditions had erupted among the colonists and they no longer embraced their identity as Englishman. They began to attach their identity with the colony they were from. Thomas Jefferson the Virginian and Benjamin Franklin the Pennsylvanian were in fact shaped by the region in which they lived as any person on this earth has undoubtedly experienced by their home town. In fact you could say that their fundamental understanding of Liberty, Independence, and Freedom in some ways derived from their hometown and attributed the desire to secure it! They understood that the opening words of the Declaration of Independence would cast the die for every Independence movement from 1776 through eternity.
The Declaration of Independence plainly states that it becomes “Necessary” for separation during the “Course of Human Events”. People can grow apart overtime and the governments representing those people can grow apart from the people in which they represent. Disenfranchisement of the people is just as evident then as it is today; the exception being that at some points in history tyranny was challenged and put in its place. After the American Revolution the rights of man were secured unto the people as the U.S. Constitution took shape. Limits of power were put into place to ensure that government would be accountable to the people and properly restrained. This provided the solution and defined what the proper use of government should be, to protect Individual Freedom and Personal Liberty. This framework of the Federal government was contingent with the understanding that sovereign states of the union would protect their citizens by the same account and insure their rights as freemen.
But what to do when sovereign states stop protecting rights of their citizens and stop restraining Federal Governmental powers all for the guaranty of Federal Government funding? Simple, the people retain the right to alter or abolish it remember? So in perhaps the most freedom conscience place left in America, tyranny’s high water mark has crested upon the region known as Jefferson. This region made up of several rural counties of Northern California and Southern Oregon has observed time and time again that they bear little resemblance to the urban citizens of California and Oregon. And due to this constant disenfranchisement of the people in this region by both state governments as well as the Federal Government, it is becoming “necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…” It is self evident to understand that a independent sovereign State of Jefferson would be better off insuring the rights of its people better than the current states of California and Oregon would ever do, for the government of my home would be home and it would look after the best interests of its people. Just as Great Britain over extended herself with war for empire, the Federal government as well as the state governments of Oregon and California have over bloated their governmental powers and are now seeing the negative effects of a government out of control. The time to challenge tyranny is at hand and it has become now “necessary” to separate ourselves from the state governments that do not represent their people and create the only viable solution, a free and Independent State of Jefferson!