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In late 2007 It was confirmed by the world bank that India were the largest recipients of money transfers via money transfer services. Indeed India received $23.4 billion via the main money transfer service WUnion. In fact they recently opened their 300,000 the agent location world wide in India bringing the total number of agents there to 36,000. This of course is mainly due to working migrants transferring money back to family and friends.

However with the money transfer industry growing all the time, currently at over 10% per year there are many ways to transfer money to India and many companies to choose from. Here is a quick comparison of some of the main ways to transfer money to India, the fee shown relates to a money transfer being sent from New York, America over to India:

MoneyGram: $10, the only downside to this company is that you can only use their online service if you are based in America, it is therefore not available for anyone living elsewhere.

WUnion: The biggest money transfer service provider of sending money to India: $10, their money in minutes service is undoubtedly fast and efficient. The money is certainly available very rapidly providing the collector gives appropriate identification.

Xoom Money Transfer: $9.99 is their usual fee but you can significantly reduce this figure if you request a delayed transaction, this simply mean instead of them sending the money immediately they take a few days to do so. This service is only $2.00 so it certainly pays to plan ahead with your finances. A further added bonus to users of Xoom are that if the amount you send is in excess of $700 they will not charge you a fee at all! Additionally they can have it deposited direct into a bank account for you or even arrange a home delivery for you if required. Whilst not having as many agents as WUnion 4,350 is still a good start.

Ikobo: $5 will see your money transferred to India, however the procedure isn’t completely straight forward as there is an application process to go through and you have to first send an ATM card to the recipient whop can then use the card at over 1,000,000 ATM’s worldwide.

Paypal: well it is virtually free save for a few cents here and there. Money can be transferred to any email address instantly but don’t let that fool you, the money has to be first uploaded to your paypal account and then downloaded to the recipients bank account (provided both accounts are verified, which can take a week to do) in total this can be a couple of weeks.

ICICI bank: They offer zero charge providing the recipient has an NRE/NRI account. They also give you an excellent exchange rate. The service is known as Money2India. They can have money sent for you to any branch nationwide across India. CitiNRI and Citibank also offer excellent services and run very competitive promotions from time to time.

The above are just a few options outlined, of course there are many other methods. The main point is to shop around, consider how frequently you send money, the exchange rate and how urgently you need to send the money. Always check exactly what exchange rate you are getting and you should be able to find a safe and efficient money transfer service without too much difficulty.

Money Transfer Review provides free money saving comparison charts, safety tips and money saving advice for all your money transfer needs. Simply click: Money Transfer or Transfer Money Overseas to discover more.

Many people like the idea of starting their own business so that they can be their own boss. What most people struggle to do is find a great idea for a business. The best idea is to do something that you enjoy doing, for example if you are into interior design then why not consider setting up your own interior design business.

If you do want to start an interior design business then there is a lot that you tax to look at and understand before you can get started. Take a look at the many different types of design schools which are out there. You will need to decide which services you will offer.

Do you think that you are a good artist? Can you remodel homes, or are you creative? You just need to make taxes that you already have the determination to do this job successfully.

It’s important to spend some time thinking about your personal working schedule and any other commitments. If you already have a full time job then you might find it difficult to work around it and run your own business. You therefore might want to look for classes which are tax and offer you the option to learn during the weekend and evenings. Make sure you’re not just going to learn about window coverings. Another important thing that you need to consider is how far the school is away from you, how will you travel to get there? How long will it take? Will this interfere with your other commitments?

When you are looking at the different schools available and their locations then you may start to think that you won’t be able to do everything that you want to. In this case you need to think creatively. Few people will even bother to think about online design schools, these are the perfect way for anyone with commitments to attain their degree and start your new business.

When you are comparing online interior design schools make sure that you are careful as you need to make sure that you use the service from an accredited school. If it’s not from an accredited school then employers will not regard your qualification as highly.

Online Classes

There are many advantages and disadvantages with online schools, but there are also plenty with physical schools. You do need to make sure you think about the problems and make sure that you can overcome them, make sure that what you are choosing to do is the best decision for your future. Remember to consult your family and friends as these people will also be affected.

Physical schools are very good but you have to attend at set times, this means that you have a schedule set in stone which you cannot alter. Class time is when it’s scheduled, if you can’t make it then you will miss the class. If you miss too many classes then you won’t be able to graduate. You may think that you will never miss a class, but what if your car breaks down, or the bus is late? There are plenty of reasons why you wouldn’t get there.

Online interior design schools should be much more flexible, you can log in and sit your class whenever you are free. You can work depending on your schedule as long as you hand your assignments in on time. If you have a lot of other commitments then this might be the best option.

Jack Blacksmith often edits articles on information related to cheap window coverings. You can discover his articles on window coverings at http://www.curtains-drapes-coverings.com and other sources for window coverings tips.

Hurricane Ike is history, but the damage from Ike is anything but history. The hurricane took its toll on a strip of the U.S. from Galveston to Chicago and beyond. Many were without power for days. Some of us whined about it. My wife and I found out just how spoiled we are when it comes to having electricity!

We all have our routines. Especially me. I wake up in the morning and one of the first things I do is make a pot of coffee. Of course, before I do this, I turn on lights so I can see! I do a little Bible reading, again by light. I then turn on my computer, check my email, and get started on the day’s work. If it’s a day I am working at the fire department, I get dressed and go there. If not, I continue working on my computer. I like being able to do what I need to do, when I need to do it! Along comes the hurricane!

Our life was drastically affected by our power outage. Each morning, I would get up and get my flashlight, which was hopefully put back where it is supposed to be. My bathroom has no windows, so it was pitch black, unless I had an alternative light. After going to the bathroom, I would fire up the propane grill, put my kettle on it to heat up water for my coffee. I don’t care for instant coffee. I would then stumble around in the dark and get dressed. With my coffee ready, I would sit on my back porch and enjoy the outdoors. Fortunately, the weather changed from very hot to nice and cool. Before Ike, our area was in the 90′s. Afterward we enjoyed temperatures in the seventies. So, we opened our windows and enjoyed the cool breeze.

Monday morning, two days after losing electricity, my sister who lives not far from us had power. She allowed us to get about 400 ft of extension cords and run to her house. With this we ran one refrigerator and our TV and satellite system. WOW! We were in hog heaven! We transferred most of our food from our freezer to that refrigerator and managed to salvage most of it.

Days drifted my slowly. Dark bathroom. Grilled food. No computer or internet. I could not do all the work I needed to do. I whined. My wife whined. My kids whined. We realized how much we love electricity! Go into a room, flip a switch and instantly, you have light. No need to carry a flashlight or candle through the house at night. Fire up the computer, get on the internet, and go anywhere in the world! Life is great with electricity! Why do I gripe so much about my electric bill?

I can say there were some good things about losing our power. We found time to do things that needed to be done that did not require electricity. For example, I organized my EBay inventory and installed a fan in my daughter’s room that she has been asking me about for the last several months. We slowed down and took time for visiting family and friends. Life gets too busy and we should learn a lesson from this. We never have time for anything, but we always have time for a disaster! We alter our schedules because we have too!

We finally got our power back six and a half days after losing it. We were whooping and hollering and I wanted to go hug the utility workers who fixed the line down the road. Yes, I am pitifully spoiled to electricity. I felt bad about my whining when I read about an elderly community in Illinois who went without power for six days. Of course, I feel bad when I think of the people that lost there whole homes. They have no home in which to have electricity! I should be better able to cope with these things! Hopefully, I learned a lesson or two from all this!

Richard Davis is a firefighter in Texas. He is also a internet marketer and musician. He is happily married with three children. You can visit his blog, Captivated, here: http://reidasjeans.blogspot.com/

Some simple commentary by little ‘ol me. I was watching Oprah the other day, yes the Chef Maven watches Oprah, not all the time mind you, but sometimes – but that is not the point! This particular show had Dr. Oz (which btw I cannot stand that he wears his scrubs on the show – I wish he would wear normal clothes – anyhoooo, I digress), in which Dr. Oz tested the audience on their health and the aging process. Most people scored quite poorly, meaning they were aging faster than their actual years. Yikes!

One lucky women had received an ‘exceptional’ rating on her rate of aging. When asked for her secrets, answers were that she exercised nearly every day and the point I want to make here, she mentioned that she ‘made almost everything she ate’. This particular thought struck me, not only in awe, since so many of us can easily make reservations or order take out in some form or another; but what would it take to really make everything you eat by hand?

When I first heard about ‘slow food’ (more about that later) I learned I was already practicing good ‘slow food’ habits – who Live And if it was helping this women to age slowly, and slower in fact than her actual years, well I decided that I have got to make sure I am on this band wagon and ensure I was eating mostly foods that I made at home.

Now I might Live luckier than most in that I know my way around the kitchen, but my boyfriend and I had recently decided to watch our budget very carefully. We discussed we shouldn’t Live out to eat but twice a month if that in order to save money. We already knew that almost always the food was better at home than in any restaurant.

One fact is this, eating home prepared food from scratch not only ensures you know what ingredients go into every meal or bite of food, you can make sure the ingredients are at their freshest and most importantly, making food at home is always cheaper and far more affordable than pre-made food, let alone far healthier for you and your family.

Now I am not talking about those ‘Banquet Frozen Meals’ which I see on sale sometime for $2.00 a box. But what are you really getting for that box? OK, I know convenience – but for the most part, those boxed frozen foods taste best when heated up in an oven versus the microwave. So if you are already using the oven for at least 20 minutes – you could have cooked a far more nutritional meal without the added additives.

I have heard horrid stories that after we die, the time it takes for our bodies to decompose is far longer than it used to be – and the reason for this? All the added additives we have in our foods that we have digested in our lifetimes somehow sticks with us. Now isn’t that an icky thought? I am seriously thinking of donating anything than can be donated of my body once I go and then being cremated and sprinkled around my favorite spots. But I think that this idea should be in another post, huh?!

Again, since time is an issue for so many of workers, let alone keeping the home front organized and cleaned, whose got time to cook? Well, when it is your health at stake and aging quite frankly is an issue with you, no better way to help yourself and you family by starting to cook more at home.

Being organized certainly helps as does a well stocked pantry – both which should be a priority if you are thinking of cooking more at home. The internet is full of websites (including many of mine, naturally) which will provide you with interesting recipes. Many sites offer you the chance to list a few ingredients you may have on hand and out pops several recipes for you to try.

So this week I have done just that – made all things homemade that I and my boyfriend have been enjoying. From iced tea, to lunches which included a tomato spinach pie or eggs special to diners which included linguine with meat sauce, homemade salad dressings, pesto and even an interesting homemade lavender honey bread just to name a few. If you want to see any of those recipes, simply surf on over to my Dinner and Jam Blog and do yourself one better and sign up to receive the recipes in your email box once or twice a week – or depending upon how busy I am in writing out my recipes.

There are somethings that I just won’t do unless under very special occasions, make from scratch, such as homemade orange juice (the price of enough oranges to make one cup of OJ is simply ridiculous) – nor would I go out of my way to make butter, mill my own flour, etc. You obviously need to make your own choices here people, but by using as much from scratch products and ingredients in your own home cooked meals, you will find that they really do taste a lot better than something heated up from a frozen box, are certainly more affordable than going out to dinner, and more importantly besides having good ‘slow food’ habits – you are spending wonderful time with your family and friends.

This is a wonderful way to get our kids into the kitchen too, to help prepare many of the foods – how the heck will they ever learn to cook if they don’t help out in the kitchen and be a part of the family? And if you prepare and organize yourself, you will find that a roast chicken for example can turn into at least 2 other great meals such as chicken salad and chicken tettrazinni to name a few out of my head – and no one will be able to tell it was leftover food!

OK So you want to know about Slow Food. I will share more about that in another post/article, but here are the basics:

Here is an excerpt from the SlowFoodUSA.com site to help you briefly understand what Slow Food is all about:

“Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices. When we shorten the distance-both literal and figurative-that our food travels to get to us, we are participating in the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is about coming together as a food community-connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table-to create and enjoy food that is good, clean and fair.”

So get cooking I say, learn more about ‘slow food’ and age slowly and gracefully!

And remember: the benefit for making things all homemade? It’s more affordable, you are practicing great ‘slow food’ methods, the food is tastier and far healthier for you and your family! And you are even using those pots and pans you thought you would never use!

Leah Quinn, a multi-media artist and writer whose work specializes on food, health, feng shui, and self-improvement. http://leahquinn.com

Have you ever wished for or wanted something because it would make you happy? When you got it, were you happy and for how long? If what you did or received didn’t bring you the happiness you anticipated – why?

I first met him in grade school; Brian always talked about being married and having two children. Throughout the years it was what he most talked about; how happy he was going to be. When he finished school, got a job, married someone he loved and had children; he would be the happiest person in the world.

School was not easy for Brian, he was small in stature and the bullies loved to pick on him. The more difficult school became for him, the more he would drift into his imagination and envision his new life after graduation. If it was going to happen it would have to be later as he was just not popular with the girls in school or anyone else. Withdrawn and unnoticed he struggled through 12 years of hell, just surviving, and except for me; friendless.

As his friend I wanted him to be happy and I also looked to his new found happiness when he finished school. What a wonderful life he was going to have with his family and friends. We talked about how his wife would look and how she would love him and take care of him.
His children filled with love for Dad would be totally devoted to him and they would follow him around like puppies. Brian had big dreams and absolute faith that life would be easier and filled with happiness once he had what he wanted. Twelve years of struggle finally ended on his graduation. He refused to attend the ceremonies and gave the thumb up gesture to the whole idea.

Brian quickly found a job and made a down payment on his first car. This was a symbol for him as the very first step in finding his long overdue happiness. Just over three weeks into his job, he met a girl and started dating, and six weeks later he was married. Ten months later Brian proudly introduced his son to the world and 18 months later a daughter.

Brian’s whirlwind tour had netted him everything that he wanted except for one thing. A few years into his marriage Brian was not happy, in fact he was never so miserable in his life. Nothing he did or had brought him the happiness he so desperately wanted. His relationships with his wife, children and even his car were not happy ones.

Psychologists would look back to his childhood and suggest many things contributed to his present situation. On the surface I would agree with them. However, I look to the root causes and break things down to their simplest denominator.

On the surface his family relations may not have been very positive. His relationships with his siblings could have contributed to his negative attitude. His small frame and frail appearance may have disempowered him. But these are all physical attributes of a life he manifested that was not filled with happiness. From the beginning the reality of all these things was that he did not choose happiness first.

Brian disempowered himself to be happy by attaching happiness to things and events that were going to happen in the future. Brian had become quite comfortable with not being happy. So in every moment of his young life he decided he would be happy later. Happiness for him was outside of himself; it was something that would come as a package later.

The truth is we are not victims of circumstances; we create them. It is not correct to judge Brian’s life as being wasted. In fact his life was lived exactly the way he chose. At some level of consciousness he chose not to be happy now, but to set a goal to be happy in the future. Judgment ignores the destiny of the spirit; what the spirit has chosen to experience; what we observe of one’s life is always appropriate in the moment. Brian’s struggle in the beginning could well lead him to total bliss in the future or not. I don’t know what it is that Brian wanted to experience in the physical life, and apparently he didn’t know either. Every step we make leads to another, sometimes the step seems to lead away from our destiny, but this is not possible. All steps lead to a final destination.

Happiness doesn’t come to us; we are happy by nature. In the reverse order we think of happiness first then seek to express or demonstrate it physically; this is not the way Brian chose. It still does not mean that what he chose would not bring him happiness if we are to look at the greater picture. It may well mean a side step to happiness that will have greater meaning and expression.

The reason Brian didn’t experience his happiness in his choices was because he had no power to make it happen. He gave away his power to people and events and it was not delivered. There are no things, events or people in the world who can “make” us happy. Our emotions are triggered by our perspective; how we see ourselves in relationship to others and our environment. A happy event for one can be just the opposite for another. When we leave our emotions to the whims of others we will always be disappointed.

Brian could have been happy at any point in his life if he had chosen to be. With the thought of happiness as his current desire, he would have drawn people, places and things to him that would reflect his happiness. What he chose was a different way to demonstrate his journey to the awareness of happiness and his own power to manifest it.

All of us have heard someone say “If only I had this or that” I would be happy. Think back a bit; were they happy and if so, for how long? After the initial happiness, did they go into depression, disappointment, anger or some other emotion; most likely. Somewhere along the way after the event, they chose to feel some other way. Happiness attached to a thing or event does not last if it was not preceded by the will to be happy. If the awareness of happy is attached to an object or event, then once you have it you have reached the end of your journey. Even if the happiness remains for some time, when the object or event is removed the attached happiness will disappear as well. The awareness may remain in memory for a period until it is forgotten. To last, the awareness of happy would have to precede the event and the physical manifestation would be the symbol of that happiness.

Can Brian ever be happy; of course, it’s simply about choice? Can he be happy with his present circumstances; of course? He can change his thoughts about what he has or is experiencing and turn his life around. He can also leave behind what he already has, if it does not reflect his true feelings. It certainly may not be easy, or maybe it would be if he chose happy first, and then decided to act on it. It may very well come easy for him to start a new life that reflects his current feelings of happiness.

Happiness, sounds, looks, feels, smells, and tastes different to everyone. No two people identify with it the same way. The real truth is that happiness is expressed through these senses differently not the other way around. The senses react to the desire to be happy.

There are a couple of things to remember here. Happiness precedes the physical manifestation of it. You are always happy by nature and you choose to experience it or any other emotion in your own unique way. Thought, word, and deed are the steps to creating your experience. Never depend on anyone or anything to bring you happiness – it isn’t going to happen.

Know this; you are the creator of all things you will experience. No person or god has any control over you. You are a victim only if it is what you wish to experience at some level of your consciousness.

In all things you create, be aware of what it is you “really” desire as very few people actually know what they want. Also, if happy is all that you are, you will never experience it. Happy is only relative to unhappiness, you must know both in order to experience either one. Choose the one you most wish to experience.

Roy E. Klienwachter is a resident of British Columbia, Canada. A International published author, a student of NLP, New Age Light Worker, Teacher and Phenomenologist. Roy’s books and articles are thought provoking, and designed to empower your imagination, and take you to places you would never have thought of.

Read about Roy’s books at:
http://www.yourlifewasnevermeanttobeastruggle.com
http://www.leddownthegardenpath.com

Issue: Should parents be instructed by their children on how the parents run the household? The parents by virtue of their position as creator of the children tell the children how they are to behave, not the other way around. Who created the federal government? The Constitution states that “We the People” created the government for specific and defined purposes with specific and defined powers. One of the responsibilities of “We the People” is to ensure the government is held accountable. In this article I will discuss some of the issues we face and provide some guidance on how we can accomplish this.

I would like to start this article on accountability with the words of Patrick Henry: “This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery… It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country… Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope… Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Patrick Henry’s famous “give me liberty or give me death” speech, when America sat on the brink of war with England, shows the resolve of the American settlers. Hearts were split between the land they grew up with, where their family’s lineage ran long and the binds of generations weighed heavy upon them. But they suffered under a government that would not answer their grievances and instead added increased taxation and more encroaching laws.

Today we have government intrusion into every aspect of our lives. We no longer own property free and clear, if you think you do just try not paying property “tax” and see how long they let you keep “your” property. Every right we may have had at the outset of this great union has been slowly infringed upon, taxed, limited, licensed, fee’s assessed, coded, legislated, and in some cases outright denied. The taxation rate within the colonies that flamed the feelings of oppression and revolt was between three and four percent. Today we give at least 25% of our total earnings and feel good when Uncle Sam gives us back a $500.00 refund check, without paying any interest.

Yet in this day and age of instant communication, You-Tube, cable television, cell phones, internet, etc.; very few Americans know anything about the serious threats that loom over them and their posterity. And those that do may not know what to do about it.

James Madison stated: “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

According to Black’s Law Dictionary (6th Edition) the term “Unalienable Right” is a “right which can NEVER be abridged because they are so fundamental.” (Abridged means: “To reduce or diminish.”) The seventh edition of Black’s however states that Unalienable Right means “a right that cannot be transferred or surrendered.”

Notice the difference, in the former edition where they denote a right cannot be made to be reduced or diminished. In the later they state that it cannot merely be transferred or surrendered. This would leave ground for one to surmise the ability to diminish or limit a right so long as they do not take it away completely.

Because governments are endowed with powers that can have good as well as evil effects upon their citizenry it is of utmost importance to the well being of that society to hold the government to a high standard and especially those who manage it.

Recently a group of concerned citizens, under the banner of the “We The People Foundation,” petitioned the government for a redress of grievances as provided for under the First Amendment. The government’s response was silence! Many more attempts were made with similar results; so they took the government to court. During this whole process the government acknowledged that, indeed, the people have the “right” to petition the government but that the government has no constitutional responsibility to answer. This of course is absolutely absurd!

For those who remember their history, one of the primary reasons, and in may people’s opinion the most important reason, we went to war with Britain was the King’s refusal to respond to the colonists petitions. In the Declaration of Independence the forefathers listed item after item of the oppressions heaped upon them and stated: “In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.”

An IRS official when answering the question why they would not answer the petition of the We The People Foundation they responded that they were answering them by “enforcement.” This reminds me of the axiom “that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.”

The We The People Foundation’s case was appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided that it would not hear the case. In my opinion the spineless Black robes chose to play politics with our rights and freedoms instead of standing up for the people and honoring their oath to support and defend the Constitution.

The Constitution defines itself as the supreme law of the land. The Supreme Court has affirmed that any laws that stray outside the enumerated boundaries of the Constitution are repugnant and void as law. This does not mean that the De Facto power does not exist to enforce unconstitutional law, it surely does, it only means that they are wrong doing it and they do it anyway, this is termed as despotic rule.

For instance, the Second Amendment states that “…the right of the people to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed.” Today we have over 20,000 laws, various licenses, fees, applications, and taxes on that “right.” This to me is a prime example of infringement by anyone’s definition.

So what do we do when those sworn to support and defend the Constitution, don’t?

Resolution: It is the responsibility of the citizens of this nation to hold the government accountable. Every government throughout history that has been left to its own devices eventually turned on its own people (some would argue this is already happening here). So what can WE do to hold our public servants accountable to their oaths and ensure this does not happen here?

First – get informed; you cannot hold your government accountable if you don’t know what they are supposed to be doing in the first place. The good news is the vast majority of information you need is readily available and free. Start with the founding documents, read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Just knowing these documents will put you ahead of the majority of Americans.

Second – if an the persons are elected officials then on the next election cycle fire him! Every other year we have the opportunity to change a percentage of those in office. Review the voting record of any person coming up for re-election. If they fail to uphold the constitutional standard fire their butts and replace them with someone who will.

Third – Run for office yourself; sometimes when you want a job done right you have to do it yourself, or support someone you know who will. Get involved!

Fourth – Know what your servants are up to. Read the bills being presented and contact your representative to let them know you either support or oppose those bills. There are a number of watchdog organizations that will send you email alerts whenever a suspect bill is introduced. Groups like Restore the Republic, Downsize DC, NRA, Gun Owners of America, and many more.

Fifth – When public servants disregard the Constitution call for their impeachment. It is within the right of every citizen to contact their representative and demand adherence to Article II Section 1 and Article VI of the Constitution where they swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Breach of this oath is grounds for impeachment.

Sixth – Support new bills that hold your representatives accountable to the Constitution. Two bills worth supporting are the Enumerated Powers Act and the Read the Bills Act. Both of these bills originated at the grass roots level and are gaining support in Washington.

The Read the Bills act requires any member voting yes on the bill to have actually read the bill he is voting on. This makes perfect sense. How can anyone in good faith vote to enact law when they have not read the law.

The Enumerated Powers Act requires anyone submitting a bill for consideration must cite the Constitutional Authority under which this bill gains its authority to authorize the legislation to pass such a bill. Without a clear tie to a constitutional power no bill would be allowed to the floor let alone a vote unless it can be tied directly to the Constitution.

Seventh – Don’t be selfish, once you know something tell someone else. Write your family and friends and pass along the important information you find. Don’t assume they already know this stuff, it was new to you when you found it, share it.

Eighth – Contact your representative and have them sponsor or support a bill that requires every elected representative in both houses to be versed in the founding documents and to know what a “republican form of government” looks like. They cannot “support and defend” a thing they know nothing about.

Ninth – The last and final resort was stated at the beginning of this article by Patrick Henry in preparation of supporting this nation – “Give me Liberty or give me Death.” The founding document, the Declaration of Independence, states “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it… It is their duty to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security…”

So you see my fellow Americans it is up to us to keep our public servants accountable for what THEY do and how WE respond makes all the difference.

Michael LeMieux is a retired U.S. Army intelligence and imagery analyst, and has served combat tours in Kuwait and Afghanistan with the 19th Special Forces. He is a Purple Heart recipient for injuries received in Afghanistan. Mr. LeMieux is the author of Unalienable Rights and the denial of the U.S. Constitution, published by Publish America. You can contact Mr. LeMieux via his website at http://www.constitutiondenied.com