After Lew Rockwell posted Lysander Spooner’s epic booklet “No Treason” as the “top story, position one” at LewRockwell.com on Tuesday, March 16th, I had a Facebook exchange with Michael Boldin, founder of the national grassroots political movement Tenth Amendment Center (TAC). Michael has given his permission to quote our exchange, so I’m posting our exchange verbatim, with notes in bold print after each exchange.

3-16 Russell Longcore to Michael Boldin

The lead post at LewRockwell.com is Lysander Spooner’s “No Treason” in its entirety. I’m amazed and delighted that Lew took this strong position. How do you continue doing 10th Amendment stuff in the face of this book’s irrefutable positions? You had a nullification article at LRC just yesterday. What gives?

3-16 Michael Boldin to Russell Longcore

Well, I believe I’m doing what’s best to help promote liberty – encouraging people to use the constitution as their line in the sand, and to actively disobey and resist anything beyond that.

Making constitutional positions is a necessity to show those people who actually believe in the “goodness” of a national government where and how often it violates our rights. Without that baseline education of the masses, how would anyone ever conceive of getting rid of the beast at all?

(Editor’s note: By educating the masses with the TRUTH about the Constitution.)

Today, we have a multi-trillion dollar budget in D.C. – if we can get the federal government down to its constitutional box some day, I believe that people with far greater minds will figure a way to reduce it from there, or maybe get rid of it.

As far as Spooner, though – I’ve loved his writings, but don’t always agree with his positions.

(Editor’s note: I could applaud the TAC’s work if it were not for the fact that the Constitution is a dead document. How exactly does a citizen, or even millions of citizens, force the DC demons back into Pandora’s box? The articles and clauses of a Constitution with no authority, combined with the powerlessness of the states to enforce any law upon a lawless rogue government, only wastes the time of both the TAC and its audience. Said another way, if you’re going to go to the trouble of stirring up the masses in revolt against DC, why not REALLY piss them off with the TRUTH and prove to them that ANY Constitutional remedy is meaningless and unworkable?)

3-17 Russell Longcore to Michael Boldin

Would it not be even more effective to inform the populace that the Constitution has no authority over their lives? Constitutional positions are not a necessity for any Americans. It’s simple. Either the Constitution is valid or it’s not. If it is truly invalid, then arguing over its articles and clauses only clouds the issue and prevents people from acting on facts.

Altering and/or abolishing the US Federal Government is the best solution. And that is best done by secession of the states, just like the USSR experienced in 1989.

Best regards,

Russ

3-17 Michael Boldin to Russell Longcore

(Editor’s note: Friends, read this response EXTREMELY CAREFULLY.)

I do agree that the constitution doesn’t have authority over people. And that’s where I disagree with Spooner the most. In fact, this is something we cover all the time! The constitution doesn’t apply to you, it doesn’t apply to me, it doesn’t apply to any person at all.

I don’t believe that spending time talking about abolishing the US government is nearly as effective as the work we’re doing, which is reaching the mainstream more and more. But, what’s great about that is pretty simple – the whole process of understanding liberty is a series of steps – something that most all of us have gone through.

1. statism in all its forms

2. something is wrong with the system, this political party will save me

3. all the parties are corrupt – maybe a third party?

4. parties and the federal government are a waste of time – decentralization.

5. secession

6. freedom from government

I’d say that TAC is clearly at #4, while your work is further down the line. But, even people at #2 and #3 are doing something good. In fact, my distrust of government was fostered heavily by – none other than Michael Moore. (it’s a long story). But, it started me on a path.

Bottom line? The more people that M.M. (Michael Moore) reaches in distrusting the establishment and their wars, the more people that will be open to hearing our message on other issues, which opens up more people to hear your message, which opens more people up to hearing the “voluntaryist” message.

And, since I don’t believe in the myth of some great libertarian dictator that will free us all, I believe that each step and those fostering activism on those steps – are essential.

Hopefully some of that makes sense!

(Editor’s note: Boldin says that the Constitution doesn’t apply to “any person at all.” But the words in the Constitution’s Preamble state, “We the People of The United States…do ordain and establish this Constitution…” If this constitution is not a document that has the legal ability to bind even one person to one other person, it is null and void. The Constitution MUST apply to ALL citizens lawfully as well as the people in “The United States”…the federal government, or it applies to no one. You cannot have it both ways.)

3-18 Russell Longcore to Michael Boldin

Good points, Michael. I’m not taking any kind of a position to abolish the US Government. I simply want the states to secede and allow the DC bunch to dissolve the way the USSR did. May I quote your email at DumpDC?

3-18 Michael Boldin to Russell Longcore

Man, I should always expect to be quoted on these kinds of conversations! I probably should pay attention to what I say a little closer these days…..

But yes, Russell – of course you can quote. I don’t think I said anything too idiotic or incomplete!

My main point on the abolishing government is that there are people who always seem to be one step further in their support of liberty. I’m sure there’s people who would say to a secessionist – “why are you wasting time on secession, when the only TRUE path is complete abolition of the state in all forms!”

Thanks for the discussion, Russell!

3-19 Russell Longcore to Michael Boldin

You’re a good man, Michael. Keep workin’ hard. Perhaps our paths will cross when folks give up on nullification and take the next logical step to secession. With the insanity in Washington that pours out on a daily basis, it’s probably won’t take all that long.

(Editor’s note: I respect Michael Boldin very much. The momentum that he and his Tenth Amendment Center have built in a very short time is awe-inspiring. Now, I call on Michael and the TAC leadership to take the next step and fully embrace state secession as the only logical and workable solution to ending the tyranny coming from the rogue government in Washington DC.

This Facebook exchange shows how close the nullification adherents are to the “Final Solution”…the dissolution of the United States and the new birth of liberty that will occur as states secede from the perceived Union.

Remember, if Spooner is correct, and the Constitution has no authority…then most of the things you and I THOUGHT we knew about governance are not true. Specifically, if your state is not bound to the Union by the Constitution, then no further action need be done when secession is contemplated. You don’t worry about resigning from a club of which you were never truly a member.)

Secession is the Hope For Mankind. Who will be first?

DumpDC. Six Letters That Can Change History.

© Copyright 2010, Russell D. Longcore. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given.

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