The FRONA Corporate Model Of Governance

The FRONA Corporate Model Of Governance
by Russell D. Longcore

(Editor’s Note: “FRONA” is an acronym for the Free Republic of North America, that mythical new nation borne of secession and created in the fertile gray matter of your Editor. This is an update of an article that ran at LewRockwell.com in October 2009.)

The US Constitution is a dead document. It has been dead nearly from its inception. It is neither contract nor treaty, either of which would give it the force of law. It does not, and cannot bind any two persons to each other, nor can it bind any person to the rogue government called “The United States of America” that is the occupying force in Washington DC.

In this article, I will prove that the Constitution is without authority and that the subject of secession related to the Constitution is entirely irrelevant, and that any states need not concern themselves with the constitutionality of secession.

When you are able to wrap your mind around this truth, it may cause you some consternation. This means that all of the things that you learned about the US Constitution in elementary school, high school government class, college and any information you’ve learned since you became an adult…IS WRONG. If you went to law school and took Constitutional Law classes, they lied to you.

Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying that all of the debates that are made about the details of the Constitution are in error. We can all spend our days arguing about the articles and clauses and their meanings. But if the US Constitution is dead, and cannot bind anyone to it, arguing about the merits of constitutionality of any government action is simply an exercise in re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

A constitution, or any document organizing a government, must have authority and validity. But the US Constitution has no inherent authority or validity and has never had either. If we can learn what the US Constitution is and what it is not, we can understand the flaws in the old constitution and then craft a new constitution for any seceding state with authority and validity.

I believe that one of the major reasons that Washington is able to operate as it does, outside the strictures of the Constitution, is because those persons in power know that the Constitution is not legally enforceable. Absent a restraining legal document coupled with principals that have the power to enforce the terms of the document, the DC criminals do exactly what they wish and what they can get away with.

The US Constitution has the following words in its Preamble, showing the intent of the Framers:

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the united States of America.

The Founder’s sentiments seek to secure blessings to themselves and their posterity, meaning future generation of citizens. But a loose agreement cannot by law or reason bind any future person to its details. Contracts cannot obligate persons who will live in the future, either. They can only obligate persons who are living presently and who sign and receive the contract.

Even though the old constitution wishes to bestow blessings and liberty on their posterity, it has no power whatsoever to achieve this goal. Further, it never showed any intention toward future generations other than to offer useful recommendations to their posterity toward the blessings of liberty. If they were in some way able to bind future generations to the Constitution, they would not have bestowed liberty but slavery upon their posterity, since their children would be bound to it from birth, like it or not.

So what exactly is this Constitution?

I think it could only be called a “loose agreement” between certain people at the time that it was written and ratified. It is not a treaty ratified between sovereign states, which would have the weight of law. It cannot be considered a legal contract, since legal contracts have characteristics that the old constitution does not have.

It was ratified by votes in the several states. But ratification in any form didn’t turn it into a legal document with enforceability and authority.

The US Constitution is not a legal contract. The Constitution never bound any two or more parties in a legal way, nor did it ever purport to bind anyone. A timeless principle in contract law is that the contract is not valid until the contract is signed by all parties and delivered to the parties, or the representative of any signatory party. Any party may refuse to sign or deliver a written instrument and thus invalidate the contract. The US Constitution was not signed by anyone or anyone’s legal representative. It was not delivered to anyone or their representative. No one in the USA, either alive or dead, has ever signed the Constitution as a legal contract between parties. So how could it be a legal document with binding authority or validity?

Contracts are also voluntary. The parties come together for a purpose, but are free to dissolve the contract based upon the terms of the contract. Even if they leave contrary to the contract terms, there may be consequences, but they can still leave.

Abraham Lincoln’s position was that, once in the Union, no state can ever leave. And if the US Constitution was an enforceable contract between parties, his position would have been rejected instantly and laughed out of any court in the land. But in light of the unenforceable nature of the Constitution, Lincoln was free to do what he pleased as it related to the Confederate States of America and war. But the Confederate states were also right to secede from a Union that could not bind them. Constitutionality was irrelevant then, just as it is today.

The Constitution is not a perpetual corporation. The perpetuity of a corporation would require that new members voluntarily assent to its laws and by-laws as old members die off. New members must accept in writing because without their legal signatures, they would not be members and could not vote on corporate issues. There is no evidence whatsoever that the Framers intended the US Constitution to be a corporation’s organizational document…at least not a corporation in the strictest sense.

“The United States of America” is the name given in the US Constitution to the organization that the states created. Compare the work of the Founders to a group of thirteen property owners that need a management company to manage their properties. So, they created a management company and gave it specific tasks and responsibilities. The property owners retained to themselves all other powers not specifically delegated to the management company. They also did not transfer ownership of their properties to the manager. The owners remained the sovereign principals, controlling the manager. But there is NOT ONE WORD in the US Constitution that purports to create a new nation. Look for yourself.

So we can see that the Constitution is not a contract. It binds no one, and never did bind any persons. We see that all those who pretend to operate under its perceived authority act without any legal and legitimate authority.

But we voted and elected these Representatives and Senators. They are our duly elected officials, aren’t they?

Are our elected representatives our personal agents with legal authority to bind each of us individually and collectively? No they are not. In order for you to have a legal representative, you must sign your name to a document that gives the representative the power to act in your behalf. This document is commonly known as a “power of attorney.” You must also deliver the document to the agent.

People regularly sign a “power of attorney” for health care decisions and other legal matters. But what would you do if a stranger went to your doctor and usurped your wishes for your medical treatment, stating that he had your power of attorney? Any reasonable person would require the stranger to produce a written document bearing your signature prior to any changes of treatment. How much more should there be a written power of attorney for the DC stranger who plunders your income and steals your liberty?

Did you ever sign a power of attorney so that any elected officeholder could make binding decisions on your behalf? Did you authorize any person to obligate you to laws, regulations or the payment of taxes to any governmental body? I know that I have not done so. Neither have you.

And the secret ballot makes the concept of any elected representative acting as your agent even more ridiculous. How could secret voters hire an agent? How could secret voters enter into a power of attorney agreement?

So we see that those persons acting as our elected representatives are acting unlawfully, and that we have both the right and duty to treat them as usurpers and frauds.

Then upon what authority does the Federal Government operate? Who gave them the authority to enact laws, tax, confiscate men’s property and kill other men who resist their machinations?

You could say that voters select their representatives by secret ballot, and so bestow authority upon them. But in matter of law and reason, this is not true. It would not be upheld in a court of common law. If you and three of your friends voted in favor of a proposal in which a fourth friend would take it upon himself to deprive me of my property or my life, he would be a robber and/or a murderer. If he presented himself at my door to do his work, he would be unable to produce any legal authority to complete his task. Absent legal authority, I should treat him as a robber and murderer and resist his efforts even unto deadly force.

In a courtroom, a judge would ask to see your representative’s written authority to act in your behalf. You would be unable to produce such written authority.

So voting is neither a contract nor a power of attorney. And secret ballots should never be considered legally binding, since no signed contract between parties ever existed. Further, if voters authorize another person to act as their agent, they should do so in an open manner so to accept responsibility for the agent’s acts. That’s called “liability,” and that’s what happens out here in “the real world.” But the US Constitution, in Article I, Sec. 6, says that “for any speech or debate (or vote) in either house, they (Senators or Representatives) shall not be questioned in any other place.” So your agent cannot be held responsible for any laws they make…and neither can you. So, if no one is responsible, who is responsible?

NO ONE.

And let’s return to the subject of legal authority. The Constitution has no legal authority to bind any two or more persons. If it did, you would possess a copy upon which you would find your own signature and at least one other person’s signature. But that document does not exist in any form and has not existed in over 235 years. So, absent that authority, voting is only theater. It is an exercise that makes the citizen feel that he is participating in a legitimate government.

The Federal Government in Washington has been illegitimate from its origin. There is no enforceable law or principal possessing superior force to restrain it from any act. It was only the morality and ethics of the earliest founders that restrained them from tyranny. Unfortunately for Americans, that morality and ethical restraint are a quaint memory.

OK. Convinced that the old Constitution is a cruel joke? Then, how can the new constitution be crafted to guarantee legitimacy and legality? If the framers of the new constitution write one like the old one, it will suffer the same illegitimacy issues as the old one.

Here are suggestions on how to write a new Constitution for a seceding State that wants to become a new sovereign nation.

The New FRONA Corporate Model of Governance

Form the new nation in the style of a corporation. Let’s call it The Free Republic of North America, or for short, “FRONA.” The Constitution, or Charter, can be its laws and by-laws. Each person will be given the option to subscribe to FRONA and become a citizen. That person would have to be presented with a copy of the Charter. Each person would have the choice to accept the Charter in writing. Once accepted, each citizen would be, in essence, a shareholder in the corporation, since a person could not be a citizen/shareholder without signed consent. Each citizen would pay one once of .999 purity silver and would be issued one share of common stock with one vote. No citizen could buy or own more than one share of common stock. That would also mean that those rejecting the Charter could not be citizens of FRONA. Minors could not be citizens until they were of legal age to enter into a contract, usually eighteen years of age. So, in FRONA, there would be two groups of people: citizens and residents. Residents would obviously not have the same legal rights as citizens.

FRONA might also issue preferred stock. The shareholder/citizens could actually invest their own money in preferred stock. This would provide the new nation with additional capital. Shareholders holding preferred stock might receive dividends if FRONA makes a profit.

FRONA would also be able to issue debentures and corporate bonds to raise capital.

As the corporate structure would be a closely-held private corporation, the charter could specify that the stock could not be resold to non-citizens. Only FRONA would be eligible to buy back the stock to be reissued to new citizen/investors.

The founders of FRONA would have the right to present the offer of citizenship to anyone anywhere on the planet. They could cherry pick the world for the best and brightest talent! It would be a powerful component of immigration policy.

Voting could be done by proxies (power of attorney), and the citizen could designate an elected representative as his proxy in writing. Or he could vote himself on any issue. This creates a hybrid between direct democracy and representative democracy.

Think this is unworkable? The largest corporations on the planet have been running this way for hundreds of years. GM (pre-nationization), Exxon, Standard Oil, all of the Dow Jones top 30…they all work this way just fine. Many have millions of shareholders, just like FRONA would have. In fact, Sweden’s Stora Kopparberg was incorporated by King Magnus Eriksson in 1347 and still operates today.

FRONA Monetary Policy

The new Charter must have an article about monetary policy. This article will authorize the private minting of gold and silver coins, and will mandate that coins only show their purity and weight, not any monetary value.

Banking, Entity Structure and Privacy

The new Charter must contain an article about banking. Specifically, Fractional Reserve Banking must be prohibited. In addition, strict protections of privacy must be enacted, shielding citizens from the tax laws of other nations.

The new Charter must contain laws that prevent tax treaties with other nations, thereby protecting FRONA citizens from predatory taxation by other jurisdictions. Statutes must also protect the privacy of business entities such as corporations.

Taxation

The sole method of taxation that is at once most restrictive to government yet least confiscatory to individuals is the sales tax. FRONA should establish the sales tax as the sole source of government revenue.

The Militia

FRONA must organize, train and equip a citizen militia, comprised of able-bodied men and women between the ages of 18 and 55. This will be an entirely voluntary militia, since requiring conscription is tantamount to involuntary servitude, and does not protect individual liberty. As the well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free State, the natural right of citizens to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Following the Swiss model of militia organization would be a good idea.

If the new FRONA Charter only had those articles about monetary policy, banking, taxation and militia, that would be sufficient to form a core government and bring FRONA to life. Because the power of the purse and the power of the sword make all else possible. There are many details that must be worked out that are not listed in this article. But this article was not written to form a new government. It was written to get you thinking about constitutions and how they directly affect YOU.

Thomas Jefferson’s shining jewel, the Declaration of Independence, states that when a government shows a long train of abuses meant to reduce the people under absolute despotism, it is the people’s right and duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security. The Free Republic of North America could be that new guard that secures the future of a new nation.

FRONA. A new model for governance on the American continent. An idea whose time is come.

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

DumpDC. Six Letters That Can Change History.

For a wider analysis of this constitutional issue, read “No Treason,” by Lysander Spooner.

You Should Be Buying Silver NOW!

(Editor’s Note: I learned a lot by watching this video. Haven’t I been recommending that you buy silver? This is one of those life-changing, paradigm-destroying opportunities. Don’t miss this. Watch this video and be prepared to change how you live. By the way, I don’t do any business with Kitco, They aren’t paying me. I’m just throwing them some love for sharing this video.

Remember this: In a properly structured nation with money backed by precious metals, there is no central bank or government to control the money. The money controls the government. There is presently no nation on earth that functions with a gold/silver standard. And the only way that liberty will live again anywhere on this planet is when a group of people band together and secede. But the first thing that has to happen is not secession. It’s getting the money right. Nothing else matters.)

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes Part 6 of 6

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes Part 6 of 6

by Brandon Smith

(Editor’s Note: Here is the final installment.)

One Last Look Part 6 of 6

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 5 of 6

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 5 of 6

by Brandon Smith

(Editor’s Note: Brandon surprised me! He has two more installments of this series! Here is Number Five. I do not agree with all of Brandon’s conclusions, but he does understand that the American economy…as well as the US Government…is on a headlong rush to the cliff’s edge.)

One Last Look Part Five

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 4

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 4

by Brandon Smith

(Editor’s Note: FINAL INSTALLMENT of this important series. Are you turning your paper assets into gold and silver? I hope these four articles have convinced you that IN OUR LIFETIMES there will be an EPIC economic shitstorm. Many people will be utterly destroyed. A tiny few will profit immensely from the chaos and will thrive. In every market, up or down, there is VAST OPPORTUNITY FOR WEALTH.

Brandon comes to some conclusions that differ from mine regarding China. But whether he is right or not, I am certain that a nation with vast reserves of gold will fare better than the USA. The TRUE Golden Rule is: “Them that have the gold make the rules.”)

One Last Look Part Four

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 3

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 3

by Brandon Smith

(Editor’s Note: This installment deals with labor and jobs. And remember…everything you learn here is the bad harvest from sowing seeds of fiat money. Once a monetary unit is decoupled from a source of value, the collapse of the economy is ASSURED. In the history of mankind, there has NEVER been an instance in which a debauched currency survived. NEVER. The Dollar will not be the first to survive…only the most recent to collapse.

When I was a young man in the early 1970s I was a carpenter and builder. I could hire as many journeyman carpenters as I could find for $10 an hour. Not morons with a hammer…real craftsmen who had completed a four-year apprenticeship. In 2015, that same carpenter would have to earn $54 an hour just to have the same buying power he had in 1975. How many carpenters do you know that make $54 an hour today? Multiply that times 2000 hours…a year’s work. That is over $100,000 a year. I challenge you to find me a $100K carpenter.

Therein lies one of the problems that comes with inflation. Prices jump, but wages do not. Read more about this NOW)

One Last Look Part Three

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 2

One Last Look At The Real Economy Before It Implodes – Part 2

by Brandon Smith

(Editor’s Note: Brandon Smith has done an amazing job of aggregating all this information. Don’t be a wimp. Take the time to read this article. Click on the interior links and read those too. Then share this stuff with people you love…people you DON’T want to see suffer when the shit hits the fan.)

One Last Look Part Two

Ron Paul: The Collapse Is Close

Ron Paul: The Collapse Is Close

Dr. Ron Paul verifies that the collapse of the US Dollar is coming soon.

Herding Cats: Texas Independence Faces Challenges From Within

by Russell D. Longcore

Herding Cats

Have you ever thought about herding cats?

Cats are known for their aloof independence. Sure, your cat will curl up in your lap and purr while you pet him, but how often do you see cats sit…or speak…or fetch on demand? Nobody trains guard CATS. There are no Feline Units in your local police department. So the visual image above of cowboys herding cats is meant to be absurd, showing that corralling a bunch of snooty independent cats is a tough job.

“Herding Cats” also accurately describes efforts to get independence-minded patriots to work together. Let me tell you a story that illustrates this phrase well.

Back in the decade of the 2000s, I shifted from being an activist, conservative, Marine Corps-loving, pro-war, pro-gun, rock-ribbed Republican to being a Libertarian. I had read book after book about liberty, and it became quite clear in the pages of Thomas Paine, John Locke, Frederick Hayek, Lysander Spooner, Frederic Bastiat, Henry Hazlitt, Mises, Rothbard, Nock, etc. … that the worldview of the Republicans bore no resemblance to the worldview of lovers of liberty. And the Libertarian Party embraced all those authors, as well as writers like Dr. Mary Ruwart and her book “Healing Our World.” I thought the Libertarians had the perfect political platform. So I joined the local chapter and the national Libertarian Party, and set about finding ways to be an activist Libertarian.

What I discovered about Libertarians is that they are so dedicated to individualism that organizing them into a coherent group, pointed in one direction, was nearly impossible. And so my dream of a political party that espoused precepts of individual liberty and property rights was dashed on the rocks of reality.

So, how do we take that story and apply it to the Independence Movement in the State of Texas?

Texas has the most well-organized independence movements of all the US states. But recently, I have been hearing rumblings from the Lone Star State that all is not brotherhood and sisterhood in the Independence movement.

The two most influential Independence groups in Texas are the Texas Nationalist Movement (TNM) and Freedom Texas. Then there is the Republic of Texas group, who has had recent scrapes with the Texas government and Texas courts. These groups are dedicated to returning the US state of Texas to its status as a sovereign nation, shaking off its Federal shackles and to “stand among the nations (Sam Houston).”

Next, we look at the various issue-oriented groups that exist in Texas. Gun rights groups, the NRA, Tea Party, FairTax groups, anti-abortion groups, anti-immigration groups and list goes on. These groups already know how tough it is to make a dent in the culture and make a difference in Austin.

Separately, these groups stand little chance of turning the attention of the Texas populace toward their issues, or toward Texas Nationalism. But together, there could be synergy, and there would certainly be heightened awareness of the benefits of a nation of Texas.

A problem arises when any one of these group’s leaders assert that they and they alone are the Sine Qua Non…the pre-eminent and only…spokesmen for Texas Liberty. That is political suicide. Exclusion won’t work. Stating “you can’t be one of our members and be a member of any other group too” only makes you look petty, small and insecure. Take the time to get everybody who cares about individual liberty and property rights to gather under the big tent.

Texas Independence WILL NEVER HAPPEN if the Independence movement has little Napoleons all over Texas, each trying to carve out their little kingdoms. Texas Independence MUST be about two things and two things only…individual liberty and property rights. Because all the other single issues pale into insignificance when compared to individual liberty and property rights. Fighting turf wars, or arguing over single issues is akin to arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

NOW is the time for planning and preparing for the future. NOW is the time that all the divergent groups must come together to unite around individual liberty and property rights. NOW is the time to prepare for the trigger event that will require a response.

It is my considered opinion that there MUST be an economic trigger to get the people of Texas to pivot toward nationhood. Recent history has shown that massive intrusion by Washington DC into the inner workings of the State of Texas have not resulted in a unified call for secession. The people of Texas and the state government in Austin will accept pretty much any legislation and insult visited upon them by DC. They may complain, but they will not fight back. Enough is NEVER enough.

So what could be the trigger? Stated more clearly…what WILL be the economic trigger?

The collapse of the US Dollar will be the economic event that will change the minds of people…from the outhouse to the State House…and galvanize public sentiment for secession and nationhood.

The Dollar will collapse, meaning that its purchasing power will collapse in a flurry of massive hyperinflation. The Western nations are all locked into a debt-based monetary system, linked to each other by the world reserve currency, the US Dollar. China is planning something different. China heads the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South America), and China is moving steadily toward a gold-backed monetary system. China is making deals with nations all over the globe to clear monetary transactions without using the Dollar. And at some point soon, critical mass will be achieved, the new system will be in place, and the Chinese Renminbi will supplant the Dollar as World Reserve Currency. This could happen through any number of events:

1. China could simply announce that it is taking over, and the other nations will pivot to China.
2. China could dump Treasury bonds in a large quantity into the bond market, thereby collapsing the US Treasury Bond Market and the Dollar simultaneously. This could be a retaliatory tactic against Washington’s imperialism worldwide.
3. China can quietly continue to make more and more deals with other nations, and let market economics make the decision on what currency is World Reserve. (This is actually what China is doing now)
4. What happens when you loan money, the borrower defaults, and you cannot collect then debt? You go bankrupt. That is, in effect, what will happen to the Western banking system. What happens when a country like France or Germany simply says, “We are not going to play anymore. We are cashing in our US Treasuries today.” But what happens to Western banks when 100 countries all default on their debt or cash in their bond holdings? Collection is unenforceable. It will happen again in your lifetime.

But there will eventually be a tipping point…a black swan event, if you will. Inevitably, there will come a day when the trillions of US Dollars that have flooded the earth will be rejected by other nations. At that time, all of that currency will come flooding back to the USA. The dollar will become worthless seemingly overnight.

When Joe Sixpack in some tiny Texas town can’t buy one Shiner Beer with a $20 bill, you’ll know that he will listen when you talk about the benefits of secession and Texas nationhood. As I have stated in the past…missing a few meals tends to focus the mind on a solution. This example, though meant to be amusing, does not adequately speak to the devastating effects of a Dollar collapse. There will be widespread hunger, death, crime, societal breakdown and riots. Only those with hard assets and guns will have a chance of survival.

The faster Texas secedes and becomes a sovereign nation, the faster the crisis will be overcome.

And finally…I mentioned the State House earlier. Texas has a new governor now, Greg Abbott. From what I have seen, the Governor is no more a friend of Texas independence than Rick Perry was. And how many Texas legislators have publicly stated their unflagging support for secession from the United States? Are there any? My opinion is that Austin will not be the place you should look for leadership about Texas Independence…at least not before the economic trigger. Once the Dollar collapse happens, they will be meeting in emergency sessions trying to figure out what to do. Secession may look like a pretty good idea when their backs are against the wall. Just remember the old visual about a parade going down the street, and some politician jumping out in front of it so he looks like he’s leading it.

Texas will need statesmen, not politicians. Texas will need men of vision like Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and Paine. God grant that such men and women will step up when duty calls. Many statesmen and women exist now in groups like Freedom Texas and the TNM.

Texas patriots, the time is NOW to band together and work tirelessly toward the Nation of Texas.

How To Hold Gold & Silver In Your IRA

If you have your investments in paper financial instruments, such as:
stocks
bonds
bank accounts
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
401k
403b
IRA, SEP IRA, Roth IRA
pension
mutual funds
annuities
etc…

You are entirely at the mercy of a bunch of other people who manage your money. All you have are documents that show you have some sort of ownership of those funds.

My personal recommendation is to LIQUIDATE ALL PAPER investments NOW, take your early withdrawal penalties, and place the remaining funds into gold and silver that you OWN and HOLD in your possession.

I also know that most of you will NOT do this. You may think that’s a crazy idea. But likely, if you watched ANY of the Michael Maloney videos today, you realize that the Death of the Dollar is imminent. And if you wait until the dollar collapses…or if you wait until AFTER a MAJOR stock market crash to liquidate…you may end up with nothing. Something is always better than nothing.

But this video shows you an alternative…how to hold gold and silver in your IRA.

Here is the video.