Fledgling group promotes Libertarian ideals

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By Diane Strand The caller was ordering a double meat pizza. The order taker could see from digitized, personal information conveyed with his call that he had a high cholesterol level. &#8220There will be a $20 surcharge, sir,” she said. &#8220Why?” he asked. She reminded him of the high cholesterol reading at his last medical test. She then advised him that double meat was a poor choice and tried to interest him in a super veggie pizza, reminding him he'd be saving $20. It was &#82201984” on steroids and slated for the near future. Libertarian-leaners gathered recently at the Sycamore Library and were struck by the &#8220expose” of the IRS and futureshock predicted in Aaron Russo's new documentary, &#8220America: Freedom to Fascism.” The small group assembled to discuss formation of an active DeKalb County Libertarian group. Russo's film warns of National ID cards due out in 2008 and the ID computer chips that he said are already in existence-and will be implanted in each American-all in the interest of homeland security. &#8220The ID card is the last step before they chip us,” he said. Russo is no newcomer to the big screen; he produced and promoted Kinetic Playground, Led Zeppelin (in America), Tony-Award winning &#8220Clams on the Half Shell' with Bette Middler and Lionel Hampton. He also created and managed &#8220The Manhattan Transfer,” and in total, has been nominated for six Academy Awards and seven Golden Globes. Though the film does not endorse the Libertarian party, it was preaching to the choir at the Sycamore gathering, called together by Michael Fogelsanger, of the DeKalb County Libertarian Party. There also was a brief presentation by Elgin radio personality Kenneth Johns, show host of &#8220Freedom Rings,” on WRMN 1410 A.M. Fogelsanger said he was a former marine, a recovering Republican who &#8220left when the Republicans started spending more than the Democrats.” He welcomed the 15-20 people who showed up at the library and cited a personal experience when he said he'd been harassed by the Secret Service. Johns said, &#8220I wasn't a conservative or a liberal. I believed in the ideals of America including the Golden Rule and individual freedom-as long as you don't harm anybody else.” He said Americans now must give &#8220half of their income each year on taxes. The serfs only had to give up 25 percent of their (product) to the land lord...We are semi-slaves. What Lincoln did was make us all equal slaves....” Johns said the Libertarian Party can't win elections because the two-party system is entrenched and neither major party wants to allow a third.. &#8220But I believe we need a party” to focus on issues the American public only considers during elections. &#8220I think it's going to take a long time and a lot of education.” Russo's film attempts to show &#8220there is no law requiring American citizens to pay a direct, unapportioned tax on their labor.” The film argues that the 16th Amendment only supports a corporate tax &#8220on profit.” Russo's film also argues that income tax isn't needed. He said all the income tax from American citizens simply pays on the national debt, and corporate income tax funds national defense. Most other services, he says, such as education, are funded by state or local property tax. Russo's film says the country is actually controlled by bankers and the Federal Reserve Bank, which is a private entity and controls the nation's economy. &#8220Congress should shut down the Federal Reserve,” he states. Instead, he said, the power is moving to worldwide banking control by The World Bank and international corporations. Describing more recent and more aggressive invasions of privacy and private lives following the Patriot Act, Russo argues, &#8220We are well on our way to a police state.” Note: Information about the gathering carried a disclaimer by the library stating, &#8220The library is not responsible for the information presented in this program.”