--- DEFENDERS of Property Rights --- Dear Friend and Colleague: Are you tired of the unchecked growth of federal, state, and local rules and regulations (and the taxes that come with them) that infringe upon the individual and property rights of you, your friends, and your family? Are you sick of government bureaucrats telling you what you can and cannot do with your property and business, how to raise your children, and what products you should and should not buy? Do you feel the government routinely overrules even the most basic decisions you make every day about your family and livelihood? In short, are you just plain sick and tired of big government? I know that I am. I am writing you to let you know about something you can do that will help make a difference. I'd like to introduce you to GET GOVERNMENT OFF OUR BACK, an ad hoc coalition of individuals, businesses, and grassroots organizations across the nation dedicated to reducing the size of government and the amount of needless regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. We believe that unless private citizens demand reform now, the American system of free enterprise is in danger of collapsing under the weight of big government. On October 10th, GET GOVERNMENT OFF OUR BACK will be holding press conference in key places all over America to call attention to the danger that big government poses to our rich democratic heritage. We are currently working with a diverse group of grassroots organizations and individuals in your area who will be participating in the event. I have attached a copy of the petition we will be unveiling at the press conferences, and I would like you to take a good look at it. I think you'll find a lot to agree with. If you agree with us -- that it is time to put property rights and government back in the hands of the people -- please let me know. We will list you as a member of the coalition and signatory of the resolution. Please fill out the attached form and fax it back to us as soon as you can. We will get in touch with you in the days ahead to give you more details about the campaign and events happening in your area. I hope you will agree to participate in this important step in putting government back in the hands of the people. Thank you for your time. Yours truly, Nancie G. Marzulla President and Chief Legal Counsel GET GOVERNMENT OFF OUR BACK RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the U.S. government's payroll is growing at a faster pace than the private sector's; and WHEREAS,over 200 pages of new and often conflicting government regulations are added to the Federal Register each day, and thousands more at the state and local levels; and WHEREAS, federal and state governments' use of unfunded and underfunded mandates results in especially prohibitive burdens on state and local taxpayers and businesses; and WHEREAS, the virus-like growth of federal, state, and local statutes, ordinances, laws, rules, and regulations has a profoundly stifling impact on the free exchange of goods and services among individuals and businesses; and WHEREAS, consumers and individuals are frequently confused and often misled by their own government; and WHEREAS, government is increasingly assuming the role of telling us what consumer products we should buy and what not to buy, how to raise our children, and what we can do with our own property and businesses; and WHEREAS, businesses and individuals are routinely overruled by government in basic decisions about family and enterprise, subjected to arbitrary civil and criminal penalties by regulatory agencies with little or no recourse under law; and WHEREAS, over-regulation by OSHA, EPA, FDA, IRS, other federal agencies and their counterparts at the state and local levels results in lost jobs, increased costs, mountains of needless paperwork, and hampers the ability of U.S. business to compete in the global marketplace; and WHEREAS, individual rights, property rights, and personal privacy are under attack from government at all levels; and WHEREAS, our tax laws and the regulatory process are often used as a form of back-door prohibition, or otherwise designed to achieve the objectives of social engineering; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we the undersigned call upon every candidate for elective office -- at all levels of government -- to promise: 1. That they will take measurable steps during their term of office to REDUCE the size of government payroll and the number of regulations under their jurisdiction and explain how they will achieve this in their first term of office; 2. That they will reform the regulatory process to make it more responsive to the needs of the American people rather than the desires and whims of the government; 3. That they will undertake a review of all existing rules, regulations, laws, ordinances, and statutes with a goal of eliminating those that are burdensome, conflicting, and intrusive; 4. That they will sign this simple pledge: "Citizens and small business owners in America have a right to exist subject to the free enterprise system as a national priority. The proper role of government is to protect the lives and freedom and property of Americans while otherwise staying out of our lives." Get Government Off Our Back =========================== o / ------------- o - cut here ------------------------------------- o \ Resolution Sponsor Response Form Please complete and return ASAP! Name of signer as it should appear on all printed material: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Business title of resolution signer: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Resolution signer's voice phone:_______________ Fax: __________ Name of resolution signer's business or organization: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Resolution signer's shipping address: --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Special notes: o / ------------- o - cut here ------------------------------------- o \ Please send completed forms to: Nancie G. Marzulla - Defenders of Property Rights 6235 33rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20015 FAX: (202) 686-0240 - phone: (202) 686-4197 :--- DEFENDERS of Property Rights 6235 33rd Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20015 - (202) 686-4197 "[Nor] shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." -U.S. Constitution, Amendment V | | | | |--*--*----|*---*---*-|--*--*----v-*---*-v---*--|*---*---*-|--*--*---- /| | | / \ | | * |*---*---*-|--*--*----|*---*-v---*| --*--*----v|--*--*----|--*--*----v / /| | | | | | | | *