NESARA

Last updated

The National Economic Security and Recovery Act (NESARA) is a set of proposed economic reforms for the United States suggested during the 1990s by private citizen Harvey Francis Barnard. Barnard claimed that the proposals, which included replacing the income tax with a national sales tax, abolishing compound interest on secured loans, and returning to a bimetallic currency, would result in 0% inflation and a more stable economy. The proposals were never introduced before Congress.

Contents

Since the early 2000s, NESARA has become better known as the subject of a cult-like conspiracy theory whose original promoter was Internet personality Shaini Candace Goodwin, better known as "Dove of Oneness". Goodwin, who appropriated the NESARA notions without Barnard's consent, claimed that the act was actually passed with additional provisions as the National Economic Security and Reformation Act, and then suppressed by the George W. Bush administration and the Supreme Court. Goodwin's conspiracy emails were translated into several languages and had a large following online. [1] Adherents to the theory have also been using the name GESARA (standing either for Global Economic Security and Recovery Act [2] or Global Economic Security and Reformation Act [3] ) in order to extend the proposed NESARA reforms outside the US and to the rest of the world. [3]

Monetary reform proposal

Harvey Francis Barnard (1941–2005), an engineering consultant and teacher with a PhD in systems theory, created the NESARA proposal during the late 1980s and early 1990s. [4] Barnard printed 1,000 copies of his proposal, titled Draining the Swamp: Monetary and Fiscal Policy Reform (1996), and sent copies to members of Congress, believing it would pass quickly on its merits. Based on a theory that debt is the number one economic factor inhibiting the growth of the economy, and compound interest the number one "moral evil" and reason for debt, Barnard made several other attempts during the 1990s to draw political attention to the problems he saw in the US economy, and his suggested economic recovery proposal based on the root causes he determined. After Barnard's efforts to gain political support did not succeed, he decided in 2000 to release his proposal to the public domain and publish it on the Internet. Barnard established the NESARA Institute in 2001, and published the second edition of his book in 2005, retitling it Draining the Swamp: The NESARA Story – Monetary and Fiscal Policy Reform. [1] [5]

Conspiracy theory

Dove of Oneness

Soon after Barnard released NESARA on the Internet, a user known as "Dove of Oneness" began posting about it in forums and eventually created a website devoted to it. "Dove of Oneness" was later identified as Shaini Candace Goodwin, a former student of Ramtha's School of Enlightenment. [1] Goodwin claimed that the NESARA bill languished in Congress before finally being passed by a secret session in March 2000 and signed by President Bill Clinton. Her theory held that the new law was to be implemented at 10 a.m. on September 11, 2001, but that the computers, and data of the beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars of "Prosperity funds", were destroyed on the second floor of one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City during the terrorist attacks. Supposedly an earlier gag order issued by the Supreme Court had prohibited any official or private source from discussing it, under penalty of death. [1] Goodwin referred to "White Knights," most of them high-ranking military officials, who have since been struggling to have the law implemented despite opposition by President George W. Bush. Goodwin purported that Bush orchestrated the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War as distractions from NESARA. [6] [7]

Goodwin's description of NESARA goes far beyond Barnard's proposal by cancelling all personal debts, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, declaring world peace, and requiring new presidential and congressional elections. Goodwin often claimed that the Bush administration was attempting to hack into and bring down her web site to prevent her from publicizing the law. [8] She would purport to be connected with powerful officials and used authoritative language, publishing messages in which she "ordered" the "White Knights" to enforce NESARA. [9]

Goodwin began commenting on NESARA in connection with Omega Trust, a fraudulent investment scheme whose creator, Clyde Hood, was on trial at the time. According to Goodwin, Omega Trust investors would receive their returns after NESARA was announced. [1] [10] Goodwin repeatedly predicted that the NESARA announcement would occur in the very near future, [11] [12] [13] although in later years she became more reserved in these predictions. [14]

Barnard became aware of Goodwin's description of NESARA before his death in 2005. He denied that NESARA had been enacted into law or even assigned a tracking number, and condemned Goodwin's allegations as a disinformation campaign. [15]

Goodwin promoted the NESARA theory until her death in 2010. [16]

Further developments

After Goodwin began commenting on NESARA, other Internet-based conspiracy theorists latched onto it. One supporter, Sheldan Nidle, ties the imminent NESARA announcement into his years-old prophecy of an imminent large scale UFO visitation by benevolent aliens (occasionally on his website reports, but more prominently in his videos, [17] seminars and public appearances). Jennifer Lee, who used to publish internet NESARA status reports almost daily [18] on her now defunct site, discussed a host of other-worldly and "interdimensional" beings who are helping behind the scenes to get NESARA announced. Late Internet conspiracy theorist Sherry Shriner, who operated multiple websites, saw NESARA as linked to malevolent reptiloid aliens she asserted long controlled the U.S. government. [19]

Some NESARA supporters also make the claim that otherworldly beings are working to get NESARA announced. These include a "channeled" cosmic being called "Hatonn" [20] (an android Pleiadean), and another named "Sananda". According to some proponents of Ascended Master Teachings, such as Joshua David Stone, Sheldan Nidle, and Luis Prada, "Sananda" is the "galactic name" of Ascended Master Jesus, which he uses in his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Ashtar Command flying saucer fleet. "Pallas Athena" is regarded as being the Vice-Commander of the saucer fleet. Ashtar (Ashtar Sheran) is regarded in these teachings as being third-in-command. [21] The designation of George W. Bush as a disguised reptilian often co-occurred with this claim. [22] Goodwin has claimed that Ascended Master Saint Germain came down from the etheric plane to physically meet with heads of banks and world leaders regarding the NESARA announcement. [23] [24]

Followers of the NESARA conspiracy theory began using the name "GESARA" in the mid-2010s, by referencing the set of reforms as a "Global" - and not "National" - Economic Security and Reformation Act. They notably claimed that several East Asian groups were involved in enforcing the reforms worldwide, including the purported "White Dragon Society" which would benefit from fundings by "the successors of the last Chinese Emperor, Pu Yi". One prominent advocate of "GESARA" has been a blogger based in the UK and going by the name "Alcuin Bramerton". In 2020, "Bramerton" asserted that the "NESARA global prosperity programmes" were about to be announced and activated through an entity called the "Saint Germain World Trust" which would provide "one quattuordecillion US dollars" to "zero out (permanently cancel) all personal, corporate and national debts worldwide" and that further money would be provided to the "White Dragon Society" by the "Manchu family syndicate". [3]

NESARA groups are known for certain to exist and to have attracted press attention in Utah, [25] [26] and the Netherlands. [27] Members of these groups get together to discuss the status of NESARA, read the various reports, hold protests, and pass out fliers about NESARA to the public. Goodwin claimed that NESARA groups exist throughout several nations and US states including California, Washington, Arizona, and Texas, and provides hundreds of pieces of photographic evidence of people in public protests holding NESARA banners, [28] [29] but it is not clear to what degree the people holding the banners are aware of what NESARA is, or for how long these groups were active. The News Tribune has traced the story behind at least some of these photos (photos of trucks driving around Washington, D.C. bearing the words "NESARA Announcement Now!"), and found that they were part of a $40,000 advertising campaign allegedly paid for by an elderly San Francisco resident who had made donations to Goodwin. [27]

NESARA's concepts have also been incorporated by other conspiracy theories. In 2022, Bellingcat compared NESARA/GESARA to a "grandfather" of QAnon and reported that as QAnon's iconography and concepts were declining in popularity, its adherents were becoming more and more invested in NESARA concepts and reviving that older movement. [2] People involved with the sovereign citizen movement have also subscribed to NESARA-related theories. [30]

Comparison to a cult and scam accusations

Critics consider NESARA to be a cult. Pointing to the fact that Goodwin, Lee, and Nidle frequently solicited donations from their readers, they accuse these leaders of being primarily interested in securing a steady stream of income for themselves. [31] [32] [33] Goodwin, who also asked readers to donate their frequent flyer miles, [34] claimed that she needed and had used the funds to travel to various locations around the world to secretly meet with high-level government officials about getting NESARA announced. [34] [35] In 2004, The News Tribune published an article which called Goodwin a "cybercult queen" and described the NESARA phenomenon as a scam. [1]

A June 2006 complaint to the Washington consumer protection division accused Goodwin of using the NESARA story to defraud a 64-year-old San Francisco woman of at least $10,000. The woman's daughter said the actual amount is much larger, in the hundreds of thousands. [27]

The prominence of failed prophecy also lends support to the cult theory. NESARA supporters often tell their readers that the NESARA announcement is going to happen in a matter of days. According to the documentary Waiting For NESARA, the claim was also made prior to March 2003 that George Bush was planning the war with Iraq only to further delay the NESARA announcement. It was prophesied that spiritual beings and UFOs would intervene with Bush's plans and prevent the war. [25]

See also

Further reading

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Robinson, Sean (18 July 2004). "Snared by a Cybercult Queen, Dove of Oneness". The News Tribune . Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 "As QAnon Falters, European Followers Flock to a Financial Conspiracy". Bellingcat. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Gulyas 2021, pp. 161–162.
  4. ↑ "Harvey Francis Barnard obituary". The Advocate . Legacy.com. 24–26 May 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "A Legislative Proposal for Monetary and Fiscal Policy Reform (was: The National Economic Stabilization and Recovery Act)". Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  6. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (11 September 2006). "NESARA's Announcement Brings Truth about 9-11 Attacks". Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini. "Announcement this Week?—NESARA Update #21". Archived from the original on 16 April 2003. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  8. ↑ Robinson, Sean (19 July 2004). "Up against 'the dark agenda'" . Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  9. ↑ Gulyas 2021, p. 58.
  10. ↑ "NESARA Scam". Quatloos! . Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  11. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (4 May 2002). "NESARA: Gov. and U.S. Treasury Currency Info; Pros. Prg Deliveries". Archived from the original on 18 June 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  12. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (8 March 2004). "NESARA Debt Relief in U.S.; Income Taxes End; NESARA Editorial & Confirmations". Archived from the original on 11 April 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  13. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (13 October 2003). "NESARA; Dove Reports Email Improvements; Wild-eyed Currency Stories". Archived from the original on 27 August 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  14. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (23 June 2006). "NESARA Chronicles Parts 4 and 5". Archived from the original on 25 September 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Rabbits: Rumors – The "Real" NESARA". The NESARA Institute. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  16. ↑ Gulyas 2021, p. 46.
  17. ↑ "PAO Products". Planetary Activation Organization. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  18. ↑ "Jennifer Lee NESARA Reports". Quatloos! . Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  19. ↑ Shriner, Sherry. "NESARA Sucks: The Beast Economic Program" . Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  20. ↑ Ward, Suzy (July 18, 2005). "Special NESARA Edition". The Matthew Books. Retrieved 2007-09-25. Ward claims to write books that are "channeled" from her son, Matthew, who died in April, 1980 at the age of 17. The message cited is claimed to be channeled through a higher level "cosmic being" named "Hatonn"
  21. ↑ Peterson, Ken. "Sananda on NESARA and Compassion" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  22. ↑ Icke, David. "The Windsor-Bush Bloodline". Archived from the original on 2007-03-31. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  23. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (April 28, 2007). "Peace Ordered; Corp. Eviction; Ascended Masters Working On Our Behalf" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  24. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (July 28, 2002). "Support NESARA Fully to Receive Full Prosperity" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  25. 1 2 Haradon, Zeb and Elisa. "Waiting for NESARA". Archived from the original on 2 January 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  26. ↑ Robinson, Sean (6 August 2004). "Documentary spotlights NESARA cult; Dove's followers". The News Tribune . Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  27. 1 2 3 Sean, Robinson (18 June 2006). "Some lucrative 'New Age hooey'". The News Tribune . Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  28. ↑ "NESARA— Also called the Reformation Act". Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2020. includes several photo galleries: NTAT in action - July 4th 2005;
  29. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (2 October 2005). "NESARA Finishes Farm Claims Actions; NTAT Report; Canadians Sue Banks". Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  30. ↑ Sovereign Citizens Movement, Southern Poverty Law Center , retrieved January 6, 2022
  31. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (February 6, 2007). "NESARA Lights Carry NESARA Forward" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  32. ↑ Nidle, Sheldan. "Sheldan Nidle Updates" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  33. ↑ Lee, Jennifer (October 7, 2003). "Jennifer Lee NESARA Reports" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  34. 1 2 Goodwin, Shaini (October 24, 2004). "NESARA; Bush Regime Stalls 9-11 Report by CIA Group; NTAT Reports" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  35. ↑ Goodwin, Shaini (July 18, 2004). "The Truth About Dove of Oneness: Her Life & Activities" . Retrieved 2007-09-25.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conspiracy theory</span> Attributing events to less-probable plots

A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy by powerful and sinister groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable. The term generally has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal of a conspiracy theory is based in prejudice, emotional conviction, or insufficient evidence. A conspiracy theory is distinct from a conspiracy; it refers to a hypothesized conspiracy with specific characteristics, including but not limited to opposition to the mainstream consensus among those who are qualified to evaluate its accuracy, such as scientists or historians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Caviezel</span> American actor (born 1968)

James Patrick Caviezel Jr. is an American actor. He played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ (2004), Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom (2023), and starred as John Reese on the CBS series Person of Interest (2011–2016). He played Slov in G.I. Jane (1997), Private Witt in The Thin Red Line (1998), Detective John Sullivan in Frequency (2000), Catch in Angel Eyes (2001), and Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002).

Dulce Base is the subject of a conspiracy theory claiming that a jointly-operated human and alien underground facility exists under Archuleta Mesa on the Colorado–New Mexico border near the town of Dulce, New Mexico, in the United States. Claims of alien activity there first arose from Albuquerque businessman Paul Bennewitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration</span>

The domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration was the domestic policy of the United States from 2001 to 2009 while George W. Bush was president. Bush's main domestic policy advisors include Chairman of the Council of Economic Affairs Edward Lazear, Rob Portman, director of the Office of Management and Budget; U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Vice President Dick Cheney; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson; U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez; U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt and Allan Hubbard, director of the National Economic Council.

Michael F. Scheuer, is an American former intelligence officer for the Central Intelligence Agency, blogger, author, commentator and former adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies. One assignment during his 22-year career was serving as Chief of the Bin Laden Issue Station from 1996 to 1999. He also served as Special Advisor to the Chief of Alec Station from September 2001 to November 2004.

Omega Trust & Trading Ltd. was an American company that engaged in prime bank fraud from 1994 to 2000. The organization was created by retired electrician Clyde Hood, who presented it as an offshore investment program offering complex financial instruments with a payout of 50-to-1 or more. In 2001 Hood pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the scheme, and admitted that Omega investors could never have received the profits that they had been promised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lionel (radio personality)</span> American radio personality

Michael William Lebron, better known as Lionel, is an American syndicated radio, television and YouTube legal and media analyst. He is known as a leading promoter of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9/11 truth movement</span> Group of loosely affiliated 9/11 conspiracy theorists

The 9/11 truth movement encompasses a disparate group of adherents to a set of overlapping conspiracy theories that dispute the general consensus of the September 11 attacks that a group of Al-Qaeda terrorists had hijacked four airliners and crashed them into the Pentagon and the original World Trade Center Twin Towers, which consequently collapsed. The primary focus is on missed information that adherents allege is not adequately explained in the official National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reports, such as the collapse of 7 World Trade Center. They suggest a cover-up and, at the least, complicity by insiders.

Master Jesus is the theosophical concept of Jesus in theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tort reform</span> Legal reforms aimed at reducing tort litigation

Tort reform consists of changes in the civil justice system in common law countries that aim to reduce the ability of plaintiffs to bring tort litigation or to reduce damages they can receive. Such changes are generally justified under the grounds that litigation is an inefficient means to compensate plaintiffs; that tort law permits frivolous or otherwise undesirable litigation to crowd the court system; or that the fear of litigation can serve to curtail innovation, raise the cost of consumer goods or insurance premiums for suppliers of services, and increase legal costs for businesses. Tort reform has primarily been prominent in common law jurisdictions, where criticism of judge-made rules regarding tort actions manifests in calls for statutory reform by the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Union</span> Theoretical economic and political continental union of Canada, Mexico, and the United States

The North American Union (NAU) is a theoretical economic and political continental union of Canada, Mexico and the United States, the three largest and most populous countries in North America. The concept is loosely based on the European Union, occasionally including a common currency called the amero or the North American Dollar. A union of the North American continent, sometimes extending to Central and South America, has been the subject of academic concepts for over a century, as well as becoming a common trope in science fiction. One reason for the difficulty in realizing the concept is that individual developments in each region have failed to prioritize a larger union. Some form of union has been discussed or proposed in academic, business, and political circles for decades. However, government officials from all three nations say there are no plans to create a North American Union and that no agreement to do so has been proposed, much less signed. The formation of a North American Union has been the subject of various conspiracy theories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8chan</span> Imageboard website

8kun, previously called 8chan, Infinitechan or Infinitychan, is an imageboard website composed of user-created message boards. An owner moderates each board, with minimal interaction from site administration. The site has been linked to white supremacism, neo-Nazism, the alt-right, racism and antisemitism, hate crimes, and multiple mass shootings. The site has been known to host child pornography; as a result, it was filtered out from Google Search in 2015. Several of the site's boards played an active role in the Gamergate harassment campaign, encouraging Gamergate affiliates to frequent 8chan after 4chan banned the topic. 8chan is the origin and main center of activity of the discredited QAnon conspiracy theory.

The Ground Crew Project is a UFO religion based in California and Hawaii. It was founded in the 1980s by Sheldan Nidle, moved operations online in 1996, and later split into the "Ground Crew" and "Planetary Activation Organisation". It has been described as an optimistic UFO religious group who believes the Earth is on the verge of a cosmic transformation. According to adherents, such a transformation was expected to happen as the Earth passed through the high energy properties of a ‘photon belt’ in the 1990s. Members say the religion's aim is to prepare humanity for large-scale, first contact between Earth and the “Galactic Federation”, claimed to be an extraterrestrial organisation which will help in the supposed transformation. Members of the group are being prepared to play key roles as intermediaries between the claimed extraterrestrials and the population of Earth. Even after failed predictions, the group believes contact will happen “as soon as possible” and they must assist in ‘raising’ mankind beforehand.

Conspiracy theories in United States politics are beliefs that a major political situation is the result of secretive collusion by powerful people striving to harm a rival group or undermine society in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Chansley</span> QAnon and January 6 Capitol attack figure

Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, Q Shaman, and Yellowstone Wolf, is an American far-right conspiracy theorist, rioter, and convicted felon who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, for which he was convicted after a guilty plea on charges of obstructing an official proceeding. He is a supporter of former president Donald Trump and a former believer and disseminator of the QAnon conspiracy theory which has no basis in reality or any facts to corroborate its claims.

<i>Q Into the Storm</i> Television series

Q: Into the Storm is an American documentary television miniseries directed and produced by Cullen Hoback. It explores the QAnon conspiracy theory and the people involved with it. It consisted of six episodes and premiered on HBO on March 21, 2021. The series received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its insight into the conspiracy theory, and others finding it to be overlong and lacking in analysis of the impacts of QAnon. Some reviewers have criticized the series for not following best practices outlined by extremism researchers for reporting on extremism and conspiracy theories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pastel QAnon</span> Sub-community of QAnon followers

Pastel QAnon is a collection of techniques and strategies that use "soft" and feminine aesthetics – most notably pastel colors – that are used to attract women into the QAnon conspiracy theory, often using mainstream social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, Telegram and YouTube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of incidents involving QAnon</span> Events associated with American far-right conspiracy theory

Since the movement's emergence in 2017, adherents of the QAnon far-right conspiracy theory have been involved in a number of controversial events, some of them violent, resulting in the filing of criminal charges and one conviction for terrorism.

In March 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials falsely claimed that public health facilities in Ukraine were "secret U.S.-funded biolabs" purportedly developing biological weapons, which was debunked as disinformation by multiple media outlets, scientific groups, and international bodies. The claim was amplified by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese state media, and was also promoted by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory and subsequently supported by other far-right groups in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liz Harris (Arizona politician)</span> Former member of the Arizona House of Representatives

Liz Harris is an American politician from Arizona. A Republican, she was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from January 2023 to April 2023. Harris was elected in November 2022 from the 13th legislative district, which includes much of Chandler, Arizona.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.