Well, after years and years of writing government officials asking what a dollar is I finally got it. It is, surprisingly, a clear and unequivocal answer to the question: “What is a dollar.”

Senator John Ensign of Nevada sent me the ANSWER written in a report by the Congressional Research Service. The most important part of the answer is found on page three (page two of the answer) when it states:

Ballentines Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition (1969)

dollar. The legal currency of the United States; State v Downs, 148 Ind 324, 327 ; the unit of money consisting of one hundred cents. The aggregate of specific coins which add up to one dollar. 36 Am Jlst Money A§ 8. In the absence of qualifying words, it cannot mean promissory notes, bonds, or other evidences of debt. 36 AM Jlst Money A§ 8.

American Jurisprudence, Volume 36, A§ 8 [T]he term “dollar” means money, since it is the unit of money in this country, and in the absence of qualifying words, it cannot mean promissory notes or bonds or other evidences of debt. The term also refers to specific coins of the value of one dollar. (27 Ohio Jur pp . 125, 126, A§ 3), (United States v. Van Auken, 96 US 366, 24 L ed 852)

Then the report defines Federal reserve notes:

Black’s Law, Second Pocket Edition (1996)

Federal Reserve Note

Federal reserve note. The paper currency in circulation in the United States. The notes are issued by the Federal Reserve Banks, are effectively non-interest-bearing promissory notes payable to bearer on demand, and are issued in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000.

“Payable” in what? In dollars of course. You cannot pay with a “promissory note”.

Therefore it is VERY CLEAR that Federal reserve notes ARE NOT dollars but should be able to be redeemed in “dollars.” FRNs, however, cannot, presently, be redeemed in “money” but only in other notes. Remember that the “term ‘dollar’ means money” which CANNOT BE promissory notes according to the report.

Therefore, whenever you receive Federal reserve notes (promissory notes) issued in any “$” denominations you should calculate their “value” in REAL “dollars” such as the report describes as:

DOLLAR. The unit employed in the United States in*calculating money values.* Blacks Law Dictionary, 4th Edition Revised (1957)

If you are a Nevada citizen I highly recommend that you contact Senator Ensign’s Las Vegas office at (702) 388-6605 and ask Special Assistant Mary Mason, to please send you a copy of the Congressional Research Service “report” concerning the definition of what a dollar is.

If you are in another State of this Union I highly recommend that you copy this letter from Senator Ensign’s office and ask YOUR Senator or Representative to send you a copy of the Congressional Research Service “report” concerning the definition of what a dollar is.

Then, if I were you, I would send this “report” to the IRS and tell them that you are relying on this report from your Congressman as to what a “dollar” is and that you now know that a Federal reserve note is a “promissory note” and cannot be a dollar and so you will calculate the “value” of “Federal reserve notes” by the fair market “value” of the silver Liberty dollar coins.

I would tell them that you will do this unless the IRS can show you the LAW, not the IRS’s opinion or the Department of the Treasury’s opinion, but the law that clearly and unequivocally states that a Federal reserve note has been defined by Congress to be a “dollar” and not just “promissory notes” or “debt instruments” or “legal tender” (pennies are legal tender and not dollars) that are “issued in denominations” of “$s”.

It is clear that these silver Liberty dollar coins, authorized by Congress at 31 USC Sec. 5112 (e) with the “value” of a dollar as per 31 USC Sec. 5112 (d)(1), meet all the legal requirements to be dollars as per the “report” while Federal reserve notes issued in various denominations of $s do not meet ANY of the legal requirements of a dollar but only those of, possibly, United States Securities and/or legal tender as per 31 USC Sec. 5103. But since they cannot be redeemed in “dollars” you are not even sure they meet those standards.

We Americans SHOULD have the right to know what the value of a dollar is in clear and unequivocal terms since, if we are liable for a tax by clear and unequivocal language, we must be able to calculate that tax using: “The unit (dollar) employed in the United States in calculating money values.” Blacks Law Dictionary, 4th Edition Revised (1957) (See report). Because if we cannot use the dollar to calculate “income” (whatever that is) then we CANNOT know the “value” of whatever we accepted as payment.

Keeping in mind the well-settled rule that the citizen is exempt from taxation unless the same is imposed by clear and unequivocal language, and that where the construction of a tax law is doubtful, the doubt is to be resolved in favor of those upon whom the tax is sought to be laid… Spreckels Sugar Refining Co. v. McClain,192 U.S. 397, 24 S.Ct. 376, 418, U.S. 1904

It is time to stand up against the Federal Reserve Bankster’s tyranny. This is your chance to do something. It may not be a lot but it is an opportunity to do something to stop this Federal Reserve Bank taxation (inflation is a tax) without representation. Did you elect the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank? NO! Does Congress audit the Federal Reserve Bank? NO! Is the Federal Reserve Bank the establishment of the Second Plank of the Communist manifesto? YES? Is the Income Tax the Establishment of the Second Plank of the Communist Manifesto? YES. Is Communism a religion? Professors and religious organizations around the country say that it is.

Stand up. Get a copy of the report from your Congressman/ Senator! Do it today.

And please forward a copy of what you receive to Christopher Hansen either by scanning it in and emailing it to me at Christopher@independentamerican.org or mailing it to me at

Christopher Hansen

2657 Windmill PKY #107

Henderson, Nevada 89074