Let Us Not Forget

The world is focused on the bank failures, and corruption and the incompetence of federal regulatory agencies that were suppose to have been watching out for our best interest. And we the people (government) are busy subsidizing all of these failures. Still, no one that was responsible for this catastrophe has gone to jail. Why is that? Most likely the answer is that those that should be putting folks in jail should be putting themselves there as well - and they are just not going to do that.

Let us also not forget that our Congress on both sides of the isle failed us miserably. So the American people sent a clear message last November that they wanted change - and the results – well, nothing has changed; it’s just business as usual with the exception that the Republicans have decided that they did indeed lose their way over the past eight years and are now engaged in hypocritical finger pointing. I for one have sent many letters to my elected officials over the past couple of years without having the least little impact. Perhaps it's time for them to hear from all of you us in great numbers.

Clearly, the notion that mortgaging our grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s future by giving money to those institutions that failed us in the first place, is a frivolous use of our money. I must confess that I was a proponent of the initial bail efforts of the fall of 08; had the government came clean with the American people about the depth of the problem and that there was really no end in sight then I may not have supported it. Bush then, and Obama now are still telling us that if we had not have taken the actions that we took last fall that we would be in the midst of a great depression. But who does one believe? They all lie and the truth isn't in them.

The total cost of the bail out is projected to be 11.6 trillion dollars that's $11,623,630,000,000.00. That equates to $38,013.00 for every American citizen including every man, woman and child. If the need is to stimulate the economy then it would be far better to put that money directly in the hands of Americans. Even if you limited the distribution to just those that are married and/or are at least 18 years old - the impact would be immediate. There are a lot of ways to manage such distribution. One idea that's being floated is to have a tax holiday for one or two years.

Meaningful stimulation, and I don’t mean a measly $1200, that the oil companies took away from us last year, through direct or indirect distribution to the taxpayers is a basic and simple solution; surely you are asking yourself why it’s not being done? The answer is that political and private bureaucratic institutions across this nation would be out of the equation. We can’t have that; now can we? So Washington is pouring trillions into the coffers of failed banks and companies and the American people are getting what in return? Absolutely nothing except more lay-offs and depleted retirement and savings accounts. So here’s the bottom line – the economy has so deteriorated, as has the confidence of the American people, that it will make no difference whether or not the banks have money to loan, because the consumers either can’t or wont buy anything – this is the day that demand as surely died. Which begs the question – why haven’t prices of everything dropped to match the current state of the economy? Now there’s a question that demands a close scrutiny.

All of that aside for a moment - let us not forget the role that the oil industry has played in our demise. That industry sucked billions of dollars in excessive profits out of the economy over the past three years thereby deepening and hastening this catastrophic failure of the world’s economies. I don't know about you but it infuriates me to see an oil company run a commercial on TV that asks you and I if we are going to partner with them in solving the energy problem that they created and benefited from.

There are things that we should not forget and are so important that perhaps you should write it down on a posted note and put it on your refrigerator. Review the list and add things to it from time to time. My list is extensive and getting longer.

Cell Tower Fight Update

We submitted a 47 page document to the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission on Tuesday Sept. 9th. Of course it became part of the Public Record and so Verizon had immediate access to it. Long story short is that Verizon's attorney asked the OMPC to delay the hearing until October 9th - they can ask for delays but we can't - go figure. We've been doing a ton of legal research; the results of which we included in the 47 page document. We're concerned that the only reason that Verizon would ask for a delay is to have time to remedy the flaws in their application that we have pointed out. They also said they needed time to consider all the information that we have submitted.

From the beginning we have pointed out to the OMPC staff & Commission members that Verizon is acting in a high-handed and arrogant manner, and they are clearly saying to them and us that they do not have to respond. We desperately need the Commission members to realize that they do indeed have every right to deny Verizon's request based on the objective evidence that we have submitted thus far.

Surely, the Commission is ready to say that enough is enough. There is a considerable amount of effort being made and poor advice being given to persuade them that their hands are tied and that there is little they can do. NOTHING could be farther from the truth. Certainly there are serious flaws within Article 20 of the Zoning Regulation, that cries out for a remedy, however the Article still calls would-be cell tower builders to compliance in several key areas. We are simply pointing out to the Commission that it was never Verizon's intent to meet the spirit and intent of Article 20.

So, the beats goes on. Somehow we need to break through the apathy and fill the meeting room on October 9th with people willing to be a little vocal about a property owner's right not to have his property devalued and be made fearful of microwave radiation by the acts of a behemoth company like Verizon Wireless and an absentee landowner.

Cell Tower Site Disputed

Sorry to have been absent for the past few weeks. Unfortunately there has been much to do pertaining to our efforts to convince the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission and Verizon Wireless to not locate a cancer causing, property devaluating Cell Phone Tower in our back door. If you would want to help with this effort your help would be really appreciated. If you are a resident of Daviess County Kentucky then you can become involved by signing the two petitions shown below and sending them to me or call and I will come and pick them up. The other thing that you can do is mark your calendars for September 11 and come to the OMPC meeting on the 4th Floor of City-Hall in Owensboro KY.

I’ve gained a great deal of insight from the current conflict with Verizon wireless and their plans to erect a tower adjacent to our property and, I’ve uncovered several flaws in the process through which applications to construct cell towers are processed.

There are three root causes why these flaws exist. The first is that there is no process through which the accuracy is verified of information that is submitted by totally biased cellular communications companies; such information is only reviewed for content to ensure that the applicant has included statements consistent with what the ordinance expects to see. An example is that the ordinance requires collocation of equipment on existing towers whenever possible; to circumvent this requirement a document need only be produced that says that there is none available. Another example is that the ordinance requires that the construction of a tower shall not have an adverse impact on property values; the applicant need only say that there will be no adverse impact.

The second of these flaws is that all materials and testimony provided by cellular communications companies is accepted as objective evidence, whereas materials and testimony given by an opposing member of the public is not considered as objective evidence regardless of the quality and the level of detail of this evidence. Therefore the burden of proof is inappropriately born by the public. Surely, the first mandate of planning commissions is to protect the public interest; therefore, the general public should have equal footing.

The third flaw is that there are significant shortcomings in our existing zoning ordinances related to the placement of cell towers. A petition containing eleven remedies for these flaws and a petition to relocate this tower is being circulated and can be viewed at:

Madashell-Party.blogspot.com

The current dispute playing out in the Utica area pertaining to the placement of this cell tower has a whole other dimension that we have not raised, and that is the adverse health impact of living next to one of these towers. As strange as this may sound the Telecommunication Act of 1996 precludes the Owensboro Metropolitan Zoning Board from even considering this kind of information in their decision making process. We should all become incredulous with the Federal Government’s intrusion into our local government. Space and time does not afford an ample opportunity to discuss the health issue in detail here. However, everyone should be aware that there is evidence that shows that breaks in the cell’s DNA structure occurs from exposure to low power microwave communications devices. These breaks are being linked to Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, Alzheimer, and Dementia. There’s plenty of information available on the Internet about this. Some are saying that by comparison, the health impact of cell-phones will make asbestos and cigarettes look like a walk in the park.

Finally, we are not saying to Verizon not to build a tower on the property they have selected; we are simply saying to move it to the back of that property so a buffer is provided between it and the adjacent property owners.

Petition One: I've included an image so you can see the requested move.

Adjacent/Affected & Concerned Citizens
Petition to the OMPC

We petition the OMPC to deny the request of GTE Wireless of the Midwest Incorporated, d/b/a Verizon Wireless request to Construct a Cell Tower at 931 Highway 140 West (378 36’ 09.79” N) (878 07’ 49.35” W), as indicated by the green stickpin on the attached image, unless this Tower’s location is moved to the area of (37°36'25.13"N 87° 7'45.55"W), as indicated by the orange stickpin. This location is at the same address but is approximately 470 yards North of the proposed site. Failing that we request that another suitable low-impact location be found.

Sign your name and include your address, date, and Ph Number (Phone Number is not requried)

Petition Two:

Concerned Citizens
Petition to the OMPC
To amend Planning & Zoning Regulations

We petition the OMPC to amend, modify and/or add the following changes to the Planning & Zoning Regulations and Ordinances pertaining to the location of Cell Phone Towers:

1. A thirty-day Notification of OMPC and Adjacent Landowners prior to application to the FCC for Cell Tower Construction.
2. Currently the public does not have access to any information contained within an applicant’s file that may be requesting to construct a cell tower because this file in its entirety is deemed to be “confidential”. This broad-brush classification of all information within a file places the public and especially the adjacent property owners at a tremendous disadvantage. We request that guidelines be established through which information is classified into non-proprietary and proprietary categories, with the non-proprietary information being available to the public.
3. Legal notices should be placed in the paper two-weeks prior and again one-week prior to the hearing on the request to construct cell towers in conjunction with postings at the property site one week prior to such hearings.
4. Request to construct cell towers shall include a detailed area survey of other towers or building structures in the area on which equipment can be co-located.
5. The requestor to construct a cell-tower shall provide a property & business impact study to include property values through a certified unbiased appraiser, which shall be selected from a list of unbiased appraisers maintained by the OMPC Staff.
6. Request to construct Cell towers shall contain a detailed site plan clearly shown on a certified and registered survey, using South State Plane Coordinates to locate adjacent property lines, structures and the proposed cell tower site and the exact distances of the proposed cell tower center to all adjacent property lines and structures.
7. A setback distance of 500 yards shall be maintained from the proposed cell tower center to adjacent property owner’s property lines.
8. Free Standing Towers shall be camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings.
9. Request to construct cell towers shall include a demolition plan for their removal when they become obsolete or are not longer used. Such plans shall be secured through a bond.
10. The approval process for requests to construct cell towers shall include the Daviess County Fiscal Court.
11. Information submitted by cellular communications companies that stipulate that there are no existing towers or structures on which they can collocate their equipment shall be validated through an unbiased RF Engineer.
    
    
    Sign your name and include your address, date and Phone Number (Phone Number is not requred)
    

Saving the Banks!

Here's a clip that is worth the watch. Rouboni is a bit hard to understand but he lays out the reasons why shoring up Fannie and Freddie is not only a "must do", but it is indeed only a very minor measure compared to what will have to happen, if we are to avoid wide spread failures of lending institutions.

Are Freddie, Fannie, & the Fed having an illicit affair?

Well, maybe. Perhaps this was all a ploy so that Freddie and Fannie could have the same access to borrowing from the Fed, as does the banking industry. It’s anyone guess as to what really was behind it all, but from some accounts these two organizations were not in danger of immediate collapse. Certainly, the panic was real and it’s not over yet.

I saw Senator Bunning on the news last week, which is rare, and he was giving an impassioned speech against putting the American public on the hook for bailing out two semi-private businesses – Freddie and Fannie. He also spoke adamantly in condemnation of the Federal Reserve and the miserable failures of Alan Greenspan. You can listen to an audio clip of his statement here:

http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/bunning7_15_08.mp3

In my view his criticisms of the Fed and the Treasury are right on target. Bunning wants to radically limit their powers – all things that I fully support. However, right now they are the only lifeboats around and we need a definitive plan for moving in a different direction before we scuttle what we have.

Of course Bunning and all the rest of the do-nothing-congress are always looking around for someone to blame, and so he blamed the Fed for everything including the price of oil. Certainly the devaluation of the dollar is causing the cost of oil to rise – it simply takes more dollars to buy the same quantity of oil because our dollar isn’t worth very much and the Fed’s policies directly affect that. The thing that makes me incredulous about Bunning is that he never opened his mouth about the real cause of our economic woes and impending doom – and we know that cause to be "OIL FUTURES TRADING". Why do you think he remains silent on this hot-button issue? Maybe we should all ask him.

Collusion – Delusion – Elusion? Take your pick.

Is it just me or are the big four broadcasting companies ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox woefully delinquent in their responsibility to provide hard-nosed investigative reporting into the oil shortage hoax? Certainly this hoax is being perpetuated by other information sources as well, especially the financial news services. Why aren’t these folks standing on top of Washington demanding answers as to why they are failing to end “Oil Futures Trading”?

We just can’t continue to allow ourselves to be served up a continual diet of misinformation. Washington and the media are going out of their way to frame the price of gas that you’re paying at the pump, in terms of supply and demand. It’s all a big lie! If we would take just a few minutes and fire off some emails to our elected officials in Washington, and to the network news organizations things would change. I encourage everyone to do just that. There is plenty of information posted on this blog that can be copied and pasted into emails and/or forms. I would also ask that you forward a link to this blog to everyone in your email list and ask him or her to do the same. Together we can make a difference – but it is going to require all of us to make use of our personal networks. http://www.madashell-party.blogspot.com/

There’s already a link posted on this site through which you can find your elected officials; here are links to the major news organizations.

ABC News: How do I contact ABCNews.com? An Online form to Charlie Gibson

Nightly@NBC.com - Email - Brian Williams

CBS Evening News with Katie Couric - CBS News Broadcast (Click on “Contact” at the bottom of the page – brings up an online form.

FOXNews.com - Contact Us - FOX News or email oreilly@foxnews.com

I’ve come to understand that every time the President speaks you can count on the exact opposite being true of whatever he may be talking about. So, if you listened to him last night (July 15, 2008) talking about the economy you should be very, very concerned. Unless the Congress acts quickly I believe that time is running out to save the country from a major depression. We would have eventually worked our way out the housing mess – no thanks to Alan Greenspan – but I fear that we can’t survive that disaster and the outrageous cost of energy at the same time. By the way – think about the notion of privatizing social security in the wake of Washington’s failure to regulate the banking and energy industries – give me a break!

Larry

Is it time for a Constitutional Convention?

Clearly, our democracy is broken and in need of repair. To be sure the constitution as it is written provides the framework through which to fix what ails us. One such way is through the Amendment Process and the other is through Constitutional Conventions. Unfortunately, it will never happen through the Amendment Process because the Congress, Presidency, and the Judicial systems are the very means by which you would expect things to get fixed. The sad reality is that you can’t repair a broken tool with another broken tool. Without question the root of the problem is our two party system. So it follows that the existing two parties will never preside over a process by which they are forced to share power.

Strange as it may sound, the framers of the Constitution envisioned that there would be periodic Constitutional Conventions. They understood that the document they created was far from perfect and would have to be kept current. There’s much that could be placed on the agenda for a Constitutional Convention but there is none more important than those items, which would bring an end to the tyranny under which we suffer because of being held hostage by the Democrat and Republican parties. Creating an environment in which more than two parties could flourish would require a total overhaul of the electoral processes. In the end the best of all systems would be one in which we were able to select our representatives based neither on what party they are affiliated with nor how much money they had, or how good of spin-doctors there were.

The second most important item on the Agenda would bring about a complete renovation of the structure of Congress and the way it operates. We absolutely do not have – may never of had – a government of the people. What we have is a government by “committees” which are so far from your and my influence that they might as well be on the moon. Are you not sick of hearing about this or that “powerful committee”? When this new Constitutional Convention was over the Congress would be mandated to hold up or down votes on every bill, and no longer could attachments be tacked on to any bill, and there would be a total end to the process of “earmarking”.

Thomas Jefferson, one of the more prominent framers of the Constitution, wrote extensively to his friend James Madison about his belief that the earth belonged to the living and not the dead. In one of his letters to Madison he writes, “No society can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs always to the living generation.” Life expectancy in those days was significantly less than now and so Jefferson establish a time base of 19 years in his letter to Madison. You can read his letter in its entirety here: From Revolution to Reconstruction: Presidents: Thomas Jefferson: Letters: THE EARTH BELONGS TO THE LIVING.

Jefferson and Madison held a common belief that one generation should not impose burdens on the next. Their writings are fascinating as pertains to limiting the amount of acquired debt, to that amount which can be paid in one generation. Jefferson saw it not only in terms of the constitution being a living document he was also keenly interested in control of the government’s ability to wage wars that could not be paid for in one generation. Now think about the trillions of dollars in debt that our children’s children will be paying for because of the Iraq war.

So, weigh in on this topic and voice your opinion. Let’s compile a list of goals (end results) that you believe would be achieved by a successful Constitutional Convention. We don’t necessarily need to think about the “how’s” right now – let’s just assume that will all be worked out – right now let’s just think from the perspective that the Convention has been completed and we as a nation now enjoy (blank), or we no longer endure (blank). I will compile the list into a survey, along with my own thoughts and then place the survey on to this blog so that anyone who is interested can take it and see the results. Perhaps we can get someone’s attention – although that’s probably not realistic considering the fact even the airline industry can’t get Washington to respond and has to resort to letter writing campaigns.

I’ve included video links on this blog to Larry Sabato who does a really good job of articulating the need for a National Constitutional Convention.

“A true patriot never hunkers down and makes the best of things – rather they stand and fight for change.” - Larry