Government - page 9

There is something very odd going on with the tunnel process. There must be a steadfast rule of who can sign contracts. In other words, if it’s the Mayor’s job and he refuses to sign the agreement, then common sense would make one believe that there was something wrong with the agreement that the Mayor wanted cleared up.

Instead of getting with the Mayor to work it out legally, City Council President Richard Conlin signed it. Then, a petition to recall him was thrown out by a judge who said there was insufficient evidence that he broke the law. Us peons need to be educated on how a City Council member can sign an environmental impact statement and collude with City Attorney Pete Homes to bring a lawsuit to block a tunnel referendum and delaying placing Initiative 101 on the ballot is legal.

It appears Conlin exceeded his authority under the city charter by signing the environmental impact statement draft. The public now gets to vote on a referendum, which really means nothing. The anti-tunnel statement urges Seattleites to “stand up to the politicians” who, in 2009, cut risky and expensive backroom deals to pursue the tunnel project. The pro-tunnel statement says the debate is over and will only be prolonged by the Mayors, “delay and obstruction”. He has stood up for the wishes of the people, and knows there will be cost overruns and the city property owners will have to pay them.

City Council member Tim Burgess says a no vote will just make the city council pass another ordinance to go forward with the tunnel construction. If that were challenged, it would take a year to reach the ballot, and “BY THEN CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL WILL BE WELL UNDERWAY”. That should not happen.

It is all being done for big business and the labor community that writes big checks for their campaigns. Its all done against the will of the people paying for it. Referendum 1 should stop the whole project until they come up with the answers to these questions. Do the majority of the people want a tunnel? How is it going to be paid for? Who pays for the cost overruns? What tolls will they charge? They already know it will not help traffic.

People will avoid the thing even if there are no tolls. Can you imagine anything more stupid than a tunnel through an earthquake zone right by a decaying sea wall? If we challenge anything the city does, Pete Holmes takes it upon himself to file a lawsuit and gets a judge he probably plays golf with to rubber stamp it. Mayor McGinn is looked on as a troublemaker for the council members, but he is trying to follow the wishes of the people who elected him. As the anti tunnel people keep chipping away more shady stuff comes to the surface.

For a judge to say there is insufficient evidence he broke the law. Geez, what more evidence did he need? Either Conlin can sign agreements or the Mayor refuses to sign them. It’s a simple yes he can, or no he can’t. But he did, and they say our vote on the referendum will mean nothing. Why are we voting?

Update: So what happened with Referendum 1 and the Tunnel Project?

Referendum 1 in Seattle, related to the Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel replacement project, was a significant vote that took place in the context of a broader debate about the best way to replace the aging and seismically vulnerable Viaduct. The tunnel project, officially known as the State Route 99 Tunnel, was approved by Seattle voters with a majority in favor during the August 16, 2011 ballot.

This approval was largely seen as a green light for the City Council to proceed with agreements critical to the tunnel’s construction and a reflection of the city’s desire to move forward after years of discussion and previous rejections of other options.

The project was notable for its ambition to create a tunnel that would maintain unobstructed traffic flow through downtown Seattle, while removing the elevated highway structure that had previously dominated the waterfront. Despite its approval, the tunnel project faced criticism and challenges, including concerns about cost overruns and the impact of tolling necessary to fund part of the project.

The completion of the tunnel was aimed at significantly altering the city’s traffic and urban landscape, prioritizing a solution that avoided long-term disruptions during construction and aimed at a more aesthetically pleasing waterfront.

As you know, the USA has stopped all flights into space.  Our space shuttles are officially retired and collecting dust.  The future of the NASA Space Program is unknown really.  The space program cost us $200 billion+ over the years (started in 1971) and since we won’t be using it anytime soon we may want to consider closing it all completely.  It’s sad we won’t be exploring the universe anymore but we are so in debt – this cut is a must. We are looking for ways to save money now and what is the point of holding on to all this equipment, technology, shuttles, launch pads etc if we are not going to use it ever again?  Space exploration should now be officially private.  There is no need for the government to be involved (except for security and the our satellites already in space).  Teams have already proven that better and cheaper shuttles are available and nearly ready to be used commercially.  Let the corporations pay for it. 

On a side note, our government is spending 4.1 billion dollars per day.  50 days from right now, the government will have spent more than the entire NASA Space Program.

Will we ever have a Governor who isn’t so brain washed in politics?  I am unsure at this point.  It’s sad quite honestly and perhaps we should just elect someone who isn’t so tainted in the political process.  Just an average person (maybe a successful Seattle business owner) who is familiar with the city but not all wrapped up in the political game.  Someone who won’t abuse the system for their own wants or gains and isn’t afraid to cut spending and programs to save money.  This person wouldn’t have political “friends” or ties we see with all the typical political candidates.  He or She wouldn’t care about being re-elected and wouldn’t be afraid to put there necks on the line to make a real change.  It seems every election (no matter what position including the President of the United States or the Seattle Governor position) is just another tainted political figure who has been through the system and delivers the same old crap.  They all talk the same, they help their political friends, get campaign contributions in a shady manner – it’s all the same.  I’m not saying all this is true of Rob Mckenna and his Seattle Governor efforts it just looks like all the stars are lining up for more of the same.  I’m not taking sides here (Republican or Democratic) and all the candidates fit this mold of more of the same – I’m just saying we need someone on the outside of the political spectrum to step up to the plate.  That person will get my full attention and vote for Governor. 

I am voting NO when it comes to Rob Mckenna for Governor.  It’s just the same old crap with another political guy.  One of the strategies many politicians (ones that have been through the system) use to get elected is to pick and choose the “right” kind of press.  When they hold public speaking events they only invite the “right kind” of journalist so everything published after is happy and favorable information.  The “wrong” kind of journalist are not invited and are sometimes blocked right at the door or lobby. 

Here is a video (sorry about the quality) of a recent Rob Mckenna for Governor press conference where one journalist in the front row is shown the door by Rob Mckenna. 

I was recently reading about US Attorney Dwight Holton US Attorney in the Times about Marijuana.  First, let me say I don’t participate in the wacky tobacky.  It’s not my thing but all the best to the rest of you who do.  Rarely individuals get on my nerves but this Dwight Holton nobody is pushing my buttons.  His Hitler communist remarks in the article are a response to Oregon’s Medical Marijuana Act (1988).  An Act that was voted on by the majority of Oregon people for medical marijuana.  They went through the proper channels, got enough signatures, and won the majority vote to pass this Act.  You maybe against marijuana use and I respect that, however, when the majority of people are for anything and it becomes law – you become the minority and need to respect the decision of the people. 

Dwight Holton, however, came out swinging preaching the Federal Law which constantly hangs over all states heads who have passed a Medical Marijuana Act.   In the article he clearly threatens the people and the dispensaries.  In the letter directed to everyone “Sale of marijuana in Oregon for any purpose, including medical use, is illegal and will be prosecuted.”  Here is a point blank Hitler power trip remark he made also, “Oregon and federal law make it illegal to sell marijuana — period, end of story.” 

Here is a larger paragraph continuing this threatening verbiage:

“The sale of marijuana for any purpose — including as medicine — violates both Federal and Oregon law and will not be tolerated,” it added.  “People and businesses that conduct sales of marijuana face the risk of prosecution, civil enforcement action and seizure of assets . . .”

“Prosecuting individuals and organizations involved in the cultivation and distribution of controlled substances, including marijuana, are core priorities of the United States Department of Justice

US Attorney Dwight Holton needs to get off his high horse and work for the people.  If the majority of people vote for something his job is to fix the law so it represents the wishes of the people and that is it.  Maybe this Dwight Holton has a little man complex or just doesn’t know his role (I know I would love to slap him around).  One thing is for sure, his ego is very large, and he needs to be shown the door.  These are the type of scum people that need to go in our Government.

We hear a lot of talk how to gain citizenship in the United States. It is not complicated at all unless you choose to make it complicated. 1. You come into this country by obtaining a work permit, or visa or school scholarship etc.  That would be legal and welcome.2.  If you decide to stay you take steps to becoming a citizen. It has always been that way and it still is. You do not come into this country to live and reap all the benefits of legal citizens by climbing over a fence or swimming a river or riding like cattle in the back of a smugglers truck.

We also know it is the supposed to be the Federal Governments job to enforce immigration rules. But it is not doing its job, and is not letting the State keep the illegal immigrants out of the workplace, schools and hospitals and it is totally breaking the States budgets. Everyone knows all of the above but seems to pooh pooh it away.

Last night there was a big barbecue in the yard next door and I want to use it in such a way that I hope will make independent thinkers look at immigration differently. Some tenants fired up the barbecue and some invited friends came. Then a few uninvited friends stopped by. The last arrivals did not bring steaks and burgers or hot dogs but gathered for the party. Pretty soon some swearing and fighting started. One guy yelled, you so and so get away from the grill, you didn’t bring any food, you were not invited so “get the hell out”. Now that’s the way it should work with the illegal immigrants(without the swearing and fighting). So, lets say you are having the barbecue and this happens. You call the police and they say no this is private property and its your problem. What can you do? Lets say these uninvited people go in your house to use your bathroom, then help themselves to a room to spend the night in, use your soap, water and maybe take your prescription pills. All the time you have to just sit and watch your home being taken over, your food eaten all on your dime. They decide to just stay with you, and if they get sick you pay their doctors bills. That is exactly like California and Arizona, Texas and some other states. The illegal’s come in, the police cannot check to see if they have valid identification or ask them to leave. They are told they have to wait for the Federal Government to do their job. Well years go by, babies are born, the states go more broke, the prisons fill up but the Federal Government fights the states in court to stop them from enforcing immigration laws in their states. If it can happen to a state, it can soon happen to a private citizen if you think about it.

A legal citizen that was born here, lived here and worked here all his life has to show his drivers license to cash a check or vote or do most anything but not if you’re a Mexican. They call that profiling. I call it a real crock of deep doo doo. They want the vote to keep them in office, they forget they really were not elected to LEAD anyway they want to. They were elected to represent the wishes of the people.

Please take time to really study this recent survey and you will see the majority of Americans are not happy with the immigration laws not being enforced.

See the results of a recent poll

Benton Harbor, Michigan has been taken over by the state. An Emergency Manager has been assigned all the duties. Benton Harbor/s elected commissioners have lost all of their power. They do not have the authority at this point in time to order a pot hole fixed. The new Emergency Manager, named Joseph Harris can set aside all union contracts with the city and call it budget repair.

Does this look like Dictatorship? If a state can take over a city, can Washington D.C. take over our states? Can they say we are in a financial crisis, and appoint an emergency manager, that takes away all the power from our elected officials, break all the unions and even replace the police force with Homeland Security. Obama has mentioned a time or two that he wants to have more Homeland Security force larger than the Military. This has to be really looked into. Could we wake up some morning having been taken over by the government homeland security and our police department gone? Does this scare you?

There is no mistake our cities and states and Federal Govt. have to stop their spending. But is this the way to do it? Hundreds of rowdy non-union protesters filled the State Capitol, and a day later the Senate voted to grant broad new powers to emergency managers who oversee financially struggling cities and schools, including the authority to void union contracts and remove elected officials.

This website is for independent thinkers and it is time for all of you to put on your thinking cap. I know the cities are wasting money, I know there is fraud, but would we better off under a one man dictatorship. I don’t think so. Better really keep up on this story while you are still allowed to read stories like this.