Sometimes we feel our elected representatives aren’t listening. Even in his lucid moments, George III often didn’t listen either.
Turn on your computer’s sound and listen to a reading of the Declaration of Independence, our national birth certificate.
Just listen.
Helen Thomas, 1976
White House correspondent Helen Thomas has been around forever. She’s well known as an ultra liberal and was a huge supporter of Obama. Now, however, her attitude seems to be changing. Please take the 4 minutes to watch this You Tube Video of yesterday’s White House Press Conference. CBS’s Chip Reed and Helen Thomas are upset about the controlled nature of the Town Hall meeting Obama has planned, and also about how reporters at even regular press conferences are called the night before and told they will be called on at the events!
In April 2009 Patrick Fitzgerald, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, addressed the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs on the topic of public service and public corruption. I put up a post summarizing some of his comments. I also contacted the Evans School and asked if it would consider making a video of both Mr. Fitzgerald’s comments and the panel discussion available. Today I received an email from the Evans School of Public Affairs letting me know the video has been posted online. Here is a link to the Evans School’s website with the two-part video embedded. (more…)
Here’s the link to a You Tube Video that’s well worth 4 minutes. It’s testimony from US Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) speaking on the floor of the House. She is outraged by the mafia-style deals being made by the Federal government and its 20 “Czars” that are akin to gangster deals pedaling influence for a select few. She tells of actual car dealerships that are her constituents and shows how they have been treated.
Please watch this video and pass the info on to others. This craziness must be stopped! Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thR-lVuztIY
In a 5-4 decision, the US Supreme Court has just ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, CT, were unfairly denied promotions because of their race. The case is RICCI et al v DeSTEFANO et al.
This case pointed out the possible conflict in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 pitting disparate treatment against disparate impact.
Any comments?
The City’s Pulse Newsletter, by Mary Souza
It’s becoming so common that it’s hardly news any more — city, county, and state officials accepting bribes for votes. When it does make the news, it’s usually because the corrupt public officials have been caught up in an FBI sting following a thorough investigation.
The latest fish to get reeled in is Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Monica Conyers (shown left), wife of Michigan US Representative John Conyers. She has just pled guilty in federal court to one count of conspiring to commit bribery. She could get five years in federal prison for her guilty plea.
With her guilty plea Conyers acknowledges receiving approximately $6,000 in bribes in return for her vote to approve a $1.2-billion city waste disposal contract for Synagro Technologies. The charging document and plea agreement provide the elements of the case.
Monica Conyers is hardly some uneducated public figure worthy of sympathy. (more…)
Parkside Tower, 3rd floor public patio
As we head into the weekend run-up nearing the 4th of July, I thought it might be fun to try to name the “public” places we all have a right to go. I’m talking about places that LCDC gave money to fund “public” amenities. I’ll start with a few and you can chime in with any you might remember: (more…)
An interesting article in today’s Press about Mt. West Bank requiring collateral for a LCDC loan to work on Midtown. What many folks may not realize is that LCDC regularly buys up property to hold, off the tax roles, until they want to use it for some project. Many/most Urban Renewal Agencies around here don’t: Post Falls does not buy and hold property, and Hayden also avoids it. LDCD now owns almost two dozen properties.
The loans between Mt. West Bank and LCDC for six of the properties are where Charlie Nipp got himself into legal trouble with the Idaho Attorney General. Charlie, as then Chairman of the LCDC, did not disclose his business relationship and position on Mt. West’s Board (he is also an owner in the bank’s parent company. along with his business partner Steve Meyer), as Charlie signed all six loans as Chairman of the LCDC. Oops. He never apologized or admitted to any error. LCDC announced no plans to change their protocols or disclosures. (They just threw a big party for Charlie!) (more…)
The Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management is hosting a series of four meetings to review the Draft Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazard Mitigation Plan. The remaining dates and locations are:
Wednesday, June 24 – Mica Grange, 6 p.m to 8 p.m.
Thursday, June 25 – Rathdrum City Hall, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Those who attended the first series of meetings were told that attendees at the earlier meetings would receive email messages telling us of the dates of the current series. We received no such email.
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