Voice of Democracy – Calhoun County
We applaud the Port Lavaca Wave for the second political forum held at the Bauer Community Center. Both political party candidates did very well and answered the questions.
Our constitutional rights were certainly exercised Tuesday evening. Freedom of speech, the right to assemble and all our freedoms that all of us appreciate and hold close to our hearts.
Channel 25, Chamber of Commerce, Tina Crow and all the staff did well conducting the forum and presenting the questions that were chosen by the committee. Larry Robinson was the moderator and was very fair to all candidates.
Each year the attendance grows and improves. The only thing we missed was Larry Robinson’s singing. Evelyn Burleson, Democratic Chair, and I agree.
Thank you, Larry, the Port Lavaca Wave, Channel 25 and Chamber of Commerce.
Russell Cain
Republican Chair- Calhoun County & Port Lavaca
My take on the economy and the loss of jobs:
This downward turn has been going on for some time, not just the last four years. Every time there is a merger, a buy-out or a hostile take over someone loses their job, and the competition flies out the window.
This has occurred in the oil companies, the funeral homes, the hospitals, nursing homes, just to name a few. I just found out that one company controls the eye care business.
What happened to the Sherman anti trust act?
Allan Greenspan told President that the banks didn’t need more regulations put on them. We all know what happened. The directors took exorbitant salaries, made bad loans knowing the government would bail them out. Now Greenspan admits that he was wrong.
President Reagan gave the wealthy a tax cut then threw money to the military like we had plenty. This put us into a double digit recession. Of course it bankrupt the Russians trying to keep up.
Today companies in the meat processing business and the housing building business use illegals to do their work, knowing they won’t complain about poor working conditions for fear of being fired.
Also American owned companies are showing the corporate headquarters overseas to avoid paying taxes.
These are just a few reasons that we are in a down fall as for as jobs go. This just my thoughts.
G.B. Robertson
Imports from China
After watching the debate tonight, my wife and I agreed that America buys cheap.
Case in point. In Houston we have a neighbor who came here from Viet Nam some years ago and now works for a big air condition mfg. He tells me that his company will buy some compressors made in Ohio for $250 and another one made in China for $80 and the one made here is so much better and will last much longer.
What do we do? Our air goes out so what do we do? We call several co’s and ask for a price on one that is 3 tons and puts out so many btu’s What do we do then. Like most people we take the one that is cheaper. We need some hardware so since we are going to be in Port Lavaca anyway we go to Wallmart where no one knows anything about hardware or plumbing. We could have gone to POC Hardware or Melchers in Port Lavaca and got the right parts. Of course they don’t have food, fishing tackle or clothes like Walmart. We do what is easy and look for the cheaper price.
This is one of the reasons that we have lost so many jobs here in America.
G.B. Robertson
Green Energy Gets A Pass
Has anyone been reading lately, about wind turbines and bird kills? I have been thinking about this ever since Seadrift installed its very own wind turbine. I really don’t know if ours has killed anything or not, but I do know wind turbines are not designed for inhabited areas. A huge setback is critical, because buildings inhibit wind, and in case of turbine failure due to fire or shattering, it is best not to have buildings nearby. There are lots of instances of both of these, but they are not widely reported. Seems like the one here is right in the middle of a pretty residential, if small area. I am sure you are thinking I must be a liberal birdwatcher who doesn’t care about how much more efficient and cost effective wind power is supposed to be than using dirty old oil…. I mean we have to make some sacrifices, right? What are a few dead birds?
True, I am a 66 year old bird watcher all right. I’ve been watching birds in N.Y., AZ, FL, and TX since I was about 6 or 7 years old. And yes, I am upset about wind turbines killing off thousands of birds and bats, but I am just as upset about the fact that what is really being killed off is the US Constitution. In this case, the 14th Amendment. There happens to be something in there about equality under the law.
It seems that while wind turbines have been massacring birds by the thousands all over the United States… no fines have ever been levied. Fines against killing birds, you ask? Can’t be true, that would be silly… green energy is too important. Well, you would be right about that. Green energy is SOOO important that wind farms are not fined at all. Oil companies however, are a different matter.
Seven oil companies have recently been charged in federal court with killing migratory birds that died after allegedly landing in oil waste pits, or were electrocuted since January 2007. PacifiCorp paid $10.5 million in fines, restitution and equipment upgrade costs for killing 232 golden eagles, 46 hawks, 50 owls, and nearly 200 other birds that were electrocuted. Exxon Mobile paid $600,000 for 85 birds killed in waste pits.
But in 2009, The Fish and Wildlife Service estimated 440,000 birds were killed by wind turbines, but not one fine was given.
The obvious conclusion would be…wind is good, oil is bad. Equal protection and equality under the law does not seem to apply anymore. It bothers me greatly that all these winged creatures of God are being killed in the name of progressing toward ‘green energy’, but it bothers me just as much, that under the current administration at least, the Constitution and what it stands for seems to be just as disposable as these birds.
K. Burland, Seadrift
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