Bridges or Bike Trails???...

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With the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota there has been much discussion on how our bridges, utilities, and infrastructure has gotten into such sad shape. After the Katrina disaster many blamed the government and specifically the President for the failure of the levee’s when in fact it was the local state government that had diverted funds allocated to the levee’s.





It did not take long for the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota being blamed on the President at every opportunity. Thomas Sowell had a interesting article on this subject this week and brings up some very good points…
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2007/08/07/a_bridge_too_far_gone

"The real problem is that the political incentives are to spend the taxpayers' money on things that will enhance politicians' chances of getting re-elected.
There may be enough money available to maintain bridges and other infrastructure but that same money can have a bigger political pay-off if spent building something new instead of maintaining and repairing existing structures."


And at last count how many schools, park benches, and rest stops in West Virginia have Senator Robert Byrd’s (D) name on them? Investors Business Daily had a great article on this same subject this week:

Taxation: "Always ready to use a tragedy to raise taxes, the Democrats want to hike the gas tax in the aftermath of the Minneapolis bridge collapse. The country should be pleased that President Bush rejects the idea. The federal government's most recent highway bill, for instance, authorizes $286 billion in spending.
But don't be fooled. Not all of that money ends up improving our roads. Transportation bills, now legendary for their pork, tend to be larded with expenditures for such nontransportation items as snowmobile safety programs, endangered species habitat protection, heritage centers, music centers, museums, pedestrian walkways and miles of pavement that isn't needed yet serves a politician's lust for votes."

So if a bridge falls in a major city and there is a Democrat in the White House will anybody hear it?

The fact is the local and State politicians have made it an art to spend our tax money on projects that get them re-elected instead of spending that money on more urgent and appropriate projects. A multimillion dollar structure to protect our Virginia politicians from getting rained on while in Richmond comes to mind… Millions of dollars to be invested in a Theater in downtown Waynesboro in a project that will never be able to support itself just as it is reported that another $115,000 in taxpayer money will be going to the Shakespeare project in Staunton.

I understand that numerous people have been pushing for bike paths in our area and require them to be added to roadways and proposed bridges. This was a Hot-topic when I lived in the Florida Keys and after many public meetings the local politicians developed and passed a plan to construct and maintain a bike path from Key Largo all of the 106 miles down to Key West…

"Saturday’s event marked the completion of the Grassy Key Bikeway, spanning mile markers 54.5 to 58.5 bayside. The eight-foot wide Grassy Key Bikeway, completed at a cost of $519,000, is among the initial phases of the multi-million dollar project, made possible by federal transportation funds."
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2002/02-038.htm

There are 42 bridges along Route 1 from Key Largo to Key West and they are a combined total of 18.89 miles long.

Next time you are stuck in traffic and sitting on a bridge behind a school bus full of kids and waiting for traffic to move, think of where your local politician is diverting your tax money and if they are putting their names on it…

Who should pay for this?

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This guy look familiar?

It appears companies are starting to look at those who continue poor health habits and hold them responsible for their actions by requiring them to pay more into their health care programs. The Washington Times had a good article about how companies are starting to address the problem of obese workers who need help in correcting their poor health habits. This includes smokers and other preventable disease. One company will start charging those who smoke an additional $5 per paycheck and as much as $30 for obese workers...

"Firms dock pay of obese, smokers"

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070813/BUSINESS/108130052/1001

Has anybody noticed that those making the most noise downtown about "Healthcare for All" are those who favor the HR bill that looks to increase the payroll tax for healthcare from 1.5% to 4.5% for both the employee and the employer...

The interesting thing is that many of these "Vocal" people downtown are not payroll taxpayers and the cost of this large aspect of their "Healthcare for All" program would not apply to them.

Along with the large increase in payroll tax HR 676 would tax the top 1% "Rich" an additional 10% to make if "Fair" as they see it. How about instead of increasing taxes on the workers of America we go after the wealth of America and not just the income payer or the top 1% ?

Many of those who call for increased healthcare for all with no deductibles have accumulated a good amount of wealth themselves but since they are retired and no longer pay into payroll or incoome taxes this HR bill would cost them nothing or little.

A very vocal downtowner who is retired and no longer pays payroll taxes is also married to a Doctor and has acquired considerable wealth but yet calls for increased healthcare without a cost increase to themselves. Instead they would rather have the American worker foot that bill in increased payroll taxes or that "Evil Rich Guy"...

Increased payroll taxes would hurt the guy in the photo little and would probably not even touch "The Family Wealth" up in "olde Mass"

Multi-use "Race Card"...

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Leave it to the Democratic Party to develop multiple uses for the "Race Card" that they love to pull out at every opportunity...

“Are you black enough?” asked Malveaux, echoing a question often asked of rival Democratic candidate Barack Obama, who is biracial. “What makes you a better candidate over a black man representing issues confronting African Americans?”

http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/2007/08/black-journalis.html

Jeremy Shifflett ~Beverley Manor District~

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I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Jeremy Shifflett for a bit while at the Augusta County Fair this week when he was not actively meeting and talking with County residents and friends. Jeremy is running as the Republican candidate for Augusta County Supervisor of the Beverley Manor district which he has grown up in, developed business, and has been a part of the local community all of his life.

It was interesting to hear how his family has been in the Beverley Manor district for over 60 years and how much of the family has remained in the district and is an integral part of this district community as well as Augusta County. He told me how his Father is a contractor and has focused on building house suited to provide the homeowner opportunity to the first time homeowner. Jeremy’s Father has also been a part of the farm community as well as a Deputy Sheriff for 22 years in Augusta County and the Shifflett family has been vested in the local community in many ways. It is evident that not only Jeremy but his entire family has been a big part of the local community and has seen many changes to the Augusta community from an “Ownership” perspective. This in contrast to the Democrat Candidate who has only moved to the community 3 years ago and has very shallow roots in the community.

Jeremy grew up in the district he is striving to represent and with that many of the people he would represent and has the connections and relationships to know their views on issues. He attended Wilson High School and thus knows many of the local citizens who are the next wave of families and businesses of the Manor district. This is an important factor when representing the people of the district and being able to understand and relate to issues effecting the Beverley Manor district as well as Augusta County as a whole…

Jeremy developed and now operates a Home Inspection business along with being a part of the farm community with his operations in cattle and Hay production. This gives him a personal perspective when it comes to the “Growth” issue in Augusta County and how it effects the citizens of the community. He stated that “Smart Growth” is the key and it would be wise to use and develop the infrastructure we have in the county in the most efficient manner. With Beverley Manor being next to South River he has seen how medium\large manufacturing has come to the area and how it has benefited the community in many ways. Corporations such as Hershey, Mckee Foods, Hollister, and others have moved in and established beneficial operations to the area with little environmental impact by using “Smart Growth” techniques. A perspective that comes from a families lifetime and investment in the community and can’t be understood by a recent transplant with little investment or time spent in the community.

Jeremy has the time and lifelong investment in the local community to understand and relate to changing issues to Augusta County and specifically the Beverley Manor district. I look forward to working with and learning more from him regarding my local community and seeing him elected the next Supervisor for the Beverley Manor district. With that he will become part of a strong Republican team that is also invested in and understands the community that they represent…

Augusta County Fair ~2007~ Friday

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Tractor Pull night at Augusta County Fair and there was a good turnout for this event and general attendance.

Attendance and discussion at the Augusta County Republican booth was also very active with numerous Republican candidates meeting and talking with the citizens of Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro...

Republican Candidate Travis Smithdeal is running for the Supervisor of the Pastures district and met with numerous people who stopped by the Republican booth.

Supervisor Canidates Jeremy Shifflett (Beverley Manor District) and Michael Shull (Riverheads District) worked the booth and were active all night long with numerous discussions with people from their home districts. Many local Republicans have been eager to meet and talk with the Candidates and pledge support in the upcoming election...

It took little time or intensive debate to decide weather to go home and watch the re-runs of the recent Democrat Party debates from last week or go back over to the Tractor-Pull...

Tractor Pull Won !!!

Augusta County Fair 2007...

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The Augusta County Fair is up and running and I took a quick walk around to see the set up and agenda for the next two days. Tractor Pull will be Friday night and weather looks good for that...

Inside the main building I found the Augusta County Republican booth with Delegate Chris Saxman and Supervisor Candidate Jeremy Shifflett who is running for the Beverley Manor seat. Had time to talk with Delegate Saxman about the Transportation "Abuser-fee" issue and told him that I support holding dangerous and reckless drivers responsible for their actions and if hitting them in the pocketbook is what it takes lets do it... Also had sometime to speak with Jeremy and I find him to be a hardworking individual who knows Augusta County well for he has lived her for sometime and is invested in the County and District he wishes to represent...

"MEGA-Mistake" ???

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Remember a year or so back there was a citizen uproar about the "Mega-Site" in Augusta County when there was talk of a foreign carmaker coming to the Valley? Many argued and claimed that this "Mega-site" would destroy the valley and turn the area into a "New Jersey Jr." and life as we know it would cease to exist. In fact I believe one of those arguing this point is now running for County Supervisor in Augusta County...

It seems that foreign carmaker has instead set up shop in another state and is doing very well and took the environmental precautions that they promised... Their local workers, not ours, are happy with the company and the opportunities this manufacturer has brought to "their valley"...

Donald Lambro has some interesting facts and quotes in his commentary that appeared in the Washington Times last week...

"But last week House Democrats announced they were going to pay for a bloated, waste-ridden farm bill by raising taxes on "insourcing" companies operating in the U.S., mostly nonunion businesses that employ Americans who pay the bills in this country and keep the U.S. economy humming."

"Foreign firms doing business in the U.S. employ more than 5.1 million Americans in high-paying jobs (like Toyota, Honda, BMW) that on average pay workers $63,428 annually, 32 percent more than other U.S.-based jobs."

"That's why Mr. Paulson stressed at his briefing last week "how important [direct foreign investment] is to us, to our country. This is key. We have 5 million jobs in this country that are directly related to [foreign] investment. We've got another 5 million that are indirectly related to that."

http://washingtontimes.com/article/20070802/COMMENTARY05/108020013/1012

Different reactions to a situation...

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Three different reactions to an incident I observed last week while at Smith Mountain Lake...

I posted my observations and incident description over at the Rescue Dive Team blog site at:

http://ptrescuedive.blogspot.com/

VA Driver “Abuser fees” are just so not fair…

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There has been much traffic lately in the topic of recently imposed “Abuser Driver” fees in Virginia and how these fees do not apply for out of state drivers.
It has been interesting to watch how the debate and comments have gone off in different directions such as political, economic, criminal, and class warfare, but usually avoids the road safety aspect of the issue.

Notice how many have used this issue to spin it into a tool to push their agenda and whine how it is not fair for the criminal to pay such a high fee for their actions? It is also interesting to watch how these same people will whine about the fee but yet avoid talking about the “Abuser” who is actually guilty of reckless driving, drunk driving, and other motor vehicle felonies.

There have been those like our local “Liberal Democrats” who have focused on attacking the Republican Delegates and assembly with this issue at every opportunity. As usual they have gotten the outstanding support from the local media and “Guest Columns” from the Left have become familiar. A local vocal, how cool is that phrase, Liberal had himself a “Guest Column” in our local liberal daily where he advocates using a “European fee” system where the offender pays as he is able depending on his prior years income average. Thus the CEO or evil fat Republican will pay a greater fee for we all know that they have too much money that they did not earn and that too is just not fair either. He trots out the Liberal favorite “The Rich need to pay their fair share” on this issue but yet avoids completely the safety issue of this whole thing. What happens to the habitual loser who has been convicted of drunk driving \ reckless driving or the likes in the past but yet only made poverty wages the year before? Will he only pay a $20 fine for that is all he can afford as this “European” scale will dictate? What if he is actually way above poverty level for much of his “Income” comes from cash or even worse, illegal income? And if he cant afford that will the government subsidize his fine and pay it also so to be “fair”? What value does this “European” system put on the lives of the family of four that was run off the highway into a bridge column by the “Lower income” Drunk\reckless driver?

Many have made this a political issue by blaming high fees on the Republican Delegates at every opportunity. With the help of the local Liberal rags they have been blaming this new system on the Republicans whenever possible. Fortunately the truth usually finds it way to sunlight and it has been discovered that the DEMOCRATIC Governor Tim Kaine is the one who actually removed the out of state drivers from this legislation… Surprise, surprise, surprise…

Even the Democratic Party candidates have used this issue as a campaign tool:
“Democrat State Senate Candidate David Cox stated at a recent town hall meeting that “The fees are contradictory. For the state to raise the money expected Virginia drivers must continue to speed on the highways. Should motorists improve their driving habits, then the fee system would prove to be an unreliable funding source” Slick move Dave and we should be so lucky to have a problem like safer highways to deal with. If in fact the revenue slows due to better driving habits lets then look at cutting the waste in Virginia government for additional sources of revenue. You telling me that there is not at least 5-10% of waste in the Virginia budget? And how will you spend our Virginia tax revenues if elected to office in November? And how about your concern for that family of four? Or is this just a campaign issue for you?

This week there was a widely reported story of a VA driver who was caught driving for the fifth time on a suspended license and how this has gone to court because the “Astronomical” (the term favored by the Staunton NewsLeader newspaper to describe these fees) fine\fees are unconstitutional and must be decided in court. There is so much focus on how these high fees are unfair to the driver and how un-fair it is that out of state drivers are excluded but in all of the stories covering this guy nobody ever brought up the fact this is his FIFTH offense for driving on the suspended license!!! How fair is that?

Next time you read about that family of four that was killed on the highway after being forced off the road by a drunk driver, reckless driver, careless driver, or Yes even the family member of the four who was driving the vehicle, who has committed these habitual offenses how much of a high fee is “unfair”… Take a look at the party who has continually turned this into a political issue instead of a safety issue… Think DONKEY or Jack-ass…

"Take it away from them" !!!...

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"Big insurance companies, big drug companies,big oil companies, they are not going to negotiate. They are not going to give away their power. The only way they are going to give away their power is if we take it away from them"...

Statement during last Democratic Party debate...

This is the statement made by John Edwards (D) during the last Democratic Party debate held this week. A fine attitude for a trial lawyer which Edwards was and where he made his Millions, but is this what we want in a Presidential candidate? Notice how he did not go after his trial lawyer buddies in the above statement and how does he feel about "Tort Reform" that would limit clue-less jurors from awarding millions to clumsy idiots who spill coffee in their laps and should have known "Contents are HOT"?...

A few questions for Presidential Candidate John Edwards (D) from the Democratic party:

If you do indeed go after the "Big Drug companies" and take away their power are you referring to the companies Profits? If so and you take away much of those profits why would a company risk millions on research & development of new and safe drugs to the market if you and the Liberal Democratic Party are only going to limit\take away those profits???

If you do indeed go after those "Big Oil Companies" and take away their power as you say are you referring to the companies profit? If so and you take away much of those profits and\or set price ceilings on fuel costs, will we have gas shortages like in 1970's when the price was fixed? If those companies no longer risk\invest their profits in developing\obtaining new sources of both petroleum and other sources of energy, what will your Democratic Party do to provide that needed energy sources to Americans?

If you do indeed go after those "Big Insurance companies" and take away their power as you say are you referring to the companies profits? Will this be a version of the government run "Universal Healthcare" package that your Democratic Party so loves and strives for? If you force insurance companies out of the free market system and you determine how much medical professionals are allowed to be paid will you take care of the American people when there is no profit\Incentive to maintain the high level of healthcare service we now have. Is Castro's Cuba healthcare system the way to go and if so would you send a member of your family to Cuba for treatment as endorsed by Liberal Democrat Michael Moore???