From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 07:15:42 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:15:42 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] SOC SEC AND HEALTH CARE Message-ID: <0f1e01ca5308$feaffa70$fc0fef50$@com> 2010 is an election year for 1/3 of the senate and 1/2 of the house of representatives. It would be nice if congress got the message; the voting taxpayers are in charge now. Social Security & Medicare 2009 LET US SHOW OUR LEADERS IN WASHINGTON "PEOPLE POWER" AND THE POWER OF THE INTERNET. PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE REPUBLICAN ORDEMOCRAT! KEEP IT GOING!!!! Propose this in 2009: START A BILL TO PLACE ALL POLITICIANS ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND WHEN RETIRED ON MEDICARE ---------------------------------- SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE: Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. Our Senators and Representatives do not pay into Social Security or Medicare and, of course, they do not collect from it. You see, Social Security & Health Care Benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plans. In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan. For all practical purposes their plan works like this: When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. ............................................... For example, Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. And they receive full health care-no refusal of treatment and no donut hole for them. This is calculated on an average life span for each of those two Dignitaries. Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives. Their cost for this excellent plan is $0.00. ZIP!! NADA!!! ZILCH!!! This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds; "OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK"! >From our own Social Security and Medicare Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer), we can expect to get an avg. of $1,000 per month after retirement, and limited health care coverage. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits! Social Security and Medicare could be very good if only one small change were made. That change would be to: JERK the Golden Fleece Retirement and Health Care Plans from under the Senators and Representatives. Put them into the Social Security and Medicare plan with the rest of us. Then sit back..... And see how fast they would fix it! If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve. How many people can YOU send this to? Better yet...... How many people WILL you send this to? From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 07:20:13 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:20:13 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council might remove apartment ban from November ballot Message-ID: <0f2101ca5309$a05b0090$e11101b0$@com> IMO, this was a poor method to make land-use decisions and for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps more residents could take the time to suggest further updates or changes to the proposed Comprehensive zoning project already in council committee. http://www.scribd.com/doc/17214549/St-Bernard-Parish-Zoning-Regulations-Draf t-May-26-20091 SJK -----Original Message----- St. Bernard Parish Council might remove apartment ban from November ballot By Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune October 21, 2009, 8:10PM After advice from lawyers this week, the St. Bernard Parish Council might remove from the November ballot a proposal that would let voters permanently ban large apartment complexes in the parish. The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center filed a motion in court last week that argued parish officials were in contempt of court and in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act for the fourth time in a year by calling for the election. Francis Mulhall, an attorney for St. Bernard, urged the Parish Council this week to rescind the ordinance calling for the apartment ban, which is on the ballot for a Nov. 14 special election. "It's the opinion of the three lawyers who have been working this case that passage of that ordinance could very well jeopardize the pending appeals and at the same time could jeopardize the (federal) funds and block grants with respect to the projects that are pending in the parish," Mulhall said. The council introduced a measure to rescind the apartment ban item, but the matter is not up for a final vote until the Nov. 3 council meeting. U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan has ruled against St. Bernard Parish officials three times this year because of various attempts to block the construction of four 72-unit mixed-income apartment buildings in Chalmette. After her latest ruling, the parish granted the building permits necessary for the developers, Provident Realty Advisors, to begin construction. If voters approved the ban on new apartment complexes of more than six units, it would not apply retroactively to the Provident developments. Some of the concern about financing for redevelopment projects in the parish came after Parish President Craig Taffaro met in Washington with officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD controls both the low-income housing tax credits that are financing the Provident developments and the Community Development Block Grant money that is being used to pay for projects such as a new hospital. Taffaro said this week that after talking with HUD officials, his impression was the agency believed the parish was out of step with federal housing laws and that more could be at stake if the parish continued to thwart multifamily housing. Parish Councilman Wayne Landry echoed those concerns Wednesday, saying he did not want to risk losing federal block grant money, including $41 million the Parish Council has earmarked for its hospital project. "The current situation we're in is we're trying to fight the Provident developments. The vote that's going to happen in November would not have any bearing on the Provident developments," Landry said. "If that is true, then we're not really giving up anything to not do it at this time. I'm just trying to move forward in the smartest way so I do not jeopardize the hospital funding." Landry said he will seek an attorney general's opinion on whether the council could enact a similar apartment ban by ordinance, instead of putting it to voters. Berrigan earlier this year struck down a previous Parish Council-approved ban on construction of apartments with more than five units, ruling that it disproportionately affected African-Americans. If the council chooses to rescind the apartment ban in two weeks, the item would probably still appear on the Nov. 14 ballot, said Jacques Berry, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office. Berry said signs would be posted to tell voters not to vote for the rescinded item. The secretary of state's office would not count any votes on that issue, he said. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 07:24:35 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:24:35 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] MILITARY CEMETERIES IN EUROPE Message-ID: <0f2201ca530a$3c7e02b0$b57a0810$@com> Be sure and read all the way to the very end! Our European arrogance in alphabetical order 1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne, France. A total of 2289 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/am1w.jpg 2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes, Belgium. A total of 5329 of our dead. image002 2 2.jpg 3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France. A total of 4410 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/br1w.jpg 4. Brookwood, England American Cemetery. A total of 468 of our dead. image004 2 3.jpg 5. Cambridge, England. 3812 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ca2w.jpg 6. Epinal, France American Cemetery. A total of 5525 of our Military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ep3w.jpg 7. Flanders Field, Belgium. A total of 368 of our military. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ff1w.jpg 8. Florence, Italy. A total of 4402 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/fl1w.jpg 9. Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. A total of 7992 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/hc4w.jpg 10. Lorraine, France. A total of 10,489 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/lo3w..jpg 11. Luxembourg, Luxembourg. A total of 5076 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/lx1w.jpg 12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ma1w.jpg 13. Netherlands, Netherlands. A total of 8301 of our military dead. image013 6 1.jpg 14. Normandy, France. A total of 9387 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/no3w.jpg 15. Oise-Aisne, France. A total of 6012 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/oa3w.jpg 16. Rhone, France. A total of 861 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/rh3w.jpg 17. Sicily, Italy. A total of 7861 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/sr1w.jpg 18. Somme, France. A total of 1844 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/so3w.jpg 19. St. Mihiel, France. A total of 4153 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/sm1w.jpg 20. Suresnes, France. a total of 1541 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/su1w.jpg Apologize to no one. Remind those of our sacrifice and don't confuse arrogance with leadership. If I added correctly the count is 104,366 dead. And we have to watch an American elected leader who apologizes to Europe and the Middle East that our country is "arrogant"! HOW MANY FRENCH, DUTCH, ITALIANS, BELGIANS AND BRITS ARE BURIED ON OUR SOIL, DEFENDING US AGAINST OUR ENEMIES?? WE DON'T ASK FOR PRAISE ... BUT WE HAVE ABSOULUTELY NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE!! GOD BLESS THE USA .................. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 07:27:44 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:27:44 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Ghetto Grooming? Message-ID: <0f2301ca530a$ad03b480$070b1d80$@com> OB-1 wants the best for his family. And why not? He gets his wife groomed with the best that taxpayer can buy! Think about it? His extravagant lifestyle reminds me of Socialism/Communism in history where Marx and Lenin wanted the "withering away" of government and everyone sharing the same economic status. Truly, Comrade Marx and Comrade Lenin must be rotating in their graves at the rate of a spinning top knowing OB-1, Castro, Soviet Russia, Communist China, Chavez, and others have a free-reeling lifestyle while they suffered for their political goals--Utopia. Be prepared folks to stand in front of American Tanks (aka Tiananmen Square, China revisited) in the near future if Capitalism falls to Socialism. Be forewarned. Awaken thyself. Be educated. Speak of freedom before others without losing it. --jer-- Additional info (after reading below). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989 ------------------------------- Does this surprise any of y'all ? First Lady Requires More Than Twenty Attendants Dr. Paul L. Williams "In my own life, in my own small way, I have tried to give back to this country that has given me so much," she said. "See, that's why I left a job at a big law firm for a career in public service, " Michelle Obama No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn't perform any official duties. But this hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession. Just think Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary. How things have changed! If you're one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Miz Michelle are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by John Q. Public: 1. $172,2000 - Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff) 2.. $140,000 - Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy And Projects For The First Lady) 3. $113,000 - Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary) 4. $102,000 - Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady) 5. $100,000 - Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) 6. $90,000 - Medina , David S. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) 7. $84,000 - Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady) 8. $75,000 - Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady) 9. $70,000 - Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady) 10. $65,000 - Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) 11. $64,000 - Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) 12. $62,000 - Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady) 13. $60,000 - Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady) 14. $57,500 - Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady) 15. $52,500 - Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary To The First Lady) 16. $50,000 - Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide To The First Lady) 17. $45,000 - Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady) 18. $43,000 - Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office) 19. $40,000 - Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady) 20. $36,000 - Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary) 21. $35,000 - Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant) 22. $35,000 - Jackson, Deilia A.. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady) There has NEVER been anyone in the White House at any time who has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady's social life. One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense, when even Hillary, only had three; Jackie Kennedy one; Laura Bush one; and prior to Mamie Eisenhower social help came from the President's own pocket. Note: This does not include makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Miles, 49, and "First Hairstylist" Johnny Wright, 31, both of whom traveled aboard Air Force One to Europe . Copyright 2009 Canada Free Press.Com canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12652 Yeh, I know, The Canadian Free Press has to publish this because the USA media is too scared they might be considered racist. Sorry America ! SICKENING.........ISN'T IT From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 07:29:20 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:29:20 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Video: Line in the sand Message-ID: <0f2401ca530a$e6007b10$b2017130$@com> Melancon should have told Obama to keep his big, black mouth shut on this. This is the final nail in the coffin for Melancon. Vitter and others will run this continuously. Even the worse campaign advisor in the country couldn't blow this for Vitter if he tried. John -----Original Message----- "We are going to pass health care reform by the end of this year with the help of... Charlie Melancon." - President Barack Obama, 10/15/2009 Team, Click to Play Video! Click to Play Video! We're down to the wire. The next few weeks will determine whether President Obama and his liberal supporters in Congress will pass the most expensive government program in history and bankrupt future generations, or if we can stop him. Over the objections of millions of taxpayers, House and Senate Committees have passed extremely liberal government-run health care proposals, including: * a "public option" which is no more than a massive takeover of our health care system * a special exemption from government run health care for Members of Congress * hundreds of pages of new laws which will put bureaucrats in charge of your private medical decisions And worse, this Obamacare bill is on its way for a vote in the Senate. President Obama is counting on big government liberals like Charlie Melancon to help force through this bill which will dramatically increase government spending and decrease the quality of health care for every American. That's why I need your help over the next few weeks. Please reach out to your friends and ask them to join our grassroots movement to defeat Obamacare and Charlie Melancon . Ask them to follow me on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates on how they can help. I need every concerned American to join this fight and make their voice heard. The stakes are too high, and President Obama has made the choice crystal clear. Now the only thing you need to do is help spread the word about our fight. Will you stand with me and other conservatives in our fight against Obamacare? We cannot stand on the sidelines as President Obama and Charlie Melancon pursue their efforts to pass government run health care by the end of this year. Please let me hear from you soon. And don't forget to spread the word to your friends . Thank you for your support. Your friend, David Vitter From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 08:39:38 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:39:38 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] (no subject) Message-ID: <002001ca5314$b87b7370$29725a50$@com> Surge barrier spells death knell for MR-GO By Sheila Grissett, The Times -Picayune October 21, 2009, 11:02PM It will take eight Eiffel Towers worth of steel to build the massive structure that will permanently close the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and better protect the Industrial Canal from storm surges. And much of that steel has been loaded into 1,271 foundation pilings that contractors finished driving Wednesday. When Army Corps of Engineers contractors pounded the last of the steel-reinforced, 140-foot-long concrete "soldier" pilings deep into the marsh and clay that underlies the MR-GO and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, it marked the ceremonial end of an era. The work closes a shipping corridor that destroyed critical marsh and made the region more vulnerable to hurricanes. "I think of this as kind of driving the last concrete stake into the heart of MR-GO, and it's a big stake, " said Col. Robert Sinkler, the corps' Hurricane Protection Office commander. Sinkler is responsible for seeing that the new structure is built and able to protect the vulnerable Industrial Canal by the June 1 start of the 2011 hurricane season. "It will turn MR-GO into a no-go, and it reduces the risk of storm surges. It's a real milestone," Sinkler said. This barrier marks the second closing of MR-GO, but many observers say it's the one that counts most. During the summer, a corps contractor built a rock blockade that stopped marine traffic from using the MR-GO, but that barrier was not designed to defend against storm surges. It is the permanent 1.8-mile barrier, a project costing more than $1 billion, that will stop storm surges from rushing up the MR-GO and into the region's heart, as many forensic investigators say happened during Hurricane Katrina. The foundation of the barrier now in place will provide protection against a surge of about 14 feet, which Sinkler said would have been enough last year to stop Hurricane Gustav's surge from raising water inside the Industrial Canal to dangerously high levels. And once complete, the barrier should provide up to twice that much protection. "Although there's lots more work to be done, driving the last piling is a symbolic step in what will be the final closure, the real closure, of MR-GO, " said Tim Doody, president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East that oversees levee operations in St. Bernard, the east bank of New Orleans and East Jefferson. The closure structure, said by corps representatives to be the largest of its kind in the United States, if not the world, was authorized after Katrina pushed a wall of water into the Industrial Canal, breaking the federally built floodwalls and inundating St. Bernard and parts of New Orleans, causing numerous deaths. The barrier, which resembles a giant floodwall equipped with gates to accommodate marine traffic, is being built near the confluence of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and MR-GO. It will generally run north-south from a point just east of the Michoud Canal on the north bank of the intracoastal waterway and just south of the existing Bayou Bienvenue flood control structure. Each of the spun-cast soldier piles were driven across an area known as the Golden Triangle between the intracoastal waterway and MR-GO. The last pile is driven at the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal surge barrier on Wednesday. Each piling is 66 inches in diameter and had to be moved into place using three of the five largest cranes available in the United States, corps representatives said. Once in place, cages of steel rebar were lowered into each piling before they were filled with concrete. Two crews working around the clock, six days a week, and doing maintenance on the seventh day, worked simultaneously and in opposite directions to get the work done about two months ahead of the corps' last target date, Sinkler said. Navigation gates will be built where the barrier crosses the GIWW and Bayou Bienvenue, and another is planned for the Seabrook area where the Industrial Canal, or Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, meets Lake Pontchartrain. Corps contractors are already working on one of the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal gates and adding concrete decking to the tops of the pilings. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 08:41:02 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:41:02 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] How sad is this? Message-ID: <002401ca5314$ea942870$bfbc7950$@com> A friend of mine from college sent this to me. JY - A HS classmate of mine has a company making TSA screening-friendly bags. I "busted his chops" a bit when I found out they're made in China. This is what he replied: We do have a Made In USA version of the bag but they only sell in Japan. The Japanese refuse to purchase Made in China goods. They are made in Cleveland and sell for $400/each. I'm not kidding. Our leather bags are made in Pakistan and India. Our football jerseys are made at the Nike factory in Manila. I tried for a year to find someone to make jerseys in the USA. Maybe if MORE countries REFUSE to buy things made in China, things will turn around!!!!! From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 08:41:59 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:41:59 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council might remove apartment ban from November ballot Message-ID: <002501ca5315$0c2991f0$247cb5d0$@com> It's a god-damned shame when a local governmental entity (SBP) cannot self-determine by a vote of the residents whether or not they choose to have large multi-unit housing in their own parish without fear of the Federal judiciary. JY From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 08:42:24 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:42:24 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] You're not gonna believe this one / SafeLink Wireless Message-ID: <002601ca5315$1b806b60$52814220$@com> Phew! I put in a Chalmette zip code and it popped back with service not available in that area. ----------------------------------------------------- Check this out!!! I got this forwarded to me by a Californian friend!! Now we not only pay for their food, housing, medical, etc., we will now pay for their cellular service. Such a wonderful socialist society we are enjoying. Why work, Obama care will take care of us without any effort on our part. I love socialism!! I had a former employee call me earlier today inquiring about a job, and at the end of the conversation he gave me his phone number. I asked the former employee if this was a new cell phone number and he told me yes this was his "Obama phone." I asked him what an "Obama phone" was and he went on to say that welfare recipients are now eligible to receive (1) a FREE new phone and (2) approx 70 minutes of FREE minutes every month. I was a little skeptical so I Googled it and low and behold he was telling the truth. TAX PAYER MONEY IS BEING REDISTRIBUTED TO WELFARE RECIPIENTS FOR FREE CELL PHONES. This program was started earlier this year. Enough is enough, the ship is sinking and it's sinking fast. The very foundations that this country was built on are being shaken. The age old concepts of God, family, and hard work have flown out the window and are being replaced with "Hope and Change" and "Change we can believe in." You can click on the link below to read more about the "Obama phone". https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 08:50:50 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:50:50 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] You're not gonna believe this one / SafeLink Message-ID: <002a01ca5316$48d82070$da886150$@com> Seeing as how this program was launched in 2008, it would probably be more appropriate to refer to this as a "Bush phone." http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977447398 Richard From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 09:44:10 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:44:10 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] YouTube - Is Obama Poised to Cede US Sovereignty? Message-ID: <007201ca531d$bbf40950$33dc1bf0$@com> watch and forward this quickly, before Obama has it pulled! > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMe5dOgbu40&feature=player_embedded# > > Your thought on this.. You have to listen close since he is > a very soft > spoken man but you do need to hear this. From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:05:45 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:05:45 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] (no subject) Message-ID: <030501ca536c$2fb561b0$8f202510$@com> The Public Option Comeback The secret to its budget 'savings'? Medicare price controls. Sounding taken aback himself, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus recently declared that the public option is "alive." A better term might be undead: This new government-run health insurance program akin to Medicare for the middle class continues to stagger forward, zombie-like, despite what were thought to be fatal blasts earlier this fall from Senate centrists and the House Blue Dogs-that is, from Mr. Baucus's fellow Democrats. *** The public option's renewed momentum is mostly the product of the raw ideological willfulness of the progressive left. Led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, they're not about to let a once-in-a-generation opportunity pass without a fight, and they view the public option as a down payment on single-payer health care. They're right to think so; a public option will quickly blow up the private insurance market. In particular, Mrs. Pelosi believes she's found a political trump. A so-called "robust" public option will cost the government less than other plans, since it will pay doctors and hospitals fees pegged to Medicare's price controls on thousands of services. The Congressional Budget Office has reportedly found that these below-market payments would result in "savings" of $110 billion, compared to requiring a public option to negotiate rates with providers like a private company would. Yet as the government pays less, the private sector pays more. Like Medicare today, hospitals will shift some of their losses into higher private insurance premiums. Meanwhile, the public option's premiums will be artificially lower, even before the heavy subsidies that Democrats plan to offer. As private insurance costs increase, private payers will lose market share, intensifying the cost-shift and precipitating an exodus to government from commercial carriers. Democrats dismiss cost-shifting as a tall tale of the health industry. After all, if providers can increase their revenue by charging private payers more, why haven't they already exhausted this opportunity? Perhaps because, contrary to Washington's fantasy of robber baron doctors, very few hospitals behave like classical profit-maximizing firms. Most are nonprofit institutions with social missions. The real problem is that government pays so much below costs. A 2006 study in the journal Health Affairs found that for each dollar of cost hospitals incurred, they received $1.22 from private payers and only 95 cents from Medicare. Analysts Allen Dobson and Joan DaVanzo argue that this puts hospitals "in the unenviable position of playing the role of private-sector tax collectors, to maintain their financial solvency." It's true that cost-shifting isn't dollar for dollar. Providers can absorb some underfunding by cutting services, such as by reducing hospital stays, or investing less in research, teaching and state-of-the-art care. Yet as the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently noted, given decades of such Medicare-related losses, "a concern is whether hospitals can constrain costs and still deliver high-quality care." For that reason the Mayo Clinic announced this month that some of its campuses will no longer accept Medicare patients. "The American people are so smart," Mrs. Pelosi said at a recent press conference, as she explained how stupid she thinks they are. "We are saying that rather than force them to buy health insurance from the insurance industry, let us give them the freedom to do that if they wish or to have a public option. The more you talk mandate, the higher the support for a public option becomes." In other words, one coercive government policy (the individual mandate) is forcing people to think better of another coercive government policy. *** But the reality is that no one wants a public option except the political left. Doctors and hospitals hate the idea as much as insurers do-and they're far from natural allies. The media are able to counterfeit public support, such as this week's Washington Post/ABC News poll showing 57% in favor, only by asking rigged questions about "choice" and "competition." Who's opposed to that? The negotiators crafting the Senate bill, headed by Majority Leader Harry Reid and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, may attempt some backdoor public option. They might allow states to opt in, or to opt out. Or the new entitlement might be "triggered" if certain conditions aren't met. No one should be fooled. For liberals the key is to get the architecture in place this year and expand it over time, much like Henry Waxman and the late Ted Kennedy did with Medicaid in the 1970s and '80s. At least for now, we still don't see how Democrats get to 60 votes with a public option. But its revival shows that the Democratic Party's left is running this show, and how radical their plans for U.S. health care really are. Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A20 Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:06:19 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:06:19 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council might remove apartment ban from November ballot Message-ID: <030901ca536c$44139d70$cc3ad850$@com> I agree with this statement. I don't think they should take it off of the ballot. It will probably pass and that is why they are getting flack over it. We don't need anymore rentals. We are inundated with them. I think putting your tail between your legs and walking away to allow other entities from another parish tell us what to do is cowardly and a mistake. They already think they can threaten us with court and we'll run. This is a vote to the people that most probably want to vote on anyway. They want the influx of large complexes in Orleans, then so be it. We don't want or need them. Brenda It's a got-damned shame when a local governmental entity (SBP) cannot self-determine by a vote of the residents whether or not they choose to have large multi-unit housing in their own parish without fear of the Federal judiciary. JY From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:08:01 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:08:01 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Morning Bell: A Whole New Health Care Ball Game Message-ID: <030a01ca536c$80edec50$82c9c4f0$@com> A Whole New Health Care Ball Game You have to read all the way to page A-25 in today?s New York Times to learn about it, but the Senate took its first floor vote on Obamacare yesterday and the White House lost. Big. The NYT reports: ?Democrats lost a big test vote on health care legislation on Wednesday as the Senate blocked action on a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors at a cost of $247 billion over 10 years. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, needed 60 votes to proceed. He won only 47. And he could not blame Republicans. A dozen Democrats and one independent crossed party lines and voted with Republicans on the 53 to 47 roll call.? As we reported on Monday and Tuesday , yesterday?s ?doc fix? vote was part of a White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel strategy to smooth passage of President Barack Obama?s $1 trillion-plus health care overhaul by transferring a quarter of its cost into a separate, and completely unpaid for, bill. This transparently dishonest shell game was too much for honest Democratic Senators like Evan Bayh (D-IN), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) . Wyden told the NYT: ?On the eve of a historic debate on health care, it?s essential to show a commitment to real reform,? which includes fiscal responsibility. Yesterday?s vote marks a significant failure of the Left?s special interest approach to passing Obamacare. From the beginning, the White House thought that if it bought off all of the business interests involved (the American Medical Association, the drug industry, health insurers, hospitals, etc.) opposition to the plan would whither. In one sense, the plan worked. USA Today reports PhRMA, Pfizer, America?s Health Insurance Plans, and the Federation of American Hospitals have all ponied up millions of dollars for lobbying and television ads in support of Obamacare. But all these special interest television ads failed to rid Americans of their common sense objections to Obamacare?s government takeover of health care. Gallup reports today that Americans now more than ever believe the costs their family pays for health care will get worse if Obamacare passes. And more Americans now believe that Obamacare will lower the quality of care they receive, reduce their health care coverage, and complicate the insurance company requirements they have to meet to get certain treatments covered. Instead of the massive overhaul being pursued by the White House, a solid majority of Americans tell Gallup they want to see Congress move in the opposite direction. By 58% to 38%, Americans would generally prefer to see Congress deal with health care reform ?on a gradual basis over several years? rather than ?try to pass a comprehensive health care reform plan this year.? Bipartisan, fiscally responsible, reform such as equalizing the tax treatment of health insurance purchases, freeing customers to purchase health insurance across state lines, and allowing states more flexibility on Medicaid spending are readily doable. And that is what the people want. QUICK HITS In a violation of laws against government-funded propaganda , the official, taxpayer funded, Department of Health and Human Services website urges Americans to to send an e-mail to President Barack Obama praising his health care reform plan. According to a new report , 7 months after President Barack Obama?s $787 billion stimulus became law, 49 of 50 states have lost jobs and American is now over 6 illion jobs shy of White House promises. The Obama administration?s wage control czar plans to order companies that received bailout money to slash pay for each of the companies highest paid employees by an average of 50%. The drug and insurance industries have spent millions of dollars lobbying Congress in favor of Obamacare. Windmills? propensity to kill bats is pitting endangered species advocates against climate change scaremongers. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:48:47 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:48:47 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] You're not gonna believe this one / SafeLink Message-ID: <032c01ca5372$32b80ba0$982822e0$@com> Now Richard, we all know Obama started assuming he was running things going back to at least last September ;-) John -----Original Message----- Seeing as how this program was launched in 2008, it would probably be more appropriate to refer to this as a "Bush phone." http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977447398 Richard From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:49:04 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:49:04 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] You're not gonna believe this one / SafeLink Wireless Message-ID: <032d01ca5372$3d0c16a0$b72443e0$@com> Try the Chicago area zip codes...bet that works! John -----Original Message----- Phew! I put in a Chalmette zip code and it popped back with service not available in that area. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:49:36 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:49:36 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] SOC SEC AND HEALTH CARE Message-ID: <032e01ca5372$501c9cb0$f055d610$@com> This is old,, old, old and false, false, false. http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/congressionalpensions.htm From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 19:50:25 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:50:25 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] MILITARY CEMETERIES IN EUROPE Message-ID: <032f01ca5372$6d397660$47ac6320$@com> I can't think of its title, but there is a recently made documentary on the U.S. military cemetaries throughout Europe. The film shows a stark contrast between the people and villagers who live near the cemetaries and the rest of the Europeans. The locals adopt a grave and maintain them, regularly taking the children with them to teach and remind them of the sacrafice Americans made to help free them from the Nazis. You learn that in those European towns and villages American tourists are treated with respect. And should a killed soldier's decendent visit the grave in the cemetary and it is learned among the locals, they are treated like family and taken into their homes. I'll try to find the documentary and post it here, unless someone knows the name of it. John -----Original Message----- Be sure and read all the way to the very end! Our European arrogance in alphabetical order 1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne, France. A total of 2289 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/am1w.jpg 2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes, Belgium. A total of 5329 of our dead. image002 2 2.jpg 3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France. A total of 4410 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/br1w.jpg 4. Brookwood, England American Cemetery. A total of 468 of our dead. image004 2 3.jpg 5. Cambridge, England. 3812 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ca2w.jpg 6. Epinal, France American Cemetery. A total of 5525 of our Military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ep3w.jpg 7. Flanders Field, Belgium. A total of 368 of our military. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ff1w.jpg 8. Florence, Italy. A total of 4402 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/fl1w.jpg 9. Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. A total of 7992 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/hc4w.jpg 10. Lorraine, France. A total of 10,489 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/lo3w..jpg 11. Luxembourg, Luxembourg. A total of 5076 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/lx1w.jpg 12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/ma1w.jpg 13. Netherlands, Netherlands. A total of 8301 of our military dead. image013 6 1.jpg 14. Normandy, France. A total of 9387 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/no3w.jpg 15. Oise-Aisne, France. A total of 6012 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/oa3w.jpg 16. Rhone, France. A total of 861 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/rh3w.jpg 17. Sicily, Italy. A total of 7861 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/sr1w.jpg 18. Somme, France. A total of 1844 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/so3w.jpg 19. St. Mihiel, France. A total of 4153 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/sm1w.jpg 20. Suresnes, France. a total of 1541 of our military dead. http://www.abmc.gov/images/su1w.jpg Apologize to no one. Remind those of our sacrifice and don't confuse arrogance with leadership. If I added correctly the count is 104,366 dead. And we have to watch an American elected leader who apologizes to Europe and the Middle East that our country is "arrogant"! HOW MANY FRENCH, DUTCH, ITALIANS, BELGIANS AND BRITS ARE BURIED ON OUR SOIL, DEFENDING US AGAINST OUR ENEMIES?? WE DON'T ASK FOR PRAISE ... BUT WE HAVE ABSOULUTELY NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE!! GOD BLESS THE USA .................. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:19:43 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:19:43 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] St. Bernard Parish President signed $43.9 million contract to improve Munster Wastewater Treatment Plant Message-ID: <034101ca5376$8523c240$8f6b46c0$@com> St. Bernard Parish President signed $43.9 million contract to improve Munster Wastewater Treatment Plant FEMA and Parish bond money to fund work St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro Jr. with the support of the Parish Council recently signed at $43.9 million contract for work at the Munster Wastewater Treatment Plant. The contract awarded to Max Foote Construction will be funded with $20 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and $23 million from a bond fund paid for by St. Bernard Parish. ?The Munster Wastewater Treatment Plant project is consolidating the waste system for the parish,? President Taffaro said. ?It?s necessary to remain compliant with the administrative order from the EPA to meet discharge requirements.? The work, which should be completed in about 2? years, has been designed by Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc., and All South Engineering is the project manager. For more information about the Growth and Recovery in St. Bernard Parish, visit our website at www.sbpg.net . ### From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:22:17 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:22:17 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] MoveOn.org Message-ID: <034201ca5376$e0dff360$a29fda20$@com> Here's a chance to mess with MoveOn.org Go to this page and vote No http://pol.moveon.org/2009/e/dem_filibuster.html Westley From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:28:41 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:28:41 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Be Prepared Message-ID: <034301ca5377$c60b8da0$5222a8e0$@com> Everyone in general and Louisiana in particular is going to be seriously hurt if Murphy Oil and ExxonMobil lose these cases. Again, I can say that I have never supported or voted for Obama, Pelosi, Reid, or the Rev. AlGore. Westley Lawsuits point to climate change litigation threat Paula Dittrick OGJ Senior Staff Writer HOUSTON, Oct. 22 -- A climate change litigation threat appears to be looming for the oil and gas industry in the wake of a US Supreme Court decision allowing the regulation of greenhouse gases as air pollutants. Federal courts recently issued conflicting decisions in climate change litigation. One case involved Murphy Oil USA, and another case involved ExxonMobil Corp. and others. Power companies face the same issues. The recent litigation all stems from an Apr. 2, 2007, decision in which the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. That ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts and several other states, US cities, and environmental groups. On Sept. 21, the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York allowed a coalition of eight states, New York City, and environmental groups to sue coal-burning utilities over climate change. That ruling later was cited in the Murphy Oil ruling. Anthony Cavender of the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP law firm in Houston said, "Given that the Obama administration has already advocated for tighter regulations related to the environment as a whole, and in particular for tougher policies governing carbon emissions, many plaintiffs may now feel that the time is right to file such suits." Murphy Oil suit On Oct. 16, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans said residents and land owners along the Gulf Coast in Mississippi could seek relief for Hurricane Katrina damages presumed to be related to global warming. The appeals court ruling in the case of Ned Comer vs. Murphy Oil USA reversed a decision from the US District court for the Southern District of Mississippi, which had dismissed the case. The appeals court ruled that Comer could assert claims that Murphy Oil operations caused greenhouse gas emissions and contributed to global warming and a rise in sea levels that consequently strengthened Hurricane Katrina. Comer and others, seeking compensatory and punitive damages, argued they had the legal standing to litigate these claims based on the 2007 Supreme Court decision. Judge James Dennis in New Orleans wrote that the court arrived at its decision independently but that the "Second Circuit's reasoning [in Connecticut vs. AEP] is fully consistent with ours, particularly in its careful analysis of whether the case requires the court to address any specific issue that is constitutionally committed to another branch of government." ExxonMobil suit Separately, the US District Court for the Northern District of California in late September dismissed a climate change lawsuit that Inupiat Eskimos living in Kivalina, Alas., near the Arctic Circle filed against ExxonMobil. The plaintiffs alleged that 24 oil, energy, and utility companies emitted greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and consequently diminish sea ice that protects their village from winter storms and erosion. The California court dismissed the lawsuit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and because the Inupiat Eskimos could not prove the companies caused any injury. An attorney for the town of Kivalina has said he plans to appeal. Sheila Harvey, a partner with Pillsbury's climate change and sustainability team in Washington, DC, said that while each case must be individually evaluated on the merits of evidence, she noted that "The decision in Kivalina is more in keeping with how courts have traditionally ruled-often dismissing these types of cases as 'nuisance suits' filed by plaintiffs for no other purpose than to cause headaches for companies they politically or personally disagree with." Contact Paula Dittrick at paulad at ogjonline.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- To access this Article, go to: http://www.ogj.com/ogj/en-us/index/article-display.articles.oil-gas-journal. general-interest-2.hse.2009.10.lawsuits-point_to.html From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:32:40 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:32:40 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Sen. Alexander accuses Obama of building an 'enemies list' Message-ID: <034401ca5378$5490d800$fdb28800$@com> Sen. Alexander accuses Obama of building an 'enemies list' By Perry Bacon Jr. Sen. Lamar Alexander, the No. 3 leader of the Republicans in the Senate, on Wednesday accused the Obama administration of creating "an enemies list," comparing the recent criticism by the White House of the Chamber of Commerce, the Fox News Channel and other political opponents to the behavior of the Nixon administration. "This behavior is typical of street brawls and political campaign consultants," Alexander said in a speech Wednesday morning on the Senate floor. "It is a mistake for the president of the United States and the White House staff." White House officials have over the past week publicly criticized the Chamber of Commerce as not representing the interests of many businesses and said Fox is so biased against the administration that it should be not be treated as a legitimate news outlet. Alexander also criticized the administration for briefly barring the health insurance company Humana from writing Medicare beneficiaries to warn them that proposed health reform legislation could hurt seniors and jeopardize their benefits -- a contention that the White House disputes and has called misleading. "Insurance companies, once the allies of the Obama health care proposal, have suddenly become the source of all our health care problems -- because they pointed out, again correctly, that if Congress taxes insurance premiums and restricts coverage to those who are sicker and older, the cost of premiums for millions of Americans is likely to go up instead of down," Alexander said, referring to White House criticism of a much disputed study sponsored by the America's Health Insurance Plans. Independent experts have suggested the study incorrectly said health care premiums would go up for millions of Americans. "Because of that insubordination, the president and his allies have threatened to take away the insurance companies antitrust exemption." Alexander's remarks made him the highest-ranking GOP official to make the unflattering comparison of Obama to former president Nixon, a Republican, a line of thinking also recently put forward by former Bush White House adviser Karl Rove. While a reliable GOP vote and a member of the leadership, the Tennessee senator's sharp tone was surprising, as he has called for more cooperation between the two parties and was one the few GOP senators to support the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Alexander also served as an low-level aide in the Nixon White House, an experience he referred to in his speech. He had no role in that administration's creation of a formal list of political opponents to target and "use the available federal machinery to screw," in the words of a Nixon aide. "If the president and his top aides treat people with different views as enemies instead of listening to what they have to say," Alexander said, "they're likely to end up with a narrow view and a feeling that the whole world is out to get them. And as those of use who served in the Nixon administration know, that can get you into a lot of trouble." The White House replied by stressing the president's bipartisan outreach. "While some Republicans on Capitol Hill seem to be formulating lists of people and policies to oppose, this president is focused on tackling the list of critical priorities that Washington has ignored for too long," said Josh Earnest, Deputy White House Press Secretary. "From the Recovery Act to health insurance reform to the small business initiatives he announced today, the president is pleased with the progress that's been made on the list so far and remains committed to working with Republicans to include their best ideas, even if he doesn't get their support." From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:33:12 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:33:12 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Ground Breaking on Delacroix Pump Station held Thursday Message-ID: <034501ca5378$673aad00$35b00700$@com> Ground Breaking on Delacroix Pump Station held Thursday $675,000 project promises improved tidal flooding protection St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro Jr. and Parish Council members held a Ground Breaking to mark the beginning of construction of the Delacroix Drainage Pump Station on Thursday, October 22. "Critical drainage pumping stations, such as this one, are an important part of the Growth and Recovery in St. Bernard Parish," President Taffaro said at the event celebrating the progress that promises to offer improved tidal flooding protection when more than $675,000 in construction is completed. Temporary pumps will remain operational until the new station is completely rebuilt in about six months. FEMA's Acting Deputy Director of Programs Mark Landry promised FEMA's ongoing assistance in funding such needed recovery projects. "Before, we were at the mercy of nature to push the water out," said Parish Councilman Fred Everhardt, Jr., who represents the eastern end of the parish. "Now we won't have to have the down time to get the water pumped out." The Delacroix project involves the replacement of two submersible hydraulic driven pumps - one 30-inch and one 24-inch. These pumps will have a combined pumping capacity of 35,300 gallons per minute. In addition to the pumps the project includes diesel engines and related facilities. As part of the work at this station, the diesel engines and other facilities will be raised about 13 feet higher than the facilities damaged by Hurricane Katrina were originally elevated. The station was designed by Evans-Graves Engineers, Inc., and will be constructed by Sopena Corporation. Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. is the project manager. The St. Bernard Public Works Department and Water and Sewer Department under Parish Acting Director of Public Works Logan Martin is working on the project, as is the parish's Resident Inspector Keith Kain . The Delacroix Drainage Pump Station is located in the southeastern end of St. Bernard Parish in the community of Delacroix. For more information about the Growth and Recovery in St. Bernard Parish, visit our website at www.sbpg.net . ### From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:34:35 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:34:35 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Committee Votes to Create the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Message-ID: <034601ca5378$98d02840$ca7078c0$@com> Financial Services Committee Votes to Create the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Committee strengthens regulation to protect consumers from deceptive and abusive financial products Washington, DC - Today, the Financial Services Committee approved legislation that will establish a new, independent federal agency solely devoted to protecting Americans from unfair and abusive financial products and services. As called for by President Obama, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) represents one of the most significant efforts by Congress to bring about long overdue financial reform and ensure that Americans are able to take advantage of capitalism's benefits without falling victim to industry abuses. As last year's crisis demonstrated, deceptive financial products - such as predatory mortgages and hidden credit card fees - not only damage the livelihoods of American families, but can destabilize the entire economy. The creation of the CFPA will finally put the interests of consumers at the forefront of the federal government's attention and enforcement efforts. As outlined in H.R. 3126, the agency's mission will be to promote a fair and transparent marketplace for financial products and to safeguard the American public from abusive industry tactics. In an unprecedented move, the bill also extends federal supervision to a host of financial industries, such as payday lenders and mortgage originators, which have long escaped oversight. A summary of the bill , which was approved by a vote of 39-29, can be viewed here . The committee today also defeated a large number of Republican amendments intended to prevent or weaken the CFPA. "The Committee vote today is a rifle shot at abusive financial practices, not a shotgun blast that would hit community banks making an honest living from fair lending practices. It's no surprise that the lenders with the worst practices are still fighting tooth and nail against this bill. The last thing they want is to have to make an honest living," said Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC). "Protecting consumers is a must in any new financial regulatory system, and the Consumer Financial Protection Agency will help make that happen. I commend Chairman Frank for his leadership on these issues, and I look forward to working with him and other Members as we move forward in the process to improve not only CFPA, but the rest of the financial regulatory reform package so we can strengthen protections for all consumers, investors and taxpayers," said Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS). "We need a brand new agency with consumer protection as its sole mission. A Consumer Financial Protection Agency that looks after the interests of consumers will also benefit responsible lenders and safeguard the safety and soundness of our financial system," said Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN). Currently, consumer protection rule-making and authority is spread across several different agencies, all of which have failed repeatedly to use the tools provided by Congress to protect Americans. H.R. 3126 addresses this inaction by transferring consumer protection authority from the Federal Reserve and other banking regulators to the CFPA. The consolidation of these powers at the CFPA also ensures that financial firms will no longer be able to shop around for the weakest regulator to supervise their products. In addition, the agency will closely monitor the marketplace for any new financial products or services that could potentially harm consumers as well as the larger economy. Once the agency identifies these threats or abuses, it will have the power to write rules that can regulate, restrict or ban them. It will also have the power to establish guidelines so that companies issue clear and fair disclosures to customers on products such as credit cards and mortgages. For more information on H.R. 3126, click here . ### From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:39:15 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:39:15 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Recent Attorney General Opinions Message-ID: <035501ca5379$3fa1b170$bee51450$@com> #08-0057 St. Bernard Parish may allocate Parish funds and property as it deems necessary, but may only do so subject to Louisiana law, which provides that the proceeds of any special tax shall constitute a trust fund to be used exclusively for the objects and purposes for which the tax was levied. Absent a voter-approved rededication of the funding or property derived from the special library tax and bonds which was approved by the voters in St. Bernard Parish on May 2, 1962, St. Bernard Parish must only use these assets in a manner consistent with the intent of the approved propositions. (Henry) Op to Ms. Erin Kuehl, President, St. Bernard Parish Library Board of Control, St. Bernard, LA Date Released: October 15, 2009 #09-0128 If the St. Bernard Home Rule Charter is less stringent than state law, state law will govern. The St. Bernard Home Rule Charter may be more stringent than state law in areas concerning the structure and organization, powers, and functions of St. Bernard Parish, when such is not denied by general law or inconsistent with the Louisiana constitution. If the St. Bernard Home Rule Charter is more stringent than state law in one of the areas described above, then the home rule charter will govern. (Boyce) Op to Ms. Roxanne Adams, Clerk of Council, St. Bernard Parish Council, Chalmette, LA Date Released: October 15, 2009 From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:41:16 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:41:16 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Louisiana Music: Alive and Well Message-ID: <035601ca5379$8795f360$96c1da20$@com> Louisiana's Culture of Song New Orleans R&B Singer, Ernie K-Doe is famously quoted as saying, "I'm not sure, but I think all music comes from New Orleans ." He's actually kind of right. Music on the Prairie It's Saturday night in Eunice, and the line begins to form outside The Liberty Theatre, home of the Rendezvous des Cajun Radio & TV Show . Louisiana's Soulful Musical Roots >From Elvis Presley to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter to James Burton, Louisiana's Other Side's musical roots run deep and soulful . From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 20:43:12 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:43:12 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] YouTube - Is Obama Poised to Cede US Sovereignty? Message-ID: <035701ca5379$ccf818c0$66e84a40$@com> Well thank goodness any and all treaties have to go through the State Dept. and Senate first: Next, the State Department prepares all the documents for presentation to the Senate for the advice and consent process. The president and his staff review the documents and if they believe the treaty is in the best interest of the country, they present them to the Senate. Step 3 In the United States the next step is to present the treaty to the U.S. Senate for advice and consent. The senate doesn't actually ratify the treaty, but puts in its two cents' worth and then votes whether or not to consent to the treaty's provisions. A two-thirds majority is required for the Senate to give its consent. The U.S. House of Representatives does not vote on ratification at all. Step 4 Once in the Senate, the treaty goes first to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for review. The chairman of the committee may set up hearings to determine if there are public concerns about the treaty or if there are changes in U.S. law needed to meet the terms of the agreement. The committee chair determines the course the treaty will take, if any. A powerful committee chair can lose a treaty for years in committee. Many unpopular treaties never reach the floor of the Senate for an up or down vote. If changes in U.S. law are required, the treaty may remain in committee until the new laws or rule changes are passed before it is submitted to the full Senate for a consent vote. Step 5 Once the treaty receives the Senate's consent, it is returned to the president to be ratified. The Senate does not actually ratify a treaty; the president does. He signs an instrument of ratification which places the treaty in force and binds the U.S. government to the terms of the treaty. Once this process has taken place and the required numbers of signatories have ratified the treaty, it goes into effect. Watcha wanna bet this thing will be filibustered to death? JY http://www.ehow.com/how_5110577_ratify-treaty.html ----------------------------------------------------- watch and forward this quickly, before Obama has it pulled! > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMe5dOgbu40&feature=player_embedded# > > Your thought on this.. You have to listen close since he is > a very soft > spoken man but you do need to hear this. From Westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 21:07:59 2009 From: Westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:07:59 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] Should Congress have 3-10 days to review HC Bill? Message-ID: <036401ca537d$43942480$cabc6d80$@com> We-The-People-USA.com "The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie: deliberate, continued, and dishonest; but the myth: persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic." -- John F. Kennedy Should Congress and the public have 3 to 10 days to review the new health care bill before voting? Yes or No (Click either button to vote!) Please forward this email so others may vote. From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 21:09:36 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:09:36 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] LRA Approves $5M For Contaminated Chinese Drywall Message-ID: <036501ca537d$7d9c1980$78d44c80$@com> LRA Approves $5M For Contaminated Chinese Drywall State Senators Try To Help Homeowners With Chinese Drywall WDSU.com updated 5:49 p.m. CT, Thurs., Oct . 22, 2009 SLIDELL, La. - WDSU .com As more people in south Louisiana come forward to speak out about what tainted Chinese drywall has done to their homes and families, government agencies are beginning to take action. The Louisiana Recovery Authority met in Slidell Wednesday night and approved a plan to dedicate $5 million to help those families, and dozens of people turned out for the town hall meeting. But there's a hitch. "Until we can determine that this person is a victim and a Road Home applicant and something can be done, sit tight," said Walter Leger, of the LRA. The drywall -- which emits gases that are blamed for corroding wiring, plumbing and appliances as well as causing health problems -- poured into Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. The state is one of the nation's hardest hit in the drywall crisis. That's why two local lawmakers are leading efforts to get federal help. State Sens. Julie Quinn and A.G. Crowe hosted the Slidell town hall meeting Wednesday to communicate with affected families. Last month, more than 500 people came out to a similar meeting in Mandeville. Since then, Quinn traveled to Washington to ask Congress for relief. Homeowners are becoming increasingly frustrated. Last week, three insurance companies said they wouldn't cover the drywall damage because their homeowners policies don't cover building material defects. Wednesday's town hall meeting was held at 6 p.m. at the Northshore Harbor Center in Slidell. Quinn and Crowe, along with drywall experts, were on hand to answer questions. From westley at da-parish.com Thu Oct 22 21:12:40 2009 From: westley at da-parish.com (Westley Annis) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:12:40 -0500 Subject: [StBernard] St. Bernard couple arrested in drug overdose death Message-ID: <036601ca537d$eacea8b0$c06bfa10$@com> St. Bernard couple arrested in drug overdose death By Kim Chatelain, The Times-Picayune October 22, 2009, 6:04PM A St. Bernard Parish couple was arrested after allowing a man who had overdosed on heroin to die at their home without calling for medical help, authorities said. Kristopher Howse, 24, and his wife, Shelly Howse, 25, both of 3401 Nancy Drive in Meraux, were booked Wednesday with negligent homicide and obstruction of justice in the death of Chase Julian, 24, of Arabi, St. Bernard Parish sheriff's officials said. The two apparently feared they would be arrested for drug possession if they summoned medical help for Julian, authorities said. The Howses were also booked with contributing to the delinquency of their young daughters, who were in the home when Julian died, officials said. Both are being held in St. Bernard Parish Prison, the husband in lieu of $150,000 bond and the wife in lieu of a bond of $75,000, authorities said. "This is a case in which people who are afraid they are going to be arrested if they call for medical help when someone is overdosing allows the person to die rather than get the help that could save them," Chief Deputy James Pohlmann said. "When it's all said and done, the person dies and the one who didn't call for help ends up being booked with negligent homicide. Clearly, people should get help for someone who is overdosing." Kristopher Howse called 911 about 1 a.m. Tuesday to report that Julian had overdosed on heroin, which the victim had injected at Howse's home. Authorities believe Julian took the heroin around 7 p.m. Monday and immediately fell unconscious. Under questioning, Howse told authorities that after Julian lost consciousness, he contacted a friend who recommended putting him in a cold bath, which didn't revive him. He also tried CPR, to no avail, officials said. Howse acknowledged he had taken Julian to New Orleans to purchase heroin on Tuesday, authorities said. He was initially arrested on a drug paraphernalia charge, but he and his wife were booked Wednesday with negligent homicide and other charges after a follow-up investigation, officials said. Julian had been arrested previously on heroin charges in St. Bernard, and Kristopher Howse has one previous drug arrested involving Ecstasy, authorities said. Information on the disposition of those cases was not available Thursday. Shelly Howse has no prior criminal record, officials said.