LETS FIX CONGRESS !?

Mr. Warren Buffet – The quotes, below, are apparently commonly attributed to Mr. Buffet in one, or more, of his public interviews. I cannot vouch for the validity of the source, but, in general, this is what needs to be done to achieve a truly representative government. I have taken the liberty to revise and add his comments regarding “term limits”.

Mr. Buffet;
"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of  GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to get ratified!  Why? Simple, the people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure. 

 

Congressional Reform Act of 2012 

1.       No Tenure / No Pension.

2.       A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when

          they're out of office.  

3.       Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security and Medicare like the

          rest of us do.

4.       All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security System,

          immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress

          participates with the American people. It may not be used for any  other purpose.

5.       Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 

6.       Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional

          pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

7.       Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care

          system as the American people. 

8.       Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

9.       All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12  

          [i.e., No Lobbying] The American people did not make any contracts with  

          Congressmen/women; Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in

          Congress is an honor, not a career, and definitely not a stepping stone to further

          governmental and legislative manipulation.

10.    The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s),

          then go home and back to work. Term limits will be set by Law, as they are for

          Presidents, Governors, and the like. Senators will be restricted to four, six year terms;

          Representatives will be restricted to four, six year terms. The length of “term” for  

          Representatives will be amended to six years, in equality to Senator’s “terms”.^[1]

^[1]: Our Elected Officials in Washington, D.C spend entirely too much of their time “in Office” attempting to get re-elected. This is very costly in both monetary terms and time spent away form actually representing their constituency. *On the same note; the Presidential “term” should also be amended to six years, and be available for only two consecutive “terms”.

“Leggo my Eggo”

Who’s going to steal my money, now? Let me count the ways:

1.       Town Council

2.       Town Supervisor

3.       County Legislator

4.       County Supervisor

5.       State Representative

6.       State Senator

7.       U.S. Representative

8.       U.S. Senator

Now, shut up, neither the Governor nor the President of the United States has the power to put his hand in my wallet; all the others do.

   On the local level, my town is going to be in need of money for the School District. The Feds and the State are constantly cutting back. The Town sewage treatment plant is out of date, and needs a major overhaul and expansion. This is obvious from the wonderful odors wafting through the Town. The suspension on my car is almost in need of surgery. The Town roads are constantly at the mercy of spring water, and their paths of run off. The roads are also at the mercy of the Sewage  Treatment Plant, the County Water District, the area Electric and Gas Utility, and a few of the major Communications Companies. The Town Parks are just barely hanging in there. There are too few workers, and not enough hours in the day. Town Services that are used by the Elderly, the Children, the Veterans, and the Poor cannot sustain their current levels of performance. The Town offers many more Services and Educational Programs that most likely cannot sustain at their current levels. There is also the question of Property Values. As Town sponsored programs and necessities get the axe, the Town becomes a little less attractive place to live; thus, bringing down Property Values. In a good Economy, all of this might signal a certain amount of “gentrification”. The trouble is that the “gents” don’t have the wherewithal to make that happen, anymore.   

In addition to the Town’ woes, the County shoulders many tax funded projects and programs on an even larger basis. The County also is more “tied into” The State when it comes to Welfare, Food Stamps, Unemployment Benefits, the good old DMV, Land Preservation, etc. There are some obvious areas where financial cuts simply can’t be made, but. as the Town, The County will not be able to sustain the abundance of peripheral programs and projects.

When it comes to the State and the Federal Government, just take a few minutes and think about your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly necessities and activities. You may find that things in your life you take for granted get funded through your tax payments. Look at your pay stub, if you’re lucky enough to have one, and take inventory of what exactly all those deductions end up funding. The deductions are for things you use now, or will be eligible for in the future. The way this Country operates is directly funded through your beneficence. That’s right. Its your money that makes this Country the most respected in the World. You have a stake in keeping it that way. You also have the right to vote in elections that determine who gets to spend your money. Choose wisely. “A fool and his money are quickly separated.”

A View Of The Bench (from the back row)

Riverhead, NY – Criminal Court – Non-jury – Section 13 – Part Y

   The reason for me being there is of no consequence to this entry. What I heard and observed is all that needs reciting and comment. It was the bright, sunny morning of July 10^th. Those of us having business with the Court, or simply there as an observer, were told, well in advance, that we should be at the Courtroom doors no later than 9:00 am. Being set forth in bold print on our notice, one would easily regard this order as a fairly stringent one. To be late, it seemed, might put you in jeopardy of being set further back in their calendar. Court dates are hard to come by, so you feel the urgency and necessity of following instructions closely.

   There are four non-jury courtrooms in a row at the facility; one of which we were assigned to. There were just a few people milling about, or leaning against a wall. It was 9:05 am by the time we actually got to the courtroom doors. In my naiveté, I was a little concerned that we might be considered as “tardy-to-the-party”, but I soon learning how sorely mistaken I was. For the next two hours the halls filled with us normal folk and a whole slew of lawyers and law clerks. They were all scurrying about like turkeys just before Thanksgiving; hauling massive milk crates of legal files; and generally flying in and out of doors apparently not quite sure where they were supposed to be and just what files they were to bring and where to put them. I did notice that close to show time most of the milk crates full of legal files that had been so proudly dragged about earlier had been retired from whence they originated.

   Our Man showed up promptly at 10:00 am. He had a few quick words with us then he, too, scurried into the courtroom with that special “lawyerly” look of concern on his face. Then he joined in the show and was in and out, in and out, etc. Finally, at 11:05 am, we were ushered into the courtroom, and we took seats in the last row. This was a good thing, as it gave me an excellent vantage point to see the proceedings. {One side note: I had overheard from a “lawyerly” looking type that the Judge only allows his court time to run until 1:00, or 1:30, pm. That got my attention.}

   Well we all rose when the Judge arrived, and he was courteous enough to command all in attendance be seated.  It was now 11:15 am, and the Bailiff called the first case. This went fairly smoothly I suppose, because everyone was talking very low and it sounded like the murmur you hear from any ordinary crowd of people. A few papers got shuffled, a few papers got signed, and then the papers got shuffled, again. The first entourage left in what appeared to be a good mood. Then, low and behold, our case was called up in second place. As one of our party was at the bar with our “lawyerly” looking lawyer, I was jotting down notes; much as I had been doing prior to entering the courtroom. Don’t you know this action drew the attention of the Bailiff, and over she came to have a look see at what I was so intently engaged in doing. Surmising that I was not a threat to humanity and I was simply applying pen to paper, she let out an audible grunt probably signifying her disappointment at not being able to wield her omnipotent power of authority. I smiled on the outside, and laughed on the inside. Score one for “We The Peeps”. There was some more unintelligible banter from the front of the room; a few papers were shuffled; a few papers were signed; and the papers were, once again, shuffled. The gavel struck, and our party of the first part was allowed to vacate the chamber. We were then obliged to go over to the Parole Board window to, you guessed it, fill out, shuffle, sign, and reshuffle some more paper work. It was then, and only then, that we were able bid a fond farewell to our “lawyerly” looking lawyer, and exit the building

   Throughout this whole exercise, I was very much surprised at the amount of paper that passed before my eyes. Whether under someone’s arm, cradled out in front, or wheeled in milk crates, there was just a lot of paper; a rough estimate might put the amount at three trees. Another aspect of this whole experience was the realization that this “judgely” Judge was going to devote a grand total of three to three and a half hours adjudicating to all the evil doers in his courtroom for that day. Now, I’m no expert of Judge’s salaries, but I’d be willing to place a small wager on the assumption that these people make a pretty good living wage. Of course, the money they put in their pockets is Taxpayers money. Call me old fashion, but when you pay someone that kind of money to do a specific job, its reasonable to expect a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. Anything less is gaming the system, and cheating us, the lowly Taxpayer, out of productivity, efficiency, ethics, not to mention our hard earned dollars.

   If this is a simple microcosm of how our Justice system works, on a daily basis, its no wonder where all our money goes. Reflecting on the past, I now do not think the Beatles ruined our Society, as so many folks still do. I truly believe that it is all these “lawyerly” lawyers and “judgely” Judges that are bleeding us dry. The retort I hear the most is that running this Country is so complicated that we need “lawyerly” lawyers to keep everything running smoothly. I’m going out on a limb, here, and saying, “How’s that been workin’ out, lately?” As far as I’m concerned, Physics and Rocket Science are complicated; running a government isn’t. Running a government is done with compassion, empathy, logic, reason, and rational thinking. It seems to me that when we get the Law Profession involved in anything, whatever it is turns into an unmanageable pile of crap. Let’s not allow everything to turn into an unmanageable pile of crap. Don’t hire any more lawyers.

WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KIDS THESE DAYS?

   There seems to be a rather disturbing trend that has become inexorably entrenched in our Society. I use a capital “S” when referring to our Society because of the importance it plays on how we guide ourselves through life and interact with the outside world. The trend I am referring to is one that allows for the total disregard for respect and civility between folks, in general.

   I can tolerate, and occasionally be amused by, the disrespectful way our modern, portable, electronic devices are used in Public. I value the sense of the “rebellious” and the “individual” in all of us. I can tolerate the decibel levels of folks squawking out on the street. People want to be heard, and felt that their words have fallen on deaf ears for a very long time. Most of the time, I enjoy hearing what sort of music someone is playing in their car. I admit that more often than not its pretty good stuff. Of course, there’s always the person (s) who enjoy cutting into lines so as not waist their valuable time doing mundane tasks. These folks are in a hurry for some reason and I really don’t feel disrespected or cheated, in any way, shape, or form. It doesn’t bother me when people forget to look you in the eye when conducting a conversation with you. After all, this world is sometimes quite intimidating, and some folks are shier than others are. You can get a feel for my tolerance levels here, and, actually, these are not the people I’m talking about.

   The folks I’m talking about are the ones who seem to run for Public Office. Moreover, the higher the Office, the more disrespectful and rude they become. I suppose it hit me when that Representative from South Carolina, by the name of Joe Wilson (U.S. Rep., 2001- pres.)

disrespected the President of the United States at a “State of the Union” address. Remember the, “you lie”, comment? That just seemed to be the starting point of some very contrary, disrespectful, and flat out rude behavior from one side of the “Aisle”. I will try not to take sides here because both of our Political Parties have engaged in this behavior.

   It was always my understanding that upon receiving a good, solid education, generally, folks would shed themselves of such infantile trappings and outbursts. To think that almost all our Nationally elected Officials have been through four years of College, and most likely, another four to six years of Graduate schooling (presumably in the study of Law), and their acting like most young children do is absolutely astonishing to me. Dear Lord, these folks have paid an arm and a leg to attain these academic levels. One might think that all these petty and trivial aspects of childhood might have been outgrown, discarded, forgotten. But, “NO!” It seems that the longer these kids are left to their own devises, the more unruly they become. “We The People” are not solely to blame for allowing this to continue by voting for them. These youngsters in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are responsible for their own bad behavior. Of course, “We The People” have the ballot box to enact change. The only drawback to that is the time lapse between Elections.

   Now, I would never, in my wildest dreams, do away with our style of democracy. It’s proven itself time and again to be the most revered political system in the World, as is our economic system. I would, however, advocate for the re-education of the American Public before the sky starts falling (leave it to Henny Penny and Chicken Little). The type of education I am considering is not taught in schools. It is taught out on the street with a massive influx of information. We are bombarded daily with untruths, and outright lies, form all quarters. It’s time to mount a counter insurgency on behalf of truth and basic Social behavior. Beyond our Constitution, that is what our Founding Fathers and Mothers had in mind.

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TRULY GREAT GOVERNMENT IN ACTION!

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE OUR WONDERFUL “GANG OF 12”, “SUPER COMMITTEE”, “DEFICIT REDUCTION SUB COUNCIL TO THE VICE ADJUDICATION CAUCUS OF THE ENTIRE CONGRESS OF US” IN WISHING THEMSELVES THE HAPPIEST OF ALL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS. IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THEIR GREAT WORKS IN RECENT DAYS AND WEEKS DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED, OR UNREWARDED. TO THIS END, I IMPLORE THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE,  FORTHWITH,  TWELVE CHEQUES, NOT LESS THAN $1,699,000.00  (DOLLARS, U.S.),TO EACH VOTING MEMBER OF THE AFOREMENTIONED GROUP AS A BONUS STIPEND FOR THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

HAVE A NICE DAY!     

P.S.: IF ANYONE OF THESE TURKEYS GETS RE-ELECTED, I WILL PERSONALLY OPEN A CAN OF WHOOP-ASS ON ANYONE WHO VOTED FOR THEM!

Home is where the ‘fracting’ is!

The following was compiled into an e-mail from a friend of a friend, then forwarded to me via e-mail. I researched through the link:  http://www.townofcaroline.org/home/ (New York State)

“Caroline is a small town with a unique character and strong sense of community. It’s a town where people care about others, where community events are a big part of community life. We’re located just southeast of the Town of Ithaca. The area is made up of beautiful rolling hills, farms, and several small communities. The Town of Caroline is home to more State forest land than any other town in Tompkins County.”

Population 3,282

Median age 40.3

Land area (sq. miles) 55.1

Density (persons per sq. mile) 59.6

Median household income $51,354

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Friends and Colleagues,
   I hope this message finds you well!  It’s been an exciting summer and fall.

   In June, I was invited to the White House in Washington, D.C. to meet with President Barack Obama and senior aides, along with fellow young elected officials from across the nation. In a session with top energy and climate change aides, I shared the outpouring of concern from Caroline citizens about the potential impacts on our town from fracking, the gas extraction method involving the underground injection of millions of gallons of water and chemicals. I told how in an unprecedented grassroots effort, citizens organized the largest petition in Caroline’s history, with over half of voters urging the Town Council to ban fracking.
   It’s been inspiring to see similar stories unfolding in communities across our state and country; citizen campaigns have prompted 52 municipalities to ban fracking, including Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Syracuse. But energy companies are fighting back. Our northern neighbor, the Town of Dryden, is gaining national attention for the Town Council’s courageous stand against fracking and a gas company lawsuit.  http://dominicfrongillo.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c40fae7c4994ee4b3d8acde35&id=b191e51827&e=30379a74d1
   From Occupy Wall Street to West Virginia mountain tops, people are rising up to transition away from the dirty energy that is threatening our health, polluting our politics, and jeopardizing our future.That’s why today I am traveling back to D.C. to join thousands of others in encircling the White House to urge President Obama to stand up to the dirty energy lobby and keep his promise to “end the tyranny of oil” -- starting with halting the Tar Sands XL Keystone Pipeline. http://dominicfrongillo.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=c40fae7c4994ee4b3d8acde35&id=3f771459d3&e=30379a74d1
   And we not stopping there. Last Saturday in Ithaca, 600 volunteers delivered an energy-saving light bulb to 12,000 households in a single afternoon. Inspired by “Lighten Up Caroline,” it was New York’s largest-ever distribution effort of its kind and will bring two-thirds of a million dollars back into our local economy. And lastly, below is the statement I gave at our October Caroline Town Council meeting, when our town was considering, and unfortunately voted down, a resolution to draft a ban on fracking. http://dominicfrongillo.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c40fae7c4994ee4b3d8acde35&id=25b4c101f9&e=30379a74d1

Warm wishes,
Dominic

*****************************************************

Statement to the Caroline Town Board by Councilmember Dominic Frongillo / Tuesday October 4, 2011,  Caroline, New York

   “I grew up at the bottom of dusty dirt Bailor Road in Caroline. My parents taught me the importance of stewarding our land as we walked along the road picking up the cans and bottles that other people threw out their car windows. At Caroline Elementary School, our class would walk behind the school to the banks of Six Mile Creek, where we caught crayfish, and I was taught to value clean water.
   When I was away at school, I watched Caroline put together its Comprehensive Plan, which gave everyone the opportunity to shape the future vision for the town -- literally written by citizens.
When I graduated from school, I was getting ready to go overseas to join the Peace Corps.  One night -- it was right here in this room -- I was asked not to leave, but to serve my town; that I was needed here.  I chose to stay, and I am so grateful to be serving our town with all of you.
   We are gathered tonight to affirm that we are one town, that we choose the future not just as individuals but as a community.
This is Caroline. We are small quiet town, we know our neighbors, we value both our independence and our community. Two hundred years ago, Caroline was a rural agricultural town with a vibrant local economy. We were self-reliant. Creameries and mills were powered by the waters of Six Mile Creek.
   Times have changed. We are losing our young people to bigger cities.  Farmers are nearing retirement with no one to take their place. Residents are facing rising food costs, healthcare costs, taxes, and energy costs.  Food pantry attendance has tripled in the last three years.
   We are a rural town. We work hard. We volunteer, we give our time. When called, we serve. We don't ask much – just that we can go to bed at night without worrying about the health and safety of our kids.  We don’t expect government to solve all our problems.  But also we know it isn’t enough for just some of us to proposer; that with our value of independence, there comes a deep sense of common responsibility.  It’s a deeply held belief that we as a community are responsible to help out our neighbors when in need that makes our town work.
   There are those who say we are divided community -- that there are old-timers and newcomers, a rich Caroline and a poor Caroline, a rural Caroline and an urban Caroline.  But I say there are not multiple Caroline’s, we’re one town.  There are old-timers in town that want to pass on a clean environment for future generations. There are newcomers in town who volunteer their time with the church and food pantry and struggle to make a living off their land.
We are not going to let outside forces divide this community; we are not going to let the gas companies or anyone else drive a wedge and pit poor versus rich, newcomers versus old-timers. We are stronger united, as one town, standing as one community, facing our increasing uncertain future together.
   Tonight we face an issue causing us to reflect deeply on who we are as a town. Over this several month process we have seen democracy in action. We have heard many voices, and we are mindful of those who are not present.  I am grateful to citizens who have eloquently articulated what is at stake on all sides of this issue and what we must consider in our deliberations.
    Eight years ago, we started a four-year process to draft our first Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Town Board, in which we articulated the vision we wanted for our town. We held 11 public meetings and conducted a town-wide survey, and – overwhelmingly -- people said they love our town the way it is, and that we, as a government, should take steps to protect it.
   Our Plan was literally written by citizens. Volunteers on three workgroups from broad cross-section of our community compiled all the input to write our Plan.  Here’s what we expressed in the vision we want for our town 20 years from now: a safe, affordable place to call home, a vibrant local economy with locally-owned small businesses that enhance our rural town, clean water and air, healthy forests and farmland, and a revitalized farming community for future generations.
   Gas drilling on the scale being proposed would fundamentally alter the character of our town. It’s not compatible with the Town of Caroline we know and it’s the opposite direction we chose for our town. Allowing this scale of industrial activity in our community would not only violate the letter of the law which requires that our land-use policy is based on our Comprehensive Plan, it would violate the spirit of the vision we expressed -- and betray the four-year community process that invited every citizen in shaping what we wanted our community to be like.  And the petition before the Town Board confirms this
Allowing gas drilling, when we had an opportunity to act in congruence with our community’s plan is the height of irresponsibility and the height of disrespect to our participatory democratic process  -- when we said citizens in our community had a voice in shaping our future. I want to respond to some who claim that fracking will make us energy independent – it’s not true; that’s just gas industry propaganda. We're not going to use the gas drilled here; it will be sold overseas and shipped to countries that are banning fracking but still allowing their companies to come in and drill in our backyard. We don’t need this gas. In Alaska, oil companies are flaring off gas, burning it off, instead of recapturing it when they drill for oil.
   The benefits of the sale of this methane gas beneath us go to enrich faraway, already-subsidized corporate shareholders – they don’t care about our energy independence or and they don’t care about being patriotic. Let’s face it. We live in a dirty energy economy.  And the impacts of 150 years of fossil fuel burning are now hitting home with 100-year storms now happening every 5 years, and record drought, floods, storms, and tornados happening right here.
   When I first learned about climate change and how it was threatening my hometown, I traveled to Indonesia, to Denmark, to the United Nations. And there I learned that we are part of a much larger story; that around the world, dirty energy extraction is disrupting communities, corrupting our political and economic institutions, deteriorating our atmosphere, and putting our children’s lives at risk.
   Tonight, let’s start changing the story, in Caroline. Here, now. Let's develop real energy independence for our community that benefits everyone. Let’s  build a clean energy economy that is by Caroline residents, for Caroline residents. Let's create energy efficiency in homes.  Let's develop our own energy resources that are clean and renewable, like the wind, sun, heat from the ground, small hydro --- returning to power homes and businesses from the waters of Six Mile Creek--, and biomass with our abundant grasses and shrubs.  Let’s develop whole, new clean energy industries.
Many of you have not heard that -- as the proposal submitted to the Regional Economic Development Council by Cornell Cooperative Extension -- in the Southern Tier alone, upgrading homes and businesses for energy efficiency would leverage over $1.2 Billion in private capital, promote the growth of over 150 energy efficiency contracting businesses, create more than 4,000 jobs and provide savings for nearly every household in the region with cumulative savings of over $150 million per year staying in our pockets.
It’s up to local government to protect us. The gas companies have been given exemptions at every level: international, federal, state. Local government is the only collective venue left strong enough for citizens to protect themselves.
   Contrary to what some tonight have said, we have a responsibility to our citizens to protect the health and welfare of our community. We are responsible as a Town Board for representing everyone. The five of us sitting at this table represent and must be advocates for everyone who is affected by our decisions, even if they are not present today – and this includes children and future generations.
   When one-half of registered voters in Caroline request the Town board to do something, it is our responsibility to make a courageous attempt to honor their request and to be their advocate and try every available option. This resolution tonight is not a ban on drilling – it’s to simply investigate whether it’s possible.  We haven’t even done the research.  Let’s pay an attorney. Let’s pay multiple attorneys. We face uncertainty. We don't know what the state’s final regulations will be around preemption in ECL 23-0303, or if Dryden’s law will hold in court, or if Caroline ourselves would be sued. What we do know is we have received a petition signed by half of registered voters in this community -- with 71% of people approached signing -- requesting we be their advocate.
   Just as the impacts of household decisions can extend beyond borders of private property, the impacts of our town policy extend beyond the town’s borders. Caroline is the watershed for the City of Ithaca. Other towns bordering the watershed -- Danby, Dryden, and the Town of Ithaca -- have all banned. If the bans hold up in court, and Caroline allows fracking, and despite have “safe operators,” a chemical spill contaminates our water…Do you really think that the Town of Caroline would not be sued by the City of Ithaca, Ithaca College, Cornell University, Cayuga Medical Center, or all who draw their water in streams and lakes fed by Six Mile Creek for failing to take every reasonable measure to protect their water supply when we had the chance?
   If we are to risk, I would risk that we placed the health of our citizens over avoiding lawsuits from foreign corporations.  I would risk that we placed the concern for the downstream effects of our actions over the potential for trickle-down money to some in our community.  I would risk that we placed the potential for future generations of our farmers to till healthy soil over the potential for future generations of farmers to ask why no one buys food produced in their contaminated soils.  I would risk we advocate for our citizen’s right to choose their future over decisions by ceding home rule to Albany.   Lastly, if I were to risk, I would risk that we used this moment to recommit to our vision for community we are proud to leave for the next 20 and for the next 200 years.
   In the end, that’s what this vote is in about: an opportunity to recommit what is most important to us as a community. This resolution calls on us as elected leaders to do our due diligence; to seek the best legal advice from as many attorneys as necessary to protect the health and welfare of our citizens.
   And this resolution is about hope. Hope that every farmer for another seven generations can earn a decent living on their land. Hope that our kids can play outside without fear. Hope that we create work that contributes to our community. Hope that a shy kid from the woods can be given the opportunity to serve his community. Hope that we can meet whatever challenges come our way.
   On behalf of past, present, and future Caroline citizens, I cast my vote for investigating every available means to protect our town, our water, air, community, roads, housing values, safety, farmland, rural hillsides, local economy, and our democracy.”

Dominic Frongillo  

10 Bailor Rd

Brooktondale, NY 14817

**Dominic Frongillo is the youngest

council member in the Town of Caroline, New York

Are you “in”, or are you “out”?

It is difficult for the average Veteran to decipher these “codes” and figure out whether, or not  he/she is in the correct priority group. Even more difficult is trying to determine exactly what benefits you are entitled to receive from a VA Medical Center. Most Veterans faithfully accept whatever  a VA representative tells them. The further up the food chain you are, the more clear the explanations of benefits becomes. 

I would like to comment on an article posted in my latest copy of the VFW Magazine (VFW/November-December, 2011): ISSUES UP FRONT Priority 7 and 8 VA Enrollees in the Crosshairs?

1.       Are these the groups that experience the most Veterans falling   

       through the cracks?

           I do agree with the concept and practice of “means testing”.

2.      The  question here is; “Are these numbers (limits) realistic?”
            The Federal government, in general, tends to under-estimate
            income  levels as they pertain to “means testing”, and it is not in    
            only the VA system that this occurs.

3.       Dose the fact that a Veteran  who has no history of overseas duty,

      or combat duty, or direct support of Soldiers in combat, lessen 

      his/her

      contribution to the overall functioning and well being of their

      comrades?

4.       If I am in the highest group, Priority 1, am I considered eight times (x8)  
          more worthy, eight times more entitled to benefits, eight times more 
          of a Soldier?

I realize that qualifying the lower priorities for a more thorough benefits package would cost more money. I also realize that someone who is willing to wear the uniform, thus putting his/her life in jeopardy,  deserve a great deal more from this Country than they currently receive. The folks in Washington, DC, who decide these rules and regulations, would  be enjoying a totally different lifestyle were it not for the men and women who have gone off to war in protecting this Country. The bottom line is that they DO deserve more, across the board.

Priority 7:	·         Veterans with incomes below the geographic means test (GMT) income thresholds and who agree to pay the applicable copayment.
	These household income figures are what the VA considers when benefits are “means” tested  $29,402.00 ( single, no dependants) to $41,344(family of four)*
Priority 8:	Veterans with gross household incomes: ·         above the VA Means Test thresholds who were enrolled as of January 16, 2003 and who agreed to pay the applicable copayment; --or— ·         not exceeding the VA Means Test thresholds or GMT income thresholds by more than 10% and who agree to pay the applicable copayment -- effective June 15, 2009.

*comment by H. Dubosque
https://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PriorityGroupsAll.asp

Spread the word!

http://www.getmoneyout.com/

This initiative is totally legitimate and growing. If this can be melded with “Occupy Wall Street” and other similar movements, the People of this Country may, indeed, be able to reclaim the voice that has been stolen from them.The letter blow came to me via a good “Facebook” friend from Florida and, because I’m a little bit passionate about this subject, I am forwarding it you. My hope is that you will consider joining this Cause by simply signing their petitions from time to time. Of course, any further involvement will be a good thing, also.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jimmy Williams < >
Sent: Fri, Oct 21, 2011 4:55 pm
Subject: A Letter from the Executive Director, jimmy@getmoneyoutfoundation.org

Karen --
Sharing our own moments in history is real.  It’s humbling. I remember a moment I had back in late July when I was sitting in my spacious office down on K Street.  I had just taken a call from yet another Member of Congress, asking me to raise him $25,000. My initial reaction was to smile and reflect on simpler but poorer times when I was a Senate staffer; $25,000 a year!

I spent almost seven years, the best years of my life by the way, doing policy in the Senate and I take great pride in my public service. Back then I did what was natural: I became a lobbyist, with the hopes of continuing my economic policy expertise from the outside. Key word here: policy.

But here's the rub: lobbyists today rarely get to use the policy they learned in the halls of Congress.  Instead they are forced to spend a majority of their time raising money and shuffling from cocktail reception to cocktail reception.

The "fundraising circuit" is deafening.  It's sick and it makes me nauseous to think of having to write check after check after check to a Senator or Representative just so I can get a meeting with him or her later.  Anyone that tells you that's not true is flat out lying to you.

So, back to my "moment in history." It began at my desk.   A physical chill came over my body. The smile of "making it" as one of the top lobbyists (apparently the Wall Street Journal thought so!) in Washington turned into something different.

That's when it hit me.  That's when I knew I had to stop.  I had two choices, be a cog in the wheel or destroy the wheel. I literally shuttered at the thought of losing everything I'd ever worked for: my home, my ability to travel, to live a life of luxury, to provide for my family, etc. I left my lobbying firm and bunkered down on an island for the month of August and did some major soul searching.

Skip a couple of months forward and a new door opened: my friend Dylan Ratigan approached me to lead the Get Money Out Foundation.  Great offer but I needed a sounding board, so I picked up the phone and called my brother Robert down in South Carolina.  What I heard in my brother's voice was this theme that Washington, DC isn’t just broken but corrupt. He confirmed what I suspected: that the country at worst hates its capitol and at best thinks our politicians have no clue about what it means to live outside the echo chamber known as the Beltway.

My brother and I couldn't be more different; He's a Republican, I’m a democrat.  He's straight, I’m gay, he's reserved and more cautious, yet I was the kid in the family that threw it all out there.  But there’s not a single person in this world whom I love or trust more than my brother, and when he tells me the country's pissed off at Washington, I knew I had to do this.

Robert asked me how I was going to make Washington wake up and give up its power; what's the strategy, he said.  Here's what I told him:

First, Get Money Out will debate openly and with the public's input. We’ll write the best Constitutional Amendment possible and put it forward to the people.  We wont always agree but if you have something to say, I’ll listen.

Second, we will take the best amendment language to Congress and find allies to introduce it for debate.  Do I expect Congress to debate this immediately? I’m not that naive but that’s where you come in.

Third, I need a wave.  As I write this, we know we have nearly 220,000 followers who believe in this mission.  We need more.  We need MANY more.   I wont be satisfied until we reach 2 million or more.  Why? Because Congress won’t listen unless the wave overtakes them.  I've said it before: Congress doesn't pro-act, Congress only reacts.  This is where you come in. We need your help (and your friends and family’s help) to get Congress to react.  Lets build a wave so big they can’t ignore by exposing the auction for this "government to the highest bidder" mentality for what it is: corruption through and through.

Fourth, if we can get Congress to pass a Constitutional Amendment, then we turn our focus to the states, which have to ratify it to actually make it law.

Campaign finance reform isn't a new idea.  Congress has passed reform measure after reform measure.  Yet, the Supreme Court continues to insist that corporations are people and that money is speech. I just don't agree.  I don't think the Tea Party movement agrees. And I definitely don't think the Occupy Wall Street movement agrees that Exxon is a person.  What we all agree on is the system is broken, that Washington DC is nothing more than an auction house, with the highest bidder always winning.

There are others out there spearheading similar movements, many with good intentions. There are many roads to Rome.  Some want to take the back-roads, some want to take the interstate. In the end, if we all want to reach Rome and agree on the same goal, to Get Money Out of Politics, then I don't care how everyone gets there.  I just care that we all make it to the finish line and pass an amendment banning money in the halls of Congress.

That’s the strategy for the Get Money Out Foundation.  Its simple, its concise, and its honest.  We don’t need to complicate a solution to something so inherently and blatantly wrong.

As the executive director of the Get Money Out Foundation, I give you my word (and my word is all I have in this world) that I will run this movement to ban money in politics as openly, honestly, and transparently as I possibly can.  With your help, we will reach Rome.

Lets get money out and give America its government back.

JFMW

Jimmy Williams
http://www.getmoneyout.com/