I attended the public meetings about traffic improvements and roundabouts in Pine Grove and submitted the following comment: The roundabouts give a beginning and end definition to Pine Grove, which is clearly intended by many of the proponents. The idea of clear boundaries to a settlement is European, born in Feudalism and carried forward into Socialism. The American pattern where a community has greater population density and/or land use intensity at its center and then fades into the countryside with generally larger and larger lots is born of freedom and private property. I like and want to preserve the American pattern and the values behind it. Americans who favor European land use amaze me, since the vast majority of Americans are descended from Europeans who voted with their feet to reject the European style.
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Monday, December 17, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Taking Back our Freedoms, Resources and Prosperity
Who really has jurisdiction over so-called Federal Lands in our counties? What is a constitutional county? Do we have rights, in some cases going back to the Magna Carta, that allow us to take back our county –our freedoms, resources, prosperity? Learn about this and many other topics from people who not only have “new” ideas, but from those who are doing it now in several Western counties. This is the winning strategy. It’s called Defend Rural America and its coming to Amador County this Saturday, November 3th at the Sutter Creek Auditorium at 2 pm. Check them out at: (http://
www.defendruralamerica.com/DRA/Home.html)
How bad is the current situation and how strongly do I think that we need to move and to move immediately? Since the financial crisis of 2008 we have had a slow recovery of about 1.5 to 2% economic growth (GDP). But 83% of that increase in economic growth has been inflation. Actually, less goods have been sold but at higher prices. Translating from Washingtonspeak, there is not only no economic growth, but we are all being further squeezed with higher prices. Since Obama took office the amount of Federal government debt owned by the Federal Reserve Bank has increased 452%. It now buys 61% of all Treasury debt. So it is printing money that is essentially worthless except for the belief in “the full faith and credit of the US Government”. If that belief ever falters, our money becomes truly worthless. An event overseas, perhaps with a trading partner like China, could become the catalyst for questioning the value of the US dollar.
The rating agencies, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, tell us that municipal bonds are safe, despite the recently publicized bankruptcies. Yet a current study by the New York Fed “found between 35 and 50 times more municipal defaults over the past few decades than rating agencies have reported.” About 51% of municipal bonds are purchased by middle class Americans because of their income tax exemptions. Nearly one third of the $10 billion one year bills California sold, the largest municipal debt deal of the year, were bought by individual investors. Collateral for those bonds is the taxing power of California. Even in our current state budget, for whatever value you assign its tricks and realities, projected sales tax revenue is down 33 %. Several major municipal defaults could further weaken the middle class with an unknown affect on the balance of political power.
Many media report that the economy is getting better because consumer debt is now a lower percent of personal income. However, the total amount of consumer debt is unchanged. The other personal income is going to basics, like gasoline and food, at inflated prices as noted earlier. It is only artificially low interest rates that are allowing us to make our debt payments. Low interest rates benefit borrowers, the largest being the US government. A 1% increase in interest rates would add $100 billion to the federal deficit and cause the Federal Reserve to have a $150 billion capital deficit because of its holding of Federal and related debt.
We have 1.1 law enforcement officers and firefighters and over 1.2 tax preparers according to the FacetheFactsUSA website. After reading that statistic I realized that my income tax preparation expense was equal to over 25% of my property tax bill! This is just one of the endless examples of what economists call “misappropriated resources”. We have 5 % of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoners at an annual taxpayer cost of over $63 billion a year. While this is due to a variety of reasons, including the general decline of society, many people are incarcerated for simply standing up for freedom. Presently serving time is someone who violated the zoning code with bible study classes in their home and another who collected rainwater on his property. Please remember that our pending General Plan asserts that the water falling on our properties belongs to the Valley Aquifer and that we should all convert to surface water (rivers) and construct expensive new systems.
Despite all this doom and gloom, we in Amador County are truly blessed. Sutter Gold Mining recently announced the discovery of two new gold bearing veins. Reading between the lines of their press release, it seems very little of the Mother Lode has been explored and almost none with modern technology. Underground miners make $17 to $26 an hour depending upon their skill level. The industry’s mean annual wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $46,980. Will we have to wait through another eight years of environmental delays for mine expansion? Or can environmental review be approved, as in Canada, in a year and a half?
Be there this Saturday, November 3th, at the Sutter Creek Auditorium at 2 pm. Your future and that of our county and nation are in danger. And while the economy is critical, it is the soul of America that is at stake.
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
www.defendruralamerica.com/DRA/Home.html)
How bad is the current situation and how strongly do I think that we need to move and to move immediately? Since the financial crisis of 2008 we have had a slow recovery of about 1.5 to 2% economic growth (GDP). But 83% of that increase in economic growth has been inflation. Actually, less goods have been sold but at higher prices. Translating from Washingtonspeak, there is not only no economic growth, but we are all being further squeezed with higher prices. Since Obama took office the amount of Federal government debt owned by the Federal Reserve Bank has increased 452%. It now buys 61% of all Treasury debt. So it is printing money that is essentially worthless except for the belief in “the full faith and credit of the US Government”. If that belief ever falters, our money becomes truly worthless. An event overseas, perhaps with a trading partner like China, could become the catalyst for questioning the value of the US dollar.
The rating agencies, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, tell us that municipal bonds are safe, despite the recently publicized bankruptcies. Yet a current study by the New York Fed “found between 35 and 50 times more municipal defaults over the past few decades than rating agencies have reported.” About 51% of municipal bonds are purchased by middle class Americans because of their income tax exemptions. Nearly one third of the $10 billion one year bills California sold, the largest municipal debt deal of the year, were bought by individual investors. Collateral for those bonds is the taxing power of California. Even in our current state budget, for whatever value you assign its tricks and realities, projected sales tax revenue is down 33 %. Several major municipal defaults could further weaken the middle class with an unknown affect on the balance of political power.
Many media report that the economy is getting better because consumer debt is now a lower percent of personal income. However, the total amount of consumer debt is unchanged. The other personal income is going to basics, like gasoline and food, at inflated prices as noted earlier. It is only artificially low interest rates that are allowing us to make our debt payments. Low interest rates benefit borrowers, the largest being the US government. A 1% increase in interest rates would add $100 billion to the federal deficit and cause the Federal Reserve to have a $150 billion capital deficit because of its holding of Federal and related debt.
We have 1.1 law enforcement officers and firefighters and over 1.2 tax preparers according to the FacetheFactsUSA website. After reading that statistic I realized that my income tax preparation expense was equal to over 25% of my property tax bill! This is just one of the endless examples of what economists call “misappropriated resources”. We have 5 % of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoners at an annual taxpayer cost of over $63 billion a year. While this is due to a variety of reasons, including the general decline of society, many people are incarcerated for simply standing up for freedom. Presently serving time is someone who violated the zoning code with bible study classes in their home and another who collected rainwater on his property. Please remember that our pending General Plan asserts that the water falling on our properties belongs to the Valley Aquifer and that we should all convert to surface water (rivers) and construct expensive new systems.
Despite all this doom and gloom, we in Amador County are truly blessed. Sutter Gold Mining recently announced the discovery of two new gold bearing veins. Reading between the lines of their press release, it seems very little of the Mother Lode has been explored and almost none with modern technology. Underground miners make $17 to $26 an hour depending upon their skill level. The industry’s mean annual wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $46,980. Will we have to wait through another eight years of environmental delays for mine expansion? Or can environmental review be approved, as in Canada, in a year and a half?
Be there this Saturday, November 3th, at the Sutter Creek Auditorium at 2 pm. Your future and that of our county and nation are in danger. And while the economy is critical, it is the soul of America that is at stake.
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Monday, October 29, 2012
42 Roads and the New Forest
In 1066 the Norman French conquered England. William the Conqueror seized an area of land for his private preserve known as the New Forest. Despite having been inhibited since pre-historic times, most of the residents were evicted. They now lived under a European import called Forest Law, contrary to the Common Law tradition of the Celtic and Saxon citizens. “Forest Law imposed a kingdom within a kingdom, where the few inhabitants were subjected to draconian laws to preserve, increase and protect game of all species . . . a Forest is land subject to special laws.” William’s son “William Rufus is supposed to haveincreased the severity of penalties for flouting Forest Law - death and mutilation apparently the penalties for interference with the King's deer…Rufus was killed in the Forest by an arrow; he was probably murdered.” Rufus was followed by Henry I who, at his coronation “issued a Charter promising to modify or abolish the excesses of Forest Law. In fact he maintained the system and increased its efficiency. He used it to his pecuniary advantage by extracting financial penalties for misdemeanors.” (All the above quotes are from http://www.newforest.hampshire.org.uk/history1.html)
Many people say history repeats itself, while others say it merely rhymes. But you can see for yourself if the imposition of European land use upon the British almost a thousand years ago seems like the current policies in our National Forests on Monday, October 29th at the Jackson Civic Center from 3 to 8 pm. They will be discussing the status of 42 travel routes in the El Dorado National Forest.
The website of the Forest Service abounds with information about their activity, however, older material seems to vanish or is hard to find. Despite road closures and other policies to keep us ordinary folks out, the National Forest abounds in human activity. I have read about 10 or so projects in the El Dorado National Forest over the past year. While their site gives details of the projects, the price tag is conspicuously missing. I decided to find out for myself and emailed the Forest Service about just one project. Their prompt and courteous reply informed me that the Indian Valley Restoration Project “is estimated at about $200,000.” So this summer’s local environmental extravagances with our tax dollars (or borrowings from the Chinese) probably total at least a million dollars.
The Indian Valley Restoration Project involves “ three quarters of a mile of a tributary stream of Indian Creek using a series of plug and ponds to enhance habitat for yellow- legged frogs, Yosemite toad, willow fly catcher” and others. Note that plugging meets bringing in boulders from the Silver Lake area, presumably by sufficient capacity vehicles. And note the word enhance. Many within the Forest Service and in the proposal’s public comments stated that the project was unnecessary. But given the current thrust of the Forest Service and the pressure of various environmental groups, projects such as this proceed. (The above information and quote were taken from the Forest Service website)
So next time you struggle to meet your bills and wonder why your taxes are so high, please remember how cute the yellow-legged frog is and how much you love them. Some people apparently love them because they could become an important new constituency in our land use decisions. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to our Forest Service on Monday, October 29th from 3 to 8 pm at the Jackson Civic Center
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Many people say history repeats itself, while others say it merely rhymes. But you can see for yourself if the imposition of European land use upon the British almost a thousand years ago seems like the current policies in our National Forests on Monday, October 29th at the Jackson Civic Center from 3 to 8 pm. They will be discussing the status of 42 travel routes in the El Dorado National Forest.
The website of the Forest Service abounds with information about their activity, however, older material seems to vanish or is hard to find. Despite road closures and other policies to keep us ordinary folks out, the National Forest abounds in human activity. I have read about 10 or so projects in the El Dorado National Forest over the past year. While their site gives details of the projects, the price tag is conspicuously missing. I decided to find out for myself and emailed the Forest Service about just one project. Their prompt and courteous reply informed me that the Indian Valley Restoration Project “is estimated at about $200,000.” So this summer’s local environmental extravagances with our tax dollars (or borrowings from the Chinese) probably total at least a million dollars.
The Indian Valley Restoration Project involves “ three quarters of a mile of a tributary stream of Indian Creek using a series of plug and ponds to enhance habitat for yellow- legged frogs, Yosemite toad, willow fly catcher” and others. Note that plugging meets bringing in boulders from the Silver Lake area, presumably by sufficient capacity vehicles. And note the word enhance. Many within the Forest Service and in the proposal’s public comments stated that the project was unnecessary. But given the current thrust of the Forest Service and the pressure of various environmental groups, projects such as this proceed. (The above information and quote were taken from the Forest Service website)
So next time you struggle to meet your bills and wonder why your taxes are so high, please remember how cute the yellow-legged frog is and how much you love them. Some people apparently love them because they could become an important new constituency in our land use decisions. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to our Forest Service on Monday, October 29th from 3 to 8 pm at the Jackson Civic Center
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Bain Capital
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has been criticized, and scandalously so, for his participation in the venture capital/private equity firm of Bain Capital. Yet Federico Pena, Obama’s 2008 campaign co- chair and Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Transportation and later Energy, did the very same things with the firm of Vestar Capital Partners. Hundreds lost their jobs when he reconfigured companies such as Del Monte, Birdseye and Solo Cups. This same process, called industrial reorganization in Western Europe, is sometimes orchestrated by left wing governments. It all these instances it happens for the same reason: common sense.
Once an organization comes into being and begins to work well, it also tends to stagnate and resist change as the world around changes. This can breed a cumbersome operation. But efficiency is profitable and it leads to a bigger pie for everyone, even in the muted European version. From the 1930’s to the 1950’s it was generally more efficient to produce as close to your market as possible. The auto assembly plants in California closed when changes in the market made it more efficient to manufacture at a central location and ship the final product. A few decades ago food companies found it cheaper to make their own packaging. When independent packaging companies achieved much larger volumes of production and lowered prices, the food processors sold off their packaging divisions. Warehousing has also changed. Regional warehouses have given way to a few mega warehouses for most companies. Many once thought that FedEx using a single Memphis hub was crazy.
What if we maintained employment for covered wagon manufacturers? Had the government still training pole boat operators for the Mississippi River? The black and white TV factory workers are gone. Where are they? In the early 1960’s it was feared that the layoff of over 10,000 manual elevator operators would lead to massive poverty among Manhattan’s low wage workers. But there was no more than a ripple of hardship as people found new occupations within the free market for labor. Change can hurt at times, but it is a constant and far preferable to stagnation financed by government debt and usually accompanied by higher prices for everyday goods.
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Once an organization comes into being and begins to work well, it also tends to stagnate and resist change as the world around changes. This can breed a cumbersome operation. But efficiency is profitable and it leads to a bigger pie for everyone, even in the muted European version. From the 1930’s to the 1950’s it was generally more efficient to produce as close to your market as possible. The auto assembly plants in California closed when changes in the market made it more efficient to manufacture at a central location and ship the final product. A few decades ago food companies found it cheaper to make their own packaging. When independent packaging companies achieved much larger volumes of production and lowered prices, the food processors sold off their packaging divisions. Warehousing has also changed. Regional warehouses have given way to a few mega warehouses for most companies. Many once thought that FedEx using a single Memphis hub was crazy.
What if we maintained employment for covered wagon manufacturers? Had the government still training pole boat operators for the Mississippi River? The black and white TV factory workers are gone. Where are they? In the early 1960’s it was feared that the layoff of over 10,000 manual elevator operators would lead to massive poverty among Manhattan’s low wage workers. But there was no more than a ripple of hardship as people found new occupations within the free market for labor. Change can hurt at times, but it is a constant and far preferable to stagnation financed by government debt and usually accompanied by higher prices for everyday goods.
Copyright 2012, Mark L. Bennett
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Design Review Based On False Premise
I am urging people to attend the June 26, 2012 Board of Supervisors hearing at 10:30 am. What follows expands my main point and is similar to a prior commentary and one that appeared in another local venue.
The Design Review Ordinance now under consideration for Amador County is based on a completely false premise. It advocates preservation by limiting choices to what has already existed. This freezes or fossilizes the present. A perfect example of this false premise is the design forced upon McDonald’s versus their proposed building. One can easily criticize their bland proposal, but it looks like 2012. What is now being constructed is an inchoate hodgepodge of styles that lacks unity and what designers call the “integrity of design”. But looking like 2012 will become the preserved past of future years. The false fronts of the gold rush era buildings were garish and phony. The 1920’s and 30’s bungalows in Jackson and elsewhere in the county were once considered decadent flights of fancy. The Golden Gate Bridge was vehemently opposed. Environmental damage was feared by the Sierra Club. One critic called the design “an an upside-down rat trap”.
Today the Golden Gate Bridge is the worldwide symbol of San Francisco. The Gold Rush false fronts and the later bungalows are now considered charming and beautiful. Are we afraid to live in the present and therefore embrace the future? What will Amador County look like, and feel like, in 50 years if everything built since 2012 is a rehashing of what was built in years prior?
The Design Review Ordinance will require that “Any addition, or remodel in excess of 10% of the total floor area of the existing structure…shall adhere to these guidelines.” This absolutely precludes boot strap free enterprise. What if an out of work person with exhausted unemployment benefits decides to risk his remaining savings by renting a building and seeing if his talents for lawn mower repair or whatever can produce an adequate income? Aren’t some of the “less than perfect” older homes on Hwy 88 in Pine Grove and elsewhere the perfect settings? Shouldn’t County Planning encourage this economic potential? Isn’t reusing these buildings “sustainable development”? Or are these older and poorly located homes just dilapidated structures to be eliminated with government subsidy as was once suggested? Can only more government regulation protect us from the unknown future with perhaps different looking buildings?
Why fear the future? What is this darkness? Why does this same attitude permeate the proposed General Plan? Why does it contain every conceivable danger, inherent in life itself, as an obstacle or limitation? An obstacle or limitation is an opportunity for a solution given the American “can do” spirit. Can freedom of design and the American exuberance represented by the Giant Pencils at the former cedar mill in Pioneer ever exist again? On May 22, 2012 the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing about the Design Review Ordinance. It will continue on June 26, 2012. Be there and voice your opinion.
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