Know how you know your in Tallahassee, prioities are screwed up!

Alas, the Roses are safe.  Thats right my friends.  While news on the Tallahassee Police Departments contributions to  Rachel Hoffmans death fades from the front pages and Police Chief Dennis Jones
continues to reign supreme, while the returning veterans and those who pass away are still unable, unlike other communities in the state, to receive an honorable welcome home, while the legislator robber barons meander the the pretty tree lined streets we can rest peacefully knowing that the roses are safe.

Seems Dee Crumpler, director of the city's parks and recreation department, told a neighborhood group late last year he intended to "plow under" eight city rose gardens because of budget cuts.

Oh my God NO, NO, NO,  Not the Roses! Such injustice must not be allowed to occur. No, we must mobilize to stop such insanity.  What you say? To late?

Oh my, it seems some Tallahassee residents have beat us to it.

But following an outcry that led to a private fundraising effort, Crumpler said this week the city would continue to maintain the eight rose gardens. It costs the city $16,000 a year to maintain the gardens. The fundraising effort has raised more than $7,000 and donations are still being sought.  "Here's your headline: 'Crumpler will not, repeat will not, plow up the roses,'" Crumpler said. "We think we're going to have enough money and with some re-arranging of our department's work assignments, we should be able to maintain the rose gardens for the coming year."

Glory be to God that the roses will not face Genocide.  All hail Dee Crumpler for, unlike the Tallahassee Police Department, the ability to establish priorities and rearrange departmental policy in response to public outcry. And last but not least, God Bless the Tallahassee citizenry of "Betton HIlls" (such a charming name) and other more or less noble places.

After all, to quote Lecky Spector,

"Why destroy something beautiful? They can say that when the economy improves they'll put them back. But they never will. And you get a city that doesn't care about itself."

Ah yes Lecky, such wisdom is hard to find now days. Unless of course you live in Tallahassee.

Now if I might politely excuse myself, I must go pukith!Add to Technorati Favorites

The Declaration of Independence, Where do we stand now and what will we do?

Following is part of a post we made on July 5th, 07.  We suspect that not many read it then and not many will read it now, despite the fact that it is more relevant today than it was when we first posted it.

So why would we re-post it? Well hell it should be fairly apparent by now that we love pissing in the wind.   But also because despite our constant rants an raves we are eternal optimists. Not to mention a bit delusional as it is our hope that it may motivate just 1 or 2 more to wake up and realize that the sky isn't falling, it has crashed!

and so here ya go from Independence day Redux and anew:

Though I won't reprint the whole thing today, I would like (and so I will) to print a couple off it's (The Declaration of Independence) provisions and share some just, off of the top of my head observations, that I'm sure with a little research can be expanded on and would hope that some would have their own thoughts. Now here is the main premise of the declaration, the part we all remember from school and many consider to be "it":

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

(ADDED TODAY: Please note: "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."  What have you consented to?  And what more will YOU consent to???)


And here are some of the "afters" that many of us probably do not remember or dwell on considering the current state of affairs, or maybe don't give a damn about:

"Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

Can anyone say "Patriot Act and or permutation of law by executive order?"

(ADDED TODAY: From Karl Marx (In the Communist Manifesto he and his collaborator Friedrich Engels published in 1848, Marx listed government control of capital as one of the ten essential steps on the road to communism. Step five: "Centralization of credit in the hands of the state ..) to Adolf Hitler (He appointed Dr. Hjalmar Schacht minister of economics with instructions to secretly increase armaments production. This was financed in various ways, including using confiscated funds, printing bank notes and mostly by producing government bonds and credit notes.) all tyrants understood that controlling the banks was a first step to creating a Totalitarian Government.  On CNBC yesterday I listened as talking heads debated the acceptance of a "partial nationalization of some Banks".  Excuse me, there is no such thing as "partial nationalization"!

 However our current crises demonstrates clearly the establishment of a class society when YOUR money (check you 401K) is taken from you by the government to finance the lifestyles of the wealthy and absolve them of the consequences of robbing their own banks filled with the money made off the backs of the common man.  The Government understands that it needs the complicity of the wealthy and the wealthy understand their need for a complicit government to protect their wealth,)

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

Hmmm, the recent Pardon of Scooter Libby comes to mind as does Guantanamo and the abandonment of "Habeous Corpus" and as always, "executive orders".

(ADDED TODAY: Who among those responsible have been tried for crimes you and I would already be in jail for.  Who in the SEC was complicit with Maddofs pyramid scheme that robbed millions???)

"He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained, and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them."

We might consider here "presidential veto" (which is a legitimate check and balance unless abused) and the withholding of federal funds from states unless they comply with Federal dictates.

(ADDED TODAY:  "till his Assent should be obtained, and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them." Will the new president refuse to prosecute the guilty of the outgoing administration in a "business as usual" manner?)

"He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only."

This of course our leader (whoever he/she may be) can only do with a house representatives that out of either fear, lack of balls , or failure to read the bills before them pass willy nilly. Unfortunately for us this does seem to describe the current house of representatives.

(ADDED TODAY:  How many times can certain executive orders be imposed, rescinded and then imposed again based on the whim of whoever takes office?  Is law based on emotional response during a 4 year tenure and what say do the people have in the imposition or revocation of said orders/laws?)

"He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people".

In this day and time the leader does not have to dissolve representative houses when through the shrewed use of veto and executive power he may render them impotent. When the representatives by law have the power to "check" abuses by the executive branch but fear to do so and so in fact become complicit in the forfeiture of our liberties. When the representatives do not even know who is ruling the executive branch, the President or the vice president as any inquiries are stymied by the execution of "executive priviledge".

(ADDED TODAY: When the legislature absolves it's responsibility and signs into law,  law it has not even read!)

"He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers."

In this case we may find that our current leader just ignores the Judiciary, again reference Scooter Libby, Guantanamo, Patriot act, "torture up to organ failure and/ or death", establishment of detainee facilities in other countrys that allow us to subvert our own laws.

(ADDED TODAY: We have a new President now. Will he investigate and hold accountable members of the last administration that violated the constitution?  Or has anything really changed?)

"He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries."

Has anyone forgotten the full scale investigation of the of the Federal Prosecutors office whereby many were fired based on there "possible" opposition to a particular "political viewpoint" and not application of law as per the constitution (or any legitimate proof of failure to perform there duties as prescribed by law) and/or the fact that Supreme court justices are no longer appointed as per their understanding of the constitution but by whether or not they will support the "ideologies " of the "left" or the "right", whichever ideology holds office not by virtue of comprehension of inalienable (Note: correction uses "unalienable) rights but by an understanding of media manipulation .

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance."

Hurricane Katrina victim's are still left out in the cold, but ol "Brownie" was congratulated on the "fine job" he was doing and subsequently fired and replaced by some one who either knows less or cares less about the job they should be doing, hundreds of Fema trailors were left to rot by the Fema traitors at taxpayers expense in Texas and Arkansas airfields and the New York first responders still can not communicate effectively with each other and I suspect that there cannot be any argument as to the inadequacy's of the bureaucracy's.

"He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power".

This can only be true because due to lack of intestinal fortitude our legislative bodies are afraid to, to borrow a term from Nancy Reagan, "just say no". The power of the national guard by their respective states has been usurped by the Federal government and left us woefully ill prepared to address a national emergency oh our homeland.

(ADDED TODAY: Stationing American Military Troops on American soil to be prepared to act in America in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act,  Fusion Centers Developed by Homeland Security, FEMA CAMPS,  Blackwater USA and more Blackwater.)

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:"

Can we say UN, WHO, International Monetary fund and on and on and on...............

"For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent":

Guilty

"For depriving us in many cases of the benefits of Trial by Jury"

Patriot Act, Guantanamo, Guilty

(ADDED TODAY: the Revocation of Habeas Corpus )

"For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses":

Guantanamo and other holding camps beyond our shores where torture up to organ failure and/or death is accommodated..Guilty

"For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:"

SEE ALL OF ABOVE.......GUILTY

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

What do your think? Guilty or not ?
(ADDED TODAY:  Without Financial means to hire a  lobbyist to address your grievance, HOW DOES THE COMMON MAN "PETITION FOR REDRESS" when our pleas to those who make laws to take our money, our homes, our vehicles, our liberties go unanswered???  Have we been deluded into believing that our vote is our only allowable petition?)

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare.


"That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown," Could We? Should we? Compare our own government to the British Crown?


"and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

DO WE?

NOW THERE ARE MANY THINGS I COULD PROBABLY SAY HERE AND BE ACCUSED OF TREASON BY REFERENCING OUR OWN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SO I WILL LEAVE WHAT MIGHT BE SAID TO WHAT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE DID SAY:

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.


But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Now if anyone actually read this far, one may wonder (my hope would be that a few are) why such a missive is posted on a motorcycle rights and freedom site. It is simply this, as "bikers"
we have a history of seeking Freedom, Independence and preservation of "our" lifestyle.

Well heres a bulletin my brothers/friends. That is not "our" lifestyle. That is the inferred and intended lifestyle as envisioned by our fore fathers. It is just that as I have come to see it. We are the last bastion, or at least were, of the embodiment of these principles.

Although we have had much discussion here and elsewhere re: the expenditures of our "Biker/Motorcycle capital", we must not forget that we have an obligation if we wish to maintain, procure or otherwise throw of the yoke of tyranny that would seek to restrict or kill our lifestyle that we must not forget the rights and freedoms of all individuals and not disenfranchise ourselves by disenfranchising others. We may find and this is just a thought, that our position may be enhanced if we positioned ourselves to be the defenders of "all" liberty.  If we were perceived to be the mechanized defenders of rights and freedoms wherever the underprivileged are oppressed.

This of course would necessitate the abandonment of many of our traditional tactics, first and foremost, "sleeping with the enemy".  Abandon the seeking of governmental funds that in-dept us to our enemies (and yes we do have enemies).  Disassociate ourselves with those who would subvert our cause through compromise or retreat.  Rid ourselves of the deadwood whom we would depend on to accomplish a given task only to find they are more prone to give in to the seduction of a beer blast when the chips are down and they are needed elsewhere.

Imagine if you will the capital or appreciation or untapped resources we might find if we defended the rights of those who do not ride (and by that I do not mean support of charities that do not contribute to our cause), for our goals are not exclusive.

Advocating for the Freedom of all reduces the perceived hypocrisy of advocating for our own agenda that  puts us in a minority situation consistently sabotaged by those whom we would consider brothers in arms. It could be propositioned that our repeated pleas to the multitude of "bikers' who have become homogenized, pasteurized, neutralized, and as commercialized as Hooters waitresses that come from the same factory is wasted breath. It could be that those who ride, who would join us in our fight, have joined us. That we need to find a new source of honest blood and a new cry by which to rally them.

Our forefathers negotiated hard and long for fair treatment from those who would oppress them. When they finally accepted the futility of such actions the war was on.

Biker or not, we all live in one America. If we are to be the calvary on iron horses that would charge into the fray, then let us look to those (other than allies within the ranks of those whom we fight who can not be trusted to keep their word) already disenfranchised who seek a voice to speak for them.

Let us revisit how we have come to be here in the first place.

Let us revisit history to see what has worked, what hasn't and why it hasn't.

Let us review our commitment and seek clarity as to what exactly is it that we are committed to.

And then let us review the strength of our commitment and the reality's of our tactical position.


And then Let us be True Freedom Fighters. rc.Add to Technorati Favorites

Governor Christ responds and so do we.

When an individual is running for political office they will listen to you. They will shake your hand. They will kiss your Baby. They will tell you to contact their office if you need anything at all while they ask you for money to support their campaign.

Yet what happens after they are elected? They are to busy for you? They hire people to answer your letters and if they do so, it is usually with a form letter that kind of gives you a hint that they probably,

A. Did not read it, or

B.  Looked at it long enough to determine what category it falls under so as to send you the appropriate "Form Letter" (We might add here that Senator Nelsons office doesn't even bother with that.  They send out form letters that prove they haven't read your letter thinking you might be dumb enough to think they have.).

Yet we consistently engage in the mindless exercise of contacting our elected officials and exhort others to do so with the hope that us "peons" might be heard.

So we have options:

1. Shut up and go away. Which would be the preference of most politicians, or,

2. Continue to attempt to participate in our government as admonished by Thomas Jefferson,

 We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.

so as those who govern can not say that we have not been,

"more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. The Declaration of Independence

and so we have responded. And we will respond again and again and..........................
so that we  may be deserving in our liberty.

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." -- Wendell Phillips, (1811-1884), abolitionist, orator and columnist for The Liberator,  in a speech before the Massachusetts Antislavery Society in 1852, according to The Dictionary of Quotations edited by Bergen Evans

No cause should ever be considered so minor that our elected representatives may choose to ignore it! 


Sent to  Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
and
"Bryant, Aundra" <Aundra.Bryant@laspbs.state.fl.us>




Honorable Governor Christ

On January 21, 09 you were sent the following letter posted here
http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2009/01/letter-to-governor-christ-mentioning.html
and here
http://pub42.bravenet.com/forum/3562429698/fetch/1045562/

Governor Christ,
From your speech at the Republican Governors Association annual conference

"We have a fiscal responsibility to balance our state budgets and spend the people's money wisely. "

and

"Embracing cultures and lifestyles will make us a better party and better leaders. This desire for inclusiveness is near and dear to my heart … ."

The debacle referred to as the special session of the legislature just ended proved one thing to the people of the state of Florida. The only thing that has changed is the rapidity with which legislators can rob us blind while tossing genuine solutions out the window.

I suspected that "inclusiveness" was not felt by many Florida citizens after this session. In fact some of the legislation moved so fast some have been heard to say, "it was done before the session even started." So much for government in the sunshine.

It would seem that ideology took precedence over common sense as the term "fiscal responsibility" took on some strange meanings.

A few glaring inconsistencies to illustrate that lack of fiscal responsibility exhibited by this legislature:

The legislatures resistance to gambling (the Seminole Indian Compact) in a state that allows gambling in many different forms including the state lottery. How much money will the state lose over legislators cutting of there noses to spite their face.

Funding for substance abuse treatment beds cut when the only alternative will be more expensive prison beds. Once on the cutting edge of Substance Abuse Treatment Florida, ignoring the economic benefits, has regressed to the "lock them up and throw away the key mentality" that has be proven ineffective so many times it is beyond belief that people still subscribe to the idea. Without treatment and overhauling of the states substance abuse laws you can be sure that we will spend more money on building prisons and hiring people to run them.

The fact that Florida's prison population ranks third in the nation, behind Texas and California and that the rate of incarceration has increased despite a drop in crime should be evidence enough that what we are doing is not working. Because it is not working it is costing us enormous amounts of money.

Inclusiveness? How much damage was done to the public trust as the legislature put many trust funds in jeopardy. During a time when the state press routinely publishes articles bemoaning the rising Motorcycle fatality rate, the legislature puts the Motorcycle Safety Fund up for grabs (40a). Cities violate state law by reducing running red lights to a civil infraction to get around the "red light law" and three years running Florida has refused to bite the bullet on cell phone legislation.

Are we to believe that it is not a cost effective expenditure of state money to reduce the carnage on the killing fields we refer to as Floridas public roadways? That were we able to do so insurance rates would come down, the burden on the court system would be relieved?

Not being a legislator it maybe I do not understand these things. However other non legislator citizens do not appear to get it either. So much for inclusiveness.

I would request that you call the legislature back and make them earn "their" money however they are part and parcel of the problem.

Therefor I humbly request you use the power of your office to strike out the insanity of what you have been presented with and restore the humanity. If a regular citizen can be of help in anyway please feel free to "include" this one.

Respectfully
rc
Patriot Guard Rider (PGR)
Bikers of Lessor Tolerance (B.O.L.T.)
Publisher, "Let Freedom Reign"
http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/

To which your office Responded:

from Bryant, Aundra
to
date Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 9:30 AM
subject From the Office of the Governor
mailed-by laspbs.state.fl.us

hide details 9:30 AM (1 hour ago)

January 30, 2009

Thank you so much for your recent email regarding funding for services to Florida’s disabled populations. Governor Crist appreciates hearing from you and has asked that I respond on his behalf.

Governor Crist remains committed to protecting our state’s most vulnerable citizens. This was evident in his budget recommendations for fiscal year 2008-09 which did not include any reductions to health and human services programs that would affect direct services. Rather, the recommendations were structured to maintain the gains Florida has achieved over the past five years in the health and human services arena.

Unfortunately, our state faces a difficult economic situation with a dramatic reduction in state revenues. Consequently, reductions in program funding were required to meet the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget.

I assure you that Governor Crist will continue to advocate strongly for Florida’s citizens who suffer from mental illness. We will also explore options in collaboration with private and public partners to find the best solutions for preserving and maintaining accountability of critical programs.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with Governor Crist. Your thoughts are very important to him.

Sincerely,
Aundra Bryant
Office of Policy and Budget
Executive Office of the Governor

This response disturbs me somewhat as it does not appear to be a response to the letter I wrote.

I state this for two reasons:

1. The reference to “mental Illness” when, in relation to “alcoholism”, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the World Health Organization and the American College of Physicians have all classified alcoholism as a disease.

If the state of Florida has reverted to the “mental Illness” model, then it is no wonder we are making little progress in addressing a problem that is taking up a large percentage of prison space.

2. A primary component of our letter was our concern re: the Florida Legislatures raid on the Motorcycle Safety Funds.

Yes we understand, “our state faces a difficult economic situation with a dramatic reduction in state revenues. Consequently, reductions in program funding were required to meet the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget.”

Which is why we are at a loss to understand how cutting funds that will save money and “lives” is the answer.

It may be that the response I received was the form letter closest to the topic's I was addressing.
If so please create a form letter that addresses Motorcycle Safety.

It may also be that either my letter was never read or little attention was paid to it.

I understand that the “Governor of the People” is a busy man and that the state legislature is not known
for having the “peoples” best interest at heart, making his job even more difficult in these times. My bet however is that many of the “people” would “support” any action he may take to make the legislature responsive to someone other than their own interest.

Respectfully
rc
Patriot Guard Rider (PGR)
Bikers of Lessor Tolerance (B.O.L.T.)
Publisher, "Let Freedom Reign"Add to Technorati Favorites
http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/