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Take That: October 15, 2011

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Take That: October 15, 2011

IN RESPONSE TO: Davis and Winnecke Trash “The Machine”

“Davis simply needs to point out the following, which will be a bit easier after Oct. 21:
1) Winnecke has the same donors as Weinzapfel
2) The Dem machine is suppporting Winnecke
3) Winnecke said that if Weinzapfel were running again, he wouldn’t enter the race because “he agrees with Weinzapfel’s agenda”

It’s clear who the Machine candidate is.” Vonkayel

“Rick Davis could not win the Dem. primary without fracturing the Dem. party. He started this four years ago, at that time to prepare for Dan Adams to run against Jonathan Weinzapfel. … Yes, he was able to dismantle the Mosby machine in Perry Township, but his only inroad into the Mosbys on the Eastside has been D-d-d-d-d-donny. Big deal.” Veracity

“It makes no difference to the machine politics if you are a republican or a democrat the machine has and always will cross party line for the good of the old boys club’s benefit, power hungry control freaks don’t have a political badge that is of a certain color or affiliation, the old boys club transcends well beyond party boundaries, that’s it’s strength and power base.” Blanger

“He failed to understand that there are two separate political entities involved in the process. If you doubt that I am right, just ask all the citizens living in unincorporated Vanderburgh county to show up at the polling station to vote in the city election and see if they are allowed to vote! It is another case of Weinzapfel instructing Winnecke on what he was to do. The puppet and his master.” Pressanykey

“Please Define who are the good ole boys. You throw this around but fail to say who belongs. Our inquiring minds want to know.” Auchilles

“Here’s how I would lay it out:
The Powers: These are the people who actually control what happens in Evansville political and economic life. They tend to remain behind the scenes, acting through proxies or managers (see below).
Bob Koch
Neil Ellerbrook/Vectren
Bob Jones/ONB
Andy Goebel
Jack McNeely
Alan Braun
Englebrecht (questionable)

The Managers: These are the Apparatchiks, the ones who see to it that the agenda of the Powers actually gets done, by any means necessary. They don’t generally control the money or overall strategy, but they are the ones who do tactical planning, the intimidation, and the political maneuvering needed to implement the strategy.
Mark Owen (D)
Jeff Knight ($)
Marco DeLucio ($)
Carol McClintock
David Jones (D)
Ted Zeimer (R)
Lloyd Winnecke (R)
Bettye Lou Jerell (R)
Ed Hafer ($)
Curt John (D)
The Sock Puppets: These are the public officials who take their orders from the managers. They cast the votes, talk to the media, and generally are the “face” of the machine.
Jonathan Weinzapfel (D)
Connie Robinson (D)
Troy Tornatta (D)
Jonathan Weaver (D)
Missy Mosby (D)
Matt Meadors ($)
Joe Kiefer (R)
Mike Duckworth (R)
John Friend (D)
Suzanne Crouch (R)
Eric Williams (D)
Brad Ellsworth (D)
Brad Hill
Keith Jarboe (D)
Susan Kirk (R?)
BJ Watts (D)
Tom Shetler (R)
Mike Goebel (D)”

From Vonkayel in response to Auchilles

IS IT TRUE? October 15, 2011

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? October 15, 2011

IS IT TRUE that today is the day the group of people calling themselves “Occupy Evansville” will be assembling at the Four Freedoms Monument to set up the occupation?…that the combined Facebook “like” indicators are now over 2,000?…that looking over the site there are people from as much as 100 miles away indicating that they will be joining in the occupation of Evansville?…that finally today that some pointed political posts and some demands are starting to show up in the local sites?…that these demands are looking very much like what other parts of the country are hearing?…that it seems as though this leaderless and misdirected group may be getting its marching orders from somewhere because that is the only way that uniform statements could ever find their way to what is now several hundred groups?…that if and we must say if the list of 13 “demands” that are listed in the Evansville Courier and Press this morning are the goals of this group that what they have is a utopian dream that will put the last dagger into the heart of the already weakened American economy?…that we hope that the Evansville group will direct its youthful energy into things that Evansville can use improvement with?

IS IT TRUE that within “Occupy Evansville” there is a very vocal group that are naming targets for march bys?…that the targets listed include Vectren, some banks, Springleaf (for AIG history), and of course government buildings?…that there is a section under legal where all of the protesters are instructed about what is legal and what is not?…that there is no need for anyone to expect any violence or disrespect as the group seems to be well coached on protest etiquette?…that all of these targets have some merit and may be a part of the improvement of Evansville and that we hope that they will see march-bys as a wake-up call as opposed to an attack?

IS IT TRUE that the press release from Vectren this week letting us know that natural gas prices have fallen and that we can on average expect to pay $10 less this winter to keep warm?…that of course the normal disclaimers like “if the winter weather is just like last year’s”, “if the sun shines as much as normal”, and “if there are as many power outages as last year” then you will see you $10 but if not we are not responsible for this statement were included?…that what the press release really said was “if you use exactly the same amount of gas that you used last year Vectren believes based on its purchases that you will save $10, and they would like to get credit for saving you the $10”?…that this press release was really just an FYI to the ratepayers?

IS IT TRUE that unlike electricity where Vectren’s prices are dramatically higher than nearly every utility in the United States, their gas pricing is decoupled and actually has to compete in some areas that it serves?…that decoupling means that the price of the gas itself is passed directly through to the ratepayers at the cost that Vectren spends to acquire the gas?…that if Vectren is a good shopper that we the ratepayers benefit?…that if Vectren is a bad shopper and pays a high price for the openly traded commodity of natural gas that they will pass those extra costs on to us as well?…that during the last 5 years Vectren has been both a good and bad shopper?…that natural gas is traded today at $3.54 per million Btu’s and has a rising inventory?…that natural gas has not changed considerable over the past year but it has dropped dramatically from its highs of over $10 per million Btu in much of 2005?…that natural gas due to fracking increasing the supply is actually at a 10 year low in real dollars per Btu?…that Vectren does not have the size to control this market and is much at the whims of the market for gas as the ratepayers of SW Indiana are to the whims of the IURC?

IS IT TRUE that Vectren makes all of its profits from its gas operation from “distribution and service charges”?…that in one recent statement that “distribution and service charges” make up 77% of the gas charges while the “therms used (code for gas)” only makes up 23% of the total gas charges?…that while the recent press release was informative that it was a little sleight of hand as Vectren as a company is only earning profits from the “distribution and service charge” side of that equation?…that given the drop in natural gas since 2005 that one would expect that the gas portion of the bill should be 60% lower now than it was then?…that that nice warm air is moved with fans from the source of the flame to most homes?…that these fans are powered by electricity which at the end of the day still cost triple as much in Evansville than it does across the money saving bridge?

IS IT TRUEthat 10 therms = 1 million Btu’s?…that a recent bill would calculate that Vectren charges $4.85 per mmBtu?…that the spot market for natural gas has been stable this year at just over $3.50 per mmBtu?…that it seems as though Vectren’s overhead associated with purchasing the natural gas must be about 35% – 40%?

Link to historical natural gas price chart:

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/commodity/natural-gas

Drug Task Force Reports Another House Destroyed Due to Meth Lab

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METH Lab Fire 10152011

City Adding 250 Parking Spaces in “Back 40”

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Parking Expansion Notice

Evansville Redevelopment Commission Meeting Agenda 10-18-2011

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ERC draft_agenda_10-18-11_erc

The Littlest Candidates Debate

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IS IT TRUE? October 14, 2011 Lunchtime Edition

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Name this City Council Member

IS IT TRUE? October 14, 2011

IS IT TRUE that noon tomorrow is the time that the group of people calling themselves “Occupy Evansville” will be assembling at the Four Freedoms Monument to set up the occupation?…that the combined Facebook “like” indicators are now over 2,000?…that looking over the site there are people from as much as 100 miles away indicating that they will be joining in the occupation of Evansville?…that there are no real demands, agendas, or leaders identified on the site so we shall learn what we are getting when we get it?…that there is a very vocal group that are naming targets for march bys?…that the targets listed include Vectren, some banks, Springleaf (for AIG history), and of course government buildings?…that there is a section under legal where all of the protesters are instructed about what is legal and what is not?…that there is no need for anyone to expect any violence or disrespect as the group seems to be well coached on protest etiquette?

IS IT TRUE that today’s Evansville Police Department activity report contained 34 reports of stealing or fraud?…that it also contained a number of meth related arrests with one particular case where there were 100 one-pot meth labs in a single house?…that the City County Observer wishes to ask that all of our readers do not litter or steal anything this weekend?…that these should be easy things to do and easy things to encourage with others?…that we look forward to a day when the EPD has only 5 pages or less of crimes on any given day as opposed to the up to 20 pages that we have on bad days now?

IS IT TRUE that we would like to reiterate something from our earlier IS IT TRUE and that is that NO MEMBER of the EVANSVILLE CITY COUNCIL whether they met privately with Vectren or not was aware that there was going to be an announced fee increase hearing the very next morning?…that we have been assured by enough council members to say with confidence that if this piece of material information had been known that Vectren’s October 24th date with the City Council would not have been changed?…that our City Council got the wool pulled over their eyes this time?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has filed for bankruptcy?…that the characteristics of Harrisburg are a population that has been shrinking for over 50 years, a failure to adapt to a modern economy, and borrowing a very large sum of money on a public works project that was projected to be self funding?…that the Mayor of Harrisburg and the entire City Council are Democrats?…that we wonder just how many others might see some similarities to Evansville?…that we need to attend events at the Ford Center so that it becomes a financial success as opposed to the incinerator project in Harrisburg that finally bankrupted that city?…that it seems as though elected officials get the wool pulled over their eyes all over the place?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission is scheduled to meed on Tuesday August 18, 2011 but has not yet issued an agenda?…that all are curious about the potential for line items about VETTING, the hotel, or the McCurdy?

IS IT TRUE that the Democratic Central Committee tells us that those 6 poster names that magically vanished from the Courier and Press comment site are not their names and that they had nothing to do with catjones, bullettooth, Labor215, fourwheeldrive, EleanorRugby, or EvilleResWest?…that we are relieved to hear that?

Libertarians to Occupiers: Crony capitalism is the problem

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 14, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians to Occupiers: Crony capitalism is the problem

WASHINGTON – Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:

“I have been following the Occupy protesters, who call themselves the ‘99%’, with interest.

“It’s true that 99% of Americans do not enjoy the special benefits of crony capitalism. Crony capitalism is very different from real capitalism. In crony capitalism, government hands out special favors and protections to politically well-connected businesses.

“The TARP bailouts, Solyndra, and the military-industrial complex are all facets of crony capitalism.

“Libertarians love free markets and hate crony capitalism.

“Unfortunately, hypocritical Republican politicians have taught a lot of Americans to think that ‘free markets’ means freedom for government and big business to engage in crony capitalism.

“That’s not what free markets are. A free market is where the government leaves businesses alone, does not attempt to pick winners and losers, does not stifle competition, does not hand out corporate welfare, and does not absolve businesses of liability for their actions. Most of our economy today does not resemble a free market at all.

“It’s unfortunate that so many businesses today go to the government begging for handouts and special treatment. I wish they wouldn’t. But the real problem is the politicians who choose to give those favors to them, at everyone else’s expense.

“I hope the Occupy protesters will start to direct their anger away from Wall Street and big businesses, and toward our government, which has done so much to destroy free markets and entrench crony capitalism.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

Harrisburg, PA Files for Bankruptcy after Incinerator Project Fails to Live up to Expectations

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The City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania took a rare step this week and filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy allegedly was necessary because the City took on a debt level of over 4 times its annual budget and in particular because a large municipal project did not live up to the financial expectations that were projected at the time it was built.

Harrisburg like many midwestern cities has seen its population shrink from a high of 89,544 people in 1950 to a low of 48,950 in the 2000 census completing a drop of 45% in only 50 years. During the last decade population has stabilized and is currently at 49,528. Harrisburg which is the capitol of Pennsylvania saw continuous growth prior to 1950 but has been declining since then.

In an effort to satisfy the newly created EPA back in the early 70’s, Harrisburg embarked on an incenerator project that was touted to be a money maker. That performance never panned out leaving the people of Harrisburg holding the bag for the debt that was incurred to build it.

Reference:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/9367-harrisburg-pennsylvanias-incinerator-a-story-of-unintended-consequences

“It Seems to Me” a transcript from 1973 by J.C. Kerlin, The Birth of the Evansville Political Machine

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Every once in a while a literary treasure is found in the strangest places and the timing of such a find is almost always perfect. It could be said that serendipity has a sense of humor.

During the past week with the “FloatGate” political drama at the Fall Festival, the surprise juxtaposition of the delay of a local Vectren rate increase hearing just before a real hearing was disclosed, and the Mayoral debate when both candidates accused each other of being in the clutches of “The Machine” of old boy politics, this wonderful transcript by a local author written in 1973 was made available to the City County Observer.

Taking the time to read this and to ponder on its contents makes it very clear why political machines can flourish in Evansville. As this transcript shows, Evansville itself is the result of the actions and control of a “political machine” that was forged before most of the current residents were born. The torch has been passed from generation to generation and from party to party but the soul of the machine never changes. Living with “The Machine” is a way of life in Evansville. It is part of our comfort zone

The cranks of today’s political machine are being turned by the anointed great great grand political children of the architects of “The Machine”. As with the proverbial organ grinder, it is the organ and the grinder that matters. The monkey that turns the crank is interchangeable and works for peanuts.

Please read this transcript as it is quite relevant to the events of this week, this year, and even this century. Many will have their awareness enhanced from this. Some may become angry. The important thing is that over the course of the next decade Evansville has a chance to dismantle “The Machine” or secure its place as master of our destiny for a few more generations.

Some wonderful excerpts:

“The symbol Watergate, so applied, from now on may be used from now on to describe the vast array of violations of the honor system and the exploitations of the freedoms of choice in the conduct of official affairs.”

“that which for a while appeared to be simply one set of politicians trying a political trick on another has become much more serious with implications that in high places, high stakes are for sale at high prices.”

“Political connections helped relieve him (Evansville Mayor) of the suspicion of his involvement in a bootlegging scandal, and he threw the Courier off his track by buying the newspaper”

“a newspaper was compromised and a community intimidated by a parasitical element that destroyed a political party”

“in all Watergates, both big and small, it seems to me there is one ingredient, that the offenders are brought to account, not by the established authority, or official procedures, but by other politicians. In other words a black kettle is called so by a black pot.”

Link to the transcript:

https://city-countyobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/J.C._Kerlin_Transcript.pdf

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