Sustainable Development, LEED Certified, and Agenda 21; Sounds Great!

It's one of the popular catch phrases today: "Sustainable Development" the common definition is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" Wow, makes you feel all warm inside doesn't it? Let's break this Ivy League eco-babble down into terms that everyone can understand. For about four decades, a few leftist wingnuts have believed that common humans, being the primitive creatures we are, will quickly devour the earth's resources, consume all vegetation and food, and damage the atmosphere beyond livable conditions. In the sixties, it was discovered that we were on a path to rapid non reversible starvation due to over population. Whoops, we're still here. In the seventies, climatologists (which I believe is Latin for "always wrong"), predicted we'd all freeze in a global ice age as a result of all the chemicals we'd released into the environment. When not so much as a snow cone materialized, these same geniuses decided that the ice age had been preempted by SUV's and that the planet would shortly explode into a big ball of flames. As ridiculous as this sounds, it's all true; and a few of these jackasses have been making plans to prevent it for almost 40 years. Even though, if they had been right, the world would have ended 3 or 4 times already. Their master plan is called "Agenda 21", and it is a product of the United Nations, which consists of the U.S., Europe, and a bunch of third world, poverty stricken dictatorships that need us to send them money. Agenda 21 is a series of strategies to help governments implement policies to control the use of land and the distribution of food and natural resources. This is where the term "Sustainable Development" originated. Feel good terms like this are necessary because Americans have this pesky habit of wanting to shoot you if you try to take their property. The plan has been most effectively implemented in local communities and cities using zoning, historical and ecological preservation, and other bleeding heart B.S. A perfect example is The City of Houston's recent "Historic District" designations, which ban the demolition of homes, and greatly restrict repairs and renovations by the owners. Possibly the biggest scam perpetrated along these lines is the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)" building certification. This steaming load of crap was cooked up about 15 years ago by the U.S. Green Building Council, whose board of directors, coincidently, is made up of CEO's of companies that manufacture green building products. The USGBC isn't a government organization but, through back room politics, the LEED certification program has been adopted by most federal, state, and local govt. agencies. It is a massive scam, as anyone in construction or design without a financial interest will tell you. As detailed in this report, LEED cert. raises the building costs 10% to 30% with no guarantee of energy savings and, occasionally, leading to higher energy use. Since these are public projects, guess who foots the bill? But hey, politicians can pat themselves on the back and give each other awards, while the makers of these "green" products make a killing. Everybody wins; oh except the ignorant taxpayers, but I guess it's our fault anyway. If you're wondering who you can call to thank for bringing Agenda 21 to Houston, Click Here. Click this link to learn more about the wonderful benefits of Agenda 21

It's Time to Fire Annise Parker

Think of The City of Houston as a business; a 4 billion dollar a year business. And all of us that live, work and pay taxes here are investors. Not just those of us that live within the city limits, but, The Woodlands, Sugarland, Friendswood, and Pearland as well. Because those of you that live in the surrounding communities and unincorporated areas still have huge investments in Houston. With few exceptions, you, your employer, or your private company, do business and pay taxes in the city. A vibrant and expanding Houston economy is vital to all our quality of life. The mayor and city council are the CEO and board of directors that we've hired to manage our investment. Well, our CEO is doing a disastrous job and we need to fire her as soon as possible. It's just unfortunate that we can't do it today. Parker has proven that she's about as trustworthy as Bernie Madoff to manage our money. In addition, she's pushing a far left agenda that will drive away business and stall economic growth. We don't have to speculate on what the economic consequences of Parker's progressive, big government policies will be. The State of California provides an excellent example of what this left wing ideology will do to an economy. Consider the following.

• Police and Fire Departments-Of about $71 million in departmental spending cuts in the proposed 2012 budget, $60 million in cuts to public safety is inexcusable. Making these cuts while continuing to fund give away programs to buy votes and appease campaign contributors, shows a complete disrespect for the people that pay her salary.
• The Red Light Camera Scam-The voters spoke; Parker ignored them. Even worse, her administration made no credible effort to fight the camera company's lawsuit against the taxpayers. This ridiculous Bill White revenue scam has sucked $60 million out of the local economy over the last three years. In return for our money, we received more traffic accidents at the 70 intersections where the cameras were installed. But it gets even better. Since turning the cameras back on, the chief of police has vowed to expand the program.
• Youth/Senior Day Care-The Recreation and Wellness and Community Center programs, which are part of the parks department will spend $12 million of the taxpayer's money this year to "Enhance the quality of life and wellness of Houstonians" (their words). Translation: Free day care and meals provided to a select few citizens, in a select few locations.
• Historic Preservation-Parker, City Council, and a handful of pompous busy bodies conspiring to steal the property rights of private citizens. Using petitions, allegedly signed by homeowners, though the documents were not verified, not certified, and disputed by more than half of the homeowners. However, we did get this program for the bargain price of only $1 million.
• Planning and Development-Parker's attempt to force "environmental justice" down the throats of Houstonians, at a price tag of $7.3 million. Including the newly formed "Community Sustainability Commission", funded with $1.9 million that could have been spent on public safety. But it did achieve the Mayor's Goal, when she was awarded "Green Mayor of the Year" earlier this month. Who needs cops when you've got sustainability.

I could keep going, but you get the point. The mayor is pushing a political ideology that has nothing to do the best interests of Houstonians. A massive, open ended drainage tax increase ($60 million this year) that was deceptively presented to the voters.An across the board increase in hundreds of city fees, that shouldn't exist to begin with. This progressive approach to city government didn't start with Parker but, like Obama, she's put her foot on the accelerator. We need to stop it; now! Forbes Magazine recently listed Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio among the top ten future boom towns. This is, obviously, because Texas has stayed away from the high tax, over regulation policies of many other states. We can't afford to let city government knock Houston off the list. Higher taxes, excess regulation, and higher crime result in businesses leaving for more friendly environments. The population of Detroit declined 25% in the last decade. The State of New Jersey lost an estimated $70 billion in wealth between 2004 and 2008. Only 13% of the population of San Francisco is under 18 years old; as families have left for more kid friendly locations. Checkout governmentexile.com to see a sample of the businesses and wealth that are leaving California. This is the direction our current city govt. is taking Houston. Wealth that leaves the "city" also leaves the surrounding areas. We must all work together to stop this trend.


Now that we all agree on Parker, let's talk about Fernando Herrera. "He's not Annise Parker." That alone is reason enough to vote for him. But, I'm voting for him because he exemplifies the values that I want in my elected leaders, that I live my own life by, and that I teach my kids. He has a strong work ethic, believes in self reliance, and has spent a career in public service; not as a politician or bureaucrat, but as someone who runs into burning buildings. He's a small business owner who understands the responsibilities of working to increase sales, meet payroll, and balance a budget. He's the right man for the job, right now. I'm not sure we've ever had a better candidate for Mayor of Houston. But, he needs help. Parker is well funded and the media loves her. Herrera needs money and he needs publicity. We need to use our business contacts and social networks to expose Parker's destructive policies, and to introduce more people to Fernando Herrera.


I know there are urgent issues at the national level. But, by banding together, we can strike a big blow for conservative values in the nation's fourth largest city, and our own back yards.


Please visit ElectFernandoHerrera.com to learn more and to see how you can help.

Is Local Government A Bigger Threat To Freedom Than Federal?

The current resurgence of conservatism and the Tea Party movement which we've seen over the last two years was a reaction to, what many of us saw as the drastic over-reach and intrusion  of the federal government. What began under George W. Bush with the Patriot Act, a huge expansion of Medicare, and the T.A.R.P. bailout of the banks; was then ratcheted up under Barack Obama through the stimulus bill, the health care takeover, and an expansion of federal power through the E.P.A., the D.O.L., and various other government agencies. Basically, the federal government taking greater control of our lives and wasting more of our money; all, of course, for our own good. After all, highly educated intellectuals from universities like Harvard and Columbia could surely make better decisions than the uneducated, working peasants. The problem is; this isn't The Soviet Union. Americans don't like being told what to do or having our money stolen to fund a socialist ideology. So a lot of us started organizing to put a stop to it. I believe, however, that we've become so focused on Washington, that we've missed a more serious and immediate threat right in our backyards. The City of Houston government has, for many years, pursued an agenda that increasingly restricts personal freedom and private property rights and borders on socialism or Marxism. It didn't start with Annise Parker but, like Obama, she's put her foot on the accelerator. Parker and the current city council are squandering our tax dollars on policies of redistribution of wealth, collective control of property, and globalization; while slashing the budgets of the police and fire departments. Earlier this week, I posted a letter that I sent to the mayor and city council, which details the wasteful spending in the current budget. Now, let's take a look at the motivation behind this spending.


The word "globalization" is used a lot these days. According to "Wikipedia", "it refers to the increasing unification of the world's economic order". It's something the U.N. has been working on for over forty years; basically, worldwide redistribution of wealth. The problem with redistribution is you have to first take the wealth from the people who earned it. The only way to do this on a global scale is to have a global government. The U.N. position on individual freedom and private property rights is no mystery; they've put it in writing. The following statement is from a 1976 U.N. Conference on Human Settlements.

"Land… cannot be treated as an ordinary asset, controlled by individuals and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market. Private land ownership is also a principal instrument of accumulation and concentration of wealth and therefore contributes to social injustice; if unchecked, it may become a major obstacle in the planning and implementation of development schemes. The provision of decent dwellings and healthy conditions for the people can only be achieved if land is used in the interest of society as a whole."

This information came from a June 14, 2011 story on The Blaze. Give it a read to learn more about Agenda 21, which is the U.N. plan for implementing "sustainable development" worldwide. Last month, Obama signed an executive order that provides for the enforcement of Agenda 21 through government regulation and federal funding. About three weeks later, he said he might not have enough money to mail out Social Security checks. Earlier this year, Annise Parker appropriated $ 2 million for her newly created "Community Sustainability Commission". Then, earlier this week, news came out that the use of police helicopters had been reduced by 75%, due to budget cuts. While Agenda 21 has had bipartisan support from every President since George H.W. Bush in 1992, the primary implementation is being accomplished through local city governments. The International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) was established in 1995 and has since worked their way into over 600 American cities, including Houston, which is home of the southern regional headquarters for ICLEI. Click here to visit their website. Earlier this month, the mayor and city council approved "Historic District" designations for three new neighborhoods. This was done despite the fact that many of the residents of one neighborhood (Glenbrook Valley) claimed they were mislead about the "historic" designation, had retracted their signatures from the petition, and there were allegations that the signatures of many homeowners had been forged. What the designation means for these homeowners is that their homes can NEVER be demolished and that all renovations or alterations, including minor things like replacing the front door, must go through a lengthy, bureaucratic application process and comply with the historic district code. Keep in mind, these aren't deed restrictions that were known to the residents when they bought their homes. These are new restrictions on what they can do with private property that they've been paying for, in some cases, for twenty or thirty years. Also note; Glenbrook Valley is a fifty year old neighborhood with ranch style homes. It's a nice area, but it's not St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans. Does this sound like the America that you and I grew up in? Our way of life is under attack from a few arrogant, pompous jackasses, that believe they know whats best for everyone. They exist at every level of government and we better start watching the ones that are right under our noses. Annise Parker is wasting our money to push her elitist view of what society should be and taking away our rights and freedoms in the process. It's time to fire her sorry butt, along with most of city council. I hope you'll follow some of the links in this post and ask yourself a few questions.

• Why does the City of Houston take $ 47 million a year out of the local economy for building permit and inspection fees? Are buildings in the city constructed any better or safer than those in outlying Harris County, where there are no inspections?
• Why has the city seized $ 16 million a year from the economy through red light cameras that cause MORE accidents at intersections where they're installed. 
• Why is $ 60 million a year spent on a parks that are used by less than 20% of the taxpayers?
• Why does the parks dept. spend $ 10 million a year on meals and recreational programs, that benefit less than 10% of the citizens?
• Why is the city spending $ 8 million a year to tell taxpayers what they can do with the property they paid for with their hard earned money?
• Can a city government of less than twenty people do a better job of planning the lives of 4 million people than those people could have done on their own?

Think about it, THEN LET"S FIRE ANNISE PARKER IN NOVEMBER!

Stupid Government Also Thrives at the Local Level

Recently, due to a revenue shortage, The City of Houston made substantial budget cuts to the police and fire departments, while continuing to fund policies of redistribution and social planning. Below is a copy of the letter I sent to the mayor and city council. If you live in the city, I urge you to let them how you feel also. If you have no problem with these moves, well...enjoy your serfdom.

Dear Mayor Parker and Houston City Counsel Members,

In light of the recent news that use of HPD helicopters has been reduced by 75%, I had some questions regarding some of the other decisions that you have made with regard to the allocation of City funds. It appears to me that you have chosen to sacrifice public safety in order to advance a social and political agenda. How do you justify the cuts to the police and fire departments, while continuing to allocate the taxpayer’s money for social engineering projects? For example:

• Parks and Recreation $ 60 million-The proposed 2012 budget includes line item expenditures such as:  Recreation and Wellness $ 4.5 million, Greenspace Management $ 17 million, and Community Centers $ 7.8 million.
• Planning and Development $ 7.2 million- This entire department seems to be a waste of money, in particular, $ 1.9 million for “Community Sustainability”. The City of Houston was founded in 1836 and I see no evidence that we’re in danger of disappearing.
• Office of Business Opportunity $ 2 million-The stated goal of this department is “To provide training and ensure equal access to minority owned businesses.” In other words, taxpayer subsidized discrimination against businesses owned by white men.
• Health and Human Services $ 39.5 million- Redistribution of wealth; taking money from all taxpayers in order to provide free services to a few. The stated goals include: “Educate, promote, and encourage healthy behaviors”, “Improve access to health information” (Ever hear of the internet?), and “Improve environmental outcomes in the city”

There are very few things that the citizens of Houston need from our city government. Public safety and the enforcement of our laws are the most important of those few. You should be cutting the budgets of these other department, or eliminating them entirely, in order to provide more funding to the police and fire departments. The parks dept. budget is absurd. What good are public parks, swimming pools, and community centers if police don’t have the necessary resources to keep the crack dealers and child molesters out of them? It’s not city government’s job to provide health education, family planning, or free health care. As far as “community planning” and “sustainable development”, it’s nothing but a load of leftist crap. It does nothing, other than provide employment for useless bureaucrats and increase the costs of development and construction; costs that are passed on to the taxpayers. Everything mentioned here amounts to a socialist redistribution of wealth. You’re taking money from me and my neighbors to provide free services to people that you believe are disadvantaged.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need”

Karl Marx

Like all other socialist do-gooders, you ignore the consequences of your Utopian policies. The citizens most likely to suffer from an increase in crime are those in low income/high crime neighborhoods; the same people you say you’re trying to help. There is a very logical reason why we don’t have enough revenue to fund government; it’s because we have way too much government. If we see an increase in crime as a result of these budget decisions, it will rest squarely on your shoulders. You had other choices.

“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”

Thomas Jefferson

PS: As you attempt to turn our city into the southwest version of San Francisco, you might take note of the mass exodus of businesses from the State of California.

Sincerely,

Glenn Whitehead

Thank Heaven for Bill Clinton

Just when things seemed hopeless concerning the debt crisis, a voice of reason comes riding in to calm the waters. That's right, it's good ole Willie Clinton to the rescue. During an apparent break between power doses of his Viagra/Cialis cocktails, the former president offered his solution to breaking the impasse on raising the debt ceiling. Showing his patented respect for the rule of law and the constitution, Clinton's solution is: "Screw congress, the president can do whatever he wants to." Actually, Honest Bill believes the president is obligated by the constitution to bypass congress. He says the 14th amendment mandates the country to pays our debts. Of course it does, but it doesn't mandate us to borrow the money to pay them. I guess it's all in how you interpret the words. Keep in mind, this is the same guy who received a hummer (not the automobile kind) under his desk from an intern, decorated her dress with his DNA, then swore under oath that it wasn't sex. As George Costanza once said, "It's not a lie, if you believe it." Clinton actually said; "I would force the courts to stop me." It certainly wouldn't be the first time they were forced to do that, would it Bill? Mr. President, we appreciate you efforts, but shouldn't you just get back to stimulating the economy....one lap dance at a time?

The Debt Ceiling for Idiots

Okay, so you and your spouse have a combined income of $300,000 a year. You have a mortgage, 4 cars financed, a boat, a time share in Colorado, a student loan you're paying on, and several credit cards. Your combined total credit limit is about $4 million...and you're maxed out. Now, for some absurd reason, no one wants to extend you any more credit (Sheila Jackson Lee thinks it's because you're black). So you can't pay all of your bills, you're broke, right? No you ignorant jackass, you make damn good money...more than 99% of the people in the world! Your problem is, you're stupid!...Real _ _ _ _ing stupid! We're not talking "failed you're algebra exam stupid" or "can't work the DVD player stupid"'. We're talking "Sheila Jackson Lee stupid"..."Joy Behar stupid". You thought that just because you were successful and made good money, you could have everything you'd ever wanted. You believed you didn't have to choose or prioritize like other people, you'd just get one or two, or fifty of everything. Then one day, the dumb asses that had been funding your life of leisure woke up and thought "Holy Crap! He'll never be able to pay us back!" So they cut you off. Now, since you can't borrow anymore, you'll have to live under a bridge and eat out of dumpsters, right? No nimrod, you still have two paychecks coming in every week (though I'm not sure how an idiot like you keeps a job). What you have to do is decide what to pay with the money you have. I'd start with the mortgage and groceries, but that's just me. I'd pay for the bare necessities first, then see how much I have left for extras. A couple of the cars might have to go, maybe the time share too. You might even have to move to a smaller home. But trust me, you're not broke. When I was very young, my brother and I had an apartment. A couple of times our money was low, so we pooled it and bought generic weiners, buns, and chili; then ate hot dogs every day for a week; that's broke! You just have a bad case of spoiled (and you eat a big bowl of stupid every morning). That's what this debt ceiling crap is all about. No matter what the politicians tell you; AMERICA IS NOT BROKE! We are the richest nation in the history of the world and we have more than enough money to pay our bills. We just have to cut out some of the extras; like paying able bodied men and women to sit on their asses instead of working; or sending hundreds of billions to European countries that do a worse job of managing their money than we do. This is not rocket science and you morons need to stop buying the crap these politicians are selling. You can't spend more than you make, then keep asking your boss for a raise every other day. By the way, Obama is just jerking you off when he talks about raising taxes to balance the budget. He knows damn well that a tax hike wouldn't put a dent in the debt. If you raised the tax rate on everyone in America to 100%; it would fund the government for about 6 months. Obama's no genius, but he's not "Jackson Lee stupid" (though he does think anyone who makes over $250,000 is a billionaire). He's just playing a game. It's up to you "Sheilas" to stop playing along.