On Government
Why should we Vote?
According to the San Diego County Registrar of voters, the city of San Marcos has approximately 22,000 registered voters, and a population approaching 64,000. Using the figures compiled from the last election and based on the same estimated percentage of voters going to the polls this November, less than 6,000 people will determine how our government will run for the next four years. That means that less than ten percent of the population will have made decisions for the other ninety-plus percent.
When the plurality of votes in an election is less than fifty percent of the total registered voters, the minority is in power. The “one man, one vote” rule was fought for by the founding fathers of this country after escaping a life of tyranny. With an apathetic constituency and the few having the seat of power, our future could be in doubt.
Our country and its form of government, was and remains “The Great Experiment.” Our representative government and the Constitution, under which each and every one of us is governed, has withstood the test of time longer than any other democracy in known history. But, compared to the kingdoms, dynasties and empires of the world, we remain in our infancy. Experiments, no matter how great, have failed, and usually with disastrous results.
We have been given the right to express our pleasure or displeasure with how our government is run, by freely going to the voting booth and making our voice heard. We can do this while billions of people throughout the world look on with envy and despair, in many cases starving as their rulers fill their own bank accounts with looted funds.
By not voting, we not only abdicate our right, we abdicate our responsibility to ourselves, and our neighbors. As this is being written, our country seems to be on the brink of war. Whether we are for against such an action, unless we vote, we have given the decision to someone else, and must suffer the consequences in silence.
America is the envy of the world. There are those who wish to destroy our form of government, our way of life, and kill us in the process.
Voting in a city election may not seem important in the framework of the world we live in. But it is. Cities are the beginning, not the end of the food chain. Our votes on the local level for the issues, policies and governing bodies filter up though the system, gathering momentum as they climb the ladder of freedom, ultimately ending in Congress and the White House. Our voices are heard in the halls of Congress and floor of the Senate. But when those voices are a mere whisper of less than thirty percent of the voters or ten percent of the total population, the message is “nobody’s watching” or “nobody cares.”
Beyond voting, we have the privilege and opportunity to participate in our local government by volunteering to serve on several different committees and commissions, as you have read in this booklet. Seize the opportunity! Become an active participant in our government. The pay, if anything is minimal, and the hours are long. But the friendships are long lasting and the satisfaction is deep and abiding.
©2002 Bill Effinger
USS NImitz
On the day we were mourning the loss of seven brave and selfless heroes of the space age and their miracle aircraft, I was given a rare opportunity of a personal tour of one of our nation’s other marvels.
The USS Nimitz is a floating city, housing thousands of other brave and dedicated heroes and an airfield-on-water designed to help protect American freedom. My youngest son served aboard the Nimitz before retiring from the Navy, and now my grandson is one of those dedicated heroes, preparing to leave port for points unknown before the week is out. The visit also brought back memories of another time. I was stationed on North Island as a young seaman in the late forties, now the Nimitz homeport. The 2nd world war was a memory then, and the Korean conflict had not yet begun. I was lucky.
Awesome is the only way to describe this massive floating structure of steel and modern technology. The ship’s flight deck rests well over 100 feet above the water and the command center another 100 feet above that. Everywhere one looked there were young people going about their daily routines, tending to the ship and its compliment of aircraft which stand ready for instant immersion into combat when ready, should the need arise.
Escorted by my grandson, I walked from one end of the ship to the other, taking pictures as I went. From crew’s quarters through several food galleys and work-shops, up to the flight deck we walked, climbed and descended into the depths of the ship’s bowels, awe-struck at everything I saw. Fighter and reconnaissance -planes, helicopters and airwave jammers were parked, many being serviced.
How proud I am to live in a country that not only produces these magnificent mechanical marvels, but also produces the volunteers required to take them into harms way, while protecting every citizen’s right to support or protest our government and its actions. God bless America, and all it stands for. May God keep the personnel of the USS Nimitz safe while they venture forth to help protect us all.
©2003 Bill Effinger
Hubris Spawns another Boondoggle
An action showing group hubris on the part of the new San Marcos council triumvirate of Thibadeau, Preston and Smith has launched yet another attempt at a financial boondoggle of major proportions for city taxpayers.
While espousing “we have a deal on the table”--Thibadeau; “the people have already voted to do this in the charter”--Smith; and “if we wait to 2004 or beyond we’d be in a situation where this may not be viable”--Preston, the group of three have created and mailed some ninety Requests For Qualifications to various and sundry electric supply and distribution contractors in an attempt to make us really believe that they are going to select any company other than their stated choice, Enco. The company that has put “the deal on the table.”
Enco is the same company that was brought forth in the last back-room deal that fell far short of expectations for the city. Now we are told, “there will be no risk”; “they (Enco) are giving us a 100% guarantee.” I submit that a guarantee is only as good as the financial backing behind it. Will Enco or any other company place the $100 million-plus in projected revenues in escrow as insurance? I doubt it. Will Enco or any other company post a cash bond backing up all of their claims and guarantees? I doubt it.
When the city is faced with the uncertainties and budget deficits already very real as stated by the administration, together with additional losses not yet identified in the governor’s revenue take-back scheme, why resurrect a plan which will take the focus away from the problems at hand and commit more staff time and desperately needed funds to an uncertain outcome?
More important, a promise was made to the voters by the council and by newly elected Councilman Preston, that any proposal would be taken to the voters for final approval before being put into place. Now we are being told that “time is of the essence” and there is no need to take the plan to the voters.
Broken promises by legislators are often the basis for voter revolt in many ways provided under our federal and state constitutions.
The issues of solving our growing traffic problems, better police and fire protection and long range planning require full attention of the council and administration. Now is not the time to undertake a questionable scheme, fraught with unanswered questions, particularly when “time is of the essence.” Decisions made in the heat of time constraints rarely prove to be sound decisions. I’m very suspect when someone says that if we don’t act quickly, the scheme may not be viable later. That sounds a lot like a con-man trying to close on his mark. Caveat emptor-buyer beware should be the rule of the day when broad claims of 100% guarantees are made coupled with move quickly statements.
Moving forward with the proposed plan to go into the electric distribution for less than 20% of the city’s residents and businesses, while exposing 100% of the constituency to the possible losses and costs is poor judgment and unsound government, not withstanding the fact of broken promises to the voters and taxpayers.
©2003 Bill Effinger
Lack of Integrity Comes Home to Roost
To paraphrase the immortal words of Pogo, You have met the enemy and it is you. These words came to me this morning as I read Maureen Dowd’s column “Welcome to your worst nightmare.”
Now that Worldcom has joined the rapidly growing cadre of corporate bandits defrauding shareholders of lifesavings and retirement income, it’s time to reflect on the root cause.
A festering Machiavellian ethic, coupled with the lack of moral turpitude, integrity and ethics exists within a broad range of corporate America. This condition was spawned during the sixty’s by the “now” generation while many of their parents, the “greatest” generation, abdicated their parental responsibilities. Disguised as free thinkers, many of the anti-war demonstrators, bra-burners and free-love groupies flooded the B-schools and other high places of learning with their decadent amoral beliefs, then filed out into their respective communities joining, rather than changing many already corrupt lawyers, doctors, politicians, accountants, corporate executives and yes, even men of the cloth, priests and bishops. Rather than change them, join them was their motto. Former President Clinton was their flag bearer—a true monument to amoral behavior and Machiavellian principals. We may find that the end does justify the means. But, not in the way intended.
The moral and financial underpinning of our country is at stake. The world has come to believe that the American banking and corporate institutions have been closely watched, and Wall Street is a transparent bastion of monetary responsibility. Apparently nothing could be further from the truth. The foxes have been guarding the hen houses. The inmates have been running the asylum, and many of our guardians of morality are in fact predators upon our youth.
Now a federal high court in California has passed negative judgment on whether using God in pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. By way of the outburst of abhorrence to this high-court decision from all corners of government and citizenry, the declaration will most probably be overturned. The mere fact that the issue reached such a level, speaks to a key reason why our country is where almost everyone wants to live, with the overt exception of the Al Queda.
Protecting our freedoms is paramount to our peaceful existence. Yet, when fraudulent acts and crimes of violence escalate, they force new laws, which tend to breach the freedoms we cherish so highly. Left accuses right and visa versa, when factually both sides are at fault. Greed and avarice are overtaking the foundation of our government and economy at an unparalleled rate. Free speech and liberty is imperiled, but not by a right or left wing “conspiracy.” Unless we can create a consensus of our governing institutions by beginning with the attitude that the buck stops with each and every one of us, that we are responsible and accountable for our own actions and those of our growing children, we will suffer the fate of worlds before us.
Punishment for financial crimes to our society require more than a slap on the wrist and a sideway wink. Unless and until people in high places go to jail for their fraudulent behavior, our economy will collapse, and much of the balance of the world will dance on our grave. Ignoring these issues will only help our enemies justify their reasons for spreading hate and terror among us, and our allies.
©2002 Bill Effinger
San Marcos Leaders Ignore Reality
The San Marcos City Council, by agreeing to rewrite the existing development agreement with San Elijo Hills developer, Home Federal Corporation to allow 1,100 additional homes to be built before Rancho Santa Fe road is widened, has taken us from traffic gridlock to paralysis.
Once again our leaders have chosen to ignore reality. Traffic is already at a standstill during the morning and evening commute on Rancho Santa Fe and San Marcos Boulevard. Adding another thousand-plus homes to the traffic equation will move the daily commute from tolerable to unbearable.
The Council, under the questionable leadership of Mayor Smith has a reputation for ignoring the facts when they are important, and changing the facts when it suits them. Recommendations for traffic reduction and increased road construction from the city’s Traffic and Safety Commission go unheeded for years because we are told the city lacks funds, yet they can commit millions and spend millions to pursue questionable ventures, such as electric power distribution.
Now, when 32,000 commuters are already trying to squeeze their way to and from work every morning and evening the city has finally approved the 14 to 16 month construction contract for widening Rancho Santa Fe, but at the same time they have granted the developers of San Elijo Hills the right to proceed with more than twice the number of homes originally intended before the road is constructed. This is a familiar pattern with very visible results on San Marcos streets and roads every day.
The San Marcos City Council has its priorities misplaced and out of sync with reality. What are they thinking? God forbid, there should be a life threatening emergency or major fire over the next two years during the morning or evening commute anywhere along the San Marcos Boulevard or Rancho Santa Fe Road corridors. For ten years, the city has turned a deaf ear to the urging of citizens and its own Traffic and Safety Commission to widen Rancho Santa Fe Road. Now, when three major projects are underway in that corridor, the Council has agreed to exacerbate the problem by allowing even more traffic to dump onto roads which are unable to hold the existing traffic flow.
Not only is the Council putting the cart before the horse, they’re not even giving the cart or the horse room to move frontward or backward.
The time has long past for building San Marcos streets and roads before new development is allowed to dump more congestion into the community. “Build and they will come” is the developers’ mantra. But when “they” can’t get there from here everyone suffers, including the unsuspecting new homeowner. Gridlock is one thing. Paralysis is disaster.
©2002 Bill Effinger
As an activist and staunch defender of the first amendment, I respect the right of any American to voice their opinion on any subject they choose. However, when Hollywood’s high profile individuals use their easy access to mass media during time of war to fracture support for our military, demean our President, and slander the administration, while our nation’s sons and daughters are giving their lives to protect our right of free speech, I find these actions to be irresponsible, and ill-conceived at the very least.
When actions of Americans give the enemy an opportunity to bend world opinion by using high profile protester dialogue to benefit the enemy’s goals of propagandizing counter measures, these people are walking a fine line between free speech, and aiding and abetting the enemy during time of war. Other times in our history, these actions would have been considered treason.
Fortunately for us and the Hollywood Hypocrites , our brave defenders of world freedom are well trained and disciplined. One can only imagine how many of our military must feel when they see and hear the anti-war and anti-military tirades coming from the very people that stage make believe wars and violence on the screen. While the actors, directors and producers line their pockets with millions of dollars on revenues from war films, our real fighting men barely make enough money to keep their families clothed and fed.
Hollywood actors, producers and writers reap millions of dollars every year while staging screen wars, violence and lurid sex, leading the world’s population to believe that America is as decadent as the filmmakers portray us. They cash their huge checks for acting in and producing these sordid and disgusting films, then have the gall to protest real life results of their make believe film world. They feign wonderment when they are accused of brainwashing our youth with their violence, killing and sexual fantasies.
We can stop Hollywood’s overpaid media darlings from their shameless protests by using their own tactics. By refusing to watch their programs and by not attending their movies or buying their CD’s, we can stop their income flow by sending a message to sponsors and producers that “we’re mad as hell, and we won’t take it any more.”
Please join the “Freedom From Hollywood Hypocrites” movement by refusing to attend the movies of these actors, directors and producers. By pledging to picket your local theater on the largest film-viewing weekend, July 4 th, and protesting Hollywood violence and insolence we will get the attention of the financial and commercial interests that support Hollywood. A nationally mobilized effort to picket theaters and TV stations will send a powerful message to Hollywood, fellow Americans, and the enemies of America.
Please forward this message to your friends and relatives and your e-mail list to help us protest the Hollywood Hypocrites .
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©Bill Effinger 2003