CABPRO Report

America on the Brink

by Marc Cuniberti

America scratches its head and wonders why jobs are leaving despite the highest government spending in world history. We wonder why so many people need food stamps and unemployment checks despite more money being thrown at these programs than ever before.

Why what used to be the world's greatest economic power now is its greatest debtor and on the decline. We wonder why companies now prefer to do business elsewhere as industry after industry flees off shore. Why can't we make a good car anymore or get out of our own way when it comes to running a fiscally prudent government and query just how the freest country in the world became one of its most controlling. We have troops all over the globe yet let millions stream across our borders unfettered. We give billions to countries all over the world and billions more to banks, domestic and foreign yet let our elderly starve, our homeless wander and our needy go untended.

Our greased gears of government are now mired in deadlock and squabble over billions to the banking system while our citizens go hungry.

The top earners of America get ever richer while middle America can barely make ends meet not to mention that over 50 % of Americans are so poor they can't afford to pay income tax. One in four Americans get some sort of assistance from the government and two dollars of every ten earned in America comes from the same source. 

What happened to our once great country?

How Did This Happen?

by Randi Briggs

 

I have had so many people say to me that the government is broke. Who can argue with that? But the question no one is asking is “What Happened?”. Has anyone given that any thought? It didn’t happen overnight. It’s taken close to 100 years to get to the point we are at. We can blame it on entitlement programs, but the only people we can blame for those are ourselves, because we enabled the politicians that enacted them. We can blame it on corrupt politicians, but we created them too. When they do something stupid we encourage them. Look at Anthony Weiner – literally a pervert, but his constituents see nothing wrong with what he did. Look at Marion Barry, mayor of DC – caught in a sting soliciting prostitutes, smoking crack cocaine, and still his constituents re-elected him. And who can forget Charlie Rangle? Re-elected. The list is endless. What are we to assume other than first we create corruption and then we reward it? But that’s just part of the problem. As American citizens we fell into apathy, we stopped paying any attention. Those we elected saw no need to follow the instruction manual for running this country – namely the Constitution. The further we have gotten away from being a moral country, and the further we have gotten from the Constitution, the greater our problems have become. Those who preached “free love” and “if it feels good, do it” in the 60’s are now running the asylum. It’s going to take a long time to fix what is wrong with our country, but if it doesn’t start with you, it will never happen. Find your moral compass. Use your faith in God if you are a believer. If not, you will have to find some other meaningful standard to live by. Start paying attention to the issues. If you don’t, who will? Find an issue that is important to you, and actually call your Representatives to tell them how you feel about that issue (they will be glad to hear from someone besides me, for a change). Stop excusing bad behavior in yourselves, your Representatives, and your country. Get a pocket Constitution, and read it. It’s a pretty amazing document. We have to get our country back on track. When you point your finger at someone else, there are three more fingers pointing back at you.

Randi Briggs is a resident of Nevada County and a patriot.

 

Englebright Lake and Dam--- important to you? Please consider your neighbors’ opinions and these dam facts

by Doni Hubbard

Englebright Lake is nestled in the steep Yuba River canyon of the Sierra Nevada Foothills between Grass Valley and Marysville off State Route 20. This location offers a unique boat-in camping experience, several species of sport fish, abundant wildlife, and year round water-based recreational activities for enthusiasts and families alike. Englebright Lake is rich in history. Authorized by Congress for the storage of hydraulic gold mining debris, Englebright Dam was completed in 1941 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is a concrete arch structure 260 ft high and 1,142 ft long. It was constructed in the steep Yuba River gorge known as the Narrows. In later years, two power plants were added below the dam for the generation of hydroelectric power. Today Englebright Lake is used primarily for recreation and hydropower. Its 45,000 acre feet of stored water-right capacity allows cold water releases each year to benefit fish downstream. Water is also diverted for regional domestic and agricultural uses. Hydroelectric generation from water stored behind Englebright provides the annual energy needs for 50,000 homes. (Sources: Wikipedia, Army Corps of Engineers).

A recreational bonanza for the park visitor, the 815 acre lake with its nine mile length and 24 miles of shoreline is popular for a variety of boating activities. The steep and rocky shoreline dotted with sandy beaches and coves of oak and pine is a boat camper’s dream location. Water skiers enjoy the placid waters of the lower half of the lake while fishermen are successful in the narrow coves of the upper half of the lake which is closed to skiers. Houseboat adventures and boat rentals are provided at the nearby Skipper’s Cove Marina. Barbecues and picnicking are popular in the large day use area located next to the dam. Beautiful views, barbecue grills, tables and benches make this a favorite family spot. For information on boat-in campsites view the Englebright Lake website, write to US Army Corps of Engineers, P O Box 6, Smartville, CA 95977 or phone the park office at 530-432-6427. (Sources: Army Corps of Engineers, aboutnevadacounty.com, Nevada County Commerce).

“I don’t think words can do justice to what Englebright means to me…it is something so beautiful that it stops you in your tracks and helps put life’s most important things in perspective. It recharges your soul. It is so much more than just a debris dam.” Sue Borden, Englebright Meadows property owner.

The New Normal

by John Spencer

History usually repeats itself, and it is amazing how what we were concerned with in the past we are still concerned with today. But, in the last couple of years a new phrase (we have never heard before) has surfaced: “The new normal”.

In 2008 we entered a scary time when a huge amount of wealth was stripped away from the system, and whether we admit it or not it created a new climate for our economy, politics, and commerce. As a result, this condition has created a new set of circumstances that are somewhat unpleasant, some of which I have listed below:

• Talking about a problem such as taxes, regulations, reform, etc. is all we will do; actually doing something about it is no longer reality.

• Lying is becoming more acceptable, the political arena will lead the way.

• Smooth roads will soon be a thing of the past.

• There will soon be no more live people on the other end of the phone; frustration will send you in a different direction.

• You are still in debt, now with no way to pay.

• Prices for everything will continue to rise, wages will stagnate.

• Houses cost less but there is no way to buy one for many.

• Backyard gardens (out of necessity) are coming back.

• NO will be said more instead of YES. 

• Fewer employees now to do the job of many.

• We will no longer log or thin the forest, fire will do that for us, fire does not kill animals or destroy habitat. Forest fires do not require an EIR. 

• Voting on new taxes will be impossible; fees for service will be the new thing.

• Smoke and mirrors is now part of our State budget process, and is acceptable. 

• The middle class is going out of business, elitism is coming into vogue.

• Democrats see today as just a bump in the road, everything will be back to normal soon, we just need a little more of your money to keep the gears turning.

Off The Top of My Head: NC’s Missed Economic Opportunity at Beale AFB

by Russ Steele

I was once assigned to Beale AFB for a few hours in 1975, as an electronic warfare planner in the 9th Reconnaissance Wing.  After spending 14 months in Thailand, I was looking forward to ending my 20-year career in the Air Force at Beale AFB, which is right in my Nevada County backyard.  When I got on a contract 737 in Thailand, I was assigned to Beale AFB. When I got off a DC-8 at Travis AFB, 23 hours later, I had been reassigned to Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska. I was never allowed to sign in at Beale AFB.

Ellen and our three oldest daughters, were living in a rental house near Nevada Union High School, and they thought a Beale assignment was great news. They would not have to move again. I could live in Nevada County and commute to Beale AFB using the back gate off Smartville Road.  But, it was not to be.

As a retired Air Force Lt Col Electronics Warfare Officer, who worked very closely with Air Force intelligence agencies in previous assignments, I have always had a strong interest in Beale, as they hosted a prime USAF intelligence collection asset, the SR-71.  Beale is home base to the U-2 Dragon Lady, RQ-4 Global Hawk, and now the MC-12W Liberty, which is also an intelligence collection platform. 

The MC-12W Liberty is a multi-mission aircraft.  That is what the M stands for under the military aircraft designation system.  Most reconnaissance aircraft have an R designation such as a C-12 version operated by the Army, called the RC-12N Guardrail Common Sensor Program. The RC-12H is a battlefield signals intelligence collection system.  The MC-12W has a much different mission. 

USAF is buying 7 MC-12W Beechcraft King Air 350S to train crews at Beale AFB for their overseas missions.  They are buying 27 Extended Range Special-Mission Beechcraft King Air 350ER modified for deployment in theater.

The USAF is integrating the Gorgon Stare video capture technology into the MC-12W.  Gorgon Stare looks over broad areas such as small towns, and is designed to detect motion. It has a playback capability that allows the aircrew to observe a roadside bomb explosion and then replay the video to see what led to that explosion.  They can also send the data via satellite to processing centers for distribution to field units.  The aircraft will also be equipped with a laser designation system that can pinpoint a real time target for combat aircraft.  Roadside bomb planters will rue the day they are observed by a Liberty aircraft.

LET US HEAL OUR SICK HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

by Patrick Wagner, MD

In a recent article I wrote about managed care in America, I mentioned that I am a doctor who felt compelled to leave my medical practice a few years ago. After nearly two decades of practicing general surgery in Sacramento, I made the decision to quit medicine, not because I was tired of the work, or even because I wanted to spend my hard-earned money on retirement vacations. In truth, I stopped working as a physician because my career as I knew it had turned into a series of unfavorable decisions.  These decisions, however, were not the unfavorable ones I had knowingly signed up for when I originally became a doctor--how to break the bad news to somebody who had cancer, or how to know when to stop resuscitating after a heart refused to resume its beating.  These were scenarios I hated but accepted as part of my job.

Unfortunately, the new and unfamiliar daily choices I began making later on in my career, dealt mostly with the question of whether or not to consistently abandon my ETHICAL principles as a doctor.
 
Let me explain.  When I first became a physician, I signed up for a job that demanded not just scientific expertise, or an ability to go days without sleep, but also a critical sense of personal morality.  The Hippocratic Oath I swore to, alongside the 31 other new doctors in my graduating medical class, asked each and every one of us to profess: “I will repel any medicine, operation, or advice which is injurious or deleterious to my patients.”  After around 30 years of watching healthcare grow and change in America, the moral principles in this oath have remained the same.  But the social context surrounding this oath has mutated into something almost unrecognizable.  In my wildest dreams, I never would have guessed ETHICS would be the reason I’d eventually stop practicing medicine.

There are many causes for this drastic change in the quality of our healthcare system; a few decades ago, things were quite different than they are now.  Folks who are old enough to remember the 60s, 70s, and the early 80s will doubtfully recall any prescription drug ads on TV, the radio, or in print for things like anxiety, sleep problems, birth control, joint pain, high blood pressure, or erectile dysfunction.  I’m also willing to bet that people probably don’t remember their health insurance company being such a fundamental part of their overall care.  And it’s probably also safe to assume that most people don’t remember ever worrying about a preexisting condition affecting their future medical coverage.

That’s because America didn’t ALLOW these things to occur in the past.

UN Agenda 21: The Insidious Plan for a One-World Government

by Judi Caler

“WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”—Big Brother (“1984,” George Orwell)

“Brave New World” and “1984” have arrived with a vengeance.

What exactly is  UN Agenda 21?  It is a purposely complicated, diabolical plan of action to impose a one-world government through the United Nations, and it necessarily shreds our Constitution in the process. Words are turned inside out to disguise their true intent. For example, “social justice” means socialism/redistribute the wealth; “sustainable” means government approved; “consensus” means stifled dissent; and “the common good” means individuals have no rights.

Agenda 21 targets private property rights; and with these rights, our liberty.  You may have noticed the many tentacles taking a stranglehold on our freedoms lately:  businesses regulated and taxed out of existence, government land grabs of rural areas and wildlands, turning off the water to California farmers to protect a 2-inch fish and endangering our food supply, talk of high speed rail servicing “sustainable” communities, super government agencies replacing local redevelopment agencies, unelected agencies (CARB) making decisions without citizen involvement, the White House dictating to Boeing where it can operate, Obamacare, all-pervading smart meters, and even consideration of laws to take obese children away from their parents! Agenda 21 is all this and more. You can get an idea of its enormous scope by googling “agenda 21.”

August Dates to Remember

by CABPRO Staff

August 1, 1819 – American author Herman Melville was born in New York City.

August 1, 1914 – World War I erupts in Europe.

August 3, 1492 – Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain on the first of four voyages of discovery to the Americas.

August 5, 1861 – President Abraham Lincoln signed the Revenue Act, thereby imposing the first Federal income tax, a 3% tax on annual incomes over $800.

August 5, 1914 – The first electric traffic signal was installed in Cleveland, Ohio.

August 5, 1981 – President Ronald Reagan began firing 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers.

August 6, 1945 – The Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, eventually resulting in the surrender of the Japanese and the end of World War II.

August 7, 1782 – General George Washington created the “Badge for Military Merit,” later to become known as the “Order of the Purple Heart,” the oldest American military decoration for military merit.

August 8, 1974 – President Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

August 9, 1945 – The U.S. dropped the second atomic bomb on Japan, at Nagasaki, resulting in Japan’s unconditional surrender, ending World War II.

August 10, 1776 – News reached London that the Americans had drafted the Declaration of Independence.

August 10, 1861 – Missouri Confederates defeated Union forces at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek during the Civil War.

August 11, 1973 – The movie American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas, opened in theatres, launching Lucas’s exceptional Hollywood career.

August 12, 1898 – Armistice was signed between Spain and the U.S. ending the Spanish-American War.

August 13, 1981 – President Ronald Reagan signed the Economic Recovery Tax Act, a historic package of tax and budget reductions that set the tone for his administration’s overall economic policy.

August 14, 1935 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act.

August 14, 1945 – V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, when Japan formally surrendered to the Allies marking the end of World War II.

August 15, 1914 – The American-built Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was inaugurated with the passage of the U.S. cargo and passenger steamship SS Ancon.

Statement of Opposition to S. 365 "Budget Control Act of 2011"

By Congressman Tom McClintock

The "Budget Control Act of 2011" increases the debt limit by between $2.1 and $2.4 trillion, the biggest explosion of debt in American history.  It allows the government to avoid spending reductions for the next two years while squandering our last best hope of averting a sovereign debt crisis.

I am opposed to this measure for the following reasons:

1. The purported cuts, even if realized, are far below the $4 trillion deficit reduction that credit rating agencies have warned is necessary to preserve the Triple-A credit rating of the United States Government.

2. It blows the lid off the House budget passed in April by more than a half-trillion dollars over ten years.

3. It makes no significant spending reductions for at least the next two years, essentially freezing spending at an unsustainable level.  While the debt increase occurs this year, significant spending cuts aren't to be made for many years and can be ignored or reversed by future acts of
Congress.

4. The spending caps are easily circumvented by declaring appropriations to be an emergency, a response to a "major disaster," or necessary for the "Global War on Terror."

5. The balanced budget amendment provisions are illusory because the amendment is completely undefined.

Free cell phones are now a civil right

 

Free cell phones are now a civil right

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/capitol/free_cell_phones_are_civil_right_htTMcKQFrjdvyl9A6NHPdP#ixzz1Tz1xhjSr