Government – Rural Tompkins County

“The World According to Doctrine” — “It’s not a government – it’s a gang” Bumper sticker

From the Federal definition of a gang: An association of three or more individuals whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, and whose purpose in part is to engage in criminal activity.

The association may also possess some of the following characteristics: 1. The members may employ rules for joining and operating within the association. 2. The members may meet on a recurring basis. 3. The association may seek to exercise control over a particular geographic location or region. 4. The association may have an identifiable structure.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Zero population by 2050” Bumper sticker

Zero Population by 2050? You say; “No way!” So what. “It’s unthinkable!” Maybe we ought to think about it.

The Big New Idea: It’s the magic bullet scientific solution to clean up decades of missed opportunities and misconduct – what could be more appealing to politicians.

When will we find out? When it’s too late for scientists to fix their mistake; and too late for politicians to cover it up. Just enough time to wonder why you gave up cigarettes.

[Thanks to the Bunny Rabbits font from GemFonts]

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Rise of the Evil Ones” – “Empowering Local Government”

We have traveled back in time. We are living under a government with all the powers and privileges of royalty, of dictators . . . of secret police.

Well; aren’t we living “under” a government that has those powers? Haven’t “we” given that government the power to collectively and selectively oppress us? However they want. As long as they want. In secret.

And doesn’t the use of this power permeate their every policy and attitude.

We are blinded by the vision of what we are owed by others – not what we owe to everybody. The vision of an adolescent. “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee” We’re off to the Island of Empowerment.

Rise of the Evil Ones. They have great needs — work harder.

“All Roads Lead to Cornithaca” – “Dare to Debate” Bumper sticker

“Dare to Debate” – of course I mean a real debate – not a dog-and-pony-show showcase for pre-decided election blurbs. The kind of debate that makes you think, and discuss, and decide together – not stand on both edges of a chasm; throwing packages of hate at each other: where every fact is a barb intended to hurt – not an understanding intended to heal.

Maybe you could have public meetings for debate and reconciliation at the local and neighborhood level. How could this be a waste of time? Aren’t people all we really have in this life?

Debate the issues in a public forum? What a radical idea! Next they’ll be having the people participating in government!

“Cornithaca County” Book Preview – Family Fables – “The People, the People, and the Government”

Cornithaca County – Family Fables – The People, the People, and the Government

Part 7c – A Cyclic History: Pollute, Distort, Pacify, Repeat . . . Committees and Cover-ups

Politicians, bureaucrats, and agricultural interests hold hands in committees, while putting on an endless dog and pony show of ineffectual voluntary fixes and do-nothing oversight.

10 years of articles in the Auburn Citizen show that efforts to abate agricultural pollution are at a standstill — the only difference is the date of the article.

Part 7c – A Cyclic History – Pollute-Distort-Pacify-Repeat –Committees and Cover-ups

Continue reading Part 7c – A Cyclic History: Pollute, Distort, Pacify, Repeat . . . Committees and Cover-ups

Part 6 – Sewers of the Land

The influence of rich and powerful interests in maintaining the status quo in the face of an ever increasing destruction of the environment, is nowhere better seen than in Tompkins County’s handling of agricultural pollution.

The Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan’s representation of environmental issues and policies is a careful dance around the facts — Facts that paint a very different picture of the sources of pollution in the county, and expose an elitist policy making agenda.

Part 6 – Sewers of the Land

Continue reading Part 6 – Sewers of the Land

Part 5 –Smoke and Mirrors

Participation Circumvention

“The participation of citizens in an open, responsible and flexible planning process is essential to the designing of the optimum town comprehensive plan.” — Town Law § 272-a

Although New York State Town Law stresses the importance of an open and responsibly designed town comprehensive plan, many local officials downplay this document, claiming the local comp plan is only a “guide” — and hide their agenda behind the minimum legal requirements for public meetings and the placement of notifications that exclude the community from participation.

Part 5 – Smoke and Mirrors

Continue reading Part 5 –Smoke and Mirrors