GUESS WHO DID IT TO YOU

Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program. He promised: 1.) That participation in the Program would be Completely voluntary. No longer Voluntary  2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the Program, Now 7.65%  on the first $90,000. 3.) That the money the participants elected to put into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year, No longer tax deductible 4.) That the money the participants put into the independent 'Trust fund' rather than into the general operating fund, therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and, Under Johnson the money was moved to The General Fund and Spent 5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton & Gore Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed. Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month --and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put away' -- you may be interested to know that everyone of those harmful changes were made by Democrats, Lyndon Johnson,     The Democratic Party. The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President. Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party made it possible for Immigrants moving into this country to begin at age 65, to receive Social Security payments even though they never paid a dime into it!

ALL EUROPEAN LIFE DIED IN AUSCHWITZ

The following is a copy of an article written by Spanish writer Sebastian Vilar Rodriguez and published in a Spanish newspaper on Jan. 15, 2008. It doesn't take much imagination to extrapolate the message to the rest of Europe - and possibly to the rest of the world.  REMEMBER AS YOU READ -- IT WAS IN A SPANISH PAPER
Date: Tue. 15 January 2008 14:30

I walked down the street in Barcelona , and suddenly discovered a terrible truth - Europe died in Auschwitz ... We killed six million Jews and replaced them with 20 million Muslims. In Auschwitz we burned a culture, thought, creativity, talent. We destroyed the chosen people, truly chosen, because they produced great and wonderful people who changed the world. The contribution of this people is felt in all areas of life: science, art, international trade, and above all, as the conscience of the world. These are the people we burned. And under the pretense of tolerance, and because we wanted to prove to ourselves that we were cured of the disease of racism, we opened our gates to 20 million Muslims, who brought us stupidity and ignorance, religious extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty, due to an unwillingness to work and support their families with pride. They have blown up our trains and turned our beautiful Spanish cities into the third world, drowning in filth and crime. Shut up in the apartments they receive free from the government, they plan the murder and destruction of their naive hosts. And thus, in our misery, we have exchanged culture for fanatical hatred, creative skill for destructive skill, intelligence for backwardness and superstition. We have exchanged the pursuit of peace of the Jews of Europe and their talent for a better future for their children, their determined clinging to life because life is holy, for those who pursue death, for people consumed by the desire for death for themselves and others, for our children and theirs. What a terrible mistake was made by miserable Europe.The Global Islamic population is approximately 1,200,000,000; that is ONE BILLION TWO HUNDRED MILLION or 20% of the world's population. They have received the following Nobel Prizes: Literature:1988 - Najib Mahfooz   Peace: 1978 - Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat

DERAN WHITNEY LEFT A DOOR OPEN

Our new School Superintendent moved without fear or delay to catch up to the fact dollars are scarce by imposing his no raise rule for all employees including teachers. People on Social Security got the same deal and lived with it. Deran Whitney takes his new job seriously when he closes two schools. The State reduced the usual annual check to the school system, and wisely insisted the school system contribute more to it’s own pension plan. That adds to 5.2 milliom Whitney will not see. But, and here’s the door he left open; even though his budget calls for nearly two million less than last year he knows the taxpayers will come up with the shortage. He said he is committed to continuing to provide the best possible educational experience to all of our children.”  With what we have.

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN

One-quarter of Suffolk contains three-quarters of its population growth in the past decade, leaving the city's political process as unbalanced as the people who draw the boroughs boundaries. Chuckatuck, Nansemond, and Sleepy Hole, have been gifted half the population of Suffolk courtesy of those who build and sell homes. The latest census will again summon the crazies who will dance around the table of maps, calculators in hand arguing while deciding what is and isn’t fair. Do not be surprised if you wake one morning living in a different borough with a new Council member representing you and he could be black. What that meant would depend on your color. It has been said that black residents  fiercely fight for equal representation based upon the fact they are black. This is a proclamation that whites are not fair in their treatment of black citizens. True or not it is easy to believe that forming borough boundaries would be much easier if skin color were not a factor. And it should not be a factor among grownups. It will be fun to watch. Remember that higher authority than Suffolk must sign off before a stamp of approval is applied. And what they approve will tell us a lot.

51% LEAVING JEFCOM 3900

U.S. Joint Forces Command will be 1,450 employees and one building. Two buildings up for grabs, said General Odierno. Of course Rep. Randy Forbes expressed disappointment in the decision.

“While Virginians will see the economic impact immediately, the strategic harm caused by the abandonment of military "jointness" will be a weakening agent to our military capabilities for decades,” Forbes said in a statement released Wednesday. Eighty percent of  the 2500  contractors employed by JEFCOM  are gone and only 300 of  3900 LEAVING employees will be reassigned. Critical functions will remain with the organization, particularly relating to modeling and simulation, but will be done in a more efficient  way. The General admitted what we said months ago, he had been given the mandate to shut JEFCOM down. A two star  general will take over what’s left of JEFCOM. The Department of  Defense will save 400 hundred million annually and the Office of Economic Adjustment  will provide a Workforce Transition Center in North Suffolk ($470,000) to help workers find jobs. So far the Pentagon has failed to release detailed analysis supporting the closing.

PROGRESS AT LAST

Only Mamie Locke and Johnny Joannou voted against Governor Bob McDonnell’s transportation plan. The $4 billion plan passed the Senate 34-6 with the hope that will help reduce congestion and create jobs. The House of Delegates approved the bill 65-33 Friday. There are a few dollars in here for  passenger choo-choo trains.  When there are so many routes to Chesapeake Square many wonder what is so important about that 1/3 mile piece of Nansemond Parkway? Shoulders Hill needs some help.  58 gets help here and there but not in Suffolk where it is needed but there is twenty million for a 58 interchange in Southampton County.  The best hope for thousands of commuters is the money for an additional Midtown Tunnel tube. Interest rates on borrowed money are near record lows and construction labor available at reasonable costs. If we, we being taxpayers, can afford loan payments now is the time to move quickly.                   

NANSEMOND INDIANS MAKING PROGRESS

LATEST  ON

MATTANOCK  TOWN

Chief Barry Bass was on the "Roundtable Talk" cable show on Jan 12 with Mr. Damiani. City surveying of  Property is underway. Mattanock architect has had first meeting with city staff. Facilitator has been working on legal aspects of the Nansemond project.   Left is Earl Bass, former chief.

BE SURE YOUR DELEGATES SUPPORT HB 1721

Richmond, VA - On Friday, Delegate Riley Ingram, Chairman of the House Counties, Cities & Towns Committee, sided with the Home Builders Association to force some typically rural communities into establishing an area of high-density high-rise mixed use urban development in the midst of a countryside setting. If Ingram has his way, you'll be forced to forfeit your land for the development of high-density 'urban development areas' also called 'smart growth'. A 2007 law mandating that every county with a population of 20,000 or more or a growth rate of 15% must zone an area for high-density urban planning. Public funds in the form of grants, subsidies, and tax incentives, will be used to promote the project to include rail, bike lanes, and other public transportation projects, reducing access to roads and without the benefit of alternative transportation to many communities. This will increase the cost of housing within the urban boundaries with a natural consequence of increased property taxes, and will reduce the value of property outside urban  boundaries.

This type of one-size-fits-all mentality fails to consider that many of the localities like Goochland, Powhatan, and Louisa County are required to establish zones for urban development but offer no alternative transportation for those communities. How are they expected to promote alternatives to personal automobiles in the absence of any alternative? Yet they will be forced to help fund alternative transportation projects for other communities from which they won't benefit. But grassroots activists of the tea party movement are fighting back in support of Delegate Bob Marshall's HB1721 that would make UDAs optional  rather than mandatory. The measure would allow local communities to decide if
urban areas are appropriate for their locality. It further allows for input from the citizens in areas that currently use the predetermination techniques of the "consensus" process that dismisses any public input.

FREE MUSIC FROM ENGLAND

Two things you can’t get in England are good cold beer and thick steaks. But good music is basic and a group of students from Bury St. Edmonds Upper County School in the County of Suffolk, England, will visit Suffolk, Va. The exchange is part of Suffolk’s Sister Cities International program. The England Suffolk, a county I am familar with, is an hour northeast of London and about 15 miles northwest of Ipswich. There you can pick up the scenic coastal road going north to Pocklington, from which we emmigrated, ten miles east of York, very beautiful country. (I had to work that in)They play a delightful variety of band music and barbershop quartets. SSS will present three free concerts at local schools Feb. 18 and 22. When we know where and when you will know.

SO MUCH TO DO HERE

Said the Mayor explaining the dramatic increase in Suffolk’s population to over 84000. I’d like to see her list, and our Tourist Bureau list compared to Norfolk or the Beach. And does the population count consider how many will leave Suffolk when the hammer falls on JefCom and other parts of the north Suffolk military complex. But if we really are a target for people on the move might it not be the fact that we still have space where one can set down a home instead of an apartment or a loft. Where do you find developable dry land in our Eastern cities? And Suffolk has an ample supply of foreclosed homes on desirable property at, now, reasonable prices. Besides, as our Budget Director indicated, we have the second lowest tax rate in Tidewater.

GET REAL

The city called for spending $724 million over the years as though it were chump change, 23 million here, 1.5 million there.  So it won’t be too difficult to chop a few million out of the plan because of less than expected money from the state and lower property tax values. But our budget director apparently has never heard of lowering property taxes, their plans must not fail. She says capital spending is not a budget, just a plan. Then why does she favor raising the tax rate when it is obvious assessments should be down? Haven’t the citizens of Suffolk yet had enough…higher prices for gas, food, and everything else? Is her office lighted by a dim bulb or is she? To hell with the long reach plan, we are in trouble right now. Cut the city payroll, cut  your own salary, and wake up, property values are down. Is there something wrong with us having the second lowest assessment in the state? Aim lower.                                        

PROPERTY RIGHTS

According to the Constitution a citizen has the right to do with legally owned property anything within “reason”. Property can be sold, purchased, traded, and given away. The “within reason” is determined by laws in effect to protect other citizens from unreasonable use by the owner. “Unreasonable” quite often must be established by argument and a decision rendered by judgment. That is what makes a country like ours unique. Merely compare our system with nations where the Government owns everything and robs the citizens of reasons to do better by eliminating the right to making property decisions. The question in Hobson was about the physical condition of the buildings determined to be historical…could they be safe as accommodations? Practiced eyes said ”No” while amateurs insisted “Yes” and sued to stop demolition by accusing the city of discrimination.  We believe part of the judgment was that the owners wanted taxpayers to foot the bill for restoration and pay nothing themselves. And perhaps the “historical factor” was never really a serious part of the discussion? Case closed but arguments never die.

HOW THEY VOTED

	TARP HR 1424	Stimulus HR 1	Cap & Trade HR 2454	Health Care HR 3962 / SA 3276
Webb (D)	Yea	Yea	Upcoming	Yea
Warner (D)	Yea	Yea	Upcoming	Yea
Wittman (R)	Nay	Nay	Nay	Nay
Nye (D)	Nay	Yea	Nay	Nay
Scott (D)	Nay	Yea	Yea	Yea
Forbes (R)	Nay	Nay	Nay	Nay
Perriello (D)	Nay	Yea	Yea	Yea
Goodlatte (R)	Nay	Nay	Nay	Nay
Cantor (R)	Yea	Nay	Nay	Nay
Moran (D)	Yea	Yea	Yea	Yea
Boucher (D)	Yea	Yea	Yea	Nay
Wolf (R)	Yea	Nay	Nay	Nay
Connolly (D)	Yea	Yea	Yea	Yea

  

THE RISING TIDE OF NO

Residents of Westhaven Lakes paid to live in an upscale community just west of downtown and want to keep it upscale by preventing Foxfield Meadows from constructing a crowded subdivision of low-price housing on 73 acres and creating traffic congestion. Cloverleaf Development wants to build 128 detached homes and 158 attached units on 73 acres southwest of Pitchkettle at the 58 bypass.
 About 60 people met last week figuring how to oppose it.

A CHARMING LADY STILL HAVING BIRTHDAYS

At age 86 I marvel at the spirit of Yancy Birdsong 19 years older at 105. She obviously has the gift of remaining young at heart with a positive mind. I told her that several years ago shortly after she moved to Lake Prince Woods. That day she graciously allowed Andy Damiani and I to visit her in her new beautiful home so she could be part of Andy’s Round Table Talk Show. She made the point that everyone should in some way contribute to their community and she has done that for decades. Yancey arrived in town as a music teacher, said, “I do” to Mr. Birdsong, raised a family and set an example for others by being a very likable and active citizen. We hope she sets a record for longevity.