Posted on 04/17/2002 5:02:07 AM PDT by sauropod
G'day,
News Alert - Federal Zoning Vote scheduled for April 18 - Land use bill would fund localities to comply with federal 'guidelines' - includes 'social equity' but no mention of private property rights
From: Forest Glen Durland
Subject: S 975
Posted April 16, 2002
****************************************************** Here is the scoop on S 975. Please email the above letter to ALL of the Congress Critters listed below, ESPECIALLY the swing votes. **************************************
S. 975 was expected to sail through committee with very little objection - until Senators started hearing from YOU. Then several Senators objected to the bill and it began losing support. Thursday morning it was pulled from consideration for ONE WEEK.
The committee is expected to vote on S. 975 next Thursday, April 18.
WHY is this such a terrible bill??? HERE is why
The Clinton Administration paid $2 million for a "Smart Growth Legislative Guidebook" that is intended to "guide" counties, cities and towns on how to update their zoning. That's right folks - Big Brother Knows Best - local zoning directed by Washington, DC.
S. 975 offers grants that will pay 90% - that's right, 90% - of the cost for localities to update zoning plans - BUT ONLY IF they do it the way the feds want them to!
HERE is what S. 975 says, and what it will do
* Offers to pay for 90% of the cost of updating zoning plans - ONLY if localities do what the feds say.
* Requires land use planning to "promote social equity." SOCIAL EQUITY???
* Requires localities to "conserve historic, scenic, natural an cultural resources." What about people? * "Integrate local land use plans with Federal land use plans"
***** The term "private property rights" appears NOWHERE in the bill! *****
WHO is behind this disaster? An outfit called the American Planning Association (APA). Check them out at www.planning.org. They are great supporters of the Endangered Species Act and all federal land grabs.
This is the arrogant "professional" career planners who believe they know best - and elected and appointed zoning boards, city councils, county commissioners can all TAKE A HIKE.
They are great supporters of S. 975 because it takes power away from elected local governments and puts it into the hands of regional and state boards and commissions. Oh yes, one other thing - S. 975 hands out money as well as power to APA members, by requiring "consultation and cooperation" with "nonprofit organizations that promote land use planning" - in other words, APA!
WHAT SENATORS support this disaster, and who needs to be contacted?
Here are BILL SUPPORTERS on the Environment and Public Works Committee
#1 - SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON - do you need any further evidence that S. 975
is a disaster for private property rights????? Hillary Clinton supports it!
#2 - SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN - Al Gore's running mate is one of the prime
movers of this mess federal power grab!
#3 - SENATOR HARRY REID - he steered the "Son of CARA" Land Grab bill
through committee and through the Senate with NO debate and NO recorded
vote! Now he wants to do the same with S.975!
ALSO -
Sen. James M. Jeffords, Vermont - Independent Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon -
Democrat Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island - Republican Barbara Boxer,
California - Democrat Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania - Republican Thomas R.
Carper, Delaware - Democrat Jon S. Corzine, New Jersey - Democrat
***** As usual, you can't tell the difference between the two parties - the Republicans are nearly as much to blame as the Democrats. *****
SWING VOTES - it is especially important to contact these Senators below, in particular if you are from their home states - but please email ALL OF THEM regardless of where you live
Max Baucus (Democrat), Montana -- phone(202) 224-2651 -- fax (202) 228-3687
-- Emailmax@baucus.senate.gov
Christopher S. Bond (Republican), Missouri -- phone (202) 224-5721 --
fax(202) 224-8149 -- Emailkit_bond@bond.senate.gov
Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Republican), Colorado - phone(202 224-5852 --
fax(202) (202) 224-1933 -- Email go to http//campbell.senate.gov/
Michael D. Crapo (Republican), Idaho - phone(202) 224-6142 -- fax (202)
228-1375 -- Email go to web to send an e-mail http//crapo.senate.gov/
Bob Graham (Democrat), Florida - phone(202) 224-3041 - fax(202) 224-2237 --
Emailbob_graham@graham.senate.gov
James M. Inhofe (Republican), Oklahoma - phone(202) 224-4721 -- fax (202)
-228-0380 -- Emailjames_inhofe@inhofe.senate.gov
Bob Smith (Republican), New Hampshire - phone (202) 224-2841 - fax (202)
224-1353 -- Email opinion@smith.senate.gov
George V. Voinovich (Republican), Ohio - phone(202) 224-3353 -- fax (202)
228-1382 -- Emailsenator_voinovich@voinovich.senate.gov
John W. Warner (Republican), Virginia - phone(202 224-2023 -- fax (202)
224-6295 --Emailsenator@warner.senate.gov
Please contact all the swing votes listed above!!!
STATUS
Opposition to S. 975, Federal Control of Zoning, is building. The votes of most Senators on the committee are questionable now, several are considering no longer supporting the bill.
The vote is now scheduled for Thursday, April 18th.
The above information came by way of the following email:
Hi, Folks,
If you WANT big government to control all your land, even to the zoning control of our homes, then please delete this message. I do not wish to offend those on my list.
But if you would prefer that federal government get back the original Constitution with the original intent of our Founding Fathers, then please read on. You will be interested.
In an effort to be inoffensive, I seldom send material reflecting my personal views. But times are drawing to a head, necessitating action.
Over the past two months I have been extremely busy writing a thesis, a book, a paper and a song to help the farmers and loggers in the Klamath Basin, Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. (I do not profess to be a great writer -- I picked up the pen in desperation.) The documents needed here are KBD (Klamath Basin Document) and Constitution Trumps Treaties (ConTrumps for short). They are extremely well documented.
In the Klamath Basin Crisis, a bloated bureaucracy went far beyond it limits. That situation boils down to three simple facts: 1. The federal government is limited in land control and use. 2. Treaties can NOT supersede the Constitution. 3. People have the right to be let alone.
Since the Klamath Basin problem is similar to areas all over America, winning this one will help everyone. So when S 975 reared its ugly head, I was decided to take action.
S 975 is in the Senate and promises to take federal control right into your back yard, Folks. This one needs to be stopped, and stopped right. Following is a sample letter I hope you will copy and send. It tells it all.
******************************************************
Dear Senator:
I object to federal government stepping into my backyard. Supporting S 975 is asking for long stay in prison for violation of Constitutional law. The Supreme Law of the Land -- the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and the Rulings of the Supreme Court -- very plainly state that federal government land control is limited to Post Offices and post Roads, the capitol, Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings. That same authority is unwielding in stating that treaties can NOT supersede the Constitution.
For thorough documentation I direct you to . Click on Klamath, then click on KBD (Klamath Basin Document). Before clicking on Klamath, you will find Constitution Trumps Treaties right there waiting for you.
Thank you for NOT supporting S 975.
Yours truly,
[Sign your name here]
***********************************************
Thanks for you support of America.
Forest
On bended knee, I implore you to call your Senators about this.
'Pod
Just phoned Senator Inhofe's office and politely asked that he vote NO on S.975. Phone calls are more effective than emails, IMO.
P. S. Senator Inhofe's phone person is VERRRRRRY nice.
Anybody with a bump list that has information on actions like this pending before Congress or your state legislature or city or county goverment. If you will put me on your bump lists, I'll be more than happy to bump these items to the top.
These burearats need to be challenged and put in their place.
regards.
I certainly agree- but some of us are too strapped for long distance calls or extra postage- here's an alternative:
Ignorance Making You Ill? Cure It!
for links, tools, & instructions about how to contact a pile of different people, and how to send a link to this story right here ( or anywhere else ) to a "mass email" using Outlook Express.
The one thing your Reps can't say, even about email? "Well, you never told me your opinion..."
This is not tin-foil hat stuff. I have checked it out.
Rectitudine Sto! 'Pod
DON'T TREAD ON ME!
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