Update on: So Let's Walk the Walk?

I emailed Senator Arlen Specter about the auto bailout earlier this week- I hadn't gotten a reply until tonight and so I thought it was perhaps a loss. I've not often been this happy to be proven wrong. Here was his reply:

"Dear Mr. Linton:

Thank you for contacting my office concerning economic aid to the auto industry. I appreciate your views on this matter.

In November 2008, executives of the "Big Three" automakers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler - told Congress that the economic downturn and the credit crunch were threatening their survival, and that federal aid would be required to help them weather the storm. Legislation to extend $14 billion in emergency bridge loans was approved by the House of Representatives (H.R.7321), but was met with mixed reaction in the Senate where members sought to include more stringent concessions from the automakers, bondholders, and the United Auto Workers union so that the taxpayer would have a better chance of seeing the loans repaid.

On December 11, 2008, after extensive closed-door negotiations, an agreement on concessions was not reached among the stakeholders and the Senate then failed to cut off debate on a motion to proceed to consideration of the House measure by a vote of 52-35 - short of the necessary 60 votes. Along with nine other members of the minority party, I voted in favor of the procedural motion so that the Senate could continue to deliberate and perhaps come to agreement.

I am not in favor of throwing good money after bad. As a matter of public policy, I am opposed to bailouts. In our free enterprise system, the market, not the government, should determine winners and losers. However, there is an exception when the potential consequences of failing to provide federal economic aid could produce a devastating effect on the economy. In this case, I was prepared to consider economic aid because of consequences to the economy if the Big Three failed. I agreed with the bill's opponents that the proposed legislation drafted by the White House and Congressional Democrats was unsatisfactory but thought it might be sufficiently improved with amendments to get the necessary votes if we had kept trying.

In the absence of a legislative solution from Congress, the White House announced on December 19, 2008, that $17.4 billion in emergency loans would be made available to General Motors and Chrysler, with assistance conditioned on the companies undertaking reorganization plans to show that they can return to profitability. Specifically, the companies will be required to reduce their debt obligations by two-thirds and to reach an agreement with the United Auto Workers union to cut wages and benefits so they are competitive with those of employees of foreign-based automakers working in the United States. To gain access to the emergency loans, the companies must also agree to various taxpayer protections, including limits on executive compensation and the elimination of their private corporate jets. If, by March 30, 2009, the two companies are unable to meet these conditions, the loans would need to be repaid, ahead of all other creditors.

Again, thank you for writing. The concerns of my constituents are of great importance to me, and I rely on you and other Pennsylvanians to inform me of your views. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at http://specter.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Arlen Specter"

I know, it isn't results per se. It is a response though, and he is telling me what HE is doing about MY concerns. This is how these guys are held accountable.

Why I hate TV

Animal planet airs some of the most ridiculous garbage I have seen put on TV. Their new show 'Whale Wars' ranks alongside what I deem the top five least intelligent shows - hanging right in there with (insert lame celebrity) of Love, The Hills, Real Housewives of (insert relevant location), and The O'Reilly Factor.

The premise of the show is that a group of activists on the Steve Irwin 'Sea Shepherd' are doing their part to stop 'illegal whaling'. In reality, however, these activists are engaging ships that are INTERNATIONALLY approved to be whaling. Albeit for scientific reasons, the harvesting is not disallowed. In fact, whaling is not 'illegal' in any country per se. The official stance is that they (countries in the International Whaling Committee or IWC) have put whaling under moratorium until they can find the most efficient way to whale without decreasing the population to extinction.

Following is an excerpt from http://www.iwcoffice.org/commission/iwcmain.htm the IWC website, which states its purposes clearly:

"Whales, like any other animal population, have a natural capacity for increase and a natural rate of mortality. A stock remains more or less in equilibrium at its initial level because these two factors balance one another. If the number of whales in a stock is reduced then recruitment increases, possibly as a result of greater food availability, by higher pregnancy rates, earlier maturation, increased survival rates or a combination of these factors.

In 1975, a new management policy for whales was adopted by the IWC based on these characteristics. This was designed to bring all stocks to the levels providing the greatest long-term harvests, by setting catch limits for individual stocks below their sustainable yields.

However, because of uncertainties in the scientific analyses (in part due to the difficulty in obtaining the complex data required) and therefore the precise status of the various whale stocks, the IWC decided at its meeting in 1982 that there should be a pause (the ‘moratorium’) in commercial whaling on all whale stocks from 1985/86.

A Revised Management Procedure (RMP) has been developed subsequently, which the Commission accepted and endorsed in 1994 but has yet to implement. This balances the somewhat conflicting requirements to ensure that the risk to individual stocks is not seriously increased, while allowing the highest continuing yield. It is an important step in the development of wildlife resource management in that it takes into account the inevitable scientific uncertainty and requires only relatively simple to obtain information (knowledge of population size, past and present catches, and stock identity)." (bold added)

Now I could be wrong in thinking that these guys are just a bunch of fanatics wishing they could have the conviction to be martyred for something important- but then they are the ones blatantly lying to the public about their actions by saying that Japanese whalers are performing illegal activities. What sickens me is that the crew of the Steve Irwin have taken the name of a decent man and absolutely smeared it, by taking irresponsible, childish, and dangerous actions that is comparable to terrorism.

Following are some clips from Sea Shepherd activities.

Sea Shepherd getting crew members onto a whaling ship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxk56ZEQSoE&feature=related

Same crew members handed over to Australian authorities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD1YfSMBxWo&feature=related

Sea Shepherd collecting longlines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEjOBEEWcT0&feature=related

Whale Wars advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxZ9o84AgqU

One quick note - in the video collecting longlines he says that longlining is highly illegal. He is wrong- in the Galapagos there is no law against longlining.

I personally don't have an investment in whaling or not whaling. I do think that Animal Planet is glorifying childish harrassment and overlooking all the legal facts, which is disgusting. I don't care what the issue is, to portray it in an absolutely false light as if it is true and righteous and good is a travesty and completely lacking of integrity.

Now no matter which side you stand on you should go get educated, and get your opinion out there to whoever matters.

To encourage or disparage Animal Planet for airing Whale Wars, check out their forums:
http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/6701997099

To email policy makers and representatives about actually changing the legality of this or not, once again I direct you to:
http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html (that's a good one to bookmark)

So Let's Walk the Walk?

I've often gotten into political debates with people about how the problem with this country stems from the ground up. Just think about it this way- we are a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is all about the people. We, the people, hold these truths to be self-evident. Who are the people? WE. This entire government thing is of, by, and for us. So we need to be responsible and maintain it.

We do that by being the fourth branch of government, the citizenry. We need to be voting, sure. On every level, not just for the President. For council members, mayors, no matter how small or big. Another thing we can do is to let them know how good or bad of a job they are doing. We can't be passive in this. I know people have an opinion- so tell the people who actually care! Stop screaming at each other and turn it over to the people who can actually affect what you are screaming about. So in the spirit of encouragement, here is a link to get in touch with your Senators and Congressmen:

Congress - http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html

In that link is every Congressman and Senator currently serving. Just find your state on the left, then click the hyperlinks of the names of your representatives. That'll take you to their personal website where you have to find a way to email them - look under constituent services or some such link to get it. I'm telling you people, if you want to be heard, here is how you do it.