Sirotablog

David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.

  • October 3, 2007 9:56 AM

    White House Uses Fiat to Expand Eminent Domain, Crush State/Local Authority

    The Los Angeles Times has the scoop:

    "The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday designated nearly all of Southern California, parts of Arizona and much of the northeast as "national interest" energy transmission corridors, an action that allows federal regulators to approve new high-voltage towers and lets private utilities condemn homes and land even if a state agency won't...Utilities and other business groups, including the California Chamber of Commerce and Edison Electric Institute, a national electric industry lobbying group, praised the announcement. Residents in rural areas expressed concern...Earlier this year, members of Congress tried unsuccessfully to roll back the new powers of the federal commission. And some land trust groups are considering whether to file legal challenges."

    Beware America: This is your supposedly "anti-Big Government" and supposedly "pro-local control" conservative movement at work.

    UPDATE: Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) offered an amendment to stop this power grab back in June. You can see how your congressperson voted here, and you can see the text of the legislation here. Hinchey today says he will spearhead a renewed legislative effort to stop this federal power grab. Will conservative lawmakers support his cause?

    Posted by David Sirota
    Permalink | Comments (7) | del.icio.us | digg
    Tags: hypocrisy, Land Politics

Discussion

  • TJ Colatrella [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Maurice is my Congressmen here in NY State and he gets much less credit and attention than he deserves he was also totally against the Iraq war long before it began and voted against it..

    Now this among a lot of other issues is something conservatives or so called conservatives should by definition and stated beliefs be against..

    But support for Bush has become support for authoritarian fascism first and foremost, and is actually a form of social dementia a syndrome and pathology we see it everyday..

    Bush Dementia Syndrome you heard it first here..

    Posted on October 3, 2007 7:37 PM
  • waltc [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Unless Pelosi and Hoyer get behind the amendment it won't get the votes to win. That means muscling the precious blue-dog/New Dems for their vote and working with getting more GOPers on board to have a chance.

    Posted on October 3, 2007 11:44 PM
  • butte [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Looking over the voting record on this issue, I see that Montana's rubber-stamp Republican (non)Representative Denny Rheberg has struck again.
    I don't understand some so-called progressives want to change the Senate, talking about the "tyranny of the minority" when Montana has NO representation in the House.
    We have a Rubber-stamp Republican who supports K-street and the Bushiato over his constituents, and we have one(Tester) and a half(Bacchus) senators.
    Montana like many small population states is at the mercy of the short-sighted urban and K-street majority, who know of nothing outside of their urban areas.

    Posted on October 4, 2007 7:51 AM
  • waltc [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Butte,

    Don't blame the coastal states for the self-inflicted fuckups of the small-states.

    No one is telling these people they have to vote back in crooks, lunatics and perverts of various stripes as their representatives. They do it all on their own.

    Posted on October 4, 2007 9:14 AM
  • butte [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    I've seen too many dumb deals go down that made NO sense out here in the west and Midwest.
    Some coastal urban voters, are trying to do away with the small voice the lower population areas, which are actually larger in geographic area, by this dumb movement to try to change the Senate.
    Well, think about this. Our senators aren't the ones who are trying to filibuster Democrat bills, THEY are both Democrats. Its Republicans in the higher population states who are doing it.
    Why should Montana, and other rural areas be punished for the actions of non-Montanans?
    It's just another urban bad idea.

    Posted on October 5, 2007 7:55 AM
  • waltc [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Butte

    Why don't you target Reid, that fella from a small state since he's the mastermind behind a lot of the senate moves?

    And don't forget about all those wonderful GOP senate politicos from the mid-west who hold up every bit of decent legislation coming out of the Senate. Hell these people must love the representation they are getting too. They like the Iraq war, they like their sons dying and getting maimed in country most can't find on a map.

    1


    Posted on October 5, 2007 8:59 AM
  • GrantBurkeVT [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    I live in a small state, Vermont, and it takes Independents to put pressure on both parties. Montana could benefit from Progressive Independents although I hear the state level Democrats in MT are a whole lot better than the ones in DC. It's sad to see Tester slowly but steadily becoming Baucus-ized. If I were him, I'd go Independent and be the old Jon Tester who was never afraid to take charge. Is it possible for him to force Reid to step down and replace that fucktard?

    Posted on October 5, 2007 3:55 PM

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