We are all on gubment assistance, and don't even know it

[outcaster]

Now that the Nov elections are coming up. The 3rd Congressional dist race to replace Zachariah Wampus is heating up. All of the candidates are trying to "out conservative" the other. Most, if not all of the Republican candidates are promising to "Clean up" Washington by not voting for, and stopping spending "earmarks". I wonder if all these "fiscal conservatives" are aware that the TN 3rd district gets more earmark spending than any other district in TN. Additionally, the 3rd dist. gets MORE money from Washington than it sends up there. So all of us that live in the TN 3rd are enjoying "more than our share" of gubment assistance. So.... Think about that next time you pay your next power bill, or lock thru one of the dams, or drive over one of the bridges....... or fish on the TN River. Some poor schmuck in Fiddlefart, Indiana is subsidizing your good life here.

I wonder how long the one that wins Zach's seat will hold out before caving and voting for a spending earmark once he/she learns how Washington works. If the new 3rd Rep does not send money back to the district and does not support TVA they will be out by 2012. I think all of the candidates know this already. They just won't say it. While I disagree with Zach on almost every political issue. The man did his job. He got every penny he could for us and strongly supported TVA funding for his district. Just imagine what would happen to a 3rd dist Rep that let TVA funding shrink under his/her watch.

So... I guess my question is...... do you really believe any of these candidates when they tell us that they will not be supporting "earmark spending"?....... even when the spending is for us? Or are they just telling you what you want to here?

We really do love our gubment assistance down here even though most wail against it.............. for others

 

[SpurHunter]

They are all liars, they all take earmarks, thats why I fully believe its always the "lesser of two evils" when I go to the polls.

 

[Eyeman2]

Maybe, Just Maybe,,,we can get a Majority of Newbies elected, and they can stick together and change the United States of America back to a Republic. Whether they be D/P or I's, lets put 'em in guys and see what happens.
VOTE FOR THE OTHER GUY !!!

 

[catmaster]

so are the fish bitting????????????

 

[outcaster]

catmaster - 8/1/2010 6:10 PM

so are the fish bitting????????????[/QUOTE

Guess not.... for you... Your little brother whooped your butt yesterday

 

[finbully]

outcaster - 7/31/2010 5:24 PM

He got every penny he could for us and strongly supported TVA funding for his district. Just imagine what would happen to a 3rd dist Rep that let TVA funding shrink under his/her watch.

Just what in the hell are you talking about "TVA funding". TVA has not received one penny from the Fed in two decades and paid over $3 billion for the original $1.4 billion that funded the Authority. TVA funds projects by selling bonds – just like a listed business. TVA also pays more than $500 million a year to state and local governments in lieu of taxes for the "rent" of utility right-of-ways to provide facilities (power lines, generators, substations, etc.) in the communities that provide our power.

The recreation areas, economic development, energy conservation audits, etc. that TVA provides to all are fully funded by power sales and nothing else. Let me say that in simple words - zero money from the Federal government.

As far as the Chickamauga lock "earmark", the lock is in horrible shape and the most electronically monitored in the country due it its poor condition and in dire need of complete replacement. The lock is one piece of a 650 mile navigable waterway that saves all of us in the Valley over $140 million a year in alternative transportation costs.

You continue to pontificate on this forum and write from a stance that warps the truth just like the politicians you slur. The funds Hamilton County receives benefit many more people and parts of our country (and the world for that matter) than just the people that live in this immediate area. I suggest you immerse yourself in the subject matter you write about before writing something foolish and misleading.

 

[outcaster]

Finbully, nothng I said was foolish or misleading. I can't believe you would actually think I would rip the TVA (I'm a Liberal, FDR lovin Democrat for Pete's sake), and you are only partially correct on many of your points, TVA no longer gets operational funds, but did for more than 60 years, and still does receive funding for many projects (Chickamauga lock being one of them with the Army Corps of Eng). TVA has been very successful, and is a shining example of gov't doing something right. TVA is a federally owned agency, and enjoys the backing of the federal government to borrow money more cheaply than private utilities and it doesn’t pay fed taxes, which private utility companies do. Privatizing TVA is often proposed by some and fought off by those that represent the people of the TN Valley. Don't get me wrong here, TVA is the single most positive thing that has happened to this area in the last 100 years. TVA was conceived and built by one of those New York elitist, sissy liberals, FDR. One of the main reasons TVA was needed was because the "for profit" "capitalist" utility companies did not believe bringing electricity to the TN valley area was profitable for them. The TN Valley was one of the last populated areas in the Nation to finally receive electricity until TVA came along.

As for earmarks and Federal spending:

The Fed gov't is spending 7.8 billion (over 3 Billion to Oak Ridge), and over 90 million in earmark funding in the 3rd dist this year. We send to Washington $6041.00, and receive $8132.00 Per capita Source: Federal Assistance Awards Data System compiled by the US Bureau of Census.

I think you missed the whole point of the post. (you guys tend to do that with me) You hear what you want to hear. The point I was making..... was that everyone now seems interested in cutting spending and promising NOT to vote for budget earmark funding, and we all need to tighten our belts now. We often think about earmark funding, and Federal spending going to someone else in a different part of the country. But if we, and those we choose to send to Washington are really serious about it, it will happen in OUR own backyard. I'm not sure the people of this area realize how connected we are to Federal spending, both historically and present day, and what it would mean if some of it went away.

 

[Eyeman2]

Chilhowee Dam was built before TVA by Alcoa, Aluminum Company of America.....any ideas where FDR got his ideas?, bfore trying to be a Dictator, and shove his right wing down the throats of the US populace,FDR/ HA
Gimmie your Gold or go to jail

 

[outcaster]

Eyeman2 - 8/2/2010 12:51 PM

Chilhowee Dam was built before TVA by Alcoa, Aluminum Company of America.....any ideas where FDR got his ideas?, bfore trying to be a Dictator, and shove his right wing down the throats of the US populace,FDR/ HA
Gimmie your Gold or go to jail

Go talk to most anyone that is now in their late 80's or 90's that has lived all of their lives here in the TN Valley, during the Great Depression and before TVA. Ask them what they think about Mr. Roosevelt, and the TVA. If you don't know anyone.... I have a 87 year old Granny that can fill you in.

PBS had a really good documentary on TVA just a few weeks ago. Really good old photos and footage from places we have all been to and now take for granted.

BTW it was his "left wing" he shoved down the throats of the US populace. I you are gonna insult one of the greatest Presidents in US history try, at least learn which side on the political road he was on.

 

[Eyeman2]

PBS is a government funded TV station.whaddau think they are going to run.NPR is also taxpayer funded,,,How 'bout WGOW?WDEF,,wonder why? they are not taxpayer funded.
FDR was NOT great. unemployment in 1940 was 17%,,,SS was going to be voluntary, @ no more than 7%,, spent 16 BILLION $$$$ of tax payers $$ on boondoggle JOBS,(WPA) Japs got us out of the Depression, not FDR.Took us off gold standard, $20 bill or $20 gold coin. Which would you rather have?
FDR imprisioned Americans because of their race, took their business and gave them nothing. Dystroyed crops & livestock to boost prices, ordered FBI to investigate newspapers, and business that were against his policies..and the list goes on.
News traveled slow back then. Give a guy a job in WPA and he will vote Democtat, especially in the Western Staes,which he did not carry.JUst like today, give'em welfare and they vote Democrat, no work, just sit, sit & sit.
Read the Book, "The Law", by Frederic Bastiat, it's free and on line, just google it, and then see how you think.If you read it, "does anything sound familar"? check out the date it was penned by Bastiat.
Old people, icluding my deceased parents thought FDR was great, but I'm an Indepent thinker now.

 

[outcaster]

Eyeman2 - 8/2/2010 2:39 PM

PBS is a government funded TV station.whaddau think they are going to run.NPR is also taxpayer funded,,,How 'bout WGOW?WDEF,,wonder why? they are not taxpayer funded.
FDR was NOT great. unemployment in 1940 was 17%,,,SS was going to be voluntary, @ no more than 7%,, spent 16 BILLION $$$$ of tax payers $$ on boondoggle JOBS,(WPA) Japs got us out of the Depression, not FDR.Took us off gold standard, $20 bill or $20 gold coin. Which would you rather have?
FDR imprisioned Americans because of their race, took their business and gave them nothing. Dystroyed crops & livestock to boost prices, ordered FBI to investigate newspapers, and business that were against his policies..and the list goes on.
News traveled slow back then. Give a guy a job in WPA and he will vote Democtat, especially in the Western Staes,which he did not carry.JUst like today, give'em welfare and they vote Democrat, no work, just sit, sit & sit.
Read the Book, "The Law", by Frederic Bastiat, it's free and on line, just google it, and then see how you think.If you read it, "does anything sound familar"? check out the date it was penned by Bastiat.
Old people, icluding my deceased parents thought FDR was great, but I'm an Indepent thinker now.

Ok.... you're right.... FDR sucked, and the TVA was just another failed welfare program. I think you should have listened to your parents.

 

[finbully]

TVA no longer gets operational funds, but did for more than 60 years, and still does receive funding for many projects (Chickamauga lock being one of them with the Army Corps of Eng).

Wrong – the Corps of Engineers is funded by the Fed. TVA gets zero dollars from the Fed. I will editorialize here and say with the liberals in charge, TVA may end up paying for completion of the lock since Obama and his party is running out of political capital to do anything effective.

TVA is a federally owned agency, and enjoys the backing of the federal government to borrow money more cheaply than private utilities and it doesn’t pay fed taxes, which private utility companies do.

Partially correct – TVA debt is not backed by the Fed. Yes they do not pay fed taxes, just like a whole host of government and municipal utilities. TVA enjoys its investment quality credit rating because it is a well performing agency of the Fed.

TVA was conceived and built by one of those New York elitist, sissy liberals, FDR.

Wrong – Sen. George Norris – Nebraska conceived the TVA. FDR signed the Act into law.

One of the main reasons TVA was needed was because the "for profit" "capitalist" utility companies did not believe bringing electricity to the TN valley area was profitable for them. The TN Valley was one of the last populated areas in the Nation to finally receive electricity until TVA came along.

Partially correct – TVA was founded “To improve the navigability and to provide for the flood control of the Tennessee River; to provide for reforestation and the proper use of marginal lands in the Tennessee Valley; to provide for the agricultural and industrial development of said valley; to provide for the national defense by the creation of a corporation for the operation of Government properties at and near Muscle Shoals in the State of Alabama, and for other purposes.” Just read the first sentence in the Act.

Yes, this region was the last major area to be electrified in the U.S. The first electricity was excess power that was not used for the national defense however.

 

[outcaster]

finbully - 8/2/2010 6:49 PM

TVA no longer gets operational funds, but did for more than 60 years, and still does receive funding for many projects (Chickamauga lock being one of them with the Army Corps of Eng).

Wrong – the Corps of Engineers is funded by the Fed. TVA gets zero dollars from the Fed. I will editorialize here and say with the liberals in charge, TVA may end up paying for completion of the lock since Obama and his party is running out of political capital to do anything effective.

TVA is a federally owned agency, and enjoys the backing of the federal government to borrow money more cheaply than private utilities and it doesn’t pay fed taxes, which private utility companies do.

Partially correct – TVA debt is not backed by the Fed. Yes they do not pay fed taxes, just like a whole host of government and municipal utilities. TVA enjoys its investment quality credit rating because it is a well performing agency of the Fed.

TVA was conceived and built by one of those New York elitist, sissy liberals, FDR.

Wrong – Sen. George Norris – Nebraska conceived the TVA. FDR signed the Act into law.

One of the main reasons TVA was needed was because the "for profit" "capitalist" utility companies did not believe bringing electricity to the TN valley area was profitable for them. The TN Valley was one of the last populated areas in the Nation to finally receive electricity until TVA came along.

Partially correct – TVA was founded “To improve the navigability and to provide for the flood control of the Tennessee River; to provide for reforestation and the proper use of marginal lands in the Tennessee Valley; to provide for the agricultural and industrial development of said valley; to provide for the national defense by the creation of a corporation for the operation of Government properties at and near Muscle Shoals in the State of Alabama, and for other purposes.” Just read the first sentence in the Act.

Yes, this region was the last major area to be electrified in the U.S. The first electricity was excess power that was not used for the national defense however.

So is TVA just another a failed Federal Welfare program?

 

[cast4bass]

On the Chick lock - I will just say - How come the Obama Admin is just sitting on billions of $$ of stimulus when there are shovel ready projects such as the Chick lock and why does it take an earmark to get funding for it each year? Hmmmm?

 

[Sniperchoke]

Im so tired of hearing about the Chick lock and how our gov't really is helping us out. Do you think for one minute that the private sector wouldn't build a lock for shipping and moving product. This topic is lame..

 

[Eyeman2]

Educational post "finbully".
The lock is free to lock through, private interprise would have charge. It's like a toll road.
TVA was a real thorn in the sdie of government from the 1960's and running amuck until it was reeled in and told to make a profit, no more or a lot less taxpayer $$. If TYVA had continued to opereate like it had for the past 60 years, it would have been another government job gone wild, with billions of tax $$ like:Rail Roads & Post Office.
If airlines and UPS/FedX can make it, then why can't others without Taxpayer$$$..That's where TVA comes into play. Make it or sell off some of their assets. How plain is hat?