Knock, knock....who's there -- America 2010, Land of Foolish Enablers

Knock knock, who's there? Your neighbor. I want to let you know that I know nothing about the value of personal responsibility; therefore, -- I want, and expect you, the taxpayer, to pay for my baby's prenatal care, birthing and any medical care my baby may need, cause I don't want to use a condom when me and the 16 year old girl down the street have sex. Also, since I don't wanna work -- I want, and expect you, the taxpayer, to pay for me to eat, drink and be a little merry throughout the day, each day. Also, I want a house -- I want, and expect you, the taxpayer, to contribute to my down payment. Oh, and, I don't really want to invest the time & effort into my children's education, schooling, emotional health or life and I don't really care what damage this envokes on their future -- I want, and expect you, the taxpayer, to pay for the detention, social services, counseling, rehabilitation, support, detox support, prison, food, care & clothing that my child will most likely need throughout his/her entire life. Another thing, I want a dog but can't afford it -- I want, and expect you, the taxpayer, to pay for all of my expenses related to the dog.

And the people say.....OK, we'll do.

This is America 2010! The land of foolish enablers. We need to desert this plan, and turn all of the social services business and hand outs, over to charity and take it away from our elected officials, they are abusing their powers and working against, not for, the taxpayers who supply their dollars to spend.

Ft. Worth Protecting Vagrants from the Law

City Code Sec. 30-12 states: "It shall be unlawful for any person to enclose, build upon or make any other private use of any part of the street, sidewalk or other right-of-way, without first obtaining the express authorization of the city."

I have sent email to Councilwoman, Kathleen Hicks, who represents this area of Ft. Worth, asking for clarification of the law and why the law is not being enforced here in East Ft. Worth.

To my knowledge, it against the constitution to segment sections of society and protect them from the law. Gosh, I wished I were wealthy, I could then hire many attorneys to process my arguments in court.

To make private use of city street(s) right-of-ways.....is, according the Ft. Worth Code, unlawful! If you are not going to enforce the law, get rid of it!! Or is it racial -homeowner profiling -- they only enforce it on white people who own homes.

(The Salvation Army shelter is in the picture to the left -- they hand out freebies.)

Fort Worth City Council members have ignored complaints against Police Department for years before the Gay Bar Raid

I have sent email after email to all Fort Worth City Council members about the behaviors and inactions with the FWPD. Not one Council member responded. Yet when something happens such as the planned raid on the Rainbow Lounge and it makes national news then the career politicians come out of the woodwork and try to convince us that "we enforce the law equally, blah blah blah." How many times have I sent emails detailing the facts of poor police work on the Eastside and not one Ft. Worth City Councilmember has given a darn, not even my representative, Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks. Ft. Worth does not enforce the law equally. They protect the indigents, they protect the homeless and they selectively enforce the laws and ordinances. They protect each other, even the Department Heads and Police Chief. The egg belongs on the faces of every Ft. Worth City Council person except for Mr. Zim Zimmerman who was just elected to office. The Councilmembers don't have a clue to how the City Departments are managed and on what principles. I pray that the seats will stay hot for Ft. Worth's City 'leaders' regarding this incident.

A letter of reference to an Attorney on behalf of an employee facing 40 years -- 3 felonies for drug possession

Below is a letter I sent to the attorney for my employee. It's very disturbing to me that we have violent offenders (killers) walking the streets of E. Lancaster that we can't keep in jail, but we can't get non-violent offenders (who are putting forth great effort to remain clean & lead productive lives) out of jail. I'm for change!

Dear Ms. _____ –

So n so has been a part time employee of mine since December 2008. I have known so-n-so to be a very hard worker with a compassionate heart. I knew when I hired so-n-so that she had a criminal record with drug use. I purposefully hire people with a non-violent criminal history because I believe it is important to give such individuals a chance to work and participate in a productive cause for their life.

My business is in the middle of the homeless shelters in Ft. Worth so I get a bird’s eye view of the product of our system -- people with criminal records not being able to find jobs. It’s something that cost us taxpayers enormously! I am a huge proponent of “helping” non-violent offenders – not enabling them, but actually “helping” them get their lives back together. I am also a huge proponent of early childhood intervention and development of “at-risk” children as I believe that irresponsible parenting is the cause of most of our drug, crime & homeless problems in society.

Please let me know how I can help with so-n-so's case. I have witnessed so-n-so put forth a tremendous effort towards a drug free, responsible, hard working, productive life in the past few months and hope that our justice system will invest in keeping so-n-so clean & productive, especially since she has the desire to participate in, and work for the betterment of such.

Feel free to contact me anytime.

Respectfully,

Suzette Watkins

Homelessness is not a crime, littering is -- can we get some Accountability in Ft. Worth?

I love pictures, they tell 1 0 0 0 words! Can you spare a ten or twenty dollar bill? In order for me to have a voice on Ft. Worth's City Council, please, I need your help. I'll have 1/9 of a voice for a better Ft. Worth -- one that empowers by holding people accountable. It works -- we all know that, it's just that no politician has the guts to fight for it! Donate here http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/donate.html

(Political Advertisement Authorized by Suzette Watkins)

"Littering in Texas can get you a $500 fine, it is a Class C Misdemeanor (If what was littered was less than 5 pounds). Littering over 5 pounds is a Class B Misdemeanor which carries a fine of up to $2,000. Texas motto "Don't Mess with Texas"

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_there_a_fine_for_littering_in_the_East_Texas_area

My first speech as a Candidate for Ft. Worth's District 8 City Council Seat

Wednesday, Feb. 18th, 2009
Today, I officially filed for a place on the City of Ft. Worth General Election Ballot for the Office of District 8 City Council. Something that several of my lifelong friends have wanted me to do for a long time and when I told them what I was going to do, they said, “I can’t believe it’s taken you THIS long, Suzette!!”

The first thing people ask me when I tell them that I am running for office is…..are you a Republican or a Democrat. My answer is Both -- and none of the above …

I don’t really fit in any of the political boxes very tightly.

I will say, that I’m hoping that the

* The Republicans & Libertarians will approve of me for my fiscal conservative-ness

* and my very liberal social-tolerant-beliefs will keep the Democrats from throwing me to the wolves ………

* and The Independents will like me because I won’t be beholden to the Party ideology arguments for the sake of Party loyalty.

So when people ask me what I am, I say let me tell you a little bit about my value system and what I believe, and you decide where I fall and if you’d like to support me as a candidate for public office.

I was born in the southeast Texas town of Beaumont, TX. I was educated in the public school system, I graduated from Klein High School in Houston, TX in 1980. I moved back to Beaumont, married -- (a great man, BTW) Put myself through college and obtained an Associates degree in Management from Lamar University. Divorced 4 years later, moved to Dallas -- worked in Corporate America for several years (more times than not, frustrated because I thought that I could do the job better than most of my bosses) went back to college part time and finished with a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from UNT.

What gets me here before you today, to be quite honest, is a love of proving that I can make things happen…….when I have a clear vision………. and having a lifetime history of jobs in customer service and I know ………that I have the skills for working with people which is what I think a City Council job is all about.

I have a vision for making District 8 a safer, cleaner, more business friendly & a more resident friendly part of this City….and I feel confident… that I can make a difference.. for the better; in the District.

I believe that w/in the first 6 months I can get the crime rate knocked down to at least second place. Every single year that my opponent has been in office, District 8 has had the most total crime of all the Districts in this City. This is unacceptable! … if I get elected to this office, I promise you, that will CHANGE – - - - District 8 will not remain the most crime infested District in this City of ours!

HOW WILL I DO THIS? It’s quite simple. It’s called holding people accountable. We have laws on the books for a reason. If we aren’t going to enforce those laws then we need to take them off the books. If we are going to leave those laws on the books, then we need to enforce them….every single one of them, even littering.

If the jails are full and can’t take anymore offenders – sounds to me like we need to look at the system and see if there is a more effective way of dealing with the problem. I say it’s time for jail reform.

If we keep getting the same repeat offenders of the same crimes, sounds like we need to look at the system and see if there is a more effective way of dealing with the problem. I say it’s time for jail reform.

If the police officers are frustrated because the people they take downtown are back on the street corners before the officers finish their mounds of paperwork, sounds to me like we need to look at the system and see if there is a more effective way of dealing with the problem. I say it’s time the beat officers have an advocate at City Hall.

Let me ask y’all a question……(this is a test, but it’s an easy one!) If you know the answer say HEYYY!

How many of you know the name of your Neighborhood Police Officer?

My point exactly. Our NPOs need to know WHO THE RESIDENTS ARE! How can you fight neighborhood crime if you don’t know the residents, how can you educate the residents if you don’t know them? How can you keep communication lines open if you don’t communicate? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming the NPOs! What I’m pointing out is that there is a gap in lines of effective communication between the fancy offices at City Hall and street level workers in this City. I’m saying let’s talk about how many salaries we the taxpayers are paying----- for positions above the NPOs…what are the people in those positions doing and who is holding them accountable?

It is my understanding that it’s the City Council’s job to make sure that City Government is serving the people and businesses in the neighborhoods.
From what I’ve seen on the EASTSIDE of town, it appears there may need to be more questions asked about who’s doing what -- how they are doing it -- and is it effective.

A few ideas I have on ReBuilding our communities

– Neighborhood Police Officers riding bicycles and walking the neighborhoods

– getting a vibrant and effective community service program going that teaches self responsibility with the hope of instilling some pride & life ----- back into troubled & lost souls

– Holding leaders of NAs accountable for communicating with the residents and businesses in the neighborhood -- regardless if the residents or business owners aggravate them or not! -- regardless if everyone agrees! – no one will agree 100% of the time… we all know that!…. but if we are to call ourselves leaders, then it is our responsibility to stay open to communication IF…. we are to serve…. the common good of the people.

MY GOALS FOR DISTRICT 8 would be to have

– a District that attracts Economic Development on its own w/out having to be sub-si-dized by the tax payers!

– – a District that holds our police force accountable for enforcing the Class C Misdemeanor Crimes (what some call petty crimes)

– – a District that holds the DAs office and the FWPD accountable for prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent of the law

– – a District that provides bike lanes up & down the main corridors of District 8 so that we can inexpensively get people moving in & out of our side of town and maybe sell them a sandwich, salad or cold beverage in a safe environment like they do in other parts of our City.

– A District that has a Representative at City Hall that will actually know what’s going on and care what’s going on in the neighborhoods & in our Municipal Courts

– A District that has a Representative that will bring common sense to the money table and not ask for something just because everyone else is asking for it even when it’s not prudent from a business standpoint. It’s the right thing to do for the taxpayers -- - - (the owners of this City)!

– A District that has a humble, working girl, ready & willing to get her hands dirty and not be concerned about ruffling feathers in order to bring about NEEDED CHANGE!

– A District that values the historic charm of this City and protects historic homes in historic neighborhoods. I see no reason why we can’t work together and help neighborhoods rid themselves of crime & code violations and bring back some responsible homeowners to those neighborhoods.

If you will continue to support me through this campaign -- tell your friends, acquaintances, colleagues, business associates & certainly anyone you know on the Eastside that there is a girl running for the City Council seat in District 8 that

- means what she says and says what she means

- isn’t afraid of speaking up for the people & small businesses

- isn’t afraid to tackling the sensitive issues we have in District 8,

- A girl running for City Council who you won’t have to worry about doing shady housing deals that leaves the people in need with nothing -- the bandits with the money -- and the taxpayers picking up the pieces for bad business deals -- AND decisions made by ethically challenged politicians and their friends.

- A girl who won’t feel the need to sit on multiple Board of Directors and at the same time say that the District is so big I don’t have time to tend to the needs of the people!

- A girl who will be an advocate for personal responsibility, accountability and transparency, not only in the office of City Council District 8 but in all aspects of City Government and especially businesses that are getting money from the City of Ft. Worth on behalf of the taxpayers!

If you will help me spread this word, I can unseat the entrenched incumbent & we can restore this District to working for the people instead of working against the people and business communities of District 8 – we can help all of the taxpayers in Ft. Worth because there will be someone on their side for a change! Someone who will try her best to pick up where The Honorable Mr.Chuck Silcox left off.

- I can promise you that I will be someone following the money and making sure that everyone is held accountable. It’s the right thing to do for this District -- it’s the right thing to do for the tax payers of this City – it’s the thing I have to do personally… in order to look myself in the mirror each morning.

Last, but certainly not least! The dogs! This District is one of the WORST for having neglected stray dogs running around! Just last year (2008) there were 1,793 stray dogs picked up in District 8! That is roughly 150 dogs per month! Any you don’t want to know how many are euth-anized each day in this City! It is way past time for this city to consistently enforce the laws concerning humane treatment of the dogs!

and it is way past time for this City to address the problem of irresponsible dog ownership! It’s the right thing to do for the dogs, it’s the right thing to do for the taxpayers and it’s the right thing to do for our communities.

(Political Advertisement authorized by Suzette Watkins)

Donations are needed and accepted at http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/donate.html

Once again, The Ft. Worth Police Department Fails (at the Taxpayer's expense)

For three years now, I have been spending hundreds of my personal volunteer hours doing the job that my opponent should be doing so that people like me, who live and/or work in City Council District 8, East Ft. Worth, can live, work, play and/or retire in a safe, clean, prosperous neighborhood in this great, beautiful City of Fort Worth.

I have sent countless emails to my City Council representative, Kathleen Hicks and other City Reps, spoken on the phone countless times with 911 operators, & Shift Supervisors, spoken personally with many beat police officers, Lieutenants, Captains, Sergeants, visited with many business owners around this Neighborhood, gone downtown to meetings about this issue with my Council Rep, gone to the Police Forums, gone to Town Hall meetings for the District, have even shown up at a few Neighborhood Association meetings, worked on Committees with the Mayors Advisory Commission on Homelessness, even pleaded with the Police Department to ENFORCE the criminal trespass law --10% of the time, they have enforced it.

I agree, Homelessness is not a crime; however, criminal trespassing is a crime.

Case and point: After much hard work, I got the District Attorney's office to approve me as a representative for my business neighbor's private property so that I could serve as the complainant on the Criminal Trespass warning that has to be written before one can be taken to jail for Criminal Trespassing. This letter, which I have faxed to the Captains that work this Division, authorizes the officers to issue a warning to perpetrators of the Criminal Trespass law. If the individual is caught on the property a second time, he/she goes to jail.

This tool works lovely because 99% of the individuals don't want to go to jail. It interrupts their druggin and drinking, so....they stay away from the area where they were given a Trespass Warning.

Problem is.....we as Business Owners on E. Lancaster cannot get the Ft. Worth Police Department to consistently enforce the law.

I called two nights ago on 4 people criminally trespassing on private business, posted property and requested that the Officers follow procedure and give me a copy of the trespass warning. Officers came out and did not issue a Criminal Trespass Warning. Nevermind that they gave tickets for drinking near a shelter, that's not the point. The perpetrators should have been issued a Criminal Trespass Warning along with their ticket for drinking w/in 1000 feet of a shelter.

The reasons that I have been given are the same reasons I've been given 100 times before: officer forgot, officers didn't know they were suppose to, officers aren't aware of the procedure, the Divisions are different now and we don't know the history, etc.

I have asked, pleaded, begged, along with several other Business Owners around E. Lancaster and we get NO CONSISTENT RESULTS!

What we do get is lip service from the Ft. Worth Police Department's Big Shots...(the ones who we taxpayers pay hard earned tax dollars to manage & lead their part of the deparment and to make sure the the communication flows up and down the Department) that there will be "zero tolerance" that there will be "community this and community that," I say that 50% of that talk has been nothing but BS! (Here in Texas, that means Bull Shit!)

I say, it's time that the people of District 8 elect a representative to the City Council office that really does give two hoots about what goes on in this District, someone that will actually advocate for, and expect change, someone that will hold all of those Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants of the Police force (whose salary is paid by the taxpayers) accountable to their words, someone that will actually get her hands dirty and not go along to get along in the bureaucratic game of politics nor go along to get along for fear of ruffling feathers in the name of personal political gain.

http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/

http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/donate.html

Why would you hang out all day & night at a Convenience Store?

The Good Neighbor friendly owner of this corner store has gone to the trouble to put up those shiny metal plates on the black post in order to keep vagrants from sitting there and passing the time, dealing drugs, drinking beer, smoking crack, loitering, and various other past times on his property. He also does not sell the 40oz. fortified alcoholic beverages which greatly helps the habitual drunkards from hanging around his business which greatly helps this intersection of E. Lancaster & Riverside from looking as filthy, unsafe & infested with criminal activity as it has looked in the recent past.

When we allow Crime Activity to continue...this is what the neighborhood looks like

This is in City Council District 8 East Ft. Worth, Texas -- the District with the most crime of all the Districts in Ft. Worth for at least the past 3 years. Hence, I'm running for this seat and I sure hope I am able to boot the current seated member out! I can do a better job! I have new ideas, I have a proven record. I'm not afraid to speak up. I'll move this District along faster. I'll address the issues. I will work hard in an effective manner. I will not take criticism as personal attacks. I will not request that you call me "The Honorable anything" or "Councilmember" or any of those other undeserving titles....my name is Suzette and you can call me Suzette, I won't be offended in any way, shape or form. I'm no better than the next person and see no need for the uppity titles/names.

http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/ http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/donate.html

Another drug deal gone bad involving a shooting in Council District 8 East Ft. Worth

" man getting shot in the leg late Monday outside a homeless shelter"

"The victim told police that he believed he was mistaken for another person who normally stands on the corner of Cypress and East Presidio and sells drugs," Henderson said

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1139926.html

This is in the Near Eastside Urban Village along with Presbyterian Night Shelter as the article explains above -- just east of downtown off of E. Lancaster. There is no reason, at all, that anyone should be allowed to "normally" stand on a street corner and sell drugs.

Please come to my fundraiser and find out how I would combat criminal activity in District 8. My approach is a whole different approach than the current seated City Council person's handling of the business of crime in this District. District 8 has had the highest total crime percentage of all Council Districts in the City of Ft. Worth for the past two years and 11 months inwhich my opponent has been in office. This will not be the case should I be elected to represent District 8 at City Hall. I promise you.

Find out how & why my plan will work for the betterment of District 8 here:

Wednesday, Feb. 18th 2008

Rahr Brewery Fundraiser

701 Galveston Ave

Ft. Worth, Texas

$20 per person ($35 per couple)

Free beer, live music, food and a first hand account of my vision for District 8.

Hope to see you there.

Thank you Senator Jim Webb for speaking up for the need of Prison Reform

"Drug addicts and the mentally ill take up cells that would be better used for violent criminals. And politicians have failed to address this costly problem for fear of being labeled "soft on crime." Senator Jim Webb

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122801728.html

I wonder if our local reps have the courage and/or wisdom to address such. Reforming jail & prison systems -- such a needed task! Such a failed system on which the politicians waste so many billions of our tax dollars. So many lives lost due to the negligence and courage-lessness of our politicians. Such was the case for Mr. J.B. Rai who lost his life in East Ft. Worth's neighborhood of West Meadowbrook (Council District 8) to a violent killer who had served 10 years in prison and been arrested recently for violent Misdemeanor crimes but only held in jail for 2 months and released back to the streets of Ft. Worth. Why? Because we don't have any true leaders in government who give enough of a damn and are willing to truly advocate for real change we can believe in, in Ft. Worth and the State of Texas regarding prison & jail reform.

Another reason to vote for me for District 8 City Council seat in Ft. Worth. District 8. The District has carried the most crime in the City of Ft. Worth for at least the past 3 years while my opponent has sat in office and done nothing about it.

Come to my $20 Rahr Brewery fundraiser on Wednesday, Feb. 18th and find out how I will lower crime in this District and what my plans are for the betterment of City Council District 8. Something my opponent hasn't been able to do in the three years she's been in office.
http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/

East Ft. Worth suspected Killer had past Criminal History

"According to Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials, Coulter was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1994 on an aggravated robbery conviction out of Amarillo. He was paroled in August 2004, after serving almost 10 years, and his sentence completed in February 2007.
Tarrant County court records and Fort Worth police reports show Coulter had two misdemeanor convictions in 2008 for assault with bodily injury – one involving a 61-year-old male victim and the other a 52-year-old female family member. In both cases, Coulter was sentenced to 60 days in jail."

http://www.star-telegram.com/229/story/1127459.html

How many times have I said that our elected officials must start to CHANGE the way we punish criminals. Especially, first time, non-violent offenders, drug offenders, Misdemeanor offenders, etc. Putting criminals in a room for a period of time and expecting them to be a changed person when the door is open is a waste of millions of our tax dollars.

Help me get elected to the District 8 City Council seat and you will see an outspoken working girl for the people. You will see someone advocating for DIFFERENT ways of conducting business in our City Hall, jails, municipal courts, county jails, state prisons, neighborhood homeless shelters, neighborhood motels, police department staff duties and accountabilities, neighborhood associations, etc. With a seat on the Council, I will be better able to directly influence CHANGE for the taxpayers, the homeless population, the criminal population, the non-profit businesses....everybody! Everybody is somebody in District 8 and everybody needs some accountability thrown their way. What we do in government MUST work for the people....the taxpayers....the owners of government!

http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/

www.meetup.com/suzette-watkins

www.youtube.com/suzetteforcouncil

Upset with both major Parties? Unhappy with the bailout? Consider Libertarian Candidates. Check out this discussion..and see where you stand.

To me, this is a brilliant discussion and a better starting point than I'm hearing from the Democrats or the Republicans. So glad I voted for some of the Libertarian candidates:

Below is a post from a Libertarian site. Not that I agree 100% with every word, but I love the discussion, ideas and reasoning. I hope The Libertarian Party will come alive in the months and years ahead as main parties are really ONE in much of what they say and do (BAILOUT OF 2008!!) and aren't doing a whole lot for "the people."

"You have had an opening created with Ron Paul, where many have found themselves upset with both parties, but with no alternative that is either viable or doesn't violate some of their principles. There are disenfranchised fiscal conservatives coming together with people such as myself who are on the left, but are disgusted by the bailout, the federal reserve's policies, the war on drugs, the foreign policy choices, the massive military spending, etc. That is truly strange bedfellows, and you should take advantage of this opportunity while you can. Regardless of who wins (looks like Obama, but who knows), neither is going to be able to stop the coming deep recession/depression that is going to make life harder across the board for all of us. 2012 is your chance , imo. I have been very interested in politics and economics for many years, and have found the Libertarian Party compelling for many reasons, but there are some things I just cannot get behind. To me it seems like the Republicans and Democrats debate about Tier 2 issues, which while still important and effect many people...they do not offer a choice on what I consider Tier 1 issues: The Federal Reserve, The "Bailout" plan, the war on drugs, Imperialism.
I am VERY compelled to the libertarian party because of things I've heard about their views on the federal reserve, our monetary policy, currency issues, and LETTING companies who make bad bets fail. I also agree very much with their stance on the war on drugs, as this is a private issue, and the government has no business involved in it. On Imperialism, what I hear from Ron Paul, about pulling out of all of these military bases around the world, and ending this imperialist "policing" of the world, I agree with. Here are where I have issues with the Party:"

2.8 EducationEducation, like any other service, is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Schools should be managed locally to achieve greater accountability and parental involvement. Recognizing that the education of children is inextricably linked to moral values, we would return authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. In particular, parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children's education.
2.9 Health Care We favor restoring and reviving a free market health care system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions.
2.10 Retirement and Income Security Retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. We favor replacing the current government-sponsored Social Security system with a private voluntary system. The proper source of help for the poor is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals." I cannot, and most people will not, get behind the view that the free market is best to provide education. This will undoubtedly leave less fortunate areas, hitting the minorities the hardest, without access to good education. Their chances will be even slighter than they are today. This is completely unacceptable, and in fact radical. You are going to have to take much more moderate stand, where you give ACCESS to those who want to opt out of public schooling to do just what you propose, but you are going to have to accept public education as a necessary evil, I suppose, because (a) it is vital to those who are less fortunate than yourselves to give them at least a basic education and chance to better themselves and (b) because it will NEVER fly politically and you turn people away just on this alone. Period.
Next, healthcare. Again, this free market will solve everything attitude simply doesn't work. It doesn't work because it will get corrupted, and business will exploit it at every turn. Again, this country can afford to give the basic level of care that other industrialized countries all over the world afford their citizens. We can have a healthcare plan, and then have the OPTION to keep your existing "free market" plan. You will never have a chance in hell without accepting this as another necessary evil. You have to pick your battles. And there are many to be had, most of which MANY Americans agree with you on, and the 2 main parties are ignoring.Lastly, The retirement thing. You are going to have to meet halfway on this one. I agree that those who want to take on retiring for themselves should not be forced into any retirement plans, or forced to take money from their checks on Social Security..., but for the vast majority who don't have the time, knowledge etc, there still needs to be those programs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a safety net such as this, as you will end up paying for their mistakes of misallocating their retirement money anyway, short of letting them die homeless and starving (not exactly a great party platform). Compromise.... you should push to allow those WHO CHOOSE to not be forced to contribute to these programs of retirement (obviously those who chose to do so would not receive any benefits from it either, but they could invest it how they see fit). Whether or not you become a viable alternative or not depends on you making these necessary compromises. You will have pissed off and betrayed republicans coming together with pissed off and disappointed democrats, and you can have an enormous effect in 2012, but in my opinion, you will have to embrace some of the left's values that they WILL not compromise on. If you did, think of what could be accomplished. Massive cuts in spending by cutting back unnecessary wars and bases across the globe. Ending the war on drugs. Dissolving the Federal Reserve, and having our money backed by gold again. Ending foreign economic aid, or at least radically cutting back. Ensuring individual rights and liberties , regardless of race, sex, etc. Putting a wall inbetween church and state, and ending the tax exemption of churches. (real) election reform, ensuring privacy, and more. Those things would be revolutionary. What do you have to do to get them? Compromise on healthcare, education, and retirement. On each, allow the public system to go on, while allowing vouchers, charters, exemptions etc for those who wish to opt out. That is your shot. This is an opening you might not have again, and Ron Paul has gotten the ear of many young , and energized people on the right, but also MANY on the left. Take advantage and do the smart thing.

http://libertarian.meetup.com/388/boards/view/viewthread?thread=5674457

The Drug War on our future...our Youth, especially Urban Youth

This man says it better than I can

"The war on weed endangers the health and safety of our children. It enables young people to have unregulated access to marijuana — easier access than they currently have to legal, age-restricted intoxicants like alcohol and tobacco. It enables young people to interact and befriend pushers of other illegal, more dangerous drugs. It compels young people dismiss the educational messages they receive pertaining to the potential health risks posed by the use of ‘hard drugs’ and prescription pharmaceuticals because kids say: “If they lied to me about pot, why wouldn’t they be lying to me about everything else too.”
Most importantly, the criminal laws are far more likely to result in having our children arrested and placed behind bars than they are likely to in any way discourage them to try pot.
These are the facts, and it’s about time we start shouting them from the rooftops.
For three decades now, our opponents have framed this issue from the standpoint that they care more about the health and safety our young people more than we do — that we’re just a bunch of self-centered pot-heads that are willing to sacrifice the lives of our young people so that we can catch a buzz. Well, it’s time for us to respond.
Yes, we do favor changing the marijuana laws. We care about protecting the health and safety of our children too. And by changing the laws, we are protecting the health and safety of America’s young people. After all, under prohibition it’s America’s young people that are being lied to; it’s our children that are being approached by drug dealers; it’s our children that are smoking pot in cars and putting their lives and others at risk to try and avoid the detection of their parents or the law; and it’s our children that are being busted in unprecedented numbers.
Finally, let me close with one final reason why we as a community must begin acknowledging this reality and that is this. Even though young people suffer the most under our current marijuana laws, they lack the financial means and political capital to effectively influence politicians to challenge them. Young people also lack the money to adequately fund the drug law reform movement at a level necessary to adequately represent and protect their interests.
In short, if we ever want the marijuana laws to change, that we as a community have to better represent the interests of young people, and we must do a better job speaking on their — and their parent’s — behalf.
We must also do a better job allying with organizations that speak on behalf of youth, particularly urban youth — who are most at risk of suffering from the lifetime hardships associated with a marijuana conviction. We must do a better job reaching out, engaging, and recruiting students to continue to take this issue seriously after they graduate college — and that includes offering them internships and employment once they’ve received their degrees. Finally, reformers must do a better job reaching out to the parents of young people, and urging them to become active members and financial contributors of the cannabis law reform movement.
They say it’s the so-called “parents movement” that derailed the “pot-progress” of the 1970s. Well then I say that it’s high time we recruited our own “NORML Parents” movement to finish the job once and for all."

http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/103513/

http://blog.norml.org/2008/10/20/norml-2008-conference-the-war-on-pot-is-a-war-on-young-people/#more-241

So what happens to parents when they don't act responsibly and their 2 yr child is found wandering the streets?

Are they held accountable to ANY degree? Is there an excuse for this behavior? Furthermore, what are the chances of this little girl growing up to be independent, self-sufficient, educated, no teenage pregnancies, no drug addiction, high degree of self worth and esteem? Who will pay? The child and the taxpayers, not the parents! Why?

"A 2-year-old girl found Monday night walking in the middle of an Arlington street will remain in foster care for at least two more weeks, a judge ruled Tuesday afternoon.
Despite repeated pleas from Ty'tianna Weatherspoon's parents, LaQuianta Weatherspoon and Maurice Stewart, and a grandfather to return the child, Judge Jean Boyd decided to leave the toddler and the family's other two children -- a 10-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl -- in foster care.
A fourth child, a 13-year-old girl, will be allowed to live with a family member."

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/988965.html

When Government doesn't listen to the people this is what happens

it ends up taking much longer for things to improve, much longer for businesses to thrive, much longer before the tax revenue is increased to its potential, many more lives lost and on and on and on. I know for the past 3 years I, along with Mike Phipps, Flora Brewer and others, have been pleading with my City Council representative, Kathleen Hicks and Mayor Moncrief to do something about the drug business and criminal activity along E. Lancaster by the homeless shelters and on down into the neighborhoods of East Ft. Worth. Asking that they provide more treatment beds, accountability and stop the revolving door in the jails. Finally, as their re-election season is slowly coming around and they are hearing the same words from people in the influential political circles to do something about it, seems that may be taking some action.

On another note, yesterday at the joint meeting with the Gas Drilling Task Force and City Council, we heard several times, experts tell the members, and members admit, that time is not on their side with cleaning up the environmental damage that they have, and are, allowing the gas drilling operators to do to our air quality. Perhaps if our local government, including Neighborhood Associations, would have listened to the concerned citizens about environmental issues with drilling that were raised years ago, studied the issue like they study other things such as Modern Street cars, our air quality would be much better and we could wholeheartedly believe Mayor Moncrief when he so emphatically says that "Quality of Life has always been a top priority here in this City and will continue to be."

http://westandclear.com/2008/10/01/joel-burns-streetcar-blogging/
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/974464.html
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/968503.html

City Councilman Frank Moss is getting it

OMG I could not believe my eyes when I saw these words:

"City Councilman Frank Moss said Tuesday he wants to make sure the "Pull ’Em Up" campaign reaches parents, not just teenagers and young men.
"We’re going to continue to encourage parental involvement," Moss said in a briefing on the campaign at the City Council meeting Tuesday. "They don’t know it’s hampering their [children’s] opportunities."

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/929685.html

Parental involvement, parental involvement, parental involvement, parental involvement! I can't say it enough....parental involvement, parental involvement, parental involvement......

KUDOS to Mr. Frank Moss. This is how you keep dollars in the pockets of the people instead of in the pockets of corrupt politicians, this is how you save people from becoming homeless, this is how you "help" the "other Ft. Worth," this is how you lead, this is how you...., this is how you....., this is how you....., this is how you......

City of Ft. Worth's "Housing First" program falls down right out of the shoot

So the City of Ft. Worth does this media blitz about Debra, the girl that's been living on the streets of Ft.Worth for 15 years, because Debra is one of the first people to receive grant money for "Housing First." A program that prides itself on the fact that if you provide 4 walls and a roof over a homeless person's head, they are more likely to become a productive, tax paying citizen instead of a non-productive, tax burden for the working people of Ft. Worth. Debra's drug of choice is alcohol (and a need to feel loved by a man). I know, because Debra has worked for me, on & off several times. I know Debra well, she's good hearted, fun loving, hard worker, excellent groomer, great with customers, etc. (when she's sober). When Debra's drunk, she can be a belligerent, offensive and hard to handle. I've had to call the police twice to get her out of my lobby. Debra has had a video story done on her by the Star-telegram, several articles written about her by Star-telegram, she's been on tv Sunday morning "Insights" Fox channel, etc. So we, the taxpayer's fund Debra a $700 or so apartment for a certain amount of time. I have been called by several of the employees from Ft. Worth Housing to make sure she had a job if all went well with the Housing First plan. I asked more than once that the case manager call me and let me know what parameters Debra would have to function within. Never have I gotten that call and discussed what the guidelines are in place for Debra.

Long story short, Debra was suppose to go to Detox (MHMR) then 28 day residential treatment. The past 3-4 days Debra has shown up at my place of business, walking the streets of E. Lancaster once again, all the while you tax paying citizens of Ft. Worth are footing the bill for her apartment. Today she showed up drunker than cooter brown, with a puppy under her arm, looking like hell and asking me if she had a job. I called Ft. Worth Housing contacts and asked what was going on and why my tax dollars were being wasted. Housing blamed MHMR for releasing Debra from Detox to the streets, etc.

ONE CANNOT GO FROM DETOX TO THE STREETS FOR RECOVERY. HELLO.......IT DOES NOT WORK! The solution: CFW and County Commissioners will have to spend millions of dollars to reform our jailhouse and reform people while they are sitting in jail for their Class C crimes. Women must be separated from men and their (men & women's) emotional health and well being be the focus. Otherwise the City of Ft. Worth's Mayor and all other Council members are wasting your tax dollars. Email them and tell them so. The Indigency Law in Texas is a crock! Get rid of it!! Everyone must pay for their crime!!

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/803799.html

Street Outreach by the non-profits. Where is it?

I have always thought that there was not enough street outreach for the homeless in Ft. Worth. Where are the messages that your life doesn't have to be this way. Where are the messages that say, "You can do better, You can change the direction of your Life, You don't have to live like this," etc. While sitting in a meeting the other day, I asked Beckie Wach, Director of Operations, The Salvation Army, if they had info for GEDS, AA Groups and all the things we were discussing in the meeting available for people to see on the bullentin boards at the Salvation Army. Becky seemed irritated that I would ask such question and said Yes there was info posted. After the meeting, I went to the Salvation Army and took the above pictures of their bulletin areas. IMO, this was a false statement by Ms. Wach. She told me a lie. I suppose one could argue this point, I mean there is some info on the board; however, it's not the kind I was talking about and it sure didn't include the groups and services we were discussing in the meeting. Beckie Wach gets paid her salary whether the neighborhood is clean or regardless of how many drunks they help off of the streets. Same for the Executives, Managers, Supervisors, case workers at MHMR. Those are jobs and it's a business just like the for profits plus the large ones are bureaucracies full of mis-managed jobs and workers.

Irresponsible Parenting & City Councilmembers

It really interesting to pay attention to what our City Councilmembers do and don't do, attend and don't attend, what they choose to speak out on and what they don't, what they have passion about and what they don't have passion about, etc.

As I was listening to a pre-council meeting on our local cable channel, I hear Sal Espino (District 2 North Ft. Worth), say something along the lines of ...taxpayers need to pay for a JPS Health Clinic be placed in FWISD schools to help lower the Infant Mortality rates (since Ft. Worth has some of the highest in the nation). ( need to source this, I know, but you can research it yourself if you want proof, and I feel sure it will prove itself). In other words, disregard teenage (many times underage) sexual promiscuity, it's up to you the taxpayer to cover that tab. Mr. Espino also gave an example of a mother of three at 19 who's family had "kicked" her out so the taxpayers need to build four walls and a roof for this child and her 3 children.

What about Irresponsible Parents? Don't they have a responsibility? Aren't we going to hold them accountable to any degree so that they build some self esteem? How much can we as a Society really put on the taxpayer? IMO, we are at our limit. It starts locally. I don't see Councilmembers taking a strong stand and really reaching out to discourage teenage sex, etc. Our Councilmembers are too "safe" too "political" in Ft. Worth, IMO. Not enough guts for the people. Weak & meek and severe lack of leadership when dealing with "sensitive" race based or cultural based issues like Infant Mortality, Abuse of Dogs, Teenage Pregnancy, High School Dropouts, where the statistics represent a high percentage in their base constituency.