The Rent Control Disrease

         Angie Lopez’ letter speaks to the heart (“Candidates need to support all of Yuma,” August 25, 2013).  We certainly want candidates to have the welfare of all in mind.  But rent control, like so many wonderful sounding socialist programs, has disastrous consequences for the very people they purport to protect, and the wealthy always find ways to make it work for them. 

         It’s impossible to find an apartment in a city that has rent controls.  Vacancy rates in cities run at about 1 to 2 per cent.  No investor wants to build apartments in those markets.  If they can’t make a profit, there is no incentive.  In cities like Phoenix that do not have rent control, vacancy rates run as high as 15 per cent and the free market rules.  Landlords compete for tenants at lower rates and with seductive packages. 

          William Tucker (“How Rent Control Drives out Affordable Housing”) says that there is absolutely no disagreement among economists that rent control will reduce the quality and quantity of  available housing and cause rents to skyrocket every time.  

           In New York and San Francisco and Berkley and in a dozen other American cities, those who benefit from rent control legislation are upper and upper middle class professionals.  The poor and the elderly are pushed out of the market altogether.

         Many cities are trying to repeal rent control legislation, but it seems the more detrimental government programs are, the more difficult it is to get rid of them

           Rent control is a disease in search of a host.

               A lesson in the art of persuasion for Mr. James Sefcak.  (“Radical conservatives want an oligarchy,” Yuma Sun, January 4, 2014)

Every generalization needs to be supported by appropriate evidence: facts, quotes, examples or anecdotes.  So when you accuse us “radical conservatives” of calling liberals “bad” people, or “stupid,” or “uneducated” or “traitors” you must give evidence.  There is none.  We don’t think you stupid or bad people or uneducated or traitors.  Quite to the contrary.  I think you’re very smart.  I simply disagree with your politics. 

               Your letter does, however, illustrate quite clearly the propensity of those of your ilk to resort to character assignation, ad hominem attacks, name calling.  According to your letter we are “crazy,” “screaming… loonies,”  “liars.”  Give me an example of a lie, James.

               Oh, I have one.  You accuse the GOP of making “changes to the voting laws that restrict the voting rights of the poor.”  The only ones who passed laws restricting voting rights of the poor were Democrats. Republicans battled racist Democrats for 100 years. Even JFK and LBJ voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.  Johnson jumped ship in 1965 in order to garner the Black vote when he recognized the battle was lost, and even then he couldn’t talk many of his fellow Democrats to support his position. 

               Perhaps you didn’t lie, Mr. Sefcak. Perhaps you “misspoke” as Hillary Clinton did when she told the story about how she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire. Here is a better example of a lie:  “The Bosnia mayhem was a spontaneous reaction to a vilifying YouTube video.”  .

               And just to clarify: An oligarchy is a small group of people who together govern a nation or control an organization, often for their own purposes.  That’s what we have in Washington DC.  What we radical conservatives want is to restrict the power of the oligarchy. 

               I hope that helps.

"Just the facts, maam. Just the facts."

            Last week you ran another “news” story about the negative effecto f human activity on the earth’s climate.  What I didn’t see was a news story about Patrick Moore’s testimony before the Environmental and Public Works Committee on February 25. 

               Patrick Moore, Ph.D., an ecological scientist and one of the founders of Greenpeace stated before the committee that “There is no scientific proof that human emissions of carbon dioxide are the dominant cause of the minor warming of the Earth's atmosphere over the past 100 years.”  Moore left Greenpeace when he saw that they had “abandoned science and logic in favor of emotion and sensationalism.” 

               The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states: '”It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming' since the mid-20th century.” Professor Moore disputes that notion. "'Extremely likely' is not a scientific term.”

               Moore told the subcommittee: "Perhaps the simplest way to expose the fallacy of ‘extreme certainty’ is to look at the historical record. When modern life evolved over 500 million years ago, CO2 was more than 10 times higher than today, yet life flourished. Then an ice age occurred 450 million years ago when CO2 was 10 times higher than today.” The fact that both an ice age and a warming period occurred at high levels of CO2 should give a scientist pause about the fundamental contradiction.

               Moore also pointed out that temperature increases from 1910 to 1940 are identical to increases between 1970 and 2000, but the IPCC ignores that scientific data in order to support the agenda of their “doom and gloom scenarios.”

               Oscar Wilde said, “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”  The “news” world apparently uses articles about the weather to distract readers from thinking about real news.  Who is responsible for the Benghazi lie?  Who urged the IRS to target conservative groups?  What is Charles Minn’s take on the Fast and Furious scandal? 

               How about doing an expose on the federal government’s ineptness as an investment banker? They flushed a trillion of our tax dollars down the toilet with investments in companies like Clinch River Breeder Reactor, Hydrogen Car, Synthetic Fuels Corporation, Fisker Motors, Ener 1, Spectra, Solyndra, Watt, Beacon Power, and A 123. For more local appeal, you could do a feature about Yumans whose lives have been disrupted by the havoc the Affordable Care Act.

               We can’t do much about the weather, but with your help we might be able to put the brakes on federal government spending and at least partially ameliorate the nightmare debt we’re bequeathing our grandchildren

       

                 Kathleen Sebelius:"There is absolutely no evidence -- and every economist will tell you this -- that there is any job loss related to the Affordable Care Act," Has she ever read anything by Thomas Sowell, Lawrence Kudlow, Charles Krauthammer, or Charles Payne? When politicians assert such things so forcefully, you know they're blowing smoke up your skirt. They know it's a lie, so they say something really outrageous ("What difference, at this point, does it make?") and hope to cut  the opposition off at the knees. Unfortunately,  it works all too often.

       Okay.  I give up.  I resisted responding to the Yuma Sun article “Global warming debate heats up with polar vortex.” But now the president pledges billions more of my tax dollars to fight the phenomenon, and John Kerry calls it a threat on par with terrorism.  I cannot hold my tongue.  Such hubris!

       We are microbes in an endlessly vast universe.  To pretend that the science is settled on any issue is absurd.  Yesterday coffee was deadly.  Today it prevents heart attacks if you drink at least 5 cups.  Yesterday milk fat caused obesity.  Today, consuming skim milk products leads to obesity.  Whole grains are good.  Carbohydrate are deadly.

          The Sun editorial would have you believe that only Donald Trump and Rush Limbaugh are questioning the science.  Prepare for an epiphany!  In my last letter on this issue I cited the work Israeli astrophysicist Nir Shaviv and Canadian geologist Jan Veizer that demonstrated a 5,000 year correlation between fluctuation in earth temperatures and  the way the earth is affected by varying degrees of the inflow of cosmic rays as it passes through the spiral arms of our galaxy. 

         Check out the work of  Syun-Ichi Akasofu, Ph.D. geophysics at the Ankorage University who says  ". . . climate change during the last few hundred years may be interpreted mainly in terms of a combination of the recovery effect and the multi-decadal oscillation. These are natural changes.”

        Study Khabibullo Ismailovich Abdusamatova physicist at the Russian Academy of Sciences who claims that "global warming results not from the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but from an unusually high level of solar radiation and a lengthy—almost throughout the last century—growth in its intensity."

         Read Claude Allègre of the Institute of Geophysics, Paris who argues that elected officials should avoid implementing climate change policy because it would "divert resources from real needs and are based on alarming but untenable claims of 'incontrovertible' evidence." 

         Or maybe Augie Auer Jr.,  an atmospheric scientist and meteorologist in New Zealand, who….  Oh but this is tiresome.  At one time I had a list of some 1,500 scientists, many of them Nobel Prize winners, who questioned the conclusions of the pretenders, the pseudo scientists, the political hacks looking for easy money who sign off on the various global warming protocols.  

           There is so much we do not understand about our universe, so much we don’t understand even about our solar system, the sun’s geomagnetic storms, its coronal mass ejections and solar flares.   No real scientist would ever claim that “the science is settled,” on any issue, and especially on issues as complex and the climate.  Questioning, probing, inquiry is the life blood of a real scientist.  And for politicians to make assertions to the contrary indicates that we are being grossly deceived.

        Thomas Sowell reminds us that some of our biggest problems are caused by the intellectuals among us “who have trouble remembering that they are not God.”  

Saguaro Mobile Estates

At Wednesday's annual meeting property owners expressed an interest in knowing what was going on whether or not they were in residence.  I had been working on a web page, but the work is slow and tedious.  I decided to use what I already have, my blog.

This morning the Saguaro women are working on a Dresses for Africa project.  It's an excuse to spend quality time together and do your part to make the world a better place. 

I thought this might also be a place to post the minutes from Board Meeting.  To that end here are the minutes from the January 30, 2014 annual meeting.

Saguaro Mobile Estates

Annual Meeting

January 29, 2014

Gordon Haugen………President Brian Gardner……….Vice President Cora Lee Schingnitz…Secretary Joan Frenzel……Acting Treasurer	Block 1:  Ray Belair and John Ord Block 2:   Jim Williams and Don Sears Block 3:   Carol Frantal and Doug vanEden Block 4:  Jim Martin and Louise Franche

President Gordon called the meeting to order at 1:00.

Marlene Larsen offered the opening prayer.

The meeting was attended by 73 home owners with14 proxies represented.

All board members were present except Jim Williams.

Members observed a moment of silence in honor of friends we lost this year: Paula Robbins, Obie Tu, Shirley Wilcox, Nilace Sparks, Frank Hayes, and Billy Anderson, son of Shirley Anderson.

John Ord explained the parliamentary procedures that will be used during this meeting limiting each speaker to two minutes for the subject at hand.

Joan Frenzel  read the minutes from the last annual meeting for Secretary Cora Lee who was preparing ballots. Bill Meyers moved the minutes be accepted.  Margaret Baumgartner seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

President Gordon, in keeping with the decision of the board at the last meeting, had the maintenance forms distributed and instructed homeowners to fill them out before they leave for the summer and give them to Jim Williams who will monitor designated gardeners.

Stan Strle reported that the audit committee had completed its examination of the books and found everything to be in order.  “Everything balanced.”

Joan Frenzel, Acting Treasurer, gave the treasurers report: A balance of $3,081.29 in checking and $48,682.71 in savings for a total of $51,764,00.  Jim March moved that the report be accepted.  Del Wulf seconded.  Discussion ensued with regard to a discrepancy in the assessment figures for 2013.  Some homeowners had paid in December of 2012 for the 2013 year, so the budget reflected a shortfall suggesting there were homeowners in arrears which is not the case except for one piece of property against which the park has filed a lien for past dues, maintenance, and interest..  Joan explained that if she were to be elected treasurer, she will in future, not accept payment until after the first of the year in order to clear up the discrepancy.  Motion to accept the treasure report passed unanimously.

President Gordon introduced the new owners in the park. Joe and Rikki Brafford, Doug and Cora van Eden, Phil and Jennie Dahl, George and Judy Bishop, George and Jean Johnson, and Joe Weamer.

Joan Frenzel submitted the recreation report:  Checking balance $4,390.26, Petty Cash $30,00 for a total of $4,420.36.   Angie Gardener moved that it be accepted, Fran Tracy seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Brian Gardner reported on the decisions made by the finance committee. Discussion ensued with regard to how much the proposed 2014 budget differed from the 2013 budget The numbers were almost identical.  Larry Aebly moved that the budget be accepted,  Avis Janke seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Monica Swank reported that the new phone book (purple this year) would go to the printer tomorrow morning and could be available as early as Monday.

Bob Johnson reported that Bob Boomer had agreed to run for vice-president and Joan Frenzel for treasurer.  President Gordon call three times for additional nominees for vice president..  There being none, Bob was elected by acclamation. President Gordon called three times for additional nominees for treasurer.  There being none, Joan Frenzel was elected by acclamation.

President Gordon called for a vote designating signers on our bank accounts.  Monica Swank moved that we designate Joan Frenzel and Ginger Martin seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Bob Boomer reported on behalf of the ByLaw committee explaining Part I, the first four pages of the recommendations dealt with ByLaws only which  can be changed by a 2/3rds vote as long as they do not violate the intent of the CC&Rs. The last page dealt with a rental exception, and requires a change in the CC&Rs that would have to be filed officially with Yuma County Board.  Much discussion ensued with regard to the board’s ability to dismiss a member by 2/3 vote without cause.  Bob Boomer explained that it was a matter of protecting the association from expensive lawsuits.

 John Colvin moved that we postpone voting on the CC&R rental exception until next year because some members voiced objections to issue.  Roy Cormier seconded the motion.  The motion was defeated.

President Gordon called for a vote and both issues passed with a 76% and a 70% margin respectively.

Gordon asked for a discussion regarding how to deal with the pool cover.  Larry Aebly moved that we uncover the pool from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Ray Cortez seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Gordon asked members to volunteer to cover and uncover the pool daily.  Ray Cortez and Lou Franche both said that they would be willing to help any time.  Just knock on their doors.

President Gordon apologized to Mike Haley when he realized he had spoken inappropriately during the heated discussion over the ByLaws and the CC&Rs

The next board meeting will be February 10, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.

Somebody moved and somebody seconded that the meeting be adjourned, and everybody left.

Nuff said?

Minutes submitted by Cora Lee Schingnitz, Secretary.

To: Senator John McCain

        Senator John McCain says that the actions of House Republicans causing the government shutdown is one of the most “shameful chapters he’s seen” in all his years in congress.  Mr. McCain, I am ashamed to say that I campaigned for you for president and supported you in your run for the senate.  I am ashamed.

         First of all, the government has shut down 17 times since 1976 when budgeting processes allowed it to happen, and you have worked through 9 of them.  The government shut down every year when Ronald Reagan was president.  How were they resolved?  President Reagan refused to inflict pain on the American people, so he negotiated and compromised. 

         It was not the Republicans but President Obama and the Democrats who shut down the government because they refuse to negotiate, refuse to compromise.  Republicans offered proposal after proposal and each one was either rejected or ignored. 

         First they offered a budget that funded everything except Obamacare.  Rejected.  

          Second, they offered a budget that funded everything but proposed to delay Obamacare for a year and repeal the malevolent medical device tax.  Rejected.

          Third, they proposed a budget that funded everything, but delayed Obamacare’s individual mandate for just one year and required the president, the vice president, political appointees, and all members of Congress and their staffs to enroll in Obamacare’s health-care exchanges with no employer contribution.  Rejected. 

          Fourth, the House tried passing small appropriations bills to keep specific portions of the government running.  Ignored.  Obama demands they restore all government funding without conditions.  

           Republicans proposed keeping the sequester cuts in place, but giving departments of government the flexibility to apply those cuts in ways least harmful to services.  Democrats said no.  Sequester cuts must be applied across the board in ways that inflict the most pain on the American people.

           Democrats insist on an all or nothing approach despite the fact that in every government shutdown in the past, spending gap measures have always been passed to protect important services.

           Senator McCain, I am embarrassed that you demonize those of us in These United states who insist on a fiscally responsible government.  Blame President Obama.  He is so inept he hasn’t been able to get a budget passed in 5 years, even during those years when Democrats controlled  both houses.  Blame Democrats who criminally refuse to face the mind boggling realities of a 17 trillion debt coupled with 90 trillion dollars in future unfunded liabilities. 

           Obama and the Democrats have opted to simply ignore the doom and gloom.  Harry Reed refuses to bring even President Obama’s proposed budgets to the floor of the senate for a vote, and he and goes home grinning because he has manipulated the press, and you, into blaming Conservative Republicans. “They've shut down the government over an ideological crusade.”  God forbid we should have legislators who put principle before power.

               Senator McCain, I love you.  I respect you.  But I regret to say that you have, for 33 years, sacrificed principle for power.  God forbid we lose every election, but at least Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and Mike Lee and David Vitter, Jeff Sessions, Pat Roberts, Jim Risch, Rand Paul, James M. Inhofe and Mike Enzi will rest in peace, knowing they fought the good fight.