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Chicago to Earn Distinction of Speed Camera Capital of America? Posted by Heather D

Posted 11/07/11

Automated speed cameras are one step closer to becoming reality, and your action is needed to stop this boondoggle in the House.

The Speed Camera bill blew through the Senate on a 32 - 24 vote in the first week of Illinois' Fall Veto Session.

With the willing assistance of Speaker Madigan and Senate President Cullerton, Mayor Emanuel's dream of becoming the Speed Camera Capital of America is about to be realized.

According to The Expired Meter, "If Chicago is allowed to utilize the speed enforcement functionality of their red light cameras, it will immediately have the largest automated speed camera enforcement program in the entire nation."

The battle heats up in the State House this week with HB 3851.

In the first week of the session, HB 3851 sped through it's first 2 readings in the House, and it is now awaiting a final vote.

As evidence that Illinois camera enforcement is all about revenues rather than safety, our friends at War on Driving point out, "Chicago is notorious for its dangerously short yellow light times at camera intersections, as low as 2.5 seconds, which some would call criminal negligence."

The cameras are supplied and maintained by Redflex -- a private company that stands to increase their profits by untold millions if this bill passes.

And there is no independent oversight to ensure the accuracy of these cameras and sensors.

Tell your State Representative NO on Automated Speed Enforcement Systems!

With just 3 days remaining in this session, it is essential that you call your representative right away. This bill could be called for a vote at any time.

Click here to find the phone number for your state representative.

In addition, please take a moment to call Speaker Madigan at 217-782-5350. Demand that he abandon his efforts to bilk Illinois citizens of more of their hard-earned money.

SB 965 Speed Camera Recorded Vote Posted by Heather D

Posted 11/07/11

Oct. 26, 2011

32 Yeas   24 Nays

N    Althoff

N    Bivins

NV Bomke

Y    Brady

Y    Clayborne

N    Collins, A

Y    Collins, J

Y    Crotty

N    Cultra

Y    Delgado

Y    Dillard

N    Duffy

NV Forby

N    Frerichs

Y    Garrett

Y    Haine

Y    Harmon

N    Holmes

Y    Hunter

Y    Hutchinson

Y    Jacobs

N    Johnson, C

N    Johnson, T

Y    Jones, E

N    Jones, J

Y    Koehler

Y    Kotowski

N    LaHood

Y    Landek

N    Lauzen

Y    Lightford

Y    Link

N    Luechtefeld

Y    Maloney

Y    Martinez

N    McCann

N    McCarter

NV Meeks

N    Millner

Y    Mulroe

Y    Munoz

N    Murphy

Y    Noland

N    Pankau

Y    Radogno

Y    Raoul

N    Rezin

N    Righter

N    Sandack

Y    Sandoval

N    Schmidt

Y    Schoenberg

Y    Silverstein

Y    Steans

N    Sullivan

N    Syverson

Y    Trotter

Y    Wilhelmi

Y    President Cullerton

One Mile-an-Hour Over the Posted Speed Limit Could Cost You a $100.00 Fine Posted by Heather D

Posted 10/21/11 Last updated 10/24/11

They're back, and they want to squeeze every penny out of you they can.

The Illinois Fall Veto Session is set for October 25, 26, and 27 and November 8, 9, and 10.

While the intent of the Fall Veto Session is to override vetoes of bills that occurred over the summer, the legislature sometimes attempts to pass new legislation when most of their constituents aren't looking.

This year we have much to be concerned about.

Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Systems are coming to an intersection near you - unless you take action to stop it.

The scheme is the brainchild of Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago. Emanuel is desperate to fund his outrageous budget, and he has enlisted Speaker Madigan to carry out his egregious plan.

Speaker Madigan has introduced HB 3851, which will permit ASE's in designated "safety zones."

Automated Speed Enforcement Systems, much like Red Light Cameras, are an effective means for local governments to raise money to fund their out-of-control spending.

Many citizens wrongly believe these cameras promote safety and target "law-breakers"--making the cameras a "public good."

But according to our friends at CameraFraud, "There is no independent oversight to ensure the accuracy of the cameras and sensors."

And while few people would argue that one mile-an-hour over the speed limit represents a safety-hazard, there is nothing in this bill to stop city councils from establishing a threshold that low to trigger a fine.

That's right, one mile-an-hour over the speed limit could cost you a $100.00 fine.

Many local governments have spent outside of their means for years, never considering that our economy would suffer the way it has. Now that revenues are down, they are desperately searching for ways to fund their bloated budgets.

Click here to find contact information for your State Representative and State Senator. Demand that they vote against HB 3851.

Illinois legislators can't seem to get enough of your money.

Last year we saw an extended Lame Duck Session that ended with a 66% tax increase on struggling citizens. This year, the stage seems to be set for more of the same abuse--unless we take action to stop them.

Tell the legislature NO on Automated Speed Enforcement Systems!

Investigating the Gold - Hearing at 2pm Posted by Tim Shoemaker

Posted 06/23/11 Last updated 06/23/11

The House Financial Services Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology Subcommittee is holding an important hearing today at 2pm entitled "Investigating the Gold: H.R. 1495, the Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2011 and the Oversight of United States Gold Holdings."

The Financial Services press release stated:

H.R. 1495, the "Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2011," calls for an audit by the Treasury that gives a full and thorough accounting of the U.S. government's gold reserves, requiring an inventory and assay of the gold reserves. The Treasury's audit is subject to independent review by the Government Accountability Office, allowing them access to any pertinent records or locations, including Fort Knox.

The hearing will discuss recent audits of U.S. gold reserves; challenges to conducting a full audit; and impediments to an accurate assessment of the US gold position, including any leases, swaps or other encumbrances placed upon the gold reserves; and also examine changes to the legislative proposal that will ensure a full and accurate audit, assay, and inventory of U.S. gold reserves.

Read the rest.

Knowing how much gold the US Government is holding and what it's worth is of critical importance to our nation's monetary policy.  Some prominent political figures have suggested the US must return to a gold standard within the next decade, and conducting a thorough audit and inventory of the gold is a sound first step.

Contact your representative today and urge them to support H.R. 1495, the Gold Reserve Transparency Act!

The livestream will be broadcast through the Financial Services website.

Rep. David Simpson's Letter to Governor Perry on his TSA Legislation Posted by Matt Hawes

Posted 06/20/11 Last updated 06/20/11

An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry
Father's Day, June 19, 2011

The Honorable Rick Perry
Governor of the State of Texas
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Dear Governor Perry:

If you are willing, there is still time to enact legislation to protect the dignity of travelers in Texas. Egregious intrusive searches without probable cause continue every day by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Texans and indeed Americans around this nation are fed up with this out of control federal bureaucracy that has promulgated practices that violate the 4th Amendment and that treat grandmothers, the handicapped, Iraqi war veterans with prosthetic limbs, boys, girls and infants as criminal suspects-touching their private parts as a condition of travel.

You write in your book, Fed Up, that you want to "help foster a nationwide conversation about the role of government in our lives" (Fed Up, 187). I can think of no role less suitable for our federal government than that of routinely violating innocent citizens of this state and those of the entire country.

Even our state officials are being violated as they travel to conduct the business of this state. I am sure you have heard by now that last Tuesday TSA officials reached up the skirts of Representative Barbara Nash and another female member of the Texas House, touching their privates through their undergarments! And Chairman Barry Smitherman of the Public Utilities Commission told FOX News last Wednesday that he was so aggressively searched that he was "sore" for hours afterward in those same areas. On top of that, the TSA officials acknowledged that they were "punishing" him for opting out of the scanners by going through every item in his carry-on luggage one piece at a time, taking about 40 minutes to do so.

I agree with you that "we have let establishment politicians on both sides of the aisle empower Washington at the expense of states, and thus our liberty" (Fed Up, xviii). Republicans started the TSA and Democrats expanded its reach.

The establishment in Washington has shown that it cannot be trusted to run the economy. However, under your leadership Texas has stood strong despite bad federal policy because we took action in our state. The establishment in Washington has also shown that it cannot be trusted to protect the rights of our citizens as guaranteed by the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution and Article 1, Section 9 of the Texas Constitution. Now it is time for us to stand strong also for the privacy, dignity, and constitutional rights of our citizens.

This is the perfect opportunity for you to show that kind of leadership that is so needed right now-that kind of leadership that will "make Texas stronger while defending the Constitution and demonstrating the harm caused by excesses in Washington" (Fed Up, 187).

On June 8th in a public teleconference call you were asked about placing this legislation on the call and you stated that it was in your "policy shop" and that, if there were support to pass the bill in both houses, you would call the bill for the special session.

Texans overwhelmingly support this measure as I am sure your office can attest. And the Legislature is ready to pass it as soon as you call the bill:

• HB 1937 passed unanimously out of the House on both second and third readings during the regular session. It also passed unanimously out of committee in the Senate.

•  On May 30th Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst formally requested in a letter "in the best interest of all Texans" that HB 1937 be included in your call for the special session.

•  On June 2nd I filed HB 41 including certain language requested by the Texas Attorney General. This same day Senator Patrick filed the identical bill (SB 29) in the Senate.

•  On June 14th the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee favorably reported HB 41 out of committee by unanimous vote.

•  On June 15th Senator Patrick delivered a letter to your office requesting that you add this legislation to the call and that he had the votes to pass the bill in the Senate.

•  There are currently 112 coauthors from both parties listed for HB 41 in the House and I am expecting another unanimous vote.

During the special session I have repeatedly checked with your legislative director, Kenneth Armbrister, confirming his knowledge of each of these facts and inquiring about your willingness to place this legislation on the call.

However, now I am perplexed because yesterday I learned that in New Orleans at a signing of your book, Fed Up, you stated that there were not enough votes in either house to pass the bill. However, with a full roster of coauthors in the House and the leadership of Senator Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst in the Senate, there is clear support for the bill.

You also stated in that video account that "there was not enough time." With such overwhelming support for the bill in the Legislature, and throughout Texas, I respectfully submit that there is still time to pass this bill if you act now.

Governor Perry, there remains only for you to call the bill. Any concerns for time would be quickly wiped away if you would take the bull by the horns and provide leadership on this bill.

With broad bipartisan support for this bill, this is your opportunity to show America that you have what it takes to lead this state and the nation by enforcing the Constitution of this state and the Constitution of the United States which both protect innocent people from unreasonable searches of their person by their own government.

As you said in your speech on Saturday to the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, "In Texas, we truly believe that you can't defer tough decisions for tomorrow's generation" (Minute 10:48). Now is the time to act.

The public has spoken. Both Houses have spoken. Thousands of people are watching to see if you hold to your word and add HB 41 to the call for the special session.

May God help you to preserve the Texas that Sam Houston fought for and governed, a Texas that "has yet to learn submission to any tyranny, come from what source it may."
For your daughters and mine, and indeed for all the sons and daughters of Texas:

For their dignity and liberty!
David Simpson
State Representative, House District 7

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims, may be the most oppressive." - C. S. Lewis, 1948