Tuesday, December 11, 2012

MAPLE HEIGHTS MIRED IN CONTROVERSY

What a crappy day  ...

Things don't look so good for those lovely residents in Maple Heights.  Actually they look horrible.

Here's what's happening.  Various residents in Maple Heights are exercising their employer/legal rights (asking for public records and public information), and it looks like they're  being stonewalled by John Montello, the law director.  Remember, Montello is the Mayor's guy (the chosen one) and we figure  if the Mayor gets swept up in a scandal, so does the law director and vice versa.


We think (our opinion - feel free to disagree) this guys picks for negotiators for Maple Heights, is not helping the residents in Maple Heights.  Not only that, but it appears too much (for us at least) of this guy's actions have been to the detriment of some of his employers (resident tax payers).  His  legal opinions  (which he published) helped (we feel) disenfranchise his employers in district 5.  According to what we read and heard, he drafted legislation (?) on behalf of Mayor Lansky, that took money away from certain residents in district's 3 and 5 (restricting them to only 20% of  money set aside for them for damage done to their homes due to the railroad - to which they state they haven't received a dime yet).  He allowed the Human Services director to dodge answering serious questions asked of her by one of her employers (a taxpayer), and now he's decided to block certain information that is crucial to determining if affirmative action agreements have been violated, or if the leadership in Maple Heights is "giving away the store" to people who don't live in Maple Heights.


Oh yeah, we've also been told he couldn't find any affirmative action agreements entered into by the city of Maple Heights [wonder if he billed them that $95 an hr - or is it more now?], even though he was able to find a 1924 case law (or was it Mr. Blair Melling) that led to the residents/voters/his employers  in district 5 being eventually disenfranchised (our opinion), and possible intimidation of members of council (declaring a council seat vacant for any reason).  


One of his employers/a resident found the chief negotiator  of  those affirmative action agreements, and he gave her copies of those agreements.   So what's up with Montello? You were given a hint, but still couldn't locate those agreements?  


There's a lot more to this story, and you can dig up our old posts on Maple Heights.    Here's a bit of advice Montello and Mr. Mayor, ...
You don't want to do anything that even looks like/smells like you're trying to cover up wrong doing. 


And FYI, we bet a lot of you are just itching to find out what other information we've uncovered about the city of Maple Heights.


Here's a small tidbit.  We were told by a credible source that there were over 560 foreclosure filings in the city of Maple Heights in 2012 so far (in a city of  about  23,100 residents), and that there are many houses vacant. It also appears that the population declined from about 26,000 to the now about 23,100 (according to 2010 census) during the current Mayor's term in office, and the school's student enrollment has also declined (see our other posts).  Now before we allow these city employees to say that things are bad all over Ohio, Maple Heights is one of the worst in terms of home foreclosures,  and the market values and assessed values of the homes in Maple Heights has declined significantly.  

A suggestion:
If any employee who works for Maple Heights government  knows of a cover up,  or any acts of wrong doing, or acts of racism  by Maple Heights public employees, our suggestion is to come forward now.  If there's a scandal coming, you don't want to be swept up in it.


Update 12/20/2012:

Mr. Blair Melling has decided to dip his toe .. wait ... no, dip his foot into the muck and mire in Maple Hts.  Did Mr. Montello sick Mr. Melling on those poor folks in Maple Hts?  Careful Mr. Melling, do you really want to get caught up in these murky waters?  Just asking.  [Re: Melling and Montello, click Here (about 10 paragraphs down) and Here. ] We'll keep you updated but it looks like besides issues stated on this post, constitutional issues also keep popping up.


This post is open to further editing if corrections or additions need to be made.

MAPLE HEIGHTS IN LOCKDOWN MODE August 10, 2012

How Little Old Ladies Got Thrown Under the Bus in Maple Heights March 20, 2012

And the Razzle Dazzle Continues in Maple Heights January 19, 2012

Who Does John Montello, Law Director for the City of Maple Heights Really Work For? December 29, 2011

The Boys Are Back in Maple Heights , November 9, 2011

and there is more

Thursday, November 22, 2012

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING

 CLEVELANDS SECRET CLUB WISHES EVERYONE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!

Friday, November 2, 2012

IS A VULTURE CAPITALIST COMING TO SAVE US?


You all know we don’t like most politicians, most big corporations, or private equity firms like Bain Capital.  Mitt Romney is counting on your ignorance of finance (and not doing your own research), and quite honestly, we think he’s succeeding. 

There were people that predicted (or foresaw) the financial crisis of2008, but no one was really listening.  Part of the reason was most people have absolutely no idea about things like finance, or economics, or how the economy works, or what WallStreet is about, or have knowledge about credit default swaps, or derivatives, leveraged buyouts, etc.

What they do know is that they don’t know how to budget, that they try to keep up with the Joneses, that the price of gas has gone up, … basically they know they are screwed because they know nothing about finance, or Wall Street, or how the economy works, or debt and deficits, or how to live within their means. 

The Joe Scarboroughs, and FOX (cable) news idiots (although there was one Fox smart guy), and CNBC whoevers, and contributors to Forbes, financial journalists, etc etc etc still are completely clueless how we prevent 2008 from happening again, and wouldn’t recognize the signs again, even if it smacked them in the face.  All they seem to care about are a bunch of people making money and huge profits, and essentially that’s all Mitt Romney cares about when it comes to the economy.

What he does know, is how to use other people’s money (borrowed money) to loan it to businesses, so he can siphon off some of the profit (or most of it depending on what it says in the contract) and collect a fee; but that’s not creating a healthy economy, … Is it?

It’s disingenuous and hypocritical to hear people like Romney talking about debt and deficits, when basically he got filthy rich using investor's (borrowed) money to loan it to businesses (so they’re now in debt). 

We’ve got a few videos for you to watch.  Definitely watch MattTaibbi’s segment on “Democracy Now”, and the video about debt/deficits.



All Things Mitt


Debt and Deficits

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

"What follows is a PARTIAL list of Obama’s accomplishments so far. Unlike many such lists, there is a link to a citation supporting every single one.
 
Legislative Prowess
Despite the characterizations of some, Obama’s success rate in winning congressional votes on issues was an unprecedented 96.7% for his first year in office. Though he is often cited as superior to Obama, President Lyndon Johnson’s success rate in 1965 was only 93%. http://n.pr/i3d7cY
 
Fiscal Responsibility
Within days after taking office, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse. http://1.usa.gov/dUvbu5
 
Created the post of Chief Performance Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the federal government money. http://n.pr/hcgBn1
 
On his first full day, he froze White House salaries. http://on.msnbc.com/ewJUIx
 
He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending. http://www.cio.gov
 
He committed to phasing out unnecessary and outdated weapons systems, and also signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop waste, fraud and abuse in the defense procurement and contracting system. http://bit.ly/hOw1t1 http://bit.ly/fz8GAd
 
Through an executive order, he created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. http://bit.ly/hwKhKa
 
Improving the Economy, Preventing Depression
He pushed through and signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as “the stimulus package,” despite the fact that not one Republican voted for that bill. In addition, he launched recovery.gov, so that taxpayers could track spending from the Act. http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSs http://1.usa.gov/e3BJMk
 
 
In his first year, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy 3.5%. http://reut.rs/i46CEE
 
He completed the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan, and recovered virtually all of its costs. http://1.usa.gov/eA5jVS http://bit.ly/eCNrD6
 
He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan. http://1.usa.gov/goy6zl
 
He oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than Bush did in eight years. http://bit.ly/hrrnjY
 
He oversaw a bailout of General Motors that saved at least 1.4 million jobs, and put pressure on the company to change its practices, resulting in GM returning to its place as the top car company in the world. http://lat.ms/zIJuQx
 
He also doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership which is designed to improve manufacturing efficiency. http://bit.ly/eYD4nf
 
He signed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act giving the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud in every corner of the financial system. It also created a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the financial fraud that led to the economic meltdown. http://abcn.ws/g18Fe7
 
He signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, which was designed to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices. http://1.usa.gov/gIaNcS
 
He increased infrastructure spending after years of neglect. http://bit.ly/f77aOw
 
He signed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures. The bill also provided $2.2 billion to help combat homelessness, and to stabilize the housing market. http://bit.ly/eEpLFn
 
 
Through the Worker, Home Ownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, he and Congressional Democrats provided tax credits to first-time home buyers, which helped the U.S. housing market recovery. http://bit.ly/dZgXXw http://bit.ly/gORYfL
 
He initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses.http://1.usa.gov/eu0u0b
 
He created business.gov, which allows for online collaboration between small businesses and experts re managing a business. (The program has since merged with SBA.gov.) http://www.business.gov
 
He played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. http://nyti.ms/gHlgp5
 
He took steps to improve minority access to capital. http://bit.ly/f9xVE7
 
He created a $60 billion bank to fund infrastructure improvements such as roads and bridges. http://bit.ly/e1SSaQ
 
He implemented an auto industry rescue plan, and saved as many as 1 million jobs. http://bit.ly/ibhpxr Many are of the opinion that he saved the entire auto industry, and even the economy of the entire Midwest. http://bit.ly/gj7mt5
 
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have otherwise been lost. http://1.usa.gov/ez30Dc
 
He dismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby moving forward to cut ties between energy companies and the government. http://nyti.ms/bw1MLu
 
Provided funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession. http://bit.ly/g0IKWR
 
He used recovered TARP money to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. http://on.msnbc.com/i1i8eV
 
Crafted an Executive order establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. http://bit.ly/eyqsNE
 
Wall Street Reforms and Consumer Protection
Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. http://huff.to/eAi9Qq
 
He pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression. http://bit.ly/hWCPg0 http://bit.ly/geHpcD
 
Dodd-Frank also included the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://1.usa.gov/j5onG
 
He made it so that banks could no longer use YOUR money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against their own customers’ interests. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
 
He supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
 
He wholly endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://bit.ly/esOdfB http://bit.ly/eG4DPM
 
He made a deal with Swiss banks that permits the US government to gain access to the records of criminals and tax evaders. http://bit.ly/htfDgw
 
He established a Consumer Protection Financial Bureau designed to protect consumers from financial sector excesses. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
 
He oversaw and then signed the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtP
 
 
Civil Rights and Anti-Discrimination
He advocated for and signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime to assault anyone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. http://bit.ly/gsMSJ7
 
He pushed through, signed and demanded the Pentagon enact a repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy that forced soldiers to lie to fight for their country, and put our troops at risk by disqualifying many qualified soldiers from helping. http://bit.ly/fdahuH http://bit.ly/mZV4Pz
 
He appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0
 
Helped Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. http://bit.ly/th0JC8
 
He extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. http://1.usa.gov/g2RLCj
 
He’s appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. http://bit.ly/g1lA7D
 
He issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT
 
He established a White House Council on Women and Girls http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM
 
He signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. This was after the GOP blocked the bill in 2007. Only 5 Republican Senators voted for the bill. http://bit.ly/fT3Cxg
 
Wrote and signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies evaluate the effect of their policies and programs on women and families. http://bit.ly/e1puTk
 
He expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. http://1.usa.gov/dSbI0x
 
Under his watch, National Labor Relations Board has issued final rules that require all employers to prominently post employees’ rights where all employees or prospective employees can see it, including websites and intranets, beginning November 2011. http://1.usa.gov/qu2EhQ
 
Fighting Poverty
He provided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps). http://nyti.ms/gfLqyM
 
He signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs. http://wapo.st/eWECA8
 
Improved Foreign Relations and American Status Abroad
He visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office. http://bit.ly/hZycda
 
As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration. http://nyti.ms/dKvY4g
 
He did much to restore America’s reputation around the world as a global leader that does the “right thing” in world affairs, at least according to the rest of the planet. http://bit.ly/h743y7 http://bit.ly/ho4TCr
 
He re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues. http://1.usa.gov/e7QuDj
 
Closed a number of secret detention facilities. http://nyti.ms/rpUc9l
He improved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys. http://1.usa.gov/tiGAGe
 
He pushed for military to emphasize development of foreign language skills. http://bit.ly/AxUCLV
 
Offered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, called on both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. http://bit.ly/9axfWh
 
He refused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program. http://bit.ly/xVmSZK
 
He worked to make donations to Haiti tax-deductible in 2009. http://huff.to/6YkAVY
 
He established a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. http://1.usa.gov/eX28DP
 
Issued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia. http://1.usa.gov/hxdf8U
 
He established new, more reasonable policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to visit their families and send money to support them. http://n.pr/hY3Kwa http://nyti.ms/emQBde
 
He ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay. It was Republicans (and a smattering of Democrats) who prevented him from following through. http://bit.ly/eW6CVF
 
Ordered a review of our detention and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture, or what Bush called “enhanced interrogation.” He ordered interrogators to limit their actions to the Army Field manual. http://bit.ly/g6MTuC
 
He ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed. http://bbc.in/h6N9ax
 
He released the Bush torture memos. http://bit.ly/hWJ5z0
 
On his second day in office, he signed a detailed Executive Order that banned torture, reversed all Bush torture policies, and put the United States in compliance with the Geneva Convention. http://1.usa.gov/dL6Zve http://nyti.ms/hzWWys
 
In response to the emerging “Arab Spring,” he created a Rapid Response fund, to assist emerging democracies with foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and investment packages in order to show that the United States stands with them. http://bit.ly/zfmGv9
 
Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war, and to encourage Iran to give up their nuclear program. http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjb
 
Ended the Iraq War. http://tgr.ph/ru0tyS
 
He authorized and oversaw a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates. http://bit.ly/y8c9Fz
 
Better Approach to “Defense”
Created a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat. http://1.usa.gov/gDX1nE
 
He authorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/gLFZl2
 
He restarted nuclear nonproliferation talks and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to where they had been before Bush. http://lat.ms/gkcl3i
 
He signed and pushed to ratification a new SALT Treaty. http://bit.ly/f3JVtw
 
Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will last until at least 2021. http://1.usa.gov/cI1bC4
 
Through the Defense Authorization Act, he reversed the Bush Administration and committed to no permanent military bases in Iraq. http://bit.ly/hk73OJ
 
He developed the first comprehensive strategy with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan designed to facilitate the defeat of al Qaeda and the withdrawal of most troops, as well as the rebuilding of Afghanistan. http://wapo.st/ee4Xcs
 
He returned our focus to Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing our troops. http://bit.ly/lNXUna
 
Fulfilled campaign promise and ended our involvement in Iraq, and will complete full troop withdrawal before Christmas 2011. http://onforb.es/nTUk4Z
 
He took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world. http://yhoo.it/n5lXs6
 
He negotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India. http://1.usa.gov/aHp0Cn
 
He took decisive action to use NATO to limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so that the Libyan people could topple a despotic government and determine their own fate. http://aje.me/qAh4Sj
 
Treating Soldiers and Veterans with Respect
He made sure that families of fallen soldiers could be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB, by providing funding for it. He also ended the media blackout on coverage of the return of fallen soldiers.http://nyti.ms/glqN66 http://bbc.in/gWSSkA
 
He funded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services. http://1.usa.gov/huhqfo
 
He provided the troops with better body armor. http://bit.ly/hzSv2h
 
Created the Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order to improve the quality of their medical care. http://1.usa.gov/f4yaxW
 
He put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date. (personal note: my son will be in harm’s way for six fewer months with Obama as president, so you know I love this one). http://nyti.ms/e2YQ7Q
 
He supported and signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which made more money available to enable better medical care for veterans. http://1.usa.gov/fN4ur1
 
He ushered through the largest spending increase in 30 years for the Department of Veterans Affairs for improved medical facilities, and to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities. http://1.usa.gov/gY8O3x
 
He created the Green Vet Initiative, which provided special funding to the Labor Department to provide veterans with training in green jobs. http://bit.ly/epwUQY
 
He oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals. http://bit.ly/gjzTxX
 
Education
He has repeatedly increased funding for student financial aid, and at the same time cut the banks completely out of the process. http://bit.ly/gYWd30 http://bit.ly/e9c7Dr http://bit.ly/eEzTNq
 
Completely reformed the student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate. http://nyti.ms/dMvHOt
 
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , he invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. http://1.usa.gov/gGRIAr This includes a major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide http://bit.ly/fNDcj3 , as well as an expansion in school construction. http://bit.ly/fYwNrV
 
Also through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start. http://1.usa.gov/tzT2Rr
 
Signed the Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0 http://bit.ly/hPhG7J
 
He oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low-income students to go to college. http://bit.ly/hI6tXz
 
He passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds. http://1.usa.gov/dQvtUe
 
 
Greater Transparency and Better Government
He signed an order banning gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch. http://bit.ly/fsBACN
 
He signed an order banning anyone from working in an agency they had lobbied in previous years. He also put strict limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. http://nyti.ms/gOrznV
 
He held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public. http://bit.ly/gVNSgX
 
The Obama White House became the first to stream every White House event, live. http://1.usa.gov/kAgOP5
 
He established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities. http://www.serve.gov
 
He provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history. http://1.usa.gov/hQ7ttV
 
He crafted an Executive Order on Presidential Records, which restored the 30-day time frame for former presidents to review records, and eliminated the right for the vice president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews. This will provide the public with greater access to historic White House documents, and severely curtails the ability to use executive privilege to shield them.http://1.usa.gov/gUetLb
 
He improved aspects of the Freedom of Information Act, and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and transparent in the processing of FOIA requests. http://1.usa.gov/gjrnp2
 
 
National Safety and Security
He’s restored federal agencies such as FEMA to the point that they have been able to manage a huge number of natural disasters successfully. http://bit.ly/h8Xj7z
 
Authorized Navy SEALS to successfully secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates and increased patrols off the Somali coast. http://nyti.ms/efBO7B
 
Has repeatedly beefed up border security http://bit.ly/mMYB4i
 
Ordered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden. http://bit.ly/jChpgw
 
 
Science, Technology and Health Care
He created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making.http://1.usa.gov/g2SDuw
 
Opened up the process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects. http://bit.ly/j0KV2U
 
He eliminated the Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. He also provided increased federal support for biomedical and stem cell research. http://bit.ly/h36SSO http://ti.me/edezge
 
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to support non-defense science and research labs. http://nyti.ms/fTs9t7
 
He signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive attempt to improve the lives of Americans living with paralysis. http://bit.ly/fOi2rb
 
He expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership program, which provides home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families, to cover more first-time mothers. http://bit.ly/jRRRJc
 
His EPA reversed research ethics standards which allowed humans to be used as “guinea pigs” in tests of the effects of chemicals, to comply with numerous codes of medical ethics. http://bit.ly/bKgqdS
 
Conducted a cyberspace policy review. http://1.usa.gov/gmbdvC
 
Provided financial support for private sector space programs. http://bit.ly/fn8ucr
 
He oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use. http://bit.ly/dNTRyP
 
He ushered through a bill that authorized the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. http://on.msnbc.com/fiKViB As a result, the FDA has Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients and banned sale of cigarettes falsely labeled as “light.”
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs. http://bit.ly/ecQSgA
 
He also increased funding for community-based prevention programs. http://bit.ly/frMPG3
 
He oversaw a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors. http://bit.ly/e5b1iq http://1.usa.gov/fVNkt9
 
He eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price. http://bit.ly/fOkG5b
 
Two weeks after taking office, he signed the Children’s Health Insurance Re-authorization Act, which increased the number of children covered by health insurance by 4 million. http://bit.ly/fDEzGv
 
He held a quick press conference, and urged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation. Rep. Waxman responded by launching a probe, and Anthem Blue Cross put the increase on hold for two months. http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9C
 
Ushered through and signed the Affordable Health Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage to 30 million more people, and ended many common insurance company practices that are often detrimental to those with coverage. He also established http://www.healthcare.gov/
 
Through the Affordable Health Care Act, he allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
 
Through the Affordable Health Care Act, he provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small business to provide health insurance to their employees, and 29 million people will receive tax breaks to help them afford health insurance. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
 
Through the Affordable Health Care Act, he expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level. http://nyti.ms/ekMWpo
 
Through the Affordable Health Care Act, health insurance companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to pay for patient care. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
 
Provisions in the Affordable Health Care Act have already resulted in Medicare costs actually declining slightly this fiscal year, for the first time in many years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Last year’s increase was 4%. Compare that to the average 12% annual inflation rate during the previous 40 years. http://1.usa.gov/oMxpTh
 
 
Strengthening the Middle Class and Families
He worked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families. http://bit.ly/fNfidS
 
He cracked down on companies that were previously denying sick pay, vacation and health insurance, and Social Security and Medicare tax payments through abuse of the employee classification of independent contractor. http://nyti.ms/fOGLcj
 
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , he cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families. http://bit.ly/eSEI4F
 
Under Obama, tax rates for average working families are the lowest they’ve been since 1950. http://bit.ly/f74pD8
 
He extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years. http://bit.ly/eFeSdP
 
He extended discounted COBRA health coverage for the unemployed from 9 months to 15 months, and he’s extended unemployment benefits several times. http://aol.it/evtVxD http://nyti.ms/emrqKJ http://bit.ly/hOtIpg http://bit.ly/fTT7kz
 
 
Environment and Energy
He fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact federal fuel efficiency standards that were above federal standards. http://nyti.ms/e8e94x
 
He fast-tracked increased fuel economy standards for vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year. It was the first time such standards had been increased in a decade. http://politi.co/hiaPKM
 
He oversaw the establishment of an Energy Partnership for the Americas, which creates more markets for American-made biofuels and green energy technologies. http://bit.ly/lZp73y
 
His EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history. http://bit.ly/lP3yEL
 
He ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances. http://1.usa.gov/g3MTbu
 
He ordered energy plants to prepare to produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like wind and solar, by 2021. http://reut.rs/fV155p (As you can see, Republicans are trying hard to kill it.)
 
He oversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers. http://bit.ly/mjnq2R
 
Bypassed Republican opposition in Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions. http://bit.ly/froaP5
 
His EPA ruled that CO2 is a pollutant. http://bit.ly/iQTSNN
 
He doubled federal spending on clean energy research. http://bit.ly/iN0sCE
 
He pushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars. http://bit.ly/j8UP5Y
 
He created a program to develop renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that will produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. http://1.usa.gov/fgfRWq
 
He reengaged in the climate change and greenhouse gas emissions agreements talks, and even proposed one himself. He also addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference, officially reversing the Bush-era stance that climate change was a “hoax.” http://bit.ly/dX6Vj3 http://bit.ly/fE2PxK http://nyti.ms/hfeqvv
 
He fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. http://bit.ly/eJ6QOO
 
He required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption. http://bit.ly/lBhk7P
 
Following Bush’s eight year reign, he reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic. http://bit.ly/fzQUFO
 
Created tax write-offs for purchases of hybrid automobiles, and later he and Democrats morphed that program into one that includes electric cars. http://bit.ly/glCukV
 
Mandated that federal government fleet purchases be for fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged that federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles. http://bit.ly/h5KZqy http://1.usa.gov/fLWq5c http://1.usa.gov/hmUSbk
 
He oversaw and pushed through an amendment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://1.usa.gov/yTRYVo
He also actively tried to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those companies responsible for large oil spills. http://nyti.ms/bxjDi3
 
 
He initiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://nyti.ms/bVuB7a
 
Through his EPA, he asserted federal legal supremacy, and barred Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own. http://bit.ly/ww8eMd
 
He strengthened the Endangered Species Act. http://bit.ly/hscjsH
 
His EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year. http://bit.ly/jYH7nt
 
Through the EPA, he took steps to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to increase their efficacy in humans. http://bit.ly/fBuWd2
 
He increased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10% http://bit.ly/fbJPjY
 
He announced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards. http://1.usa.gov/oQiC1K
 
He announced the development of a huge increase in average fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg to 35.5mpg starting in 2016 and 54.5 starting in 2025 http://1.usa.gov/qtghsW
 
 
Other Stuff
He has expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements such as NAFTA. http://bit.ly/etznpY
 
He oversaw funding of the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History, which is scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015. He protected the funding during the recent budget negotiations. http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO http://bit.ly/ff5Luv
 
Oversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. http://bit.ly/dFb8qF
 
He nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic Justice in the court’s history, and the women represent only the third and fourth women to serve on the court, out of a total of 112 justices. http://huff.to/eOChg6 http://bit.ly/i02wgP
 
He appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president. http://bit.ly/dX6vNB
 
He eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and he rescinded the global gag rule. http://bit.ly/eCFAI1 http://bit.ly/f92drF
 
He loosened the rules and allowed the 14 states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves without federal interference. http://huff.to/eQfa7j
 
His FDA banned the use of antibiotics in livestock production. http://bit.ly/jUjLzo
 
Ushered through and signed national service legislation, increasing funding for national service groups, including triple the size of the Americorps program. http://bit.ly/idgQH5
 
 
 

Friday, August 10, 2012

MAPLE HEIGHTS IN LOCKDOWN MODE

What's that famous "Godfathers" line?  Oh yeah,   Michael Corleone: "Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in."

Okay, okay ... nothing bad on my end, however ...

What the hell is wrong with these guys in Maple Heights.  Rumor has it that certain government officials (and/or MHTS public employees) have been given orders not to talk to or release any, or is it any really important information to certain residents in Maple Heights (who shall remain nameless). 

Look, Ohio has a public records law and there are sunshine laws.  What you Maple Heights public employees are doing, ... honestly looks like a cover-up.  You shouldn't be going around deciding who and who you are not going to release public information to.  You can't be that dense.  Now a whole bunch of people want to know what you have to hide, and now I want to know what you have to hide?

If there's nothing, release the damn information that you are legally required to release. 

And here's a question: Can a public official become an "accessory after the fact", and can "obstruction" be charged against a public employee?



Update 8/24/2012: 
A few friends thoughts  "Are these guys Republicans, cause they certainly act and sound like it?"



Update 8/23/2012:
It is official.  Requests by a person, who shall remain nameless, for public information/records were sent to a Ms. Waller, Ms. Gambosi, Mr. Montello, Ms. Vopat, and a Charles Crews Jr.  As of this date, the individuals named have not given the information requested. 

It also appears that Mr. Montello or/and Mayor Lansky (two public employees who work for the taxpayers in Maple Heights, and not the other way around) may have put the "lock" on the release of certain public information (that they call inquiries).  And since when did public employees get the impression they don't have to answer questions from taxpayers/residents (again, who pay their salary)?  The words "arrogance" and "insubordination" come to mind (my opinion).  Yep, something doesn't smell right.