More federal government trampling of local concerns
I opposed the Bush administration's recent efforts to sell off 22,000 acres of roadless Colorado wilderness to the oil and gas industry. My concerns were partially environmental. But I was also upset because the administration was ignoring the advice of a local task force appointed by outgoing Republican Governor Bill Owens. Whatever happened to the GOP's respect for states' rights?
By that logic, I'm even more upset by this:
Colorado's two U.S. senators joined Thursday in sponsoring a surprise bill that would cut Golden and Jefferson County out of the debate over building a high- definition TV tower on Lookout Mountain.
Golden officials sharply criticized Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar after learning the two senators had sponsored the brief bill, which passed in the waning hours of Congress. The bill would almost guarantee the placement of a new tower on the mountain.
It looks like we may not have to worry about Allard after 2008. But Salazar doesn't get a free pass because he has a (D) after his name. Colorado's junior Senator took in a half-million dollars from the communication and electronics industries in 2004. That wouldn't have anything to do with his top-secret tower or his silence on net neutrality, would it?
By that logic, I'm even more upset by this:
Colorado's two U.S. senators joined Thursday in sponsoring a surprise bill that would cut Golden and Jefferson County out of the debate over building a high- definition TV tower on Lookout Mountain.
Golden officials sharply criticized Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar after learning the two senators had sponsored the brief bill, which passed in the waning hours of Congress. The bill would almost guarantee the placement of a new tower on the mountain.
It looks like we may not have to worry about Allard after 2008. But Salazar doesn't get a free pass because he has a (D) after his name. Colorado's junior Senator took in a half-million dollars from the communication and electronics industries in 2004. That wouldn't have anything to do with his top-secret tower or his silence on net neutrality, would it?
2 Comments:
I'm not to concerned about the bill sponsored by Salazar and Allard for two main reasons.
1. The City of Golden was also making an end run around limitations on its zoning power by trying to use eminent domain to buy the land and stop the tower.
and
2. The opposition to the tower is pretty much pure, unadulterated NIMBY based on concerns with no merit. The fear of EMF based health problems isn't supported by any evidence and isn't any worse than the status quo. The new plan is aesthetically better than the status quo. The tower can't fall on anyone who isn't trespassing and will create very little vehicle traffic to the area. In pretty much every way, the proposal is better than the status quo for the neighbors.
This is a case where the unjustified worries of a small number of immediate neighbors is getting in the way of a change that benefits a large number of people.
Andrew,
Regardless of the issue's merits, how can you support our Senators' backdoor legislating? That's my real issue here. More folks in Washington abusing their power.
Maybe they learned it from George W. Bush.
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