GOOD MORNING FLINT
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Your Morning News from Flint MI USA
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Information to help you make a difference in Flint MI
Comments of Terry Bankert [ -trb]
You Tube Review of yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPmfVdYGwg0http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=terrybankert
Date:01/04/07
HEADLINE OF THE DAY
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• Group estimates 20 crooked former lawmakers are earning government pensions• Pensioners include Democrats and Republicans• Democrats offered pension legislation last year, will offer again
(CNN) -- As Democrats pledge to clean up Congress when they take control this week, public interest groups are urging them to add one more item to their ethics reform list: Stop rewarding crooked colleagues.
Led by the conservative National Taxpayers Union, two dozen watchdog groups of all political stripes say it's time to stop making taxpayers pay the pensions of lawmakers who are convicted of or plead guilty to crimes committed while in office.
For example, Republican Rep. Randall "Duke" Cunningham of California, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to tax evasion and conspiracy to accept bribes and kickbacks from contractors he was voting to give government business, will pocket an estimated $64,000 annual government pension while serving eight years in a North Carolina federal prison.
"I think the vast majority of Americans, certainly all the groups that signed the letter, think that's really wrong," said John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union.
Berthoud's group, which has urged tougher standards for disgraced members of Congress for years, estimates 20 crooked former lawmakers are earning government pensions.
They come from both sides of the political aisle. James Traficant, a former Democratic representative from Ohio who was convicted of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion, is serving eight years in a Minnesota prison and getting an estimated $40,000 pension. Former Republican Sen. David Durenberger of Minnesota, who pleaded guilty to fraud in 1995 and served a year's probation, receives an estimated $86,000 a year, according to the National Taxpayers Union.
The figures are estimates because Congress keeps the amount of all federal pensions secret. Pensions are based on years in office and any contribution the officeholder might make. But most of the money comes straight out of taxpayers' coffers. Right now, federal law stipulates the only grounds to strip a congressional member of his or her pension is treason. Admitting to being a common crook does not cause forfeiture of the pension.
"It's hard, unless you are a member of Congress or former member of Congress, for anybody to understand how on earth you could ask taxpayers to pay pensions for people like these,'' Berthoud said.
Traficant and Cunningham did not answer letters requesting comment, and an assistant to Durenberger said the former senator was not available to talk about his pension. CNN, however, did directly contact the convicted lawmaker who is estimated to pull down the biggest pension, Illinois Democrat Daniel Rostenkowski, former chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Known for his booming voice and the clout he wielded for years on the Hill, Rostenkowski said he did not want to talk about the matter. He served time for mail fraud and earns a $126,000 pension, according to the Taxpayers Union calculations. That gives him 126,000 good reasons, critics say, to keep his opinion about the matter to himself.
Drew Hammill, a spokesman for incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said House Democrats, with the support of Pelosi, offered legislation last year that would strip current members of their pensions if convicted of a felony. Hammill said Democrats will reintroduce similar legislation in the 110th Congress, which begins Thursday.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/03/congressional.pensions/index.html?section=cnn_topstories&eref=yahoo
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TOP STORY
DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp. continued to gobble up market share in 2006, passing DaimlerChrysler AG as the No. 3 auto seller in the U.S. for the first time during a full calendar year.
Toyota, which includes the Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands, ended the year with 15.4 percent of the U.S. automotive market, compared with DaimlerChrysler's 13.3 percent, according to figures released Wednesday by Autodata Inc
...General Motors Corp., the world's largest automaker, reported December sales fell 13 percent to 334,501, and its sales for the 2006 dropped 8.7 percent compared with the previous year. Its market share was 24.3 percent for the year, with just over 4 million vehicles sold....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070104/ap_on_bi_ge/auto_sales
NATION
WASHINGTON - Congressional Democrats stepped hungrily to the brink of power on Wednesday, promising immediate action to limit the influence of lobbyists and pledging to constantly prod the Bush administration to bring U.S. troops home
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070104/ap_on_go_co/congress_rdp
GENESEE AND FLINT AREA
The Uncommonsense
http://www.downtownflint.com/
East Village Magazine
http://www.eastvillagemagazine.org/
Flint Journal
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/
Talking Back to the Editorial
Talking Back to letters to the editor
Talking Back to Talk Back
January 03, 2007
JOURNAL READER
WHAT'S THE HURRY? It has become a daily sight for me to see drivers literally running red lights. I was stopping for a red light in front of me when the guy behind me swerved around me and ran the light. Why is everyone in such a hurry and willing to break the law?
- Swartz Creek
RUDE RETURNER: Had to laugh and shake my head upon hearing the following comment made in the gift return line at JC Penney: A lady was returning some clothing and finally got to the front of the line and yelled out, "I am in a hurry," then proceeded to tell the clerk at least five things that she wanted her to do with her returns, all of which took time to resolve. She acted like she was the only person in line and had to wait.
- Swartz Creek
COMMISSIONER CURTIS: It is unfortunate that Burton City Councilman Jamie Curtis will soon be taking a seat as a Genesee County commissioner. I used to only have to read about his self-serving antics; now they will affect me directly.
- Grand Blanc Township
NO FAN OF THE NBA: How sad to see we have a bunch of thugs playing pro basketball and being paid millions. Grow up! You guys are nothing but an embarrassment to most of us. I, for one, am choosing not to support you anymore.
- Swartz Creek
HOUSING STANDARDS: Only in Flint would crack houses still stand while historic homes get bought and bulldozed.
- Richfield Township
WORKED ONCE: Maybe if Shannon Pitcher wrote a letter of apology and had it printed in The Flint Journal, she could keep her job.
- Grand Blanc
THANKS OFFERED: Thank you to the people who found my daughter and nephew at the Genesee Valley shopping center and thanks for keeping them safe.
- Flint
ON GUARD: There is still about half the nation that believes in this president, and is not as naive, leftist or vocal when it comes to the threat of terrorism here.
- Flushing
CULTURE CLASH: I am very upset with the Flint Cultural Center. I'm a part of the Ambassadors Club. I give $1,000 a year, and I'm not going to give that anymore. The center is about culture and not about demolition. I think that it stinks they are trying to demolish those homes.
- Flint
WALK IN OUR SHOES: I am calling in response to a Talk Back in regards to heroin addicts and prostitutes as EMTs. I would like to know if that woman has ever tried to do our jobs.
- Swartz Creek
BAD BOARD: I left the last Gaines Township meeting just as confused as when I got there. They claim to do good for the township and for their residents, but they cut our questions short, said they would get to them later, or just didn't answer at all. Only two board members spoke up - the rest sat there looking very bored and irritated that they even had to be there. I can't believe that they actually believe they are doing what's best for our community.
- Gaines Township
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From Al Garcia
I'll tell you what Ive done, Ive come on here to stand up for the citizens of Flint and demand accountability for them, several who are family and friends!
I'll keep bitchin' until the citizens of Flint are given what they have earned. The hard working people of Flint built and drove (literally) this country to greatness and now that the chips are down, the national and state officals have taken a long runny, smelly crap right on the face of Flint.
Thirty years of this town as a toilet bowl has been 30 years to long if you ask me!! It's up to local elected officals to DEMAND better.
So if people like Dayne, Ryan, Dale, Adam, Donald or who ever wants to run this once great city, DAMN IT, they better tell the citizens of Flint what they plan to do! There isnt a chance in hell I would move back to Flint, but I cant change the fact that it is my hometown. Even after all this crap, Im still proud to be from Flint, Im just sick and tired of watching what has happened to it.
Thats what Ive done and will continue to do for Flinttown!
http://www.flinttalk.com/post-7686.html#7686
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FROM TED J
You can't fix a problem if you don't know what the problem is. Nor can you you put forth something resolution to something if you don't recognise that you even have the problem. Ah, and yes it Slams the Mayor! Hopefully this does show the problem well enough that we recognise the problem and correct it next election.
http://www.flinttalk.com/post-7685.html#7685
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A Rapunzal look a alike, which is which
Some one is spoofing...rapunzel. Third post that I did not make. I haven't even watched these video's yet, it takes to long to download. I do not make racial comments. They have my writing style down pretty close. Hilarious! Wondered if I had to many New Years cocktails and did not remember posting! Peace, RAP
http://www.flinttalk.com/post-7673.html#7673
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Terry, a suggestion. lose the step by step pan & zoom. its inefficient at best and distracting at its worst. If you were to do a continuous pan & zoom, it would be an ok opening device. But as you are currently doing it, it looks worst than amatuerish. You'll lose your audience if you don't grab them within the first, what, 5 - 7 seconds. TLR has a great intro song & images. Now, I'm no expert on computer video. But when I was learning to paint [art, not walls], I was taught the importance of a "lead in line"...something in the painting that would draw the eye of the viewer into the painting. Capturing the viwer's attention. That's what you have to do....draw the eye/interest of the viewer into your broadcast. But doing it in a Frankenstein-like "step..halt....click..step...halt click..." ain't doing it. just a suggestion. _________________Biggie
http://www.flinttalk.com/post-7659.html#7659
Flint Talk
http://www.flinttalk.com/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flintcitizen/
The Laundry Room
http://www.thelaundryroom.us/
Flint Area Citizen Internet Advocacy US
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flintcitizen/
Flint Town Talk
http://www.mlive.com/forums/flint/index.ssf
TV 12 Forum
http://forums.go.com/abclocal/WJRT/forum?start=0&forumID=73
Legal Help
http://attorneybankert.com/
Family Rights articles
http://www.thelaundryroom.us/http://terrybankert.blogspot.com/
Parents in Child Protective proceedings
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/child_neglect_abuse/
Flintlist q Flint Area Citizen Buy & Sell & Swap
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Flintlist/
Terry Bankert My Spacehttp://www.myspace.com/113559892
You Tube [coming in 2007] Bugs still being worked out.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=terrybankert
See: The "In My Opinion" Show. With Host Ronald Barry Robinson and Friends. Seen every Saturday at 6 P.M. and Wednesday at 8:30 P.M. on Comcast Cablevision Channel 17.
Hear:WFLT 1420 AM every Saturday morning 9am to 9:30 pm KNOW THE LAW with attorney Terry Bankert talking about Family Rights
Published by Terry Bankert :
attorneybankert@yahoo.com
1000 Beach St
Flint MI
48503
810-235-1970
COMMENTS OR NEWS ITEMS WELCOMED.
German Officials Search for Motive in Christmas Market Attack
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At least four people were killed and more than 200 others injured after a
driver rammed an SUV into a crowded Christmas market in eastern Germany.
1 hour ago
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