Local Press Coverage of User Fee Debate

Whaddya know? Our local newspaper has actually taken an interest in
our battle against user fees, and (mostly) gotten it right. See:

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pb...=2007707060306

Although the quotes they used from me were severely abbreviated (and
the lead paragraph plays to the "rich pilot" myth) I think the
reporter managed to get most of the story right. And now, because of
this story, I was just interviewed by a nearby television station.

Let's keep the pressure on our Congress-critters, guys and gals, and
nip this craziness in the bud.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Whaddya know? Our local newspaper has actually taken an interest in
our battle against user fees, and (mostly) gotten it right. See:

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pb...=2007707060306

Although the quotes they used from me were severely abbreviated (and
the lead paragraph plays to the "rich pilot" myth) I think the
reporter managed to get most of the story right. And now, because of
this story, I was just interviewed by a nearby television station.

Let's keep the pressure on our Congress-critters, guys and gals, and
nip this craziness in the bud.
--
Well, we're the only nation on Earth that doesn't use "Loser pays", why not
be the only one that has our form of funding ATC, too? :~)

Matt
--
In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville famously concludes with a
warning of the
kind of despotism democratic nations have to fear. Tocqueville warns that
the passion for
equality will give rise to a certain kind of degradation in which citizens
will surrender
their freedom democratically to a tutelary power:

Above these [citizens] an immense tutelary power is elevated, which alone
takes
charge of assuring their enjoyments and watching over their fate. It is
absolute,
detailed, far-seeing, and mild. It would resemble paternal power if, like
that,
it had for its object to prepare men for manhood; but on the contrary, it
seeks
only to keep them fixed irrevocably in childhood; it likes citizens to
enjoy themselves
provided that they think only of enjoying themselves. It willingly works
for their
happiness; but it wants to be the unique agent and sole arbiter of that; it
provides
for their security, foresees and secures their needs, facilitates their
pleasures,
conducts their principal affairs, directs their industry, regulates their
estates,
divides their inheritances; can it not take away from them entirely the
trouble of
thinking and the pain of living?

***

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

"Matt Barrow" wrote

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself felt
without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Matt, you really need to see someone about that paranoid delusion problem you
have.

Really.
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Matt Barrow" wrote

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt
without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Matt, you really need to see someone about that paranoid delusion problem
you
have.

Really.
--
Jim in NC

I believe the part you quoted was part of the writings of Alexis de
Tocqueville. In any case, the style is the same.

Peter

"Peter Dohm" wrote in message
.. .
"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Matt Barrow" wrote

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt
without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Matt, you really need to see someone about that paranoid delusion problem
you
have.

Really.
--
Jim in NC

I believe the part you quoted was part of the writings of Alexis de
Tocqueville. In any case, the style is the same.

And Jim's mental state is right out of the Twilight Zone, to which you could
add gulibility beyond belief.

Of course, Jim is a big fan of public schools, so that explains a lot. Then,
too, add marginal literacy, and historical ignorance.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville famously concludes with a
warning of the
kind of despotism democratic nations have to fear. Tocqueville warns that
the passion for
equality will give rise to a certain kind of degradation in which citizens
will surrender
their freedom democratically to a tutelary power:

Above these [citizens] an immense tutelary power is elevated, which alone
takes
charge of assuring their enjoyments and watching over their fate. It is
absolute,
detailed, far-seeing, and mild. It would resemble paternal power if, like
that,
it had for its object to prepare men for manhood; but on the contrary, it
seeks
only to keep them fixed irrevocably in childhood; it likes citizens to
enjoy themselves
provided that they think only of enjoying themselves. It willingly works
for their
happiness; but it wants to be the unique agent and sole arbiter of that;
it provides
for their security, foresees and secures their needs, facilitates their
pleasures,
conducts their principal affairs, directs their industry, regulates their
estates,
divides their inheritances; can it not take away from them entirely the
trouble of
thinking and the pain of living?

***

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Thanks for the thoughtful quote, I will read the book.
Unfortunately I think democracy has more to fear, as benign despotism seems
to be developing a meaner edge..

Happy landings,

"Private" wrote in message
news:ljCki.101559$1i1.27924@pd7urf3no...

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville famously concludes with a
warning of the
kind of despotism democratic nations have to fear. Tocqueville warns
that
the passion for
equality will give rise to a certain kind of degradation in which
citizens
will surrender
their freedom democratically to a tutelary power:

Above these [citizens] an immense tutelary power is elevated, which
alone
takes
charge of assuring their enjoyments and watching over their fate. It is
absolute,
detailed, far-seeing, and mild. It would resemble paternal power if,
like
that,
it had for its object to prepare men for manhood; but on the contrary,
it
seeks
only to keep them fixed irrevocably in childhood; it likes citizens to
enjoy themselves
provided that they think only of enjoying themselves. It willingly works
for their
happiness; but it wants to be the unique agent and sole arbiter of that;
it provides
for their security, foresees and secures their needs, facilitates their
pleasures,
conducts their principal affairs, directs their industry, regulates
their
estates,
divides their inheritances; can it not take away from them entirely the
trouble of
thinking and the pain of living?

***

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Thanks for the thoughtful quote, I will read the book.
Unfortunately I think democracy has more to fear, as benign despotism
seems
to be developing a meaner edge..

Happy landings,


Aristotle, who was no fan of democracy, hypothesized that a society could
possibly oscillate between democracy and despostism--although he was unable
to document any case in which had occurred as of the time of his teaching.
Obviously, or perhaps not, those who must give up their freedom would need
to be falsely schooled regarding their past; with the result that such a
cycle would occupy multiple human lifetimes. Based on that, and the small
amount of "news" which I can tolerate, I suspect that we may have entered a
time of historical significance...

All the best,

"Peter Dohm" wrote in message
.. .
"Private" wrote in message
news:ljCki.101559$1i1.27924@pd7urf3no...

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...
In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville famously concludes with
a
warning of the
kind of despotism democratic nations have to fear. Tocqueville warns
that
the passion for
equality will give rise to a certain kind of degradation in which
citizens
will surrender
their freedom democratically to a tutelary power:

Above these [citizens] an immense tutelary power is elevated, which
alone
takes
charge of assuring their enjoyments and watching over their fate. It is
absolute,
detailed, far-seeing, and mild. It would resemble paternal power if,
like
that,
it had for its object to prepare men for manhood; but on the contrary,
it
seeks
only to keep them fixed irrevocably in childhood; it likes citizens to
enjoy themselves
provided that they think only of enjoying themselves. It willingly
works
for their
happiness; but it wants to be the unique agent and sole arbiter of
that;
it provides
for their security, foresees and secures their needs, facilitates their
pleasures,
conducts their principal affairs, directs their industry, regulates
their
estates,
divides their inheritances; can it not take away from them entirely the
trouble of
thinking and the pain of living?

***

Subjection in small affairs manifests itself every day and makes itself
felt without
distinction by all citizens. It does not make them desperate, but it
constantly thwarts
them and brings them to renounce the use of their wills. Thus little by
little, it
extinguishes their spirits and enervates their souls....

Thanks for the thoughtful quote, I will read the book.
Unfortunately I think democracy has more to fear, as benign despotism
seems
to be developing a meaner edge..

Happy landings,


Aristotle, who was no fan of democracy, hypothesized that a society could
possibly oscillate between democracy and despostism--although he was
unable
to document any case in which had occurred as of the time of his teaching.
Obviously, or perhaps not, those who must give up their freedom would need
to be falsely schooled regarding their past; with the result that such a
cycle would occupy multiple human lifetimes. Based on that, and the small
amount of "news" which I can tolerate, I suspect that we may have entered
a
time of historical significance...

All the best,

Quite! If history is any guide we'll call it Dark Ages II.

Ironically, the worst collapses nations have incurred were self-imposed, not
externally imposed.


Matt
--
A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious,
but it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at
the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries
his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those
within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through
all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government
itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks
in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their
face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness
that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the
soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the
night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects
the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A
murderer is less to fear. -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:42:44 -0400, Peter Dohm wrote:

Obviously, or perhaps not, those who must give up their freedom
would need to be falsely schooled regarding their past

I'd imagine that there are alternatives to this. For example, the people
could be told "this time is different" and be convinced of it (perhaps by
threat of violence to which they'd become unaccustomed). This would also
fall into the scenario envisioned by Franklin in his "those that give
up..." comment.

- Andrew

"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:42:44 -0400, Peter Dohm wrote:

Obviously, or perhaps not, those who must give up their freedom
would need to be falsely schooled regarding their past

I'd imagine that there are alternatives to this. For example, the people
could be told "this time is different" and be convinced of it (perhaps by
threat of violence to which they'd become unaccustomed). This would also
fall into the scenario envisioned by Franklin in his "those that give
up..." comment.

- Andrew

At this point, there is mounting evidence that you are correct. I can only
hope that, a century from now, Machiavelli will be proved correct as well.

Peter