Nobody gives Ralph Nader a chance in the presidential election, but some of what he had to say Thursday night in Lawrence certainly matched the public mood these days. Some highlights:
“Taxation without representation is back. Big time.”
“The corporate crime wave is eating the life and soul of America.”
“The Constitution starts with ‘we the people’ in the preamble. Not ‘we the corporations.’”
“I have never seen a Congress so cowardly.”
“There is too much memorization, regurgitation, vegetation in public education.”
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“The constitution starts with ‘we the people,’ not we the corporations.” Good comment Mr. Nader.
For example, I have had a term insurance policy that has changed companies several times over the years and is now with AIG insurance company. I see in the headlines, the AIG corporation is scummy, without any feeling for its customers. So I am faced with canceling it somehow after paying into it for years.
This corporate disdain for the community is showing right here in Wichita. I’m speaking of recent tantrum by Jeff Turner, executive with Spirit Company, threatening to move his company elsewhere if he doesn’t get his way. I have news for Mr. Turner, citizens are becoming more activist and will not unilaterally accede to his demands anywhere he goes.
The attitude of corporate executives is spawning the current financial meltdown and possible terrible global recession. Don’t blame it on others when the blame is right at home.
I still remember the days when Nader was seen as a shining knight for the people in protecting our safety and ills done to the common man. Now he comes off more often then not as a real kook, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. So far all the plans and thoughts on the economy seem to be heading to the conclusion of “Well you can not fix stupid!”. The Titanic is heading towards the iceberg and the only solution that is coming out is pour more coal in the boilers.
I always liked Nader’s opinions, its too bad the man didn’t have more charisma. I’m sorry but I just can’t see him sitting down with world leaders in any kind of effective manner.
Jeff Turner is showing that Spirit Aero systems is not part of this community. Because he is one of the largest employers in this community he feels he wields power over the people of this community.
Do we want Spirit to leave? The answer is no.
Do we want to have a threat held over our heads every time Spirit and Jeff Turner do not get their way? The answer is no.
Jeff Turner and Spirit have a decision to make. Do you want to be part of this community or just the community bully?
Ray Fredrick needs to resign as the chair of the Wichita Independent Business Association.
He is all for his plumbing business to continue receiving the corporate welfare our city and county government hands him. That is not the principal of the Wichita Independent Business Association.
Ray Fredrick has apparently started his own business association and that is where he should go.
The Wichita Independent Business Association should stand up and be counted by the people for their support of Karl Peterjohn.
Karl Peterjohn is working to hard to be a voice for the people and bring some balance to what government does with our money. That’s right our money. We the people’s money.
Do we need business? Yes we do. Does business need people? Yes they do. They need people to employ and they need people to purchase what they make and/or sale. There is a balance.
Look what corporate greed has done to Wall Street.
Karl Peterjohn will bring back a balance.
From Karl Peterjohns webpage:
The Rest of the Story
Friends,
On October 9 Wichita Chamber of Commerce president Bryan Derreberry issued a statement on behalf of the chamber’s political action committee endorsing the two tax ‘n spend Democrats running for the Sedgwick County Commission. Both Democrats as elected officials have raised property taxes at the county or municipal level.
My opponent, Goddard Mayor Marcey Gregory, presided over a special meeting of the Goddard city council August 11, only a few days after the primary, where she and her city council enacted a 16.6 percent tax hike as well as a massive increase in city spending.
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Here’s more of what has NOT been reported about the political jihad the chamber is throwing at my campaign.
October 7 the Wichita Eagle was told by Harvey Sorenson, the head of the chamber’s PAC, that this organization would spend a “$100,000,” or “…as much as necessary,” to defeat Karl Peterjohn. That was excluded from the front page article in the October 8 Wichita Eagle. The chamber and its PAC now want to buy at least one county commissioner.
What was also excluded from the Eagle’s news reports was the fact that until last year, I had served on the Wichita Independent Business Association board of directors. I have always been a strong supporter of economic growth and free market economics.
I have served as an advocate for property tax relief for business and individuals at the Kansas statehouse since 1993. I helped get legislation enacted that eliminated the infamous business personal property (paper clip) tax in the 1990’s as well as pro-business tax relief going back at least 15 years! This included the largest tax cut in Kansas history that had a number of pro business provisions. I also fought efforts to raise business franchise taxes as well as new business taxes on software.
The October 8 Eagle article contained the claim that I opposed the zoo. The eagle knew but neglected to report that the my family has had a family membership at the Wichita Zoo since 2003. Why was this information excluded?
On October 2 I debated my opponent, Goddard Mayor Marcey Gregory, at Prof. Mel Kahn’s political science class at Wichita State University. Wichita Eagle reporter Deb Gruver wrote an article that appeared in the October 3 paper that indicated that both of us were concerned about county property taxes.
The rest of the story is that Mayor Gregory told the audience at this event that she had raised property taxes this year in Goddard. Why was this tax hike revelation excluded from this story?
This should have been part of the article since it contradicted the other comments that Gregory had stated about raising property taxes. This was not a small tax hike either. Gregory and her city council approved a 2.3 mill or 16.6% property tax hike! Spending is soaring as a result of this too!
Do you want your county property taxes to go up 16.6%? If you do, you now know which candidate the chamber wants you to vote for on November 4.
I have repeatedly pointed out the importance of the aircraft industry in this community. One of the handouts I have used in this campaign is a spreadsheet containing the employment data from the largest employers in this community. In 2007 the five major aircraft firms employed almost 32,000 people. This spreadsheet contains data compiled by the Wichita Business Journal’s Book of Lists from 1992 to 2007. This spreadsheet will soon be posted at KarlPeterjohn.com.
“I know how important the aircraft industry is to our community. The five major aircraft firms are by far the largest employer not only in our community but also statewide. I have worked long and hard to improve the tax and fiscal climate for all Kansas businesses and this effort would certainly include the key aircraft companies.
I am very disappointed that the chamber and several aircraft executives have decided to criticize my positions requiring voter approval of tax hikes in light of the fact that my opponent helped raised Goddard city property taxes 16.6 percent, or over 2.3 mills, in August. High property taxes are a large problem for businesses in our community and I want to work to provide more fiscal certainty, limit tax growth, and take the steps to make this community more economically competitive. I also realize the importance of a well trained work force and that was one of the reasons I ran for the Wichita school board.”
The reason I provided this data was to show the rapid growth in government jobs during that 16 year time period with the county percentage growth the most rapid among all governmental units. The aircraft firms seemed to be more interested in how additional tax funds could be provided to the Wichita Area Technical College. At one meeting that was held at Cessna, the chair of the WATC board, Jim Walters was present. Jim wears two hats since beside his role at WATC he also is a senior Vice President at Cessna Aircraft.
Cessna is an important part of this story in another way. In 2006, Cessna President Jack Pelton spoke in front of the county commission advocating higher property taxes to pay for a variety of county spending hikes. One of the county spending programs was the $54 million for the Wichita Area Technical College.
A large number of citizens opposed this property tax hike at the county’s public hearing. This included myself and I presented roughly 2,000 signatures from other citizens opposing this tax hike that Kansas Taxpayers Network had collected. The county commission voted 5 to 0 to approve this sizable tax hike. This approximately 8 percent (approximately 2.5 mill) property tax hike was understated since this hike was expanded by soaring property appraisals too. Total appraisals increased at least 6 percent if my memory is correct too.
Now we need to bring this back to the November 2008 election.
I am hearing second hand reports that the lie is being spread by my critics that “I want all taxes to go to zero,” and “Peterjohn opposes all government spending.” These are so ludicrous that in a sensible era they would not be worth refuting. However, we do not live in a sensible era.
I have repeatedly urged government officials not to “freeze spending,” or “roll back spending” but to try and make our community’s (as well as our state’s) fiscal climate more competitive by building upon our comparative advantages and by limiting spending growth. I have tried to get spending growth by government limited to half the rate of the growth in tax revenues. County spending is soaring and will top $400 million for the first time with the budget the commissioners approved last summer. Twelve years ago the county budget topped $200 million for the first time.
The number of county employees has almost doubled between 1992 and 2007. We can’t tax ourselves rich or spend ourselves wealthy. Governments need fiscal discipline. That is why I have also advocated budget transparency (I also advocated this at the state level and a Kansas statute enacting this has been approved) as well as providing a regular breakdown of appraisal increases between new construction and simple revaluations on existing properties. These points might seem mundane and technical, but both would provide a way for expanding accountability and performance of county government in Sedgwick County.
This is not the end of “The Rest of the Story.” I am sure that more points will be added in the few weeks remaining between today and November 4.
Well sunflower5, you make Peterjohn sound like the next messiah.
In reality, Peterjohn would work against any economic development program that would require any participation of any form of government.
I guess it’s okay for a Republican administration to funnel $700 BILLION+ into the business sector to attempt to fix a probem caused by greed, but it isn’t okay for local government to work with local businesses to create opportunities for local job growth.
Peterjohn is a hypocrite.
Blaidd_Drwg69 – no the bailout by the democrats and the republicans is wrong.
His opponent has raised property taxes this year on the people of Goddard. How much will she raise them on the people of Sedgwick County?
You have Gwen Whilshimer(sp) who voted to raise taxes as a state legislator and now you want to add another tax and spender to the county commission?
There is a balance to be had here. The county has given money to projects with no accountability attached.
One example I can think of is a project on 21st street (I do not remember the name) that was supposed to be training people for jobs to get off of welfare. The state of Kansas stopped supplying them money because the money was not being spent the way it was supposed to. The county did not give any consideration as to why the state pulled their funding and continued giving this corrupt grop money. The county was not checking to see that the money was being spent in the best interest of the community. It took charges being filed on the couple for the county to realize they were wasting our money.
There can be a balance and that is what we need. Along with that comes responsibility and responsibility.
So Karl is on the money with this.
People let your voices be heard over the corporate greed.
Contact Karl and let him know you want to help. Offer to put up yard signs, send him money, go door to door with him.
You can do so at:
Peterjohn for County Commissioner
PO Box 8734
Wichita, KS 67208
Send email to Karl at kpeterjohn@prodigy.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call him at 316-312-1585.
Nader is the mirror-image of Ron Paul.
Yeah, he might be right. But politics is “the art of the possible,” and Nader is impossible.
We might be a better country if either Paul or Nader had their way, but we wouldn’t be “America” anymore.
And we don’t want to give up our myths and heritage to become that country.
I remember an old magazine profile of Nader that revealed after his two-year stint in the Navy, be went to the PX and bought fifty or sixty pairs of standard-issue Navy dress shoes for $2-a-pair and was still wearing them into the 80s. I wonder where he gets his shoes now?
Nader is as passionate about what he believes in, just as Ron Paul. They’re authentic and we’d likely be better to live our lives one way or another. But it ain’t gonna happen in America.
They’re philosophers, not politicians. And we’re pretty much committed to a political, not philosophical, approach to government in this country.
As Churchill said, we’re stuck with the worst possible form of government…except for all others.
“I tremble for my country when I think that God is just.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Karl Peterjohn asks:
Do you want your county property taxes to go up 16.6%?
So on a $100,000 home your tax would go up $16,600 per year? Karl Peterjohn needs to tell the truth.
I was going to vote for him until his flaming untruthful rhetoric got the best of him. Don’t elect another lying Bush Republican!
Yo, Regular, about Greenspan not recommencing ARMs:
While borrowers can refinance fixed-rate mortgages, Greenspan said homeowners were paying as much as 0.5 to 1.2 percentage points for that right and the protection against a potential rate rise, which could increase annual after-tax payments by several thousand dollars.
He said a Fed study suggested many homeowners could have saved tens of thousands of dollars in the last decade if they had ARMs. Those savings would not have been realized, however, had interest rates shot up.
“American consumers might benefit if lenders provided greater mortgage product alternatives to the traditional fixed-rate mortgage,” Greenspan said.
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Opps! Wrong again. That leaves only Bush. Ain’t checked that out yet:-)
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JMWalker
Posted October 11, 2008 at 8:35 am | Permalink
Yo, Regular, about Greenspan not recommencing ARMs:
While borrowers can refinance fixed-rate mortgages, Greenspan said homeowners were paying as much as 0.5 to 1.2 percentage points for that right and the protection against a potential rate rise, which could increase annual after-tax payments by several thousand dollars.
He said a Fed study suggested many homeowners could have saved tens of thousands of dollars in the last decade if they had ARMs. Those savings would not have been realized, however, had interest rates shot up.
“American consumers might benefit if lenders provided greater mortgage product alternatives to the traditional fixed-rate mortgage,” Greenspan said.
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Opps! Wrong again. That leaves only Bush. Ain’t checked that out yet:-)
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Greenspan never suggested the ARM, he made a statement about it.
Greenspan doesn’t set policy on housing. Greenspan sets policy in according with the Fed.
So no, keep arm flailing.
Peterjohn is only looking out for his Koch masters.
I agree with mxyzptlk, don’t elect another lying Bush Republican.
JWank- For example, I have had a term insurance policy that has changed companies several times over the years and is now with AIG insurance company. I see in the headlines, the AIG corporation is scummy, without any feeling for its customers. So I am faced with canceling it somehow after paying into it for years.
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Call the One…..he has about $650,000.00 of it.
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mxyzptlk
Posted October 11, 2008 at 8:23 am | Permalink
Karl Peterjohn asks:
Do you want your county property taxes to go up 16.6%?
So on a $100,000 home your tax would go up $16,600 per year? Karl Peterjohn needs to tell the truth.
I was going to vote for him until his flaming untruthful rhetoric got the best of him. Don’t elect another lying Bush Republican!
———————
What an idiot.
Tax assessments are done mil levies.
16.6 percent would be on the tax base rate as an increase, not the value of the home.
Actual value X tax rate X mil levy = property tax you pay
Just plug in the tax rate and the mil levy and you have your property tax bill.
Regular
Posted October 11, 2008 at 8:47 am | Permalink
Greenspan never suggested the ARM, he made a statement about it.
Greenspan doesn’t set policy on housing. Greenspan sets policy in according with the Fed.
So no, keep arm flailing
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So ya think none of the lenders jumped on the ARM boat after Greenspan made his, “not a suggestion?”
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/fed/2004-02-23-greenspan-debt_x.htm tells the tale, Which was written, incidentally, 2/23/04, about the time ARMs took off.
So, yes, keep brain flailing. Ya, I know, he never really meant for anybody to listen to him, right?
“Monkeyhawk
Posted October 11, 2008 at 8:20 am | Permalink
…
We might be a better country if either Paul or Nader had their way, but we wouldn’t be “America” anymore.
And we don’t want to give up our myths and heritage to become that country.”
Too late.
I don’t think a $700B bailout, financed by the taxpayers for the benefit of Wall Street was ever part of the myth and heritage of America.
I don’t think imprisoning ‘unlawful combatants’ indefinitely without trial or representation was ever part of our myth and heritage.
I don’t think approval of torture by the Executive branch was ever part of the myth and heritage of America.
I don’t think governement spying on its own citizens was ever part of our myth and heritage (at least not the parts Americans are proud of)
I could go on and on, but you get the point. We are already to the point that many of the things that made America, great, strong, powerful, and inspirational are gone or in jeopardy.
A good man Ralph Nader.
I’d like to see President Obama make him part of his administration.
Get business out of government and get government IN to business!
Karl, you can just use your real name you know. Speaking in the third person is kindof strange.
Some “genius” proclaimed:
“Greenspan doesn’t set policy on housing. Greenspan sets policy in according with the Fed.”
Yo. Genius. Greenspan is no longer Fed Chairman. He’s retired.
Keep up.
In response to the issue of charisma. HAs the current as well as many past leaders effectly “sat down with world leaders” as you put it?
Mr NAder has inacted laws and dealt with leaders for a great many years. He has so much passion, energy, intelligence and speaks for the common man rather than down to them and He hs sound solutions to dealing with problems!
The tax increase in Goddard was passed unanimously by the Council after several years of tax DECREASES. Goddard’s mill levy is still lower than most cities of its size,
Marcey Gregory is not only mayor of Goddard but a successful small business owner. As such she knows how to be frugal and has made a payroll.
Has Peterjohn ever run a business? For that matter has he ever had a real job? NO! He has lived comfortably in the cocoon provided by the Garveys as their lobbyist.
I bet the cons are getting angrier and angrier, as mcain continues to lose ground.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081012/pl_nm/us_usa_politics_poll_18