What do You want from Your Politicians in 2014?

Local TV station WREG posted this question on their FB page, “What new year resolutions would you like to see local politicians make?”  As I looked down through the comments there were many that said “retire” “quit lying” and “work for the people who elected them.”  One was, “take better care of WE THE PEOPLE.”  Some even wanted fiscal responsibility and the impeachment of Obama.  While many of these responses are laudable and I agree with, I wondered how many of these commenters were actually holding their elected officials accountable.  They seem to think that it is the politicians’ responsibility to be honest and responsible when it is actually the other way around.    While it is true that we should seek to elect honest and trustworthy individuals into office, it is up to We the People to make sure that they are once they are elected.  Politicians are like everyone else. They must be held accountable. It is up to us to hold them accountable. How many of us attend city council meetings? Attend committee meetings? It is truly an eye opener. The first MLG&W board meeting that I attended was amazing. The way that they ~our employees~ treated Memphis citizens was shocking. Public servants they are not.

Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A republic, if you can keep it."

It is up to us to keep it. If we want Memphis and our politicians to change, it is up to us to be informed and hold them accountable. Don't be satisfied with what they tell you when they want your vote. Be informed throughout the process.  An example of this is TN Senator Lamar Alexander on the recent budget "deal" that cuts pensions for disabled veterans and negates the slight sequestration savings.  Lamar Alexander is up for reelection this year, so he dutifully voted against it.  The real vote however was for cloture, which he voted for.  So in essence, he can technically say in his campaign ads that he voted against the bill, but the rest of the story is that if he wouldn't have voted for cloture on the bill, ~along with some other wimpy Republicans~ it would not have made it to the vote for passage.

You would be amazed at what one person can accomplish.  That citizen must be informed and pro-active in the political process.  One of the popular quotes that we see around the start a new year is “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” by Gandhi.  We must apply this to the political process as well.  2014 is a big year.  Are you going to be the change that you want to see in Memphis or wherever you live?

If you really want to know how to effectively engage and be proactive, go to the Center for Self Governance.  Their training is invaluable to the citizen activist.  Don’t just leave your future and the future of your kids and grandkids to nameless politicians.  It’s up to us to keep our Republic.  I don’t know about you, but their future is worth it.  

The question isn’t how our politicians are going to change, it’s how are we going to effect change in our politicians.

Open Letter to Memphis City Council

Dear Memphis City Council,

Today you will be voting on whether to allow MLG&W to spend $10.15 Million to start implementing their plan for installing 60,000 "smart meters". This is just the down payment for a proposed $215 Million they say it will take for all MLGW customers to be converted to "smart meters".  I listened to the report by WREG New Channel 3 last night. 


"The News Channel 3 Investigators decided to separate fact from fiction, so we put the three types of meters MLGW currently uses to the test.

"This was a controlled test at an MLGW facility and News Channel 3 cameras recorded 24/7 to make sure nobody could tamper with the meters.

"Here’s how the meters record how much energy you use:

"First, the analog meter.

“'You have a stater, which calculates your consumption,' MLGW’s Anthony Wilson said.

"Digital and smart meters are similar.

"They read your energy use — also known as kilowatt hours — with capacitors.

"Smart Meters send usage information directly to MLGW.

"As of now, there’s no scientific proof smart meters cause health problems, although there’s also no proof they don’t.

"What News Channel 3 could prove is if the smart meter will force your bill to go up.

"In our week-long test, MLGW sent an extra heavy load through the system to simulate what an average customer uses in a month.

"The amount of energy the meters read rises in the video. You can also see the numbers are pretty similar on all three meters.

"We had them run non-stop for 96 hours. The results were as follows:

"Analog: 1:42:55
Digital: 1:43:40
Smart: 1:43:53

"What do those numbers really mean?

"With the analog meter, your bill would be $207.40

"The digital meter adds up to $205.09

"The smart meter would charge you $205.38

"All three numbers are within MLGW’s two percent margin of error.

"The smart meter also lets you monitor how much energy you’re using.

"You can also choose to sign up for a time of use program, which charges you different rates depending on when you’re using the most energy."

Kudos for the great propaganda piece for MLG&W.  I noticed that they left out several key items in their “test”.  They mentioned the time of use rates at the end.  ~the highlighted portion of the report"  Why didn’t they run the test with the current rates against the time of use rates? 

From the cut and paste document that MLG&W provided you with to answer those of us who contact you. 

“Smart grid technology is another proven tool to help customers identify energy consumption and make improvements to lower their usage—while lowering their utility costs.” 

That statement implies that goal of MLG&W is to lower customer’s usage of power.  While you say that the time of use rates are optional at this time, what is going to happen when the carrot approach doesn’t work?  What is the stick going to be? 

Another quote from the MLG&W answer sheet;

“Smart meters only indicate the amount of energy used every 15 minutes. They do not control appliances nor tell what a customer is watching on TV. The encrypted data only provides a reading and a meter number.”

One simple question; are these “smart meters” one way or two way communication devices?  Big difference.  Will they only be able to transmit data to MLG&W or will MLG&W ~or someone else~ be able to shut them off remotely or reprogram them remotely?  If MLG&W can reprogram or shut them off remotely, then this is the perfect “stick” in their stated objective of lower customer’s usage of power. 

I just received a reply from MLG&W via the WREG page regarding the two way communication of the Smart Meter.

MLGW  "Smart meters communicate with the utility once a day and, when needed, we can communicate with the meter to connect or disconnect service."

So these smart meters will have two way communication capabilities. 

Relating to your answer regarding our privacy; all one has to do is look at the recent revelations with the NSA and Edward Snowden to question how “private” the data that is collected from these meters will be. 

There was another CBS station that did an investigative report on "smart" meters in California. 

In this report, it talks about the utilities ability to "control your usage remotely"  See video at about 1:13 in the video.  "So if there's a heat wave, they can turn your air conditioning down from a distance."

I am asking you to tell MLG&W no today and instead let the voters of Memphis decide on Smart Meters.  I know that your MLG&W answer sheet says that MLG&W customers will be able to opt out and thus we will have a choice and a referendum is unnecessary.  What is MLG&W afraid of with a referendum?   

Have a Great Day!

TNWAHM

P.S.  I will see you downtown.