The Llano Ledger


Newsletter Text V112

Accessing The Llano Ledger Website Without Generously Providing Financial Assistance To This Publication Not Only Denies Desperately Needed Funds For Investigative Expenses, But Amounts To Theft Of This Writer's Labor.

BANNER AND POP-UP ADVERTISING PAYS ONLY FOR WEBSITE

*****As repeatedly and strongly asserted on both Ledger websites, this publication receives NO compensation from Maxpages nor the advertisers. None. Banner and pop-up advertising pays ONLY for the website itself, -- a "free" website. People still mistakenly think there is compensation. ... How do I make it any clearer???

Want this publication to continue? Send a financial donation to P.O. Box 997, Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609. Ask your friends to do the same. Otherwise, The Ledger will not survive. ... When will this readership finally wake up? Think there's an indefinite free ride? Think any business can survive without compensation? Think it's always the other guy's responsibility? Think again. The clock is ticking...*****

**************September 10, 2001***************

In follow-up to the last edition, this publication has received no paperwork from either County Attorney Cheryll Mabray or JP2 Duane "The Judge" Nobles regarding the Patrick Lewis case. Readers will recall Nobles and his assistant asserted there had been a plea bargain. Lewis denies it. Since neither the County Attorney or "The Judge" have seen fit to back up their claim, it can only be assumed there is no substance to it, or the County Attorney cannot find the paperwork. Either way, it is not particularly flattering to our corrupt and abusive officials. Even had Mabray been able to back up the assertion, there are still the outrageous irregularities and tampering of the original ticket. ... Sadly, another glaring example of kangaroo justice in Llano County and how officials are shielded from criminal prosecution. ... Right, Sam?

*****Public Information Act Ignored*****

In the state of Texas, the Public Information Act means absolutely nothing, since there is no one willing to enforce the statute. No one. As readers will recall, Llano Memorial Healthcare System (LMHS) Administrator/CEO Kevin Leeper has ignored a recent open records request regarding employee expense reports for the current calendar year. District Attorney Sam Oatman as well as Attorney General John Cornyn and the Open Records Division are well aware of Leeper's deliberate refusal to honor the request. The law apparently means nothing to Oatman and Cornyn. Both men have outrageously ignored their sworn oaths of office.

Hospital officials have apparently done nothing to rein in employee looting of the system. Otherwise, Leeper would have honored the request. The public, although enraged at problems with EMS, is largely unaware of the outrageous looting, since area newspapers, radio, and television have ignored the problem and conducted no investigation of glaring financial irregularities.

Since Leeper has not responded and the DA has been provided a copy of the latest open records request, both are apparently in collusion, -- at the expense of taxpayers and healthcare recipients. Readers should ask Mr. Oatman why indeed is he protecting Hospital officials? He is supposed to be the "people's" attorney. The DA, however, indeed takes care of his own. ... Like he did when he dismissed the jail-rape indictment of inmate trusty Johnny Joe Pessina to protect the Sheriff's ass and the Good Old Boys who run the Llano County Jail.

Just as pointedly, readers are reminded the Attorney General, Open Records Division, General Services Commission, and District Attorney have allowed Llano Independent School District Superintendent Jack Patton to egregiously stonewall an open records request germane to outrageous financial irregularities within the School District. ... Yet, another glaring example of kangaroo justice and ignorance of white-collar criminal behavior.

*****Bush Stonewalls Congressional Inquiry*****

Remember "Vice President" "Slick Dick" Cheney and his refusal to turn over to Congress information germane to the "President's" energy plan and cozy involvement of energy executives? The General Accounting Office is considering filing a lawsuit to force the issue. What the hell has taken them so long? Whatever happened to honest and open government? Government free of closed door wheeling and dealing at the expense of taxpayers and consumers? Then again, we have a Republican "Administration" that could care less. When will a gullible aggressively stupid public finally wake up?

*****An Independent Press*****

Surprisingly, the Bush "Administration" has taken a positive step in ensuring a free press. Imagine that? Rebuffing Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, the "President" quietly put out the word he would not support a bill criminalizing intelligence leaks.

Attorney General John Ashcroft had wisely asked the senator to cancel a public hearing scheduled last Wednesday to consider the legislation. It had passed last year, but was vetoed by President Clinton.

The White House apparently considers the bill to be unnecessary since there are already statutes that prohibit leaks compromising national security. The new legislation is particularly onerous since it would significantly broaden the standard. It would be a felony to disclose anything government declares classified.

Whistle-blowers would have been particularly affected and so would communication between government and the public. ... Readers are already quite aware open records statutes mean nothing in the state of Texas. At the federal level, Freedom of Information Act requests are also frequently stonewalled.

The apparent shift in "Administration" thinking is interesting, particularly since Houston writer Vanessa Leggett remains jailed for refusing to disclose her sources to a federal judge. Possibly, the "President" is beginning to feel the sting of critics from the Center and Left. After all, people are starting to tire of Nazi Gestapo tactics imposed by law enforcement and its shills in the judiciary.

In addition to the jailing of Leggett, the Justice Department is responsible for the subpoena of telephone records of AP reporter John Solomon, involving a government wiretap of N.J. Sen. Robert Torricelli.

DOJ goons apparently were trying to determine the identity of law enforcement officials who had provided AP with information. ... Remarkably similar to tactics employed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, no?

*****Right Whines About Judicial Appointments*****

The Fascist Right is again whining about Democratic foot-dragging regarding the appointment of Bush judicial nominees. Tough, isn't it? What the hell does the "President" and his henchmen expect? Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer has led the battle against Ole' George's most extreme candidates.

While Ole' Charlie is indeed quite offensive regarding his stand against the Second Amendment, he is right on the issue of judicial nominations. The Senate has the constitutional right to "advice and consent" and by all means should exercise it.

How else can the people be protected from "judges" who legislate their fascist principles from the bench? Civil liberties are under constant attack from right-wing extremists such as Scalia and Thomas. Unless these fascists are held in check, the assault on the Bill of Rights will continue unabated until there is no alternative but revolution.

The Religious Right is hell-bent on imposing a theocracy and telling a woman what she can and cannot do with her uterus. ... All the more reason for Schumer and his Democratic colleagues to stonewall the "President's" most extreme nominees.

Just as importantly, it is critical Republicans challenge Democrats regarding gun-rights. The evisceration of the Second Amendment has been disastrous. The GOP has clearly not worked hard enough to ensure the viability of a most precious right and has all too often succumbed to public pressure to impose an outrageously oversimplistic solution on an enormously difficult problem. Then again, nothing better can be expected from the mindless Right. After all, they take great pleasure in aggressive stupidity. ... Hey, George? Mission accomplished, sir.

Laws already on the books are NOT being enforced, yet liberals want even more gun-control legislation. They seem to have forgotten the intent of the Second Amendment. Without question, an armed public is the last defense against tyrannical government. ... Precisely why government wants to disarm the citizenry.

*****Welfare "Reform"*****

Last week, Bush "Administration" officials crowed welfare rolls stand at approximately 2 million families due to five years of welfare reform forced by the 1996 law. The Department of Health and Human Services recently held an HHS-sponsored welfare conference in anticipation of re-authorization of the statute next year.

The Fascist Right is anxious to see re-enactment, disingenuously laughing its collective portly ass off all the way to the bank. ... While hypocritically ignoring outrageous corporate welfare, fraud, and waste, particularly in the military procurement system.

Sadly, it's become un-American and highly unpatriotic to challenge $30,000 toilets, $2,000 ladders, $5,000 toilet seats, weapons systems that don't work, etc.. Yet, it's quite politically correct to kick women and children hard in the ass.

Regarding welfare reform, Assistant Secretary Wade F. Horn pontificated "Rarely in the history of the United States have we seen a law that had this kind of impact." Mr. Horn is quite right. Easy to do when you gutlessly decimate a system that has no paid lobbyists as does Tobacco, Big Oil, Defense Contractors, etc..

Who the hell cares for our nation's poor? ... Legislators who refuse to pass a minimum wage high enough to ensure liveability? Can't have that, now, can we? After all, how can business properly enrich itself while sharing the wealth and paying help what it's truly worth? ... A "free" market? Where?

Portly greedy fascists, however, disingenuously and falsely whine jobs will be lost. Nonsense. For whatever are lost, there are ALWAYS others generated. More pointedly, the rich are eventually forced to pay a fair wage when faced with the prospect of having to do the work themselves.

Who else cares for the poor? ... Churches who usually provide charitable assistance only in return for proselytization and acceptance of doctrine? ... Right-to-Lifers who dictate to women what they can and cannot do with their uterus? -- Only to conveniently run the other way when it comes time to provide financial assistance to them and their children?

Of course, these same hypocrites are quick to instruct such women to just say no to sex. -- While haughtily refusing publicly-funded birth control and abortion services. Convenient, isn't it? Think they'd also ask a woman not eat, sleep, breath, relieve herself, etc.? ... It's always amazed this writer so many of us seem to forget sex is indeed a biological function and need remarkably similar to any other bodily function. ... Just more complex. Religious zealots, however, craftily use it as a tool to control the masses.

After all, with the exception of money and hunger, what more powerfully primeval motivator is there than sex? Religious despots have known this for thousands of years and have used it to their advantage to exercise control over their "flock". Disingenuously and haughtily, they claim to speak for God. Sadly, they speak only for themselves and betray their perverse distortion of what was originally intended to be much more than just a procreative function.

We easily and proudly forget we are indeed animals with basic needs. Unlike other species, however, we fight to the death and are extremely proficient at killing one other. Worse yet, we always seem to find a reason to excuse our barbarism, especially if it is a government agent doing the killing. Examples? Waco, Ruby Ridge, every incident of police brutality and wanton killing, executions, etc.. The list can go on and on. Think former Governor Bush displayed a high level of morality when he phonily mimicked Carla Faye Tucker shortly before presiding over her execution?

Equally amazing, we so easily and readily concern ourselves with who's "doing" whom and how, -- particularly if the participants are gay, but cowardly refuse to challenge corrupt and abusive government responsible for killing innocent people. Interesting, isn't it? Regarding welfare, indeed, it's much easier to blame the defenseless and hold them to a standard that business, the rich, and those in power are not. ... While hypocritically kneeling in church on Sunday and piously patting ourselves on the back for being so damned "moral" and "responsible" as opposed to the human trash living next door.

"Compassionate conservatives", the phrase indeed an oxymoron, continuously crow about the drop in welfare case-load from a high of 5 million families in 1994 to 2 million now. Interesting, isn't it? The reason for the drop is that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for most people who need help to easily and quickly get it. Most, just give up, rather than put up with the hassle. They further burden their families or usually simply go without. ... Waiting to get medical help until it is extremely expensive or too late.

If welfare "reform" is as successful as claimed, why are food banks struggling to keep their shelves stocked and their doors open? They can't keep up with demand. Why is Medicaid in Texas having serious problems? If former welfare recipients indeed moved on to liveable-wage jobs, why are they forced to resort to Medicaid? If child hunger and poverty rates are in fact down as claimed by the Assistant Secretary, why are food banks struggling to keep up with demand?

Just as importantly, why is Ole' George "The Tush" Bush desperately trying to dump charitable giving on the churches? Although the "President" and his fascist cronies are aggressively attempting to create an unconstitutional theocracy, faith-based initiatives are certainly a convenient way to dump welfare and its tremendous costs on others outside of government. More pointedly, why haven't our corrupt and abusive legislators found a way to force the rich and greedy corporations to return some of the loot from where it came? -- People indeed on the bottom of the food chain? Interesting, isn't it? -- And particularly hypocritical of those most critical of welfare recipients, while callously laughing their portly asses off all the way to the bank.

The "President" could care less whether or not charitable recipients will be forced to accept doctrine in return for assistance. Despite his public display of piety and wearing of religion on his sleeve as well as token charitable activities such as his phony participation in Habitat For Humanity, "The Tush" could equally care less about suffering going on in the community. ... As long as he has his, no problem. "Let 'em eat cake", right, George?

While faith-based initiatives will likely be rejected as unconstitutional, how many people will needlessly suffer at the hands of zealots? Again, not all churches will abuse their trust. Most of them will, however. After all, proselytization is a strong tenet of Christianity and many other religions.

Sadly, public funds will ultimately go to indoctrination rather than physical needs of the poor. While there is indeed nothing wrong with a deeply spiritual life, there IS a serious problem when it is forced on people in return for a meal, clothing, etc.. ... Clearly, quite un-Christlike, no?

*****Bush Reacts To Slowing Economy*****

"The Tush" is beginning to sweat as the economy falters and layoffs continue. In a short rambling speech Friday, Ole' George struggled to defend himself and the actions of his "Administration." In fairness to the "President", only approximately half the tax rebates have been distributed. Yet, there has been seemingly no effect on the economy. Of course, $300-$600 bucks each is not a whole lot of money in an economy as large as ours. Especially, if people are banking and not spending the cash as appears to be happening.

The $1.35 trillion rebate would have been far better spent lowering the nation's debt service. Can you imagine personally taking a few hundred bucks and blowing it on a good time rather than paying off a credit card debt or installment loan? ... Especially if you were up to your eyeballs in red ink? Yet, that is exactly what the "President" and his henchmen expected the American public to do to stimulate the economy. Apparently, what is sound economic behavior at the family level does not apply to federal spending and the national debt. Interesting, isn't it?

The "Chief Executive" has once again attempted to solve an enormously difficult problem with an oversimplistic solution. Now, he and the Boys are considering reducing the capital gains tax, since the rebate has not worked as well or as quickly as expected. ... Hey, George? Already grasping at straws? It's going to get a hell of a lot hotter as budget talks soon start and both parties look forward to midterm elections.

*****Perfection*****

Typographical errors drive you nuts? Been a problem for many area publications, including this one. ... Especially since there is no spell check function in the software provided by Maxpages. Being a speed reader, it is also extremely difficult to proof-read one's own material.

Compounding the problem is the limitation of the software itself. After over two years of effort looking for a way around this perpetually nagging problem however, a solution has finally been found. ... A round-about way of finding most errors without use of a proof-reader.

Some of you may have noticed earlier editions being updated. Only typographical errors are being corrected, however. -- Not substance. Fortunately, there were far fewer errors than expected. Usually one or two per edition so far.

... Extremely painful though, for a perfectionist. All joking aside, typographical accuracy is important and every effort is made to ensure it.

*****Unbridled Fear*****

As strongly asserted in the last 19 Newsletters, gut-wrenching fear generated by the Narcotics Enforcement Team is quite impressive. After all, these Nazi stormtroopers not only outrageously intimidate defendants and their gutless attorneys, but even innocent third parties who have suffered at their corrupt and abusive hands.

Recently, a source came forward with allegations regarding the death of a loved one under exceptionally curious circumstances. Sadly, the survivor got cold feet.

Most pointedly and quite publicly, how in hell do you expect these abuses to end if you don't have the guts to stand up and expose them to the light of day?

Every time a source cowardly runs the other way, the corrupt and abusive sons of bitches win. Every g-ddamned time. Worse yet, another nail is driven into the coffin of liberty.

If you don't have the courage to stand up and do the right thing, why should this writer continue to place himself in physical and legal jeopardy trying to expose the outrageous corruption and abuse?

Despite the lack of financial assistance from a cowardly and selfish community, the Llano Ledger and Llano Ledger 2 visitor count stands in excess of 149,000. ... Over two years, now. For what?

Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger

Tim Chorney, Publisher
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam Tx. 78609

llanoledger@mailcity.com

Page Updated Mon Sep 10, 2001 12:30pm EDT