[TowerTalk] "The Socialized Power Grid"

[Tom Anderson]

Jim:

Those of us who live in Texas always worry when the Texas Legislature is 
in session as we never know what some of those clowns in Austin might 
approve.  Every so often the legislature has to come back in a costly 
special session right after the regular session ends to undo or clarify 
some of the junk they approved in the closing days of the regular 
session.  It seems a lot of them in Austin don't often read the stuff 
they are voting on.

Also, many years ago a television station caught several state 
representatives casting votes for their fellow absent reps, in addition 
to their own, whose desk was next to theirs.  At one time the House of 
Representatives in Austin had an antiquated key system to cast record 
votes.  It required a key to vote and most reps. just left their key in 
the lock controlling their desk voting device all the time.  So a rep. 
sitting next to them would just reach over and vote yea or nea.

I've been in the House of Representatives several times in Austin when 
the legislature was not in session and most, if not all of their keys 
were in the voting lock in each desk.

The TV station caught one rep. reaching all around his desk casting votes.

Its kind of like what they do in Washington when a rep ask for 
permission to "revise and extend my remarks".  They insert all this 
stuff in the Congressional Record that they never even said on the floor 
of the House.

Tom, WW5L



Jim Jarvis wrote:
> Folks,
> 
> I sent a note to Sudeep Reddy, the reporter who covered
> the TX State Senate committee vote, allowing a BPL bill
> to come to the state senate floor.
> 
> His reportage was straight-factual stuff.  They spun, and
> he dutifully recorded.
> 
> In my note, I attempted to alert him to factual areas which
> would require some reportorial enterprise in future.  I would
> discourage our community from bombarding the reporter with
> notes slamming BPL.  
> 
> Of note in the story, though:
> 
> A legislator or industry guy estimated $300-500M as investment 
> required to provide 70-80% coverage. The argument supporting BPL 
> is usually the last 5% or so, who are not served by cable.
> 
> If 80% coverage will cost $500M, then I would guestimate the
> remaining 20% will cost something close to $2.0B.  Certainly
> well north of a Billion.  And, of course, nobody would pay
> the resulting rates.  
> 
> "The Socialized Power Grid" is a charming expression.  Fertile,
> in so many ways.  None more fertile than the immediate area around
> the TX state legislature, however.   
> 
> Be careful where you step, down there in Tejas!  
> 
> N2EA
> jimjarvis at ieee.org 
> 
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