The Colorado House State, Veterans, & Military Affairs met at 1:30 pm yesterday at the state capitol, 2000 E. Colfax, room 112, up in Denver to discuss Wes McKinley's and Ken Kester's bill (HB07-1069) to "Withdraw Consent for Eminent Domain Use."  Regarding the Pinon Canyon Expansion http://www.pinoncanyon.com/ .  I don't know what happened yet as I haven't gotten an e-mail yet and the state website is not updated.

What I saw as action I could take was I called the five representatives that seemed should be the most important to me, the 3 on the committee from El Paso County and the Committee Chair and Vice-Chair.  Got voicemails on all but one, so I left messages using my own little script.  I used a script because I didn't want to get nervous (if you can imagine such a thing) and leave something out, but I also didn't want to use a downloaded script from anywhere because I didn't think it would sound like me.

"Hi there Representative So&So.  I would like you to know I am interested in HB07-1069 not only making it out of your committee, but also passing.  While I am not in your district, you do represent El Paso County (or "are a representative in the legislative process) and I hope that you will represent my interest as a tax-paying, voting, legal citizen of Colorado in the matter."  Then I left my contact info, stating I did not really require a callback as long as this happened.

I then sent a follow-up e-mail to each one.  The e-mail was written hastily and contained many errors because I rushed through it, then copy and pasted it and sent it to the various members.  I reluctantly post it here.  I say reluctantly because it is full of typos and such.  My letters in the future will be better crafted, but as I said, I was in a hurry because of the close proximity of that meeting.  I had originally thought I had two weeks.

"Dear Representative Liston,

I called your office and left a voicemail, but wanted to e-mail you as well.  Please ensure that HB07-1069 not only makes it out of committee, but passes, as well.  Even though I am not in your district, as a tax-paying, voting, legal citizen of Colorado and resident of El Paso county, I am hopeful you will represent my sentiments for this bill and will work to prevent this egregious misuse of the doctrine of Eminent Domain.

Even Brigadier General James Milano of Fort Carson, while extolling to virtues of our receiving 10,000 more troops and a (theoretical) 1.9 billion dollar economic boost to the area, stated in a radio news broadcast on KVOR 740 AM on March 1, 2007 said, "We have more than sufficient training capabilities for this many more new soldiers..."

Please do not let this crime happen in our state.  The Army has many alternatives, Fort Irwin is already "wired for sound" as it were, as is Fort Bliss/White Sands Missile base.  The Army also already owns large tracts of property in Nevada and Arizona.

The impact on the economy of that area, as well as on the culture and way of life; the historical, archaeological, anthropological significance of the area cannot and should not be overlooked.  Besides, when people come to Colorado as tourists, they do not come to see our fine military installations and even if they did, they would never get to see this.

Thank you,

Herbert C. Thiel
Address Here
Colorado Springs, CO  Zip Code
(999)555-5555 cell
(999)555-5555 home
herbthiel@gmail.com
http://herbthiel.blogdrive.com/
"Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First a right to life, secondly to liberty, and thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can."  Samuel Adams

"Ultimately property rights and personal rights are the same thing."  Calvin Coolidge

"Mine is better than ours."  Benjamin Franklin"

I know I probably would have done better to slow down or use one of the canned letters from the website, but I wanted it to really be from me.  Next time it will be from "wordsmith" me, though.

I did not request replies so I probably won't get any, but you will see them here if I do.

Coming soon, I will keep my promise to Beeba and post 10 weird things about myself.  I'm having a hard time keeping the list that short, but we'll see.

Note to Jerry, who in his March 5th entry said,

"Cars for the most part are better then they where in the 60 and 70 everyone has power windows and keyless remote entry; that is everyone except for me.  And I suppose if I where dating I would like to have the opportunity to go to a drive-in in a car with a big old bench seat instead of those grab*** proof bucket seats they sell these days. All things considered though, I think that cars are better today."

I find myself wishing I had one of those older cars from the 60's and 70's.  Any of 'em were easy to fix compared to today.  You didn't need a computer that costed $49.99 every time you hooked it up to tell you what was wrong with it, there was room in the engine compartment to work on it and they were made of steel.  Honest-to-God American steel.  When I did auto claims for big-name insurance company (and also in real life) I have seen the results of anything later 80's and newer versus one of them old tanks and the '72 Cadillac Coupe Deville always beats the '99 Ford Probe.  Take your new cars and keep 'em and give me one that, if it don't work, I can fix it with a piece of baling wire and binder twine.  One that might cost a thousand bucks to fix at a shop that in the old days you could fix in your driveway for a couple hundred.  I hate the way my van thinks I am too stupid to lock the door on my own and is constantly locking things I don't want locked.  And if I want to take the chance that driving 3 blocks down my little side street at 15 MPH to the 7-11 and not put on my seat-belt then I shouldn't have to listen to a clanging bell all the way there.  3 blocks can get pretty long and my '76 Chevy Pickup never treated me like that.  There again, the little plastic crank handle, when it breaks doesn't cost the several hundred dollars to fix that a motorized one does and you could fix it yourself.

I have to run, but remember, the good book says, "All your base are belong to us!"  Or was that a lame video game?