Here’s a letter from Robert Foraker on my previous blog:

Hello, Jared I read your article on my interview with you..I want to thank you very much..it was well written. I also appreciate the comments you made…obviously you don’t have the street experience or  the intellegence to understand. The next article you may want to stand on your own two feet,..Put away your crutch….you’re a big boy now…you’re in the big leagues now boy…..Will call you monday 9;00 to see if you’re potty broken….

I’m not exactly sure what he’s talking about… but, that’s not really a shock… But, I suppose for clarification, he felt the need to write me again… again… I’m not really sure this fellow is exactly stable. Maybe I can call a vigilante like him to protect me… from him…

Hello, Jarred  at WGMD 92.5  I read your article on my interview with you..I want to thank you very much..it was well written. I also appreciate the comments you made…obviously you don’t have the street experience or maybe your not smart enough or to the dense to understand. You’re obviously picking a fight you can’t win alone. Oh ye of few brain cells… You better call for help..Oh I know …xoxo/?!!/.  I’m impressed for sure ooooh…..The next article you may want to stand on your own two feet,..Put away your crutch…stop running to dad……you’re a big boy now…you’re in the big leagues  …doesn’t your name alone carry any weight.? …Will call you Monday 9;00 to see if you’re potty trained

Wow.. This time, hold the anchovies. Danger! Danger!

Did you happen to hear Monday morning’s show? The first hour featured an interview with “Delaware’s Next Governor” Robert “Rob” Foraker – The Everyman Pizza Delivering Crime Fighting George Orwell Fantasy come-to-life to clean up the governor’s mansion.

How scary is this guy? He drives around up-state with a camera mounted on his dashboard videotaping “drug-dealers, hookers and johns.” He advocates a “Big Brother” atmosphere in the First State. His email address is even BigBrotherDelaware@gmail.com.

The biggest danger to a guy like this is, he appears innocuous. If you read the Gannett articles written about him on his hot Web site (http://www.robforaker.com/), he comes off even as someone to look up to; a modern day Batman looking for The Joker as he deals out drugs to our state’s children.

However, talking to the guy the truth comes out. He says things like; On prostitutes: A gal’s gotta make a living. On Drug Dealers: I don’t call the police.. I confront them myself and tell them to get off my street. On Delaware: “(my) vision for crime has some similarities to George Orwell’s vision.” He describes himself as liberal and loves the idea of social solutions instead of prison for criminals.Worst of all, the guy appears to be delusional. Some of us like the idea of an everyman in government… This is not your every man.

During The discussion of the story that broke today about the Millsboro police officer Davis losing it in the middle of the road and launching himself at a fellow officer, we asked the question: “What makes someone snap?” – This wannabe vigilante appears to be one-step away from snapping.

I urge you to listen to this segment from Monday’s show (courtesy of Audio-To-Go) – Here was Davis’ take from his e-mailing list: “I  have publically commented on  news reguarding our farmers across the state of Delaware. Our Lt. Governor Carney has left our government in a difficult situation due to ‘NO OPINION” how many categories of  this administrations failures does this statement refer too. I have made my feelings public on radio station   WDMG92.5 in Sussex County.” If I were you Robert, I wouldn’t be advertising your appearance. To quote a savvy listener: “This isn’t even funny anymore.”

Here’s some of Batman’s crime fighting videos… don’t see a lot of crime being fought though… http://uncutvideo.aol.com/videos/e801a456392678d7d918ffa7a7db1474

For us, the reviled smokers, at least.  Yesterday afternoon I had a call from a group protesting the projected tax hike of 60 cents on a pack of cigarettes, $6 on a carton.  I was asked if I wanted to make my own protest known, to which I answered yes and I was patched to Rep. Schwartzkopf’s office.  His voice mail was full so I was then asked if I wanted to leave my message elsewhere…patched to a clerk’s phone but there was no answer.  Maybe it’s voice mail, too, was full.  So I guess I’ll express my protest here.

So far our habit isn’ as costly as it is in NJ or NY…or Canada or the UK.  In mentioning this increase to my sister she wasn’t overly sympathetic since they pay almost $10 for a pack of twenty cigarettes.  Yeah..but they have to import the tobacco…it’s not grown there like we have here.  The majority of the cost of cigarettes is taxation but why, in the name of all that’s holy can anyone justify slinging more taxes on the plant-based habit while encouraging the populace to verbally picket those who smoke, at every opportunity…using every effort and ploy they can to leper-ize them?  Anti-smokers justify their position, frequently, by complaining they don’t want to have to keep paying increased health care costs for such as we who enjoy this nefarious habit but, for some reason, don’t seem to mind slamming tax upon tax on us to help provide the amenities they, themselves, want or think they need.  You know, we always hear complaints about  government aid to the impoverished, those who won’t work…or can’t, public housing, illegal aliens because “this is OUR tax dollars at work”!  Well, there something a little strange about a reviled segment of the population being required to pay more taxes to provide for the State coffers while, along with that comes the ”privilege” of being abused.  An it IS abuse.  No…I do NOT want my representative to agree to this in any shape or form.  

Jud Bennett writes about redemption:

Like the majority of the populace, I have an allopathic physician. As with many of the populace…particularly in the last twenty years or so, I’ve been an advocate of homeopathy, herbals, acupuncture, massage therapy and, yes…the proven granny’s remedies, the proverbial “old wives” treatments for what ails one and I write this not as a practitioner but as a consumer.

When I lived in Maryland back in the early to mid ‘90’s, I had acupuncture treatments (including Chinese herbal medication) once every week for over a year. Complimentary to that, I took massage therapy once a week for over three years and greatly benefited from both modalities. In fact, never felt better in my life…either before or since and the only reason I haven’t undertaken either since being here is…well, silly but true. It’s as difficult to change a successful and trusted healer, such as those two, as it generally is having to change a trusted MD. But in recent months I have been strongly considering finding similar practitioners here. On my own, I research the “alternative” modalities and continue to use the herbals, energy work etc. so it came as quite a disturbing shock to me, listening to Dan’s discussion with Gertie this morning…and learning that there is a Bill ready to change…no, to remove the choice of how I nurture and treat my OWN body. Yes…MY body!

Allopathic physicians certainly have their place as do dietitians and nutritionists choosing to come under a government blanket. Let them have it…but do they have the right to dictate whom I wish to consult? Depending upon whether or not we have medical insurance co-pay, no medical insurance, pharmacologic coverage our medical treatments are not free or cheap and it seems to me since I must pay whatever the going rate is, I ought to maintain the right to spend it where I choose. And, frankly, it’s my opinion…and experience…that anyone having a required license is no guarantee to quality or successful care. My massage therapist in MD, for instance, was not board certified…when she began her practice there was no such thing as licensing for massage therapists. Her clientele came from all walks of life and were so numerous it was often more difficult to secure an appointment with her than it was with a physician. Additionally, many of her clients benefited so much from their treatments that they went on to become massage therapists themselves…the consensus being that they wished to help others as much as they had been helped. I never looked around her office for a certification of any kind. She came highly recommended to me by a very reputable Physical Therapist, among others. After my first couple of treatments, I had no doubt about her ability. Yet, I had a friend…also a client of her’s…who decided to enter the profession which, by then required board certification, took the classes, became certified and even after several years, didn’t even come close. As I said, a license is not necessarily a guarantee.

I’m angry at the very idea a practitioner of herbals, homeopathy, dietary or any other modality may, in the future, be unable to discuss or suggest our preferred method of treatments because of a threat of fines or arrest. This is not even banal enough to term ridiculous…it’s nothing short of criminal and to my somewhat cynical eye, removing this freedom is the first step towards the FDA and Pharm Society succeeding in eliminating anything they do not consider medically proven. Which is odd since few, if any, of the aforementioned alternative routes cause harm while we certainly cannot state that all medically approved drugs/treatments don’t. And, by the way, THEY are licensed! One only has to watch a couple of hours of tv during a day or evening to find the ads for prescription medications which tout the benefits but follow each one with a long list of disclaimers and eye-popping side-effects, some of them fatal. I don’t know about you but each time I view those things I have to wonder…”Who in their right mind would trade an ache, pain, sleepless night for those possibilities??”

Please write your State Reps and ask them not to sign on to HB38. Even if you are not “into” alternative treatments or modalities, it IS another freedom of choice we stand to lose should it pass.

Well, There’s been a lot of requests for audio from today’s program in which former 41st District Rep John Atkins appeared for the duration of the broadcast..

I don’t really have a comment on the show.. I don’t know.. Just allowed John to come in and clear the air.. talk about the future.. the election.. rumors.. the party.. and address the intense media scrutiny of his personal life.

Download Audio here courtesy of wgmd.com audio-to-go (mp3)

Well, it all got very complicated this afternoon on my show. It started calmly enough when Jim Lanard, Director of Strategic Planning for Bluewater Wind, joined me to discuss the wind project.

But later in the day, Delmarva Power threatened to litigate to stop the Public Service Commission staff preliminary recommendations. Seems they would lose market share in this deal and would not be able to control profits as easily if there were more than one game in town. Word, too, that Delmarva Power and NRG, the dirty little plant in our backyard and the big loser in this recommendation, are putting pressure on the Comptroller General Russ Larson, to abstain from voting which would derail the process.

Do you wonder what the real problem is here? NRG bought that plant from Delmarva Power. There would be no problem if NRG got the bid over wind and there would be no litigation. But this recommendation is the beginning of the end to the incestuous relationship between NRG and Delmarva Power. Then, consider that Conectiv owns Delmarva Power. These three companies are, and always have been, in bed together. They wield enormous political power. The good ole boys need to make sure that the only outsider in this process, Bluewater wind, doesn’t provide clean, renewable energy that saves billions of dollars in health and environmental costs not picked up by fossil fuel energy providers. Wind would take money out of their pockets. It’s big energy controlling big money at the public expense. And there’s a lot at stake. After all, what does this mean for their buddy NRG? What’s NRG’s future now? Cleaning up?

I hear legislators are scurrying about up at Leg Hall worried about their money supply from NRG and Delmarva Power. All you need to do is look at the campaign finance reports of every elected official in Delaware and you will find substantial “contributions” from the officers, directors and key employees of NRG and Delmarva Power. Think about it, other than developers, what other source of campaign money is there? So don’t expect your elected officials to act in your interests. There’s no cash in that.

They say 92% of incumbents get reelected in Delaware. Want to see that number drop? Just watch what happens if wind doesn’t come to Delaware.

Now the politicians in the pass-the-buck state are good at finding ways to keep their hands clean…but not this time. This could get ugly. And expensive. Maybe Governor Minner should follow the example of the governor of Rhode Island and bypass the process and just put the wind farm in. Oh wait, that would require guts and action. That won’t happen. So we may be looking at the possibility of a major overhaul of our political leaders…even right here in Sussex County. Now that’s real democracy.

Listen to Jim Lanard from Blue Water Wind, Merrie Street from Delmarva Power & Light, and Bill Yingling from Conectiv HERE.

Finally, somewhere, a long-held wish of mine might just come true.

In 2000 I became sadly disenchanted by our election process following the farce in Florida. 2004 had no desire to vote for John Kerry the Vacillator and, if possible, even less for George Bush. No-one on the ballot worth my consideration but, more importantly, trust, and I decided to abstain. It wasn’t very satisfying, I must admit…so I didn’t go to the polls.

Other people don’t go for whatever reason…weather, no ride, ambivalence but for such as myself, it was none of these. I wanted to go, I wanted to check a box saying I wanted “this person” to be our CiC, run my country, that he had earned a country’s trust…into which we willingly and knowledgeably put ours and our children’s lives…and respect for at least the next four years but, since in all conscience I could not, then select the box abstaining from voting and why…my own protest, make a statement of conscience. Yes, I could “write-in” anyone…big deal. That didn’t say “You people need to get a grip and at least offer someone with integrity, honesty, stick-to-it-ivness if you want my vote.” When I listen to candidates I listen carefully…is it too much to expect that with their platform pronouncements, their campaign promises they don’t just pay lip service but mean what they say…or, at the very least, say nothing? I might not agree entirely with my chosen candidate but I will respect whomever it is so long as they believe what they say and continue to do so…then do what they’ve said they will, not do what they said they won’t. It’s not enough for others to tell me “Well, that’s the name of the game. That’s politics…” Yes, it is. But WHY? Why do we continue to accept this ? And by voting for someone who doesn’t or won’t stand by the words they speak, we allow it to continue. Let them know if and when we “choose not to vote” or abstain. Let them know why. And if it doesn’t win a race…that’s a start.

I hope this Bill succeeds. I hope it’s the forerunner for any and all of us to be able to formally make it known the “lesser of two evils is still evil”…n’est pas? And ‘none of you are worth a plug nickel’; that it isn’t apathy or laziness or weather or better things to do that keep many of us from the polls but that ’if you are all we’ve got…not good enough!’

Atkins sent this letter to local papers and to The Dan Gaffney Show.  Sure sounds like a campaign letter to me!

Dear Editor,

 

            I wish to thank the many supporters and friends in Sussex County who have expressed their support and friendship over the last five years. I am proud of what we accomplished together over the last five years —not as Republicans , Democrats or Independents–  but as proud Sussex Countians.      Many of the projects undertaken were achieved because you, regular citizens and community leaders visited or called me, with ideas or pressing needs to make our towns better and safer places to work and live .Getting things done is what being an elected official is all about.  I was proud to work with you in getting some of the following accomplished during my service as your State Representative.

            In Millsboro, we funded equipment for the Millsboro Little League and paved the Millsboro Fire Company parking lot. We worked to improve public safety by funding a motorcycle for the Millsboro Police Department. I enjoyed working with Barbara Godwin and the Millsboro Women’s Civic Organization on many civic projects.

            In Dagsboro, we secured over $600,000 dollars from the 21^st Century Fund for the town during their water and sewer project. We also paved the Clayton Avenue job and Route 26 and the Townsend development.

In Frankford, when the fire hydrant problem occurred, we worked together with town officials to receive over $200,000 to make sure adequate fire protection was in place in the town limits.  We secured over $60,000 for town sidewalks when they were damaged in a snow storm for Selbyville.

In Gumboro, I learned that when I first took office that Gumboro was the only fire company in the state that had never received funding for the thermal imaging cameras used to locate people in the case of a smoke filled room in the event of a fire.  I strongly argued that a life in Gumboro was just as important as a life in the city of Wilmington. Needless to say, we now have that thermal imaging camera to save lives.  We also worked to fund projects with the Gumboro Community Center.

In Oak Orchard and Long Neck, we secured money for the Boys and Girls Club and cut through a lot of red tape to get the project moving. We worked to pave the roads in William Ritter Manor, Sherwood Forest, and Captains Grant. We are also in the middle of the huge paving job for the American Legion Post 28.

On the legislative front, I am most proud of our battles to support veterans, our farmers, and against state funded needle exchange programs. We worked fiercely to fund and build the State Veterans Home now, instead of the extended timeline Governor Minner had originally proposed. We worked to stand up to DNREC on the contentious deer control issue in support of the hard working, Delaware farmer. Lastly, I fought tooth and nail against spending your tax dollars to give free needles to drug addicts in Wilmington , and demanded safeguards and guarantees be in place to protect innocent children and the schools from this program.

There will always be important battles fought when some in government attempt to take away our rights.  I was proud to support those in the Indian River School District defending the right to pray in our local schools. I was consistently endorsed by the NRA because of my deep belief in our fundamental  freedom to bear arms, to hunt and to protect our families. And I was pleased to enact a law that lets every Delaware citizen fly an American flag, regardless of what any zoning or homeowner rule says you can do on your own property.

            It was an honor to serve you for five years in the House of Representatives. I enjoyed working with the good citizens and local leaders to better our communities. Thank you for everything you have done to help me in my service to you.

 

Sincerely,

 

John C. Atkins

Millsboro

           

 

Yesterday on the program, a groundswell of support from the 41st regarding a possible re-run for JA led to today’s audio. On my show today, I spoke with Atkins about that very possibility.

John Atkins 3/29/07 (audio)

Following the phoner, From my estimate, the majority of listeners in the 41st rang in with support for a possible re-run for Atkins.. To quote a text messager on my insider line: “The details of the electoin itself are one thing, then add Atkins and the people of the 41st envoking the ultimate democratic will by sending him back, priceless…..”

Listen, if you want to voice your support or dissent, The 41st District Republican Committee will be holding meeting at the Millsboro Civic Center this Saturday at 2:00P.M. - Now’s your chance to really be heard.

Now it’s up to you, 41st.