News – 2 Columns

More than 100 people attend ‘Back the Blue’ rally and march in Thousand Oaks

More than 100 people attend ‘Back the Blue’ rally and march in Thousand
Oaks
Mike Harris Ventura County Star
Published 4:30 p.m. PT Aug. 29, 2020 Updated 8:15 p.m. PT Aug. 30, 2020

More than 100 people demonstrated in support of law enforcement at a “Back the Blue” rally and march in Thousand Oaks on Saturday.

“We’re here to protest the villainization of our courageous men and women in blue and the effort across the nation to defund their departments,” Gina Libby, one of the organizers of the event at Oakbrook Neighborhood Park, told the crowd.

“We’re demonstrating our gratitude and support for law enforcement,” she said.

In the wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man, while in custody of Minneapolis police in May, Black Lives Matter and other activist groups have pushed to defund police departments across the nation.

None of Ventura County’s police agencies, however, including the Thousand Oaks Police Department, have had any such funding reductions.

Attendees at Saturday’s rally held “Blue Lives Matter” and “Back the Blue” signs, waved American flags and displayed “Trump 2020” banners as they listened to speakers. “God Bless America” played in the background at one point.

Many cars honked their horns in support of the demonstrators. Most attendees didn’t wear masks.

Matthew Wiers, 59, came to the rally from Simi Valley.

“I want to support the police,” he said, holding a sign that read “Honk Support for Law Enforcement.”

“Defunding the police is a ludicrous idea,” said Wiers, a statistics lecturer. “There’s a lot of crime out there and the police are the ones who protect us from that crime
and keep us safe. How can you be against that?”

Nancy Van Dolkinburg, 59, of Thousand Oaks, also thinks cuts to police budgets isn’t the right approach.

“I’m not in favor of defunding them,” said Van Dolkinburg, who works part time in real estate. “If anything, I think they need more money.”

“I believe there are bad apples in every profession,” she added. “So yes, we do need to do something about reform. But defunding the police is not the solution.”

A number of candidates for office in November’s election also addressed the crowd, including Kevin McNamee, who is running for the Thousand Oaks City Council, and Conejo Valley Unified School District Trustee Sandee Everett, who is running for re-election.

The demonstrators later marched a short distance from the park to the corner of Erbes Road and Avenida de Los Arboles, where they waved pro-law enforcement signs and American flags at passing cars.

“Honk support for law enforcement,” Libby yelled.

Many cars did.

Mike Harris covers the East County cities of Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, as well as
transportation countywide. You can contact him at mike.harris@vcstar.com or 805-437-0323.
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https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/conejo-valley/2020/08/29/back-blue-rally-law-enforcement-support-march-thousand-oaks-california/5651538002/

McNamee Can Get The Job Done

McNamee can get the job done
September 03, 2020

As the years go by and the older we get, God and our church become more central in our lives. We seek comfort from the words in the “Good Book” and the support from our fellow parishioners who are available in a time of need.

It’s people helping people get through this thing we call life.

At times, during church services, some need emergency medical care where the paramedics are called to action.
Recognizing the need to be prepared for such emergencies until the paramedics arrive, an usher at our church, Kevin McNamee, suggested that all the ushers be trained in CPR. People came together, using their talents and resources, to make it happen.

One person coordinated with Los Robles hospital for their Sidewalk CPR team to provide instruction. Another coordinated with scheduling and location. Another made posters and Flyers announcing the class, which was expanded to all parishioners and the local community.
The First CPR class became popular, with it growing into several events. Young to old, 12 to 80, have learned the lifesaving gift of CPR through the efforts of many good people volunteering their time and energy.

The CPR class was an idea to meet a need in our church and community.

Mr. McNamee saw the need and asked for help developing it. The parish community responded.

He is running for Thousand Oaks City Council. I hope he is elected so he can do the same for the city as he did for our parish and community: identify a need and ?nd a way to solve it by bringing talented people together to make it happen.

Please consider voting Kevin McNamee for City Council.

Dennis Hayes
Thousand Oaks

McNamee can get the job done _ Thousand Oaks Acorn

McNamee can get the job done

Water Sustainability – Reduce Dependency on LA and Water Rates

By Dr Kevin McNamee

A recent report from the Ventura County grand jury says that “without major, immediate changes, Ventura’s water shortages will be at a scary level within five years.” The report concluded that cities must address water needs. “Ventura County may have survived the worst of the state’s drought but . . . several cities rely too much on imported water and haven’t developed plans for an emergency water shortage.”

It’s clear that our cities need to address the issue because Sacramento legislature is not. Ventura County cities are on their own to solve this one.

Doing back-of-envelope calculations reveal a creative, economically viable solution including a continuous infrastructure revenue stream:

Calleguas Municipal Water District, which supplies the drinking water for Thousand Oaks and most of Ventura County, purchases annually 87,541 acrefeet of water, costing $82.5 million, from the Metropolitan Water District. After conventional water treatment, Calleguas distributes the drinking water to the city and county.

An innovative solution to consider, making the county less dependent on imported water, is to redirect the ultra-pure effluent back to Calleguas for reuse. It would save $11.4 million dollars for the Thousand Oaks resident which will lower the average homeowner $600 annually.

The result is for Thousand Oaks to become less dependent on imported water in Los Angeles, for Central Valley farmers to have more water, and having a continual revenue stream to maintain water and wastewater systems without raising rates or floating construction bonds.

A Nice Thing Happened Today – Pay It Forward

by Dr Kevin McNamee August 13, 2018

Finished my lunch today at the local diner, I gathered my things and prepared to return to the practice for the second half of patient care. I asked the server for the check.

He paused, reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a business card and handed it to me. He said there was no charge. It was paid by someone else. I thought, who would do such a thing and why?

I read the card. It said that years ago, his two year old child Reese had died and since then, he has made a point of doing nice things for people. He asks nothing in return except to do, if possible, something nice for someone else in the memory of Reese.

When I went to place a tip on the table I noticed I had to get change. My server was at the register. I tipped my server and handed him the card with the request that I pay for the meal of the woman and small child enjoying lunch together and give them this card.

He smiled and said he would be delighted. As I paid the check, the server said the man comes in periodically to eat. Before he leaves, he walks through the restaurant identifying which meals he will pay. On this visit, another man and I were chosen.

It was a pleasure to continue the very kind gesture shown by a man who suffered such a tragic loss years before. There is something to be said for acts of kindness and to pay it forward. Perhaps Reese would enjoy knowing that happiness is being spread around the community because of him.

Obama’s Green Energy – Spreading the Wealth To Billionaires

by Dr. Kevin McNamee June 9, 2019

The alternative energy loan and grant program was originally created in 2005 during the Bush administration but it was not very active due to the law required companies receiving loans or grants have a sizable amount of their own money in the game, a “down payment” on projects. The 2009 stimulus bill removed that provision. Wealthy investors in green-tech companies could now get large government “investments” with very little of their own money at risk.(1)

Peter Schweizers’s book Throw Them All Out explains the goal of President Barrack Obama’s green energy plan was to create “green jobs” but according to the federal government’s records, many of the grants and loan guarantees created few or no jobs. Often taxpayer money was given to politically connected companies for projects that were already under way or even completed. Government grants and loans were given to companies that were money loser that needed government funds to stay in business or turn a profit.(2)

President Obama moved tax money taken from all, rich and poor, and gave it to billionaires under the guise of an economic stimulus plan to create jobs and to develop alternative energy. Washington handed out billions of dollars in cash and federal loan guarantees. This overwhelming amount of money has been directed to wealthy financial backers of President Obama and the Democratic Party has been almost entirely unreported by the media.(3)

Now the grants and loan guarantees provide access to taxpayer capital and it serves as a federal government “seal of approval” which opened up access to other private capital such as stock holder money. The crony-capitalist road to riches was simple and became the pattern of other companies: invest in a green-tech company, secure a much larger investment from the federal government, take your company public, make lots of money and get out.(4,5)

Many Department of Energy green energy grant and loan recipients served on the President’s campaign finance committee, or functioned as campaign donation “bundlers” or were major contributors themselves. They raised and donated millions for Obama’s 2008 campaign. In return, the companies they owned or lead received billions in government-backed loans and outright grants which are tax free.(6)

At least ten members of Obama’s finance committee and more than a dozen of his campaign bundlers were grant and/or guaranteed loan recipients. Several politicians who supported Obama launched alternative energy companies and obtained grants. Department of Energy granted $16.4 billion of the $20.5 billion in loan guarantees to companies either run by or primarily owned by Obama financial backers (bundlers, members of Obama’s National Finance Committee, or large donors to the Democratic Party).(7)

After 2008, Steve Spinner became the “chief strategic operations officer” for the Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office. He served on the Obama campaign’s National Finance Committee. Spinner, who controlled billions of taxpayer-guaranteed loans for the DOE, was neither a dedicated scientist, engineer nor had civil servant background with financial knowledge. Prior to his appointment to the Loan Program Office, Mr. Spinner was a campaign bundler functioning as liaison to Silicon Valley to raise campaign funds for President Obama.(8)

Jonathan Silver served as the DOE executive director, responsible for staffing the programs, and leading organization analysis, and negotiation. Silver’s wife served as financial director for the Democratic Leadership Council. His business partner, Tom Wheeler, was an Obama campaign fund raiser bundler. Jonathan Silver managed the loans with advice from his strategic advisor, Steve Spinner.(9)

The grants originated in the office of Cathy Zoi who served as the assistant secretary of energy for efficiency and renewable energy. She previously worked in the Clinton White House as chief of staff on environmental policy then as the CEO of former Vice President Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection.(10) When Zoi left the DOE in 2011, she became head of a new green-tech investment fund being established by George Soros, the investor whose firms received taxpayer money through Zoi.(11)

The Government Accountability Office was critical of the loan guarantee and grants awarded by the DOE saying the process appears “arbitrary” and lacks transparency. GAO’s examination of the first eighteen approved loans found that none were properly documented. Officials “did not always record the results of analysis” of these loan applications. For example, electric car loan program “lacks performance measures.” Loan officials did not keep notes so it is difficult to understand how loan decisions were made.(12)

Gregory Friedman, who is not a political appointee, chastised the alternative energy loan and grant program for their absence of “sufficient transparency and accountability.” He testified that contracts have been steered to “friends and family.”(13)

Obama White House memos said these grants and guaranteed loans were very lucrative for key political financiers. Several huge checks or loan guarantees were given to small companies with revenues of less than $1 million.(14)

A memorandum for the President from senior White House officials explained that the grants and loans were an economic boon to the companies involved. Many companies had “relatively small private equity (as low as 10%), while generating “an estimated return on equity of 30%.” If these companies were in the private sector, they would be hard-pressed to negotiate that sort of arrangement. The government money made the difference between success and failure. A wind farm can cost 55% less with the government grant or loan than a company that did not get government support. The solar energy companies had their costs cut in half due to the government grants. The White House memo to the President made it clear that the DOE grants and loans selection received White House review and input allowing it to pick winners and losers.(15)

First guaranteed loan provided by the Obama administration for alternative energy was the massive $573 million for Solyndra, a solar energy company. It received a low interest rate loan that if the company could not pay for it, the government would. Solyndra lost money on every solar panel sold and was never profitable. Oklahoma billionaire investor owned 35% of the company and was as a campaign fund raiser bundler for the 2008 Obama presidential campaign. One investor told the Wall Street Journal: “There is a perceived halo around the loan. If we get the loan, then we can definitely go public an cash out.” Terms of the taxpayer-backed loan, investor Kaiser and other investors will be paid before the government. Secure government money, go public and get out.(16)

Sample of $16.4 Billion of the $20.5 Billion Loan Guarantees Awarded to Companies that Supported President Obama and /or the DNC, Leucadia Energy(17) At time of funding, had 1 employee and $120,000 in annual revenue. Chairman and CEO: Ian Cumming’s served on Obama’s 2008 National Finance Committee and 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee $260 million for industrial capture project $1.6 billion in loan guarantees for coal gasification project $1.6 billion for synthetic gas project Outcome: Projects have not been completed. Created 3 jobs.

Solar Trust of America(18) $2.1 billion for a solar facility. $6 billion put in by Citigroup Global Partners and Deutsche Bank Louis Susman, Vice chairman of Citigroup was on Obama’s National Finance Committee and fund raiser. Later Obama appointed him ambassador to Great Britain. Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank North America was Obama’s campaign bundler.

Solar Reserve(19) $737 million loan guarantees Michael Froman was head of CitiAlternatives, largest investor also served with Obama at Harvard Law School. He introduced Senator Obama to major Democratic Party players and later an Obama policy advisor.

Peco Energy(20) $200 million for smart-grid network Owned by Exelon who’s executive Frank Clark and board member John Rogers Jr. were on Obama campaign’s National Finance Committee. Outcome: Created 102 jobs

Basin Electric Power Cooperative(21) $100 million for “smart meters” to monitor energy consumption. Powerspan overseeing work, Powerspan, executives Daniel Weiss and Zeb Rice served on President Obama’s National Finance Committee. George Soros was a Powerspan investor and early Obama supporter Outcome: Created 8 jobs.

Hydrogen Energy California, LLC(22) $308 million for joint venture between BP and Rio Tinto BP gave more to Obama’s political campaigns than to any other candidate over the past twenty years. Outcome: Created 23 jobs.

First Wind(23) $115 million for wind energy projects in Utah and New York $117 million for wind energy project in Hawaii Both projects were underway when the funds were awarded.

David Shaw, founder of hedge fund D.E. Shaw, head of President Obama’s National Economic council. Outcome: Created 125 jobs Sapphire Energy(24) $135 million for an algae biorefinery to create “super algae” to convert into energy Major investor ARCH Venture Partners founding partner, Bob Nelsen, served on Obama’s National Finance Committee.

Vantage Wind Energy, LLC(25) $60 million $68 million for Beech Ridge Energy Wind Farm Wholly owned by Invenergy, LLC, a Chicago-based company headed by CEO Michael Polsky who is a major donor to Obama president campaign and DNC.

Summit Texas Clean Energy, LLC(26) $1.5 billion CEO is Eric Redman, a former Democratic senator staffer, and major DNC donor. Project manager is former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, a former newspaper reporter and environmental activist, daughter of former head of Neiman Marcus. She never worked in the energy industry. Outcome: Created 8 jobs.

ZeaChem(27) $25 million to modify a “demonstration sale” biorefinery. Major investors, Globespan Capital’s Jonathan Seelig is a Democratic donor. PrairieGold Venture Partners headed by Paul Batcheller is a former aide to then-Senator Tom Daschle. Outcome: Created 2 jobs.

Solazyme(28) $21.7 million Founded by Jerry Fiddler a large Democratic donor and contributor to the Obama Victory Fund and DNC. Outcome: Created 13 jobs

Famous sociologist Max Weber said “Either one lives ‘for’ politics’ or one lives ‘off’ politics…. He who strives to make politics a permanent source of income lives ‘off’ politics as a vocation.” Today some people are living very well thanks to crony capitalism in Washington. Politicians have made politics a business.(29)

It appears that President Obama found the best form of payoff and patronage for rich friends and supporters is to give them billions of dollars in taxpayer cash.(30)

References

1. Schweizer, P., Throw Them All Out, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2011, p. 83-842. IBID, p. 823. IBID, p. 774. IBID, p. 845. IBID, p. 866. IBID, p. 777. IBID, p. 79-808. IBID, p. 809. IBID, p. 8110. IBID, p. 8111. IBID, p. 10312. IBID, p. 8213. IBID, p. 8214. IBID, p. 8315. IBID, p. 8316. IBID, p. 8617. IBID 86-8718. IBID, p. 8719. IBID 87-9020. IBID 9221. IBID 92-9322. IBID 93-9423. IBID 9424. IBID 94-9525. IBID 9526. IBID 9527. IBID 10228. IBID 10329. IBID p. xiv-xv30. IBID, p. 76