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The Police State in Lynchburg? June 28, 2011

Lynchburg Tea Party — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:43:17 +0000

The Lynchburg City Planning Commission has passed a proposal to allow zoning inspectors to gain non-criminal search warrants to search citizens homes.

From the News & Advance:

http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2011/may/11/planning-commission-oks-warrant-search-ordinance-ar-1033292/

“The Lynchburg Planning Commission voted in favor of a new ordinance Wednesday that will allow zoning officials to obtain warrants to enter homes where zoning violations are suspected.”

“Fowler said zoning had not requested that power before because it has traditionally been able to resolve complaints without it. But in the past year, he has “hit a brick wall” in two specific cases, he said.”

“… he did not expect that inspection warrants would be needed often.”

“If concerns not related to the zoning ordinance were noted, such as possible criminal activity, the inspector would refer it to the police or other appropriate enforcement agency.”

“it was unlikely that the city would break locks or use other forms of force to gain entry to a house.”

““I’m very confident this will not be abused and it will be very helpful to our city,” said Commissioner James Coleman.”
——————

Unlike James Coleman, I’m very confident that it WILL be abused, as is everything in government, and that the city will begin breaking locks and forcing their way into homes. Call it “unlikely” as they may, what that really means is, we aren’t saying it won’t happen, so that when it does, we can say it was an “extreme” case and then use it as precedent to do it the next time.

Two specific cases should not merit throwing the rest of us under the bus. The police can’t solve every single crime, but no one is saying they should be allowed to use “more tools” than they currently have just because they’ve “hit a brick wall.”

What you can do:

Contact:

City Planning Commission – 434.455.3917
(to request copy of the language of the amendment and planning commission meeting minutes)

City Council Members:
(To encourage them to vote “NO” on the Planning Commission Amendment)

Mayor Joan Foster (At Large):
(Unknown, Encourage her to vote NO because you need her to defend you and that after all she’s accomplished, it would be a great tragedy for the narrative of her time in office to be defined by the stripping of landowners of their property rights and for her vote to open the door for her citizens to be abused by their own local government)
Joan.Foster@lynchburgva.gov

Vice-Mayor Ceasor Johnson (Ward 2):
(Unknown, Encourage him to defend the rights of his constituents as property owners by voting NO, knowing that minorities have always borne the brunt of government abuses of law and that this would leave those with the least ability to defend themselves, at the mercy of zoning inspectors that may not be as ethical as he is.)
ceasor.johnson@lynchburgva.gov

Michael Gillette (Ward 1):
(Unknown, encourage him to vote NO and defend your rights as a private citizen because the ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS are too great to be ignored.)
michael.gillette@lynchburgva.gov

Randy Nelson (At Large):
(Unknown but likely leaning towards, Encourage him to vote NO and defend the rights of property owners, knowing that doing otherwise would open the citizens to gross abuses of the criminal system, specifically the reporting to law enforcement of any suspected criminal activity by untrained non-law enforcement government employees and that the city would likely suffer from lawsuits every time it was used, and that in the current economic climate, it’s simply not necessary or prudent.
randy.nelson@lynchburgva.gov

Turner Perrow (Ward 4):
(Thank him for his conservative votes in the past and encourage him to stand up for your rights as property owners by voting NO)
turner.perrow@lynchburgva.gov

H. Cary (At Large):
(Encourage him to continue to be a solid NO vote on the amendment)
H.cary@lynchburgva.gov

Jeff Helgeson (Ward 3):
(Thank him for being a solid NO vote on the amendment)
jeff@jeffhelgeson.com

Your friends and neighbors in the city! Have them email the council members as well if they are citizens of Lynchburg.

Show up Tues. June 28 to city council and make yourself seen as opposition (even if you don’t live in the city).

Speak at the city council meeting. (If you are interested, reply back so that speakers can be coordinated on topic, bullet points, etc…)

June 2, 2011 – Meeting

Lynchburg Tea Party — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:07:49 +0000

Meeting Agenda

6-2-11

Welcome:

1. Read meeting agenda
2. Invocation
3. Pledge
4. Visitors Intro
5. Reading –
6. Upcoming Events

Membership Renewals (Membership Chairman)

1. July 4 for all members
2. Mailings and emails
3. What is the renewal process?

VA Elections –

1. Redistricting completed – (Treasurer and/or President)

1. 1. House of Delegates
    1. Primary candidates & challengers

1. 1. State Senate
    1. Primary Candidates & challengers

1. Primary & election dates – (President)
2. Opportunities for LTP – (President)

Reminders & Farewell

Monthly Meeting Thursday May 5, 2011 – FairTax

Lynchburg Tea Party — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:42:07 +0000

Monthly Tea Party Meeting

Topic: The Fair Tax

Location: LU Law School room 1709 at 7:00 p.m.

Join us as we talk about solutions to the IRS and the income tax.

Have you been wondering about what the Fair Tax is?
Like it, Love it, Hate it?

Donald Koop of Roanoke Area FairTax will be speaking to us on what the Fairtax is and will be on hand to answer any questions you have.

He will also speak on grass roots efforts happening in the 6th and 5th district as it relates to the FairTax:

“Be part of the grassroots effort to replace the federal income tax and the IRS with the FairTax”

Take a look at www.RoanokeAreaFairTax.com

Roanoke: Congress of Coalitions, May 7, 2011

Lynchburg Tea Party — Sun, 01 May 2011 17:52:18 +0000

A Congress of Liberty Coalitions

Tea Parties, Constitution and Patriot Groups Are Invited and Urged to Send Representatives

When: Saturday, May 7th 2011

Where: Tanglewood Holiday Inn
Roanoke, Virginia

Time: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
(directions below)

Event hosted by the 2nd Tuesday Constitution Group of Roanoke/Salem
And moderated by Dave Mason of the Constitution Party

In a Day of Constitutional Crisis

We Must Get to Know Each Other
We Must Establish Common Goals
We Must Strengthen Our Networks
We Must Be as One People

For an American Constitutional Republic!

Your Presence Is Now Indispensible!
Please Mark Your Calendars Now!

Please send your list of topics to Dave Mason at daveragt@gmail.com so that our agenda reflects the thinking of all of us.

There will be a lunch break and there is a range of lunch options available within the immediate area.

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Congress of Coalitions

SUPER MEETING DIRECTIONS
To Holiday Inn, Tanglewood Mall
4468 Starkey Road, SW, Roanoke, VA 24018
(540) 774-4400

Robert Hurt on Spending

Lynchburg Tea Party — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:19:02 +0000

By Kurt Feigel
Lynchburg Tea Party President

I spoke with Congressman Robert Hurt today. I’ve spoken with him enough over the past year to know when he is truly frustrated and this is one of those times. He like many freshman congressman went to D.C. like Mr. Smith. Intent on changing things. Sent there with a purpose and a mission only to have that mission and purpose thwarted. On the issue of spending alone Hurt said ” It’s easy to believe that we won…but now is more important than ever that we stay focused”. He went on to reference that we are borrowing 40 cents of every dollar to the tune of 1.6 trillion every year with a national debt of over 14 Trillion dollars.

It’s “unsustainable” said Hurt, and not just as a platitude. He means it.

If you have listened to some of his floor speeches you can see that he is not the same quiet guy that left Southside back in January.

“Failure to address the problems now will lead to the failure of our nation…I’m not a pessimist as I believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel…I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t” The problem is that, as Hurt puts it, Washington D.C. “moves slow as molasses” .

As I talk to Tea Party leaders across the commonwealth of Virginia they all have the same message. CUT SPENDING. And yet it isn’t getting done. Not for lack of desire on the part of some. The message that isn’t really getting out is what caused this budget crisis? The budget that is being worked on and the “continuing resolutions” that have been passed so far have been for “Fiscal Year 2011″ a budget process that was started under the previous House controlled by Democrats. A Senate Controlled by Democrats. A Whitehouse controlled by a Democrat.

So why is all the blame being focused on the Republicans?

HR 1 the first bill of 2011 cut $100 Billion dollars in waste and abuse. A small dent to be sure, but the number one expenditure in our nation is entitlement spending. ” The big money reforms need to come from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or those systems will fail ” and he is right.

Robert Hurt was one of 47 Republicans that has stood his ground on spending according to Heritage.

47 Members (all Republicans) showed a rock-solid willingness to cut spending by voting for every spending cut:

* Amash, Bachmann, Broun, Campbell, Chabot, Chaffetz, Coffman, Duncan (TN), Duncan (SC), Flake, Fleming, Franks, Garrett, Gowdy, Graves (GA), Heller, Hensarling, Herger, Huelskamp, Huizenga, Hurt, Jenkins, Jordan, Lamborn, Mack, McClintock, McHenry, Miller (FL), Mulvaney, Myrick, Neugebauer, Paul, Pence, Pompeo, Price (GA), Ribble, Rokita, Royce, Scalise, Schweikert, Scott (GA), Scott (SC), Sessions, Walsh, Wilson, Woodall, and Young (IN).

In addition to that first 100 Billion Robert Hurt voted for almost $40 Billion more that was shot down by…say it with me…Democrats.

In a statement released via email today Hurt said:

We have taken important first steps to change course in Washington. I have voted to cut over $136 billion in government spending. I have voted to repeal and replace the Democrats’ health care law in its entirety, to repeal the onerous 1099 provision that burdens small businesses, and to de-fund provisions of the law when the House passed H.R. 1.

With rare exception such as his vote to extend the Patriot act I’ve not seen a lot that I should be concerned about.

The real blame needs to be focused on who is responsible for this mess: The Democratic Party.

I’m no friend of the establishment GOP. Their biggest problem is they think in terms of political calculations and not always about doing whats right. They like to throw out the “11th Commandment” and then throw solid representatives under the bus. All that said they are not the wrench in the gears here. Their biggest problem here is they think the truth alone is good enough. That you don’t need to sell the truth. Why? The democrats and Obama sell us lies all the time. Look at Libya. Look at the President today on TV criticizing the oil companies for not drilling when his administration won’t let them drill. A is A, unless you are Obama.

Schumer said he was:

“agonizing over whether to give in to right-wing demands that they abandon any compromise on their extreme cuts.”

“Extreme”? How about you cut 1.6 Trillion Dollars of the money we don’t have? I wouldn’t call that Extreme Chucky! I’d call that RESPONSIBLE!

The GOP Leaders need to hammer this point home at every opportunity:The Democratic leadership had over 1 year starting back in April of 2010 to begin and complete this budget which was supposed to be completed back in October. Instead they’ve been living on borrowed time and borrowed money. Our time and our money!They have been blaming the GOP for “not passing a budget” when it was the 111th Congress that didn’t get it done. Further they are demanding that the debt ceiling be raised to fund their insanity. As a Father I’m constantly telling my kids “money doesn’t grow on trees” but nobody has told these children running the ship of state. Instead, as usual after a game of kick the can, they are pointing the finger at the Republicans who dare to touch their third rails of politics. Sadly we haven’t even started on the Fiscal Year 2012 budget yet. 2 more great examples of the failures of Liberalism.

It’s too soon to throw out the representatives that are trying to get the job done. They are out there. Likely there are a few that are long past their expiration date. Robert Hurt isn’t one of them and anyone that thinks so after 3 months needs to get out of politics.

When the time comes to “shut down” the government my advice to Robert Hurt and anyone else that is serious would be to LET IT! Stand strong and confident that we support you. When it does shut down and the finger pointing begins make sure THE PEOPLE know the cold hard truth and nothing but the truth.

April Events

Lynchburg Tea Party — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:06:23 +0000

[wp_announce_marquee]
The Lynchburg Tea Party holds monthly meetings every first Thursday of the month,

Current Meeting Location:

Liberty Law School [ REAR ENTRANCE ] Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

Click to enlarge: This is the rear of Liberty Law School. It is located across the parking lot from the Lahaye Ice Center(Corner of University & Ericson) Enter through the double doors. Go all the way to the end of the hall and turn right. First hall you see turn right. Rm 1713 is on the right.

Video Directions:

Doors open at 6:30

Meeting Starts at 7:00

Make sure you are getting all the updates from the LTP. Signup for the newsletter.

Upcoming Events:
Monthly Meeting: April 7, 2011
Monthly Tea Party Meeting April 7th, 2011 – Liberty Law School Rm 1709

Topic: April Activities Re: Tax Day (April 18th)

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Reloading Club: Saturday April 9, 2011 at 9:30

Breakfast Meeting at McDonalds on Timberlake Saturday April 9, 2011 at 9:30. Join us for breakfast.

We will talk shop and then head over to do some reloading. Reloading location is only 5 minutes away from McDonalds.

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April 15 – FREE: Movie Screening – Location TBD
From Freedom to Fascism a movie about the Federal Reserve and the IRS

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April 18th
Tax Day
Details To Be Announced

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March Meeting – Phillip Van Cleave – VCDL – Topic: 2nd Amendment

Lynchburg Tea Party — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:39:43 +0000

Join the Lynchburg Tea Party on Thursday night in the Supreme Court Room of Liberty Law School, as we welcome Phillip Van Cleave of the VCDL.

Phillip Van Cleave is the President of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). He will be talking to us about the advancements and the stalemates that occurred in the General Assembly this year as it relates to your 2nd Amendment rights.

We’ve had a renewed interest in more movie screenings. I’ll bring that up and see when/where might be a good time to make that happen.

I look forward to seeing you all on March 3rd at 7 p.m. up at Liberty Law School.

Visit our EVENTS page to get a better idea of where the Law School is located.
Lots of exciting stuff happening every month with the Lynchburg Tea Party…Join Us.

Thank You,

Kurt Feigel
Lynchburg Tea Party President

New Leadership

Lynchburg Tea Party — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 01:39:30 +0000

The Lynchburg Tea Party choose new leadership on Thursday night.

Pictured from Left to Right
Kurt Feigel, President

Jay Cesafsky – Operations

Fiona Every – Secretary

Aaron Mills – Communications

Ronald Berman – Membership

Mike Troxel – Vice President

Russ Erikson – Treasurer

Thanks to all those that participated in last nights meeting. As well as a special thanks to all those that are willing to stand up for the leadership rolls in the Tea Party.

The Lynchburg Tea Party has grown to 110 dues paying members in the last year. It will be exciting to see how we grow as this next year progresses. If you are not a member then consider joining. Membership is only $20.00/yr and you can take an active roll in charting the course of the Lynchburg Tea Party.

In the next few days we will be sharing with you where you can serve and on what various committees. If you’ve got a vison and a dream for what you’d like to see the Tea Party in Lynchburg tackle then consider serving.

At the first meeting of the steering committee we will be discussing the next year and the years activities. Got suggestions? Let us know.

Next Month on March 3rd Phillip Van Cleave of the VCDL (Virginia Citizens Defense League) will be addressing our group. We will likely have a full house.

In Liberty,

Kurt Feigel
LTP President

Protect Property Rights

Lynchburg Tea Party — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:50:49 +0000

Dear Friends of Liberty,

HB1721, that would make Urban Development Areas optional rather than mandatory, is being attacked by heavy weights like the Home Builders Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, and the Sierra Club.

Republicans on the House Counties, Cities and Towns Sub-committee #2 unanimously recommended to report HB1721 on Thursday, January, 20. But on Friday, January 21, Speaker Howell and House Republicans caved to the pressure of special interest groups and the bill was set aside by the full committee.

Members of the Home Builders Association stand to gain a great benefit from the construction of UDAs. Not only can they build up to twelve homes on a single acre of land that they can purchase very inexpensively, but they get tax breaks for the new urbanism, green building, and green energy efficiency practices used in the construction of these high-density communities.

Organizations like the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Sierra Club are heavily funded by other international organizations like ICLEI and benefit greatly by defeating the bill.

The reality, folks, is if we don’t get this bill passed, local governments have no choice but to approve the comprehensive plans in EVERY locality in Virginia because UDAs are MANDATED. What that means is we will have little chance of stopping the implementation of Agenda 21.

WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK NOW if we are to be successful! We must show them who the real heavy weights are.

I strongly urge you to mobilize each and every one of the members of your organizations to:

1. Contact every member of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee and Speaker Howell to urge them to vote in support of the bill.

The committee meets on Fridays in House Room D at 8:30am so this bill is likely to come up again in committee next Friday, January 28.

Members of the committee:

Delegate Riley E. Ingram (Chairman) (R) Phone: (804) 698-1062
Email: DelRIngram@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Robert G. Marshall (R) Phone: (804) 698-1013
Email: DelBMarshall@house.virginia.gov

Delegate G. Glenn Oder (R) Phone: (804) 698-1094
Email: DelGOder@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Daniel W. Marshall, III (R) Phone: (804) 698-1014
Email: DelDMarshall@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Salvatore R. Iaquinto (R) Phone: (804) 698-1084
Email: DelSIaquinto@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark (R) Phone: (804) 698-1006
Email: DelACrockett-Stark@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Charles D. Poindexter (R) Phone: (804) 698-1009
Email: DelCPoindexter@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Donald W. Merricks (R) Phone: (804) 698-1016
Email: DelDMerricks@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Barry D. Knight (R) Phone: (804) 698-1081
Email: DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov

Delegate James W. (Will) Morefield (R) Phone: (804) 698-1003
Email: DelJMorefield@house.virginia.gov

Delegate James E. Edmunds, II (R) Phone: (804) 698-1060
Email: DelJEdmunds@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Christopher P. Stolle (R) Phone: (804) 698-1083
Email: DelCStolle@house.virginia.gov

Delegate James M. LeMunyon (R) Phone: (804) 698-1067
Email: DelJLeMunyon@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Tony O. Wilt (R) Phone: (804) 698-1026
Email: DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. (D) Phone: (804) 698-1077
Email: DelLSpruill@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Onzlee Ware (D) Phone: (804) 698-1011
Email: DelOWare@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Albert C. Pollard, Jr. (D) Phone: (804) 698-1099
Email: DelAPollard@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Delores L. McQuinn (D) Phone: (804) 698-1070
Email: DelDMcQuinn@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Algie T. Howell, Jr. (D) Phone: (804) 698-1090
Email: DelAHowell@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Scott A. Surovell (D) Phone: (804) 698-1044
Email: DelSSurovell@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Kaye Kory (D) Phone: (804) 698-1038
Email: DelKKory@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Luke E. Torian (D) Phone: (804) 698-1052
Email: DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov

Speaker Bill Howell (R) Phone: (804) 698-1028
Email: delwhowell@house.virginia.gov

2. Urge citizens from EVERY locality of the Commonwealth to be representatives of their community at the next committee meeting on HB1721. At the last meeting, there were only four in attendance and only two localities were represented.

Please feel free to use the talking points provided to help draft your reasons for supporting HB1721.

We are in the fight of our lives to defend private property rights. It is up to each and every one of us to do all we can to get HB1721 passed out of this committee and on to the floor for a vote.

This is not a right or left, conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat issue.

HB1721 is about allowing localities to have choices about whether the market in those localities can bear more development in a soft market when 1 in every 501 homes in Virginia is in foreclosure.

HB1721 is about allowing localities to decide if UDAs are appropriate for their community.

HB1721 is about putting decisions on how growth is to be managed back in the hands of the communities where it belongs.

HB1721 will stop localities from being forced to replace low cost housing in communities targeted for smart growth with high priced housing that will drive the elderly on fixed incomes and low-income families out of their homes.

HB1721 will stop localities from being forced to impose very restrictive energy and water regulations that will result in the rationing of resources.

HB1721 is about protecting the individual right to own and control the use of one’s own property in Virginia.

Please act now! The future of our children, grandchildren, and beyond is on the line.

Rand Paul – Senate Tea Party Caucus – January 27, 2011

Lynchburg Tea Party — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:09:10 +0000

RSVP to News@lynchburgteaparty.com

We have received an email from Senator Rand Paul’s Chief of Staff
inviting us to attend the first Senate Tea Party Caucus meeting next
Thursday, January 27th. As you may have seen in the news, Senator Rand
Paul filed the appropriate paperwork to form the Senate Tea Party
Caucus, taking a formal step towards uniting members of the movement in
the 112th Congress. This is the compliment to the House Tea Party
Caucus that Michele Bachmann formed last session.

DETAILS:

Thursday, January 27th
10am-11am
Washington DC
Senate Hart Bldg
Room 216