Thursday, June 26, 2008

Power Company and Police Conspiracy

There appears to be a conspiracy between the local power company and city police to intimidate cash strapped citizens into paying their power bills on time or risk eviction and imprisonment.

Lately, on my evening walks, I have notice these 2x2 foot yellow notices pasted on the fronts of many houses along my route. They were announcing that the property was a public nuisance and that it was illegal to occupy the structure by order of the police department. Violators were subject to fines and possible imprisonment.

There are about a dozen check boxes under the notice stating the various reasons why the house cannot be occupied. The ones I looked at had the UTILITIES box checked and NO ELECTRICITY hand written next to the word. It appears that the police department is following around the utility company and condemning any house where the power is shut off.

"We're seeing a record number of shutoffs," says Mark Wolfe, head of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, which represents programs that subsidize energy bills. An NEADA survey this month shows 8% of four-member households earning $33,500 to $55,500 have had their power turned off for non-payment. "It's hitting people in the suburbs with two cars and two kids," Wolfe says.

In other words, people are broke and choosing between food and power bills. Your family must eat but for many power is now a luxury they can not afford.

American jobs continue their death spiral as inflation soars. Incomes levels have dropped dramatically in the past several years. The average family is trapped in the middle with no way out. According to a report from the Energy Information Administration, natural gas will cost a whopping 52% more this year than last year. This on top of 30% inflation for food items and record gas prices. The power companies know that your utility bill is fairly low on the priority list and want to guarantee their profit level...at the expense of your freedom if necessary.

Consider this, it is summertime, your family is broke so you decide to go a few months without power. You go to bed around 9 pm when it gets dark, eat prepackaged foods that require no refrigeration and cook on the back yard grill. Honestly no power needed, the family is happier, you get to know your neighbors, the children get some exercise and maybe everyone reads a few books. Your neighbors decide to adopt the same lifestyle.

This is a worst case scenario for the power companies and their profits. What does corporate America do when faced with declining incomes…they have the government guarantee their profit margin. We have seen this used masterfully in the insurance and banking industries. The power companies will approach local and state legislative bodies and convince them that not having power is a threat to the public safety. The elected officials will take a fat handout and pass a law requiring gas and electric services for habitation. The police enforce the laws and the punishments will become harsher as more people are forced to choose between food and power.

The implications of this disturb me greatly. Will not having power equate to child endangerment? Will not having power equate to a health hazard? Will not having power equate to imprisonment?

Many counties in Colorado do not consider off-grid electric systems a stable power supply. Will these homes now be considered uninhabitable because they are not supporting the power company profits? What about home owners who install pellet stoves for home heating and disconnect from the natural gas supply. Will they be subjected to intimidation and forcibly removal from their energy independent homes?

Apparently the job of the police department is to guarantee the profits of their corporate overseers and keep the public frightened and under control. Not to protect and serve the public that actually pays their salary. This is Fascist America.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my neck of the wood, if you own your house, the codes about utilities electrical and gas being required does not apply. Water for sanitation might be required. That would depend on the water source. Talk to your local Code Official for guidance.

Mayberry said...

One more reason to bug out now!

Anonymous said...

All towns with active building code enforcment will most likely not allow a home to be occupied if it does not have electric and water. Also gas if your water heater is gas because of codes stating the requirement of hot water to wash with. When the SHTF all of that will go out that window. Solar power and such should be an acceptable sub for the electric company and solar hot water also. I agree with mayberry the simple life sounds better more and more.
Nathan

Staying Alive said...

This is the sickest scenario I have ever read. Typical of a fascist state. Too bad America. But, you wouldn't listen to reason so now you must suffer.

Michael

The Scavenger said...

As I sit here reading this (with steam shooting out of both ears, my stomach in knots) I can't help but wonder, as I often do, HOW THE HELL DID WE EVER GET TO THIS POINT ????? The answer is, sorry to say, John Q. Public. Those who didn't care just a few years ago are starting to see the horrible effects of turning a blind eye to the troubles at hand. Brothers the time is near to RISE UP !!! WE must take this country by neck and squeeze all the Bull$hit out of it and start anew with LEADERS AND DOERS !!! We have settled for the lesser of 2 evils long enough. We need leaders that we are proud of and that we would dare anyone to say a bad word about. Leaders that are OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. Man, we sure have gotten away from that, have we not ??

Phil said...

When you try to cut back on your power use in the summertime like you mentioned, the first thing they do is come out and replace your meter, I have had it happen twice!
They can't believe you are not using hardly any power so the meter must be bad.
I had the guy tell me that while he was changing it out.

Bastards.

Anonymous said...

That's messed up. I'm glad they're not doing the same for people without Cable TV or cell phones otherwise I'd be screwed too.

The building code is the most likely culprit here. People complain about the attacks on the Constitution, but in some ways the enlargement of building codes is worse because it affects us on a more day-to-day level.

Anonymous said...

The really funny thing is that in an emergency your power will be TURNED OFF! Forcing you to either leave or use adaptive methods like cooking on the grill.

Dragon said...

If ya wanna make the 6 o'clock news be my guest. put one of those signs on my property or any property I occupy. This qualifies as a no Donuts 4 U award. I don't need no steenking grid.