The United States of Corporate America

[proud2BlibKansan]

A local energy company decided to build a power plant and proceeded to begin construction without getting any permits or notifying the county. The people who lived nearby went to court and a judge ordered the company to stop construction. It ignored the judge and finished building the plant anyway. Yesterday, the state House voted to let them keep the plant. The community wants it torn down.

So in other words, a corporation ignores the law by not getting a permit or holding pubkic hearings, ignores a judge's order to halt construction, and now has a power plant they want to open for business. And they lobby the state legislature to back them up!

http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/591071.html

[Hydra]

1. Perfectly sums up the mess we are in

The Corporations are the law, now.

[Indenturedebtor]

2. Yes

The future is now :(

All those sci-fi movies and books weren't just flights of fancy I'm afraid.

[Hydra]

3. I guess it was inevitable

Worship of money has translated into "money can do no wrong."

How did we wind up becoming slaves to pieces of paper?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I have watched this story evolve

and am blown away by the brazen disregard of the law by this utility company. And to think they would go so far as to get a bill passed in the state legislature! It's an absolute mind blower.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. FTFA...

The 107-37 vote came over the objections of opponents who said the legislation would set a terrible precedent by bailing out a company that made a bad business decision and ignored court orders to halt construction.

Bailing out a company that made a bad decision!? Unpossible!

NOT!

Perhaps another precedent should be set that the corporation will hear?

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. On local news last night,

one of the state reps who voted for Aquila's plant said yes, they did violate a court order but it defied common sense to force them to tear the plant down.

I was yelling "Too bad, so sad" Good grief, they broke the rules and because it would not make sense to tear down the plant, it stays and God knows what pollutants it will spew into the area. There was NO REGULATORY OVERSIGHT watching them build this plant.

[ColbertWatcher]

5. That's simply bullshit.

[ziggysane]

6. Uh... can you say criminal charges?

That's simply beyond the pail.

Missouri's Attorney General is Jay Nixon (hopefully no relation). Here is some contact information for the main office in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Attorney General's Office
Supreme Court Building
207 W. High St.
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

And a link to webforms to lodge complaints online. http://ago.mo.gov/contactus.htm#header1

I called the Attorney General's office and basically got the run-around (unsurprisingly). I suppose the best thing to do would be to start a letter-writing campaign to get Mr. Nixon (hopefully no relation) to at least say something about this, if not do something.

Who's with me?!

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Nixon is running for governor

I don't know where he stands on this issue. But no, it certainly wouldn't hurt to contact him. Thanks for the suggestion.

[nichomachus]

8. We call this "Cheneyism"

[smiley_glad_hands]

9. K&R. eom

[dysfunctional press]

10. if the community wants it torn down, they should take it upon themselves to do so- as a community.

the PEOPLE united, can NEVER be defeated.

[crimsonblue]

13. I am not surprised by this in the least...

The Harrisonville area is the worst kind of good-ol boy politics and government. The rule of law is very much antiquated, if even existant. The cops and judges there think they rule the world, and they don't give two cents about the rights of the people there. In order to build their mega-million "Justice Center" (aka a maximum security prison made to appear friendly), Harrisonville and Cass County officers were told, albeit indirectly, to increase their arrest rates so that the necessity for a prison could be shown. I've been tossed in the slammer by these thugs, and I must admit that the prison is VERY nice and ultra modern inside. The doors are operated from a central room, andthey have as many as four cameras per cell. Guess what their main detainees are? Simple domestic disturbances, DUIs, and other petty misdemeanors that don't warrant full out maximum security. Thanks Cass County. for the best 24 hours of my life! :sarcasm:

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I used to live in Grandview, just a few blocks north of the

Cass County line. Know exactly what you are talking about. :)

[ColbertWatcher]

15. I wonder...

...if Aquila has any connections to the failed Texas super conductor!

LOL!

[crimsonblue]

16. No, but they do try and tack on fees irregardless of my method of payment.

If I pay via internet, there's a fee. If I pay by check, there's a fee (usually hidden under some other name or tacked on to another fee-- I noticed this by the discrepency in "flat fee" charges during months I used online or check-in-mail). I have to call them and make them take it off. The state doesn't gvie a damn because "it's just a couple of bucks." (the state security commision's words, not mine)

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Interesting

Something to look into for sure. Thanks! :hi: