You're probably right here, and I sure hope so!
Best 73 from Tom Behler: kB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Walt Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 2:10 PM
Subject: Re: Save the national weather Service petition
> Well, look at the groups who stand to be harmed by this proposed
> legislation:
>
> * Local fire, rescue, police, and emergency organizations
> * Manufacturers and vendors of weather radios
> * Media that can't afford to subscribe to AccuWeather or another
commercial
> service
>
> And there are doubtless a lot more that don't come to mind immediately.
> Trust me--this just ain't going to happen and I'd bet a significant amount
> of money that even Senator Santorum doesn't expect it to. The senators and
> congresspersons from every state that's ever suffered tornado damage can't
> possibly support this because too many of their constituents depend on the
> ready availability of weather information. That cuts directly across party
> lines and ends of the political spectrum. From the day that the original
> Weather Bureau of the Department of (I think) Commerce was activated,
> farmers throughout the country have had a very special and particular
> interest in that service and those farmers and their organizations, alone,
> have a huge amount of political savvy and weight. Messing with their
ability
> to get quick, accurate weather information is a sure way to commit
political
> suicide. Santorum doesn't represent all that many farmers any more, so
it's
> not much of a consideration for him, but senators from states from Montana
> to Alabama and Colorado to Ohio know which side their bread is buttered
on.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 12:01 PM
> Subject: Re: Save the national weather Service petition
>
>
> Good points here!
>
> I think the other concern is that it will get tacked onto some other piece
> of legislation, where it will be missed by a lot of people.
>
> We've seen that kind of thing happen before, where various bills get
hidden
> in larger pieces of legislation, and before you know it, they are law too.
>
> Writing personal letters to your Senators is a great idea, and I'd support
> that as well.
>
> Best 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Walt Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 2:16 AM
> Subject: Re: Save the national weather Service petition
>
>
> > Okay, I see. It's not really _Pennsylvania_ that's trying to do
something,
> > it's AccuWeather, based in Pennsylvania, and that idiot senator of
theirs
> > teaming up. There's no way this is going to get anywhere--it's one of
> > literally thousands of nuisance bills that get introduced every year to
> make
> > folks back home feel good. Moreover, be aware that petition efforts of
> this
> > kind are virtually meaningless because politicians don't pay attention
to
> > them. If you care, write a personal letter to your senators--it'll carry
> > much more weight because they know that _you_ cared enough to take a
> little
> > time and put a little personal effort into the process instead of just
> > signing somebody's shotgun petition.
> >
> >
>
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