Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

My biggest “problem” when I stepped outdoors on Thursday night was the “Sierra cement” from the latest storm that threatened to break yet another big limb off of our magnificent Dogwood tree. It sort of looks like a Charlie Brown Dogwood tree nowadays, thanks to the fallen limbs. I shook it in the dark.

For a reality check, I grabbed some microwave popcorn and green tea (my morning beverage of choice nowadays) and headed over to the Vet’s Hall around 9 p.m. — now a temporary shelter for the homeless.

It was a relaxed affair: Some leftover dinner from the Food Bank was on the counter, and there were a dozen cots from the Red Cross neatly lined up against the walls.

About eight people were present (I recognized most of them from around town). They were playing cards and visiting.

One guy was sleeping; another was playing a guitar (very well, I might add). Some lovely hounds were wagging their tails (“outside” I promised to tell all of you).

Local homeless advocate Thomas Streicher was there, as was Mayor Robert Bergman. City Council member Reinette Senum had visited earlier.

Thomas microwaved the popcorn (some of the kernels a tad burned, he conceded), and we all visited a while.

I’ve locked horns with Thomas before — he’s a demanding advocate — but it was irrelevant: We were celebrating that the community came together to provide temporary shelter during yet another big snow storm.

They thanked me for coming, we all shook hands, and I headed out. When I left, some others were arriving — with more wonderful hounds in tow.

Sure, we need to come up with a long-term solution for helping our homeless — and it isn’t the Vet’s Hall. But nobody was pretending that. They were just glad to find a “clean well-lighted (and warm) place” for the night.

It was a refreshing visit and a reminder of the upside of living in a small town.

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The Veteran’s Hall in Nevada City will be open Thursday and Friday for homeless people during the current storm.

The Vet’s Hall is staffed, and Mayor Robert Bergman said he will be visiting. Meals will be offered.

The action comes after an emotional debate at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting on accommodating homeless people during the cold, snowy weather.

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Here’s a sneak peek at KVMR’s programming on April 1:

•7:00 AM to 9:00 AM
The Morning Show
with Sarah Palin, and Michelle Bachmann

Every Friday
Big variety…including Jazz and Blues, world, folk and “funstuff”!! Every other week it’sThe Swami Beyondananda with a cosmic outlook on just about anything, plus the occasional interviews and sometimes a little live music.

Jerianne Van Dijk is replaced by new co-hosts Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann as KVMR debuts its new format.

•9:00 AM to 12:00 noon
The Rush Limbaugh Show
with Rush Limbaugh

Mornings
The Rush Limbaugh Show is the most listened to radio talk show in America, broadcast on over 600 radio stations nationwide. It is hosted by America’s Anchorman, Rush Limbaugh, also known as: America’s Truth Detector; the Doctor of Democracy; the Most Dangerous Man in America; the All-Knowing, All-Sensing, All-Everything Maha Rushie; defender of motherhood, protector of fatherhood and an all-around good guy.

•Popular talk show joins KVMR.
The Bill O’Reilly Show
with Bill O’Reilly

Noon
The historic run of The O’Reilly Factor on the FOX News Channel continues. Because of your support, the program, with Bill O’Reilly at the helm, has remained the highest rated cable news show, beating all competition for 11 straight years. Night after night, week after week, millions of viewers enter The Factor’s No Spin Zone to witness Bill’s analysis, commentary and probing investigative reporting.
KVMR becomes fair and balanced in its presentations.

•3:00 PM
The Glenn Beck Show
with Glenn Beck

Known for his quick wit, candid opinions and engaging personality, Glenn Beck has attracted millions of viewers and listeners throughout the United States with The Glenn Beck Program. His radio show, The Glenn Beck Program, is heard on over 400 stations and is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. It is the third highest-rated national radio talk show among adults ages 25 to 54.
KVMR provides its newest talk show host with an on-air blackboard.

•6:00 PM
KVMR Evening News
with Stan Meckler and George Rebane

Evenings
KVMR Evening Newscasts are broadcast every week night between 6:00 and 7:00 PM with local, regional, national & international headlines, local features, live call-in discussion, and commentaries.
With local news anchors Stan Meckler and George Rebane. They decide, you report.

•7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Democracy Never!
with Amy Goodman

Weekdays
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
~John Adams, 2nd President of the United States.
Amy Goodman has a change of mind.

•8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Newt
with Newton Leroy Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is well-known as the architect of the “Contract with America” that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House for the first time in forty years. After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people. Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, passed the first balanced budget in a generation, and passed the first tax cut in sixteen years. In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen our defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.
Former House Speaker crosses cultural lines to host evening series based on false and misleading news stories.

•10:00 PM to 12:00 midnite
The Pat Boone Show
with your host Pat Boone & special guests

Singer, actor, TV host, producer, songwriter, author, motivational speaker, TV pitchman, radio personality, record company head, TV station owner, sports team owner, family man, humanitarian, a man unafraid to air his views.
Inoffensive and bland music to end the broadcast day, with ’50s pop star.

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“Dear Mr. President:

I have read your letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President pro tempore of the Senate dated March 21, 2011 concerning your order
that United States Armed Forces attack the nation of Libya. You cite the authority
of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 and your “constitutional
authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief
Executive.”

The Constitution clearly and unmistakably vests Congress with the sole
prerogative “to declare war.” Your letter fails to explain how a resolution of the
United Nations Security Council is necessary to commit this nation to war but that
an act of Congress is not.

The United Nations Participation Act expressly withholds authorization for the
President to commit United States Armed Forces to combat in pursuit of United
Nations directives without specific Congressional approval. The War Powers
Resolution states that the President’s power to engage United States Armed Forces
in hostilities “shall not be inferred . . .from any treaty heretofore or hereafter
ratified unless such treaty is implemented by legislation specifically authorizing
the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities…”

The War Powers Resolution unambiguously defines three circumstances under
which the President as Commander in Chief may order United States Armed
Forces into hostile action: “(1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory
authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United
States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.” Your letter cites none of
these conditions.

Nor can the power to order an act of war be inferred from the President’s authority
as “Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.” The Constitution’s Framers were
explicit on this point. In Federalist 69, Alexander Hamilton draws a sharp
distinction between the President’s authority as Commander in Chief as “nothing
more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces”
and the authority of the British king “which extends to the declaring of war and to
the raising and regulating of fleets and armies ~ all which, by the Constitution
under consideration, would appertain to the legislature.”

With all due respect, I can only conclude that your order to United States Armed
Forces to attack the nation of Libya on March 19, 2011 is in direct violation of the
War Powers Resolution and constitutes a usurpation of Constitutional powers
clearly and solely vested in the United States Congress and is accordingly unlawful
and unconstitutional.

Sincerely,

Tom McClintock
Member of Congress”

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