"Theft is theft" -- Lawmakers oppose deal to let United Airlines hand off pension responsibility to PBCG -- "It's perplexing how United can, in effect, divert money from its employee pension plans into a humongous capital improvement project"... Fitzgerald opposes the proposed O'Hare expansion." -- Sept. 27, 2004 Washington Times Article.



Durbin (above in foreground) and Obama (not pictured) said in a joint statement that they will not rule out Senate action if United and the flight attendants' union don't come to an agreement. Durbin also made headlines last week for his comments comparing the U.S. treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo to genocidal Nazis, Soviets, and Pol Pot. Speaking of the former Soviet Union, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded Thursday that local governments have the authority to seize private land and then turn it over to private developers for economic development.



Regarding the taking of private land, one must wonder why none of the outraged callers or hosts on "conservative" talk radio mentioned St. John's in Illinois (above) and the O'Hare expansion? Or the fact that New Jersey, Delaware, and surrounding Pennsylvania counties are being pounded by Philadelphia's airport in order to grow its tourism business? The City of Brotherly Love and the FAA are usurping state and local sovereignty by clearly violating the spirit of the U.S Constitution (commerce clause) using eminent domain regarding airspace to the detriment of the local communities to benefit private enterpise. New Jersey officials have decried the PHL expansion plans and have attempted to block FAA funding, mentioning that all options have not been considered. We applaud the effort.



Yet these same NJ officials have no problem floating 100 million dollars in municipal bonds to build a controversial LNG dock for British Petroleum (BP) in Delaware waters, claiming that no state has the right to block another’s economic development? Delaware environmental officials denied BP's permit for the dock in April because the intended use violates current coastal zone laws. New Jersey countered this month with the bond plan mentioned above stating they intend to challenge the 1934 U.S. Supreme Court judgment favoring the First State’s 300 year old border originally established by William Penn. Maybe the Supreme Court should be looking at the dangers of "integration of business and state" instead of the recent focus on "separation of church and state?"

God Bless America.

Stephen Donato
www.phl-caw.org

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Supreme Court sides with government in second land rights case -- San Jose Mercury News, CA - Jun 20, 2005 - Then-California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown supported the hotel and wrote a strongly worded dissent, used by some senators in opposing her recent elevation to a federal appeals court. "Theft is theft even when the government approves of the thievery," she wrote. "Turning a democracy into a kleptocracy does not enhance the stature of the thieves, it only diminishes the legitimacy of the government."

Lawmakers oppose deal to let United Airlines hand off pension responsibility to PBCG -- Fri, Jun. 24, 2005 -- Associated Press WASHINGTON - The House voted Friday to go on record against a deal that lets the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation take on United Airlines' employee-pension plans, including the company's $9.8 billion pension shortfall.

"Hold the hallelujahs, Mayor Daley"
At O'Hare signing ceremony, thanks God for right to desecrate cemeteries
WASHINGTON, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- In what can only be described as a major set back for the city of Chicago and the O'Hare Modernization Project (OMP), the Department of the Interior has determined that St. Johannes Cemetery is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, overruling the State Historic Preservation Officer. "This is great news for Bensenville and St. Johannes Cemetery, which is a registered, active cemetery that is still used by the people of St. John's United Church of Christ," said John Geils, President of Bensenville. "With the Interior Department's ruling, the FAA will have to reevaluate its draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and carefully consider the impact of the OMP on this historical property."

They haven't a prayer By sea and by air...
As you all know the operations at PHL already heavily impact communities in PA, NJ, DE and the plan is to bring in more jets. In an effort to mitigate the impact to the surrounding communities FAA has utilized the Delaware River for departures leaving in the west bound direction.

Fitzgerald Urges PBGC Vigilance Concerning Possible United Airlines Pension Bailout

  ¶ 6/25/2005 (0) comments

  President Bush Fundraiser & PHL Runway Extension -- (sent via email) To Senator Santorum's office

Congratulations on the successful $1.7M fundraiser with President Bush the other day!

FYI, the beautiful house of Mitchell Morgan, where you held the fundraiser, is DIRECTLY in the proposed flight path of jet traffic if runway 17-35 is extended at Philadelphia International Airport. They live 2 blocks away from me.

Check it out for yourself on the attached map.

I am sure that the new owner and strong Santorum supporter will be grateful of your endeavors to block runway 17-35.


To Mr. Morgan,

Welcome to the neighborhood! I live just 2 blocks from your new house. You probably are not aware yet that Philadelphia Airport is trying to extend a North-South runway that will allow for jet air traffic at low altitudes DIRECTLY over your house. This runway will allow for over 43,000 jets to take off and land over your house per year!

Please feel free to contact me directly or Jeffery Haberkern at Senator Santorum's office for details on this proposed runway and what Senator Santorum is doing to block this. Also visit our community web site where we are organizing to block this runway. http://www.phl-caw.org/

Regards,
Ross Engelman  ¶ 6/17/2005 (0) comments

  It's Raining Man ? -- A South African Airlines jet on final to JFK started "raining" body parts onto the garage of a Long Island home. The flight originated from Dakar, Senegal. It is believed that the stowaway was crushed while hold up in the landing gear.



The plane was obviously not allowed to return to Johannesburg pending an investigation. A letter distributed to passengers by the airline made no mention of the body. It simply said that the jet needed to be repaired because of "some damage to the fuselage."

Commission on 9/11 reconvenes as watchdog  ¶ 6/08/2005 (0) comments

  Teterboro -- Calls to cut flights follow third plane accident in 2005 -- The state of New Jersey is also conducting air quality studies because unusually high levels of toxic air pollutants were found during recent tests. Teterboro has grown into one of the nation's busiest small airports, catering to corporate jets. It had 202,720 arrivals and departures in 2004, a 4 percent increase from 2003, officials said. Rothman has called for reduction in flights by 25% returning them to the levels of 1995.



Anthony Coscia, Port Authority Chairman: "If we redesigned the east coast of the United States would we put the airport in this spot? Maybe not. But it's here and we're doing everything we possibly can to make it as safe as possible."

Runway safety plan studied at D/FW  ¶ 6/02/2005 (0) comments