The country club set

The Cleveland Airport Authority, (they're really just a bunch of groupies to Cleveland's rich and famous) held an environmental assessment public hearing at the (surprise, surprise)  Cleveland Chamber of Commerce office at the (surprise, surprise) Allen Jones, Village Green on July 24.

So as not to stir up the local peasants, state and federal procedures are promulgated that give rubber-stamp committees like the Airport Authority an air of respectability and well yes... authority.  This latest pubic hearing is the recent in a long list of expensive studies and assessments aimed at forcing an unwanted and unnecessary rich-man's toy on the citizens of Bradley County. Even the country club crowd can't filter off pubic money for personal use unless it is first laundered by the use of straw committees and phony assessments and hearings. The scary thing is that there is little pretence of what is really unfolding. Jones and the champagne set - there, I've said it - want a new airport and by gosh they will have it, so long as it is your quality of life that is compromised and not theirs. 

And none of this is likely to have happened without the Chamber. You have to hand it to the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce  (just a fancy name for a bunch of scoundrels), who have weaseled their way into a quasi-government position that allows them to skirt normal safeguards protecting the pubic from mafia style strong-arming by private individuals and corporations. The Chamber of Commerce, at least Cleveland's chamber and their shadowy cohorts Cleveland Associated Industries, conspire to force their wants on the almost defenseless citizens of Bradley County. There are not too many elected officials willing to go nose-to-nose with the Chamber.

The Chamber, is a private non-government company that is financed with pubic money and fees coerced from intimidated business owners. These unfortunate people are led to believe that without the support of the Chamber it is impossible to be successful in Bradley County. Kinda like a government endorsed mafia shakedown... a respectable one of course. You are unlikely to have your legs broken or your place busted up but the inference is that it will be difficult to rent a good commercial property, get loans or conduct business without the weight of government around your neck.... which is as I said, in my humble opinion, a quasi government mafia.

So, back to the new airport..... Are the citizens going to get a fair hearing to register their opposition.... Not a chance... It is a done deal and always was a done deal. Their shining new airport will not come without cost though, even though the public will foot a large  chunk of the bill, there is some consolation to know the country club set is operating