Is there no limit to what the government will do to harass citizens who are merely trying to petition government?
Original story. Engineering without a license.
My first post.
Now, law without a license?
So, the guy says, "I am NOT REPRESENTING the association in this matter." Couldn't be clearer. But they referred him to the state bar anyway.
Wow. As I said before, it should be impossible to surprise me. But that "public servant" Andrew Ritter who says his job is to "protect the public," when what he means is he is protecting himself and his buds from the inconvenience of citizens asking questions....Jeez. I'm surprised. Again.
Here's the cool thing: the resolution of the first case ("Engineering without a license") is something that only Orwell could appreciate. Here is the description from our local NBC 17:
Eventually, the state engineering board decided that the report WAS IN FACT a violation. The group was practicing engineering without a license. But the board decided not to pursue the matter because it is not entirely clear who wrote what. The report is "too good," though, and that means it is illegal, and not something that can be used in the proceedings.
So, if you write a detailed memo, using evidence and logic, you are VIOLATING THE LAW. But since it is too hard to tell who wrote the illegal petition for redress of grievance, they are going to let Mr. Cox off. This time. Next time, boy, you may not be so lucky. You had better be damned glad that our government is a benevolent and loving government, Mr. Cox. They'll be watching...
5 comments:
The link for citizen charged with being too smart links to the same newspaper article as at the top of the post.
Thanks! Changed it out...
Pure Craziness,
It appears that the citizens went on the cheap (not a bad thing) and did not do what the DOT engineer requested for reconsideration. Providing opportunity for the state Engineer to do just exactly what he said he would do, nothing until he had a signed and sealed study.
The neighbors likely talked to an engineer who would not go on the record but pointed them in the right direction. The market power of the possibility of state contracts far outweighs the paltry fee that the Neighborhood association can pay. Leading to why none of Licensed Engineers would put their name on the document. To some extent I think the state action is trying to smoke out the Engineer who they percieve to have betrayed them.
The DOT staff had a clear opportunity to simply tell the neighborhood group the truth, which seems to be abundently clear from the news reports, just no one can say it.
Note this is an economic opinion not an engineering opinion.
The signal should be built in the future. The State is short on dough and has more pressing needs. The neighborhood group should look at the future traffic projection and determine when a signal is expected to be needed by the state rules and be pushing to get the signal in the budget close to that time frame.
The neighborhood group could also search for possible inefficient allocations or examples of signals being built not meeting the state standards that likely abound in the region (unless you don't have elected official or government beaurcrats in Raleigh), and identify the politians that greased the wheels for other signals.
It's all arbitrage, baby.
The City of Raleigh already agreed to install the lights at the City's expense. All that was needed was for DOT to approve them.
In previous reports Lacy claims that someone at the Board instructed him to file the complaint. Now NBC17 says that Ritter (executive director of the board) filed the practicing law without a license complaint. Wonder who in the board gave Lacy his marching orders? Also, there is one Andrew Ritter who lives in Wakefield Plantation just north of the proposed traffic lights. Don't know if it's the same guy but this is beginning to stink.
Look at the DOT's directory and see how many listed have engineer before their name but no PE after their name. Pot calling the kettle black?
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