BFEE Escape Hatch in Michigan: Citizens blast firm's disaster relief plans

[Octafish]

Gee. If you can't afford Paraguay, there's always Pellston...

Group fears emergency center would cater to rich

BY TOM CARR • FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER • March 4, 2008

PELLSTON -- A disaster preparedness firm has sparked controversy in northern Michigan with its plans to locate a center at Pellston Regional Airport.

Critics say they don't like the tax breaks state and local officials have discussed to entice Sovereign Deed to build a center in Emmet County. Sovereign Deed, they say, is a company designed to help evacuate rich people from disasters or attacks and leave others to fend for themselves.

"Imagine a helicopter landing on the deck of the Titanic and saying, 'OK, you paid me $50,000. The rest of you have to go down with the ship,' " said Ellis Boal, an attorney in neighboring Charlevoix County and a member of the citizens opposition group called Do We Need Sovereign Deed.

SNIP...

The company's Web site, which refers to clients as members, touts the need for individuals, families and companies to be better prepared for everything from natural disasters to chemical spills to terrorist attacks to disease outbreaks.

The company offers planning services, provisions such as water, food and medicine, and advice during emergencies. The company does not say anything on its Web site about rescues, though company officials have not ruled rescues out.

Opponents also criticize Moore for founding Triple Canopy Inc., one of the private military contractors that have drawn congressional scrutiny over shootings in Iraq.

CONTINUED...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS06/803040392/1008

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Soveriegn Deed"? WTF? Sounds like a Christo-fascist republicon homelander crony corp.

Ptoooey on these anti-American proiteers...

[SpiralHawk]

2. About the 'founder' of this outfit. Apparently a typical republicon crony: corrupt & incompetent

A freaking crooked used car salesman? How perfectly republicon...

tp://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2008/01/essay-sovereign.html

Essay: Sovereign Deed - 1/25/08
Based on the founder’s past track record, there is ample reason to wonder whether Sovereign Deed will ever live up to its promises to build a vast disaster response operation to look after rich people.

Published reports indicate that Barrett Moore was once convicted of deceptively obtaining more than $300,000 in connection with a used car business in Australia. He served prison time for that. Other ventures he founded have gone bankrupt. There have stories alleging that he misrepresented his military background.

In a later venture he was CEO of a private military contracting firm called Triple Canopy, which did business in Iraq. The internet newspaper Michigan Messenger reported that the board of directors fired Moore and charged him with fraud.

(snip)...

[gratuitous]

3. I'm of a couple of minds on this

In the event of a disaster, rich folks might just find that the folks they paid to spirit them out of the middle of the disaster are as affected by it as they are, and are too busy saving themselves to be of much assistance to them. They might also find out that their neighbors, especially those with firearms, aren't too thrilled by the prospect of watching a helicopter swoop in to help just a couple of people.

However, this can also be a vehicle for explaining to the working class Republicans who vote so assiduously against their own interests why they're doing something self-defeating. Instead of private disaster relief agencies, this is why we pool our money in the form of taxes to set up systems and processes that will help all of us: fire and police departments, emergency relief agencies, maintaining roads and bridges, public education and all that sort of stuff.

[noonwitch]

5. I know this area somewhat

Pellston is inland from Lake Michigan, but the communities of Harbor Springs and Petoskey are quite wealthy. Lakeshore property up there is expensive, as are the taxes on it. Away from the lakes, that area is militia country.

Nothing like a controversy that could split the republican base up there-the gun nuts vs the wealthy. I don't think there's a huge religious base up there-it's a little north of Michigan's Bible belt (Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Grand Haven, etc.)

[Karenina]

4. Cut him OFF the public teat!