The cumulative change in our cost has been a little over 100 percent; that is to say, that our cost for PG&E has more than doubled in six years and they want to increase it again! It is natural to ask, “why is it so high now and how are they justifying raising it again?” On what does PG&E spend its income?

The Commissioners must consider themselves politically untouchable and therefore can disregard the public’s opinion. I suggest that simple, unadorned outrage, is an appropriate response for such arrogance and suggest two tactics, terminate the commissioners’ employment and reduce the rates to something that is keyed to the actual cost of providing utilities, and remove the accumulated warts that have been grown on the rate schedule that have nothing to do with providing utilities. If you are satisfied with the current situation, you need do nothing; however, if you are not satisfied with how PG&E manages the utility cost recovery system, let your voice be heard. For energizing information, the combined annual salaries of the five CPUC commissioners exceeds $1,150,000 – plus benefits. Initial information can be found at: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/about-cpuc/commissioners. It will take much more digging beyond this web site to discover what the total compensation of each member of the CPUC is, in salary and benefits, as the state doesn’t make it easy to ferret it out. Questions to ponder are why is PG&E service so expensive and why is it getting more expensive at such a rate?

Owen Brovont, Livermore

January 2025

This is a gem that needs to be shared.  It was written by the incognito but famous author, Anonymous

Wisdom of the Ages

There is so much useful wisdom in the world, it stretches over time for millennia, we are buried in it, but so few people are aware that it exists – whole generations go on with their lives unaware and uncaring about the mistakes that could be easily avoided if they but spent some time with the wisdom of the ages.  It is there, for the most part, it is free for the taking; occasionally one must buy a book or participate in an intelligent, informed conversation!

Owen Brovont, Livermore, CA

November - December 2024

The Essence of a Free Society

Owen Brovont

Your town is an extension of your home – it is up to you what kind of changes you desire and will permit.  As citizens of Livermore, you elect town’s people to represent your views.  You are not passive recipients of what your “elected representatives” inform you of thechanges they have decided to make!  They are not elected with the idea that they will create plans to guide the development of the town, then inform you of what they intend to do.  You are supposed to guide them by advising them of what you want and what you expect.   If they continue to essentially ignore the choices voiced by the people, they must be replaced by those who understand their roles in local government, and will openly and honestly make their best efforts to fulfill them.

Our current mayor has been in office for more than 10 years, far longer than is healthy for a moderate sized developing town like Livermore.  During his time in office, he has supported and shepherded significant changes to both the blueprint and the character of Livermore, and he continues to fight for their implementation despite mounting concern and vocal opposition.  That seems to be a contradiction of how a town government is supposed to function.  It remains the responsibility of all Livermore’s citizens, not just the well-heeled special interests, to decide if the direction of Livermore’s development has been consistent with their wishes, or is in need of some changes to its leadership.

Jan and I are supporting Tom Soules for City Council, District 4, and recommend Jeff Kaskey for City, Council District 3.

Owen Brovont, a 58-year Livermore Resident

September - October 2024

Some History & A Warning

By Owen Brovont

During the mid-18th century, prior to the founding of our American Democratic Republic in 1789, Baron de Montesquieu, wrote what immediately became a fundamental and intellectually influential treatise about all elements that impact the thought and behavior of human beings.  His work included what were the necessary factors leading to a stable human social environment, including its government.  He produced The Spirit of the Laws, which incisively and thoroughly discussed the impingement of ideas, events and the social environment that mitigate against achieving the professed ideals and goals of human societies.

While humanity has made enormous strides in the formation of its cultures, recent history clearly continues to demonstrate that we have yet found the key to a perfect or nearly perfect means to ensure that the dynamics of human culture leads to the compatibility that would support social stability, peace, cooperation, creativity, and intellectual progress.  Montesquieu wrote,

“In a free republic, although all laws are derived from the consent of the people, yet the people do not declare their consent by themselves in person, but by representatives, chosen by them, who are supposed to know the minds of their constituents, and to be possessed of integrity to declare this mind.”

The last few comments depict an ideal that we in America have not achieved, but that we seem to be steering a course in the opposite direction to that implied by our stated goals.

It is, of course, a deeply saddening disappointment for those of us who believe in the intent of the founders of our beloved country, but the pain is intensified by the apparent lack of concern by much of the American population.  This reaction is made even more intense by the effectively subversive activities of our leadership at all levels of government.  The departure from the founding ideals of individual freedom, of personal integrity, and a demonstrated belief in equality are undermining the very fabric of our country – this has become more acute and made more perilous during the last few years.  The future of America appears to be hanging by a thread.

August 2024

Resolving America’s Social Problems

The social problems in America are not irresolvable – the answer is clear, obvious, and comparatively simple to state – everyone must adhere to the same morality and ethics; that is, understand, subscribe to, believe in, and be held to the same standards of personal and social behavior.  This would be required of everyone, citizens and non-citizens alike.  It would encompass and be demanded of the richest, the poorest, the most highly educated, and those who have not been educated beyond the third grade.  Several major obstacles currently mitigate against achieving this desirable outcome; and include the subtly subversive misplaced dedication to multiculturalism, the examples set by our elected leaders, and the intellectually corrupting structure of many of our institutions of higher learning. 

These institutions, some of which used to be among the very best in the country, encourage their students to believe that their individual and collective judgments are expressive of thoughtful mature intellects, when, in fact, they are only just beginning their education and lack the maturity of judgement that can only be achieved with extensive post educational experience in participating in the life of the community at large.

Multiculturalism is a clever and fine sounding phrase, but anyone with a functioning spark of intelligence recognizes the dissonance inherent in a population having multiple and frequently conflicting values by which they are to guide their behavior. The glaring evidence of the need is plaguing America on all fronts.  Much of it is not organic, but seeded and cultivated by internal and external representatives of social perspectives and external systems of government antithetical to America’s founding ideals.

A common set of values can be arrived at simply by everyone agreeing with, and being held to, living by rules of behavior to which they have subscribed.  Arriving at a feasible and workable consensus would be neither easy nor quickly decided.  If human history is any guide, and given the implications of its revolutionary goal, suggests that it would be difficult but not impossible to attain.  Additionally, owing to the existence of significant numbers of foreign and domestic subversives spread throughout the country, it would present an impediment to developing both a rationale and an effectively functioning process.  Logically, such an agreement would have to be built step by step, level by level, from the ground up, to develop and attain carefully and clearly defined goals.  Undoubtedly, such an activity would require significant time and effort to develop a workable process, and that, in and of itself, would require personal dedication and unquestioned integrity of the people involved.  Not surprisingly, the process would resemble the extensive collaborative activity that the founders of America employed when originally creating the Constitution of the United States – America’s need today, is of that magnitude.

Owen Brovont – Livermore

June/July 2024

WE, TRI-VALLEY REPUBLICANS, STAND WITH YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!

Official Statement - Pledge written by: Owen Brovont with input from Leslie Jones, TVR President

On Thursday, May 30, former president Donald J. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a sham trial. It remains a mystery in the minds of many law professionals how the charges were formulated, “up-charged” from misdemeanors to felonies, and about the way known Democrat Judge Marchon conducted the trial.

Speculation regarding the character and basis of the entire trial is rife with confusion, doubt and curiosity. The road to further legal procedures is wide open! Many are working to get the case immediately to the Supreme Court since numerous Constitutional rights were ignored in the trial proceedings. In other words, President Trump was not given a fair trial!

As freedom- and Constitution-loving Americans, we cannot sit this election out!

Tri Valley Republicans will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump as he continues to fight what has become a corrupt judicial system and works to earn so many votes to save our country that the coming election will be, in his words, “Too Big, To Rig”!

We pledge to work as tirelessly as President Trump is to ensure that Biden is voted out of the White House and President Trump is voted back in as the 47th President of the United States in 2024!

How about you?

Tri-Valley Republicans

May 2024

Preserve America!

The Federalist Papers

By Owen Brovont, Livermore CA

I have recently been perusing the Federalist Papers, not having visited them since my college days. The state of our nation persuades me that not many others have done so either since graduating from school, even if then, since its wisdom is not reflected in the present temper of our society.  America is worth the effort to read the Federalist Papers because much of America’s intended character and goals are explained, though often not in the clearest of styles to contemporary readers.  Indeed, the thought invested into the formation of the United States and the purpose and structure of its government were persuasively articulated and reflected erudition of the highest order by its authors.  Unfortunately, many of our modern political leaders and a predominant portion of contemporary citizens infrequently demonstrate those desirable traits in their manner and behavior.

Today, in attempts to change our society, it has been encouraged to divide into jealous and quarrelling special interest groups to which internecine tribe-like warfare is an ugly exercise of the freedom bequeathed to us by our founding fathers and passed on by the generations that succeeded them.

Alexander Hamilton, whose memory was recently and disingenuously attacked by socialist wannabes in an attempt to tarnish his reputation and his demean his contributions to the creation of our country, published his first Federalist essay in October of 1787.  In it he said,

With equal pleasure I have as often taken notice that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people – a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels, arms, and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly established general liberty and independence.

He was, of course, referring to the 13 Colonies, not the entire continent.  The current crop of uncharitable, historically ignorant, dedicated self-styled “progressive” socialists are intensely engaged in undermining America, to undo what the founding generation created.  Their preferred tactic is to use contemporary standards by which to render judgment on the values, choices, and behavior of the leaders of the founding generation.  By finding fault in that generation, specifically in those who created the documents, formulated the structure, and brought about the birth of the American republic, they challenge the legitimacy of today’s government.  Attacking the character of the founders is a disguised effort to seriously diminish the inestimable value of what they produced.  The only correct standards by which to judge the past is in its own context; the use of any other standard is indicative of gross stupidity or, far more alarmingly, subversive intentions.  The manner and purpose for which the past is being criticized is conspicuous to those who pay attention to its impact on contemporary political activity and social stability – it is no secret to those whose eyes are open and minds awake.  Let’s not lose this wonderful country.

 Owen Brovont, Livermore CA

April 2024

THINGS IN AMERICA

HAVE GOTTEN MEASURABLY WORSE

THE LETTER TO MRS. SMITH

By Owen Brovont, Livermore CA

I offer this missive from 2005, and suggest that things in America have gotten measurably worse over the intervening years, from October 2005 to now, April 2024!  This has transpired because adult Americans have allowed it – if not abetted it – through failure to appreciate what America was, or what it was intended to become.  This situation is the result of the absolute failure of the citizens of this nation to support and protect it from the criminally incompetent and corrupt people who have been elected to high government office to manage the country, but who are presently destroying it.  American citizens elected them because they are either uninformed, misinformed, indolent, or stupid, and therefore have become an unwitting tool of agents of a foreign country who are committed to tearing America down.  If you are not an agent, you may not know which category into which you belong because you have likely never taken the time to give it much thought.  Think about it now.

Dear Ms. Smith, (Name changed to protect privacy),

I am a white male heterosexual father of four and grandfather of two.  Two of my children are doctors (an MD and a DVM), one of which is currently serving in Iraq, one of the others is a senior research scientist in a biomedical field, and a fourth is still searching for a definite path to pursue.  Three of the four are women.   I have a university education but my wife does not.  We are reasonably happy in our personal life but agree that the country at large is a dangerous, unhappy, and confused place – very little like the country in which we grew up.  We are church goers and politically conservative, but evangelical zealots in neither case.  We believe in freedom with responsibility, we oppose political advocacy on college and university campuses because it is no less than immoral and stealthy intellectual rape of vulnerable young minds.  I tell you this to anticipate and forestall the attribution of “a communication from another backwoods troglodyte” who is out of touch with the realities of a modern diverse world etc., etc.  Propagandistic bombast such as it is, as it has been, and as it shall be unto the end of time.  Amen.

Additionally, I do not wish to be thought disrespectful or abusive for I have no justifiable reason to be so.  I merely wish to offer some observations and hope that you will cogitate, ruminate, and otherwise think about it in a manner comfortable to you, but ask you to seriously consider the implicit suggestions.

I recently read (this morning) Mike S. Adams column on the Townhall.com website, regarding the Black and White Dance at Champlain College. The dance was postponed a week and its theme changed, owing to the objections of one person that the theme title might be misconstrued by someone who might thereby be made to feel uncomfortable – to quote your broadcast:

Although the theme was chosen with the best intentions, there was the possibility there might be unintended consequences that could be offensive or hurtful.

At this point, I am nearly struck dumb by the mere articulation of such a conclusion – the possibility of unintended consequences, indeed!  Are people to stop building stairs because on occasion someone might stub his or her toe and feel momentary discomfort; are paint pigments other than white to be banned because some people dislike purple, red, fuchsia, heliotrope, etc.; is a procrustean surgical policy to be implemented in maternity wards because people 65 inches in height cannot realistically consider a future career in professional basketball – where, for God’s sake, does it end!  Is the mere voicing of an objection sufficient to bring an activity to a grinding halt on the chance that someone will be upset?  Where is the proportion, where is the rationality, where is the common sense without which most of daily life ceases to be viewed as a manageable enterprise?  And, finally, where is the democratic essence of a free society in such an abusive and stupefying system?  The mind rebels at the suggestion that such a system could possibly survive in nature for more than an instant.  That such a system is supported forces a mature rational person to cringe in disbelief.  This is America in a geographical sense only; it most definitely is no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave – it is becoming an unfenced zoo of the mean, the stupid and the misled.  The sane are being routed everywhere; bedlam reigns.   Which side are you on, Ms. Smith?  Do you know?  Do you know why?  Are you being honest with yourself?

Very truly,

Owen Brovont, Livermore, California

A Citizenship Challenge to Our TVR Membership

PragerU offered this challenge to its readers.  I highly recommend PragerU because Dennis Prager is both knowledgeable and hosts an informative series of short discussions of contemporary issues important to our understanding of what is happening in our country.  Do yourself a favor and explore PragerU, especially his 5minute Videos on many subjects relevant to a rational life.

Can you pass the U.S. citizenship exam?

Every year, the United States welcomes nearly 1 million new citizens through naturalization ceremonies, all of whom must pass the American citizenship exam by answering 6 out of 10 questions correctly.

While 90% of legal immigrant applicants pass the exam, only 30% of U.S. adults and just 3% of public high school students in America can pass it!

PragerU is determined to educate millions of young people about American history, civics, and the values that have made this country great. If you've watched enough PragerU videos, passing the exam should be a breeze.

Take this quiz to see if you can pass the U.S. citizenship exam.

Did you know that only 30% of U.S. adults and just 3% of public high school students in America can pass the U.S. citizenship exam?

This is a concerning trend, but PragerU is committed to reversing it. For over a decade, PragerU has been educating millions of young people about American history, civics, economics, foreign affairs, free markets, and Judeo-Christian values. Watched 5 million times a day, it's hard to overstate the impact of our videos.

Here is the URL to take the test.  It is strictly for your edification.  Good Luck.

https://prageru.typeform.com/to/XmlEvib9?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_7517963

Here is an introductory discussion with Dennis Prager.

https://www.prageru.com/video/dennis-prager-on-porn-the-sexualization-of-kids-and-gotcha-moments?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_7486831

Many of his five minute videos can be found here, enjoy. 

https://www.prageru.com/series/5-minute-videos

Owen Brovont, Livermore