While you're waiting, use the nifty Google search function to search
this group for numerous previous cites.

E.P.

From what I've seen that isn't very effective.

Even you are probably breaking various laws everyday. That's the
situation that's been constructed, where normal everyday, acceptable
behavior is often defined as illegal.

The question is how many knew that there was going to be a hearing on it?
Very few I imagine. You'll see the opposition once the tickets start
flying. Another thing is, would showing up there do any good? I've
read/seen on tv/experienced various hearings/meetings on things where
they were just a formality for decisons that were already in stone. It
really didn't matter who or how many showed up.

One thing I've noticed over the years is doing things by stealth. In
these cases what government does is burried in unaccountable agencies of
appointed/hired people where to just know the topics to be discussed
requires a freedom of information act lawsuit.

Government while saying they are acting according to the interests of the
people will shy away from any process where the people have a voice for
things like photo enforcement. Such as this article from thenewspaper.com:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1591.asp

-> By a narrow 3-2 vote, the Arizona Senate Transportation Committee voted
-> yesterday to deny residents a say in whether or not freeways statewide
-> will be monitored by photo enforcement.
<...>
-> Although supporters of the automated ticketing technology frequently cite
-> polls that claim widespread endorsement for speed cameras, the devices
-> have never succeeded in a referendum.
<...>
-> Governor Janet Napolitano (D) openly opposed the idea of asking for the
-> support of voters. The governor has been planning a statewide speed
-> camera system that could generate hundreds of millions in revenue for the
-> state, an Australian camera vendor, and insurance companies that impose
-> surcharges on photo ticket recipients.

In Texas, meetings regarding the trans-texas corridor have met with solid
opposition with many people showing up to voice their opposition to the
plans. Some even going so far as to say they would be defending their
land with their firearms. ( http://www.texastollparty.com/ ) The Texas
DOT and state government continue to simply ignore the opposition. One
of the toll road companies that is the partnership to profit from the
plan is buying up all the local newspapers along the route to help
silence the opposition. (See a previous thread where this is discussed)
On top of all of that, the agreements between the Texas DOT and the
private companies were kept secret and required lawsuits to bring into
open.

The thing is people aren't watching government in the detail required and
government actively works to keep what they know is unpopular out of
public view. When opposition appears it just ignores it. So what if the
people vote out the party that's in office and put in another. By the
time that happens, the deed is done and the other party is bought and
paid for too so it doesn't undo it in the vast majority of cases.

In some places like chicago, there is only _ONE_ party and offices are
handed down from father to son, mother to daughter. They know that
despite these revenue schemes ( which most people won't notice until they
are personally caught in them ), they will still vote along the lines of how
they were raised. People have been taught the 'republicans' or the
'libertarians' or whomever is some evil force so they vote democrat no
matter what. A recent example is prince Todd Stroger here in crook
county. ( http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1590.asp )

So in part your right, people don't 'care' in that they don't see a
choice. Plus, these sort of revenue grabs on the road tend to be rather
bi-partisan affairs where both canidates for an office will support them.

You, of course, are D'Artagnian.

E.P.