Agenda 21...Connect the Dots (if you can keep up)

[Jodi180]

I heard about this on a radio ad about a week ago, then found it in the Omaha Weird Herald this past weekend.  My spidey senses were tingling, so I went digging.  Here's the article that set off the dig:

La Vista offers free cards for cheaper prescriptions 

La Vista is the first city in Nebraska to offer free discount cards for prescription medications. 

The program, sponsored by the National League of Cities, can save users an average 23 percent on prescriptions, according to program officials. 

The program is not a form of insurance, and the cards cannot be combined with other health insurance or Medicare plans to provide additional savings. But the discount can apply to prescriptions not covered by an insurance plan. 

“Anything to help any of our citizens and to help save costs on medical prescriptions is positive,” Mayor Doug Kindig said. “We're offering a benefit to citizens.”  

The discounts don't apply to over-the-counter medications, but certain diabetic supplies and pet medications are included. The cards are accepted at most area pharmacies as well as more than 60,000 participating pharmacies across the country. 

Gregory Minchak, a spokesman for the league, based in Washington, D.C., said La Vista is the first city in the state to offer the benefit, but Ralston, North Platte and Lexington have applied for the program. He said several other league members in Nebraska, including Omaha, are eligible but have not applied.  

But Sarpy and Douglas Counties offer a similar program through the National Association of Counties.  

The city and county cards cannot be used together; one or the other brings the savings. CVS Caremark is the parent company that provides the cards for both the National League of Cities and National Association of Counties programs. 

Participation is open to anyone, not just La Vista residents or Sarpy and Douglas County residents. 

Douglas County Board member Mary Ann Borgeson said the county cards are available at nonprofit organizations and government offices. More details can be found at www.douglascounty-ne.gov/prescription-discount-card. 

The La Vista cards can be obtained at La Vista City Hall, 8116 Park View Blvd., or the La Vista Public Library, 9110 Giles Road. They can also be printed from the caremark.com/nlc website, which also offers a list of participating pharmacies. 

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130119/LIVEWELL01/701199929/1687#la-...

Let's get the shovel:

CVS Caremark -About National League of Cities

The National League of Cities (NLC) Prescription Discount Card is a FREE program offered to help you save money on the high cost of prescription medications. This prescription discount card is brought to you by your city government in collaboration with the NLC. Use the card anytime your prescriptions are not covered by insurance.

http://www2.caremark.com/nlc/

Free?  I’m smart enough to know that nothing’s free, especially when it’s “brought to you by your city government”.  I couldn’t find any info on how this program is paid (other than through donation from CVS).  There was a ‘more’ key, so I clicked:

About National League of Cities

Welcome to the National League of Cities Prescription Discount Card

The NLC Prescription Discount Card program is available only to member cities of the National League of Cities.

Click here to check if your city is a member of NLC. 

The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

http://www2.caremark.com/nlc/how.htm

 

You know me….I clicked ‘here’.

“We are sorry, but the page you were looking for can't be found.  Don't worry though, we will help you get to the right place.”

http://www.nlc.org/inside_nlc/membership/membership_rosters/354.aspx 

Yeah, they didn’t, so I guess I won’t find out which cities are members of the National League of Cities unless I 'sign up'. 

On to the National League of Cities website:

National League of Cities

http://www.nlc.org/

Under Policy Committes (and then under “Policy & Resolution) I found:

Community & Economic Development

4. Sustainable Development

NLC supports federal policies that encourage efficient land use management and sensitivity to the environment and neighborhoods. The nation’s finite physical and financial resources demand that the concept of sustainability guide community development initiatives to prevent exhausting limited resources.

For more details on sustainable development, see CED Section 3.07(C)(4)(c), Land Use, Promoting Sustainable Communities).

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/3-CED...

Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

2. Sustainability

NLC is committed to the concept of sustainability, that as a society we must find ways to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This is especially significant when considering the environment and natural resources. Acting in a sustainable fashion presents great opportunities, with the potential to result in multiple, significant benefits to individuals, communities and society, including economic prosperity, environmental protection, social well-being, public health and national security. A wide array of issues can and should be viewed in the context of sustainability, including energy and the environment, transportation, land use and economic development, housing, and public health.

(See also the Community and Economic Development (CED) and Transportation Infrastructure and Services policy chapters.)

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/2-EEN...

Human Development

4.00 Introduction

Through concerted action that improves the social, economic, and physical well being of our residents, we can conserve our nation’s most important resource, human capital. In particular, the cornerstone of the federal government’s comprehensive human development strategy must be the self-sufficiency of every individual.

Through policy recommendations and legislative action, the federal government must:

Create a coordinated system of social services to assist our society’s citizens attain the highest level of self-sufficiency and independence;

Establish and implement a national policy on children and youth, including full funding for early childhood programs, child care, Head Start and Early Head Start for all children who need them;

Fully fund federally-mandated education programs, including No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);

Create a comprehensive system of services designed to prevent unwed teenage pregnancy and eliminate poverty;

Promote full employment and assist the unemployed;

Promote equal opportunity efforts in education, employment, and social services;

Provide a floor of financial support through Social Security upon retirement or disability;

Provide assistance to individuals with disabilities so that they too may realize their potential;

Ensure that Americans are able to access adequate health care and establish a federal block grant program to enhance our public health systems;

Establish a comprehensive, coordinated, flexible and continuous system of care for individuals with mental illness;

Implement an effective immigration enforcement policy and provide resources directly to local communities for the transition costs associated with new immigrants and refugees; and

Support coordinated planning or program development by cities to ensure that cultural resources are accessible to all citizens.

And…

Principles

While recognizing that human resources policy relates to all citizens, the federal government must give special emphasis and priority to social service funds for the problems of the nation’s most vulnerable: the poor, the working poor, the unemployed, the physically and mentally challenged, the elderly, young people, and minorities. With this assistance, they too can attain the highest level of independent living of which they are capable.

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/4-HD-...

Information Technology & Communications

D. Network Neutrality

The federal government should mandate compliance with the following principles by all companies owning networks or offering Internet access, regardless of technology they employ:

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/7-ITC...

Public Safety & Crime Prevention

Weapons and Ammunition Control

Urge firearm manufacturers to be responsible corporate citizens by:

1) including safety devices with their products and developing new technologies to make guns safer;

2) selling only to authorized dealers and distributors, and allow their authorized distributors to sell only to authorized dealers;

3) allowing no firearm sales at gun shows or similar events unless all background checks are completed;

4) not selling firearms that can readily be converted into fully automatic weapons or that are resistant to fingerprints;

5) not selling large (more than 10 rounds) capacity ammunition clips;

6) maintaining an electronic inventory tracking plan; and

7) forgoing firearms sales to licensed dealers known to be under indictment.

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/6-PSC...

Transportation Infrastructure & Services

Enhancements Programs

NLC encourages the federal government to support a program for enhancement projects that strengthens our nation’s multimodal transportation system. Projects eligible for this funding should include bicycle and pedestrian facilities, rails-to-trails projects, landscaping and scenic beautification, and environmental retrofit programs. Funding from this program should be distributed to cities in its entirety.

NLC supports a dedicated funding source for enhancements such as bike and pedestrian facilities and rails-to-trails projects that have a direct impact on congestion mitigation and contribute to a cleaner environment.

http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Influence%20Federal%20Policy/NMP/5-TIS...

 

Also, at this site I found the dreaded word….”Sustainability”:

How can NLC support your Sustainability Goals?

Over the next year NLC will produce resources on several issues important to achieving sustainability goals of cities and towns across the country. In order to equip local government leaders with the best information and tools possible - we want to hear from YOU! We invite your feedback, ideas, recommendations, and experiences via the following topic-specific feedback forms. Each form will take approximately 5-7min. to complete. We truly appreciate your time and contributions and are looking forward to supporting your city’s sustainability goals today, tomorrow and into the New Year!

http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/center-for-research-and-inno...

Getting the gist?  Now, let’s check the National Association of Counties:

National Associations of Counties

http://www.naco.org/Pages/default.aspx

I found the same BS at this site....almost word for word.  But I did have the opportunity to look up NACO county members:

Find A County:  http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx

Yep, both Douglas (Omaha) and Sarpy Counties are members of NACO!  Of 93 counties in Nebraska, 56 are members.  Here's some additional information:

Who are they? - How We are Governed

The National Association of Counties' (NACo) consolidated family is a group of corporations organized to provide services and products for county government elected officials, administrators, employees and residents.  NACo’s Bylaws govern how the association is run, detailing its object and purpose and the structure and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the membership.

The role of the Board of Directors is to:

• supervise, manage and control the business and property of the association;

• determine NACo's mission as identified by the members;

• monitor NACo's success in fulfilling its mission; and

• ensure that NACo will be able to continue to fulfill its mission.

http://www.naco.org/about/governed/Pages/default.aspx

Under Transportation, I found:

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

Overview

On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law P.L. 112-141, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Funding surface transportation programs at over $105 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014, MAP-21 is the first long-term highway authorization enacted since 2005. MAP-21 represents a milestone for the U.S. economy – it provides needed funds and, more importantly, it transforms the policy and programmatic framework for investments to guide the growth and development of the country’s vital transportation infrastructure.

MAP-21 creates a streamlined, performance-based, and multimodal program to address the many challenges facing the U.S. transportation system. These challenges include improving safety, maintaining infrastructure condition, reducing traffic congestion, improving efficiency of the system and freight movement, protecting the environment, and reducing delays in project delivery.

MAP-21 builds on and refines many of the highway, transit, bike, and pedestrian programs and policies established in 1991. This summary reviews the policies and programs administered by the Federal Highway Administration. The Department will continue to make progress on transportation options, which it has focused on in the past three years, working closely with stakeholders to ensure that local communities are able to build multimodal, sustainable projects ranging from passenger rail and transit to bicycle and pedestrian paths.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/MAP21/summaryinfo.cfm

 

I'd say, 'in conclusion', but there seems to be no end to where the tentacles of Agenda 21 reach.

And it all starts with a FREE prescription card.

BTW:  Caremark's privacy policy appears to share health information with....you guessed it.....government and NGO's.

 

 

 

[Jerseygal]

Wow, Jodi!  What outstanding research.  All the buzz words are there too, from sustainability (barf) to stakeholders (gag).  This is excellent work, and I'm sure you will be presenting this at your upcoming meeting!  I already got this out on twitter.

I have to wonder just how many cities and counties have no idea what the end goal of Agenda 21 really is.  I have to think that, because to believe that really know what it is all about and are doing it anyway, is just to frightening!

[Jodi180]

Did you happen to notice....nothing about tax relief?  All about increasing federal funding.

I just scanned their resolutions.  There are pages and pages.

[Patriot Eagle 1]

I am sick and tired of this fundamentally changing, behind the scenes, subtle approach, and wish our darned elected officials were up to date and saw the big picture.  we are in so much trouble.

[Jodi180]

If they shoved it in our face, PE....well, we all know what would happen.

If you want to get someone to eat a crap sandwich, you better cover it in frosting!

[Jerseygal]

If you want to get someone to eat a crap sandwich, you better cover it in frosting!

Jodi... or serve with a lot of 'free stuff'  :)

[Robin]

Woah Jodi, You are quite the digger, aren't you?  Awesome! Isn't it nice how they put layer upon layer to hide themselves? It's like digging through a box of chocolates when you are young and secretly poking your finger in the bottom to see if you like the inside before you eat it. They are some very sneaky people.

[Robin]

Jodi, I'm going to make a petition up on Agenda 21 that we can get out to as many as possible, any way we can. Twitter, email, etc.  I will post it when I am finished!

[DebE]

I heard "National League of Cities" on the news the other night (about the prescription drug card) and knew right away what it was.  It's too bad only a few recognize those key words/phrases.  And when we say something people think we're crazy.

[Jodi180]

Hey JG...did I tell you?....the crap sandwich is not only covered in frosting....it's FREE!

Robin/JG...thanks for 'tweeting' (since I don't).  This is the kind of under-the-radar people should be aware of.

Mangus...I gotta start reading your stuff!

And, DebE...hope to see you on Wednesday.

I'm going to email my country commissioner and ask who authorizes a membership to NACO.  If your county is a member, then you should too. 

Hopefully, if we're all digging....we just might reach the bottom.

[Jodi180]

Yeah....I think it's THAT deep, Mangus.