Smart Meters, Electric Monopolies and The Quest To Go AnalogKevin Schmidt Then one morning, gazing out into our backyard, a smart meter attached to our house caught my eye, bringing immediate shock to my brain. How could this happen? I did not receive any notice in the monthly energy bill; no letter, nothing. The smart meter just appeared. The next day, Monica (my wife) and I researched ways to protect ourselves from being spied upon and forced to have unwanted radiation spewed into our home. In that effort to defend our safety, health, and privacy we sent SWEPCO/AEP (the power company) a demand notice giving them 30 days to remove the smart meter, and replace it with a safe analog meter. The same day SWEPCO/AEP received the notice they sent a young man to our home attempting to calm the crazy people. To them, obviously we were crazy and needed to be fed the companys talking points of how safe, secure, efficient, blah blah blah, and how they do not retain or gather personal information. After I escorted the robot to the door, he let me know that they will not change the meter and if we do so then the power to our house will be cut off. 30 days expired and our default notice was immediately sent. To summarize the default notice, it made clear that we have never and do not ever intend to steal power, reminding them we had never being late paying our bill, among many other legalities, including informing them that a licensed electrician was going to replace our meter. Today was the first full day of no electricity, which means no hot water, our food will ruin in the freezers, and now the lack of light invites malcontents. All this evil occurred because we simply wished to protect ourselves from unwarranted and unlawful meters. The local officials in government talked to the monopoly and their talking points worked well. The Mayor said, Well Kevin, they said the meters arent smart meters and theyre safe. So thats the end of the help from the government here in happy roll over sleepy town Marshall, Texas, zombie land. After sending the government the manufacturers website, which details how these meters are of the smart variety, the local government said I should get legal council because they just cant do anything. These officials can ticket me, fine me for all sorts of reasons, give monopolies permission to radiate and invade my privacy. However, they cant, rather will not, re-enforce a citizens right to protect him/her self by opting out of having a dangerous spy attached to the citizens home. So for now, we wait on unreturned phoned calls from every politician including Ted Cruz. Although US Senator John Cornyns office actually answered the phone telling me bluntly, Our office cant get involved with anything like this. This matter is of a personal nature between a private person and another business. Unfortunately we cant help. I think my tone was less than polite when I responded with something not suited for repeating even in this article. Luckily we have wonderful family that has taken us in like wet puppies out of the cold. We will, however, fight and fight hard for our right, and our neighbors rights, to opt out of being forced to accept these meters invading us. Please wish us luck friends, into the breach we go again. And good luck all of you! Kevin Schmidt is a good friend of theDollar Vigilante, and a well-seasoned businessman in a wide variety of businesses. Ranging from oil and gas exploration and production; real estate; hospitals; and mining. 