The report cites the address of one mobile home being used on tax returns claiming four families live there with 20 children. However, the station gets the resident of the home to admit that not one of the children listed in the tax returns has ever lived at the home. The workers received a refund of $29,608.

The RV Industry Association issued a press release today highlighting new research that showed 8.9 million U.S. households currently own an RV. But, their research also concludes that 21 percent of all U.S. households stated intentions to purchase an RV in the survey.

According to RVIA, this is on par with the 23 percent rate in 2005 and ahead of the 16 percent rate in 2001.

Don't you just wish that this research would come true, if only for one year?

My inbox has been buzzing today after we published a wire service story yesterday in which Richard Coon, president of the RV Industry Association, noted that 42 percent of RV owners get units repaired by independent service centers compared to 40 percent who turn to RV dealers to get units fixed.

Ignoring the fact that 18 percent of RV owners apparently don't ever need service, the issue of who services RVs has been the topic of discussion -- and consternation -- for years. And the issue generally boils down to this key fact. Many RV dealers tell customers if you don't buy your recreation vehicle from us, you cannot come to us for service.

Here are some other key points to consider as well

I know our competitors tend to shy away from controversial issues by going along to get along. Perhaps they think that simply reporting happy news makes the industry stronger along with their bottom lines. Maybe they think by ignoring the elephants in the living room, the herd will simply go away.

But, I've always believed that accountability makes people, and companies, stronger -- sort of an iron sharpens iron philosophy. For that reason, people are free to hold me accountable as well.

Last week another executive warned me to "be careful" simply because I was asking questions that "nobody ever asks us." He later claimed he didn't want us "making up stories" and "creating controversy where none exists."

I found that to be an interesting statement. If someone solves a problem by disposing of a body and someone else stumbles upon the grave, which individual created the controversy that didn't exist before?

The California legislature came up with an ingenious plan to keep its state parks open -- turn them over to non-profit organization.

Now that's reassuring! What makes California legislators think the Lions Club, California Milk Producers, Girl Scouts, Big Brothers Big Sisters, First Baptist Church or the San Francisco Gay Lesbian Alliance is in a better position to return a state resource to profitability than, say, Kampgrounds of America, Jellystone Parks or some type of public-private partnership.

As the fourth annual Elkhart Dealer Open House wraps up, it would be a lie to say the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky., is not in very serious danger of being rendered obsolete. It would also be a lie to say that the Louisville Show is dead. However, someone better grab a defibrillator soon.

For years, the RV Industry Association has run roughshod over the Louisville show by dictating a host of rules and regulations that restrict what companies can display when, where and how. Exhibitors have basically been told, “This is our show and we make the rules. It’s either our way or the highway.”

Well, that highway is now open and it’s a four lane Interstate heading north from Louisville directly into Elkhart County. And why shouldn’t it?

An article appearing in the Knoxville News Sentinel this weekend caught my attention because the CEO of one of America's largest truck stops was objecting to the commercialization of Interstate rest areas.

James Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J, noted, "While at first glance this may seem like an easy way for state DOTs to generate revenue, the fact is it will devastate private businesses like mine that for the last 50 years have operated under the current law and established locations at the highway exits. The advantageous location of state-owned commercial rest areas establishes virtual monopolies on the sale of commercial services to highway travelers."

He's right.

Wasn't it just a year ago that Elkhart was still being touted as the poster child for America's economic woes?

President Obama and his minions made multiple trips to the Elkhart area to assure workers there that he was "focused like a laser" on creating jobs and turning the economy around. As we wait for his economic programs to bring the promised results, I noticed the president hit the campaign trail in style this week. He has started touring the country asking to be re-elected while traveling in a $1.1 million RV that was manufactured in Canada.

Watching these buffoons in Washington work is reminding me of a scene in Apollo 13.  Kevin Bacon, who was playing astronaut Jack Swigert, was working in a flight simulator a few days before the launch when something went wrong and everything he tried to do to fix the problem didn't work and the spacecraft eventually blew up. 

In that case, he was discovering that laws of physics can't be broken and once certain things are put into motion, nothing can be done to alter their direction. Jump off a high building and nothing except an unexpected heavy wind updraft that slows the rate of fall can prevent death or serious injury.

Like physics, there are natural laws governing an economy as well.  Put certain things into place and, eventually, nothing short of a miracle can reverse the outcome.