June29, 2009
PoliticsNY.Net: A FEW THINGS
Dicker: "GOV. PATERSON'S top political adviser has met secretly with longtime Republican dirty trickster Roger Stone, who took credit for helping sink the governor's predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, The Post has learned."
Stone a friend & frequent columnist for this publication is often heard on Fred Dicker's Albany radio show as well. see state screen ...
"Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson is in no hurry to have his team play more than one regular-season game in Toronto. Wilson told The Associated Press on Sunday he'd prefer waiting "two or three years" to determine whether the northern experiment is a success before he'd consider reworking the contract reached last year with Toronto-based Rogers Communications. Under the agreement which runs through 2012, the Bills will play one regular-season and three preseason games in Toronto. Rogers officials have expressed interest in adding at least one regular-season game. Wilson says he doesn't know whether there will be another game there or not." AP ...
I had lunch with County Clerk Kathy Hochul & her associate Camile Brandon Thursday to catch up.
"Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., tops U.S.News & World Report's list of America's Best High Schools. The school, which focuses heavily on math and science education, bested more than 21,000 other public high schools in 48 states for the honor."
You ask what does this honor have to do with the County Clerk's office.
Well! Be patient & I'll tell you!
We always are talking about the Buffalo & WNY connections to national & international news, right?
The Vice Principal of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is Bob & Camile Brandon's daughter Heather, the Brandons live in Cheektowaga! ...
After lunch Thursday I headed over to the County Legislature: I agreed with Dems Wroblewski, Reynolds & Kozub vote, with the three GOP members, not to override the County Executive's veto of the "local law" creating a citizens Planning Board. I must say the Chairman Marinelli was working overtime to get that 10th vote during the floor debate to her credit; but it just wasn't the right time. Oh! by the way I thought texting during sessions is a no - no? One dissident legislator looked up at her & said "my phone is off."
What I do agree with most of the Legislature on is the loss of the CVB's Board DirectorJennifer Parker & President Rich Geiger is a real shame. Geiger especially has done great work at the Convention & Visitors Bureau for 13 years.
Both Geiger, Parker & a number of Legislators understand that the County's convention businessshould bethe heart & soul of our County's approach to marketing our area for our fair share of the billions in tourist dollars. What Geiger accomplished with that rundown convention center is nothing short of extraordinary.
CE Chris Collins approach to attracting our fair share of the billions in tourism dollars is venue specific, e.g., Bass Pro, architecture, etc. We believe his efforts should be centered around getting a new convention center built using this approach asthe center pieceofhis economic development agenda with respect to tourism. Not to do so in my view would be a rare departurefromthegood judgment Collins has displayed during his first 18 months in office.
Collins says, "90% of his efforts will focus on economic development in his final three years of his first term." ...
All eyes are on the Legislature's vote on downsizing (see below). Looks like the vote will be 11- 4 for 13 from 15 &4 year terms from 2. Tim Kennedy will vote for both his version 15 to 11 & the 13. Expect a Collins veto! ...
We believe the GOP can pick upat least 2 County Legislature seats in November possibly 3. ...
Dem County Chairman Len Lenihan just had his 2nd hip replacement surgery this week. He is doing fine according to all accounts, great news!
We want him in good shape to face the charges of racism that will be leveled against him from a number of different sources in the near future.
From sources on Lenihans watch over almost 7 years:
1. How many black men (democrat) serve on the Family Court? None.
2. How many black men serve on the County Court? None.
3. How many black men serve on the Supreme Court? None.
4. How many black men serve on the Court of Claims? None.
5. Hewill not endorse Mayor Brown for reelection.
6. He did not endorse Antoine Thompson for his 1st run for the State Senate.
7. He has not endorsed Barbara Miller Williams for County Legislature.
8. He has 1 Black in his inner circle that has any sway at all on his decison making process.
I did not include City Court because it is one of the lower courts that Lenihan can't quite control with the City of Buffalo vote.
With respect to that vote many believe the City's minorities will not come out for Lenihan's County wide candidates, esp. Comptroller, as a result. ...
Looks like Cheektowaga police Captain John Glascott (D) is in the County Sheriff's race to stay. This will be an interesting contest. ...
You are invited to a Campaign Kick-Off Party in support of Ray Walter Erie County Legislator - 4th District Please join the Legislator, his family and friends at Brennan's Bowery Bar & Restaurant 4401 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6 ' 8 p.m. $35/person$60/couple $150 Sponsor Pizza ' Wings ' Beer ' Wine ' Soda ...
& so it goes
NYS SENATE LIVE
UPDATE: Sunday: The Senate Dems convened & adjourned! Ditto for the GOP! ...
"If they are going to continue in this juvenile fighting with each other and not even passing bills they agree on- I don't really know what else to do; but I am going to keep them there."
Governor Paterson ...
Saturday: Senate Dems convened & adjourned! Ditto for the GOP! ...
Gov calls special weekend sessions 1:00 PM Saturday - 6:00 PM Sunday...
"Senate leaders are nearing a power-sharing accord to allow the chamber to move forward, according to a source close to the negotiations. The agreement would be in effect through 2010. There are a few remaining items left for the principals to agree on, but the leadership question seems to have been resolved.
The lineup:
President pro tempore: Democratic Sen. Malcolm Smith
Senate majority leader: Republican Sen. Dean Skelos
Vice-president pro tempore: Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada
Democratic conference leader: Democratic Sen. John Sampson
According to the source, the challenge now is convincing the fractured Democratic conference to go
along with this agreement, which would maintain Smith as the top Democrat in the Senate chamber." Published reports
SWINE FLU CLAIMS 2Nd LIFE OF BUFFALO STUDENT
We pray for the soul of this child who is with God & Jesus Christ as I write.
We pray for all of those afflicted& inthis event those they leave behind. ...
"A 9-year-old Buffalo girl died of swine flu Saturday day -- the second Buffalo School District student to die of the disease in a week.Maya Harden, who died just after 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Women and Children's Hospital, had been on life support. She was a fourth-grader at the Charles Drew Science Magnet School 59." ...
The child Matthew Davis, an eight-grader at the school Harvey Austin School 97 on Sycamore Street.
Lucretia Belton, the boy's mother, told Channel 4 her son suffered complications from swine flu including pneumonia and MRSA, that his kidneys were failing and he was being kept alive by machines.
Buffalo School Superintendent James A. Williams issued the following statement on the boy's death:
"On behalf of the Buffalo Public School District and the Buffalo Board of Education our deepest sympathy is extended to the family of our beloved student. We ask the Buffalo community to remember the student, family, friends, and loved ones in their thoughts and prayers. We have assigned grief counselors to Harvey Austin Public School 97 on Monday morning to provide the necessary support for students and staff."
Philip Rumore, the president of the city teachers union, issued the following statement on behalf of the district's teachers:
"Our hearts are broken and go out to the family of the student. Let us all be resolved that we are going to do everything that's humanly possible to make sure that no other child goes through what this child and his family has gone through."
There is a9-year-old girl is also in Women & Children's with the H1N1 virus, in critical condition. She is a student at the Charles Drew Science Magnet School 59."
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
Don't Be Deceived
by Bill O'Reilly
It seems every day there is another example of media deception in America. With the Fourth of July approaching, it is well worth remembering why the Founding Fathers gave the press special privileges. They wanted journalists to report honestly, to give the folks accurate, unbiased information so they could make informed decisions about who should hold power. Many of the Founders, like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, didn't much like the press, but they understood that, for a democratic Republic to work, voters need honest information.
Unfortunately, the vision of a free and honest press is fast disappearing in America. Let me give you yet another vivid example. This week a poll by The New York Times asked: "Would you be willing to pay higher taxes so that all Americans have health insurance?"
Fifty-seven percent said they were willing, 37 percent were not willing, and 6 percent had no opinion.
So, according to the Times, Americans overwhelmingly want government financed health care. That's what the poll says, right?
But if you read all the way down to the bottom of the poll, you see another question. "Who did you vote for (in the presidential election)?"
Forty-eight percent said Barack Obama, and just 25 percent answered John McCain. The rest, 19 percent, did not vote. Wow, that's almost two to one for Obama.
But the popular vote tally in the election last November was 53 percent for Obama and 46 percent for McCain. Wait a minute. That's a lot closer than two to one. Apparently The New York Times skewed the polling by offering the questions to mostly Obama voters. I'm shocked they supported higher taxes for federal health care, aren't you?
This kind of dishonesty is not uncommon in the media. The Times says its poll is "scientific." Sure it is. Scientifically stacking the deck.
I believe very few people read the entire poll before digesting the health care headline. The result is a flawed perception of what the American public really wants. The folks may indeed support Uncle Sam paying some heavy medical bills, but this poll is not a reflection of anything other than a New York Times deception.
By the way, CBS News also had its name on that poll.
As a media guy who wants accurate information, that kind of stuff tees me off. As soon as the pollsters learned that most of the respondents were Obama people, they should have thrown the results out. But the Times ardently favors national health care and a huge federal government. So the con played out.
The most frustrating part about this is that nothing can be done. The Times has an ombudsman, but he's a joke, and no outside agency has any power over the paper. It can pretty much do what it wants, and does.
It is true that the Times and some other media outlets, most committed left, are on the brink of bankruptcy. The liberal papers say the Internet is to blame, and that's partly true.
But the folks are beginning to understand that the informational fix is in. What good is "all the news that's fit to print" if the news is bogus?
The Times might want to poll that question.
June 28, 2009
O's Saturday Web Address
The Voice Claims Another Victim
by Cal Thomas
The first thing that should be acknowledged about South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's admission to an extramarital affair is that it could happen to any of us. That is not an excuse (and no, it has not happened to me, or to my wife). Every married person has heard the voice; the one that says you deserve something "better."
Gov. Sanford should have been familiar with the voice because of the Bible studies he attended. The voice began seducing humanity a long time ago. It told our first parents that they needed more than the perfection of Eden. The voice told them that God knew that if they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would be like God. But they already were like God, because they were made in His image.
Stick with me you secularists and non-literalists, because there is a point to be made for you, too.
Psychiatrists explain that married people tire of one another after 10 or 20 years (it used to be seven years, as in that Marilyn Monroe/Tom Ewell film "The Seven Year Itch." Must be inflation.). Good marriages are the result of hard work. Forsaking all others is more than a wedding promise. It is a daily denial of one's lower instincts. Temptation is everywhere. The key to overcoming it is to realize you are fighting an adversarial force that wants to destroy you, embarrass you and cause ridicule to be heaped on the God you claim to worship.
One can make excuses about power and loneliness and starting out as a friendship that develops into something else, as Gov. Sanford rambled on about, but one can't explain adultery. It is what it is and the person who commits it should be calling on God for mercy, not the voters for understanding.
I once asked evangelist Billy Graham if he experienced temptations of the flesh when he was young. He said, "of course." How did he deal with them? With passion he responded, "I asked God to strike me dead before He ever allowed me to dishonor Him in that way." That is the kind of seriousness one needs to overcome the temptations of a corrupt culture in which shameful behavior is too often paraded in the streets.
There was a time when a divorce would disqualify someone from public office. Now people admit affairs and expect to stay in office. "It's just sex," said defenders of Bill Clinton. One might as well say, "it was just a gun" that killed my spouse. Adultery wounds in ways a bullet cannot. One can potentially heal from a bullet wound, but a shot to the soul and to the trust that must be central to any marriage is nearly impossible to repair. The wounded spouse always wonders, "Will he/she do it again?"
A relationship most promise to venerate "until death us do part" is damaged by adultery, whether it's a TV evangelist, a politician or a regular Joe who violates the marriage bed. In fact, we rarely even use the word "adultery" anymore because it sounds so, uh, biblical, and those teachings and commands long ago fell out of fashion, though they work for those who embrace them.
Any man who claims never to have had thoughts of straying is a liar. Any man who has sought the help of God and other men in helping him to honor his marriage promises to his wife and children is a hero, especially in today's morally exhausted culture.
I miss Paul Harvey and his acknowledgement of those who had been married 50, 60, even 70 years.
Those people are my role models. I'm sure they heard the voice, too, but they told it to get lost and it did. Pushing against weights builds up the body, pushing against the voice builds up the soul and improves a marriage. You can never take a marriage -- or the voice -- for granted; it's always on the prowl looking for new people to destroy.
Last week
Politics NY.Net THINGS ARE GETTING UGLY!
Senator Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn said, "Governor David Paterson is a coke-snorting, staff-banging Governor." Referencing Paterson's public admissions of drug use and an extra-marital affair.
Later theDem leadersship issued a statement, "tempers are flaring, but we must maintain a level of civility and decorum befitting a senator and representative of the people of New York."
Senator Antoine Thompson"I think he's crossed the line to try to use this for political purposes."
Espadasays, "Paterson is throwing gasoline on the fire." ...
Paterson has taken the gay marriage bill "off" theagenda should the Senate move any of his non controversial bills. ...
Governor Patersonhas called special session Thursday at 3:00 PM. If Senators do not agree & or show up he will go to court; the court would then order the State police to go & collect the Senators & bring them to chambers. He will also withhold pay checks. ...
Session began & was adjourned after five minutes. The GOP wants binding arbitration. ...
We would strongly urge democratic Senators Bill Stachowski & Reuben Diaz et al. to cross over today fortwo reasons: Defeat thegay marriage bill & pass the Governor's messages of necessity (non controversial)legally....
Dems attempting to take control of chambers are taking two hour shifts at both the President Pro Temp & Majority Leader's chairs. Meanwhile Dem Senator Diaz says if Dems bring gay marriage bill to floor expect a swift reaction from him. ......
Paterson calls "special session" Wednesday gay marriage on his agenda. Hopefully, this nonsense in Albany will end the gm initiative for another year.
MAYOR BYRON BROWN
The Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council, whose 18-member unions combine to represent more than 10,000 area construction workers, Thursday announced its endorsement of Mayor Byron W. Brown for re-election as Mayor of Buffalo.
"Four years ago the Buffalo Building Trades Council supported Byron Brown in his first run for Mayor of Buffalo because he had a long history of public service standing up for the rights of working families across our region," said Building Trades President Paul Brown. "During his first term as Mayor of Buffalo, Mayor Brown has continually demonstrated his support for the issues that are important to our members, advocating for job-creating projects and he has always maintained an open line of communication with the Building Trades Council. We are confident Buffalo is moving in the right direction and Mayor Brown deserves a second term to continue the progress his administration has achieved so far."
NYS INDEPENDENCE PARTY
Sources say, confirmed, that NYS IP Chairman Frank MacKay & the State Committee have gone to NYS Supreme Court to have the endorsements of the Erie County IP under Sandy Rosenwie vacated.
Rosenswie believes as County Chair she can issue authorizations, AKA Wilson Pakulas, for endorsed candidates of other parties to have the IP line. There is a window for legal challenges if our source is correct MacKay, et al. have filed those challenges.
The State IP rules, affirmed by the NYS Appeals Court, gives the State Committee to the authority to endorse candidates in Counties with a population of 750,000 ormore.
Sources believe, while there are a number of endorsements involved in the lawsuit,the purpose of the lawsuit is to preclude County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz (D) from getting the IP line in November.
ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE MID YEAR BUDGET HEARINGS
UPDATE: With strong arguments on both sides the County Legislature failed to muster the 10 votes needed to override (9-6) Collins veto of the proposed "Local Law" creating a County Planning Board. ...
"The County Legislature created the mid-year budget hearings as part of our reform efforts and to increase the accountability of county government spending practices," County Legislature Chair Lynn M. Marinelli (D-Buffalo, Tonawanda) said. "If there are areas in spending or revenues that create concerns and need addressing, the Legislature needs to know about them now and not later in this fiscal year."
"The mid-year budget hearings have been a helpful tool to the Legislature in conducting our County Charter-mandated duties of financial oversight," County Legislator Kathy Konst (D-Lancaster, Elma), Chair of the Finance and Management Committee, said. "In these increasingly difficult economic times, county residents need to know that their elected Legislators are reviewing and analyzing spending and funding situations to make sure that the county runs as efficiently and effectively as possible while keeping costs as low as we can."
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
Iran: Desperately Seeking Yeltsin
by Charles Krauthammer
WASHINGTON -- Iran today is a revolution in search of its Yeltsin. Without leadership, demonstrators will take to the street only so many times to face tear gas, batons and bullets. They need a leader like Boris Yeltsin: a former establishment figure with newly revolutionary credentials and legitimacy, who stands on a tank and gives the opposition direction by calling for the unthinkable -- the abolition of the old political order.
Right now the Iranian revolution has no leader. As this is written, opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has not appeared in public since June 18. And the Khamenei-Ahmadinejad regime has shown the requisite efficiency and ruthlessness at suppressing widespread unrest. Their brutality has been deployed intelligently. The key is to atomize the opposition. Start with the most sophisticated methods to block Internet and cell phone traffic, thanks to technology provided by Nokia Siemens Networks.
Allow the more massive demonstrations to largely come and go -- avoiding Tiananmen-style wholesale bloodshed -- but disrupt the smaller ones with street-side violence and rooftop snipers, the perfect instrument of terror. Death instant and unseen, the kind that only the most reckless and courageous will brave.
Terror visited by invisible men. From rooftops by day. And by night, swift and sudden raids that pull students out of dormitories, the wounded out of hospitals, for beatings and disappearances.
For all our sentimental belief in the ultimate triumph of those on the "right side of history," nothing is inevitable. This second Iranian revolution is on the defensive, even in retreat. To recover, it needs mass, because every dictatorship fears the moment when it gives the order to the gunmen to shoot at the crowd. If they do (Tiananmen), the regime survives; if they don't (Romania's Ceausescu), the dictators die like dogs. The opposition needs a general strike and major rallies in the major cities -- but this time with someone who stands up and points out the road ahead.
Desperately seeking Yeltsin. Does this revolution have one? Or to put it another way, can Mousavi become Yeltsin?
President Obama's worst misstep during the Iranian upheaval occurred early on when he publicly discounted the policy differences between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mousavi.
True, but that overlooked two extremely important points. First, while Mousavi himself was originally only a few inches to Ahmadinejad's left on the political spectrum -- being hand-picked by the ruling establishment precisely for his ideological reliability -- Mousavi's support was not restricted to those whose views matched his. He would have been the electoral choice of everyone to his left, a massive national constituency -- liberals, liberalizers, secularists, monarchists, radicals and visceral opponents of the entire regime -- that dwarfs those who shared his positions, as originally held.
Moreover, Mousavi's positions have changed, just as he has. He is far different today from the Mousavi who began this electoral campaign.
Revolutions are dynamic, fluid. It is true that two months ago there was little difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi. But that day is long gone. Revolutions outrun their origins. And they transform their leaders.
Mikhail Gorbachev and Yeltsin both began as orthodox party regulars. They subsequently evolved together into reformers. Then came the revolution. Gorbachev could not shake himself from the system. Yeltsin rose up and engineered its destruction.
In the 1980s, Mousavi was Ayatollah Khomeini's prime minister, a brutal enforcer of orthodox Islamism. Twenty years later, he started out running for president advocating little more than cosmetic moderation. But then the revolutionary dynamic began: The millions who rallied to his cause -- millions far to his left -- began to radicalize him. The stolen election radicalized him even more.
Finally, the bloody suppression of his followers led him to make statements just short of challenging the legitimacy of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the very foundations of the regime. The dynamic continues: The regime is preparing the basis for Mousavi's indictment (for sedition), arrest, even possible execution. The prospect of hanging radicalizes further.
As Mousavi hovers between Gorbachev and Yeltsin, between reformer and revolutionary, between figurehead and leader, the revolution hangs in the balance. The regime may neutralize him by arrest or even murder. It may buy him off with offers of safety and a sinecure. He may well prefer to let this cup pass from his lips.
But choose he must, and choose quickly. This is his moment and it is fading rapidly. Unless Mousavi rises to it, or another rises in his place, Iran's democratic uprising will end not as Russia 1991, but as China 1989.
"Two If By Sea"
Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul
　
Since last summer, I have had the opportunity to talk to many Western New Yorkers about Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDL). Now that the much heralded deadline of June 1st has passed, this new license is one of the documentation options necessary for land or sea border crossing. With road travel being the most common means of border crossing in our area, most of the media's attention has gone towards educating automobile drivers, but now that summer has officially begun, I wanted to update the recreational boaters of our community on how they are affected by the new travel initiative.For Americans boating to Canada. Imagine an imaginary line drawn down the middle of the waterways separating the United States from Canada. Once you cross that half-way point, you are in Canadian waters. As veteran boaters know, you must report to the Canadian Government each time you land or anchor near the Canadian shoreline. This is done by calling 1-888-CAN-PASS (1-888-226-7277). During this phone call, you are required to report the full name, date of birth and citizenship for everyone on board, as well as the destination, purpose of the trip and length of stay in Canada for every non-Canadian passenger.
All occupants must also have a W.H.T.I. compliant document, a Passport, an Enhanced Drivers License, a Non-Driver I.D. Card, or a NEXUS card. If passengers are under the age of 16, only a birth certificate is required. The Canadian Border Service will also need your vessel registration data and your vessel number. They may dispatch border agents to your location, or direct you to a meeting location to physically inspect your documents. You can find the complete list of the border crossing rules at www.erie.gov/clerk. At this link, you will also find information on how to obtain your Enhanced Drivers License, Non-Driver I.D. card, along with Erie County Auto Bureau locations and hours.
For Americans returning from Canada. Every time an American boat returns to U.S. waters, the ship's operator must report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at 1-800-827-2851. If you and ALL of your passengers are enrolled in the NEXUS program or the I-68 program, a phone call may be all that is required. You will need the full name, date of birth and citizenship for everyone on board as well as WHTI compliant documents. (The I-68 program is for pleasure boats and you can register for the 12 month permit and find out more information by calling 1-716-881-4447) You may still be required to report to a Customs and Border Protection Port of Entry upon C.P.B. request. For all others, after calling the 800 number, you may be directed to the nearest location that has a videophone and all passengers must report to the videophone with their necessary documentation. Many ports have these videophones including Erie Basin Marina, North Tonawanda, Dunkirk, Youngstown, Wilson and Olcott. For a link to the Customs and Border Protection website log onto www.erie.gov/clerk.
This time of year, our Auto Bureaus are also busy issuing three-year boat registrations for pleasure craft. Trailer renewals occur annually every December. There are over 25,000 boats registered in Erie County, making our offices among the busiest in the State for serving boaters.
As any Western New Yorker who has looked longingly at a frozen Lake Erie in the dead of winter knows, the summer season is when enjoy Lake Erie and Niagara River waters to the fullest. For those already looking to pursue summer boating plans, please remember to be careful, check to be certain you have all the required safety equipment and new documentation when visiting and returning from Canada. Enjoy the summer weather while it lasts!
Obama to Iran: Let Them Eat Ice Cream
by Ann Coulter
On Iran, President Obama is worse than Hamlet. He's Colin Powell, waiting to see who wins before picking a side.
Last week, massive protests roiled Iran in response to an apparently fraudulent presidential election, in which nutcase Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner within two hours of the polls closing. (ACORN must be involved.)
Obama responded by boldly declaring that the difference between the loon Ahmadinejad and his reformist challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, "may not be as great as advertised."
Maybe the thousands of dissenters risking their lives protesting on the streets of Tehran are doing so because they liked Mousavi's answer to the "boxers or briefs" question better than Ahmadinejad's.
Then, in a manly rebuke to the cheating mullahs, Obama said: "You've seen in Iran some initial reaction from the supreme leader" -- peace be upon him -- "that indicates he understands the Iranian people have deep concerns about the election."
Did FDR give speeches referring to Adolf Hilter as "Herr Fuhrer"? What's with Obama?
Even the French condemned the Iranian government's "brutal" reaction to the protesters -- and the French have tanks with one speed in forward and five speeds in reverse.
You might be a scaredy-cat if ... the president of France is talking tougher than you are.
More than a week ago, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said: "The ruling power claims to have won the elections ... if that were true, we must ask why they find it necessary to imprison their opponents and repress them with such violence."
But liberals rushed to assure us that Obama's weak-kneed response to the Iranian uprising and the consequent brutal crackdown was a brilliant foreign policy move. (They also proclaimed his admission that he still smokes "lion-hearted" and "statesmanlike.")
As our own Supreme Leader B. Hussein Obama (peace be upon him) explained, "It's not productive given the history of U.S.-Iranian relations to be seen as meddling."
You see, if the president of the United States condemned election fraud in Iran, much less put in a kind word for the presidential candidate who is not crazy, it would somehow crush the spirit of the protesters when they discovered, to their horror, that the Great Satan was on their side. (It also wouldn't do much for Al Franken in Minnesota.)
Liberals hate America, so they assume everyone else does, too.
So when a beautiful Iranian woman, Neda Agha Soltan, was shot dead in the streets of Iran during a protest on Saturday and a video of her death ricocheted around the World Wide Web, Obama valiantly responded by ... going out for an ice cream cone. (Masterful!)
Commenting on a woman's cold-blooded murder in the streets of Tehran, like the murder of babies, is evidently above Obama's "pay grade."
If it were true that a U.S. president should stay neutral between freedom-loving Iranian students and their oppressors, then why is Obama speaking in support of the protesters now? Are liberals no longer worried about the parade of horribles they claimed would ensue if the U.S. president condemned the mullahs?
Obama's tough talk this week proves that his gentle words last week about Ahmadinejad and Iran's "supreme leader" (peace be upon him) constituted, at best, spinelessness and, at worst, an endorsement of the fraud.
Moreover, if the better part of valor is for America to stand neutral between freedom and Islamic oppression, why are liberals trying to credit Obama's ridiculous Cairo speech for emboldening the Iranian protesters?
The only reason that bald contradiction doesn't smack you in the face is that it is utterly preposterous that Obama's Cairo speech accomplished anything -- anything worthwhile, that is. Not even the people who say that believe it.
The only reaction to Obama's Cairo speech in the Middle East is that the mullahs probably sighed in relief upon discovering that the U.S. president is a coward and an imbecile.
Two weeks ago, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman was exulting over the "free and fair" national election in Lebanon, in which the voters threw out Hezbollah and voted in the "U.S.-supported coalition." (Apparently support from America is not deemed the vote-killer in Lebanon that it allegedly is in Iran.)
To justify his Times-expensed airfare to Beirut, Friedman added some local color, noting that "more than one Lebanese whispered to me: Without George Bush standing up to the Syrians in 2005 ... this free election would not have happened."
That's what Lebanese voters said.
But Friedman also placed a phone call to a guy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace -- which he didn't have to go to Lebanon for -- to get a quote supporting the ludicrous proposition that Obama's Cairo speech was responsible for the favorable election results in Lebanon.
"And then here came this man (Obama)," Mr. Carnegie Fund said, "who came to them with respect, speaking these deep values about their identity and dignity and economic progress and education, and this person indicated that this little prison that people are living in here was not the whole world. That change was possible."
I think the fact that their Muslim brethren are now living in freedom in a democratic Iraq might have made the point that "change was possible" and "this little prison" is "not the whole world" somewhat more forcefully than a speech apologizing for Westerners who dislike the hijab.
Obama -- and America -- are still living off President Bush's successes in the war on terrorism. For the country's sake, may those successes outlast Obama's attempt to dismantle them.
Congressman Chris Lee
Urges VA to Expedite Efforts to Address "Unacceptable and Unsustainable" Backlog of Unfinished Disability Claims
WASHINGTON 'Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) is urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to step up its efforts to address an "unacceptable and unsustainable" backlog of unfinished disability claims that compromises the VA's ability to improve services and often leaves veterans waiting in limbo for months before receiving benefits they have earned.
In a letter to General Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Congressman Lee pointed out that with roughly 900,000 pending claims, including 7,168 in Western New York alone, the VA's caseload is on pace to reach the 1 million mark this year. While the average wait time for a claim to be processed is approximately 120 days, a number of veterans have reported to Congressman Lee's office that their cases have gone unresolved for more than a year. In these tough economic times, veterans have no choice but to take extreme steps to make ends meet, including paying bills with credit cards.
"The VA's backlog of unfinished disability claims is clearly unacceptable and unsustainable. With the VA drowning in red tape, our veterans are forced to go to extreme lengths in order to make ends meet while waiting on benefits they have earned," Congressman Lee said. "Whether it's hiring and training more processors or updating technological capabilities, the VA needs to have a detailed plan in place to tackle this problem and expedite its implementation."
This issue was front and center during a meeting Congressman Lee convened last month in Batavia with an advisory board comprised of area veterans committed to improving the lives of fellow vets and their families. That discussion keyed on the fact that this growing claims backlog can have a ripple effect through the entire system.
Congressman Lee added: "The severity of this situation demands more than just an acknowledgment of the problem. I will continue to be a vocal advocate for forceful action that puts the VA on a path to ensuring that each of our veterans ' and their families ' have access to the services they deserve and the benefits they have earned."
Another "Good Thing"
by Thomas Sowell
Even if the "stimulus" package doesn't seem to be doing much to stimulate the economy, it is certainly stimulating many potential recipients of government money to start lining up at the trough. All you need is something that sounds like a "good thing" and the ability to sell the idea.
A perennial "good thing" is education. So it is not surprising that leaders of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities have come out with an assertion that "the U.S. should set a goal of college degrees for at least 55 percent of its young adults by 2025."
Nothing is easier in politics than setting some arbitrary goal-- preferably based on numbers-- and go after it, in utter disregard of the costs or the repercussions. That is how we got into the housing boom and bust, by mindlessly pursuing ever-higher statistics of home ownership. The same political game can be played by making ever higher miles per gallon the goal for automobiles, ever more "open space," ever more-- you name it.
Sometimes these open-ended political crusades can be given some semblance of rationality by referring to other countries that have bigger numbers in whatever is the goal du jour.
The representatives of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities point to the fact that, in countries like Canada, Korea and Japan, "more than 50 percent of young adults hold college degrees" while only 41 percent do in the United States.
No reason is given why one of these numbers is better than another. Apparently the implicit assumption is that education is a "good thing" that it is always better to have more of. But, if that is the case, why 55 percent rather than 75 percent, 95 percent or 100 percent?
Even food is not a "good thing" categorically, without limit. We can't live without it but, beyond some point, it causes obesity and shortens our lives.
A certain amount of education is undoubtedly very beneficial for some people but, at some point, enough is enough, even for geniuses. For each individual, depending on that individual's interests and dedication as well as ability, the time comes to leave the classroom and go out into the real world.
It is not just dummies who reach the point when it makes sense for them to "drop out" of education. Michael Dell of Dell computers and Bill Gates of Microsoft both dropped out of college, and neither of them seems to be doing badly.
Given the composition of the population as it is-- which is always what we have to start with-- what evidence is there that too few or too many are going to college?
As someone who spent years teaching at colleges and universities for students who ranked in the country's top 10 percent, I nevertheless encountered many students whose interest in intellectual matters was less than overwhelming, to put it charitably.
Many were bright enough but often gave the impression that they would rather be somewhere else, doing something else. Some of their teachers also thought that they should be somewhere else, doing something else.
During my first semester of teaching, my grading standards caused most students like that to transfer out by the second semester. Teaching the other students during the second semester was a sheer joy and I continued to get letters from them over the years, even after I had moved on to other institutions. In other words, the departure of the dead wood made the class better.
Far weightier evidence than anecdotal personal experiences, however, are the statistics on how many students actually graduate.
The American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think-tank, has recently published statistics on what percent of a given college's students manage to graduate in the course of six years.
There are colleges where at least four-fifths of the students graduate in that time and other colleges where at least four-fifths of the students fail to graduate in that time.
Considering the enormous costs of maintaining a student in college-- whether that cost is paid by parents, the taxpayers, or the students themselves-- an open-ended call for "more" seems like too many other open-ended commitments that have run up record national debts without any corresponding benefits.
PoliticsNY.Net: NYS SENATE
Dueling sessions! The GOP held a session at around 2:00 PM. The Dems in session now, adjourned. Both claiming authority. This is a disgrace! ...
Senate Democrats are saying that the delay in the bills is the result of an oversight by the governor's office.
Because the Senate is in extraordinary session, not regular session, the bills need to be renumbered for the new session.
Senate Democrats warned the governor last night about the issue, but the governor's office said they could go with the regularly-numbered bills, according to Senate staff.
Not so, if you look at every other extraordinary session, staff said.
Now, the bills are being renumbered, sent through bill drafting, and printed, all of which takes a significant amount of time. There are around 105 bills total that need to be reprinted.
Also another hiccup — Senate Republicans adjourned sine die, meaning that they are officially adjourned (not "at ease" as the Democrats assert the Senate is.) Which means that if the Democrats try to go back into "session" and the GOP doesn't show, there won't be quorum to continue.
And even if the Senate does manage to pass bills, the new bill numbers means that the Assembly will have to come back into extraordinary session to make them law. Published report...
The Republicans and Sen. Pedro Espada filed into the chamber.
Sen. Dean Skelos asked Sen. George Winner to take the podium, but they were held back by the Sargent-at-arms.
Winner is standing in front of the podium — he called for the chamber to stand to recite the pledge of allegiance and stand in silence in lieu of a prayer.
Senate Democrats stayed in their seats.
Winner is now calling on GOP counsel Jack Casey, who is serving as secretary, to read every piece of legislation. Casey is reading the legislation, calling the role ("Adams, Addabo, Smith, Espada, Skelos, Young"), announce the results "ayes 62," Winner then says "bill is passed." They're going through all the bills. Published report...
Talks fall apart! The dems moved into the Senate Chambers took control of the room. Dems say the Repubs can enter at 2:00 but they will not recognize Espada. The circus begins. ...
"One of the sticking points: Democrats have proposed a two-day power sharing plan with rotating senate leaders, which could conceivably allow lawmakers to at least pass the non-controversial bills such as sales tax extenders that are due to expire. Republicans, though, are proposing a two-year power sharing agreement which would get them through the 2010 elections — a crucial vote since whoever is in power then gets to control the all-important, once-a-decade redistricting (aka gerrymandering).
While Democrats say they should temporarily set aside the June 8 vote that led to the coup, Libous said, "We stand behind the vote that took place two weeks ago."
"They took this to court. They were turned down in court, then they pulled their appeal. Why did they pull their appeal?" asked Libous, referring to the Dem's contention that Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. isn't the legitimate president pro tem of the chamber.
"We believe 31-31 isn't going to go away after the end of this week," he added." Published report ...
"The governor's proclamation calls a special session for 3 p.m. So why would Republican Leader Dean Skelos call for a 2 p.m. session that will have only 31 members on the floor?
"Because we can have our regular session," said Skelos.
You can do a lot in an hour, especially if Senate Secretary Angelo Aponte (D) decides to turn on the TV cameras and the microphones — something that hasn't happened since June 8, to the GOP's ever-increasing ire.
If this is meant as a provocation to the Democrats, they have so far refused to take the bait. "The governor has called a special session for 3 p.m.," said Austin Shafran, spokesman for Malcom Smith. "We're still in talks with the Republicans negotiating a bipartisan agreement." Published report...
Breaking News: Paterson says "NO" will call special session at 3:00 PM Tuesday. ...
Apparently both sides are asking for 24 hours to work out an agreement. The GOP will coveneat 3:00 looking for"one brave democrat." to cross the pickett line! ...
The Times Union is reporting talks broke down no deal; Gov will address press at 3:30. ...
Our sources in the NYS Senate are telling PoliticsNY.Net that a tenative agreement has been reached with respect to "session scheduling & an operating agreement". Key Senators on both sides are meeting with the Governor now.
ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE
County Legislature Chairman Lynn Marinelli will allow all four versions of the Local Law changing the size of the legislature to go before voters in a public hearing; as well as bring all four to a vote before the Legislature.Further, the samestaff member said putting to many versions on the ballot would confuse the issue. ...
I spoke to 21st Century Commission member Mike McHale on the record.
McHale wants to make it clear that he believes that this issue transcends politics or partisanship, esp. when one considers both Democrats Kennedy & Loughran disagree with their follow Democrats on the 13.
McHale went on to say he was at the very least "disappointed that the Legislature did not follow the recommendations of the Commission."
He believes after months of hard work & testimony that the Legislature would have at least waited until after the public hearings to make a judgment.
McHale expressed even greater concern, "given the extraordinary quick turnaround" that most Legislators had already made up their minds on 13; esp.when one considers they made their decision public within hours of his & Chair Lamparelli's Finance Committee testimony, i.e., a rush to judgment in the very least.
"What was the purpose of having a Commission," McHale said rhetorically.
"All the Legislature had to do was propose the 13 & the four year term without putting the members of the Commission through months of hard work." Albeit, he did say it was an educational & therefore worthwhile experience.
He also mentioned that he does not agree that minority representation would be diluted by downsizing from 15 to 11. McHale remarking there is an entire body of law to preclude that from happening, paraphrasing.
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) voted with his colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve keys bills which will provide critical support services and funding for veterans: H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform & Transparency Act and H.R. 1211, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act.
"In conjunction with last week's Home for Heroes Act, this latest series of legislation demonstrates a comprehensive commitment to supporting our veterans and their families," said Congressman Higgins. "By providing the VA with their budget in advance and expanding services to women who served this Nation, veterans in Western New York and across the country will be able to receive the care that they deserve more immediately and effectively."
Congressman Brian Higgins
Email: Mr. Illuzzi ' first & foremost, thank you for breaking, carrying the story, & allowing people to express their opinions regarding William Feeley being demoted by the Dept of Veterans Affairs & being returned to Buffalo to run the VA's WNY Healthcare System. When no other media would touch the story back in April & May, when Senators Schumer & Gillibrand & Congresswoman Slaughter & Congressman Higgins refused to become involved in undoing the shameful political deal that was made by Feeley to keep himself employed & send him into hiding running the Buffalo VA Hospital, ONLY YOU were there for our Veterans! The Feeley story has only seen scant coverage long after we saw it here, & certainly nothing with teeth like we gotfrom you:
http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2009/06/01/daily198.html
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfjun09/nf060609-2.htm
Feeley is officially back as of yesterday. I recall reading a story here about a manager that he hired last time he ran down the Buffalo VA who was completely out of control but protected by Feeley. Well, sure enough, he is allowing this manager to move data processing staff (number crunchers!) into office space where some of the most private & sensitive issues involving Veterans & employees are handled. In Feeley's first 72 hours in Buffalo, he is already allowing & giving blessing to the violation of the Dept of Veterans Affairs very own policies regarding privacy issues!!! Not to mention how much a move like this costs financially & in manpower hours, much better spent on the patients!
Feeley's first 72 hours are already exhibiting signs of problems involving his operation of the Buffalo VA; a gross waste of funds & official time; and violations of Veteran & employee privacy. Where is the Inspector General's office when they are needed?
Also, I must say, you are a force to be reckoned with Mr. Illuzzi! Every time I read a story here about what was being allowed to happen, leadership-wise, to our Buffalo VA, I saw press releases here by the aforementioned elected officials trying to detract attention away from the VA stories. In early May, when you broke the most scathing story of all involving Feeley, the four referenced elected officials issued a press release regarding improving services for visually impaired Veterans.
Coincidence? I think not! Plus, it was such a joke because everyone knows that you need strong leadership to accomplish what they were proposing; yet, the VA WNY Healthcare System was being allowed to lose the best leader they ever had. It's no wonder that this press release was only carried by one of your wannabees.
Thank you again for supporting our Country's Heroes. Hopefully, thanks to you, our elected officials will actually begin paying attention to their VA Hospital & to who is running the show. Maybe next time the opportunity arises to obtain & keep a Director, a leader, like David West in Buffalo, our elected officials will step up to the plate! Getting David West back in Bath was a huge victory for Congressman Eric Massa! http://www.bath.va.gov/bathmanagement.asp
Ten Days That Shook Tehran
by Patrick J. Buchanan
Given its monopoly of guns, bet on the Iranian regime. But, in the long run, the ayatollahs have to see the handwriting on the wall.
Let us assume what they insist upon -- that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the June 12 election; that, even if fraud occurred, it did not decide the outcome. As Ayatollah Khamenei said to loud laughter in his Friday sermon declaring the election valid, "Perhaps 100,000, or 500,000, but how can anyone tamper with 11 million votes?"
Still, the ayatollah and Ahmadinejad must hear the roar of the rapids ahead. Millions of Iranians, perhaps a majority of the professional class and educated young, who shouted, "Death to the Dictatorship," oppose or detest them. How can the regime maintain its present domestic course or foreign policy with its people so visibly divided?
Where do the ayatollah and Ahmadinejad go from here?
If they adopt a harder line, defy Barack Obama and refuse to negotiate their nuclear program, they can continue to enrich uranium, as harsher sanctions are imposed. But to what end adding 1,000 more kilograms?
If they do not intend to build a bomb, why enrich more? And if they do intend to build a bomb, what exactly would that achieve?
For an Iranian bomb would trigger a regional arms race with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia seeking nuclear weapons. Israel would put its nuclear arsenal on a hair trigger. America would retarget missiles on Tehran. And if a terrorist anywhere detonated a nuclear bomb, Iran would risk annihilation, for everyone would assume Tehran was behind it.
Rather than make Iran more secure, an Iranian bomb would seem to permanently isolate her and possibly subject her to pre-emptive attack.
And how can the Iranians survive continued isolation?
According to U.S. sources, Iran produced 6 million barrels of crude a day in 1974 under the shah. She has not been able to match that since the revolution. War, limited investment, sanctions and a high rate of natural decline of mature oil fields, estimated at 8 percent onshore and 11 percent offshore, are the causes. A 2007 National Academy of Sciences study reported that if the decline rates continue, Iran's exports, which in 2007 averaged 2.4 million barrels per day, could decrease to zero by 2015.
You cannot make up for oil and gas exports with carpets and pistachio nuts.
If Tehran cannot effect a lifting of sanctions and new investments in oil and gas production, she is headed for an economic crisis that will cause an exodus of her brightest young and quadrennial reruns of the 2009 election.
And there are not only deep divisions in Iran between modernists and religious traditionalists, the affluent and the poor, but among ethnic groups. Half of Iran's population is Arab, Kurd, Azeri or Baluchi. In the Kurdish northwest and Baluchi south, secessionists have launched attacks the ayatollah blames on the United States and Israel.
As they look about the region, how can the ayatollahs be optimistic?
Syria, their major ally, wants to deal with the Americans to retrieve the Golan. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are hostile, with the latter having uncovered a Hezbollah plot against President Hosni Mubarak.
Hamas is laser-focused on Gaza, the West Bank and a Palestinian state, and showing interest in working with the Obama administration.
Where is the Islamic revolution going? Where is the state in the Muslim world that has embraced Islamism and created a successful nation?
Sudan? Taliban Afghanistan? Somalia is now in final passage from warlordism to Islamism. Does anyone believe the Al-Shahab will create a successful nation?
As for the ayatollahs, after 30 years, they are deep in crisis -- and what have they produced that the world admires?
Even if the "green revolution" in Iran triggers revolts in the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia or Egypt, can Iran believe Sunni revolutionary regimes will follow the lead of a Shia Islamic state? How long did it take Mao's China to renounce its elder brother in the faith, Khrushchev's Russia?
When one looks at the Asian tigers -- South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia -- or at the China or India of recent decades, one sees nations that impress the world with their progress.
Iran under the mullahs has gone sideways or backward. Now, with this suspect election and millions having shown their revulsion of the regime, the legitimacy and integrity of the ayatollahs have been called into question.
Obama offers the regime a way out.
They may exercise their right to peaceful nuclear power, have sanctions lifted and receive security guarantees, if they can prove they have no nuclear weapons program and will cease subverting through their Hezbollah-Hamas proxies the peace process Obama is pursuing between Israel and Palestine.
If Iran refuses Obama's offer, she will start down a road at the end of which are severe sanctions, escalation and a war that Obama does not want and Iran cannot want -- for the winner will not be Iran.
PoliticsNY.Net: GOLISANO FOR US SENATE?
UPDATE: Thomas Golisano denied reports indicating his interest in running for the U.S. Senate from Florida. Ya Think!!! ...
South Florida political blog Politics1.com is reporting that New York billionaire Tom Golisano "is now contemplating a Democratic run for Florida's open US Senate seat. Golisano, who owns homes in both New York and Florida, recently switched his residency to the Sunshine State." The Jacksonville Observer
BUFFALO'S BOND RATING UPGRADED
"Standard and Poor's upgrade of Buffalo's general obligation bonds from BBB+ to A- confirms that the city's financial health continues to improve.
Since I took office in 2006, the city's bond rating has been upgrade twice by Standard and Poor's and twice by Moody's Investor Services. It's clear Wall Street agrees that my Administration's conservative budgeting and strict fiscal discipline are having a positive effect on Buffalo's finances.
I thank Buffalo City Comptroller Andrew SanFilippo and his staff for working closely with my staff on helping us restore Buffalo's fiscal stability. In addition, I commend the Common Council for passing the budgets I have sent to them, which cut taxes for our city's residential and commercial property owners and enabled us to maintain a surplus hat has guarded us against the current state and national economic downturns." Mayor Byron Brown
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer wrote to the owner and CEO of the Tonawanda Coke Corporation urgingthe firm to enact measures to reduce the release of harmful benzene emissions from the Tonawanda plant. Data from an EPA and DEC funded study confirms that Tonawanda Coke is responsible for releasing tons of toxic chemical compounds into Western New York's air each year, resulting in levels that are up to 75 times higher than New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recommended guidelines in some areas. Senator Schumer noted that while theplant has attempted to reduce levels of certain toxins, much more needs to be done to reduce the amount of benzene released into the air.
"I have long championed manufacturing in Western New York and I value Tonawanda Coke's importance as an employer in the region, but with the health and safety of Tonawanda residents at risk, now is the time toramp-up efforts to reduce these emissions," said Schumer. "Studies have proven that exposure to these sky-high benzene levels are harmfuland that the emissions from this plant are simply too high. A more concerted effort must be made to prevent these toxic chemicals from making their way into our air. I urge the Tonawanda Coke Corporation tomap out a plan toreduce these harmful emmissions -- and present it to the public -- to ensure the health and safety of residentsand workers."
Senator Charles E. Schumer
Republicans in the Wilderness
by Thomas Sowell
A Gallup poll last week showed that far more Americans describe themselves as "conservatives" than as "liberals." Yet Republicans have been clobbered by the Democrats in both the 2008 elections and the 2006 elections.
In a country with more conservatives than liberals, it is puzzling-- in fact, amazing-- that we have the furthest left President of the United States in history, as well as the furthest left Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Republicans, especially, need to think about what this means. If you lose when the other guy has all the high cards, there is not much you can do about it. But, when you have the high cards and still keep taking a beating, then you need to re-think how you are playing the game.
The current intramural fighting among Republicans does not necessarily mean any fundamental re-thinking of their policies or tactics. These tussles among different segments of the Republican Party may be nothing more than a long-standing jockeying for position between the liberal and conservative wings of that party.
The stakes in all this are far higher than which element becomes dominant in which party or which party wins more elections. Both the domestic and the foreign policy direction of the current administration in Washington are leading this country into dangerous waters, from which we may or may not be able to return.
A quadrupling of the national debt in just one year and accepting a nuclear-armed sponsor of international terrorism like Iran are not things from which any country is guaranteed to recover.
Just two nuclear bombs were enough to get Japan to surrender in World War II. It is hard to believe that it would take much more than that for the United States of America to surrender-- especially with people in control of both the White House and the Congress who were for turning tail and running in Iraq just a couple of years ago.
Perhaps people who are busy gushing over the Obama cult today might do well to stop and think about what it would mean for their grand-daughters to live under sharia law.
The glib pieties in Barack Obama's televised sermonettes will not stop Iran from becoming a nuclear terrorist nation. Time is running out fast and we will be lucky if it doesn't happen in the first term of this president. If he gets elected to a second term -- which is quite possible, despite whatever economic disasters he leads us into-- our fate as a nation may be sealed.
Unfortunately, the only political party with any chance of displacing the current leadership in Washington is the Republican Party. That is why their internal squabbles are important for the rest of us who are not Republicans.
The "smart money" says that the way for the Republicans to win elections is to appeal to a wider range of voters, including minorities, by abandoning the Ronald Reagan kinds of positions and supporting more of the kinds of positions that Democrats use to get elected. This sounds good on the surface, which is as far as many people go, when it comes to politics.
A corollary to this is that Republicans have to come up with alternatives to the Democrats' many "solutions," rather than simply be nay-sayers.
However plausible all this may seem, it goes directly counter to what has actually happened in politics in this generation. For example, Democrats studiously avoided presenting alternatives to what the Republican-controlled Congress and the Bush administration were doing, and just lambasted them at every turn. That is how the Democrats replaced Republicans at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ronald Reagan won two elections in a landslide by being Ronald Reagan-- and, most important of all-- explaining to a broad electorate how what he advocated would be best for them and for the country. Newt Gingrich likewise led a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives by explaining how the Republican agenda would benefit a wide range of people.
Neither of them won by pretending to be Democrats. It was precisely the Republican "moderates"-- Bob Dole and John McCain-- who lost disastrously to Democrats who were initially little known individuals but who knew how to talk.
Siena Poll: Voters See Senate Fight as a Farce ' Bad for NYers
Half Prefer Senate to be Controlled by Coalition of Both Parties
Record High 63% Think State is Headed in Wrong Direction
More than half of New York voters in describing the current State Senate situation say "this farce is an embarrassment," including nearly two-thirds of the 58 percent of voters who have read or heard a great deal or some about the Senate leadership fight, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll of registered voters. Nearly half of voters, including pluralities of Republicans and independents, want to see the Senate controlled by a coalition of both parties, rather than by Democrats or Republicans. By the largest margin ever, 63-24 percent, voters say New York is headed in the wrong direction.
"Two-thirds of New York voters think the Senate leadership fight is bad for the people of the state. An overwhelming 84 percent think the fight will make it harder to pass important legislation ' legislation that voters want the Senate to act upon, including property tax reform, state government ethics reform, reducing pension costs, and legislation on same sex marriages," said Siena New York pollster Steven Greenberg.
"Democrats, Republicans and independent voters all strongly agree that the Senate fight is bad for New York and making it harder to enact critical legislation. Republicans, Democrats and independents also agree that the situation in the Senate is a ‘farce' and an ‘embarrassment,' " Greenberg said.
"On which party should control the Senate and which is more committed to reforming the way the Senate operates, not surprisingly there are big differences between the parties," Greenberg said. "Democrats say Democrats are more committed to reform. Republicans say Republicans. And a plurality of independent voters volunteered that neither party is committed to reforming Senate operations.
"Forty-five percent of Democrats, 48 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of independents want a coalition of both parties controlling the Senate. A plurality of Democrats, New York City and African American voters opt for Democrats, and a majority or plurality of all other demographic groups says coalition," Greenberg said.
All Voters
　
Know Great Deal/Some About Senate Fight
　
　
Fav
Unfav
DK/NO
Fav
Unfav
DK/NO
Tom Golisano
30%
32%
38%
30%
42%
29%
Sheldon Silver
27%
37%
36%
28%
49%
23%
Dean Skelos
15%
23%
62%
16%
30%
54%
Pedro Espada
13%
33%
54%
10%
48%
42%
Malcolm Smith
12%
32%
56%
12%
42%
46%
John Sampson
9%
12%
79%
6%
14%
80%
Hiram Monserrate
7%
36%
58%
5%
51%
44%
　
NYS Assembly
37%
47%
15%
　
33%
59%
8%
NYS Senate
29%
62%
9%
18%
78%
4%
"When it comes to the individual senators publicly most involved, all remain unknown to a majority of voters and all have more voters saying they have an unfavorable opinion of them than have a favorable opinion," Greenberg said. "Among voters who have paid attention to the Senate fight, the senators' unfavorable ratings are even larger. And while a plurality of voters has an unfavorable view of the State Assembly, an overwhelming majority of voters look upon the State Senate unfavorably."
Direction of the State: Worst Ever in a Siena New York Poll
"Whether directly related to the Senate chaos or not, New Yorkers currently have the most negative view on the direction the state is headed in over the five years of the Siena New York Poll. While 24 percent believe New York is on the right track, 63 percent say the state is headed in the wrong direction. For the first time ever, this includes a majority of every political party, region of the state and age group," Greenberg said.
Senate Fight Imperils Numerous Legislative Issues Voters Want Addressed
"More than three-quarters of voters say it is very or somewhat important that the Senate address property tax relief (94 percent), state government ethics reform (89 percent) and reducing pension costs (77 percent) before they adjourn for the summer. Mayoral control of New York City schools ' particularly for voters in the five boros ' and same sex marriages are also legislative issues voters want addressed," Greenberg said.Support for Same Sex Marriage Has Slim Majority ' Voter Attitudes Continue to Sway
"Half of New York voters support Senate passage of same sex marriage legislation, up four points from last month, while 43 percent oppose it, down three points from last month," Greenberg said. "While many voters have a definitive position in support or opposition to legalizing same sex marriages in New York, a substantial number of ‘swing voters' continues to grapple with their position on the issue."
Paterson Ratings Inch Up Slightly; Cuomo Has His Highest Favorability Ever
"Governor David Paterson's favorability and job performance ratings rose slightly from his record lows, while Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has a 71 percent favorable rating, including 62 percent among Republicans. A plurality of voters, 46 percent, still believes Cuomo should run for Governor in 2010," Greenberg said.
PoliticsNY.Net: MAYOR BYRON BROWN
The Western New York Hispanic & Friends Association endorsed Mayor Byron W. Brown for a second term as Mayor of Buffalo.
"I'm honored to receive the endorsement of the Western New York Hispanic & Friends Association, which is one of the oldest and most active Hispanic civic organizations in Buffalo," said Mayor Brown. "My Administration has a strong record of achievement in supporting and promoting Hispanic issues. From appointing the city's first Hispanic woman judge to the City Court, Betty Calvo-Torres, designating David Rodriquez as Acting Corporation Counsel of the city and funding important community-based facilities like the Father Belle Center, Westside Community Services and Los Tainos Senior Citizens Center."
"Mayor Byron Brown is a great friend of Buffalo's Hispanic community and the Western New York Hispanic & Friends Association is enthusiastically supporting him for re-election," said Andres Garcia, president of the civic organization. "Since taking office in 2006, Mayor Brown has worked diligently, to stabilize the city's finances, reduce crime, support our neighborhoods, remove blight and strengthen our overall quality of life. He deserve a second term as Mayor of Buffalo and the Western New York Hispanic & Friends Association urges all city residents to support Mayor Brown."
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
Governor David Paterson Sunday called an emergency Legislative Session for the sole purpose of having the New York State Senate immediately address dozens of county home rule bills that provide essential funding for government services.
Monday is the last scheduled day on the official State Legislative Calendar. More than40 county government bills remain pending before the State Senate-all of which are designed to provide revenue for continued local government operations.The Assembly has already passed these bills.
To protectproperty taxpayers from continued inaction, the Governor has called the Senate into Special Session this Tuesday to take up these important measures. County leaders remain optimistic that these critical home rule revenue bills will pass before the State Legislature adjourns for the year.
NYSAC Executive DirectorStephen J. Acquario on behalf of NYS's 57 Counties and the City of NY
The Last Laugh
by Bill O'Reilly
That was some firestorm David Letterman found himself confronting, wasn't it? Do you think the comedian had any idea his jokes mocking Gov. Sarah Palin and her family would lead to such condemnation? I don't.
What Letterman and his writers failed to see is the growing anger in America over personal attacks leveled against public people. The issue is primarily about partisan insults. Many now consider Letterman a liberal guy, and so his remarks about Palin were viewed as more political than satirical. If Jay Leno (who is more nonpartisan than Letterman) had told the jokes, he would have been criticized, but not to the same extent.
According to a new Gallup Poll, 40 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservative, 35 percent say they are moderate and just 21 percent answer to the liberal description. Liberals are outnumbered by almost four to one. Thus, when a conservative icon such as Palin is demeaned by a high-profile entertainer who leans left, it becomes a big political story. Cable news and the blogs blow it up.
In the media world in which Letterman lives, many people are outspokenly liberal. New York City and Hollywood are unabashedly so. But the folks are not. And they do not want nasty stuff directed at a working mother like Palin, who holds traditional values. To hear the liberal pundits try to defend Letterman was something out of "The Twilight Zone." They put forth that because 18-year-old Bristol
Palin appeared with her mother at political rallies, she was fair game. Pure idiocy.
The folks also zeroed in on the hypocrisy of the Letterman-Palin situation. If somebody had mocked
President Obama's family that way, they would be destroyed. There's a difference between a president and a governor, but the analysis is valid.
What liberal entertainers do not understand is that Obama was elected because the economy collapsed under a Republican president. While some liberal zealots believe Obama's ascension certified a national ideological move to the left, they are exceedingly wrong. The folks are closely watching Obama. And if the economy does not improve significantly, he'll have a battle in 2012.
I believe Letterman when he says he's sorry about the Palin dust-up. I don't think he meant to hurt the Palin daughters; he's not that kind of guy. But he definitely has an edge when it comes to people who do not fit into his ideological comfort zone. I've been on the Letterman program five times. Last time around, he called me a goon and mocked Rush Limbaugh's weight. I asked him why he was doing that, but he did not have an answer.
And so it was the mean-spirited perception that dunked Letterman. Robust debate over issues has made the USA the great country it is. But increasingly, personal attacks are being used to marginalize opposing points of view. And when those attacks involve kids, even on the periphery, Americans will not stand for it.
Erie County Republican Chairman Jim Domagalski
PART II: GOP SLATEPRIMED WITH REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
Erie County Republican Chairman Jim Domagalski is hoping his party's slate of private sector-based candidates will give the GOP and County Executive Chris Collins more clout in the County legislature, now controlled 12 to 3 by Democrats, after voters cast their ballots in November.
"We really have an excellent slate of candidates," said Domagalski during a recent interview. "They are the kind of people who have a real job to go to, kind of citizen legislators, who want to serve the public."
Domagalski says the entire slate of GOP candidates, including the three incumbents, has a private sector base, either from the business world, academia, or the media, emphasizing that none of the candidates is a career politician.
"The challenges right now are so important with respect to jobs and businesses and tax burdens," said the chairman, "and it's great to have people who know how to meet a payroll or create a job and who don't rely on a government check to support their families."
The GOP challengers include television reporter Lynn Dixon in the 12th District; Amherst restaurateur Amherst Councilmember Shelly Schratz in the 14th District; Canisius College professor and broadcaster Kevin Hardwick in the 10th District; businessman Kevin Curtin against Chairwoman Lynn Marinelli in the 11th District; business owner Dino Fudoli in the5th District; real estate agent Brian Wirth, grandson of the late state lawmaker Sandra Lee Wirth, in District 9; accountant Ted Morton in District 8; incumbents John Mills (business owner), Ray Walter attorney and Ed Rath energy industry.
"All our candidates support downsizing [legislature], cutting salaries of legislators from $42,500 to $27,000, and term limits," said Domagalski, who believes Collins' record as county executive will help win votes.
"I know it is difficult to knock out incumbents," said Domagalski, "but Collins' agenda of cutting costs, and getting rid of the control board has made a significant impact and I think the taxpayers are ready to support more private sector people."
The GOP leader says Republican Comptroller candidate Phil Kadet comes from the same private sector mold, having worked for 30 years as a private accountant, including a dozen years as managing partner of his firm.
"Our slate, with a theme of professionalism and private sector knowledge, will give voters a clear choice," said the chairman. "Right now the legislature can override the county executive's vetoes, and Chris needs help."
Domagalski said he expects Collins to work together with the party on all aspects of the upcoming election campaign because "we have a good partnership with him."
As for the Albany stalemate in the State Senate, Domagalski says it has reached a level of dysfunction that even for Albany is higher than normal.
"We really need radical change, and it's time for both parties to reset their focus on the taxpayers, like we have in Erie County with Chris Collins," said Domagalski. "I wish they would focus on families, small businesses, and taxpayers, the obvious areas of common ground for anyone with common sense."
PoliticsNY.Net: PRESIDENT SIGNS LEE LEGISLATION
Fridaynight, President Obama signed into law a bill proposed by Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) to rename a Greece post office in honor of fallen Marine Brian Schramm, the first resident of the 26th Congressional District to lose his life in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Under H.R. 1595, the U.S. Postal Service facility located at 3245 Latta Road will henceforth be known as the "Brian K. Schramm Post Office Building." A formal dedication ceremony will be held this summer.
Congressman Lee commented on the bill signing: "Brian Schramm made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the values that sustain this country ' family, community, hard work, and freedom. That is why I introduced this proposal to rename the post office just a few miles down the road from where Brian grew up in his honor. I am heartened that the people of the Town of Greece will have this opportunity to pay lasting tribute to the life and legacy of Brian Schramm."
BREAKING NEWS: RUSSELL DECLINES
RUSSELL WITH RESPECT DECLINES GOV'S APPOINTMENT TO THE NYS SUPREME COURT
RUSSELL STATEMENT
"I am grateful, honored and privileged that the Governor of the State of New York, the Mayor of the City of Buffalo and many other supporters, desired my appointment to State Supreme Court.
There are three reasons why I respectfully declined the appointment.
First of all, I have a great passion for the work that I do presiding over Buffalo Drug Treatment Court, the Mental Health Court, the privilege of assisting our veterans with the first Veterans Treatment Court.
Secondly, in light of the fact that the State Senate is going through its challenges, there are serious questions as to whether I would be confirmed for the position in the very near future.
Thirdly, Chairman Len Lenihan has consistently supported candidates this year, other than me, for this position, his lack of support jeopardizes any real opportunity for me to be elected.
The party chairman has great influence over who is, or is not, supported by the party at the Judicial Nominating Convention. I merely sought Lenihan's support;his support was never offered or guaranteed.
I regret the political climate was not conducive for me to accept this appointment from our Governor of the State of New York." ...
Judge Robert Russell, a 17 year veteran on the City Court bench, has declined the Governor's appointment to the NYS Supreme Court.
Anyone who knows Judge Robert Russell family, friends, lawyers, judges, etc., know he is a person of great honor & integrity. His passion to help people via drug & veteran's court is legendary in the, yes, International judicial community.
NY Times USA Today The Boston Globe
Sources are clear & unequivocal Judge Russell, while honored by the appointment, fully understands the political component with respect to getting elected in the 8th Judicial District, esp. a Black. Only two Blacks have been elected in the 8th without a cross endorsement.
However Russell being a man of great courage was willing to take on the challenge.
What changed his mind?
Sixwords: Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan!
Judge Russell, according to sources, met with LenihanTuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. for the second time.
Lenihan made it perfectly clear his first choice for Supreme Court was John Flynn; Flynn did not make it out of a committee.
Lenihan continued, his second choice is County Court Judge Shirley Troutman.
Sources continued, Lenihan ad nauseam went into his usual paranoid tirade directed Mayor Brown and Steve Pigeon two of thousands of Russell supporters.
This is not news to this writer Lenihan has said the same things to me in the past.
Please include Justice O'Donnell in that. Lenihan had intended to preclude O'Donnell from getting the nomination for the same reasons.
Based on his meeting with Len Lenihan, Russell emailed a letter first thingWednesday morning, June 17, 2009 declining the appointment.
The 8th JD, at least for the time being, has lost the opportunity to elect an outstanding jurist to the bench.
Having written that let me make a few points:
1) I read the Buffalo News Friday morning there is no question Lenihan has lost his integrity & his honor. I can tell you readers what he said about the cross endorsements is a lie. Lenihan had a number of formulas on the table; Russell excluded from each & every scenario.
Lenihan actually courting his fellow chairs in the 8th JD to lobby the Governor in opposition to the Russell appointment for strictly political reasons.
2) Lenihan has become what we despise most in this business a man with great power who has become totally self absorbed, corrupt.
3) The chances of Russell being confirmed by the NYS Senate before the nominating convention are slim to none. So what the hell difference does the appointment imake.
4) This process is inherently corrupt. The nominations are left in the hands of a single individual in 99% of cases; in this case Len Lenihan
Readers City Court Judge Robert Russell is a modern day hero. A rare find in this business.
Russell knew that he was being used in a sick & demented power struggle at least on Lenihan's part.
Russell has kept his honor & integrity in tact. Lets honor him for that!
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
Democrats Hire Nearly 800 Staffers
Continue shameful record of wasteful spending and political patronage
Despite a multi-billion dollar budget deficit and after passing a State Budget that increases spending by $12 Billion and increases taxes and fees by $8 Billion, the New York City dominated State Senate Democrats have hired 772 new employees between January 1, 2009 and April 10th at a cost of almost $3 million, according to a report in today's New York Daily News.
"From the moment the New York City dominated Senate Democrats took over, they ran up the public's credit card with a massive number of political patronage hires," said State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer. "From opening a Buffalo office full of political operatives, to this latest revelation, the New York City Democratic Senators have been far more focused on recklessly spending taxpayer money to hire their political buddies than they have solving the problems that most affect us all."
On June 8th , a majority of state senators elected a new reform coalition to lead the Senate. The coalition immediately approved reforms to the Senate Rules that impose term limits for Senate leaders and Committee Chairpersons, eliminate the practice of voting without attending committee meetings and create NY-SPAN, a statewide broadcast of legislative proceedings similar to C-SPAN. Senate Democrat leaders have repeatedly gone to court in failed attempts to regain power. Thirty-one members of the Democratic conference have boycotted Senate sessions for two weeks.
"For all the talk by Senator John Sampson and Senator Malcolm Smith about power sharing in the Senate, this disturbing report today makes it clear that it's all about power preservation," said Senator Ranzenhofer. "Western New Yorkers are hurting, and rather that come to work and help us to pass bills that are vital to our businesses and local governments such as Power for Jobs, the Democrats have chosen to boycott Senate sessions. They have put politics before people every time, and that is precisely why I have been supportive of efforts to bring reform to the State Senate."
"We don't need a special session, lawsuits, or personal attacks to end this stalemate," Senator Ranzenhofer said. "All it takes is one Senate Democrat to end his or her boycott, come back to work and enter the Senate Chamber on Monday afternoon and we can move forward with governing and doing the people's business."
PoliticsNY.Net: GOLISANO INVESTIGATION
"The Erie County Board of Elections is reviewing a series of transactions made by Responsible New York as part of an investigation of political action committees controlled by Mr. Pigeon. The State Board of Elections also recently sent the Albany County district attorney a case involving allegations that Responsible New York was improperly coordinating activities with individual campaigns.
Separately, the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission is investigating transactions made by one of Mr. Pigeon's political action committees." NY Times
SO JOE WHAT DO YOU REALLY THINK?
Democratic Convention
A question that keeps coming up over the last week with respect to the NYS Senate debacle.
First & foremost what concerns me the most: If Malcolm Smith, who was a weak leader,hadn't offended Tom Golisano's sensibilities by fiddling with his Blackberry during a private meeting would the people of New Yorkhave gone through this event? Probably not.
I have met Golisano twice; he seemed affable enough.
Of course I have worked with Steve Pigeon & Laureen Oliver both co chairs of Responsible NY.
I believe having the Dems in control of the Assembly & the GOP in the Senate is a necessary balance.
However, I wouldn't be willing to sell my soul to get there.
By this I mean,keeping in mind a few face saving reforms were passed on day oneof this event, the first thing on Democrat Espada's agenda is to get the gay marriage bill to the floor.
(Of course Bruno is just a silly character in this discussion. The idea gay marriage is a "civil right" is laughable.)
Obviously, it was not all that difficult to get both Espada &Monserrate to flip.Monserrate's loyalties & character are in serious question, the jury is out.
Having written that: I love the political gamesmanship. Who better to exploit the weaknesses of these two otherwiseminor players, than Tom Goli$ano & Steve Pigeon.
No doubt ... Mr Golisano ... Vengeance is a dish better served cold!
Hopefully, the people of NY will not suffer as a result?
Thereinlies the rub!
The timing is key here by the way.
Golisano changing residency to Florida a short time before this event took place.
The truth isboth Golisano & Pigeon are not the favorites of main stream republicans. As a matter of fact many in the GOP have come kicking & screaming tothis Shakesperian (Othello) like theater.
The Democrats feel betrayed!
These two could be left on a political island with only a minor party to carry their water down the ballot line. We'll see!
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
ERIE COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN JIM DOMAGALSKI
PART I: TAKEOVER WAS NEEDED, GIVES GRUDGING NOD TO PIGEON
It looks like in the wake of the Albany coup there are some strange political bedfellows, as in Erie County Republican Chairman Jim Domagalski and former Erie County Democratic Chairman Steve Pigeon.
Pigeon, the choreographer who engineered the takeover of the State Senate by Republicans while on assignment from an angry and disappointed Tom Golisano, drew this comment from Domagalski on Monday:
"I've always had a great deal of respect for Steve's political skills and abilities," said Domagalski, "even though I don't always agree with all of his politics."
There you have it. The local leader of the Republicans offering faint praise for the former Democratic chief following the stunning change of power in the State Senate with two dissident Democrats joining 30 Republicans to wrest control from the Democratic majority and Malcolm Smith.
Domagalski says what happened is the result of a disastrous six-month run by the controlling Democrats, "a disaster even by Albany standards. The idea that one-party government could increase spending $12.5 billion in their budget, increase taxes and fees by $8.5 billion in the middle of a severe economic recession, is mind-boggling."
The GOP leader says one-party rule has resulted in policies that have pushed high-profile people like Golisano and Rush Limbaugh to leave the state.
"But what's more troubling," says Domagalski, "are the small businesses and families who are deciding to do the same thing because there is no connection between realities faced by taxpayers and what the government has been doing. "
Domagalski says Golisano and some Democrats saw the one-party-rule disaster and abandoned ship to go to people who will help middle-class families and businesses, saying, "Now the burden is on the Republican-led coalition to do that. And in the first 24 hours, they are making reforms that are long overdue, and hopefully they will go beyond institutional legislative reforms and reform how government spends money and taxes families and businesses."
The Republican chairman says New York State is at a tipping point, about to fall apart, unless radical change comes. Domagalski states it's now about parties, but the need for people to come together.
Will the Republican takeover hold up?
"The legislature can elect its own leadership," says Domagalski, "and it is no different than when Jim Jeffords switched from Republican to Democrat in the U. S. Senate during the early ‘90's, changing the balance of power. I see nothing illegal in what they did. And unless the governor has something specific, I don't see how this won't hold."
Domagalski has his own horse to ride these days, County Executive Chris Collins who has been making noise around the state in GOP circles.
"Chris Collins will be the first to tell you that the job is to reform Erie County government and he been doing that very well," says Domagalski about his rising political star. "His first two years have been very successful, capped by the control board reverting to advisory status, and following through on his promises, unlike many other politicians."
Domagalski says he has been getting calls from Republicans around the state asking whether he can get Collins to come and speak and tell the story of Erie County because here, "we're surging against the tide."
The chairman says Collins supports Rudy Giuliani for governor, "but if Rudy doesn't run, a lot of people will look at him. Would he do it? I don't know, but his performance certainly warrants consideration."
The GOP also likes their horse in the county comptroller race against Democrat Mark Poloncarz.
As we've done in the past, we're offering voters a clear choice, says Domagalski. Republicans are backing accountant Phil Kadet to steward county finances, saying the CPA and former managing partner of the accounting firm Lumsden & McCormick for 12 years, has the necessary background for the job.
"Mark is a nice guy," says Domagalski, "if that's what they (public) want, they should re-elect him. If they want a pro with 30 years of experience, we've given them a clear choice," adding he believes Kadet would act independently and not be tied to party headquarters like the current comptroller.
"BUFFALO ON THE MOVE AGAIN"
Shortly before the campaign kick off began I was invited back stage to say hello to Byron. I said, Byron here we are again four years later. I suggested the margin should be 70% this time; he said with a smile on his face,"75%, Joe". ...
Mayor Byron Brown surrounded by hundreds of supporters & well wishers announced his candidacy for a 2nd term as Mayor of BuffaloSaturday morning at St John the Baptist on Goodell Buffalo, NY.
Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples hosted the event for the 2nd time. She introduced all of thedignitaries in the crowd,special guest Congressman Steve Israel from Long Island (Israel joining Responsible NY's Steve Pigeon for Buffalo wings & pizza tonight), Deputy Mayors Steve Casey his wife & two lovely children, Donna Brown & her beautiful daughter, DA Frank Sedita, City Court Judge Bob Russell & wife Bonnie, Legislators Betty Jean Grant & Barbara Miller Williams, Cheektowaga Democratic Chairman Frank Max & associates Jeff Whiting & Paul Piotrowski, West Seneca Chairman Dan McParlane, GRASSROOTS Chair Geraldine Ford, Al Thompson, Florence Johnson, Arnold Garner, Mark Croce, Cliff Bell, Dr. Henry Taylor. My friends Tim Clark, Peter Savage the old & young, Jon Dandes, Mike Darcy, & special mention my pal Hormoz Mansouri, et al.
Peoplesthen introducedher colleague Assemblyman Mark Schroeder who got the crowd on its feet with an old time fire & brimstone speech. Schroeder said maybe the democrats in the room should part company with the County Democratic Committee & have their own endorsement session. He also mentioned the Buffalo Niagara Partnership as anothergroup that should fish or cut bait, paraphrasing.
Peoples then introduced another South Buffalo favorite Legislator Tim Kennedy. Kennedy really roused the crowd in his passionate support of Brown.
Next it was CouncilmenDemone Smith & Joe Golombek's turn followed by NYS Senator Antoine Thompson.
Thompson introduced Congressman BrianHiggins, another southee, who talked abouthis great fondness for the Mayor; hecontinued byintroducing Mayor Byron Brown to the crowd who by this time was on its feet cheering BROWN BROWN BROWN!!!.
The crowd was sincere in not only its political partnership with the Mayor but their affection for him & his family.
Brown chronicled the successes of his first term which are many & significant, reducing taxes, crime prevention, development, etc. We will link his remarks & pics later.
Brown of course gave great credit to his wife Michelle. He went on to recognize his mother in law; mentioning in the same breathe his mother, the day before Mother's Day,who he lost a few short years ago.
Mayor Byron Brown thanked all of his supporters & wished all you Mother's out there a Happy Mother's Day!
JosephIlluzzi704@aol.com
MAYOR BYRON BROWN
CITES PROGRESS IN MOVING BUFFALO FORWARD
Congressman Steve Israel Long Island
Mayor Byron W. Brown announced his candidacy for a second term as Mayor of the City of Buffalo. Surrounded by his family, government, civic and faith-based leaders, the Mayor pointed to several accomplishments over the past 3 ½ years, while stating that more work remains to be done.
"I come here today determined to continue the progress we have made over the past 3 ½ years," said Mayor Brown. "In that time, we have reduced the city's crime rate, cut property taxes, eliminated government waste, built record budget surpluses, successfully negotiated several union contracts, started the process of returning cars to Main Street, ensured that all city employees receive a living wage and resolved the long-standing Hickory Woods controversy."
"I will continue the great partnerships with people like those who have joined me on this stage and continue the collaborations that are beginning to improve opportunity for all Buffalonians ' but I am not done carrying out the programs and policies that I know will make the City of Buffalo a better city to live, work, invest and raise a family," said Mayor Brown. "I am here today to formally declare my intention to seek another term as your Mayor of the City of Buffalo."
Among the accomplishments of the past 3 ½ years, Mayor Brown cited the creation of CitiStat Buffalo, his Administration's public accountability initiative that has changed the way business is done in City Hall. In addition, the launching of the Mayor's Zero Tolerance law enforcement effort brought in a new, crime fighting strategy including the highly successful Mobile Response Unit, the reestablishment of the Cold Case Squad, installing surveillance cameras in high crime areas and, most importantly, putting new police officers on our city streets.
"With the recommended city budget I sent to the Common Council last week, I have cut the property tax rate four straight times. All totaled, I have reduced the tax rate for residential properties by 12.5% and 14.9% for commercial properties," stated the Mayor. "I'm proud of that and I will continue to fight for our city's property owners, which includes our demolition and rehabilitation agenda for the thousands of vacant buildings that threaten the quality of life of our residents and the stability of their neighborhoods."
Mayor Brown highlighted progress has in his Administration's continuing crime fighting effort, which has brought an overall 7% reduction in crime between 2005 and 2008.
"It is clear our Zero Tolerance strategy is working," said the Mayor. "In fact, between 2006 and 2008 the men and women of the Buffalo Police Department reduced homicide by 50%. Those responsible for violent crimes are being relentlessly pursued and brought to justice by the dedicated officers of our Police Department. Every year during my tenure as Mayor, the Buffalo Police Department's success in solving homicides has increased, reaching 89% in 2008."
In the area of economic development, Mayor Brown highlighted several initiatives, including the city's First Source Agreement program, which works with businesses investing in Buffalo and offers a service of providing trained and qualified city residents for job opportunities created by new businesses.
"My Administration has created a new program for businesses investing in Buffalo to hire city residents ' as a result 146 city residents have new jobs," remarked the Mayor.
"With the benefit of the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, we are moving ahead with our plans to make Buffalo a national center for electronic medical records. This will create 550 new jobs. This summer I am creating 25 summer youth positions for city youth to work in these 21st Century jobs."
The Mayor stated that his Administration will direct federal stimulus funds to projects like energy conservation improvements to city-owned buildings with $2.7 million in new funding. It is estimated that this project will create nearly 100 new "Green Collar" jobs for city residents.
"I intend to continue to fight for additional stimulus funding to create more jobs to build on the progress we have made," said Mayor Brown.
The Mayor concluded by reemphasizing his continuing outreach to the residents of Buffalo, meeting directly with them to listen to them, hear their concerns and enact programs and policies that will meet their needs and expectations..
"From Black Rock to Hamlin Park, Central Park to Kaisertown, the Old First Ward to the West Side, and North Buffalo, the City of Buffalo is a collection of neighborhoods that have contributed to our city's strength," said Mayor Brown. "I know this firsthand because I have met with block clubs in every section of our city and our residents deserve the best that we can offer.
"Make no mistake about it ' we are making progress. But I will not rest on these successes; there is still more work to be done. And that's why I am running for another term as your Mayor of Buffalo. I love Buffalo and its people. I know that we have made progress in many areas and there's more work to do. It has been a great privilege and honor to serve you as your Mayor and I am ready to pursue a second term to finish the work we started 3 ½ years ago and continue the progress we have made in creating hope and opportunity for every Buffalo resident!"
LEAD - FOLLOW- OR GET OUT OF THE WAY
by Joseph J. Illuzzi
Leaders that put public policy predicated on the pubic good should lead - followers to support their policy initiatives - those whose interests are vestedin partisanship or personal gain should simply get out of the way.
I believe one man put it this way: "Government by the people - for the people"
This Union was founded on God's biblical principles, infallible - unalterable.
The absolute & unequivocal "Right to Life" from conception.
The term "reproductive rights" as related to a woman's reproductive rights is an oxymoron, a convoluted misnomer; the same applies to "homosexual marriage".
The only Being with 'reproductive rights'are the Creator, NO exceptions.
Marriage is a trust in God between a man & woman, NO exceptions.
The absolute value of every human being's life regardless of circumstance.
Our foundation, the bricks &mortar, commonly known as the "traditional family" & inherent values therein, not two men or two women, this an abomination according to God's Word.
Familiesare livingin an atmosphere ofuncertainty & fear.
Familiesare losing their homes en masse, heads of households losing their jobs, their quality of life mitigated to the point where they long for the good old days; the good old days being six months ago.
This Union's economy was founded upon a free & open market system, supply & demand.
The stimulus being the genius of the American people, not handouts, bailouts & socialism couched in stimulus packages for corps. orfinancial institutionswhose doom has become a self fulling prophecy predicated on greed& short term results. Let market forces determine outcomes not government!
What we have here readers is a corruption of the principles both social & economic upon which our Union was founded & the inverse relationship between the two.
We as aUnion must find our way back; paradoxically tearing down those institutions, corp. & otherwise, that have made our Union a shadow of our stated ideals.
Whether it be Federal - State or County government it is time for real non partisan leadership to deal with this "black hole"; which is this social & economic meltdown. There is no doubt a connection between the two!
Tough choices have to be made; government cannot continue to be all things to all people, now this would be "change".
MALES IN BUFFALO UNEMPLOYED
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Developmentconducted a study of 36 large American cities, the percentage of Black men between the ages of 16 and 64 without a job is 51.4%, the highest in the country
The study found 25.3% of white men living in Buffalo were out of work, the nation's second highest joblessness rate. Buffalo also ranked 2nd highest, behind Detroit in the disparity of blacks and whites without work. The study also found Buffalo remains one the most segregated cities/regions in the country.
The reason why Buffalo is the most often cited city/region when these studies are completed is the failure of our school system. Less than 50% of Black males get a High school diploma. The reasons: Racism & the Political climate & the inverse relationship between the two.
White Pen & Paper - Black Eraser (Hispanics other minorties other than Asian have to be included in our thinking) Redux first published 2003
by Joseph J. Illuzzi
Imagine being born into a wealthy family, having everything life could offer, then all of the sudden its all gone for one reason or another. You realize your parents never prepared you for the culture shock of having to make a living on your own! You lack the skills as a result of not having the appropriate educational background to move fluidly from an environment of relative stability to one of uncertainty. Thus you find yourself with no money, no job, no prospects.
Now if you are white & living in Erie County in the 60's and 70's, you probably would not have to deal with these kinds of issues and this metaphor would be lost on you. But if you're Black and lived in Buffalo, you most certainly were/are confronted with these issues! After Bethlehem Steel, et al., began downsizing, eventually closing its doors; heavy industry, the resulting well paying jobs, for the most part became of the history and folklore of this County/City.
Blacks in the main, woke up and realized something was wrong. Whites seemed to be moving into other areas of employment with little or no difficulty. Whites were able to maintain a reasonable standard of living. While Blacks found themselves in the social and economic abyss, a real conundrum.
The reasons: While both Black and whites were working at Bethlehem Steel, et al., times were good. There existed ‘economies of scale' in both the white and Black areas of the City.
No one was paying attention because everyone had a job. Blacks realized in a very short period of time, after things changed, there was one unique difference, among many differences, between them and their white counterparts, schools! The schools in the Masten, Fillmore, and Ellicott Districts, were in no way equivalent to the schools in the Delaware, North, South, and Lovejoy Districts. The teachers in the classrooms seemed not to be the equivalent or as focused as those in the white districts. The school buildings in the Black Districts always were in a state of disrepair. The manor in which supplies, e.g. text books, were distributed seemed to favor the white districts, thus the great revelation.
There was a great divide between the Black and white experience in the classrooms of the Buffalo School District. Blacks, in great numbers, in fact were/are an uneducated, underclass, in the City of Buffalo and Erie County. Not only not educated on the same level as whites but regulated to specific geographical areas of the City with little ability to move up and out, especially in the 50's and 60's. Blacks certainly did not move to Amherst or Cheektowaga. As a matter of fact there were signs put up, "No N..... Allowed."
I know that sign was posted at Pine Ridge and Genesee in Cheektowaga. I know because in 1963 the DiFiglia family moved from East Delevan & Humbolt to Floral in Cheektowaga. So our Blacks friends & I would travel to Cheektowaga to use our best friend Frank's pool, quite an education. The name DiFiglia might not ring a bell. Does the name Michael Bennett mean anything to you; he wrote Chorus Line, etc. His real name is Michael DiFigilia. Antidotally, Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Lanier grew up in the same neighborhood. We used to tease him in grammar school because his feet were so big! We went to St Francis De Sales, Bob to PS #74. Back to the point: This racist behavior led to the great social upheaval in the late 60's, rioting in the streets etc. I know because a round or two went thru my bedroom window at East Ferry & Fillmore next to Colson's gas station.
However, while Blacks around the country seemed, on the surface, to become more socio-economically mobile, in Buffalo and Erie County the Black circumstance remained stagnant. Blacks remained an uneducated, underclass. Here it is 2003 (08) … Buffalo and Erie County remain the fourth most segregated County and City in the Nation. Buffalo the 2nd poorest City in the Nation. Buffalo with a high school graduation rate far below the other Districts in Erie County. Now the result of all this is many Blacks in the city were/are unemployed. The lot of a Black child was and remains severely impeded.
Not only because of the upheaval, for many reasons, in the home, but the political climate, and the failure of the Black leadership during this era. White Democratic politicians found race an avenue for election and reelection in Buffalo, esp. by separating the races, i.e. separate & unequal, some referred to the behavior as, "polarizing the City along racial lines."
The political problem was exacerbated because Black leaders told their constituents to vote one way, Democratic. The reason Black leaders told their constituents to vote one way? Black leaders found, most Democratic at the time, they too could be elected and reelected as well, number one. Number two: Get wealthy pimping all of the poverty programs of the late 60's and 70's.
The ramifications: Grassroot Blacks remain to this day an underclass in Buffalo & Erie County.
Unless things change dramatically in our attitudes, the body politic, esp. the classroom; the Black experience in Buffalo and Erie County would not and did not change. Albeit, there are obvious marginal improvements in the lives of some Blacks in the City/County. This is to say: Things are changing but the results of decades of socio-economic disparity remain the same for many, if not most, Blacks living in Buffalo and Erie County. There remains a plethora of very serious issues for administrators in the Buffalo School District. Also, it goes without saying teachers in the classroom via discipline and performance etc.
Part of the lingering problem is during the 60's, 70's, and 80's most teachers in the classroom were middle class, white, and female, not trained to deal with children with such horrible discipline problems. Problems became much worse as a result of changing dynamics in the home, i.e. single unemployed parents, drugs, crime, and the resulting violence, not to mention teen pregnancy and infant mortality. The ramifications from this behavior, in the aggregate, found its way into the classroom. To this very day the denial of the reality of these issues by media, many of our private sector and political leaders is also a problem that weighs heavily on our ability to redress these issues.
The fact is 26% plus of the adult population, Blacks and Hispanics for the most part, in Buffalo do not have high school diplomas. The illiteracy numbers among all minorities in the City is very troubling. Unless we deal with this phenomenon, things will never change. Just stop and think! Ask yourself why taxes are so high in NYS and Erie County? The answer is quite simple because we are paying for our sins of the past, reparations? Not as a result of slavery; but our benign neglect of a race of people, esp. children in Buffalo and Erie County, over the last decades. Thus our welfare costs, e.g., Medicaid. The cost to taxpayers for public safety, the resulting cost to build and maintain prisons. Every cent we pay in taxes one way or another, except for the obvious, e.g. the infirmed, elderly, goes to the Masten, Fillmore, Niagara, and Ellicott Districts for one entitlement or another.
This is a multi generation crisis that took decades to reach the current state of the Buffalo School District.
Is there a quick fix, NO.
But it remains an imperative that this broken school district be fixed!
Publisher Joseph J. Illuzzi
Interview conducted by John Maggiore
PoliticsNY.Net "The Magazine" hard copy this is one of our exclusive covers. Rated one of the five best magazines in NYS by Bacon's. Did I mention we have been quoted numerous times in national publications like Roll Call, Rothenberg, et al. I was the political TV analyst for fiveyears on Crossroads. Countless TV &radio appearances all the way back to Clip Smith WGR550 in 1998-99 as recent as opening Hardline with Hardwick's first three shows on WBEN 930 last year.
Roll Call Magazine Washington DC
ON JOE ILLUZZI
"This is the opposite of what usually happens. PoliticsWNY.com (PoliticsNY.Net), a popular Web site on politics in Western New York, has spun off into a glossy magazine. PoliticsWNY.com (PoliticsNY.Net) The Magazine, debuted this month with a cover story about New York state Sen. Byron Brown (D), who is hoping to make history this year by becoming Buffalo's first black mayor. The magazine, which is free, is published by the Web site's impresario, Joseph Illuzzi, and promises to include in-depth features not found on the Web site - which will continue generating its daily dose of political tidbits.In a letter to readers, the editor promised that the monthly magazine would offer "the real news mixed with some straight talk, and leavened with a little rumor and some humor."
PoliticsNY.Net, formerly PoliticsWNY.com, formerly the Illuzziletter.com, is in a way a throwback to the 18th century ' when anyone with access to a printing press could publish a newspaper to pamphlet, mixing news with opinion, sometimes publishing anonymously, like the Federalist Papers or Common Sense. But the advent of the Internet adds a 21st century dimension to the enterprise that Hamilton, Madison and Jay could never have imagined.
Illuzzi's beginning as a publisher was distinctly Thomas Paine-like.
Illuzzi: It started as the Illuzzi Letter in 1996. I had a mailing list of seven people. From there the mailing list grew to a few hundred, and in 1998 the cost of producing the mailing ' I was doing it once a week or once every two weeks ' was around $1,000 per month; thanks to my parents for the help getting started. So I had to find an easier way to get my message out. I decided to go online.
The online version of the IlluzziLetter.com started in October of 1998 with the heading, "Hello World". The name change to PoliticsWNY.com came in 2002 PoliticsNY.Net in 2004). I hired an editor & web designers. The rest is history.
Q: Now it has come full circle, now you have a printed magazine again.
Illuzzi: Right. It's kind of an odd thing. We did it like Roll Call magazine in Washington, D.C., but came full circle.Mediaas a rule would do a hard copy, then go to the Internet. Well, we did a hard copy, went to the Internet, and now we're back to the hard copy, "The Magazine".
Q: How are both of them doing?
Illuzzi: Very well. With the website, we started out in October of 1998. The first month we did 700 hits; we did4.5 million hits in(August) of this year. I began selling ads for the web site in 2000-2001. Our web publication is read around the world, our magazine around the state & in Washington D.C. Our corporate revenue is in the $100's of thousands. Our goal is to break the million-dollar gross revenue plateau within two years.
Q: How would that compare to other online publications?
Illuzzi: The Buffalo News is the "Goliath" in the area. Comparatively we're doing pretty well. As far as other websites, we are the only political web site of note in Buffalo, Erie Country, upstate New York (NY). There is no real competition for our market in Erie County/Western New York. We intend to be the political publication of record north of New York City. As a matter of fact we will have a name change to reflect our goal. The PoliticsWNY.com, formerly the IlluzziLetter.com, will become or is as of this publication PoliticsNY.net.
Q: How has the Internet transformed the way politics are reported?
Illuzzi: I think Warren Buffett said it best. Paraphrasing, I no longer look to print media for my news; I go right to the Internet because it's fast and cheap. It doesn't cost me anything.
To that extent the Internet has revolutionized the news business ' not only the political component but the entire business.
Q: Do you think of the online version as a blog or something else?
Illuzzi: You can call my editorials blogs. Now my critics refer to my, as some like to say, "ranting and ravings", as blogs. We have original copy and original interviews on our website 365 days a year. No other website, other than the Buffalo News, can make that claim. (Of course we published "The Magazine.)
Q: You don't adhere to mainstream media journalism standards?
Illuzzi: Well, I don't know that mainstream media journalism standards apply to the Internet. My approach and our original slogan was, "the truth will set you free". We tell it like it is (excuse the cliché). To the extent that that's not classic journalistic behavior, so be it. It gives me a format to express my views. The punctuation isn't always right. The spelling is sometimes a little shaky. But when you update whatever number of times per day, reading 50, 60, 70 news items covered in daily local, state, national and international news, you're doing this quickly and mistakes are made. I don't want to sound too defensive. It's the immediacy and necessity of being first in a very competitive environment via radio & TV. The Buffalo News is handicapped because the paper has a 24-hour turnaround time.
Q: In addition to articles and commentary, you publish rumors and press releases in the online version. What is the value in publishing those?
Illuzzi: Everybody loves a good political rumor or bit of gossip. However, I rarely publish rumors. That charge is a nonstarter. When I publish a rumor, the item says in quotes, "rumor". If it's gossip, I write, "gossip". That's usually a claim of my critics, that I publish rumors. The problem is that when I get information, they're not rumors. I get information straight from the horse's mouth. I get information from the best of sources ' the people involved in the story. It might seem like a rumor because some of our stuff, as we publish it, seems so impossible. But as 90% of my readers over the last nine years(12)' those who are being honest ' will tell you, what I publish today might seem bizarre, crazy and couldn't possibly happen. For example: The Giambra budget debacle, or the highway garage scandal, or the deli terrorist story ' seemed impossible (Bills playing in Toronto ... Hoyt ... Stone/Spitzer ... We have broken just about every major "political" story in WNY in the last six years). But in a short time the truth of our prose became quite apparent. Our muckraking story became front-page fodder for the Buffalo News or the lead for radio & TV news. I can tell you that TV, radio & the News journalists have made it clear ' PoliticsNY.Net is one of their first reads every morning.
Q: What's your response to criticism about accepting paid advertisements from some of the same people who are being covered?
Illuzzi: What's new? Who doesn't cover paid advertisers? Dr. (Satish) Mohan (a candidate for Amherst Town Supervisor) would buy half-page ads in the Buffalo News and they would cover his campaign. Again, what's new here? The problem with our critics is that we've made an art out of it. We found a way to make a considerable amount of revenue. I have to laugh when some of our critics say you shouldn't be selling your magazine covers. A number of publications sell their covers. The people pointing fingers do not have expenses exceeding $15,000 a month. Please do not forget that we are consultants as well as putting out the publications. The little trip to the mailbox with seven copies has turned into PoliticsWNY.com Incorporated (DBA PoliticsNY.Net), with multiple shareholders.
Illuzzi later expanded on this point, asserting, "We have never endorsed a candidate predicated on the amount of money they have spent on our site". In fact, Illuzzi often endorses opponents of his own advertisers and publishes ads from multiple candidates for the same office. The confusion is that we offer free fundraiser ads for clients. We also post our clients' press releases. We only post the relevant press releases of non-advertisers.
Q: Do you consider yourself a journalist?
Illuzzi: Yes. I have nine (12) years of experience writing & publishing news. I have a staff of writers. I'm involved in a corporation that publishes news in a political website and magazine. People look to me for their political news. To that extent, yes, I am a journalist. Do I have a degree in journalism? No, 90 hours of college study. This during years of self-inflicted turmoil & a couple of rounds with the judicial system decades ago.
Now everybody is a journalist. Bloggers ' 90% plus of them don't have journalism degrees. But bloggers are admitted to the White House press conferences. The Internet has opened the door. In the same vein, how many TV & radio commentators have journalism degrees? Some do, most don't.
(The legal definition: An individual who gathers &disseminatesnews on a regular basis for public view. We certainly meet that standard & then some in spite of what Hoyt says.)
By the way, the reason why we are so well read is that if we didn't do the job, people wouldn't read us. That's another misconception out there. If we were just publishing rumors and gossip, by definition of those words, people wouldn't read us. We publish facts and reality. Our accuracy rate is in the 99th percentile. Nobody else, including the Buffalo News, can say that.
Let me mention as well that there is a great misconception out there that if you advertise your website &/or get a number of mentions on TV & radio, etc., your numbers grow concurrently. Not true! Take it from me ' the only thing that pushes stats & revenue is credibility, word of mouth. Believe me when I tell you that. I should know!
Q: Where do you see both the website and the magazine in ten years?
Illuzzi: I am glad you said ten years. I have completed 10 marathons & 1 triathlon, so I know what it means to be in it for the long haul. The web site continues to grow. There was a leveling off somewhat (in readership) over the summer. I think people locally were just tired of the events in the county over the past several months. Albeit, we have expanded our reach throughout the 8 counties & the state, both in our news coverage & revenue sources. We are read in Washington, D.C. We have had 7 national mentions (plus) in the last couple of (few) years. We have a staff of great free-lance writers in Tony Farina, Ken Hamilton ... (John Maggiore .. Judy Einach past tense)
Readership is growing again now that we are in the election cycle. (4.5 million hits in August - 160 Gbs of Bandwidth for our SINGLE page format) I see the Corporation continuing on the web, growing our advertising base, continuing to be the first in political news ' the first and accurate. "The Magazine" is a hit (suspended for the moment). Things are looking great!
Things had BETTER look great. I have an fourteen-year-old daughter, Sarah. She likes that allowance! I was in the room when she was born, never missed a dental appointment, 90% of of her ortho appointments (cash by the way!) made 99% of her doctor appointments, never missed an open house or parent-teacher conference, never EVER failed to provide for my child including all of the extras!!! Sarah is one very important reason why, when things looked bleak, I carried on.
I give all credit & thank God & His son, Jesus Christ, for His blessings on our endeavors.
Newstex ID: PNY-0001-36091085
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