The Hayseeds blog, No. 225 for the week starting October 7, 2007.
September 23, 2007
Hayseeds No. 224
October 7, 2007
Hayseeds No. 225
October 14, 2007
Hayseeds No. 225
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It looks like Cuomo was wrong in accusing Spitzer of using newly collected travel data to make Bruno look bad, as it appears that Pataki collected similar data for Bruno.
As the TU blog notes, the chances of the boys coming back under a continued poisoned atmosphere are almost none.
That's what they are calling the DOT's deer composting program.
(Thanks to the TU Blog for these interesting links).
He wants to have the governor get this over so that the boys can get back to work.
It looks like freshman County Legislator and friend, Ryan Horemyster is proposing that county officials be prohibited from working on projects that they have a personal or financial interest in, all gifts to legislators would be prohibited, as would revolving door lobbying. See Democracy in Albany.
It sounds really good, even though the devil is in the details. Some questions and potential problems the law might cause:
Everybody wants to reform ethics and look good. But at the end of the day, will the policy process and the efficency of government be improved by replacing people who know the system with those who are ignorant of the process, or are deprived of the most basic perks of being elected?
It will like there will be less competition in the beer world.
This letter published in the TU is a well written defense of the second admendment:
The Second Amendment does indeed state, "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." If Mr. Deems and others would also read the Federalist Papers, they would gain a more fundamental understanding of the wisdom of our founding fathers for including this language into our Constitution.
This most basic right guarantees not only that we have a strong organized military structure, but that our general citizenry maintains the right to own and bear arms in the unlikely event the citizens of the United States would be in a position to exercise their solemn right—indeed, duty—to use those arms in the face of oppression.
This right to keep and bear arms is so fundamental to our freedom, our founding fathers placed it as the second item in the Bill of Rights, subservient only to the right to free speech. This freedom has nothing to do with organized military or today's National Guard, but everything to do with our being able to defend our freedoms "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
That's an interesting letter, certainly when we here so much of the other side, being in the middle of the liberal eastern establishment.
The NY Daily news has an interesting article about a mentally ill individual who did not get the treatment he needed, who went out and used a resturant's knife to butcher people.
In this case, they are asking the right question: Why did our mental hygiene system fail this New Yorker? Why didn't they get the treatment they deserve? Why was this person get released into the general poupation? They didn't ask why are those so many illegal guns (or in this case knives) on the street, or why it's so easy to get firearms.
Nobody is seriously talking about knife control, even though they can seriously injure people as witnessed by this case, when in the wrong hangs.
DailyKos has a rundown of editorials pointing out why the president is wrong in his veto of SCHIP.
The Newsday editorial it quotes is specifically interesting:
SCHIP currently funds insurance for 4 million children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to buy private insurance. Still, there are another 9 million children nationally - including 400,000 in New York and 68,000 on Long Island - without medical insurance. Congress voted an additional $35 billion over five years to extend SCHIP coverage to millions of those children.
Bush has vetoed the bill, but his opposition is ideological and partisan. He insists that expanding SCHIP would be a step toward socialized medicine, shift the focus from the poor and cost too much. He has proposed a miserly $5-billion increase that wouldn't even cover the rising cost of continuing to cover the children currently enrolled.
SCHIP is not socialized medicine. It is government-paid health insurance, but most states use the money to buy coverage from private insurance companies. And though SCHIP was originally limited to children from families under 200 percent of the poverty line - about $41,000 a year for a family of four - times have changed. More employers have dropped medical coverage for their employees, leaving many middle-income families out in the cold, particularly in high-cost areas such as Long Island, where yearly incomes well above $41,000 just won't stretch to cover the $12,000-plus yearly cost of private insurance
Interesting.
It's well known that people don't save enough in our country, and that social security will never pay those people enough to live on, even if it survives the baby-boom. That's why Hillary proposes matching funds for 401k plans.
Under the plan, the government would give a dollar-to-dollar match for the first $1,000 saved by Americans who earn up to $60,000 annually. For those who earn $60,000 to $100,000, the government would provide a 50 percent match, or $500 for the first $1,000 saved.
Mrs. Clinton said she would pay for the program by freezing the estate tax at its 2009 level of $7 million per couple. A campaign analysis of the plan said that the freeze would affect about 10,000 of “the wealthiest estates” in the United States and provide a new retirement savings systems for an estimated tens of millions of families.
It's certainly an interesting idea, and a good sweetner to get people to invest who might not traditionally do so as their employeers do not offer a similiar sweatner. People need to save more, and this plan might help out.
This political ad is great:
Thanks to DailyKos for posting this.
Again, this is worth a watch.
Anton sent over a lengthy email protesting Monday's fodder that didn't put his Republican candidacy for County Legislature in the best possible light:
Mr. Arthur,
How are you?
Just wanted to clarify a few things about my background and my platform.
1) Political experience: since you brought it up and college experiencecounts, I won the following (all highly contested) races: High SchoolFreshman Sophomore Governor, High School Vice President, High SchoolStudent Body President, College Class Vice President (twice reelected),College Student Senator, College Student Association Councilman andSenator, then Circle K Club Treasurer, then International Trustee (one of11 - Community Service Group sponsored by Kiwanis).
Later (see Board of Elections official results) on I won a contested racefor Albany County Democratic Committeeman (running against Mayor's peopleon a ticket Councilman Corey Ellis (who since that became a dear friend)put together. I have been serving in that capacity and since I never movedout of the Assembly District still serve as.
I also volunteered for several successful campaigns (and collected over300 signatures): DA Soares, Comptroller Michael Connors, Governor Spitzer,Congressman Michael McNalty, Senator Breslin (although I recently had arift with him over Mike Connors), Christopher Higgins (just won Democraticprimary for County Legislature), Jose Lopez (just won Independance Partyprimary for County Legislature) and unsuccessful campaigns of JenniferMuthig (just lost a Democratic Primary), McCall for Governor, John Kerry,and Alfrado Balarin (Independance candidate against Glen Casey). I alsounsuccessfully ran in non-political race for Albany City Public LibraryTrustee (although received 426 votes city-wide). I am also currentlypetition coordinator for 21st CD for Barack Obama.
I also would like to remind you that I still work (and have been for thepast 5 years) for Democrat, Chair of Mental Health Committee (trying tochange the failing system) and former Chair of Puerto Rican Hispanic TaskForce, Assemlyman Peter M. Rivera (from the Bronx).
2) I did not switch parties: I have never been more Democrat than nowfederally. I do believe the Republican Party does have a few things rightlocally (reduce county legislature, reduce waste, maintain taxes at thelevel), which is why they gave me their endorcement. At the time I alsoattempted to run in Democratic Primary. I collected 119 signatures (Ineeded 93) but then the Democratic Party bosses challanged my petition and29 signatures were thrown out (including some "signature didn't match theone we have on record from 20 years ago" and one person registered at myaddress while her entire family is across the street and that is where shealways lived). I was several signatures short of running. So I went aheadand collected 181 signatures to get on Citizens for Change line (theycouldn't challange those since you only need 141 to get independantnomination). I retained Republican line since that is one of the mainlines. My opponent was running on Conservative and Independance lines aswell and I challanged her on those as "Opportunity to Ballot" - that isvery hard to win as you get no press coverage and its hard to get peopleto write in correct full name. Less than 1/3 of regular turnout came outthis time from those parties and I lost those lines (still unclear by howmuch - the board of elections doesn't want to release me the final number-it is around 3-12 - Con and 11-25 Ind).
The state Republican committee is offering me no help. I got some helpfrom local Guilderland Republicans and a couple of Republican friends (whocollected those signatures for me).
By the way Comptroller Michael Connors (donated to campaign - ondisclosure form - $54 unitimized), Councilman Corey Ellis (donated $100 -itimized as such), Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell (donated $100),Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera (donated $200), Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny(donated $50) all still support me. I also received support and donationsfrom many other Democrats.
3) Campaign points: County legislature is too large - Michael Connors hasbeen proposing even when he was in the legislature to reduce it (Considerthat NYC only has 51 councilmen and many times more than less than 300,000people we have - same goes for Nassau with population 10 times ours and 19legislators) and redrawing the lines to make bigger districts doesn't meanwe can't assure that minority populatios are still represented (And havingsmaller districts doesn't make sure that we don't discriminate either:Look at Virginia Mafia Tobler's district - that one is so gerrymandered tokeep a White incumbant legislator it is not even funny). "Taxes are toohigh" - we have all this waste as we do not allow comptoller to audit allof our agencies without agency permission and agencies do not have tofollow or make any changes as per audit's recommendations (ask MikeConnors - that was his idea to make this a campaign point), and "thecounty would save money by moving the county nursing home ... into apublic authority" (again Mike Connors' idea who is experiences with moneyissues and audited the home and seen federal audits of it as well).
Corruption is vivid within agencies - ask the many political appointmentsthere as well as those without connections (I have an African-Americanfriend who scored one of 8 highest on civil service exam yet wasoverlooked for someone way down the list but White and with connections).I was also told by political boss who challanged my petitions that he gota job because of Democratic Party and that is why he now "defends" it.(Notice not because of his experience but because of his connections) Isthat not wrong? You tell me.
Well about authorities - we have great examples how it is better andcheaper - Port Authority and Airport Authorities of Albany.
Finally I have been getting great support from my constituents and I hopethat you will understand why I am still in the race. Please check out mycampaign website for more information about me and my race:www.konev2007.com
Sincerely,Anton Konev
He does make some interesting points about his ability to serve as a county legislator. He has done a lot for his community, and is far more active then many people his age. That doesn't make him a 16-year experienced legislator though. It's good to see some of Latino Assembly Democratic conference are supporting him—but do they really know he's running as a Republican.
His argument that we need more authorities is interesting, particularly in an age when people are trying to consolidate government agencies, and streamline things. Of course it goes counter to his argument that we should trim the County Legislature—it costs money to pay authority directors, and it cost money to pay for benefits of so-called unpaid authority board members. The cost of paying 37 people $20,500 a year plus the cost of benefits is tiny compared to the rest of the county budget.
Finally, I certainly guess Brendan Quinn didn't censor out that message—I'm sure he wouldn't let him reply back to his critics like that. Clearly his message is coming from somewhere—it's too lock and step Republican to be his own. But at any rate, I'm also glad he reads my blog, or that Google likes my blog because I know how to write HTML properly.
How do you screw over the homeless? Make it harder for them to obtain temporary shelter.
It looks like that's what the Supreme Court said yesterday.
Leonard Koerner, chief of the New York City Law Department’s appeals division, said: “We are very disappointed in the court’s ruling, because it does not require the parents to place their children initially in the public school system. This detracts from schools’ abilities to work with parents for the best possible educational outcomes for children with disabilities.”
But Mr. Koerner noted that the ruling did not set a precedent that would bind all schools in the country, and he expressed hope that the justices would soon consider the issues again. That seems likely. At least one other circuit court has come to a conclusion opposite from that of the Second Circuit.
Interesting.
It looks like the Senator from Elizabethtown is spending taxpayer dollars to see if there is somehow they get cellphone reception on the Adirondack Northway before winter, because somehow it's too difficult to use the $6 million dollar emergency phones on Northway.
It's not going to happen this year, but it looks like they will get cellphone towers on the Northway eventually. Then people can yap on their phones non-stop, regardless of if they are in the park or if they are not. And then Betty Little will find something else to complain about in the APA.
It looks like the rumor mill is saying that housing may come long before any other development, as that's what the demand is for the area, nearby the so-called NanoTech Complex.
At the public hearing regarding plans for the complex, I was told that these plans where to take place over a period of around 30 years. So don't hold your breath for much besides the Labor Department, Tax and Finance, CDPHP, and SEFCU being up there anytime soon.
After we challenge your high assessment, promises Walmart.
Want to ignore the law and not get sued? That's what Tedisco is proposing with clerks who want to flaunt the governor's executive order.
The clerk's claim of sovereignty is a bit extreme. They might constitutionally have a degree of sovereignty like District Attorneys have, but I'm not sure if that extends to the governor's executive orders that implement state policy.
Not that Tedisco's bill is going anywheres fast at least in the Assembly. He can sue the governor, but I'm not sure that would go far in the courts, particularly in the fairly liberal Albany County courts.
It looks like the tax rates remain steady, and that most of the cuts come to positions that are not filled. It looks like everybody gets to save face about the new budget.
It looks like long-time community activist Resin Adams lost her show recently:
eople recognize it because the 80-year-old Albany activist was a host on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institutes's student-run radio station, WRPI (91.5).
Her show consisted of reading the Nation and other magazines. She did this faithfully for years, taking the bus from Albany to Troy and walking up the hill to RPI—an hourlong trip.
It also looks like WRPI might cut the ever-so-popular Democracy Now! program.
Some insiders suggest more changes could be coming: the elimination of "Democracy Now!" and adding automated programming that would allow WRPI to cut the community hosts who help fill its airtime.
It's really quite disappointing as for a while WRPI was a really great progressive station. I guess the college can choose whatever programming they want on it. And Resin Adams and other community activists, at least theoretically, can set up their own radio station.
See also the discussion on this bill.
It looks like they are proposing another major housing development in the Pine Bush.
So it would appear with some dragging out this issue.
It looks like Hinchey has a bill to give volunteer firefighters a federal tax credit to help offset costs associated with being a volunteer fighter.
It looks like it's getting more difficult for farmers to get large animal vets to help out their stock, when all the money and glory is in helping people's pet dogs.
You know how everybody's been talking about Spitzer's proposal to give illegals driver licenses?
How about giving dogs and other animals driver licenses?
Who could be against that? Maybe the farm bureau? Moreover, I doubt the law prohibits that.
That's what Jim Tedisco suggested today according to the Daily Politics Blog.
Unfortunately for him, he's giving them the cold shoulder.
You have to watch it:
That's what the Heritage Foundation is suggesting about the need for more money to pay for the program.
That reminds me a lot like the argument against the Bigger Bottle Bill—that the government to capture bottle deposits would discourage people from redeeming bottles.
Still, how can anybody be against giving kids health care? If the cig tax increase is not enough to pay for it, certainly a small amount of money can be taken out of the general fund to pay for it.
It looks like the Senate Minority drafted a letter that they never sent out that would request the IRS to look into Bruno's use of state airplanes and whether or not they had a personal component to their use, and if so is there any tax liability.
There probably is nothing wrong with that, and Governor Spitzer has come out in support of such an action. Certainly if there is a tax liability for anybody to pay the IRS, then they should be paying it. And if Bruno gets tarred by doing this, there will be a whole lot of other New York leaders that will also be paying up the IRS.
Can you imagine the kind of bill Governor Pataki would owe the IRS? How about Speaker Silver or Governor Spitzer? Tom DiNappoli? There are so many people who have used state planes, and probably have done something personal or political in nature when they are on trips.
That says, it doesn't matter how many bills you pass, it's more important how you play the game.
Which somehow reminds me of this great cartoon I saw over at DailyKos.
Happy Friday.
