* * * * *
In case you missed last night's speeches by President Obama and House Speaker Boehner, the texts can be found at these links:
Address by the President to the Nation:
Speaker Boehner’s Address to the Nation on GOP Plan to Address America’s Debt Crisis:
* * * * *
Editorials on the speeches and/or plans can be found at:
The Republican Wreckage, NY Times Editorial: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/opinion/26tue1.html
The Senate’s gimmicky debt plan: The best of a bad choice, Washington Post Editorial: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-senates-responsible-answers-to-the-debt-standoff/2011/07/25/gIQAB6nFZI_story.html
A Leadership Default - The President blames House Republicans for everything, Wall Street Journal Editorial: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576468771171844358.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop#printMode
Our view: Stop the showmanship and raise the debt ceiling, USA Today Editorial:
Pete Stenson
I'm very concerned about the state of our country. Continuously borrowing without a plan to pay back isn't the answer. We also need to cut spending, but not on the backs of our seniors, poor, and military personnel. Mounting debt is crippling at any level.
ReplyDeleteYeah. when Clinton Left office, the debt was less than $5.8 trillion. When Bush left it was $10.4 trillion. That a $4.6 trillion increase under Bush?
ReplyDeleteWhere was the Republican outrage all those years? Supporting the Bush (league) tax cuts, that's where!
Yeah....the Bush era spending nationally is like the McCabe era spending in EG. Only we got tax increases, except from Matters, Cristo and Danaher.
ReplyDeleteSo we can't really draw a parallel party-wise in the national and local scene.
I thought there was a surplus after the Clinton administration?
ReplyDeleteGuess again. Cristo voted for the 2009 Town Budget that you tea party, reformers or whatever you call yourselves nowadays rANNt about.
ReplyDeleteNow pull out your 2011 tax bill. The 2.1% County increase cost you a lot more than the piddly 2.5% Town and 2.4% Highway increases cost you. Yup, Cristo voted for one, too.
Cristo also voted to approve the sweetheart deal that HVCC faculty got and then claimed that tax dollars don't pay for HVCC when called on it. HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING!
SO GLAD that he isn't running for any EG position this year!
Clinton did operate with budget surpluses, but the US still had outstanding debt. After all, Clinton was preceeded in office by Reagan and Bush 41 (12 years)!
ReplyDeleteDon't you remember Reaganomics and the very aptly named "Laffer Curve"?
Carter left office with just less than $1 billion in debt. Reagan grew that to $2.9 billion and Bush 41 to $4.4 billion.
Seems like the Dems always have to clean up the Reps tax cut disasters.
Raising the debt limit is not an appropriation for new spending, so the House Tea Party caucus made a deadly mistake in linking a fiscally necessary action to a policy area to be negotiated by the congress as a whole. I'd say it's "terminal" for the Tea Party caucus in the House. Just plain stupid.
ReplyDelete"Linking" is a time honored perversion of the legislative process which is practiced every year across the river by the Speaker and Majority Leader in the NYS legislature. Doesn't get NYS citizens very much in a positive way. But the Tea Party caucus in the House attempting to "link" apples and oranges in the way it did is really dumb, and destructive to the economy they were supposedly trying to help.
We can readily see that Boehner can't sway his party, expecially the tea party folks. Too bad they have to make this dramatic stand on such an important non-issue ... it only lets the government pay for what is budgeted. Boenher's spinnng his wheels trying to enact a bill that'll never pass in the Senate.
ReplyDeleteBetter to work for a compromise than ideology. That's statesmanship and leadership.
A message for Eric Cantor and his buddies:
ReplyDelete"He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart." Proverbs 11:29.
BIG NEWS - The House narrowly passed Boehner's bill.
ReplyDeleteBIG WHOOP - The House narrowly passed Boehner's bill.
The fourth estate reports on the passage but not the details. Of course, the details don't really matter, Boehner's bill is DOA in the Senate. Actually, it's reported as DBA - Dead BEFORE Arrival.
Boehner and the Repulsicans are just carrying out Mitch McConnell's mission of doing everything possible to defeat Obama in 2012, even to the point of purposefully sabotaging the economy for political gain.
BUT, at least the Repulsicans can all report to their home districts that they're fighting the "good fight".
... Fighting to keep the economy 'circling the bowl' so they can get their guy (or gal) in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave!!!
... Fighting to keep corporate tax breaks and credits, while attacking the middle and lower classes.
Right. ExxonMobil and GE really need those tax breaks and credits.
ExxonMobil's “Earnings were $10.7 billion, up 69% from the first quarter of 2010"
ExxonMobil's "Earnings of $10.7 billion were up 41% from the second quarter of 2010."
"GE operating earnings were $3.6 billion, up 58%, from the first quarter of 2010."
"GE second-quarter 2011 operating earnings were $3.7 billion, up 18% from the second quarter of 2010."
Pete Stenson
Hey Pete....trying to link good national democrats to local democrats is just not going to work. There may be some tea party folks in the opposition to the local administration, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the national scene. We've got local DINOs (democrats in name only). I'm totally in favor of national Democrats and their understanding of the fiscal crisis. Ironically, local Republicans are more in line with the fiscal responsibility I'd like to see.
ReplyDeleteDid Pete mention anything about locals of any party. NO. You assume that he's "trying to link good national democrats to local democrats".
ReplyDeleteBetter have some coffee before you comment.
Pete's comments are right on the mark. Left and right in American politics has come down to a simple equation: do you care about honest, hard-working Americans and the difficult times they are dealing with or do you think Donald Trump doesn't have enough money? The Reagan nonsense that low taxes for the rich produces jobs was given the lie by George W. Bush's massive tax cuts and equally massive job losses. But I must say the spectacle of watching politicians on both sides of the aisle bloviate and posture their way through an issue as important (and as simple) as this one has been nauseating. I think Barack should invoke the 14th amendment, raise the debt ceiling and send the children home for summer vacation.
ReplyDeleteWell stated Jack, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jack.
ReplyDeleteI'm ambivalent about sending the children home for summer vacation.
On one hand, there are too many problems facing the country to give them a break; unemployment, the economy, a few wars, etc.
On the other hand, the risk of them doing something really stupid or dangerous is much less if they're not in DC.
Now, why does my Dad's saying "That guy could foul up a one-man parade." come to mind?
Pete Stenson
There were no job losses during Bush. There was job growth (only the last few months were there losses; but still a net gain by millions). The only fiction is saying otherwise. Go to the government's very own statistics. The only job losses that have occurred are under the current President. Go to the BLS or simply deny the truth.
ReplyDeleteBush was an out of control spender of tax dollars. Obama has taken it to another level - well, another stratosphere.
The children in Congress will not feel the wrath of Obama; only our children, their children and so forth will.
9:50 is the perfect example of why the local tea-party / reform platform is NOT accepted. READ first before you start your mud slinging !
ReplyDelete7:24 Unemployment was 4.2% in February 2001, the month after Bush took office.
ReplyDeleteIt was 7.8% in January 2009, the month Bush left office.
Those Bush tax cuts really helped, eh?
Unemployment and the economy don't keep the same schedule as Presidential Inaugurations, that's why the Dems always have to clean up the Reps disasters.
"White House, congressional leaders reach debt-limit deal"
ReplyDelete- paraphrased from The Washington Post article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/reid-signs-off-on-debt-deal-hopes-for-vote/2011/07/31/gIQALCW4lI_story.html?hpid=z1
DEBT CEILING:
The first increase would raise the Debt Ceiling by $900 billion:
- $400 billion immediately; and
- $500 billion later this Fall. *
The second increase would raise the Debt Ceiling by at least $1.2 trillion. *
* Both future increases are subject to a resolution of congressional disapproval, which Obama can veto, placing "full blame" on the White House (translation for the folks back home "OBAMA DID IT! WE VOTED AGAINST IT!")
CUTS:
- Cuts agency spending by roughly $900 billion over the next decade and
- A new legislative committee would be created to come up with at least $1.2 trillion in additional savings by the end of this year.
If the committee fails, a "trigger" would force automatic across-the-board cuts of $1.2 trillion to agency budgets over the next decade, split half and half between domestic programs and defense. Programs for the poor, including Medicaid and Social Security, would be exempted. But Medicare payments to providers could be hit.
Let's see if they can deliver the votes and put an end to the chaos.
Pete Stenson
PS The Bush Tax Cuts were previously extended through 12/31/12. Can't wait to see if their fate when the time comes.
I think the appearance yesterday of Gabrielle Giffords in Washington says it all about what we as Americans are all about, no matter what party you affiliate yourself with. Kinda puts everything into perspective, eh?
ReplyDeleteWe'll second that!!
ReplyDeleteFrom The Washington Post article entitled "House passes historic debt deal on eve of deadline" http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cbo-confirms-debt-deal-would-save-at-least-21-trillion/2011/08/01/gIQAzmMVnI_story.html:
ReplyDelete"The agreement was sealed late Sunday after weeks of acrimonious debate. If approved by the Senate, it would raise the $14.3 trillion debt limit by at least $2.1 trillion, including the immediate $400 billion released upon Obama’s signature. An additional $500 billion would come in the fall, unless two-thirds of both chambers of Congress voted to prevent it. The final increase, which would occur early next year, would provide the Treasury with sufficient borrowing power to pay the bills into early 2013.
The deal also calls for sharp cuts in agency spending — about $917 billion over the next decade, according to congressional budget analysts, starting with a $25 billion reduction in the fiscal year that will begin in October. The agreement on agency spending next year makes it far less likely that a funding dispute will shut down the government before the 2012 presidential election."
Reactions in the article:
"Democrats took comfort in the fact that the cuts were less severe than House Republicans approved in their budget blueprint in April."
"Despite those small Democratic victories, House liberals were furious about the agreement."
"The debt plan prompted grumbling from some GOP defense hawks about proposed cuts to next year’s Pentagon budget."
"“We have to get this out of the way to get to the issue of growing the economy,” Biden said."
"For Republicans, the vote allowed them to achieve most of the spending cuts they had sought earlier this year in the budget drafted by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)."
Pete Stenson
Senate passed and President signed into law.
ReplyDeleteLets see if Joe Biden's correct:
"“We have to get this out of the way to get to the issue of growing the economy,” Biden said."
Pete Stenson
I agree that GE needs to pay a fair share of taxes. I think the same is true for Fed Ex.
ReplyDeleteI think Bush and Obama have been equally bad presidents. Both spent our money in misguided ways. I am resentful of Obama's continuing excuses. By now it is his wars and his economy. It is way past time for his excuses to end.
I do not think Obama and his team own the adult high ground in the debt limit debate.
I think no one should consider Joe Biden as a source of wisdom on any issue. And I also think Joe Biden's endearing gift for putting his foot in his mouth continues - this time about Congresswoman Gifford's tragic injury.
Great post Pete. Shows us all areas where we can agree.
I must disagree with my friend Ray on the Bush-Obama comparison. George W. Bush was the single worst president in the history of the Republic. Bar none. Obama inherited a disaster of epic proportions and to apportion equal blame to the man who was responsible for the disaster and one who has not been able to dig out of it in two and a half years is absurd.
ReplyDeleteI have been disappointed in Obama because he has tried to be conciliatory towards people who are intransigent and unreasonable but to compare him to George Bush is not fair and flies in the face of all the evidence. I have also been disappointed that we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan but never forget it was George Bush who launched an invasion of a country that never threatened us and clearly didn't have weapons of mass destruction, a war that has cost billions and billions of dollars and the lives of thousands of heroes. For what? So George Bush could resolve his Daddy issues and Dick Cheney could award $18 billion in no bid-contracts to a company that was paying him two million a year while he was the sitting Vice-President?
Obama and Bush equally bad?????? Not on your life and not even close.
Ray,
ReplyDeleteI've got to respectfully disagree on a few things.
On the war(s) and the economy, Obama may now own them but he inherited them.
Bush got us into two wars, Obama's trying to get us out.
The economy tanked before Obama took office. Keynes would say the stimulus packages weren't big enough. You can't turn an ocean liner on a dime. Similar to EG's inter-fund loan situation, it took a long time for the economy to build up to tanking, it'll take a long time to build out of it.
Some think Obama erred in not linking the debt ceiling increases to the Bush tax cut extension ... just saying.
There's tons of cash sitting out there idle on the sidelines in corporate America waiting for the economy to turn around which won't happen so long as the cash is sitting idle on the sidelines rather than being put to work.
I do agree that Biden has to buy much bigger shoes!
Pete Stenson
My nephew enforced the no fly zone in Iraq. He and his copatriots are part of this great nation, the U.S.A., and they were certainly threatened every time they flew in that zone. The Iraqis at times fired at them and at times just locked onto them. Dumb moves, needless to say.
ReplyDeleteYes, Bush got us into Iraq. There are good arguments for and probably more against I think. But probably many people would have been all over Bush if he did nothing and we were attacked by Iraqi sponsored terrorists; especially after being attacked already by terrorists.
To say Bush got us into the Afghanistan War is borderline outrageous. We were attacked by terrorists operating out of that country. You're trying to tell me we should not have fought back?
Worst Presidents? Carter & Obama. No doubt. Nixon did some good things but should never have been in that office - so bad there too. I understand Grant and Harding had pretty horiffic terms too - but Grant was one helluva a General though.
I forgot about LBJ; did some good things but talk about killing American heroes in a pointless war! More dead and no win (compared to Iraq which had far fewer casualties - far too many though - and an apparent win).
ReplyDeletePer the Sienna Research Institute, Dated July 1, 2010 (http://www.siena.edu/uploadedfiles/home/parents_and_community/community_page/sri/independent_research/Presidents%20Release_2010_final.pdf)
ReplyDeleteTOP PRESIDENTS: Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln and FDR
WORST PRESIDENTS: A. Johnson, Buchanan, Harding, Pierce and G.W. BUSH
OBAMA Enters at 15th; High on Imagination, Communication and Intelligence; Weak on Background/
G.W. BUSH falls from 23nd in 2002 to 39th Today (July 1, 2010)
Pete Stenson
Jack, Pete: Did I touch something on the GE/Fed Ex fair share of taxes comparison or did you gentlemen give me a break?
ReplyDeleteI would add Grant to the list of worst US presidents. Coolidge and perhaps Hoover as well. Carter would not be too far behind. He was weak and ineffective on just about every score.
I know this will raise hackles among my liberal friends but I think Reagan was a good president.
Jefferson was a vigorous opponent of big government. That makes him an interesting selection.
There have been lots of intelligent presidents. Clinton was a Rhodes scholar. Leadership and accomplishments are not always aligned with soft skills like imagination. I stand on my own assessment of Obama as measured by his results. And I buy none of his excuses three years into his term. Excuses are the province of weak and ineffective leaders.
NYS had a population loss of about 1.5 million people over the last decade. I don't know exactly what that means but part of it has to be that we cannot attract businesses and jobs. Part of it may be that this is a tough state for young people to buy a house in. Part of it may be that the cost of living sends retirees elsewhere.
NYS ranks awfully high on indexes like taxes. That's probably a factor as well.
In terms of rambling about political leaders I am impressed with Cuomo. I can relate to his vision, I understand where he is trying to take our state, I feel engaged by his communications.
This has been interesting and enlightening. Thanks for the opportunity.
Ray
“State budgets are already devastated,” says Ethan Pollack, a senior policy analyst at the Economic Policy Institute. “This deal just makes it far worse and shifts a lot of the pain onto state and local governments.”
ReplyDeleteThis statement just sends chills up my back ! This new debt ceiling deal is no deal for the American Public at all!
6:15 Thank your nephew for his service and sacrifice. We're hoping he and his colleagues return home safely, if they haven't already done so. If still overseas, let's all keep him, his colleagues and all the troops in combat zones in our thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteRay,
ReplyDeleteNothing touched on this end about GE/Fed Ex paying their fair share of taxes. The same goes for the rest of corporate America. I failed to mention my agreement earlier (my 1:56 post focused on the disagreements).
I think the issue centers around different people (or political 'parties') having different definitions of "fair share". Industry- or company-specific tax breaks (loopholes or otherwise) may not be the way to achieve "fair share".
That being said, we have be mindful that a competitive advantage might exist at the local level, i.e. where one county has an IDA and neighboring counties don't. Thus, the neighboring counties create IDAs.
I'll digress a bit ... Back when Steve Forbes was campaigning for President on the flat tax, I heard one guy say that he'd be all for a flat tax as long as he could keep his property tax and home mortgage interest deductions. He quickly added the interest deduction on his boat loan ... yup, you read it right ... boat loan! The boat had a galley and a head so he could deduct the loan interest! Is that rich? No pun intended.
Pete Stenson
To 6:15, the Al Qaeda training camps had to be cleaned out but after that was done we had no real need to be in Afghanistan and still don't (that's on both Bush and Obama). Iraq never threatened us and, in fact, had no Al Qaeda presence until we created one. My nephew, too, was in Iraq. He is an Army captain and West Point graduate. He flew Black Hawks in and around Baghdad. When he went to dinner the Halliburton employee who served him French Fries was making 30K a year more than he was. That's what you Republicans call 'privatization.' It's what I call 'corruption.'
ReplyDeleteHow anyone can defend George Bush is beyond me. The worst attack ever launched on American soil happened on his watch. He launched a war in Iraq that contravened every legal agreement made by the international community. Although he and Cheney both dodged the Viet Nam war, they had no problem sending other peoples' children to die in an unneccesary war. And despite waging war all over the Muslim world he couldn't find Bin Laden. He destroyed the American economy with tax cuts for the rich and his failure to regulate the financial sector. He appointed an expert on show horses to run FEMA and the people of New Orleans were left to die. He disgraced the name of America with his torture tactics. He continued the utterly pointless war on drugs, going after people who smoke pot (including that great threat to the Republic, Tommy Chong) despite the fact that he and Cheney had three drunk driving convictions between them when they took office. But, hey, the rich got richer. The rest of us saw our homes and pensions devalued, stagnant wages, higher interest rates and the deterioration of our national infrastructure. We saw heroes coming home in body bags but Bush banned photos of it so we wouldn't get too sad. He let veterans fend for themselves to deal with injuries and shattered lives that were a direct result of his reckless policies.
If Obama was Bush, he could pretend to be a pilot, fly onto an aircraft carrier and declare 'Mission Accomplished' on fixing the economy. If you make less than 250K/year and are defending Republican economic policies than you are clearly acting against your own best interests. Oh, and Obama got Bin Laden, and despite the hallucinations of the right, torture had nothing to do with it. It was good old fashioned intelligence slogging that got the job done. George Bush nearly destroyed this country and it will be a long time before we can even get back to where we were the day he took office.
Kudos to you Mr. Conway. I just cannot believe how badly people point the finger at Obama for eeeeevvverything. He came into the biggest mess ever and the other side refuses to see it or give credit where credit is due. This mess didnt happen over night and everyone expects it to be fixed overnight. Not this time. This country runs on credit, he had to do the bailouts and that includes the auto industry as well, and they are better for it. Oh, and let's not forget about the worst oil spill in the history of the U.S. either that he had to deal with. Yes, and through all of this, the man would appear on the tv to speak about the issues with the American people. Something I just could not believe that Bush never did, as the country was sinking more and more and more and wanted to hear from our CFO of the country, but, he couldn't put a sentence together, so why bother, right??? Obama is an intelligent, class act who really wants to do the right thing. It's just not that cut and dry. Yeah, what about getting BinLaden during O'Bama' administration? The others couldn't even give him that. But, if this had happened during Bush's tenure, the Repubs would have wanted to cannonize him a saint. Yeah, and the whole Halliburton thing. Imagine if it was Biden involved in something like that. I tend to refer to all those misfits as the Bush Mafia. And until they can get their heads out of the sand and quit their blame game all the time and come to the table and act as adults, recovery will take even longer. I believe we as Americans will come out of this, and come out
ReplyDeletestronger than ever.
I see everyones favorite loser has chosen to sling some mud! She is clearly upset that there is actual dialog occuring here on EGTALKS - so she starts her campaign of throwing mud - and ALL her idiot followers anonymously jump on the band wagon. Cristo and Taylor chastize anyone who disagrees with their point of view for posting anonymously - yet little Miss Giggle~giggle-boom-boom posts ALL the anon. that agree with her latest trash thread.! No response from me on her latest line of BULLSH*T - not worthy of any dignified response- I'll just sit and sip some Champagne and enjoy this wonderful day ! How 'bout you little Annie BS?!?!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ann...for a minute there I thought maybe you had decided not to campaign for the Democrats.
ReplyDeleteTHE FUNNY PART IS DONNIE AND MOONEY GET ON HERE TRYING TO CONVINCE POEPLE THAT THEY'RE SOME SORT OF POLITICAL SCHOLARS AND THEN THEY POLITELY AGREE WITH JACK CONWAY AND PETE STENSON. YET THEY ANONYMOUSLY POST THEIR POLITICAL VENOM OVER ON LITTLE MISS TAYLORS BLOG LIKE NO ONE REALIZES WHO THEY ARE. WHY DOES EGTALKS LET THESE TWO SCHIZOS ON THIS BLOG - THEY HATE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN THE SAME ISLE IN PRICE CHOPPER WITH A DEMOCRAT ! THEY ARE TWO OF THE LOWEST FORMS OF POLITICAL OPERATIVES I'VE EVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF READING THEIR PROPAGANDA TRASH. WHY TALKS - WHY??
ReplyDeleteTalks initiates something positive that engages people and there seemed to be some productive conversation back and forth. Why the crap from Taylor? Jealousy?
ReplyDeleteQuestion for Don Johnson; why do you so quickly and eloquently chastize anything that EGTALKS writes , yet you clearly (and anonymously) write such vile trash over on the Taylor/Cristo blog? You threaten people, and you claim slander and libel at every turn when people disagree with you - and you wonder why?? Look in the mirror - like what you see? You sir - are a hypocrit to the extreme ! Best of luck to you and the remainder of the reform party....you'll need it in November.
Langley,Gilbert,Fiacco - is that the best you've got? Puhleez! Your dead and it appears you all seem to know it already - hence the early mudslinging by Taylor and Co.
My money is on Taylor forcing one of them out because her ego won't allow her to stay out of this years race.
BTW : Ginny has more class in her pinky toe than any of you want-to-be's !
Can't believe Ann & Mike are back on the whole "double dipper" issue. Last I check, it was resolved in court. Even if Mike could hold 2 seats, WE DON'T WANT HIM. I thought his loss in the last election showed that. Hey unless they are campaigning for Mangold or another town board member to unseat him in the next county election. Now that I'd like to see!
ReplyDeleteRay and Don are delusional in thinking that anyone besides the very few tea party / reform group listens or gives them any creedence in their extremely slanted views of how local Government works.
ReplyDeleteThey make silly demands and when their mood suits them, they threaten that OSC or the FBI or some other fictional agency is coming in and arrest people and immediatly take them to federal prison!
Don: wake up !
Ray - please stop trying to purvey yourself as some know-it-all political operative - your not , your just a disgruntled taxpayer who's candidates lost last November and you simply can't come to grips with it.
You can disagree with that - but quite frankly , most everyone views you and Johnson as the biggest sore losers ( along with Taylor )and you each keep trying to shamelessly threaten sitting politicians because they arn't your guys-( or gals) !
Write whatever you want - slam and criticise whomever you wish. Know that your careless and ridiculous carrying on only further inspires a great number of people to work even that much harder to see that not one single Republican candidate gains victory. Your actually the very two best dem campaigners! Thanks !
You both realize your screwing Gilbert,Fiacco and Langley - no ? OK - your both extremely arrogant - so that was a stupid question...sorry.......
Talks....Why don't you:
ReplyDelete1) Identify yourselves, (Town employees that you are) and,
2) Instead of attacking the people you think are raising questions, address the questions raised?
Exactly what would that prove ? Its irrelevant info and quite honestly , non of your business. EGPARYS is/was anonymous - go cry to him/her - but you won't
ReplyDeleteAddressing your carrying on would simply give you further ammo for starting a different vein of arguing with people who obviously disagree with your point of view , and non of us think your raising questions , rather we believe you simply like to start an argument to appease your anger!
Posting anonymously is the gift of blogging - whether or not you agree - but honestly no one who supports this blog really cares whether or not you agree !
If your not satisfied with this response, stop reading and writing here - write over there as you've been told a multitude of times in the past !
There you are Jack....
ReplyDeleteHey Don. I'm not an employee. I work for a non profit private company. I'm just sick and tired of the same stuff being resurrected every few months by the twins over there. They don't seem to want the town to move forward. Quite sad really. They could instead use their efforts for good and try to help this town move forward but it's too bad they are still such sore losers 8 months later.
ReplyDeleteI say IGNORE THE IDIOTS!! Completely freeze them out. Don't post them, reply to them or acknowledge them. Everyone has heard their B.S. before. It didn't work then and it won't work now. Seriously, I propose that noone acknowledge their nonsense again, no matter how stupid. That is what they are looking for, arguements.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete1142 - while I agree - please try not to fall into the pit and , if you rephrase the majority of what you wrote - I'll gladly post it .
ReplyDeleteJack: is the Town Board interferring with the ethics board at all? Have they sought to stop or prolong any of the work of the ethics board ? Is there any reason for any of us to think that things would have been done any faster or more accurately or efficiently ?
ReplyDeleteThank you..
Of course not Jeff. All things work together for good, in this, the best of all possible worlds.
ReplyDeleteJeff - 677: We are trying to match up our schedules with Town Board members so we can meet at the end of August or early September. There has not been any interference from the Town Board at all. In fact, I was very pleased with the way the process went while we drafted the Code and our rules and procedures. I didn't have a single exchange about the substance of the Code with any member of the Town Board and still haven't. That's what the meeting between the two boards is for. While I can't speak for other members of the Board of Ethics, I can say that there were no instances of a member bringing the opinions of a Town Board member into our meetings. Rick Matters attended one of our meetings and his only input was to ask if we wanted to speak to outside counsel. We said yes, he spoke to the rest of the Town Board and made that happen, which was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteOn the night I was appointed I had one conversation with Ginny O'Brien. She told me to do the best job I could and to follow my conscience. The next one-on-one communication I had with her about the Board of Ethics was when she asked me to look into scheduling the meeting between the two boards.
I would also say that the appointments to the Board of Ethics were uniformly excellent (present company excluded). Joe Slater, Justine Spada, Jim Breig and Dave Youmans have done a great job. There will be a public hearing on the draft code and I would urge everyone to hold their fire until they can get a look at the draft, which will be on the Town website as soon as it is approved for the public hearing. I would also encourage everyone to study it carefully and come to the public hearing with questions and concerns.
Thank you Jack.....thank you for your time and effort, I certaintly appreciate it !
ReplyDeleteJack,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update on the Ethics Board.
Thanks also to yourself and the other members of the Board: Jim Breig; Joe Slater; Justine Spada; and Dave Youmans, for the time, energy and effort that you've all put into drafting the Code, Rules and Procedures.
I doubt if J. Q. Public realizes the sacrifices made to serve in these voluntary positions.
Pete Stenson
Don thinks he has written one of his infamous " Ah-hah " threads! Guess again Donnie - no one is buying into your dog and pony show . OSC still isn't coming , and neither is the FBI ! Keep trying though - maybe you'll have more sucess than when you tried to torpedo Rick Fusco down in Rensselaer ! How'd that work out for ya - thought I forgot huh?!?!
ReplyDeleteDear Talks. Anony at 2:58 was corrected on the alleged Fusco/Rensselaer connection with me some time ago. He tried to make some statement that I had something to do with some unknown events there. I have no idea what he's talking about. I've tried to Google what he thinks he's referring to, but I get no results. Perhaps he'd like to make more of a fool of himself by expanding on his assertion that I have ever had anything to do with anything happening in Rensselaer.
ReplyDeleteHey Donny,
ReplyDeleteIs that your "Guest Post" over on the the "other blog"?
Sure looks like it. Also, too short for Mike and too many big words for anyone else over there.
Too bad it's to no avail!
I guess I stirred up the hornets nest on the other blog. That's ok. The more they open their mouths, the more they are assuring that their picks will lose in November.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Lizzie!!!
ReplyDelete