ARCHIVES
In the News
From the Trenches...
The following was written for the Buffalo News two years ago and never printed, by former Buffalonian Dennis Bishop. Dennis, by the way, once homered off of "Billy Stack" in a sandlot game in the neighborhood just down the street from the liquor store the Stachowski family owned.
Fellow Buffalonians;June, 2007
An article by Mark Sommer and Jonathan D Epstein under the heading; "Looking for a blueprint to fight poverty in Buffalo" in today's Buffalo News provoked this brief response.
This article gives a rather dreary picture of a once great place struggling with itself. The frustration, as if the very text itself is barely alive with an ever decreasing blood supply, seems to be a subtext theme which is very much felt by Messrs Sommer and Epstein. The piece parades component after component of sub-problems in front of the reader like an endless line of sick people. This is followed by numbers of political doctors who haven't a clue as to the cure so they experiment with various political vaccines hoping to hit upon the right one. The intentions may be noble but the solution lies much deeper under the skin. The identification of the root of a problem is sometimes as slippery as the snake oil sold by politicians.
Pause and consider the suggestion, futile though it may be, the solution to the kinds of grinding poverty we all detest was well defined in 1775?! Read Inquiry Into The Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Adam Smith And just as important to the city of Buffalo in particular, perhaps, is a careful study of a little known but highly informative and fascinating book called How The Scots Invented The Modern World. Arthur Herman. In this not unsubstantial book the author gives an almost text book case of what ailed the city of Edinburg, and the historical solution which changed things. Early Edinburg as described was eerily a mirror image of what Buffalo is now.
Until political self interest is seen no more noble than economic self interest things will not, and cannot change. Born in Buffalo and now living in Phoenix the past 37 years, the difference is striking to me. Our government is so simplified in Arizona that one can literally understand the basic political blueprint in a single days study. This obvious contrast is born out when I read The Buffalo News Online daily. In Buffalo there are layer upon layer of government programs, restrictions, directives and charters. All this government is sprayed heavily over with bureaucracy after bureaucracy. I did some research one Sunday about one year ago and decided to Nexus the words 1) tax, 2) increase, 3) New York counties 4) plan. The results gave a staggering 3800 articles on these themes and this derived from just one Sunday's news publications in the counties. If you use the same 4 terms but substitute decrease for increase you get 30 results. It becomes obvious that the State of New York and Buffalo in particular is smothering its people with government, bureaucracy, and regulations. Political self interest has trumped all other interests. You cannot tax yourselves to prosperity. When one thinks about it carefully you begin to see that socialism cannot exist without capitalism. Where would socialism derive its resources? Furthermore, a government employee, well meaning though they are, does not and cannot contribute to a society in full measure, lacking 50% of the basic definition of a viable economy, namely goods and services. They surely contribute services but nothing in the way of goods. Then after retirement, there is the tax payer pension all of us are forced to sustain. By contrast, workers in the private sector contribute both goods and services. And the pension is privately funded for the most part. Thus one worker is a drag on the economy ultimately while the other is a catalyst.
Perhaps the Founding Fathers were far more astute than given credit for by following Locke, Wilberforce and Edmund Burke rather than Rousseau. Simply compare the models of France with the United States, since the age of enlightenment, by GDP measure, or any other measure. Or contrast agricultural output, for example, where in France the farmer is the heaviest subsidized sub group in the country. Europe is actually moving more to the right. Only the Untied States among developed Western nations is moving left. Even Canada is considering scrapping their government health care system in favor of privatization. Buffalo, with New York State as the encourager, has dug a very deep, but as yet unoccupied grave. As told to William Buckley by the great Milton Friedman; “Back in the thirties we were told we must collectivize the nation because the people were so poor. Now we are told we must collectivize the nation because the people are so rich.”
The fat lady is warming up to sing taps if something isn't done soon to the once great land of my birth, Buffalo.
"As idealism moves toward reality, costs become prohibitive."
~William F Buckley Jr.
Dennis M Bishop
******************************************
Letter to Glenn Beck Show Advertisers
The following are e-mail addresses. Click on the link or copy & paste into your own e-mail:
Walmart Pat.Curran@wal-mart.com
CVS customercare@cvs.com
The following are web addresses with e-mail forms. Cut & paste your letter into the form:
Please call the
following:
Broadview Security
972-871-3500
8880 Esters Blvd
Irving, TX 75063
NY Heroes September 4, 2009 | Jul T. | Bob McCarthy | Buffalo News
Debbie K. is a soft-spoken, unassuming but very determined woman who definitely has the right attitude toward the cancer of corruption that plagues our elected officials. She's done a very commendable thing in questioning the non-filing of campaign contributions, a very common habit of violating the law, among our legislators. Article here.*****************************
Higgins & Lee a No-Show
September 2, 2009 | Jul T.
About 120 people (mostly newcomers!) showed up for the Town Hall Meeting in East Aurora, hosted by Dave DiPietro of WECK's Buffalo Uncensored, 1230 AM at 11am on Thursdays. Dave invited Congressmen Higgins and Lee, in hopes they would join a civil discussion on the pending healthcare bill. Though it was a lively and informative discussion, neither Higgins nor Lee showed up. Feel free to skewer them, any civilized way you see fit. Contact info below. *****************************
Higgins' Protest: After Action Report: Buffalo, NY
FreeRepublic | 8/12/2009 | Mr. K
Read about it here.
*****************************
TNY Protestor Taken into Custody August 7, 2009 I Jul Thompson
When Senator Antoine Thompson came to Grand Island to present the High School with a measly $40,000 check, Mike M, who has paid New York $20,000 in taxes in the last 12 months alone, was a perfect picture of peaceful protest as he exposed Antoine's grandstanding for what it was. Read Mike's amazing story here.Check out a video too.
*******************************
White House Encourages Snitching on Neighbors, and
Asks Supporters to Protest the Protesters. August 8, 2009 I Jul
Everybody knows what happens when two opposing groups face each other. The violent ones get violent. Labour Union Thugs are violent by nature or job title (at least in Western New York) and Liberals always resort to namecalling and/or violence when challenged intellectually and ideologically. Is the White House encouraging violence? *******************************
Unions To Counter Town Hall 'Tea-Party Patriots': Report
NPR | August 6, 2009 | Frank James
AFL-CIO Memo:
"We want your help to organize major union participation to counter the right-wing "Tea-Party Patriots" who will try to disrupt those [Town Hall] meetings, as they've been trying to do to meetings for the last month." Things look like they're about to get uglier. Story here.*******************************
DNC Statement on Republican Mob Rule
DNC | August 4, 2009 | Statement from DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse | For Immediate Release Date: August 4, 2009 Contact: DNC Press Office Phone: 202-863-8148
"The Republicans and their allied groups - desperate after losing two consecutive elections and every major policy fight on Capitol Hill - are inciting angry mobs of a small number of rabid right wing extremists [Hunh? We got our shots!] funded by K Street Lobbyists [Hey! We're supposed to be getting paid for this!] to disrupt thoughtful discussions about the future of health care in America taking place in Congressional Districts across the country.
However, much like we saw at the McCain-Palin rallies last year where crowds were baited with cries of 'socialist,' 'communist,' and where the birthers movement was born - these mobs of extremists are not interested in having a thoughtful [you mean irrational?] discussion about the issues - but like some Republican leaders have said - they are interested in 'breaking' the President and destroying his Presidency.
These mobs are bussed in [Man, I coulda' gotten a ride?] by well funded, highly organized groups run by Republican operatives and funded by the special interests [like overtaxed citizens] who are desperately trying to stop the agenda for change the President was elected to bring to Washington [we meant change in leadership, not the entire political system]. Despite the headline grabbing nature of these angry mobs and their disruptions of events, they are not reflective of where the American people are on the issues - or the hundreds of thousands of thoughtful discussions taking place around kitchen tables, water coolers and in homes [& behind closed doors, irregardless of what the people think]."
*************************************************
Citizen Activist, Rus Thompson, on ACORN Assault in Albany June 17, 2009
YouTube clip of Rus Thompson on FOX News with Glenn Beck
disabled til further notice.
******************************************************
Republicans Reclaim Control
of the Senate
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 - Jul Thompson
In yesterday's vote of 32 to 30 to replace Senate Democrat Majority Leader Malcolm Smith with Dean Skelos, the Majority has been effectively returned to the Republicans. Some may ask, "What's the difference?" because no real reform has taken place the entire time the Repubs
had the Senate, for the past 30+ years. However, there's no such thing as a one-house bill, and so long as the Democrats have control of the Assembly, as they
have for 40+ years, there will always be
a stalemate with opposing (non-violent) forces. When the Dems took control of both houses, many believed that forward motion would begin. Well it did, but not towards reform. Instead we had an exponential increase in taxes, greater job losses and less transparency and accountability. The Repubs then, offer us this hopefully preliminary set of promises: (For the whole story, go to AlbanysInsanity.com.)
BROKEN PROMISES
After years of portraying themselves as reformers, Malcolm Smith’s conference took power and betrayed every promise they made to the people of New York
State:
PROMISE: A more open and public budget process
REALITY: The most closed, secretive budget process ever
PROMISE: A more bipartisan inclusive legislature
REALITY: Minority Conference systematically eliminated from all negotiations on key issues
PROMISE: Equal distribution of resources
REALITY: Resource inequities between Majority and Minority now far greater
PROMISE: Empower rank-and-file Legislators
REALITY: All power and decisions rest with Majority Leader/ his Secretary of the Senate now wields more power than members, and has unprecedented control over Senate operations, budget negotiations and the legislative process
PROMISE: Strengthen committee process
REALITY: The leadership has made a mockery of both the committee process and the legislative process
PROMISE: Make it easier to move bills to the floor for a vote
REALITY: Moving bills to the floor now more difficult than ever and “motions to discharge” haven’t moved one bill20to floor
PROMISE: Encourage open public debate on Senate floor
REALITY: Debate is now consistently shut down using partisan rulings from the chair.
PROMISE: Greater use of Conference Committees
REALITY: Use of Conference Committees completely eliminated
PROMISE: Stop messages of necessity
REALITY: Messages of necessity still used
PROMISE: Greater openness and transparency
REALITY: Negotiations on key issues more secretive than ever/ billions in federal stimulus funds being handled in secrecy.
PROMISE: Fiscal restraint
REALITY: Passed budget that increases spending by 9 times inflation
PROMISE: Provide property tax relief
REALITY: Eliminated STAR checks for millions of homeowners
PROMISE: Improve business climate
REALITY: Billions in new taxes and fees /imposed new payroll tax / thrown Empire Zones into chaos
PROMISE: Empower New York’s Latino community
REALITY: No meaningful progress has been delivered on this critically important front/US Senate seat and COA appts missed opportunities
REALITY: Claims of “One New York” Regional balance has been completely ignored / In fact, certain regions have been repeatedly and systematically hurt by decision-making process
****************************************
TeaNewYork.com launches Petition -- Calls for Resignation of Silver as Speaker
Sheldon Silver Must Resign as Speaker - Sign The Petition
It has become more and more apparent these days that Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver has become Tammany
Hall's Boss Tweed of New York State politics. Sheldon Silver was elected to the NY State Assembly in 1976 and has been Speaker since 1994. He has had 15 years to run this state into the ground and is our number one obstructionist when it comes to any type of reform or restructuring. Our Albany Legislature has been labeled the most dysfunctional in the country, and we are the laughing stock of the country.
Sheldon Silver was elected by under 6% of the 64th district, and around 0.00075% of New York's electorate. IF New York State is to ever get away from the old style of Tammany Hall politics and corruption, we MUST demand the resignation of Sheldon Silver as Speaker of the Assembly. Sheldon Silver controls all legislation in the assembly, he controls all committees, he controls all the chairmen and if he does not want an issue to get out of committee, it will not come out. If the chairman disagrees he simply replaces the chairman. Sheldon Silver controls his whole Democrat Caucus with an iron fist, he controls ALL the money, if you do not vote the way Sheldon Silver wants you to vote you will be punished. How? Sheldon Silver controls ALL the money that goes to your district called "member items," he controls your re-election funds, your office, your staff, your district office and its staff and even your telephone. Sheldon Silver control your committee appointments. If you do not vote the way Sheldon Silver wants you to vote he will make your life miserable and will even support someone to run against you. Your life as an assemblyman or woman will come to an end.
There is no way in the world that ONE man should control what this one man, Sheldon Silver does. This power he wields must be broken down and split up and given to 10 or more Assemblymen.
Our individual assembly members cannot represent their own districts as laid out in the Constitution. We do not have representation with our own representatives while Sheldon Silver controls this house as he does.
Sheldon Silver was elected by 6743 votes. That's all it takes, 6743 votes, his district has about 127,000 people in it, so only 5.3% of them voted for him. And he has power over all of the people in the state of New York, including you.
It is time for this despot to be removed as speaker. We demand it. - Click here for petition.
***********************************************************
190-Grand Island Bridge Toll Removal Bill
Posted in May 28th, 2009 | Edit
by Rus Thompson on
This Bill was written by Senator George Maziarz and myself at the end of 2007, it was introduced in the Senate in 2008. Went through all the committees and then failed to make it to the floor at two different times. Why? We are not sure but we deducted that Bruno and Silver stopped it from coming to a vote, they knew it would pass and even though all our politicians claim they want to eliminate the “Authorities” none of them even move at the chance to start downsizing the Thruway Authority.
Last night Wednesday May 27th Senator Antoinne Thompson had a meeting with LaSalle Pride in Niagara Falls. I was bound and determined to pin him down and get him to reintroduce this Bill into the Senate this year. This has already been done in the Assembly and you can see the names on it as cosponsors and the Bill sponsor Sam Hoyt. Why not the Senate? Thompson is the Senator from this district and as a Democrat he is the one with the power now to not only introduce it but, to get it to the floor and get it passed. He told me, “When the Democrats take over the Senate, the tolls will come down”. I have been patiently waiting but as the year has crept by my patience has gotten very thin especially after I got the Governor to agree to sign the Bill into Law at the March 4th town hall meeting in Niagara Falls.
So last night I arrived at 6:15 ahead of 6:30 when the meeting was to start, he was not there and sent a spokesman. That has happened all to often with him and I was not a happy camper. The first one I saw was channel 2’s reporter, he is the one that informed me that Thompson failed to show for another event. I gave a quick interview and went inside.
To make a long story short I brought all this up in the meeting and in the middle of giving details of the Bill to a staffer she got up and walked out of the room. I was perplexed and someone said she was talking to Thompson and guiding him in. Oh good, I walked out to meet him in the parking lot. When I asked the female staffer if that was Antoinne she said, that is SENATOR ANTOINNE THOMPSON, I said yes, Antoinne, she said back, YOU WILL SHOW HIM RESPECT OR YOU WILL BE THROWN OFF THIS PROPERTY!
I simply said, you and what army is going to throw me off this property? RESPECT? Respect is earned, it is not a given that just because you are a Senator I have to respect you or any elected representative. Earn Respect, he has failed to earn any of mine, as my Senator he has failed this district and has failed all of us here in Western New York. Do your job as a representative then I will give you respect, you fail and I will work overtime to see you defeated and call you out no matter where you are. His district is here not downstate where all of his votes have a benefit, so far all his votes have failed us, he and Stachowski have failed us.
When I approached Thompson his staffer said this man is going to attack you…. Huh???? Thompson said that’s Rus and we shook hands as I said, ‘how are you Antoinne, I have been waiting to speak to you”…
We had a very long conversation about this toll Bill, he said he introduced it and I point blank told him he did not. I have a list of every bill he has introduced and this one is not in there. He said “well we will introduce it and sometime next year we will move on it…” NO, you will introduce it NOW and get it to the floor, get it voted on and Passed before the end of this session in June. The Governor said he would sign it into Law so you will get it done this time, I will not tolerate you using this as a way to get reelected by waiting until next year… Next year my @#% We have been waiting for these tolls to be removed and should have been removed legally twice in the past 50 years. 74 years these tolls have been in place, the thruway authority just loves this cash cow, doing this will keep $30 Million + in this economy and NOT in the coffers of the NYSTA and then again into the Albany general fund. WE ARE TIRED OF WAITING!!!!
So he said he would do this Monday, resubmit the Bill on Monday May 31st. I will be watching, we aoll need to watch what they are doing. We cannot back down, we have to be relentless. We have no other option, we have no other representation. I am an unpaid lobbyist and do what I do because it is the Right thing to do. I do not do this or anything for selfish reasons. No one else is representing us, no one. Who else is going to stand up for the people of this area? Please tell me, I want to know. Sometimes I feel that it is me, my wife and Carl Paladino and no one else. They get paid over a hundred grand a year, we get paid NOTHING, NOTHING and sacrifice more time and energy to do what we do because no one else is.
I am tired of waiting and watching millions of dollars leave here and go downstate. It is time for this criminal activity to stop and Yes, I consider much of what they do to us criminal activity. But of course we have a political system in NY that breeds corruption, an attorney general that is blind to it and 3 dictators in Albany that we have to bow to and simply say, sure take more from me I want to give as they say shut up and pay.
****************************************************************
Taxpayers call for NY senator to resign;
Senator Bill Stachowski was attending
a fundraiser
Updated: Friday, 15 May 2009, 12:31 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 15 May 2009, 12:31 AM EDT
* Tricia Cruz
BLASDELL, N.Y. (WIVB) - He's one of only two local state lawmakers who voted in favor of Governor David Paterson's record-high budget. And Thursday night, taxpayers in Blasdell let Senator Bill Stachowski know they're sick of the status quo.
Mothers, fathers and even children came to protest against Senator Stachowski. While he attended a fundraiser inside Ilio DiPaolo's in Blasdell,demonstrators stood outside calling for him to resign.
Demonstrator Kathy Dulanski said, "I've only been in the state for five years and it's, this is awful - the taxes."
Taxes aren't the only issue that has the protesters outraged. They still remember that Stachowski and Senator Antoine Thompson are the only two local lawmakers who voted to pass this year's budget.
Dulanski said, "Oh, after everyone called and called and called and said no."
Senator Stachowski said, "We did our job by filling the hole by increasing some taxes. Do we like some of the fees that we're adding? No, but the governor had those in the budget."
Senator Thompson was attending a Solar Conference in Buffalo. So News 4 went there to ask him for his response.
Senator Thompson said, "The reality is that we had a, a responsibility to pass the budget on time and we did that."
Rus Thompson, the organizer of the demonstration, is promising to publicly protest against a number of politicians. Senator Stachowski is the first target.
Thompson said, "He got re-elected on the promise that he was gonna be the most powerful senator in charge of the finance committee in the State Senate and instead he gave it up."
Senator Stachowski is now the Chairman of Economic Development.
So why did he make the switch?
Senator Stachowski said, "There's certain fights you can win and certain fights you can't."
Thompson said, "We are tired. We're tired of waiting for Albany to start responding to our requests."
Rus Thompson hopes the demonstrations motivate other taxpayers to start questioning politicians more often and wherever they are - about their decisions in Albany.
For the story and video, go here.
******************************************************
05/10/09 06:39 AM
POLITICS
Group declares war on incumbents
By Dan Herbeck NEWS STAFF REPORTER
05/10/09 06:39 AM
POLITICS
Buzz up!
A new political force calling itself Tea New York was unveiled in downtown Buffalo Saturday afternoon, and leaders promised to make things uncomfortable for incumbent officeholders. The new group had its first public gathering as a small but enthusiastic crowd — perhaps 200 people — attended a rally in wind swept Niagara Square. The group’s founder, Russell Thompson,** and his chief financial backer, businessman Carl P. Paladino, said they will try to get incumbents voted out of office and encourage political newcomers to run for office.
They also support dividing New York State into two states — upstate and New York City. “Get involved,” said Thompson, 53, a Grand Island contractor who has teamed up with Paladino in a fight to cut Thruway tolls in Western New York. “Go to the public appearances of your state legislators. Call them out on these issues they have voted on. . . . Embarrass them in public.”
Thompson said he and Paladino hope to establish a new ballot line for independent candidates to run on.
“We’re talking about a new ballot line, for independents, not a new party,” Thompson said. “How many times have you gone into a voting booth, looked at the two names, and said, ‘I have to pick between the lesser of two evils’ ?”
Would Thompson — who has unsuccessfully s ought political office in the past — ever become one of those candidates? Possibly, he said.
He said people have asked him to run for Erie County executive. “I’ve said no,” Thompson said. “But you never know.”
Thompson and Paladino also encouraged people at the gathering to seek the resignation or removal from office of State Sen. William T. Stachowski, D-Lake View, whom they consider a rubber stamp for Democratic Party leaders in Albany.
Thompson drew cheers when he criticized political hiring in the cash-strapped state government, especially the new state jobs recently given to former boxer Joe Mesi and former Amherst Supervisor Susan J. Grelick.
The group launched a new Web site Saturday, at teanewyork.com. But Thompson emphasized that the new group is not affiliated with a national Tea Party group. Many showed up on Saturday with hand-drawn signs, protesting current conditions in state, federal and local government.
John Snyder and his wife, Jo- Anne, drove 65 miles from their home in Cattaraugus County. Jo- Anne Snyder carried a sign calling for New York State to be divided in two. “New York City needs to be its own state,” she said. Carl Campbell, who runs an auto repair shop in Buffalo and lives in Lancaster, held up a sign saying, “Take Back Your Government — Vote Long-Term Incumbents Out.0
“I’m tired of corrupt, entrenched politicians,” he said. “But people need to get involved, get out to the polls. There are too many people who don’t like the way things are going, who just sit home and complain.”
**Thank you Dan for a fine article, but who the heck is "Russell?" Rus is "Rus" because he had rusty colored hair when he was born...
And no, he said he wouldn't run for any office, unless someone were to dump a ton o' money into a campaign. Cuz' everbody knows, It don't matter how good your message is, or how great the candidate, you can only win an election if you got lotsa money, hunny.
O, and Carl's the muscle, not the money -- it's time for the business community to step up to the plate.
A Long and Continuous Stream of Abuses... 10July2009 by Jul
(Cont'd)
In the short time the Dems gained control of the Senate, they passed an outrageous $131.5 billion budget which includes a $9 billion increase in spending, a $13 billion increase in taxes and fees, a payroll increase of 58%, the revocation of STAR rebates, and among other things, sent $550 million that Western New Yorkers were overcharged for electric power into the black hole of Albany's severely mismanaged General Fund. All this in the midst of a severe recession. Strangely, Antoine touted a plan to bring some utility relief. Not sending our hard-earned money to dunderheads in Albany would have been a good start. It was also suggested that nobody cares more for the elderly than the Democrats, though the STAR rebates went a long way towards helping the elderly with property tax credits.
People in attendance applauded more funding for zoos and parks, apparently oblivious to the fact that overtaxation and exhorbitant utility rates, coupled with low-paying jobs are causing people to lose their homes. O well, let them eat cake. Antoine also talked about jobs creation with schools projects, yet his previous vote in favor of Wick's Law effectively prohibits non-union competition for any of these projects. So it begs the question, are any of these jobs creation projects not completely taxpayer-funded?It's also amazing to me that Antoine and his ilk support the creation of Senate Majority Offices -- six of them, to the tune of a million dollars apiece. If you can believe it, they are "to better serve the public." Would someone please tell them not wasting our money on frivolous redundancy would serve us best? Of course the real purpose is to consolidate their power base, to ensure years and years of continuing abuses. And though they can use our money and abuse our trust for their own self-serving interests, they cannot find maybe $30,000 to pay a couple of lifeguards to man Woodlawn Beach.Naturally, Antoine still hasn't submitted the toll bill, that nearly 9000 of his constituents have been asking for, to transfer the Niagara section of the Thruway, which includes the Grand Island bridges, to the State DOT, and out of the hands of the bloated, unaccountable, and utterly mismanaged Thruway Authority. Such a move would be a glorious $20 million+ boon to WNY -- but Antoine answers only to Brooklyn Democrats.In my conversation with Antoine, he managed to deny that 800 patronage jobs were created also, in the time Dems had control, prior to the coup. I also asked him why they are not supporting the important reforms the Republicans passed, during their short period of regained control. He said these were Democrat reforms! So why they're not acknowledging them is still a mystery. Apparently, turning out the lights made the legitimate vote null and void. Comically, he referred to the coup as foolishness, as though turning out the lights and gaveling in and out in a span of 30 seconds are examples of say, sophisticated behavior.During the ensuing bull session, Antoine managed to brag a little about his appointment to a "senate re-election committee" for his prowess at being able to guage the voter. Are we paying for this too? Will it never end? I suggested that it's easy to guage the voter when the opposition is outnumbered 5 to 1 as it is in his district. I then asked if these "reforms" he's promising will address gerrymandering. O yes, he said, we'll make it much more fair -- to which I insisted the districts need to be arranged in geometric shapes.I have no confidence. The Golisano lesson has shown us that even when you throw enormous amounts of money at them, they still lie right to your face.The God Spot
Quotes of the Founders (cont'd)
“Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together…”
~The Mayflower Compact /William Bradford“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
~ John Quincy Adams“No truth is more evident to any mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.” ~ Noah Webster
~ Noah Webster“The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”
~ James Madison“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
~ John Adams“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” ~ John Jay
~ John Jay“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
~ Thomas Jefferson
Congratulations!
...to Dino Fudoli, Kevin Hardwick and Lynn Dixon for winning seats on the Erie County Legislature. Prayers are needed for Shelly Schratz, who still may eke it out, needing just 250 of 700 absentee ballots, yet to be counted, as does Pat Keem for the Orchard Park Supervisor's race. Sadly, voter turnout was abysmal with an average of about 24%. Congratulations are also in order for Sheriff Howard, Barry Weinstein who won the Amherst Supervisor's race, Steve Walters and Amy Ziegler of Hamburg, Ron Pilozzi of Tonawanda, Bob Cliffe who won the Wheatfield's Supervisor's race,and Vince Sandonato who won a seat on the Niagara County Legislature. Kudos too to the voters of NIagara County, who voted to downsize the Niagara County Legislature from 19 to 15 seats. Mucho thanks to Brian Wirth and Ted Morton who ran tough races for the EC Legislature, and to Phil Kadet for the EC Comptroller's seat -- for being men of integrity, and for all their hard work.
From New site (22Mar10):
It's Crunch Time -- Descend on DC, this Saturday, March 20th - Rally at 10am.
The tentative meetup location will be at the East Lawn of the Capitol (East Capitol Circle, same side of the Capitol as the Supreme Court Building). Get info, room numbers and general support. Healthcare debacle triage room here. Reports, talking points and more... Glenn Beck anticipates
a million people or more. Confirm your attendance here.
The “Slaughter solution” is a legislative maneuver being
bandied about on Capitol Hill as a way to pass the Senate
bill in the House without actually voting on it.
Albany 912
http://www.meetup.com/Albany912/
Jeremy: lamar1106@gmail.com
Terry: proud.winger@gmail.com
Campaign for Liberty - Suffolk County, Long Island
http://www.meetup.com/Campaign-for-Liberty
Gigi Bowman: bowmancomputers@aol.com
Doug Rosenbrock: dougr@optonline.net
Ken Bowman: homecarecomputer@aol.com
Central New York Patriots
http://www.meetup.com/CNY-Patriots/
Joanne Wilder: jwilder4@twcny.rr.com
Citizens 4 Freedom
Middletown - Orange, NY
www.citizens4freedom.com
jmcitizens4freedom@gmail.com
College Republicans - University of Rochester
Jacquelyn Monaghan, Chairman: jmonagha@u.rochester.edu
College Republicans - University of Rochester
Wilson Commons - River Campus - - Ruth Merrill Student Center
Jacob Ark,Vice Chairman: jark@u.rochester.edu
Conservative Society for Action
http://www.meetup.com/
http://www.csa-1776.org/
Stephen Flanagan: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
Judy Pepenella: csa.1776@yahoo.com
CNY 912 Association
http://www.meetup.com/CNY-912/
William Lamar Wells: wlwells@gmail.com
Jason Kowalczyk: jason@kowalczyk.org
Jennifer Bernstone: jennifer@jenniferbernstone.com
Sil (Silvan) Johnson: sandpj@windstream.net
Rob: liveforhuntin@aol.com
CNY Sons and Daughters of Liberty
http://www.meetup.com/
Robert and Jennifer Blount: robertjennifer@syracuse.net
http://www.meetup.com/
Dutchess County NY 912
http://www.meetup.com/
John Darash: john@constitutionalrepublic.net
Brian Bertha: bbertha1@optonline.nte
The Eldred Glenn Beck Meetup Group
Eldred, NY - Sullivan County
http://www.meetup.com/Eldred-Preserve-Glenn-Beck/
PBob - Assistant Organizer - 845-482-5864
E-mail: judgementday2nov2010@gmail.com
FingerLakes Tea Party Movement
Penn Yan, NY
Dan & Sandy King: ycteaparty@frontier.com
http://www.meetup.com/yates-county-tea-party/
Fishkill Tea Party
Fishkill NY
www.fishkillteaparty.com
http://www.facebook.com/group
Todd and Tracy Harvey
fishkillteaparty@gmail.com
Free New York, Inc.
Buffalo, NY
http://freenewyork.org
Jim Ostrowski: jameso@apollo3.com
Gathering of Eagles
www.nygoe.wordpress.com
http://nassautea.wordpress.com/
Dan Maloney: goe.ny@earthlink.net
Glenn Beck's Rochester NY 912 Project - We Surround Rochester
http://www.wesurroundrochester.com/
Lisa G: i8thesandbox2@hotmail.com
Greater NYC Campaign for Liberty
http://www.meetup.com
Bill Buran: wburan@gmail.com
Hudson Vally Campaign for Liberty
Ray K: rayk56@hotmail.com
Steven Vasquez: stevenvasquez@yahoo.com
The Hudson Valley Republican Meetup:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/
Steve Vasquez: stevenvasquez@yahoo.com
American Patriots of the
Hudson Valley/Kingston Tea Party
www.kingstonteaparty.com
P.O. Box 303
Rhinebeck, NY
Individuals United for Freedom
Plainview, NY
http://www.meetup.com/Individuals-United-for-
Freedom-Meetup-Group/
Ithaca NY - Campaign for Liberty
http://www.meetup.com/Ithaca-Liberty/
Mike: m_j_sylvia@yahoo.com
Steven Vasquez: stevenvasquez@yahoo.com
Jamestown T.A.R.A.
Cattaraugus, NY
http://www.tara1776.com/
info@tara1776.com
Liberty Fighters
Binghamton, NY
www.libertyfighters.ning.com
Judy Miller: judyl516@yahoo.com
Mommy Patriots Mass Mailing Group
Smithtown, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Kim: ilandgrl@gmail.com
The New York Conservatives Meetup Group
New York, NY
http://conservative.meetup.com/137/
Doug and Natasha: surfer007@nyc.rr.com
Northern Dutchess Campaign for Liberty
Roslyn Heights, Nassua, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Catherine Tenek: mycatjoy@yahoo.com
N.Y. We Surround Them 9-12 Project
Avon, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Guy Williams: gw4907@hotmail.com
912 Victor Tea Party
Fishers , NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Carl Herke: cherke@hotmail.com
912 Project - Buffalo, NY
http://www.meetup.com/912-Project-Buffalo/
Laura Yingling: ljyingling@verizon.net
NNY 912
Watertown, NY
http://www.NNY912.com
Steering Committee: board@nny912.com
The 9/12 Project of Greater NYC
http://www.meetup.com/The-9-12-Project-of-NYC/
Rebecca
Oneida County 912ers
Oneida,NY
http://www.oneidacounty912ers.com/
Will Dahlke - President
Orange/Sullivan County NY 912
Bloomingburg NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Randy & Sandy Thomas: sthomas11@hvc.rr.com
John Darash: john@constitutionalrepublic.net
Orleans County 912 We Surround Them
http://www.meetup.com/Orleans-County-912-We-Surround-Them/
Primary Challenge
Buffalo, NY
www.primarychallenge.org
Lenny Roberto: info@bataviaenclosures.com, lrob43@yahoo.com
Rally for America
Sullivan, NY
www.conserveality.ning.com
http://www.facebook.com/
Irene Tiburcio: irenetrevor@msn.com
ReformNYS
http://groups.google.com/group/ReformNYs
Alan Coniglio: ilkitty@roadrunner.com
ResistNet
Don Holton -- WNY
Elmira, NY
http://www.resistnet.com/profile/DonHolton928
Joan K -- CNY
Schenectady, NY
http://www.resistnet.com/profile/swimkin
James Kelty- Catskill/Hudson Valley
http://www.resistnet.com/profile/JamesKelty
Narrowsburg, NY
Don Iron--NYC/LI
Lake Grove, NY
http://www.resistnet.com/profile/DonEllers
Rockville Centre Tea Party Patriots
Rockville Centre, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Bryan Korman: bkorman235@aol.com
Rocky Point, NY
Kara Veit (Meyers): onion38@hotmail.com
Catherine Tenek: mycatjoy@yahoo.com
Rich: Korburn1@aol.com
Rome.Utica Tea Party
(Both are connected)
http://www.rome.uticateaparty.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
Southern Tier Tea Party Patriots
Lakewood, NY
www.sttpp.wordpress.com
William de la Cerda: billmardlc@stny.rr.com
Suffolk County 9-12 Project
Riverhead, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
www.suffolk912.com
Bob Meyer: mbob994@yahoo.com
Syracuse 912 United
Syracuse, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Michele: mcain48@yahoo.com
Angela: amcconvi@twcny.rr.com
Taxed Enough Already
T.E.A. Party Day in Olean, NY
http://teapartydayolean.us/blog3/
TEA New York
Erie/Niagara Counties
TeaNewYork.com
http://www.meetup.com/TEA-New-York/
Rus Thompson's blog: www.albanyinsanity.com
Jul Thompson: info@teanewyork.com
Unshackle Upstate
Brian Sampson: brian.sampson@unshackleupstate.com
www.unshackleupstate.com
http://www.facebook.com/
Upstate Conservative Coalition
Saratoga Springs, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
Ben Potiker
Westchester County Glenn Beck
We Surround Them
Port Chester, NY
http://www.meetup.com/
David Chen
White Plains Tea Party
Elmsford, NY
Jon Coolong: joncoolong@yahoo.com
http://www.meetup.com/
Yates County Tea Party 2010
ycteaparty@frontier.com
http://www.meetup.com/
Sandy King
We've lost two friends and fellow patriots....
Our close friend and fuddy-duddy Don Wilkinson passed away Monday morning, February 14th.
Don's slightly eccentric behavior and brusk but somehow sweet demeanor was a strange comfort to his friends and fellow Tea Partiers, and nobody played the stodgy old coot quite as well as he did. Don was an avid boater, loved audio engineering (got a great audio clip of some Bonehead at EC Democrat HQ, giving him the runaround on committee seat info) and took lots of great pix of our events, for which he was affectionately known as "Digital Don." He was a member of the Heritage Foundation, which might partially explain his in depth knowledge on a variety of subjects, including the Constitutional violations our legislators regularly engage in. Those who didn't know Don might think he had Turret Syndrome, because he would inadvertently bleat out "Whores!!" in reference to the more corrupt among them.
Don made arrangements to have his body dedicated to UB for research, and had all the arrangements neatly contained in a file marked "Don's Corpse."
Leave it to Don to leave us laughing...
There will be a Memorial Service for Don on March 26th at the Buffalo Launch Club, tentatively set for 10 or 11am. If you would like to send a gift, you may send it to:
Joan Wilkinson
1582 Broadway
Grand Island, NY 14072
Joan is unsure at this point where charitable contributions will go -- possibly the SPCA since Don was a big animal lover, or possibly the Colored Musicians Club, since he loved jazz. Please remember to pray for comfort and peace for Joan and her family.
Our dear and dedicated friend Carl Frank passed away suddenly on Saturday, February 5th, from congenital heart failure. He also had a tumor on his adrenal gland. You'll remember Carl as a regular attender at the Niagara and Erie County Patriot meetings with his wife Marianne, and they also came to the Christmas party. Most recently, they participated in the January 2011 Roundtable, pictured above. He was a big 2nd Amendment guy, felt strongly about auditing the Fed, and believed income tax is an illegal violation of our constitutional rights, as the 16th Amendment was never ratified. Carl was a strong advocate on behalf of the unborn, and attended the March for Life in DC, arriving back home just before he passed away. A Memorial Service for Carl was held on Friday, February 11th at Nativity of Mary in Clarence. For those who were unable to attend, there will be another in April. Please keep Marianne and her family in prayer.
If anyone would like to help with Marianne's expenses, you may send a check to:
Marianne Frank, c/o Carol Marshall
18 Gardenwood Lane
Tonawanda, NY 14223
Please make check payable to Theresa Wittmeyer.
Thank you in advance.
... a word of advice to those who believe a few racy emails is a much more looming problem than a rotten ruling class that is above the law, irresponsibly strapping us with generations of debt.
TEA NEW YORK SHUNS THE TEA PARTY EXPRESS ... and encourages all New York Reform Groups to do the same.
TEA New York has successfully recruited Carl Paladino for Governor! A developer with Ellicott Development Co., Carl is an outspoken, no-nonsense guy with a blunt eloquence, the means and a record of getting his message out -- which mirrors that of the Tea Party Movement. Carl has just the kind of voice we need at this critical juncture in time to address the enormous level of dysfunction in NYS government.
"I'm mad as hell... I'll turn Albany upside down and take out the trash... [I can] go toe to toe with Anrew Cuomo, expose his disastrous public record, and beat Prince Andrew."
~ Carl Paladino, Tea New York's #1 draft pick.
The Making of a Leader
Video, Carl Paladino
<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gOYx3pappUE&hl=en_
US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen"
value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess"
value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.you
tube.com/v/gOYx3pappUE&hl=en_
US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allow
scriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320"
height="265"></embed></object>
The Making of a King
Video, Curtis Sliwa on Andrew Cuomo
<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xkVJ_8pkDyc&hl=en
_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen"
value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess"
value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.you
tube.com/v/xkVJ_8pkDyc&hl=en_
US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allows
criptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height
="265"></embed></object>
