The Hayseeds blog, No. 249 for the week starting March 23, 2008.
March 8, 2008
Hayseeds No. 248
March 23, 2008
Hayseeds No. 249
March 30, 2008
Hayseeds No. 249
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A little bit about this holiday.
“Saint Patrick's Day (Irish: Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig), colloquially St. Paddy's Day or Paddy's Day, is an annual feast day which celebrates Saint Patrick (circa 385–461 AD), one of the patron saints of Ireland, and is generally celebrated on March 17.”
Read Saint Patrick's Day.
A website on sunshine week.
“Below are myriad materials for use free during Sunshine Week, March 16-22, by any participant. Some resources are themed specifically to the Sunshine Campaign initiative. Others are the general Sunshine Week items offered each year, such as editorial cartoons, logos and opinion columns.”
Read Sunshine Week.
Paterson's Harlem roots investigated.
“David Paterson's rise to the governor's mansion began with the "Harlem Clubhouse," a launching pad for powerful Democratic politicians.”
Read Club member in good standing.
The Times Union has this warning:
“Political allies caution incoming governor against trying to do too much too quickly”
Read Words of advice amid the storm...
From the Times:
“Harold James, a 44-year-old bear of a man with a neatly trimmed beard, works at Lighthouse International, a nonprofit organization that helps people with vision problems. He is also legally blind. And until last week, he was unaware that the second-ranking elected official in the state was also legally blind.”
Read The New Governor Also Serves as an Inspiration for the Blind...
We have to wonder why they want to do us such bad:
“For a party that loves to hate the Clintons, Republican voters have cast an awful lot of ballots lately for Senator Hillary Clinton: About 100,000 GOP loyalists voted for her in Ohio, 119,000 in Texas, and about 38,000 in Mississippi, exit polls show.”
Read Many voting for Clinton to boost GOP...
The Times Union Blog picks up on a cute bumpersticker.
So it would appear...
“Lt. Gov. David Paterson is preparing to take over at 1 p.m. today for Gov. Eliot Spitzer, whose vow as he took office of “Day One, Everything Changes,” was unraveled a week ago by revelations of a prostitution scandal.”
Read Paterson to Become Governor Today...
This sign was already updated in front of the Capitol:
From the article An oath, but little fanfare, which looks at today's events and the relatively quiet changing of the guard.
Bad news...
“Stock markets fell sharply at the opening bell on Monday as Wall Street reeled from a stunning series of weekend developments that confirmed investors’ worst fears about the fragile state of the financial industry.”
Read Dow Slides on Fed Move and Bear Deal...
More bad news for the economy:
"In a shocking deal reached on Sunday to save Bear Stearns, JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay a mere $2 a share to buy all of Bear — less than one-tenth the firm’s market price on Friday."
Read Sale Price Reflects the Depth of Bear’s Problems.
Bad news for Albany's history:
"Preservationists find funds scarce to save neglected structures as city continues work to remove eyesores."
Read Blight claims buildings, pieces of Albany's past in the Times Union.
This is interesting and different:
"The Schenectady City Democratic Executive Committee voted Saturday morning to endorse current NYSERDA president and former state Assemblyman Paul Tonko in the 21st Congressional district race."
Read Tonko’s endorsed, sans announcement.
All things come to and end:
"Saying they hope to more fully embrace an interfaith mission, Doane Stuart School leaders are ending their three-decade affiliation with the Catholic Society of the Religious of the Sacred Heart."
Read Doane ends religious affiliation.
This is the big story of the day:
The chairs are set and the nametags taped. For now, a stand-in for the swearing-in. Monday at 1 p.m., David Paterson himself will take over as New York's 55th governor.
It's capping of an extraordinary seven days. When the lieutenant governor is administered the oath by Chief Judge Judith Kaye, it will be almost a week to the moment that his predecessor shook the political world.
Read State preparing for Paterson swearing in.
He just wants to make his support for Medicare for all known.
Phil Steck, Democratic congressional candidate for New York’s 21st Congressional District joined with local doctors, who are members of Physicians for a National Health Program, to announce his support for single-payer health care."
Read Latest Campaign News - Phil Steck.
Apparently, New York City has come up with compromise legislation dealing with the recycling of e-waste.
"Finally, the Speaker announced that the Council has reached an agreement with Mayor Bloomberg on the electronic waste legislation passed by the Council in February. Both the Council and the Mayor have agreed on the importance of an e-waste program, and on the majority of elements in the original legislation. However, the Mayor has opposed the Council’s inclusion of enforceable collections standards for electronic manufacturers.
Rather than allow that disagreement to delay implementation of this essential program, the Council has agreed to reintroduce the issue as two separate pieces of legislation. The Council will vote today on a communication recalling the original legislation passed in February. They will then introduce two new pieces of legislation: The first will cover all other elements of the e-waste plan, including requiring manufacturers to finance a take-back system that is convenient for the citizens of the City of New York; the second will cover only the elements creating enforceable collections standards."
Thanks to NYLCV Blog for this link.
The Times Union had this interesting article:
You have five days to take over the most powerful job in the state.
RPI Go.
A political transition like no other in state history is taking place at the Capitol. While a new governor usually has about two months for trusted advisers to help set an agenda and put an administration in place, incoming governor David Paterson faces a crash course.
That's in sharp contrast with Eliot Spitzer, who after his 2006 victory had a 300-member transition team with a half-million-dollar budget shape recommendations on every aspect of policy. Spitzer signaled his interests and direction by how he filled that team.
Read Words of advice amid the storm.
From the article:
If the swearing-in of David A. Paterson as the 55th governor of New York on Monday looks carefully choreographed, that is no accident.
Mr. Paterson himself insisted on many of the details, like where it will be held, who will attend and even what it will be called.
As New York reeled from revelations that Gov. Eliot Spitzer was under federal investigation for his links to a prostitution ring, Mr. Paterson wanted his swearing-in ceremony to convey a sense of coming together.
Read Paterson Is Calling the Shots on Swearing-In.
From the article:
Eliot Spitzer and his motorcade made its way upstate and away from the hectic scene outside of his Manhattan apartment. The soon-to-be former governor owns a farm in Columbia County, near Poughkeepsie in the town of Gallatin. It was unclear if the Spitzer family was along with him.
Read Capital News 9: Spitzer heads upstate.
From the article:
Florida Democrats look no closer Monday to finding a way to hold a new primary after a weekend of talking about how to pull it off.
The Miami Herald reports that Democratic state Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman is "likely to jettison" the proposal to have a mail-in ballot on June 3. The question becomes "is there a Plan B?"
Read NPR: Florida Dems "Likely to Jettison" Mail-In Ballot.
Today on albanyweblog.com:
I’m not going to make excuses for Eliot Spitzer’s behavior. Democratic politicians are not allowed to commit embarrassing acts that Republicans engage in routinely. Spitzer knew that.Ashley Dupré: Terrorist?Ashley Dupré: Terrorist?
It’s almost as if he invited the Republicans and the corporate media to destroy him. The man is a former top of the line prosecutor, for frickin’ sake. He is intimately familiar with the distortions of the law which allow the secret police to snoop into bank records without a warrant.
Very interesting article. Not sure if I can agree with all of it, but like always, well thought out and researched.
From the article:
When David A. Paterson is sworn in as New York’s 55th governor at 1 p.m. today, his current job — lieutenant governor — will be vacant. It will remain that way through 2010, under the terms of the State Constitution.
Read The States Soon-to-Be-Vacant No. 2 Job.
From the article:
David A. Paterson became New York’s 55th Governor on March 17, 2008. In his first address as Governor, Paterson spoke about the challenges New York faces and his plan for New York’s future.
Read www.ny.gov/governor.
From the article:
Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson gathered with leaders of New York State’s Legislature and judiciary in the Assembly chamber at the State Capitol in Albany at 1 p.m. as Mr. Paterson prepared to take the oath of office as New York State’s 55th governor. In a 12-minute inaugural address, he warned “our economy appears to be headed toward crisis,” but also called for a bipartisan spirit of unity and hope. He made indirect reference to his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, who announced his resignation on Wednesday amid a sex scandal, pledging to move beyond the often confrontational style Mr. Spitzer exhibited in his relations with the Legislature.
Read Paterson Is Sworn In as New Yorks 55th Governor in the NY Times City Blog.
From just off the newswire:
ALBANY—David A. Paterson assumed responsibility for state government on Monday before a joint session of the Legislature, drawing praise from both sides of the aisle as a politician of the people. To sustained applause from the Senate and Assembly members and dignitaries filling the Assembly chamber, Paterson, 53, offered a humble smile and ascended from the lieutenant governor's post to become the 55th governor of New York.
Considered more accepting of the legislative process than Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned an hour before Paterson took the podium to accept the oath of office, the new governor Paterson listed his top issuses as fixing the upstate economy, making health care affordable, lowering property taxes and creating housing.
Read David Paterson sworn in as 55th governor in the Times Union from the AP Wire.
It seems they feel as thought the RFP process was rushed and that all reasonable bids have not been obtained.
See Troy Democrats want request for proposal revised.
They have some nice pictures in their article.
From the article:
Last week, Robert Rubin, the former Treasury secretary, and John Lipsky, a top official at the International Monetary Fund, both suggested that public funds might be needed to rescue the U.S. financial system. Mr. Lipsky insisted that he wasn’t talking about a bailout. But he was.
It’s true that Henry Paulson, the current Treasury secretary, still says that any proposal to use taxpayers’ money to help resolve the crisis is a “non-starter.” But that’s about as credible as all of his previous pronouncements on the financial situation.
Read The B Word in the Times.
He has a webpage that looks at past governors and specifically these people:
It's interesting that he would mention these governor, all deceased. Are these people he aspires to be like and use as role models?
His pick of both Harriman and Rockefeller are particularly interesting, especially the relatively contemporary Nelson Rockefeller.
Part of his choice of Rockefeller, is that he was our first visually disabled governor, suffering from dyslexia.
But that's not to mention Rockefeller was a great liberal, who under his leadership created the Department of Environmental Conservation bringing together the brightest minds in the health and conservation fields, and doing much to improve our infrastructure state wide.
Much like how our President regularly does weekly radio addresses, it looks like according to his website that we can expect radio addresses on the issues of the day.
It looks like the Beech-Nut expansion project will continue with announcement of the land-swap deal finalized.
They are very excited about biofuels and similiar forms of renewable energy. More in the Daily Gazette, Farmers looking to be energy pioneers.
What to do with the issue of Upstate and the Mohawk Valley specifically? The Gazette takes a look.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s city-by-city series of upstate economic development announcements never got around to the Capital Region, and it’s not clear just when we can expect the incoming governor, David Paterson, to stop by local cities such as Schenectady, Amsterdam and Gloversville.
Read Paterson’s duty a balancing act in the Daily Gazette.
That's what they've written to Paterson to say in a letter posted on in the Daily Politics Blog.
From the article:
To make it easy for you to file a Freedom of Information request, the newspaper has compiled the directory below. To find contact information, determine the county that the municipality is in, and click the appropriate blue link in the gray box below. Then, if an E-mail address is provided, click that link to open a file that will let you send your request directly to the municipality. For a sample letter, click on the the link at the bottom of the page.
Read A guide to getting public records.
From a CNN Bulletin:
(CNN)—Nearly three-quarters of all Americans think the economy is in a recession, according to a national poll released Monday.
Read Poll: Three-quarters think U.S. in recession.
From this DIA Diary:
Ok, I am not going to take a side on this theory being advocated by some people, but does anyone think Spitzer was set up. On Kos, I read that a former Justice Department lawyer said that the way they caught Spitzer seemed very questionable.
He mentions that the same Justice Department that is under investigation started tracking Spitzer's financial activity which lead to him being caught. There is also the Daily News reporter who said the infamous Roger Stone called him to gloat. I am also reading about people saying that Roger Stone who is known for his "open" sexual lifestyle knew Kristen and may have had her turn Spitzer in so as she could use the publicity to further her career.
On the other side of the argument, people can say that he just messed up and was caught red handed. Still, this whole thing came along at a convenient time for Joe Bruno. He went from essentially almost losing his power to the number two man in the state. Also, most people realize that both sides hated Spitzer, especially Silver who had a grudge against him since comptroller fiasco. Christine Quinn hates him, Bloomber hates him. I read a great article in the Washington Post that says that Spitzer didn't fit in with the way things go in Albany. He was someone who didn't play along with the corrupt culture and that all parties wanted him out from day one.
It's certainly an argument some have made, although I validity of the claim.
It very much is time to celebrate open government and push for more—see the Sunshine Week Blog.
From the article:
Patrick Foye, the co-chairman of Empire State Development Corp., is leaving his job. In a letter dated Sunday, Foye, who came in with Gov. Eliot Spitzer and focused on downstate development, said it's time for him to return to the private sector. He ran the United Way of Long Island before joining the Spitzer administration. Foye told his staff he will leave at incoming governor David Paterson's convenience. The state's Urban Development board would choose his replacement.
Dan Gundersen, the co-chairman for upstate, isn't leaving. He picked up a $27,500 raise last summer, making him a higher-paid executive than Foye, although Foye seemed to have more to do with Spitzer than Gundersen.
Read Empire Development chief quits in the Times Union.
From the article:
Setting the stage for a new approach to combating climate change, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) announced that the first auction in the nation for carbon dioxide pollution allowances will take place Sept. 10, 2008.
Auctions will be quarterly, with the second auction set for Dec. 17, 2008. In all likelihood, New York will participate in the second auction rather than the first.
Read Date Set for Nation's 1st Auction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowances.
Spitzer was pushing for heavier penalties for structuring, the act that regulators caught him doing which lead to the prostitution investigation.
See Muddled thinking in today's Times Union.
From the article:
Protests spread from Tibet into three neighboring provinces Sunday as Tibetans defied a Chinese government crackdown, while the Dalai Lama decried what he called the "cultural genocide" taking place in his homeland.
Read Tibetan protests resist crackdown.
The Nation looks at our economic troubles of recent:
Bumpy is no word for it. The news coming out of Wall Street makes what the three presidential candidates are saying beside the point. Cancel the fun. The bad news also bids fair to change the daily lives of 300 million Americans. No, kidding, folks. What's going on in the business world is as serious as it can get.
Read Economic Chaos, Political Consequences in The Nation.
While this doesn't have his humorous comments to guest, it does show his speech he gave to our state this afternoon.
And Jim Tedisco thinks he's great.
David Dinkins on him:
From the article:
J.P. Morgan bought its collapsing rival Bear Stearns after the Federal Reserve intervened. The Fed took several unusual moves, including approving the purchase over the weekend instead of waiting until a March 18 scheduled meeting.
Read NPR: Bailing out Bear Stearns.
From the article:
A day after Sen. Hillary Clinton said the results of Michigan's Democratic presidential primary should count, Sen. Barack Obama says that wouldn't be fair — and do-overs in that state and in Florida wouldn't be realistic.
The Democratic primaries in Michigan and Florida didn't count because those states held them earlier than allowed by national party rules.
Read NPR: Obama: Michigan, Florida Do-Overs 'Not Realistic'.
From the article:
Commentator Russell Roberts says we all have a yearning for a candidate with principles and ideals. We like to think our candidate is the good one; it's the other guy's favorite who's the evil opportunist.
But, he argues, once in office, politicians want to be popular. They respond to the political wind, rather than the rhetoric that got them elected.
Read NPR: Take Politicians' Promises With a Pound of Salt.
According to the Times Union, Democrat Mark Blanchfield may run against George Amedore to try to win back Paul Tonko's old seat in the state Assembly.
That's what the New York Times Caucus Blog is terming the united front that Democrats are putting up with the backing of many liberal groups who want to see the progressive agenda return to Washington, DC.
A coalition of liberal groups will coordinate $350 million worth of efforts to mobilize voters and advocate for candidates for the general election, its leaders are expected to announce Tuesday.
They are billing it as the largest such effort ever across the liberal spectrum.
MoveOn.org, labor groups like the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and Change to Win, and other organizations like Acorn, Women’s Voices Women Vote and the National Council of La Raza will be taking part in the effort for the presidential election and House and Senate races.
Read A United Liberal Front in The Caucus, a New York Times Blog.
From the Times Union:
State Transportation Commissioner Astrid Glynn is poised to propose a $25 billion five-year capital plan for the state's transportation system.
With budget and planning specialists from the Department of Transportation, Glynn stepped up the pace of work on the plan, which is due by March 31, early this month following a request from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
DOT spokesman Charles Carrier declined to reveal details of the plan on Monday but said "it will definitely be forward-looking."
Read $25B transportation plan in works.
I could always use some more cash, but I don't think I would rob a Subway Sandwitch Shop to get the money.
Investigators say a man wearing a long brown coat and tan cowboy hat entered the store his hand in his pocket and approached the cash register. He ordered the clerk to open the register, and believing he had a gun, the clerk complied, according to Lt. Shawn Lamouree.
My Carhart I'm not sure if it counts as a long brown coat. It's pretty long, but not that long. I do have a light facial hair, and are about 6' 5", but I haven't been in Glens Falls lately.
Read Long Coat, Cowboy Hat and a Demand for Cash in the Times Union.
“With his predecessor's term doomed by a sex scandal, brand-new Gov. David Paterson tried to come clean about his own skeletons just hours after assuming office by acknowledging a years-old affair.”
“People love a scandal. It's the reason Britney's Spears' screw ups continue to lead entertainment news programs and make magazine covers and why Sen. Larry Craig's alleged airport sexcapade and Michael Vick's dog fighting earn them Internet prominence.”
The Times Union Reports:
Two of New York's largest public employee pension funds saw hefty paper losses as shares of The Bear Stearns Cos. Inc. tumbled recently. The New York State Common Retirement Fund holds about 427,000 shares through index funds it has invested in.
JPMorgan Chase is paying $2 per share under a takeover deal worked out over the weekend. As late as Thursday, Bear Stearns shares were trading for nearly $60, and closed that day at $57. That means the fund has lost nearly $23.5 million over that period, if the $2 price holds.
Read State pension funds hit in the Times Union.
“Two public hearings will be held this week on the proposed Albany Convention Center.”
“Rensselaer County and local officials are renewing calls for the state to do something about an accident-prone section of Route 43 on the town's west side.”
“Gov. David Paterson's inauguration gave the general aviation business at Albany International Airport a boost. Several planes and helicopters occupied the tarmac near the Million Air terminal in Colonie as the ceremony took place in downtown Albany.”
“Gov. David Paterson brought a measure of fun to the normally somber Assembly chamber on Monday, introducing the gathered dignitaries with a string of zingers. ”
From the Times Union / AP:
The credit crisis has done more damage on Park Avenue than on Main Street, but the near-collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns raises the question of whether Wall Street's troubles could spread to commercial banks and ordinary depositors.
The short answer is this: Deposits in commercial banks are considered safe, barring catastrophe, and they are protected by federal insurance if a bank fails. "The average guy on the street has nothing to worry about," said Gerard Cassidy, a banking analyst at RBC Capital Markets. "There should be no panic whatsoever."
That's right for the most part. It should be noted that a few things are happening that might not be so good for you and I should the economy keep going south, hurting banks.
One is that interest rates, with the 1% fed interest rate cut will hurt our savings accounts when it comes to earn interest. That is particularly bad with inflation, and everything starting to cost much.
A 1% interest cut on our bank accounts will mean a lost of $10 a year in income for each $1,000 you have invested. Already, I am already feeling the impact the of recent interest rate cuts on my savings account as the interest goes earned each month goes down, despite my increased principle I've been adding.
Also, if a bank fails, you will likely lose the interest income. The FDIC only guarantees principle, so any interest income might disappear should a bank have a run on it or otherwise fail. There would also be a long delay before you could withdraw money, in such an account. That is my own concern about my E-Trade FDIC insurance bank account, with it's good interest but more questionable long-term durability.
Read Smaller Banks Face Little Risk.
“Florida democrats have said no to a plan for a mail-in primary do-over. This means its now up to the Democratic National Committee to decide what to do with the Sunshine state's 210 delegates.
“Gov. David Paterson (D) may not have mentioned Eliot Spitzer’s name once during his address to the Legislature immediately after being sworn in, but he will be implementing most of Spitzer’s budget in the negotiations over the weeks ahead—unless, as some suggest is a possibility, he elects to pass a basic budget by the March 31 deadline and consider the rest in later bills.”
“It's important that we constantly look at ways to make our operation more efficient and economical without compromising the quality of our product. With this change, we believe we've done exactly that.”
“If the United States is still in Iraq today, does that mean the antiwar movement has failed?”
F*CK BUSH IT IS HIS FAULT
— Comment By Lance
“U.S. stocks were poised to open lower Wednesday as investors prepared to take profits following Tuesday's pop on Wall Street.”
“The Federal Reserve on Tuesday slashed a key interest rate by three-quarters of a point, making it cheaper for banks to borrow. Banks may eventually pass the savings to consumers in the form of lower interest rates for loans, but the interest that consumers earn on savings can also go down.”
“A number of factors are impairing the ability of independent auto-glass-replacement shops to compete with large chains.”
“Five years ago tonight, March 19, 2003, the United States began to bomb Iraq in a preemptive campaign that Bush administration officials dubbed ``shock and awe.''”
“After nearly 18 months of back-breaking labor to re-create the first European ship built in New York, it’s hard for Schenectady County’s volunteer boat-building crew to remember what they did before the Onrust came along.”
“At a public leaders’ meeting, Gov. David Paterson proposed $800 million in spending reductions from former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s budget proposal to help deal with a growing budget crisis amid a deteriorating economy.”
“Nestle Waters North America, owner of Poland Spring, Deer Park and other brands of spring water, will drill wells in the Johnstown watershed as part of its exploration for a new bottling site.”
“A group of local medical providers, governmental agencies and human service organizations is hoping to obtain $5 million in state grants to reconfigure primary care services in Schenectady County by establishing a medical mall at St. Clare’s Hospital.”
“One day after news broke about a large-scale theft of personal credit and debit card numbers during transactions at Hannaford Supermarkets, customers jammed phone lines looking for information and company officials tried to determine how far beyond 1,800 the list of affected people may grow.”
“Montgomery County supervisors are revisiting a proposal to increase the mortgage recording tax.”
“A day after he became governor amid a sex scandal that brought down his former boss, Gov. David Paterson admitted on Tuesday to having extramarital affairs several years ago.”
“After Spitzer, Paterson admission could bring milder public response.”
“The deadline for the 2008 tulip queen nominations has been extended to March 28, city officials announced Tuesday.”
“In 2002, the Hartford Courant obtained a copy of every death certificate in Connecticut and uncovered thousands of deaths that could have been avoided, including some in nursing homes that were never investigated and deaths in hospitals that didn't raise red flags.”
“Gov. David Paterson on Tuesday blamed a recession for withering revenues and proposed to cut $800 million in agency spending in the upcoming fiscal year. Legislative leaders suggested more drastic action may be needed.”
“Harsher penalties for assaults against the elderly were approved Tuesday by state lawmakers responding to public outrage over attacks last year on two Queens women _ one of them 101 years old. ”
“Many come from broken homes, were homeless at some point, were abused as children and suffer from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, says Mary Anne Layden, director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program in the Center for Cognitive Therapy at University of Pennsylvania. She says many are not making any money because of a drug habit and a pimp or madam who takes half their earnings.”
“Still if a “do-over” election is not completely buried just yet, it’s awfully close, according to Democratic leaders. “We researched every potential alternative process – from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections – but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida,” the state’s Democratic chairwoman Karen Thurman said in an e-mail statement Monday.”
“hen it comes to attending college – one that's a good match – going to a high school with a collegegoing culture makes a big difference.”
“OK folks, it's official: a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has been filed by the Convention Center Authority and the first of two public hearings scheduled will be held TONIGHT at WAMC's Linda Norris Auditorium on Central Avenue.”
“Let's see. New York has a $4.8 billion deficit to close by the April 1 deadline for passing a new state budget. Gov. David Paterson warns that the coming national economic crisis is going to hit New Yorkers hard. Already, he says, the rising cost of housing, education and health care are having an effect on upper-income families, not just those of more ordinary means. The reforms Eliot Spitzer promised but failed to deliver, heavy handedness and all, are as critical as ever.”
“The Capital Region and Albany in particular are approaching the most important celebration of the region's European settlement in more than a century. In 1986, Albany celebrated its 300th year as this country's oldest continuously chartered city. The upcoming Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial will celebrate what made that tricentennial possible.”
“About 100 protesters circled in front of City Hall Tuesday to speak out against the city’s closure of the Sanctuary for Independent Media last week for code violations following the opening of a controversial exhibit.”
“Nine anti-war protesters were charged Tuesday after a confrontation with police in the middle of the Vestal Parkway, State Route 434.”
“The Iraqi government is allocating billions for schools, clinics and roads, but corruption remains a major problem that impedes projects to rebuild the war-torn country, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih says.”
“It is naive, and in retrospect a bit delusional, to have thought that with the first African-American making a serious bid for president, race would not be an issue. And for all the declarations that Barack Obama "transcended" race — thus, taking race off the table — we really should have known better.”
From the article:
When asked how that assessment comports with recent polls that show about two-thirds of Americans say the fight in Iraq is not worth it, Cheney replied, "So?"
"You don't care what the American people think?" Raddatz asked the vice president.
"You can't be blown off course by polls," said Cheney, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East. "This president is very courageous and determined to go the course. There has been a huge fundamental change and transformation for the better. That's a huge accomplishment."
Read ABC News: Two-Thirds Say War Not Worth Fighting; Cheney Says 'So?'.
“The man who famously admitted that economics is not his strong suit wants to fundamentally alter the government's role in the economy by deeply cutting non-defense spending, from discretionary programs to entitlements.”
“”Today I advised the Governor*s Office that I will be retiring from State Police service. My last day is expected to be April 4th. I want to thank the Governor*s Office for allowing me the great opportunity to serve the people of the state of New York in this capacity.””
“Less than a week after telling state agency heads he's keeping the Spitzer team intact, Gov. David Paterson on Wednesday asked all commissioners, directors and top staff to submit their resignations.”
“Facing budget woes and a recruiting crisis, the New York Police Department is poised to shrink to its smallest size in about 15 years, a reality reflected in a plan by the Bloomberg administration to trim funds for 1,000 police officer positions this year.”
“Gov. Paterson admitted Wednesday he may have improperly billed his campaign for at least one hotel tryst with a girlfriend.”
“Acting State Police Superintendent Preston Felton, a key figure in the Eliot Spitzer Dirty Tricks Scandal, yesterday was forced out by Gov. Paterson, The Post has learned.”
“While the sudden fall of Eliot Spitzer - the main antagonist for New York Republicans over the past 16 months - has had some in the GOP celebrating, the fundamental political difficulties for my party remain little changed.”
“Governor Paterson, sharing concerns aired by Mayor Bloomberg, is signaling that he will resist a push by Assembly Democrats to raise taxes on New York's wealthy.”
For those of us who need some humor from the whole Spitzer debacle, here are some recommended Youtube videos for you to watch.
They are "Tainted Gov" and "Client 9"...
“Winning the nomination has seemed something of a long shot for Hillary Rodham Clinton since February, but it now seems to have grown a bit longer.”
“Amid a "historic" increase in statewide Medicaid enrollment, nearly a third of New York City residents are now on the state's rolls, with 1 million joining between 2000 and 2005.”
“A state agency has lifted a puzzling bureaucratic roadblock that significantly delayed a long-awaited plan to replace the traffic-choked Kosciuszko Bridge.”
“That may conjure images of refurbished factories or mom-and-pop businesses, but one of the state's most successful lobbying firms, Patricia Lynch Associates, is among the 215 businesses in Albany's Empire Zone.”
“Census data show two population boosters in parts of Capital Region”
“Residents who lived upstream of a dam that collapsed in 2005 have a legitimate claim for damages, a judge has ruled.”
“Schenectady County Legislator Jim Buhrmaster, oil business owner, is lone GOP candidate to seek job.”
“What do you call it when a company can get you to pay handsomely for something you could otherwise get for practically nothing?”
“On the the fifth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, in a chilling rain outside the Capitol, more than 40 protesters demanded Wednesday that America's troops come home to save lives.”
“Recreational boaters on the state canal system will pay more and get less this year with the reinstatement of tolls and a cut in daily hours.”
“Construction workers are combining a standard-sized Wal-Mart store with space left vacant by a failed Sam’s Club warehouse outlet on the outskirts of Albany to create a 260,000-square-foot, two-story “supercenter” selling department store merchandise as well as groceries, liquor and automotive and other services.”
“One team of statisticians working at the state education headquarters here recently calculated the official graduation rate at a respectable 87 percent, which Mississippi reported to Washington. But in another office piled with computer printouts, a second team of number crunchers came up with a different rate: a more sobering 63 percent.”
“Hannaford Bros. Co. has been hit with two class action lawsuits filed on behalf of consumers whose credit and debit card numbers were compromised as a result of a major security breach.”
From the article:
The police officers of Albany work for the taxpayers of Albany, not Police Chief James Tuffey or Mayor Jerry Jennings. Furthermore, the Common Council was put in place to deal with situations such as this one. They should be involved with all the aspects pertaining to the welfare of the general public, and not be put off by a union head or any other authority.
The case in point is the court ruling that a police officer may consume alcohol four hours prior to his duty assignment. (How much alcohol?)
I don't know about you, but if I had a couple of drinks before I had to get behind a wheel of an automobile and had to make a life-saving decision, I would be impaired.
Read Times Union Letter to the Editor, Council must impose police alcohol policy.
I saw this link over at CapCon. I can't believe how many ethical lapses Democrats have had in recent years.
“The budget is due in 12 days (not counting today, but counting April 1). Lawmakers aren't scheduled to return to Albany until next Wednesday due to the Easter holiday, but are supposed to be in town Wednesday through Friday to make up for the lost days.”
“County officials closed a bridge on East Hollow Road today, when the road began collapsing because of holes in the culvert below.”
“Former top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was banned Thursday from practicing law in the nation's capital following his perjury conviction in the case of a CIA operative's leaked identity.”
“It’s becoming increasingly likely that 2008 will go down in history as the year the Second Great Depression began. The unraveling started with the subprime mortgage fiasco and is spreading fast. The total value of all US$-based mortgage bonds is $10.4 trillion, of which 30 percent is now expected to be lost in defaults and property devaluation. That’s $3.2 trillion in losses. Trillions more are likely to evaporate from the related derivatives markets. It’s true that the global economy is pretty big, and a few hundred billion get lost under sofa cushions from time to time (as happened during the savings and loan crisis of the 1990s), and still, life goes on. But when we’re discussing trillions of dollars (with a “T”), we’re talking real money.”
“Passing motorists honked as protesters shouted chants of “free art, free speech, we don’t want your thought police.” Demonstrators held signs reading “stop abuse of code enforcement power.” Other signs read, “fire boss Mirch” and “don’t succumb to Mirch’s power,” referring to city Public Works Commissioner Bob Mirch, who runs the code enforcement department and led a protest last week against the Sanctuary’s hosting the exhibit. Mirch, an elected Conservative, is the leader of the Rensselaer County Legislature Republican majority.”
““Five years ago, this nation was misled into war on Iraq. However, the Bush Administration’s statements on the war did not ring true to me, and its unilateralist approach to foreign policy was fundamentally flawed. Therefore, I was on record opposing the intervention in Iraq from the beginning and spoke out about this issue then as a member of the Albany County Legislature.”
“From the tar pits of the blogosphere to the peaks of the mainstream media, one strange phrase has bubbled up in the wake of Sen. Barack Obama's sweeping speech on race in America: "He didn't throw him under the bus." The "him" is, of course, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., Obama's former pastor, whose angry and racially charged sermons have sparked controversy that could undercut Obama's presidential candidacy. But the metaphor—"throw him under the bus"—is tougher to explain. Where did it come from? Why is it suddenly ubiquitous? And at the risk of sounding overly sensitive, is it even advisable, given its ugly echo with the "back of the bus" legacy of African-Americans?”
“What do I like about the guy? First day on the job, he admits to having an affair. Second day on the job, he admits to having a number of affairs. Not that I approve of sleeping with other women. Per se. But people are always carping about politicians not being honest and here is Paterson, paint still drying on his office door, throwing out a little TMI.”
“Of all the wisecracks heard in the marble halls of New York's Capitol after Gov. Eliot Spitzer's downfall in a call-girl scandal, one jest enlightened as much as it stung: Spitzer's got to be the only guy in Albany who PAYS for sex.”
“Democrat BK Keramati, a retired GE Global researcher and former member of the board of directors for Schenectady County’s Habitat for Humanity, has announced that he will challenge state Sen. Republican Hugh Farley this November.”
“Bill Bruce, one of the rare few who have remained in City Hall from the Tom Whalen years to the Jerry Jennings era, is retiring. Bruce is the longtime leader of the city’s General Services department, which oversees everything from street paving to ordering the Tulip Festival’s namesake flowers.”
As I previously posted a link to, it seems like the City Commissioner of Public Works, Bill Bruce is retiring.
Bruce has always been an interesting and eccentric character from the start, in his gray suits and his gray hair. He's been a strong voice for the City's position on the landfill, and known for being very talented as selling snake oil and lying to the public, all while keeping a straight face.
He has always reminded me a lot of a stereotypical used car salesman. But somehow, I will miss him. He comes from a long list of interesting characters in this position—from the stories of now Comptroller Mike Conners going through local politician's trash to ensure their recycling, to his predecessor who was fired from the post for smoking crack while driving trash trucks.
It's a tough job to have, overseeing moving materials around, running a landfill, a recycling program, picking up leaves, and patching potholes on the road. Those are all things that will get constituents and environmentalists upset with you one way or another.
I'm sure he's getting out now, not only because he's pretty old, but before the shit hits the fan with the landfill. Bruce knows damn well that he's not going to get his landfill expansion permit, and that the city is S.O.L.. Leave while things are still good, and don't get blamed for fucking up the landfill and city finances so badly (although most of the blame goes to the Mayor and City Council—Bruce did only their bidding).
Now the question is, who will be the character that will replace him?
“It's been four months since the first candidate waded into the race to replace retiring U.S Rep. Michael McNulty. Now, the field for the 21st Congressional District seat that the Green Island Democrat held for 20 years is more crowded than Schenectady's Central Park pool on a July afternoon, and your scorecard probably looks worse than most NCAA Tournament brackets.”
“The New York Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information request Thursday asking Troy officials for informa tion about the decision to close the Sanctuary for Independent Media over code violations.”
“The Justice Department used some of its most intrusive tactics against Eliot Spitzer, examining his financial records, eavesdropping on his phone calls and tailing him during its investigation of the Emperor's Club VIP prostitution ring.”
“Pointing to what they say is lower profitability and turmoil in financial markets, three large banks, including two with substantial presences in the Capital Region, have pulled out of the federal student loan program.”
“So much for all the upbeat talk earlier this week that Assembly and Senate leaders would put aside partisan squabbling and join with New York's new governor, David Paterson, in producing an on-time budget. What seemed like a realistic expectation on Monday was dashed on Wednesday, when Assembly and Senate negotiators differed over how much money the state will have to spend in the fiscal year beginning April 1.”
“Here's a sampling of comments from readers about the disclosure by Gov. David Paterson and his wife, Michelle, that they both have had affairs during their marriage. ”
This is an amazing story about an severely autistic child completing his Eagle Scout badge after 10 years of work. It's quite inspiring of a story.
“Low-income people, including senior citizens and disabled veterans who do not usually file federal tax returns, may still qualify to receive federal money this year under the government’s economic stimulus program.”
“I note that Assemblyman Jim Tedisco has backed away from a bill to undermine Schenectady’s public safety commissioner and mayor as they attempt to impose some order on a disordered police department.”
“Anne Garrels recalls some of the key moments of the invasion. Above, U.S. soldiers talk to a boy in Diyala province Thursday.”
“The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta has dismissed a federal lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee over the party's decision to strip Florida of its delegates to the national convention. But it left the door open for possible further legal action.”
“It is naive, and in retrospect a bit delusional, to have thought that with the first African-American making a serious bid for president, race would not be an issue. And for all the declarations that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) "transcended" race — thus, taking race off the table — we really should have known better.”
“"I can tell you affirmatively that I never used my campaign funds for anything other than campaigns," Paterson said, speaking in Rochester. He added that the campaign's attorney was reviewing records for potential discrepancies and a report would be forthcoming. If there are any discrepancies, the governor will reimburse.
But apparently, they haven't seen enough of him to be sure that he'll be a force for positive change. From Newsday:
A new poll shows Gov. Paterson's statewide approval rate at 46%, with only 3% disapproving. But even more voters - 51% - said it's too early to tell.
While voters have high hopes for the new guy, almost half of those polled, 48%, believe his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, should be charged with a crime.
An optimistic 75% think the accidental governor will be an effective leader, and 67% believe Paterson will restore trust in state government.
Read New poll shows Governor Paterson's statewide approval rate at 46% in Newsday.
We've been hearing a lot about bad things that Democrats do, but it looks like a Rochester Republican Senator broke his leg doing some trespassing as part of a real estate speculating deal.
State Sen. James Alesi may be lucky he only broke his leg when he fell from a ladder in January.
At least he wasn't accused of breaking the law.
A Monroe County Sheriff's Office report shows that Alesi was inside a model house still under construction in Perinton when he took his tumble on Jan. 19.
Apparently, Alesi, a Perinton Republican, and another individual were eying properties for a prospective buyer, hoping to get ahead of others interested in purchasing one of the newly built homes in the Trolley Brook Estates community.
Alesi used an on-site ladder to try to reach an upper floor inside the home, according to the sheriff's report.
The senator fell from the ladder, injuring his leg. Sheriff's deputies and an ambulance crew responded to the incident.
The owner of the home opted not to press trespassing or any other charges, according to Monroe Sheriff's Office spokesman John Helfer. Alesi did not have permission to enter the house, Helfer said.
You can't make stuff like this up. A State Senator trespassing, and damn well knowing what he was doing illegally.
Read Alesi broke leg after strolling into model home in the Rochester D&C.
And Because We Are Fair And Balanced. We have to watch this video of some of the more questionable things done by members of our conference and the Senate Democrats.
Honestly, it's quite funny. But it also shows how some very powerful people—can be stupid and arrogant. I'm sure if the Republicans where in power in these same positions, they will have done as many stupid things (and many have—but they aren't featured in this pro-Republican video).
As saw'n on CapCon.
From Newsday:
Budget conference committees were supposed to begin a week ago, but they still haven't met. Under the state constitution, lawmakers must reach agreement on a 2008-09 budget by April 1.
"We're hearing they aren't making any great progress," Assemblyman William Parment, a Jamestown Democrat, said of the legislative leaders and governor. "I'm disappointed they are not because I thought, with the disruption going around us, there would be an effort to close things down and pass it."
Read NY budget behind schedule, leaders not agreeing on much in Newsday.
He's going back to NYPIRG and abandoning the Project Sunlight project. He claims he has done all he can with the project.
"(Project Sunlight) is in a place where I felt I had done all I could," Horner said, adding that the remaining issues are "tecnical" and he's an ideas guy, not a technie.
The reality is however, the Project Sunlight was over billed and under preformed, and it was just another clunky state website, that wasn't all that much more helpful then existing Public LRS system, NYS Board of Elections, and the Commission on Public Integrity Website.
Go to those sites directly if you want any of the info on Project Sunlight NY website, for better searching capacity and more information. While it's three sites rather then one, the sites by the individual agencies are still much easier to browse.
Horner made a mistake joining Attorney General Cuomo's team. The team believed they could do too much with far too little resources. They should have known better to think that New York State Government could be made accessible to the people, and that most of the data people actually wanted would be electronic, and not paper format or on personal computers, which is how so much of state government is set up.
There is a whole culture of secrecy in Albany, that will take more then just a website to overcome. I still can't believe Horner got involved in this or thought he could change state government with this high-tech solution to information sharing. Talk about ignorance to Albany's ways of doing business.
See Horner's statement on the The Daily Politics Blog.
““I apologize for any inconvenience my delay may cause,” wrote the tax agency, as it explained why it would blow the 20-day deadline on a GateHouse FOIA letter for logs of its public records requests. And if you don't like it: “You may file suit.” ”
From the post discussing Cuomo and Horner's response to his depature:
Update: Cuomo on Horner’s departure:
“Blair Horner joined my office last year to create Project Sunlight, an Internet-based platform offering New Yorkers a better understanding of state government and unprecedented access to information.
“He made it into reality and made it a national model. With the successful launch of Project Sunlight, Blair will continue his life-long commitment as an advocate with NYPIRG. I can’t thank Blair enough for his contributions to my office and for his friendship. Sunlight was a top priority for me when I was elected and Blair was the catalyst to see it through. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for his service and I wish him the best with his continuing contributions to New York.”
Read Horner Headed Back To NYPIRG on Politics on the Hudson.
“The Federal Reserve took historic steps earlier this week to save investment bank Bear Stearns, in an effort to stop panic from infecting Wall Street. But the credit crisis isn't just a problem for the investment community, says former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, it is also "a Main Street problem" that could affect all Americans.”
“Christiane Jory thoroughly embraces this fact in her book, The 99¢ Only Stores Cookbook. The idea may sound silly, but the book is filled with recipes for gourmet items like gruyere beignets, salmon souffle and Pinot Noir poached pear tarts. Many of the recipes have been adapted from culinary classics like the Joy of Cooking and the Moosewood Cookbook.”
“Our nation's future demands that political leaders take seriously the economic plight of America's young.”
“In Seattle, sales at a long-established hardware store, Pacific Supply, are suddenly dipping. In Oklahoma City, couples planning their weddings are demonstrating uncustomary thrift, forgoing Dungeness crab and special linens. And in many cities, the registers at department stores like Nordstrom on the higher end and J. C. Penney in the middle are ringing less often.”
“Actually Nouriel Roubini and I have both estimated the amount of bad debt in the financial system will exceed $1 trillion. Unlike the economists cited in this article, we anticipated the collapse of the housing bubble and the resulting chaos in financial markets.”
“Another Spitzer-era agenda item that apparently lives on: The re-naming of the Triborough Bridge to honor Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
“"It does not appear that there were improper expenditures" even though they were charged to Paterson's campaign credit card, Henry Berger, the campaign's lawyer, said Friday.”
“He’s given a handful of them placards identifying them as city workers on official business. They’re only supposed to be used by employees who go in and out of City Hall frequently during the day, or who have to stay after hours for an occasional meeting. (Does this policy acknowledge that it’s unsafe to walk the two blocks to the employee lot after dark?)”
“State Department employees snooped through the passport files of three presidential candidates - Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain - and the department's inspector general is investigating.”
It's going to be at the Capitol at 1:30 PM in Downtown Albany. It's not promising to be as big of a deal as last year, when we had almost 3,000 people, but it will reflect our continuing concerns about the war and it's direction.
It seems like the war in Iraq is going better these days, and there is not the passion to stop it like there was a few years back. But it's still so important to keep the public pressure up about this important issue.
More at Remebering the Fallen.org.
“The state Thruway Authority plans a public hearing to get comments on the authority's proposed toll adjustment and multi-year capital plan from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the William K. Sanford Town Library, 629 Albany Shaker Road, Colonie”
“An analysis by The Associated Press of a year's worth of expense reports for Spitzer's office and his 2010 campaign shows little sign that those funds were used to pay for illicit activities.”
“Okay, it’s been a long few weeks but I swear this is true: the Capitol elevators are now talking. ”
“But Paterson's first week as governor has been shadowed by questions about his own extramarital liaisons. Days after Paterson admitted he may have used a campaign credit card to pay for a hotel tryst with a girlfriend, his lawyer said Friday the governor would reimburse the campaign for two nights at a Manhattan hotel.”
“The city could get its first roundabout at the intersection of Church and Myrtle streets near Saratoga Hospital if that option is chosen instead of another that would add turning lanes or turning arrows to the existing traffic light at that junction.”
“For the first time in more than 30 years, Sodexho will no longer provide dining services for Plattsburgh State. ”
