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This belongs to you. Take it back...
2008 
Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 23:13:24 PM EDT
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Democratic and Republican Candidates for Congress Face-Off In Public Forum
On Columbus Day, Democrat Paul Tonko and Republican Jim Buhrmaster met at the Dean Alexander Moot Court Room at Albany Law School for one of their only debates open to the public. The seats in the lecture hall were about half full, and the Albany Law Schools College Democrats and College Republicans both sponsored the debate.
Local radio personality Al Roney of 810WGY moderated the debate for an hour's worth of questions he posed to the candidates after Tonko and Buhrmaster were allowed to make opening statements. Following this, representatives from the College Democrats and College Republicans asked the candidates questions posed from the audience, which is where the fireworks have always come in the debates to replace retiring Representative Mike McNulty (D-Green Island) since this campaign was in Primary mode.
Now that the 21st and the entire nation is in full General Election mode, jump below the fold to see what each candidates' answer to each question was...in detail that is nowhere to be found in the local media.
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Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 02:54:32 AM EDT
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Barack Obama is a Threat To America, we are told, because he served on a board of directors and had other contacts with William Ayers, who, in the 1960s, was, or was not, involved in terrorist acts for which he was never convicted of any crimes.
So imagine how serious of a Threat To America we would have if, last month, one of the two candidates hired someone to lead their transition team-the person who would recommend who should be selected for every appointed office of the new Administration-who, at the time of the 9/11 attacks, actually worked for Saddam Hussein...and who ended up working for him for five years.
Well, one of the candidates did, and I'll give you a hint: it wasn't Obama.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time to meet William E. Timmons, Sr.
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Mon Oct 13, 2008 at 23:25:57 PM EDT
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Every morning lately, we have turned anxiously to the news to see if financial markets are in freefall...and some days, they actually are.
Governments across the world have responded over the past two weeks--including a massive commitment by the United States Treasury that is, to say the least, highly controversial to the American voter.
As this is being written markets are opening in Asia. At the moment things are somewhat stable, and except for Shanghai and Taiwan, they're heading upward. During the writing process, Europe has opened, and there are gains there today as well.
The US credit markets did not open today (although the stock markets did) because of the Columbus Day holiday-but anyone who recalls Mr. Dow's Wild Ride last Friday is quite nervous ahead of the Tuesday opening.
Despite all that bailout stuff we're hearing about, confidence doesn't seem to be returning to the markets. Why?
Excellent question, Gentle Reader, and I have a few helpful answers.
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Mon Oct 13, 2008 at 00:29:01 AM EDT
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Break their Back, Crush their Spirits:
See, here's the deal -- we're going to win the White House, we're going to win big in the Senate, and we're going to rack up big gains in the House. Republicans know this and are preparing for the worst. Now think of 2004 -- we really thought Kerry was going to pull it off. Remember that? And remember how utterly devastated we were when Bush pulled it off? The pain was so much worse because we expected to win.
So with conservatives bracing for the worse, they won't experience the kind of pain we did. Not unless we deliver a defeat even worse than their worst nightmares. And I'll be honest with you -- I want them to hurt as much as we did. I want their spirits crushed, their backs broken.
So the way we do that is we deliver a defeat worse than they ever imagined. We do that by winning states that have no business turning Blue -- like North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, and so on -- states that were easy Bush victories in 2004. We do that by electing a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate. We do that by defeating their leadership, like Mitch McConnell in the Senate. We do that by defeating their heroes, like wingnut go-to hero John Shadegg. We do that by making sure a record number of Americans reject conservative ideology, leaving it utterly discredited.
The day after the election, I want to see an electoral battlefield littered with defeated Republicans, their ranks demoralized, their treasury in heavy debt, and no real leadership to take the helm. I want a vacuum so complete, that a bloody leadership battle between the neocons, theocons, and corporate cons shakes the GOP to its core, and leaves it fractured and ill-equipped to stymie the progressive agenda, much less ramp up for an even bleaker (for them) 2010.
We all remember the merciless pounding the GOP gave us in 2002 and 2004- let's return the favor... and then some. Feel free to post about how you have been working to crush their spirits come e-day.
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Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 14:06:49 PM EDT
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In NY, the voter registration period ends today and the results of the hard work that our chapters across the state have done is overwhelming. Final numbers from all of our 40+ chapters still have to come in but here are the results so far
Results from NY College Democrats chapters for new voter registration so far:
Binghamton U 1400
Oswego: 512
Niagara 438
stony brook 1500
NYU 762 (not finalized)
Fredonia 1060
Corning 76
Albany Law 30
Yeshiva U. 195
Sarah Lawrence 360
Total so far: 6,333
The College Democrats of NY have over 40 chapters across the state and as final voter registration numbers trickle in, the results will be magnified even more.
Note: the above numbers only represents new voters registered by an individual college democrats chapter and does not take into consideration students that registered on their own on their college campus.
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Wed Oct 08, 2008 at 23:13:00 PM EDT
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So the second debate is in the books, my friends, and it seems that McCain is not getting out the message as well as he might wish.
I have no doubt that some of the problem is related to McCain's policies as he presents them...but to be completely honest, there may be an additional factor.
To put it as bluntly as possible: McCain looks a little...creepy.
And it's not just me: The Girlfriend was mentioning how creepy he looked in the debate as we talked about it this morning. Ask around, and someone might describe him that way to you.
Why is that so, how is this observation going to affect McCain going forward; and most important of all...how does this connect to the Burger King and the design of video game characters?
To help answer the question, let me introduce you to Dr. Masahiro Mori.
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Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 23:11:27 PM EDT
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New York Governor David Paterson was tuning in to tonight's debate just as closely as any other voter out there. And he had this to say after Barack Obama's winning performance:
"Tonight Barack Obama once again showed Americans why he is ready to be our next President. He articulated his plans to implement economic reforms that will guide us through the current crisis and provide the relief and stability that Main Street needs.
He is prepared to work toward energy independence and create new, greens jobs, put in place a health care plan that will cover every American, and make college affordable.
While Senator McCain reiterated his commitment to the unsuccessful policies of the Bush Administration, Senator Obama has laid out new plans for our country. An Obama presidency will provide us with the steady leadership we need."
Governor Paterson is a voice of authority in this election for a number of reasons. For starters, he governs the state that is home to ground zeros on the financial crisis (Wall Street, of course). He also knows a thing or two about breaking certain barriers as a chief executive (he is African-American as well as legally blind). And he was a voter who had to change his mind as a former Super Delegate for Obama's primary campaign rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton.
No grain of salt needs to be taken with this statement.
My point of view on who won the debate?
That one.
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Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 14:19:42 PM EDT
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( - promoted by phillip anderson)
Mike McMahon (D) is up on the air now with his first television ad, and the first of this cycle for any candidate. This is also the first Democratic television ad buy to my knowledge probably since the 1997 special election. Being in the NYC market my guess is this will be a cable buy. His opponent Bob Straniere has about $13,000 cash on hand and likely will not be able to respond.
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Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 00:23:59 AM EDT
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Apparently feeling there's no other way to win, the McCain campaign is now trying to "go negative" in an effort to make Obama unelectable.
Obama has tried to stay above that sort of thing...and while Obama may be a better human being than that...I'm not.
We will divert away from the usual high minded conversation about issues today-and we will instead lay out a few unpleasant facts John McCain would rather you forget about.
Some of today's discussion reveals McCain's financial corruption...then there's McCain giving "aid and comfort to the enemy" back in his Vietnam days...and for those who may have forgotten, a few words about ugly divorces and near-bigamy and the ending of McCain's friendship with Ronald Reagan.
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Sat Oct 04, 2008 at 10:54:38 AM EDT
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Republican Opponent's Position: Less Action, More Attack Ads
One of the last things retiring Representative Mike McNulty did as Congressman was to vote "yea" on both $700 billion bailout packages meant to address the econominc crisis. McNulty voted for the first measure that failed in the House last week and remained firm in his support for the revised bill first passed in the Senate, then the House, and now set to be signed into law by President Bush.
Voters in the 21st Congressional District deserve to know how their future Congressman feels about this, and today Democractic candidate Paul Tonko let them know exactly how he feels. The following press release has a headline that reads Tonko Supports Bill, But With Reservations:
"I support the action taken by the House of Representatives yesterday to pass the Economic Stability Act. Although I strongly disagree with several aspects of this legislation, these actions are necessary to ensure the continued flow of credit that allows families to buy homes and send their children to college. I believe the threat to the well-being of working families caused by not acting far outweighs the reservations I have about this legislation.
"This bill does not go far enough to help people who are in danger of losing their homes. More foreclosures will mean more instability for the housing and financial markets. I believe that bankruptcy judges must be allowed to change the terms of distressed mortgages to prevent more foreclosures. This bill also includes questionable add-ons, including more tax breaks for oil companies, which certainly are not struggling.
"Another part of this bill that I find very troubling is what I believe are serious conflicts of interest in the administration of this plan. The bailout will be orchestrated by five Bush administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson who is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, one of the firms that will benefit significantly from this plan. The Congressional oversight committee must watch very closely to ensure that no conflicts of interest affect the disbursements of taxpayer dollars.
"The bill does include protections for taxpayers, including provisions that will allow taxpayers recover their investment when the financial industry returns to profitability. The bill is also an improvement from the Bush Administration's original plan
"There is more work to be done. Despite this rescue plan, we will still face serious economic challenges in the months ahead. Leaders in Washington need to address the factors that led to the failure of the markets and take steps to provide responsible and effective regulation that will make sure this crisis never happens again.
"There are more immediate issues that Washington failed to address, like the record home heating prices facing families this winter. These record prices, combined with record gasoline and food prices, will leave many Capital Region families struggling. Congress must act to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Plan (LIHEAP). In Congress, I pledge to work in a bipartisan manner to increase LIHEAP funding so people on low and fixed incomes don't have to make the choice between feeding their families and heating their homes."
Soundpolitic's Analysis Below The Fold...
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Fri Oct 03, 2008 at 11:32:58 AM EDT
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It has been but a few hours since Sarah Palin took the stage to have a conversation with Joe Biden, and of course the Nation has a ton of questions.
What will happen now?
How will we view all this in a few days?
How will it affect McCain and Obama?
I don't know...and I'm not even going to try to figure it out right this minute.
Instead, we're going to take a trip halfway across the world to a country that has been essential to understanding the Middle Eastern story, has been at the center of international conflicts time and time again...and has lessons to teach us that, if we learn them well, could make us a much smarter "Foreign Policy Nation" than we are today.
The country? Egypt.
So grab your virtual passport...and after we arrive, there are a few people I want you to meet.
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Wed Sep 24, 2008 at 19:24:34 PM EDT
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As this is being written we are in the midst of the second day of testimony before Congress by Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson in support of the Administration's proposed financial rescue package.
The basic sales pitch is that the Nation's financial problems are at this moment so severe that the only solution is to expose to risk $700 billion dollars of taxpayer money to buy assets with a currently unknown price...and to give the absolute and total power over what those valuations are, what should and should not be bought, what repayment terms will be sought-and additionally, what happens to any money recovered--to one man, Henry Paulson.
There are those who are not on board. They have critics, who continue to stress the dire consequences of inaction.
With all due respect to those critics...we have been down this road before with this Administration-and last time, they weren't so big on telling the truth...or getting the job done effectively.
We'll cover that ground, we'll talk a bit about "mark to market" issues-and on a positive note, we'll address the role of "warrants", the negotiating power of Warren Buffett, and how the taxpayer could actually see substantial recoveries of money down the road.
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Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 15:46:03 PM EDT
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(This is easily the weirdest race in the nation.
- promoted by phillip anderson)
So there are three ways Bob from Manhattan can get off of the ballot, death, moving out of the state and being nominated for a judgeship. Last night he was nominated, possibly against his desire, for a judgeship position. From the NY Post;
Republican Robert Straniere, who's running for Rep. Vito Fossella's seat, was nominated as a Manhattan judicial candidate last night - a move that could pave the way for the disgraced congressman to get back on the ballot and run for re-election.
Several Republican sources said the New York County GOP made the nomination with the understanding that Straniere would accept it.
But Straniere, a former Staten Island assemblyman who's been at odds with fellow Republicans, hasn't been contacted about the judicial post and "unequivocally" plans to turn it down, his spokesman told The Post.
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Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 11:03:03 AM EDT
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was originally published on February 14th of this year, but it seems to be exceptionally timely today.
We had a lively discussion last week regarding the causes and possible future of the "subprime crisis" that is on everyone's lips these days.
Having examined the sources of the problem, and noting the lack of holistic thinking about how things might be resolved, I've taken it upon myself to come forward with an idea that can actually get at the root causes of today's difficulties...and do it in a way that offers a potential "win-win-win" outcome for homeowners, investors-and the taxpayer.
Paying attention, Presidential candidates?
Good-because time is short, and we need to get to work.
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Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 22:39:03 PM EDT
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Come out and join our Pinocchio Posse to greet John McCain and Sarah Palin at the New York Waldorf-Astoria as they attempt to restore their flagging credibility by hobnobbing with foreign leaders and fellow liar Henry Kissinger. The Posse will gather at 10:30am on Wednesday in front of the Waldof. Look for noses and noise as the Posse takes on McCain/Palin Pinocchio Politics in person!
For more information go to http://www.pinocchiopolitics.org/
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Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 16:28:00 PM EDT
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On a chilly and blustery afternoon nearly two weeks out from a historic primary to replace retiring Congressman Mike McNulty (D-Green Island), Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings welcomed an array of elected officials, campaign staffers, union members, and regular Democrats like myself to a Unity Rally to support Paul Tonko, Democratic nominee for Congress in New York's 21st Congressional District.
It was the closing moment of a long, hard-fought primary in which five Democrats, including Tracey Brooks, Phil Steck, Darius Shahinfar, and Joe Sullivan (who did not attend) emerged with fewer votes than Paul Tonko, a 23-year veteran of the New York State Assembly and former President and CEO of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. Tonko won the primary on Tuesday, Sept 9, with 39% of the vote, a full nine points ahead of his nearest rival.
Cameras were there, alright, but noon-time news reports gave only a few seconds of coverage to the rally. My tape recorder was running the entire time, and below the fold is full coverage of the unity rally for any Democrat who was unable to attend.
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Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 08:42:38 AM EDT
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It has been an extraordinarily bad week for John McCain, what with his interest in Sarah Palin's boobs apparently keeping him from being sufficiently aware of the "fundamental soundness" of the economy...but luckily for McCain, the news cycle turns; and a hotel bombing in Pakistan might be the opening his campaign thinks it needs.
With that in mind, expect the next week leading up to Friday's Presidential debate to be full of references to McCain's favorite subject..."the transcendent challenge of our time-Islamofascism"...or something eerily similar.
His campaign is convinced this is the strongest place for him to make his argument for election-but what if it is not?
As we anticipate what is coming next from McCain, let's remind ourselves just how much of a foreign policy expert McCain really is-and let's do it using McCain's own words.
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Fri Sep 19, 2008 at 15:31:23 PM EDT
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via McMahon press release;
"Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn need a strong voice in Congress to get results in transportation, health care and the economy," Mayor Bloomberg said. "During the last seven years, Mike and I have worked together to deliver just those kind of results: increasing ferry service, developing a workable solid waste plan after decades of stagnation, holding the line on government spending, and saving surpluses for tougher times like the ones we're in now. The 13th Congressional District and all of New York City need a proven leader like Mike to fight for results in Washington. He's delivered during his seven years on the City Council, and I know he'll work just as hard in Washington. I am proud to endorse Mike McMahon for Congress, and urge all of the voters of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn to send him to Washington this November."
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Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 14:11:39 PM EDT
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Today it comes out that John McCain will not meet with the Spanish president because he does not meet with our enemies. I guess, McCain is still mad about the fact that Spain pulled out of the War in Iraq after he was elected. Listening to McCain, I needed to do a double take, was I listening to Bush.
(As cross posted on www.collegedemsny.com/blogs)
In a new globalized world, why is the US not trying to work on relationships with Europe. This idea that Republicans have about not talking to those we oppose seems absurd. This seems on par with George Bush declaring countries as the axis of evil.
I think that this next President needs to bring a fundamental change form the Bush adminstration. We dont need a preisdent that is going to divide the countries between the good and evil ones. We need a president who is willing to talk to other countries, both good and evil. We need to rebuild our repuation on the world scene not lower it, the way a McCain administration would.
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Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 13:33:49 PM EDT
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Cross-Posted on DailyKos
I haven't been focusing too much on the Presidential campaign. I'm far too confident that Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be inhabiting the White House come January 2009.
I'm also pretty confident that neither Obama nor Biden would waste their money installing a tanning bed in the chief executive's mansion. But follow the link, and you'll find that McPublican VP nominee Sarah Palin did just that in the Alaska Governor's mansion.
Now this has been blogged here on DailyKos earlier this week and a few angles continue. My angle? When you add the Palin tanning bed installment to the John McCain mulitple house fiasco, you get the perfect opportunity for the Obama/Biden campaign to come out with the response ad to end all response ads. The McPalin ad in question is the recent "Original Mavericks" spot now playing in media markets across the fruited plain.
My proposal, below the fold, is a word-for-word reply...McCain/Palin: The Original Elitists.
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