Praise for all on a successful election
Finally, after a long and difficult pre-election season, the election has taken place and it was historic. Despite challenges, including a record number of voters, new procedural changes, and a deadly pandemic, voters were able to utilize a safe and effective process in keeping with the principles of democracy.
The Schenectady County League of Women Voters salutes every individual who participated in the free, fair, and peaceful election of 2020.
Our county election officials deserve recognition and praise for implementing processes to protect voters and workers against the spread of the coronavirus. Countless hours were spent recruiting and training election workers, engineering a plan for managing early voting and increased turnout. Polling places were fully staffed and functioning well from early voting through Nov. 3.
We owe gratitude to the volunteers who served as poll workers and poll observers. They worked long, challenging hours in a true bipartisan effort. These election workers always play a key role in our democracy, but this was not an ordinary election. These people risked their health to give their fellow citizens an opportunity to vote.
Thanks, and congratulations go to every voter, from first-time voters to old stalwarts. You understood voting is not just our right; it is our power.
Under extraordinary circumstances the citizenry of Schenectady County demonstrated precisely what American pride and patriotism look like.
As we celebrate this election, let’s commit to moving forward together, strengthening and building our great democracy.
Ann Hatke
Schenectady
The writer is president of the League of Women Voters of Schenectady County.
Blaming Cuomo is not productive
After reading Kim Lake’s Nov. 17 letter in The Gazette (“Why would we trust Cuomo on covid?”) I thought about why shouldn’t we trust Gov. Cuomo.
Yes he’s the one that says to keep your mask on while walking around restaurants and bars, because I think that as we walk around those places, we lose perception when we are drinking and our drink is in our hand or when we enter the bathrooms.
I don’t drink, but I can imagine someone out late in a bar after 10 o’clock taking off their mask because we sometimes don’t use our God-given sense due to alcohol. No, he didn’t say we will not be able to have the vaccine. But the man called president of the United States said he would not let us have it because as a spoiled child, he is mad at the governor due to his restrictions as to where it is coming because it might not be safe.
And as for all those poor elderly in the nursing homes, my heart does go to their families. But how can that be the governor’s fault if the owners or managers of these homes at the time did not know who had or didn’t have the virus?
This pandemic is trying to all of us. But playing the blaming game will only make us more alienated from each other.
Bonita Cade
Schenectady
Signs are not the problem at bridge
The railroad bridge and the signage on Glenridge Road is not the problem.
I see the problem is with the trucking company and the driver for not knowing or checking the dimensions of their trucks, both under a full load or empty load.
If the numbers are posted for the drivers to know their height when approaching a bridge, that should tell them that they will or will not fit. Maybe the drivers think that there is some wiggle room in that sign and they take a chance.
With today’s GPS systems, the routes should be planned better in advance. Try getting a wide load permit from the DOT. It requires a detailed description of your vehicle, its load and route. They in turn can give you instructions as to where you can travel. A 10-foot, 11-inch bridge height does not equate to 12-feet-something. Do not blame the bridge or lack of signage. Blame human error. Hefty fines should send a message. Tying up traffic and responders to correct this problem is costly and time consuming.
Paul St. Onge
Charlton
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Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion
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I think all it would take is an electric eye\sensor on a pole before you get to Bruce Drive or before traffic circle on other side. Set it at roughly 10’6″ so there’s room for error. If you break the sensor beam, red lights and a strobe start flashing like a railroad crossing telling you to stop. If you continue on and hit the bridge, you should be arrested and lose license\CDL as you are either an impaired or reckless driver, or too stupid to be behind the wheel.
Another less expensive way is to require the posting of the height of the truck visibly on the dashboard for the driver to compare it with the signs. If a driver cannot match the two correct and hits the bridge, then your penalties are perfect.
Bonita Cade – Good letter. I agree wholeheartedly with the Gazette’s editorial. If Sheriffs in the region do not want to enforce laws and rules to save peoples lives, they should resign.
Ray:
Should Cuomo Resign for telling NYS Law Enforcement Officials to not enforce the violation of the Immigration Act specifically (Title 8, Section 1325 of the U.S. Code (U.S.C.), or Section 275 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) ? Aren’t those individuals also a potential health risk as we don’t know their vaccination records for simple but dangerous Measles, Mumps, Rubella?
I agree that you can’t pick and chose the laws you enforce – but the Governor needs to be more consistent with his message.
Joe the Governor wasn’t going to allow the Republican administration led by Barr and directed by Trump to use federal laws to usurp New York State law.
It wasn’t a matter of not enforcing state laws… but denying Trumps federal STORMTROOPERS to heartlessly and illegally round up illegal immigrants in New York State.
Cuomo is an excellent lawyer Joe and has ALWAYS followed the law closer than you yourself has… for sure.
You can glibly throw it…but it ain’t sticking.
Would you personally prefer DeSantos?
How can Cuomo get idiots who wear badges and support Trump to be American and do their jobs.
So easy to armchair decisions from afar.
Don’t be surprised Joe if there isn’t a COUP
attempt by Trumpers and law enforcement soon…isn’t that what (back the blue) is really about…picking sides…
Maybe that’s what y’all is waiting for…
That final bird whistle..
Robert:
The facts – According to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute, more than 12 million people were “deported” — either removed or returned — from the US during the Clinton administration. More than 10 million were removed or returned during the Bush administration. Another 10 million were removed under the Obama Administration in fact a NY Times article named him “Deporter and Chief” as his administration carried out 2.4 milliom deportations in one year alone and thru June of 2020 the Trump administration had deported 5 million. So it all looks pretty even – we as a Country under Republican or Democrat Administrations are removing 5 million undocumented people per 4 year term.
Bill Clinton signed in1996 one of the toughest Immigration Laws ever – The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 addressed the relationship between the federal government and local governments. Minor crimes, such as shoplifting, became grounds for possible deportation. Additionally, the legislation outlawed cities’ bans against municipal workers reporting a person’s immigration status to federal authorities. The Clinton Administration created the “cages” border camps – I have been down there and done below grade explosive work for the government under the Obama Administration in 2013 – the one I was at had better facilities then KOA parks I have been to. Fresh meals, hot showers, hospital on-site with American MDs & RNs.
During the Bush administration he added Homeland Security after the 9/11 attacks as an agency that would get notified by finger print and arrest cards & created Immigration & Custom Enforcement (ICE) formerly known as border agents, rolled air marshalls and TSA under this umbrella.
In 2011 Andrew Cuomo questioned the authority of NY law enforcement sharing fingerprint data under the Bush Amendment but in 2012 stood by President Obama when he added a Secure Communities provision to the 1996 Immigration act that the Clinton Administration signed into law which allowed ICE agents to detain & arrest individuals in NY.
In 2014 President Obama laid out the steps to fix some broken parts of the immigration system. Enacted within his legal authority, the President’s plan focused on cracking down on illegal immigration at the border; deporting felons, not families; and accountability through criminal background checks and taxes.
In a campaign stump in 2016 – Hillary Clinton stated Following the shooting death of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco (a sanctuary city) by an undocumented immigrant, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D-NY) told CNN that “The city made a mistake, not to deport someone that the federal government strongly felt should be deported. I have absolutely no support for a city that ignores the strong evidence that should be acted on.”
These Immigration & Custom Enforcement (ICE) “storm troopers” haven’t changed. These brave men and women are civil servants. The administrations have changed and Trump is arrogant, bullish and has no idea how to work with States and coalitions, but the ICE workers were not doing anything different then what they were tasked to do – the only thing that has changed is and R or D in front of the President.
So dollars to donuts – the Biden Administration will continue to use border detention facilities, will still have ICE and they will still deport roughly 5 million undocumented immigrants. The difference is he won’t go out and stump on it, pound his fist, and make an ass out of himself doing it. His administration will quietly carry out the law & Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, and other large Sanctuary States Governors will cooperate and be quiet. Thats the sad part – that I have openly addressed for weeks.
As far as some “Coup” – never happen. Upstate counties where sheriffs are opposed to “Turkey” number crack down – those counties – Saratoga, Rensselaer, Albany – all voted for Biden this time around.
Should we be surprised? The Democrats – Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff have spent the last 4 years denying Trump won the 2016 Election. Between pushing the Mueller report, to Impeachment, Russian Collusion theories, Hillary getting on TV & Radio talking about stolen elections, now should we really be surprised that Trump is doing it?
He will exhaust all his legal options as is his right and then hopefully disappear and not be heard of again until he passes away at some ripe old age.
As far as resisting a monster from his arising…you bet!!!
Thank god for Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi.
Yes all administrations before Trump deported millions…millions showed up and thousands were accepted.
The difference?
Democrats didn’t place a ban on all Muslims,
Obama had the facilities built to handle people properly and safely and NOT RIP FAMILIES APART IN THE MIDDLE OF A GODAMNED PLAGUE!!
Your brainwashed to call ICE agents brave (hired by Trumps administration) they
are nothing more than hired mercenaries.
You republicans scream about 1person murdered by an illegal immigrant But allow wholesale murder of black people by policemen and vigilantes.
You republicans drag defenseless gays tied up behind pickup pick up trucks.
You republicans embrace Old Dixie and it’s imagery.
Your president is a god damned traitor in this present time.
Not a different opinion…a treasonous TRAITOR and those who follow him.
They followed Lee to infamy…
No I’ll take Obama, Biden, even Clinton over any of the sociopaths the republicans have fielded for office since 1976!
Robert –
I’m not Republican.
I know you say so…but it doesn’t sound so..
I get it. The whole damn process needs overhaul. Till then I’ll take a person of conscience over criminals everytime.
I’ve been voting since 76…only republican president of honor was Bush sr..
Clowns, Crooks, Game show hosts, movie stars, second bests with republicans.
Now the Republican Party gave us our first dictatorship….
I was a closet democrat last week when I spoke about minorities & women, etc but now I’m a Republican?
Robert – I love your passion for things but people can have some liberal views, some moderate views, some conservative views – that doesn’t make them bad or even wrong. It makes us American.