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Seek new options for housing, busing
Schenectady Municipal Housing leader Richard Homenick makes an excellent point in Chad Arnold’s Jan. 8 article (“Rise in housing costs underscore longstanding issue”) about rising housing costs.
It’s time for lawmakers to find ways to drive down costs without spending heaps of government money.
I can think of two that are proven and ready.
First, the state Legislature can pass a statewide repeal of single-family zoning.
California did so in 2019, in an effort to beat down housing costs by increasing the supply.
Projections are the housing supply will expand there by 700,000 units, mostly
Accessory Dwelling Units, including converted garages and back yards, in-law apartments and the like. Owner choice and investment.
No municipal override. An industry of stylish manufactured housing has sprung to life to respond to the demand.
Second, local governments and school districts should do what Montgomery County and the Capital District Transportation Authority did: Retire yellow buses for students above a certain age and give them CDTA passes.
CDTA can expand its fleet. State transportation aid will remain the same for each student using a pass, while local districts will save the matching money for the yellow buses, saving property taxpayers millions.
Better public transportation will make it easier for workers to reach their jobs from the housing they can afford, especially from outlying areas where rents are less.
Schools are having trouble finding enough drivers these days anyway, so it’s time to shrink the fleets and create a transport system that serves everyone.
Gordon Boyd
Saratoga Springs
Make lawmakers account for raise
Kudos to our esteemed New York state legislators.
They have found a way to fight inflation and high gas and energy prices — for themselves – by voting themselves a 29% raise without any input from their constituency.
This is to the tune of approximately $6.2 million for 150 Assembly persons and 63 state senators to share. But wait, it doesn’t stop there.
There are chairmanship stipends to 39 committees, 40 sub committees, 9 legislative committees and 11 task forces. On top of that, there are health and dental benefits, retirement benefits and even a per diem for non-overnight ($61) and overnight stays of $183 a day. All this without a union.
The legislative session from January to June of 2023 totals 58 days at an average of 9.4 days per month. One of the few jobs that can attain this type of monies and schedule is a successful bank robber.
Shame on their actions to slap us all in the face. Please don’t be fooled by those legislators who voted no for the raise. A good number knew it was going to pass anyway. They need to have heat put on them.
Term limitations should be the first piece of business. Let’s add mandatory drug testing for all assembly persons and senators. They can’t be making some of these decisions with a clear mind. Make them accountable to us all. Please take the time to see how your state legislator voted and votes and why.
Richard Moran, Sr.
Scotia
Start saving energy by insulating better
When I was a college student, I lived in an assortment of run-down inexpensive houses and apartments. Most were poorly insulated if they were insulated at all.
The renters were always responsible for utility bills.
I remember one house in which the roommates would joke that we could stand in the middle of the living room and know which way the wind was blowing. Heating those places was expensive.
Much of Schenectady’s housing stock is in the same boat.
Schenectady is responding by planning to invest in solar panels, battery storage and smart grid technology for residential buildings.
I’m all in favor of investing in green energy and infrastructure, but shouldn’t the first step be insulating leaky buildings and installing energy-efficient replacement windows to save energy for years to come?
After we have successfully reduced energy demand, we can then focus on implementing the next generation of electricity production and distribution technologies.
William Nechamen
Schenectady
Not doing enough to protect young people
Seventy percent of the world’s cobalt comes from the Congo. Eighty percent of the major cobalt mines there are owned and operated by Chinese companies.
According to the U.N., 40,000 children (some as young as 6 years old) work in those mines in extremely dangerous conditions for very little money. Cobalt is used in all lithium batteries.
Anything from iPhones to electric cars requires them. The demand for cobalt has never been greater.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of death in young people ages 18-45. In that age group, 40,000 die annually; far surpassing the next leading cause which is car accidents at 22,000 plus.
In a recent report by the AMA, the annual deaths of adolescents (800 plus) due to fentanyl has more than tripled just in the last two years. Eighty percent of all fentanyl in the United States comes through the border with Mexico. The vast majority of fentanyl is produced in China.
Are responsible adults, especially those in power, doing enough to protect the health and welfare of our children and young adults, not only here but also abroad?
Based on these two examples alone the answer would have to be “no.”
When you take into account all the other ways by which they are assailed on a daily basis — gang and gun violence, drug and sex trafficking, and even the pressures from society at large to look “beautiful” and act “cool” — the answer becomes a resounding “NO!”
We need to get our priorities straight, and fast.
Art Pagano
Galway
America must stop its internal collapse
When can we expect the town of Rotterdam to authorize a fentanyl dispensary?
How long before the Donner party and the movie “Soylent Green” will be seen as a harbinger of the future? A future where we eat our own.
For those who wonder about why nations collapse, America is the classic example.
The how is from within, America is collapsing from within. Those who seek profit from disorder create disorder. Covid, woke, politics of envy, tools of revolution.
The good news for me is I am 75. What is the good news for you?
Edmond Day
Rotterdam
Stop GOP governors’ war on immigrants
I am an immigrant, and I detest politicians who demonize immigrants and make them scapegoats; blame them for society’s ills, and use them as a political weapon to advance their political careers.
Such has been the case with Donald Trump, since the day he entered politics; anti-immigrant rhetoric, lies, and policies were the norm; he said many awful things about them and tried to make them look like criminals and worthless.
And now I’m equally disgusted with three Catholic Republican governors: Ron DeSantis of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona, who have copied Trump’s example, and recently bused migrants from their states to northern cities without any plan in place to greet or care for them.
These Republican governors claim to be Christians, but in reality, they are not, because they have disregarded the most important Christian commandment: to love God and one another.
Instead, they rejected Jesus’ command and slammed the door in the face of desperate immigrants who fled their country, because of hopeless and dangerous situations, and are seeking asylum.
Such politicians are not Christian. They are hypocrites and opportunists who are insensitive to Jesus’ call for compassion, because they don’t care for others; they’re intent only on building walls and slamming the door shut for immigrants.
That is why we all must sign petitions to fight Christian nationalism against immigrants and tell the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to condemn Catholic governors’ cruel immigration actions, attitudes and rhetoric.
Ottavio LoPiccolo
Schenectady
Legislative pay hike shows poor priorities
Regarding the $32,000 legislative pay raise to $143,000, it’s not enough for New York to be first in death and taxes, now we’re first in legislator salaries.
Too bad our priority-challenged legislators didn’t have the nerve to try this before the election.
Maybe it was because New York has 479,000 unemployed, 2.9 million people on food stamps, $11 billion in unemployment insurance fraud, a debt of $394 billion, and spends $413 billion annually, while 431,000 residents moved to other states since 2020.
How convenient that legislators found time for a pay raise, but no time to cut taxes, regulations, spending and debt; no time to pressure Washington to secure our border against the flood of illegal aliens, criminals, terrorists, fentanyl and illegal guns; and no time to clean up our dirty voter rolls as required by Section 8 of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act.
But our overlords did find time to expand gun control to disarm law abiding citizens, give driver licenses to undocumented immigrants, destroy our economy with covid mandates, cover-up the deadly nursing home scandal, expand abortion access, legalize marijuana, close nine state prisons in two years, institute cashless bail so criminals can run wild, offer a billion tax dollars for a Buffalo Bills stadium, close the Indian Point Nuclear power plant, stop construction of vital energy pipelines, and otherwise make war on fossil fuels so we can have rolling blackouts.
How sad that with winter weather, our emperors have no clothes.
Bob Dufresne
Rensselaer
Capital plan needs old-style approach
I heard that Abraham Lincoln achieved highly in a one-room schoolhouse. Additionally he most likely completed homework every night with a supervising parent always present to offer assistance.
Under the glow of firelight and candlelight he learned by rote the important building blocks of higher learning, also known as the 3 R’s: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Some extra costly educational fluff offered today may not be as effective as the older tried and true ways.
Basic repeated 3 R blackboard work and supervised nightly homework will surely help. Kids out in the unsafe streets alone at night seldom teaches academics.
The $300 million that the Schenectady school superintendent wants can be reduced significantly.
I do believe in safety. Get metal detectors (look what happened in the Virginia elementary school last week,) and make all walkways, steps and fire escapes safe and easy to use for all.
Get more supervision hired where needed and insist that all young students do at least some homework, even a little will do at first for some. Having a pencil and paper is a must. I don’t believe older buildings are a cause of poor academic performance as long as they are serviceable.
In the past, an old log cabin school could do wonders.
Remember that one such schoolhouse emitted Abraham Lincoln, the issuer of one of the greatest documents ever created, the Emancipation Proclamation.
Honest Abe would only wish for old fashioned common sense educational practices be employed. Common sense too.
Edwin Litts
Schenectady
Get early screening for cervical cancer
We have the ability to get rid of cervical cancer.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Every year in New York, 2,800 people are diagnosed with cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) including cervical cancer.
Did you know cervical cancer can be prevented with regular screening and the cancer prevention HPV vaccination?
The Cancer Prevention in Action Program (CPiA) would like to share important facts about how to prevent cervical cancer and make it a thing of the past.
Cervical cancer screening tests can find the cells that lead to cancer so they can be removed before cancer grows. Regular screening is recommended from age 21 to 65.
CPiA helps employers adopt paid time off policies for cancer screening and educates employees on the importance of getting screened and prioritizing workforce health. CPiA educates health care providers, community organizations, parents, and young adults about the benefits of the cancer prevention HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine prevents 90% of HPV-related cancers including cervical cancer. The vaccine is given to boys and girls starting at age 11 or 12 but can be started as early as age 9.
It has been proven to provide safe and long-lasting protection with over 15 years of monitoring and research.
Regular screening and HPV vaccination can reduce, possibly end, cervical cancer. To learn more about how the CPiA Program can help you, call 518-770-6815 or visit www.takeactionagainstcancer.com.
Victoria Pickett
Amsterdam
The writer is a Community Health Educator at Cancer Prevention in Action of Fulton, Montgomery & Schenectady Counties.
Grateful to Stewart’s for its generosity
As a follow up to Gazette writer Andrew Waite’s Dec. 24 article (“Raise a cup – or cone – to Stewart’s”) about Stewart’s Shops, I wish to note that the Stewart’s Shop in Burnt Hills (Rt. 50 at Lakehill) each year graciously donates all the white and chocolate milk, bread, eggs, eggnog, and orange juice requested by the East Glenville Fire Department for our annual breakfast with Santa and have done so for many years.
The proceeds from the breakfast are used to fund our annual scholarship based on volunteerism at the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School.
Any food products not used at the breakfast are normally donated to non-profit organizations in Schenectady. A single Stewart’s Shop donation helps three ways — the fire department, the high school, and the non-profits.
Not mentioned in Waite’s article but reported in a later article in The Daily Gazette, Stewart’s Shops this year donated $884,667 as part of their Holiday Match program, matching customer donations from Thanksgiving to Christmas, to benefit local children’s charitable 501 (c) (3) organizations.
Stewart’s Shops have been doing that for the past 36 years, raising over $34 million for local charities.
There are no administrative fees charged by Stewart’s and every customer donation is matched penny for penny, and dollar for dollar.
Thank you Stewart’s Shops for being such a wonderful company and for all that you do for our communities each year.
We are so fortunate to have you as part of our communities.
K. Wayne Bunn
Glenville
The writer is a member of the East Glenville Fire Department.
U.S. must stay the course on Ukraine
If one were to create a label for the proposal made by Jim Callahan in his Dec. 27 letter (“Time for Ukraine to negotiate with Putin”) to resolve the conflict in the Ukraine, Appeasement 2.0 would be the perfect fit.
Consider these facts. Russia invaded Ukraine. It announced its intention to annex Ukrainian territory.
Its conduct of the war has been ruthless in its willingness to devastate and lay waste to the country. Its troops slaughter civilians and commit countless atrocities.
Mr. Callahan’s solution: Criticize President Zelenskyy and negotiate with Moscow. Putin has made clear that his goals remain the dismemberment and surrender of the Ukraine and that he will not end Russian aggression until those goals have been achieved.
You might recall that this approach has been tried in the past. In 1936 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain negotiated the Munich Pact with Adolph Hitler.
Stepping off the plane in London, he proclaimed to have achieved “peace in our time.” How did that work out?
The United States should continue to support President Zelenskyy and be thankful that he has the ability to inspire Ukrainians and the global community to resist Russian aggression.
The United States needs to stay the course as long as Ukrainians have the will and ability to resist.
Bill McPherson
Ballston Spa
Not offended by human composting
In response to Al Zanger’s Jan. 6 letter (“Human composting is a sickening idea”) expressing distaste for human composting, thankfully for him, he can choose not to have his remains returned to Mother Earth in this manner.
I, on the other hand, applaud the option and don’t find it distasteful, disturbing, or mentally unstable to endorse.
Embalming, encasement in concrete, and taking up real estate for eternity can be viewed as equally if not more disturbing and distasteful.
Jeffrey A. Meyers
Niskayuna
Look at real reasons for people moving
The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial (“Americans are voting with U-Hauls”) in the Jan. 3 Gazette was loaded with the same tired tropes we hear often in the northeast. The Gazette can do better.
There are a number of inaccuracies, beginning with painting Pennsylvania and Louisiana as bright blue.
A quick check shows that to be incorrect.
That high taxes cause people to pack up and leave has been debunked more than once. In fact, Kiplinger’s listed California as one of the tax-friendliest states for middle class folks. Google it yourself.
Colorado, a blue state with solid population growth, has income taxes 0.5% lower than Massachusetts. Based on $80,000 of income, that would amount to about $500 more in taxes in Massachusetts. Who would move for $10 per week?
There are many reasons to relocate. A one-year census report should not be considered conclusive.
Not discussed was the low-tax western states’ water crisis. Mandatory cuts are now required for all users of the Colorado River.
The costs of finding water in a desert might make income tax irrelevant.
Last, in the low-income-tax states highlighted, no mention is made of how they have banned books in schools and restricted rights of women to make their own health decisions.
It is too early to tell, but these issues are probably more important than a fraction of a percent on a tax.
We will know sometime soon which way the U-Hauls really traveled.
Scott D. Stevens
Charlton
Why was report on Santos fraud ignored
The Republican party’s “red wave” turned out to be a trickle, but it was enough for the GOP to gain control of the House.
The AP reported that the margin was “razor-thin.” Actually, the GOP won by only five points.
Four downstate Democratic candidates lost to GOP opponents, one of whom, George Santos, won election by fraud.
The Democrats in NY3 didn’t do their opposition research. The New York Times uncovered discrepancies in Santos’ resume. Yet the report was ignored. Why?
Wally Truesdell
Gloversville
Prefer composting to embalming process
I’m writing in response to Al Zanger’s Jan. 6 letter, (“Human composting is a sickening idea.”)
When someone dies, it is a sad time for those who remain and left with what to do with the body to honor the person who inhabited it.
In times past, before the body was laid to rest in the ground, the body was on view in the home for the mourners to pay respects.
It was custom to have fragrant flowers to mask the inevitable smell of decomposition.
Some customs involve a pyre or some other form of combustion. Also there is mummification.
Either way, it is society figuring out what to do with a body no longer viable.
Today, the funeral home washes the body with disinfectant, massages limbs to relieve any muscles and joints that have stiffened as a result of rigor mortis, glues the eyelids in place, closes the jaw by sewing or wires, removes blood from the veins, and pumps embalming fluid through the arteries.
Next, the lower abdomen of the deceased is cut open slightly, and a sharp surgical instrument called a trocar is inserted into the incision.
The trocar and other tools are used inside the body to puncture the organs in the abdomen and chest cavity to drain them of fluid and gas before injecting embalming fluid into them. The incision is sutured closed.
I would prefer to simply give my unadulterated body back to replenish the earth which has sustained me throughout my life.
Sandra J. Natale
Saratoga Springs
America’s ship being sunk by tyranny
Walt Whitman wrote the beautiful poem, “O Captain, My Captain,” mourning the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
He portrayed Lincoln as the captain who brought his ship to safe harbor, who helped his country fulfill the promise of “liberty and justice for all,” but whose death was the ultimate sacrifice for that effort.
What would Lincoln, one of the earliest Republicans, say about the demise of his once-great party after Kevin McCarthy’s almost complete capitulation to the lunatic fringe in his bid for House Speaker?
What verses would Whitman use to mourn the death of values like integrity and honesty? What could he write to condemn the utter dismissal of the “greater good” in favor of the “greater me?”
Today’s Republican Party has no “captain.” It is a ship without a rudder, a craft with a mutinous crew, and their weakness threatens the ability of our government to function.
The rest of us, citizens who want our democracy to remain afloat, must be ever vigilant because the possibility that the whole fleet may be dragged down by tyranny is all too real.
The sharks are circling. The seas are tumultuous. Be very wary one and all.
Patricia Devine
Ballston Spa
Guidelines needed to reduce ER problems
The emergency room crisis is a nightmare for those in need of care and staff.
I was recently brought by ambulance to Ellis ER presenting with a potentially serious problem. I was brought into the overcrowded emergency waiting room and left in a wheelchair for 10 hours before being brought to a bed and 12 hours before seeing a doctor.
While waiting, I listened, talked with others and observed. One patient with an IV lay on the floor, writhing in pain.
Elderly individuals waiting 8-9 hours with potentially serious issues were exhausted, thirsty and hungry. Unfilled empty beds in the ER due to limited staff.
Two or three nurses, a receptionist and security “managed” the waiting room.
It was war zone triage. Two doctors stretched thin. Staff in the ER (not the waiting area) were attentive, kind, and thorough.
This multifaceted problem could be mitigated. A best practice guide could be created to inform people of other healthcare options.
Much of the ER was clogged with people who could have been treated efficiently and quicker elsewhere.
One needed a covid test for work, another had orthopedic issues, one a small cut. Ambulance abuse was rampant, minimizing the significance of actual emergency patients.
A best practice guideline, one document, providing the locations, hours, capabilities and resources for free clinics, local doctors who accept Medicaid, and urgent care facilities of various kinds and Medicaid covered transportation options would mitigate the overcrowded and abuse ER issues.
Cheryl Bach
Burnt Hills
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Letters to the Editor Friday, March 17 - Five, from readers in Glenville, Scotia, Schenectady, elsew...
Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion, Opinion
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Bill Marincic
Spoken January 13th, 2023
“That you, Santo, pathetic, a lefty teacher, when I grew up teachers had class, they had honor they cared about America. They dressed well. Today you teachers run around in jeans and clothes you look like homeless people, teachers I had when I grew up shirt, ties, jackets, and women wore dresses down below their knees.”……..And women and children only spoke when they were spoken to. White men ruled the country, and Black people knew their place in society. Kids prayed in schools like they’re supposed to. Cops could get away with “justifiable” crimes because they didn’t have all that video crap. The FBI could harass, investigate and intimidate progressive thinking people who the old white men in rule deemed to be a threat to their power and control. Corruption was fair and honest back then, and bigotry was the accepted way. People understood homosexuality was a bad choice for the queers, and they could be persecuted for their sexual orientation without repercussion. Burn all the coal and oil you want without all these foolish, planet warming BS regulations. Aha yes, the good old days. MAGA
Your easy Bill.
Ottavio LoPiccolo, Bill McPherson, Jeffrey A. Meyers, thank you for your great letters!
Mr. Restifo I’m not sure why the Big BM decided to crap all over teachers most of whom are dedicated and underpaid he has become a pathetic character with each daily pile of lies. But liars are gonna lie and bray.
Ms. loPiccolo I applaud the courage you show in expressing an unpopular viewpoint and I agree.
Blue Anon, left wing extremists that are prone to spreading and believing, random conspiracy theories in order to confirm or promote their ideological bias that all Republicans are Nazis and evil, that everyone Republican is out to overthrow the government on any given day, there are racists and fascists behind every corner, and whatever they read online must be the truth regardless if the facts clearly show otherwise. Blue Anon members are so ideologically indoctrinated that they cannot find common ground, and if you disagree with them, you are secretly a QAnon supporter.
Does this not sound exactly like the lefties that post here daily you know the ones that copy and paste everything you say so they can pretend that conservatives are the enemy? Lou, Kristof, Santo, Whoville, Garrett, Florida, and all of the rest of you. Read that above and question why you are all like that.
mr. restifo I must apologize I rarely read these fools daily posts but that Big BM gem needs to be reposted daily to remind people what he is. I certainly will commit to the task but encourage everyone offended by his rant to participate. Let’s all do our part to stamp out racism sexism and white supremacy. big BM certainly does his part to make it easier daily.
Mr. Litts: Abe Lincoln did not attend school: he gained his education through his own efforts i.e. self taught. His education actually amounted to 1 year of learning. The myth of the little school house is just that: a myth. Your call to replicate Abe’s experience in todays highly technical environment is absurd. When Abe was young America was an agrarian economy. The 3 R’s were sufficient for people to function in that age. For the Nation and the youth of today to thrive and succeed a solid technical educational system is vital. That comes with a price tag. I do not think the price tag for the proposed renewal of the Schenectady School District is unreasonable. We are educating the children for the future not the past.
Many other countries have school years broken up by trimesters or quarters with two week breaks in-between and perhaps a three week break in summer. Our system is a throwback to the 19th century when kids were needed on farms for the summer. Obviously this is not the case for mostly suburban America now. Would actually be doing students AND teachers a favor by switching to a quarter system, as a good chunk of the fall is spent reviewing what was taught, then forgotten, when students are out for two plus months with nothing to do.
Shifty Schiff caught pagan in twitter censorship asking to have parities of Biden and democratic socialist. The conspiracy was the DNC is shadow banning conservative and opposition posts. UH OH no longer a conspiracy that a ranking DNC politicians were the foot soldiers in shadow banning on twitter. Again once called a conspiracy is now producing evidence.
Russian hoax, Alpha bank hoax, Jan.6 evidence is coming soon.
In other news A.G. Daniel Cameron victory over Biden’s mandatory Federal contractors vaccine mandates. Now Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee are no longer under Biden’s UNCONSTITUTIONAL mandate for vaccines. Funny I always thought the president took an oath to defend and uphold the constitution? This is typical with the democratic socialist push an unconstitutional mandate until the courts rule on it.All the time it takes in courts ruins Americans lives.
Need more proof of McConnell being a rhino Pfizer just donated 1 million to Mitch McConnell and Kentucky GOP. The deep state is going to fall under their own greed.
Big Pharma and the covid vaccines truth is also coming out look at the life insurance actuaries on pre and post covid vaccine deaths is stunning. And the corporation that pushed an experimental drug on the population of the world. remind me again when this was done before? Oh yeah the Nazis tell me again how conservatives are the nazis. Biden’s vaccine mandates are proof of the real gain of function of Dr. death Fauci and WEF, WHO are all part of this and it is all coming crashing down around them. I hope they treat them like Mussolini when they hung them in the public square.
Funny how DOJ Merrick Garland is putting limits on only records in two locations. They raided Trumps home but limit the scope on Biden. Who at the time was a VP. So in my opinion CAR-LAGO is much worse than Mar-lago. DOJ is doing this to block congressional oversight. My guess hoping the Republicans did not win the house. Based on the time line of discovery 11-4-22 four days before the mid-terms. 11-9-22 Garland asked FBI to asses the files. Soon after more files found and not by the FBI. Again proof the DOJ using GESTAPO tactics to manipulate the elections. Using the the DOJ to direct the narrative during an election. Just like the Hunter Biden laptop.
So Mr. Santo yes our country is broken because of the distrust and corruption in our government on both sides and agencies within the criminal syndicate.
BM: “Blue Anon, left wing extremists that are prone to spreading and believing, random conspiracy theories in order to confirm or promote their ideological bias that all Republicans are Nazis and evil, that everyone Republican is out to overthrow the government on any given day…”
Though their numbers are diminishing, there are still honorable Republicans who have real private sector ideas on how to solve our problems. But far too many are catering to the worst elements in their party, the MAGA fanatics whose first loyalty is to Donald Trump, not the United States or its citizens.
The quote from BM is illustrative of the MAGA tail that continues to control the Republican elephant. I know of no left wing poster who believes “all Republicans are Nazis and evil…” Does BM realize that Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, two genuine Republican conservative stalwarts, sat on the 1/6 Committee that investigated and uncovered the numerous illegal plots to keep his defeated hero in office? The Lincoln Project and the Republican Accountability Project were established by dignified Republicans like Rick Wilson and George Will to end the malign influence of the MAGA-Trump wing of the GOP.
It is also untrue that progressives believe “that everyone Republican is out to overthrow the government on any given day…” However, the extreme right’s desire to create chaos in order to make autocracy seem more palatable, is once again on display in the House. The “Freedom Caucus,” by demanding more power from McCarthy before voting for him as Speaker, is in a position to withhold approval of an increase in the debt ceiling. This would cause severe damage to our economy and the world’s. Interestingly, one of their demands is to defund the IRS so that it can not go after high-income tax evaders, which increases the national debt. Also, if they force a default on the part of the U.S. government they will degrade the quality of government bonds, increasing the interest the government would have to pay bondholders and, of course, the national debt.
The progressives I know want a functioning two-party democracy with a responsible Republican party willing to negotiate and compromise. I have never heard a progressive threaten to vote against raising the debt limit unless the Republicans agreed to extend child-care tax credits or to require Big Pharma to negotiate with the federal government on drug prices.
The MAGA Republicans, like their leader, are emotionally driven people who see government intrusions on personal decisions and behavior as acceptable while viewing government attempts at reducing the wealth gap as horrific abuse of government power. I hope I live long enough to see the Trump-MAGA movement crushed under the heel of democracy, decency, and common sense.
Of course our schools must advance the education in to more technical aspects to keeps with the times. But the other nonsense like CRT, gender identity and all the other r socially woke politics being shoved down their skulls of mush. I will say the basics are also important because just about everything we have and use were created using mathematical formulas , scientific formulas and must be expressed in a form of literary process. so the “three R’s ” is a foundation of learning. Unfortunately the DOE is more in tuned with destroying the family unit, destroying the genders, destroying the parents role in their children’s education. Teachers should do just that teach children how to learn.
I remember hearing a speech from a teacher who won the national award of teacher of the year. He said his biggest problem with education is that he teaches children to respond to bells. Like Pavlov’s dog. He went on to saying that a teenager could be in the middle of a mathematical theory break through, a scientific break through, an art master piece. But when that bell rings stop what you are doing move onto the next topic. This is the programming of children just now it is morphed into woke politics, America is evil , teachers know better than the parents what is best for the child and so on.
Again another example of distrust and corruption in government and government agencies. Yes Mr. Santo our country is broken.
As for this whole compost vs burial or cremation thing, we are all composed of the same basic elements found in the stars. The saying: ‘Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ applies. We came from dust and we should eventually return to it, however we choose how that happens. Being embalmed with plasticizing chemicals, encased in metal boxes within a concrete vault would seem to be interfering with that return. I was in an old local cemetery recently looking for my ancestors graves. Took a while to find them as sections were not well marked, and when I found the stones, there were sizable trees growing on top of the site. Some might say that showed the caretakers were negligent in maintaining the place, but my great grandfather was a devoted farmer who probably appreciated a nice tree growing up from his resting place and giving him and his family some shade as well as those coming to visit.
Mr. Stalka I certainly agree that Mr BMs hate filled diatribe should be reposted daily. That little nugget will do more than anyones response to his daily posted lies to show the character of that individual . Im in on the need to repost
After reading this article from “The Insider” (1/13/23) I am convinced Trump should spend the rest of his life in a closely guarded psychiatric ward for the criminally insane rather than a federal or state prison cell:
“Former President Donald Trump claimed that E. Jean Carroll, who has accused him of sexual assault, said that “rape was sexy” and “indicated that she loved it” when he was deposed in connection to her defamation lawsuit in October. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan unsealed a portion of Trump’s deposition on Friday after his lawyers lost a bid to keep them private.
“She actually indicated that she loved it. Okay? She loved it until the commercial break. In fact, I think she said it was sexy, didn’t she? She said it was very sexy to be raped,” Trump said. Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan then asked: “So, sir, I just want to confirm: It’s your testimony that E. Jean Carroll said that she loved being sexually assaulted by you?”
He responded: “Well, based on her interview with Anderson Cooper, I believe that’s what took place.” Trump repeated the claim that Carroll described rape as sexy several times and suggested that Cooper was in a “panic” over her comments, so he called for a commercial break.”
I agree with Bill Wemple on using composting of human bodies rather than the expensive, wasteful and environmentally damaging alternatives. Of course, the choice should be made by individuals and clearly stated before they die.
I agree with Lou on his description of how really imperfect the world reactionaries want to return to was.
Mr. Bill 🤡 I call you a QAnon nut job because you post their conspiracies…..Maybe you don’t know it but that’s where your conspiracies come from initially. And like a good soldier you spread it.
M. Bill 🤡 if someone threw a hammer at a Trump Towers window pane which way will the glass fall after Obama bugged Trump’s office?
17 LTE today. 16 Common sense letters with informative information ,with possible solutions, counter points and thank you’s. One LTE from Mr Litts which Holligans responded to with pointing out factually how this approach is not relevant in today’s. world.
Refreshing.
What drives your belief in democracy and your party ? Do you want trust in our goverment trying for solutions for the majority and your party (either Rebublican or Democrat). Or do you prefer your party use fear of change and pain for the “other” side as your motivation to support them?
Not necessarily into this new composting process for myself, but rather just put remains back into the earth as-is and let nature do its thing. Cremation fine too. If you want to be composted, do it then.
Bill, If I had the choice, I would have my unadorned body simply buried. I don’t know if that is permitted.
There is a huge difference between legal migration and what is currently happening.
Overwhelmingly roads, bridges, schools, hospitals etc that were built for X population and is now X+Y population. (Legal controls this)
Vaccines and the spread of disease (Legal controls this)
Bad people entering our borders to sell drugs, harbor terrorists or start a new criminal life (Legal migration controls this).
Please don’t confuse the two.
Mr Santo I agree I would definitely be composted. Of course it is important to understand that we arent talking digging a hole in the back yard and jumping in although Im sure that “truth” is being saved for a later dump. The liars gotta bray
“Blue Anon”
I had to look this up, never heard of it. But you just know those MAGA are all over it because it helps them push Trump’s “hoax” fixations (see my comments from end-of-day yesterday), and all they seem to know is what comes from the Mouth of Trump:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Blue Anon” has been used by a number of right-wing personalities in recent days, including political commentator Candace Owens and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The phrase is a play on the name of the radical conspiracy theory QAnon, whose supporters believe that Donald Trump is secretly battling a cabal of satanic pedophiles. The group were among those who stormed the Capitol during the January 6 insurrection.
The term Blue Anon is used to attack those who push what the right refer to as “hoaxes,” such as the investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election and allegations that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford.
The phrase was so widely used that it saw an entry on Urban Dictionary—a website with user-generated content that lists popular slogans and slang.
Santo, Adam Kinzinger? That fine republican that as soon as he lost his seat for being a RINO went to work for CNN? That guy, hahaha
Ottavio LoPiccolo are you a legal immigrant or an illegal immigrant? There is a huge difference. Legal immigration is wanted and America will go out of its way to welcome you. Illegal immigrants will forever live in the shadows and will never have the privilege of being called an American.
The problem of immigration is largely due to the fact that Republicans will not cooperate with Democrats in developing comprehensive immigration reform that would include building more autonomous surveillance towers, increasing the number of immigration courts and judges, building more facilities to shelter and process immigrants, more aid to the crime ridden countries of origin, less support for right-wing dictators, and citizenship for dreamers. The demonization of immigrants by Trump and associates is largely responsible for the false characterization of immigrants found in some of today’s posts. Right wing extremism thrives on scapegoats.
Developing a tax plan that resulted in wealthy individuals paying their fair share and cutting the fat, mainly never used weapons systems that are built because of industry lobbying, out of the defense budget could fund these reforms.
If you don’t believe these loopholes bust the federal budget, here is one example:
“According to the US tax law, anyone with an economic interest in a mineral deposit can claim the oil depletion allowance. The allowance is considered to be a significant corporate subsidy. Since its existence, the American public has given at least $470 billion to the petrochemical industry.” Dec 15, 2022
Santo, that is a lie. If someone is looking to come to America they only need to apply at an Embassy and if they are escaping a corrupt government they can apply online or even in Mexico. And please don’t say how can they apply online when every illegals coming across the border has a smartphone.
Got to love it, the republicans that respect the constitution and can be reasoned with are labeled as RINOs, by the Marincic’s of the world.
Rather than hijack the Republican Party and the American flag, I suggest MAGAites start a new party, with a new flag more symbolic of their ideology.
I think for a party name, RepuMAGAns would be fitting. – A red flag with 13 white stars within a blue cross, along with a crossed gold hammer and sickle, with star in the corner would seem appropriate.
“Santo, that’s a lie.” Marincic, before you speak, understand the imaginary man in your mind does not have the ability to distinguish fact from fiction, truth from lies. – Hope that helps your thought process going forward.
Adam Kinzinger is a die-hard conservative who voted for Trump’s policies exactly 99 percent of the time in the president’s first two years in office. If you don’t believe it, look it up. He is not a RINO; he is a NTHR, a never Trump honest Republican.
And BM, why don’t you try to stop your automatic reference to anyone disagreeing with you as a liar. You sound like a kid in middle school who just has to get his way.
Why haven’t I heard from MAGA posters responding to Trump’s deposition in his failed attempt to stop E. Jean Carroll’s case against him on a rape charge? He said she enjoyed sexual assault and rape. His lawyers tried but failed to keep the deposition private. In the meantime let’s take another look at the sexual exploitation of children by “Christian” leaders. I’m still waiting for the report of a “drag queen” sexually assaulting children:
The Roys Report reports: 1/13/23
“Five women in California have filed a lawsuit alleging that the International Churches of Christ perpetrated a “systemic scheme of abuse” that included the sexual abuse of children as young as three years old and financial abuse of its members. The plaintiffs filed a RICO lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against ICOC and its affiliated organizations. The ICOC has more than 120,000 members across 144 countries.
The plaintiffs identify convicted pedophile David Saracino as their abuser and allege the church did not adequately protect them from him. The lawsuit also claims church members were coerced to tithe 10% of their income to the church, to contribute funds to mission trips twice a year and meet a quota for bringing in new members, and that the pressure to comply led some church members to depression and suicide.”
The Christian Post reports:
“They allege that Saracino would invite children to his house to swim but as soon as they undressed “he told the girls that they needed a bath and he used that opportunity to heavily fondle their naked bodies while they were bathing,” explains the lawsuit.
When the mother of the sisters eventually reported Saracino’s abuse, leaders allegedly alerted him so he could flee town before police could arrest him. The law finally caught up with him in 2012 when he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for raping a 4-year-old child.
Elena Peltola alleges that she was raped in 2012 by an ICOC member when she was just 13, while she was on a mission trip to Honduras. She said when she reported the rape, ICOC and Hope Worldwide leaders “victim-blamed her and called her a ‘slut’ for several months” before kicking her out of the church for being “a liability.”
Mr. Bill 🤡 so you want the illegal to come here get a smart phone then go back across the border and wait?…..and you wonder why people question your comments. Try not showing so much stupidity for Trump…You’ll feel better. 😊
Aroma, you need to learn to read, I said “And please don’t say how can they apply online when every illegals coming across the border has a smartphone”. does that sound like come get a phone and go back?
Bob/Christophe, the two accounts don’t fool anyone. You post nothing of substance and your comments are exactly the same. Do you think it makes you lefties look better? Get a life.
Calm yourself big BM I’m not really troubled by your failings the one thing I do know is you are a liar and I applaud anyone who calls you out on it. If you need evidence we can reread your posts from yesterday. I’m not lying because it’s true.
Come on Santo, Kinzinger record of voting with Trump was 117 Congress Zero, he voted to impeach Trump.
116th Congress he voted with Trump 83% of the time but he voted against defense spending and mostly voted for green energy and giveaways.
115th Congress he voted party lines 99% of the time for Trump
And big BM let’s not forget last week Bob was Ornamental, or was that Chuck D. It’s all a conspiracy!.your gonna make the dudes have an identity crisis.some fools don’t know when to stop but you press on I find liars get themselves in deeper as time goes on. Bray on donkey boy
Hey, Bob/Chris is that anything like Lou and Santo, and Aroma with their copy and paste our comments day after day? Oh, that’s different right Bob, or is it Chris?
Yes big BM please yourself I don’t really monitor what others do.but your so troubled. Interesting.
Oh wait Didnt out Anthony have a fake account too a few days ago ? The world is spinning madly …. Madly…. Get a grip dude or try to at least
I am still waiting for the Trump worshipers response:
“Why haven’t I heard from MAGA posters responding to Trump’s deposition in his failed attempt to stop E. Jean Carroll’s case against him on a rape charge? He said she enjoyed sexual assault and rape. His lawyers tried but failed to keep the deposition private.”
Why do you post “Come on Santo”? Your comments confirm Kinzinger’s solid conservatism. The fact he voted to impeach Trump means he put country before Party and the idolization of one man:
BM: “116th Congress he voted with Trump 83% of the time but he voted against defense spending and mostly voted for green energy and giveaways.
115th Congress he voted party lines 99% of the time for Trump”
I don’t know what this means:
BM “Kinzinger record of voting with Trump was 117 Congress Zero”
ANTHONY J SANTO
January 14th, 2023
Adam Kinzinger is a die-hard conservative who voted for Trump’s policies exactly 99 percent of the time in the president’s first two years in office.
DING, DING, DING WRONG AGAIN!!!!!!!
Even if only using the 115 and 116 Congress he voted with Trump 91% of the time and like I said he voted against funding the military and he also always voted for green energy.
ANTHONY J SANTO
January 14th, 2023
I am still waiting for the Trump worshipers response:
“Why haven’t I heard from MAGA posters responding to Trump’s deposition in his failed attempt to stop E. Jean Carroll’s case against him on a rape charge? He said she enjoyed sexual assault and rape. His lawyers tried but failed to keep the deposition private.”
I just read that deposition that Chuckie posted yesterday, please show me where Trump sid that “she enjoyed sexual assault and rape” More imaginary things Tony? Is the Big Orange man there now???
Mr. Bill 🤡 can you cite where you got the information that all illegals carry smart phones? I have a feeling this is gonna be another broken window glass and which way it falls or Trump Towers was tapped and you will double down on your stupidity for Trump as usual.
Why don’t you watch the real news and see them all with new smart phones?
Bill Marincic
January 14th, 2023
Hey, Bob/Chris is that anything like Lou and Santo, and Aroma with their copy and paste our comments day after day?
Hey genius, did you ever realize when you quote ANYTHING said or written, including the Bible, you’re basically copy- pasting. And the reason you’re copy-pasted so much is to call you out out on your hypocritical statements, as well as your lies. Additionally your idiocy, in a warped sense, can sometimes be, or lead to something humorous….
“You’re all like a pack of hyenas, none of you have a single thought of your own, one of you blind mice donkey clowns doesn’t like something that said, and then the rest of you all jump on an attack like hyenas. Your hyenas and”…….You Bill, are the carrion, the dead meat. Sadly you’re blind to that.
“Lou another day and zero input except insults. I really think you need to get off the computer. You are totally useless, a typical lefty that brings Zero to the conversation daily.”
Does the imaginary man in your mind understand the hypocrisy in your statements? I copy pasted them so he can read your insults then see how you complain about others insulting you. Hypocrisy, yes?
Mr. Bill 🤡 that’s hilarious …your claim that all illegals carry smart phones is because you watched a 2 minute news clip on the “real news” ? Did you sit in front of the TV and count them? Millions of immigrants come to the border every year. Did you count them for the whole year or was it just a snap shot?…I knew you would double down on your stupidity for Trump. 😂😂😂😂
BM, Can you read? I’ll re-post it:
“Former President Donald Trump claimed that E. Jean Carroll, who has accused him of sexual assault, said that “rape was sexy” and “indicated that she loved it” when he was deposed in connection to her defamation lawsuit in October. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan unsealed a portion of Trump’s deposition on Friday after his lawyers lost a bid to keep them private.
“She actually indicated that she loved it. Okay? She loved it until the commercial break. In fact, I think she said it was sexy, didn’t she? She said it was very sexy to be raped,” Trump said. Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan then asked: “So, sir, I just want to confirm: It’s your testimony that E. Jean Carroll said that she loved being sexually assaulted by you?”
He responded: “Well, based on her interview with Anderson Cooper, I believe that’s what took place.” Trump repeated the claim that Carroll described rape as sexy several times and suggested that Cooper was in a “panic” over her comments, so he called for a commercial break.”
Also, do you realize that you have admitted that to be considered a Republican today you must agree with Trump 100% of the time? It is no longer the GOP but the POT, Party of Trump. You posted:
“…he voted with Trump 91% of the time and like I said he voted against funding the military and he also always voted for green energy.”
So, if you disagree with Trump, think for yourself, even 9% of the time you are not a Republican? That means a Republican in the eyes of a MAGAman, as we have been stating over and over again, is someone who believes whatever Trump or the media under his thumb tells them to believe 100% of the time.
Hey everybody! What are the odds that BM will give a reasonable response to either of the two posts above? Let me abbreviate them for clarity:
-Is 100%, or perhaps more than 91% agreement with Trump, necessary to avoid the RINO label?
-Did Trump claim that E. Jean Carroll liked sexual assault and rape in an attempt to shut down Carroll’s charge of rape?
Read the above posts for more details on why I ask these questions of BM.
Speaking of BM, don’t evade these questions, answer them. Prove I am wrong!
0%
Guy, 100% agree! HEEEEHAWWWW on BM!