Last 2 weeks of News

I have been MIA the last two weeks, to much work and to do at home in the nice Spring weather to spend time on the computer.

1) California Supreme court rules Prop 8 is a “legal” amendment but stating the only the term marriage is what was made illegal for same sex couples in California. This is a ruling I actual agree with. Marriage is a religious term and should be taken totally out of the Governments hands. The government should create a mutual support contract to be filed with a government agency to give the “marriage rights” to any two people who want to enter such a relationship. Also a dissolution of the mutual support contract form and process would be needed. No need for lawyers or courts. Just a notarized form.
A good legal analysis can be found here.

2) Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, A normal far left wing hack job who thinks that they no better than anyone else what is “good” and “just” for all without any regard for the actual law.

3) Government Motors is now bankrupt. Big shock here, a poorly managed company for the last 30 years that has a huge union presence so short and long term costs can’t be controlled. To bad it will result in a motor company which is fascist in nature, supposedly privately owned by run by the government.

4) Obama stumping for his health care plans passage this summer before the bill is even written. The plan is here but there are no specifics. Normal politics, talk, give speech, no substance and rush through a plan in the darkness of night that nobody can read or comprehend since a true debate of the bill will result in it being something a vast majority of US citizen’s do not want.

5) North Korea leaves the peace Armistice, blows up a nuclear weapon and tests some long range missiles, the US response, maybe we can get a harsher worded letter to be considered at the UN but no passed. While this is going on make statements that this is not tolerable and North Korea is a rogue state, yada yada yada, nothing changed in 20 years on this front.

Searching for a silver lining but do not see anywhere that people are being told to be responsible for themselves and live with the consequences of poor decision making. Another couple of weeks on the road to fascism.

Eminent domain and publicity seeking politicians destroy private lives

There has been a project that the politicians in the Rochester, NY area have been pushing for 5 years now. As part of this project it was announced multiple private properties would be taken using eminent domain laws. 5 years ago, the building which were occupied and had rent paying tenants, now the tenants have all left and the owners of the building owe property taxes that they can’t pay due to the loss of tenants. The owners wanted to sell but nobody would buy the buildings at market prices knowing that the government was going to take them eventually.

Here is the full article
Pittsford couple desperate for payday from vacant RenSquare properties

Edwin Cohen has been a member of Rochester’s downtown real estate scene for about five decades, planning a retirement around his investments.
Now in failing health, Cohen finds his retirement dreams on hold.
His last four investment properties are at East Main Street and North Clinton Avenue and slated to be condemned to make way for Renaissance Square.
Cohen, 82, would be a willing seller, but the project’s delays since it was announced with great fanfare in early 2004 have prompted his tenants to leave, drying up income from the buildings.
He and his wife, Phyllis, are now struggling to get by, waiting for a payday that has thus far eluded them.
Now, that payday will yield far less than originally hoped.
The loss of rental income from the buildings has caused Cohen to fall behind in his taxes. The county sold its liens on the properties to American Tax Funding Services, an action the county took knowingly, said County Attorney Daniel DeLaus. The city worked out a payment agreement for back taxes with Cohen, but he has not fulfilled it, and the city is preparing to sell its liens on the properties to the same company at the end of the month, said City Treasurer Charles Benincasa.
The back taxes, more than $322,366, must be paid back once the buildings are purchased for Renaissance Square.
A price for the buildings hasn’t been agreed on between project planners and Cohen, but the couple’s lawyer said he would press to make sure they are compensated for the building’s value before the project was announced. American Tax Funding Services is not interested in owning property, and tax liens do not prevent the owners from selling and can be paid at closing, said Vice President Tadgh Macaulay.
Edwin Cohen’s parcels — at 170-172 E. Main St., 186 E. Main St., 190-194 E. Main St. and 9-17 N. Clinton — are now assessed at $675,000, according to city records. American Tax Funding is owed about $15,366 in unpaid taxes and the city is owed more than $307,000.
……………..

The reason this project has taken so long is that the local government announced the wish for this project long before any money at any level of government had been allocated. Then the local officials looked to the federal government for funding, since the local politicians will actually never try to pay for something with local money, the money always has to come for the federal government. This is a major problem with America today, local governments are dependent on the federal government for funding of local projects. What value will a new local bus terminal and local community college campus have on the nation as a whole.

This project and every other project around the country like it should be 100% funded by the local government and not the federal government. If the local leaders think it is that necessary for the betterment of the local way of life then let’s pay for it ourselves.

The problem with the project is most of the local people think it will be a colossal waste of money, just like our local fast ferry project was a few years ago.

Any fan of “The Simpson” TV show will know this reference, the local fast ferry was our version of the Springfield monorail.

Thanks to the heavy hand of government two people’s live have been pretty much been destroyed. I am sure similar scenarios are playing out all across America. This is a shame and why people mistrust government.

About face on Hillary’s replacement

I figured Kennedy was a shoe in, I have no idea who Gillibrand is but based on what I have read it is about as good a pick as a conservative could get in New York.
I guess Governor Patterson wanted to piss off lots of NYC liberals with his pick for Hillary’s replacement. Including the liberal Republican Mayor Bloomberg.

I will not vote for Paterson in 2010 due to his tax and spend policies and his misleading talk of budget cuts without cutting anything only decreasing the proposed increase but that is a different topic for another time.

Gillibrand to replace Clinton in U.S. Senate

Gillibrand is said to be a “Blue dog” democrat, fiscally conservative, pro gun rights, against illegal immigration. She sounds to be much more conservative than lots of Republican Senators in the US senate today. John McCain to name one.

Analysts: Paterson may pay price for Senate pick

ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson comes out of the process of picking a new U.S. senator politically damaged, at least in the short run, analysts said Friday.

“If as an unelected governor you can figure out a way to offend the Kennedys, the Cuomos and President Obama all with one act, then you’ve got a problem,” said Marist College pollster Lee Miringoff.

Paterson waited too long to make his pick, in the view of some analysts, giving time for more prospective candidates to make their pitches and ensuring a line of disappointed aspirants.

“Earlier would have been better,” said political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “Make a decision, get it out of the way.”

For his part, Paterson, who will face voters next year, said Friday that his only regret was that he had been too public in discussing his “wrestling” with the decision.

Before picking Gillibrand, Paterson kept delaying a decision, saying he wanted to wait until Hillary Rodham Clinton stepped down — which she waited to do until confirmed by the Senate to be secretary of state.

He didn’t formally notify Gillibrand the job was hers until 2 a.m. Friday.

Paterson ended up distributing questionnaires to more than a dozen candidates — and then refused to make public what questions he had asked. Nor did he release the list of candidates under consideration.

The state Republican chairman, Joseph Mondello of Long Island, said Paterson’s “secret, closed-door process” resulted in the selection of “an unqualified political novice to represent New York at a critical time.”

“The process was a mess,” said Bruce Altschuler, a political science professor at the State University College at Oswego. “… You couldn’t tell whether (Paterson) was just being cagey or confused.”

“It was bad politics and bad press relations,” Sheinkopf added. “He’s had the longest honeymoon of any New York governor, but now that’s over.”

But Miringoff said Paterson could easily make up ground, if Gillibrand is successful.

“There are many signs that she will be successful,” Miringoff said, pointing to her success in a heavily Republican congressional district.

Regardless, the process “really raises questions about whether the state has focused and coordinated leadership,” said Barbara Bartoletti, a lobbyist for the state League of Women Voters.

What I put in Bold is the key part of the paragraph. Clinton and the Democratic machine setup Paterson. Paterson is 100% correct in how he handled this appointment. Within 2 days of the Senator resigning he appointed a replacement. How much faster could he have made his decision? He legally could not announce a pick before Clinton resigned. Should every Governor for all 50 states be required to announce, here is the person who I will appoint as the replacement in the Senate if one of the current senators resigns or dies? I actually have some empathy for Paterson, he has stood up to the democrat political machine in New York City and New York state by picking an outsider who has the potential to make a difference for people in NY north and west of the Hudson River.

Paterson’s problem is that he picked someone who is not a NYC liberal, the criticism of the process is because the NYC liberals do not like the result. Like most times for democrats, the ends justify the means, toe the party line or you are not welcome and will be ostracized.

NY York Politics – Corruption, Corruption, Corruption

For those not in NY, Bruno was one of 3 men in a room who made all the decisions around what laws were passed, what taxes were raised, what was paid for in the budget from 1995 to 2007. The other were Governors Pataki (R) (1995 to 2006) and Spitzer in 07, early 08 and Sheldon Silver.

Former state Senate leader Bruno charged with public corruption

NY has the most closed legislative processes for decades with power in the hands of 3 men to rule NY with an iron fist, the rest of the legislative body follow the leaders like lemmings off the cliff. If rank and file assembly people and senators have no power and can only go along for the ride.

I am not surprised by this since POWER CORRUPTS, ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.

NY Governer shows how to use a senate appointment

Illinois Gov Blagojevich needs to learn from NY Gov Paterson.

Do not ask for direct payment, you need to be more subtle.

CAROLINE THE ‘CERTAIN’ PICK FOR DAVE: RIVALS

DESPITE claims that he’s still undecided, Gov. Paterson is “certain” to pick Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate, several unhappy contenders for the job have told friends and associates in recent days.

The contenders based their conclusion on the view that Paterson, after nearly two months of indecision, would “greatly embarrass” and “entirely humiliate” Kennedy, anger her prominent political family and even offend President-elect Barack Obama by picking someone other than President John F. Kennedy’s daughter.
…………
US Rep. Carolyn Maloney of Manhattan, a would-be Clinton replacement who is backed by several women’s organizations, was the most publicly adamant in saying the fix was in, citing a scenario – first outlined in last week’s Village Voice – under which Paterson, in a deal with Mayor Bloomberg, a Kennedy friend, selects Kennedy in exchange for help for his own election bid next year.
……….

This is how you play the game and not get indicted, no direct cash, only promises to be called in later.

Charities in NY State

I am always suspicious of tele-marketing charity calls. This article confirms my suspicious. As much as I think Andrew Cuomo is a crook, someone in the attorney general’s office is going a good job exposing fraud.

Fundraisers getting paid well

An average of only 39 cents on the dollar raised by for-profit telemarketers in New York actually made it to charities last year,

Full Report is here

Based on this chart only a few more charities got >60% (57 charities) of the money collected as charities that lost money (51).

Some of the most money loosing charitable campaigns

The biggest one’s are mainly wildlife, nature conservation and an Animal League. The wildlife and nature conservations has lots of uncollected pledges and the Animal league looks like it was just ripped off.

My conclusions:
1) Tele-marketing charities make the collectors rich and do not help the charities much.
2) People pledge to help the environment but do not follow through with the cash
3) If you like a charity, bypass the middle man.

Townhall.com cartoons about NY this week

Caroline Kennedy wants to be US senator from NY

Caroline Kennedy made the rounds of upstate NY actively campaigning for the NY Senate seat which Hillary is leave to be secretary of state.

Kennedy Meets with Duffy, Slaughter

She met with the local mayors of upstate NY cities to try and convince New Yorkers that she would work for all of NY not just Manhattan.

Other than endorsing Obama for President she is not qualified to be in any public office.

I guess since the Illinois governor has screwed up letting Obama be a king maker for his seat so he has turned to NY to get a rubber stamp for his agenda.

After the budget announcements this week for NY I guess this is par for the course. Just make NY a total laughing stock of the country by appointing someone who’s qualification is that her father got shot as president, her uncle got shot while running for president and her other uncle is a drunk who killed a woman but never was prosecuted due to who he is.

2009 Socialist State of NY Budget is Cut???

Here is my local papers headline this morning

Paterson calls for dramatic budget cuts

Saying the state has lived beyond its means, Gov. David Paterson on Tuesday called for massive cuts in aid to education and health care, an elimination of a property-tax rebate program for homeowners and 88 new taxes and fees……..
Few programs would be spared.

The proposed $121 billion budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year calls for keeping spending flat compared with the current fiscal year

I know how my budget works a 1% overall increase in the amount of money spent is an increase. The 2008-2009 budget is $120 billion.

To me that means that every department of the state needs to deal with only a 1% increase in the amount of money to spend.

I guess to a government entity anything less than the desired increase is a cut.

Who in the state government is keeping all the money if they are really going to have a year over year decrease in funding to local governments, hospitals, etc… Someone is keeping a boatload of the taxpayers money.

NY state is going to get what it deserves and the rest of the country is following. There are to many people in NY and America that realize that they can get politicians to send them money that is confiscated from others.

This concept is why socialism always fails, the incentives to be successful are removed.

2009 Budget for The Socialist State of NY

Governor David Paterson’s proposed budget for NYS in 2009 was announced today.

Taxpayers Not Happy with Budget Mess

….
Turns out the widely reported tax on non-diet soda leading up to the Governor’s Tuesday announcement barely scratches the surface.
Fee increases hit many areas. At the Department of Motor Vehicles, drivers licenses and license plates will cost more. ………
A sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear under $110 dollars is now gone. There’s a new proposed tax, on haircuts and hair styling. …….
There’s a laundry list of additional tax and free hikes; If you have satellite radio or TV there’s a proposed tax hike of $136 million. Write a bad check, it’ll cost more. Beer and wine taxes are going up.
And if the DMV increases aren’t enough the state will also make it more expensive to buy car insurance.
With black marks left by Troopergate and former governor Eliot Spitzer’s prostitution scandal, some wonder — who’s been looking out for taxpayers who are already among the highest taxed in the nation?
If all the talk about taxes and fees and state finances makes you want to relax, and maybe go get a massage and forget about the stress — you’ll be helping to bail out the state.
Massages are also on the list, under a new “personal services” tax.

As expected Sheldon Silver Assembly Speaker of the NY State house had a response.

Silver is one of the best politicians, he can talk for 20 minutes or you read one of his announcements and at the end you just think, I just wasted my time since he said absolutely nothing. It would be funny, if was not just pathetic that he is probably the most powerful politician in NY state today, he is a lawyer who’s firm (he is still an active member of the law firm) makes most of its money on workman’s comp lawsuits for which he writes the laws.

By the time Silver is done with the budget every one of Patterson’s cuts will be reversed and the spending will increase by 6 or 7% with more taxes and fees added.