Letter to the editor Jane Schanberg

The Ulster County legislature had a tantrum on December 18 when they voted to override County Executive Mike Hein’s veto of a term limits referendum bill.


Speaking in favor of the singular and historic override, the bill’s sponsor, Republican-turned-Democrat Legislator Joseph Maloney (Saugerties), accused Hein of “fear mongering” and said he found Hein’s reasons for the veto “scary” and was sorry this issue “wasn’t written about.”


The issues around this bill have indeed been written about. I am writing about it now after explaining my strong objections during public comments before the Legislature in July (when it was tabled) and publicly urging Mr. Hein to veto it in September, when it passed by a slim margin. I was joined in my opposition by representatives from the highly respected League of Women voters among others.

Then and now, I feel this bill has been tainted by the initial sponsorship of Reclaim NY — a fake-non-partisan group whose president and treasurer is listed on the group’s website as Rebekah Mercer, and whose secretary is her sister Jennifer Mercer. Both women are members of the far-right Mercer family whose financial activism brought us Cambridge Analytica, former Presidential strategist Steve Bannon in the White House, and the alt-right, pro-white supremacist, anti-semitic Breitbart News.

The Mercer Family are leading proponents of dark money in politics.


I also feel obligated to call out misrepresentations by Legislator Maloney who outrageously characterized Reclaim NY in his December 18 remarks to the Legislature as “some not-for-profit Libertarian group out there that apparently likes term limits.”


Mr. Maloney does not appear to have a working relationship with Google.


As an informed voter, I twice voiced my opposition to this bill in front of the Legislature, which chose to ignore multiple public comments. In contrast, Legislator Maloney complained about the veto: “One man said no.” Indeed he did. That’s Hein’s job. The Executive doesn’t work for the legislature. He works for us. And he listened to what we had to say.


Perhaps the most scary element of this issue is Legislator Maloney’s role and his relationship with Reclaim NY which had invited their supporters to a June 19 [sic] dinner in Kingston with sponsor Maloney as the principal speaker. That invitation asked members to “Join Reclaim New York Initiative and legislation sponsor Leg. Joe Maloney for a discussion on why the term limits bill should be passed, and how you can help ensure it is approved. Dinner will be served. We will go to the public hearing directly following dinner.”


When the bill was hurriedly tabled in July, Mr. Maloney assured his fellow Democrats that he didn’t know much about Reclaim NY and only learned of his association with it during a late-night call from his mother.


But seriously: what group issues an invitation to a dinner with a keynote speaker who has not agreed in advance to appear? Or, perhaps the dog ate Mr. Maloney’s invitation.


Sadly, the Legislature has decided to ignore the tainted history of the bill. So now they and the County Executive will spar over the legality of the override, which appears to clash with the Municipal Home Rule Law in the NYS Constitution.


Such a fight will surely cost taxpayer money and could have been avoided if the legislature simply listened to those of us who took time and effort to express our opposition instead of trying to manipulate our interests for their purposes.


Ironically Legislator Dave Donaldson (D-Kingston), who seconded the override motion, confessed to his fellow lawmakers following the successful vote that “we have term limits each time we run and can be easily voted out of office” — exactly why I and others believe a referendum was, and is, unnecessary.


That makes the legislature’s actions suspect. Why didn’t they simply pass a local law and avoid an unnecessary public and legal fight? This smells much like an inside baseball power play masquerading as a principled stand.



Jane Schanberg
Publishing history:

New Paltz Times

"Loser's Sabotage" letter to the editor Tom Denton

Loser’s Sabotage

            Donald Trump has been the lead actor in our national tragicomedy of the past two years, but his theatrics have stolen attention from what might be an even more corrosive attack on our country.  Trump will pass, but the Republican party’s assault on American democracy has been grinding away for years, and its brutal reality is staring us in the face, post-November election.  With the Supreme Court in 2013 setting the stage with its evisceration of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the GOP has conjured the bogeyman of fraudulent voting to justify voter purges, strict new voter ID laws, and other measures to make voting more difficult.  The theft of Merrick Garland’s seat in 2016 sealed the deal.

            How have Republicans responded after their resounding November defeats?  GOP legislatures in Wisconsin and Michigan are using their lame duck sessions to quack very loudly.  Having been thumped at the ballot box, including their governor’s races, members have passed legislation that will severely handicap their new Democratic governors’ ability to move forward with the platforms on which they ran and won.  “Sore losers” and “sour grapes” don’t adequately describe the Republicans’ actions.  These saboteurs are asserting a new method of attacking voting rights:  ignore the results of elections; in fact, taunt voters by claiming a superior legitimacy over the electoral process. 

            Can they get away with it?  Perhaps worst of all, they’ve practically assured that when positions are reversed and Democrats have full control, the GOP will get the same treatment.  When norms codified by custom rather than statute are dismantled, we fall into a cycle of eroding democracy.  Eventually, one side, unshackled, will show us the face of an authoritarian American state.  It will be embodied in a leader more efficient than Trump.

publishing history:

New Paltz Times 12/20/18

Poughkeepsie Journal 12/20/18

"Rainbow did it!" Letter to the editor Misha Harnick

Rainbow did it!


After a sleepless Monday night, I slept quite peacefully on Election night. The reason was the rainbow! As soon as I saw it at the Gateway Industries packed parking lot on Election day, about 4:30, I knew we’ll be OK. Not only did it presage victory, but it also signified all the people of all ages, and colors, and races, and religions, and sexual orientations, and what not, who participated in the long haul these 2 years. We carried petitions, knocked on doors, made phone calls, held meetings, attended resistance training sessions, and HOPED. I also knew we are on a good track when on Monday a life-long Republican friend told me that she will vote Democratic!
Reading the results of our voting on Wednesday morning, I wept tears of joy! Even the weather rejoiced! Do you remember how numbed and desperate we felt that grim and rainy Wednesday 2 years ago?
However, we have to remain being diligent, and organized, and work as hard, if not harder, as the evil continues to ooze out of that ignorant, arrogant, self-centered, vindictive troll.

Misha Harnick

Publication history:

New Platz News 11/22/18

"Lawn signs & racist remarks" Letter to the editor Andi Weiss Bartczak

To the editor:

Who among us has not driven by a lawn sign for a despised candidate and not wished to stop and yank it out of the ground?  But I remind myself that if I can do it, so could opponents of the candidates I support.  So I restrain myself.  Laura C. Ebert is rightfully charged for the misdemeanor of petit larceny for stealing two campaign signs in Rosendale, but she should also be charged for damaging the fabric of society.  It will be interesting to compare how SUNY New Paltz will react to her action as compared to how it reacted to the racist remarks of Professor Gerald Benjamin about the African American who ran for Congress in the 19^th district.  Although Mr. Benjamin didn’t steal any object, he, like Ms. Ebert, damaged the fabric of our society.   Some people believed that it should have led to a stronger reaction from SUNY New Paltz, despite Mr. Benjamin’s apology. Will the fact that he is higher up in the college hierarchy than this adjunct make a difference? 

Andi Weiss Bartczak

Publishing history: Daily Freeman: November 21, 29018

"I have a bridge to sell you" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

I Have a Bridge to Sell You

 

After the GOP’s failure to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act with something magically better, Trump has systematically tried to sabotage the ACA with administrative actions.  Most recently, he announced a change in rules that permits insurance companies to sell cheaper “short term” plans that do not provide coverage that regular ACA policies must offer, e.g., coverage for pre-existing conditions and maternity care.  

 

In an 8/16 op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Alex Azar, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, outlined the administration’s arguments for expanding short term policies’ current limit to up to three years. 

 His argument contains a single sentence that hints consumers might be buying a short term product with dubious benefits:  “In fact, we require more robust warnings about the limits of these plans than did . . . Obama’s administration.”  He doesn’t specifically elaborate on why customers should be warned. 

 

Here's why:  these “cheaper” plans are cheap in the double sense:  they cost less and they are shoddy, unreliable, products that will not deliver the promised value.  Like the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their homes in increasingly common flooding disasters and found that their home insurance didn’t cover their losses, buyers of short term plans will learn what was behind Azar’s proclaimed “robust warnings.”

 

We now know all too well what our president and Republican politicians like John Faso meant when they promised “universal access to quality health care”—access, in this sense:  You have the opportunity to enroll in Trump University.  Oops, it no longer exists.  Sorry.  No money back guarantee.  When the Democratic Party advocates universal coverage and care, it promises that your quality health care is your right.

 

Publishing history

    Poughkeepsie Journal          8/27/18, six others    

Will Faso take a stand on Trump" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Will Faso Take a Stand on Trump?          

 

In his weekly newsletter, Republican Congressman John Faso offered a link to a New York Times op-ed piece by his fellow representative, Republican Will Hurd of Texas, about Congress’ response to “Putin’s Russia.”  Faso followed with this comment:  “I totally agree.”

 

He totally agreed.   He must agree, then, with Hurd’s lead paragraphs:

 

Over the course of my career as an undercover officer in the C.I.A., I saw Russian intelligence manipulate many people. I never thought I would see the day when an American president would be one of them.

The president’s failure to defend the United States intelligence community’s unanimous conclusions of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and condemn Russian covert counterinfluence campaigns and his standing idle on the world stage while a Russian dictator spouted lies confused many but should concern all Americans. By playing into Vladimir Putin’s hands, the leader of the free world actively participated in a Russian disinformation campaign that legitimized Russian denial and weakened the credibility of the United States to both our friends and foes abroad.

 

Hurd goes on to suggest that “lawmakers must fulfill our oversight duty as well as keep the American people informed of the current danger”--by implication, because Trump has not.  Faso, then, must agree.

 

Or does he?  Faso’s public pronouncements often conjure the image of the Greek god Janus, often depicted with two faces, one facing east, one west.  Faso, a self-proclaimed “moderate,” often wants to have it both ways.

 

Will his constituents hear Rep. Faso take a clear stand, in his own words?  Does he believe Donald Trump is a danger to America?  Does he trust Trump to defend our country’s interests?

Publishing history

Shawangunk Journal     8/2/18

New Paltz Times    8/2/18 

"Trump's Tongue" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Trump’s Tongue

 

Donald Trump’s fiasco in Helsinki, in which he joined comrade Vladimir Putin to cast doubt on US intelligence agencies and implied that the Russians were innocent victims, has generated a fresh review of the subtleties of the English language.  During his Helsinki press conference, he said that Putin had denied meddling in US elections, stating “I don’t see any reason why it would be.”  Back in America, facing harsh criticism from all quarters in the aftermath of the summit, he issued the following retraction:

 

             It should have been obvious . . .  In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word “would” instead of “wouldn't.” The sentence should have been, “I don't see any reason why I wouldn't” or “why it wouldn't be Russia.”

 

When Trump speaks, nothing is obvious because his blizzards of falsehoods, semi-retractions, and winks offer no solid ground for drawing conclusions or inferences.  His original statement seems to let Russia off the hook.  His walkback remark seems to beg for a concluding clause:  “BECAUSE ALL US INTELLIGENCE CONFIRMS RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE.”  Alas, that clause seems to be locked up in the holding pen.

 

Trump’s reframing of his words recalls President Bill Clinton’s famous parsing when he was denying his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky:  “It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”  We know how well Clinton’s words served his cause.

 

Senator Sam Ervin, questioning a witness during the Watergate hearings, was asked how he knew 18 US Code 2511 would not let Nixon authorize a burglary in Daniel Ellsberg’s office.  He replied, “Because I can understand the English language.  It is my mother tongue.” We have learned that Trump has neither the capability nor the desire to use his words to defend the American people.

 

Publishing History

Poughkeepsie Journal          7/21

Shawangunk Journal    7/26

New Paltz Times    7/26    

Sullivan Democrat     7/27   

"Lyrics in question" Letter to the editor Misha Harnick

Lyrics in question


Jesse J. Smith did right to report about Faso attacking Delgado and Delgado’s response. Regardless, it is disturbing that this “exchange” even had taken place.

When, some 12 years ago, Antonio Delgado started his music business, to empower young, poor, especially black kids, he was a young man. It was naturally essential that he speaks to them in their “language” as well as musical taste. Many of us change over the years as we mature, and so do our ideals and opinions. It may be that today he would choose different tactics.

To single out some of the lyrics as being “troubling and offensive” is itself troubling and offensive, and childish. Besides, some of the sentiments the lyrics convey – “looks like we only goin’ from chains to cuffs/still niggas still locked up on stuff” -- VERY SADLY DOES represent reality that is still with us, today. And yes, the lyrics show an “ugly…picture of America”, but it is NOT a “FALSE picture of America” as Faso stated -- it is, sdly, still the reality today.

The use of the so-called N-word, be it “nigger” or “nigga” among blacks themselves is not always intended or taken as offensive; in fact, both literature and plain talk also use it at times almost as an endearing term.

Since the article made a point mentioning that Delgado moved to Congressional District 19 only last year, let me offer a different take on this phenomenon. To the contrary, I think it is a very positive, commendable, and wonderful act when someone sees there is a problem somewhere and wants to correct it. So, he moved his family to Rhinebeck, not far from where his wife was born and lived. I am certain that if there were a Faso in Schenectady county, Delgado would become a candidate to defeat him there.

I hope that both the incumbent and challenger will be able to campaign for the next 100 days in a decent, polite, and inoffensive manner.

Publishing history:

New Paltz Times 7-19-19

"Term Limits" Letter to the editor Misha Harnick

Term Limits

I may have missed some, but I do not recall EVER in the 40 or so years of my reading the paper seeing a full-page ad (July 12th, page 3) -- especially a political one! -- in the New Paltz Times (and its various predecessors).

From what I have read, I believe that ReclaimNY has been founded – and is being funded – by the Mercer family, together with Steve Bannon. Their goal and aim is to create and support right-wing agendas, yet make them appear like the most proper and beneficial thing for New York State residents to support. True, we have freedom of speech, but because of the background and activities of its financial backers, it is a disruptive organization, one that we should not encourage to meddle in local politics

As far as the content of the ad itself. I think that if a mayor, a governor, a county or state legislator, a congressmen – in other words ANY ELECTED official – does a good job which constituents approve of: it is a good think to keep them on the job until they are ready to leave, on their own, or get voted out of office. After all, continuity promotes trust and can help bring useful initiatives to successful fruition.

However, I strongly believe that APPOINTED officials, such as court justices and ESPECIALLY Supreme court justices, ought to have a term limit. While a mayor may continue his team’s work and agenda over several years, the Supreme Court has not even remotely such mandate. It deals with individual legal cases, on a case-by-case basis, although it at times refers to older decisions, as its members’ political leanings dictate them. We would do well to start campaigning for the Justices’ term limits!


Publishing history:

New Paltz Times 7-19-18

"Military parade is a chickenhawk’s idea of soldiering" Letter to the editor Ted Millar

Military parade is a chickenhawk’s idea of soldiering

Dear Editor:

Well, it looks as though the wanna-be autocrat in chief who received five draft deferments is going to get his precious military parade on Veterans Day. 

According to VoteVets.org:
“It’s not just that this parade would be an international disgrace. It’s not just about making women and men who signed up to sacrifice everything march down the streets of our nation’s capital to salute a chickenhawk. It’s about a president who has continually shown himself to have authoritarian tendencies.”

Instead of using our men and women in uniform as props, Donald Trump should fill the nearly 50,000 vacancies at the Veterans Administration, promote job training programs for returning veterans, protect the public lands veterans use to “walk off the war,” and stand up to Republicans who advocate cutting public assistance programs on which far too many veterans depend.

U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and Democratic U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York need to hear from us. Tell them this military parade is a stupid idea, and they should publicly condemn it.

Ted Millar

Publishing history:

Daily Freeman 6/5/18

Ted Millar

"Tune in" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Tune In

We Americans love dog stories.  On the May 17^th CBS Evening News, its end-of-broadcast segment--typically reserved for feel-good stories--detailed the story of Blue Dozer the pit bull and  O.J. the dachshund.  These two pals, always inseparable with Blue in the lead and O.J. (blind!) faithfully trailing behind, were dumped in a shelter by their desperate homeless owner.  The adoption call went out with a stipulation: it had to be a package deal.  No separation of the dogs allowed.  After an initial home placement somehow left O.J. wandering neighborhoods alone, a fine family was found, and both dogs were reunited to spend the rest of their carefree lives together.  No doubt, millions of happy tears were shed as the broadcast closed.

            The saga of Blue Dozer and O.J. merged with another news story of the past week.  White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was interviewed on NPR about a newly announced US policy of separating undocumented parents from their children when they are apprehended at the border.  Asked if it is “cruel and heartless” to separate a mother from her children, he replied,  “I wouldn’t put it quite that way. The children will be taken care of — put into foster care or whatever.”  He hoped this “technique” of deterrence would not be used “for very long.”

            Americans must demand that our immigration officials carve out a “family unification” exception for the dogs of these families, especially in light of Trump’s characterizations of some immigrants as “animals.”  Imagine the uproar over televised images of puppies being torn from the arms of their owners.  If we Americans can’t stand up for our best friends, what kind of people are we, anyway?  Cruel, or whatever.

 Publishing history

            Sullivan Democrat                            5/26

            Shawangunk Journal                       6/1

            Poughkeepsie Journal                      5/31

            New Paltz Times                               6/7

"Jobs for food?" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Jobs for Food?

            Rep. John Faso has touted his support for the proposed legislation that would require adults between 18 and 59 without dependents to meet new work requirements in order to be eligible for food stamp benefits (SNAP).  As a major reason for his support, Faso pointed out that “the House bill drives significant investment to employment programs that will be administered by the states” (Oneonta Daily Star 4/13).  Many of us can get behind a well- conceived program that could lead to well-paying jobs in distressed areas.  However, potential advocates for training and jobs are concerned that the groundwork for initiating the House requirements is far from complete.  According to Kermit Kaleba, director of federal policy at the National Skills Coalition, creating such a program for perhaps 3 million people “would be roughly equivalent to building almost half the existing U.S. community college system from scratch” (Politico 4/24).  Although the SNAP Employment and Training program has been used in the past by a few states with small numbers of participants, there is little research to support immediate implementation on a large scale. Under the bill, 1 billion would go to states that would guarantee slots for eligible applicants.  Some fear that the resulting tangled bureaucracy would likely discourage many from applying. 

            Might a real motive for the new SNAP requirement be, in fact, to reduce the food stamp rolls by setting up more hoops through which unfortunate Americans must jump?  A better idea for Rep. Faso, who sits on the Agriculture Committee pushing the bill:  do allocate money for new, carefully planned job and training opportunities for Americans without simultaneously threatening to snatch away an average $128/month for food from our fellow citizens who would be glad to work if the jobs existed.

Publishing History

Oneonta Daily Star     5/3

"Exercise your right to vote in June 26 primary election letter to the editor Misha Harnick

Exercise your right to vote in June 26 primary election

Many states are determined to replace republicans in Washington so as to mitigate the workings of corrupt and broken-down government.  We too need to replace our Republican congressman with a democratic one, and there are many reasons for this.   

It’s not just that we citizens ought to vote in elections on all levels, we should also engage in several pro-voting activities.  During the last month, thousands of registered Democrats put their name on the congressional candidates’ nominating petitions, and that is a good thing!   But those of us who collected the signatures also encountered people who did not know what this was about, were not aware that the candidates are running to replace/repeal John Faso (WHO?), the current Republican congressman of our congressional district 19, and also residents who did not want to have any part of it. 

In two months, on June 26th, we will have the right and duty to go to the polls to vote for one of the 7 democratic candidates.   Please follow the news, attend meetings, talk with people, so as to make the right decision when casting the ballot.   And if you will be away from home, as often happens in June, remember to cast an absentee ballot.  You can obtain an application on your county’s website [county]ny.gov, e.g. ulstercountyny.gov/elections.  Do it SOON.   

And if you want to assist people at the polling stations, obtain from the Board of Elections a “2018 new election inspector  application” form – it will be greatly appreciated

Publishing history

Middleton Times Herald Record 5/1/2018 

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"Guns and Domestic Abusers Don’t Mix" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Guns and Domestic Abusers Don’t Mix

            In March the New York legislature took a big step to advance protections for women threatened with domestic abuse.  With the passage of Senate bill S8121, the state will have a new law that removes all styles of guns from the hands of convicted domestic abusers.  It also adds to the list of “serious” misdemeanor offenses that would mandate removal, such as menacing and “obstruction of breathing.”  Also, in cases involving orders of protection, it allows a judge to order abusers to surrender weapons and to suspend their firearms licenses for the expanded offenses.  One dissenter in the 41-19 Senate vote was our local senator, John Bonacic, District 42.  A written statement explaining the senator’s vote isn’t available, but his office said the law as written might prejudice convicted abusers for physically non-violent cases, specifically, “coercion,” and it should have been refined in public hearings and debate before passage.  Can you imagine such a debate in our current legislature, dominated by the “three men in a room” style of government?  

            Unfortunately, it appears that Senator Bonacic is more committed to the principles of gun rights for donors than to real safeguards against the murder of women, over half of whom are killed by intimate partners, overwhelmingly with firearms.  What is the priority:  to protect the “right” of an abuser to his guns or to stand up for the lives of women, and often their children, who face the fury of a man who holds in his hands the ultimate instrument of his power and control?  Nothing more coercive than that.

 

Publishing History

 Times-Herald Record                       4/28

"Swamp Creatures" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Swamp Creatures

So how has the swamp in Washington D.C. been doing lately?  The swamp that Donald Trump pledged to clean up?  Listen to Mick Mulvaney, Budget Director and head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (that’s the agency that is supposed to protect American citizens from predatory lenders and the like).  In an April 24 speech to the American Bankers Association, the ex-Congressman from South Carolina declared, “If you’re a lobbyist who never gave us money, I didn’t talk to you. If you’re a lobbyist who gave us money, I might talk to you” (Washington Post).  He qualified his statement to include that he would meet with his regular constituents, regardless of their contributions, IF they showed up in his Washington office.  (What the heck, it doesn’t cost that much to travel from South Carolina to Washington.) 

But it would be difficult for Mulvaney to top the list of arrogant Cabinet members whose lodestar is the let them eat cake rule.  That honor must go to EPA chief Scott Pruitt.  His $50 per night rental of a Washington condo beats any time share deal out there (though he missed out on the free meal for listening to the marketing pitches).  And his $43,000 soundproof office phone booth?  It’s his idea of transparency without sound.  His scheduling director received a 72% raise; his senior counsel, 68%.  Hey, does he have any other job openings?

When Trump said he would drain the swamp, he meant, of losers.   Now he’s re-filled it with a royal court of big-time grifters and charlatans.  They’re laughing at us.

 

Publishing History

     Albany Times Union             4/28

"GOP dancing moves" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

GOP Dancing Moves

Politicians do what politicians do. The March 30 announcement ("FDR historic site could grow with land deal") of a congressional bill to expand the acreage of the FDR site in Hyde Park gave both U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro the opportunity to take a swing at a giant softball pitch, in baseball parlance. (Note: both are running in November.) After the land was gifted to Scenic Hudson in 2014, the National Park Service’s takeover of the land, eventually, was inevitable. But fair is fair.  Republicans got their press conference and the favorable publicity.

 

But credit and accountability run in multiple directions. On April 17, the Dutchess County Republican Committee advertised a fundraiser with headliner former Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke (VIP ticket: $1,000). Clarke has juggled lawsuits and federal officials over alleged abuses in his jail. The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate Watch tracks his incendiary speeches. He has called Black Lives Matter a “hateful ideology.”  He claimed, “Obama-Marxist types want to start a civil war in this country” by taking people’s guns away. He was temporarily banned from Twitter for threatening the “lying lib media”:  “Punch them in the nose & MAKE THEM TASTE THEIR OWN BLOOD.”

 

What is Rep. Faso’s view of David Clarke? At a 2016 gathering of Oath Keepers, a far-right group whose response to Parkland was to warn of “leftist ‘blood dancers’” coming for everyone’s guns, Faso said, “What a tremendous patriot we have in Sheriff David Clarke  . . . I truly appreciate what you are doing.”

 

Want to buy a ticket for the fundraiser? Too bad, it’s been cancelled.  Perhaps Faso and the GOP feared the event would take the sheen off of their feel-good ceremony and cast a light on the dark money that fuels extremism in their party.

Publishing history

Poughkeepsie Journal online,  4/8 & 4/11 amended

New Paltz Times     4/12

'Women (and men) take note" Letter to the editor Diana Staats

Women (and Men) - Take Note

With President Trump and Vice President Pence working hard to limit and eliminate contraception access and abortion services to low income women, we in NY State should be thankful for Governor Cuomo’s initiative for women’s empowerment: the Women’s Opportunity Agenda. As part of this agenda Governor Cuomo has included two critical amendments in his Fiscal Year 2019 State budget that directly impact women’s health concerns: The Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act ( CCCA ) and the Reproductive  Healthcare Act (RHA). His Women’s Opportunity Agenda report also includes long overdue support for the Equal Rights Amendment which will protect against discrimination on the basis of sex in the NY State Constitution.

The CCCA will require that all women have access to low cost (or free) birth control. It would also cover the full cost of a vasectomy, thus covering birth control for men for the first time. Currently, cuts to federal aid for Title X funding  (a program which supports family planning for those considered  low-income and those that are uninsured) has put this access at risk. Without contraceptive choice and access, many more women will be dealing with unintended pregnancies and we are likely to see an increase in unintended pregnancies and unplanned births. The CCCA if passed, will protect this right for the women and men of New York State.

Governor Cuomo’s inclusion of the RHA is also critical. Although NY State was at one time considered to be a vanguard in women’s health care legislation, the 47 year old NY State Abortion Law urgently needs updating.  Our current NY State statute criminalizes abortions performed after the 24^th week unless it is necessary to preserve a woman’s life. No one wants to undergo a late term abortion, but when a woman’s health is at risk or when the fetus is not viable, having an abortion should not be a criminal act.  Although Roe V. Wade currently allows for a woman to have an abortion if her health is at risk (unlike the current NY law), there is a real possibility that Roe v. Wade will be overturned under the Trump/Pence administration. We can’t wait, NY State needs to bring its abortion laws into the 21st century.

One would have thought that equal rights for women, women’s reproductive health care support and access to abortion were all issues that were cemented and settled in the 1970’s. It is inconceivable that in 2018 an impulsive, playboy, philanderer president would be siding with those who want to limit access to reproductive health care, limit access to birth control and punish women who have made the decision to have an abortion.

If you are concerned about these issues, here is what you should do:

●        Contact your state senator and John Flanagan, the NY State Senate Majority Leader (phone: 631-361-2154), to urge them to support the CCCA and the RHA and the Governor’s Women’s Agenda. These bills are in the current budget which must be passed before the state legislature on or before April 1^st.

●        Join the Women’s Issues Committee of U-Act which is actively educating local residents on issues related to women’s rights and health concerns. The meeting schedule for this group is available at the Ulster Activists webpage (www.ulsteractivists.org).

●        Attend an informational presentation (offered by U-Act Women’s Issues Committee) on April 12th at SUNY New Paltz. (More information is available at the U-Act website.)

NY York State women (and men) deserve ready access to affordable birth control and the ability to make their own choices on when and if to become a parent.

 Diana Staats , Highland

Publishing history:

New Paltz Times 3/33/8

"Protect our Democracy" letter to the editor Hal Chorny

 Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Donald Trump is no musician but praised Putin while his cronies hacked our elections and set up means to disrupt our infrastructure. The Russians are now able to plunge us into darkness and cause chaos in our systems. Trump finally spoke out against Russian aggression but his action consisted mainly of words. The sanctions he imposed were unanimously passed by Congress months ago while Trump has made no attempt to implement them. Mueller is investigating why Trump is so cozy with the Russians.

There also is a House Committee investigating Trump's ties to Russia. The Republican part cleared Trump of all suspicions. The Democrats on the Committee have strong evidence of illegal activities which the Russians could use to blackmail Trump. Democrats are insisting their Republican colleagues ignored potent leads in order to whitewash their investigation.

Our country is clearly in danger. An investigation of Trump's disregard of the dangers must proceed. Efforts to block Mueller's investigation have been promoted by some Republicans while the Russians have gained a position which could devastate the United States. Election Day in November is not soon enough to vote every national Republican out of office, starting with Congressman John Faso. We may be called upon sooner to protect our democracy.

Hal Chorny

New Paltz Tiimes 3/22/18

"New Racial Equity Board Committee: Thanks NP BOE " Letter to the editor Maggie Veve

New Racial Equity Board Committee: Thanks NP BOE


Dear Board Members,
This is written as an open letter to you and the greater New Paltz school community in the spirit of believing that each of you, as I, have a deep commitment and responsibility to our school community.
We are at a critical juncture with the New Paltz School District. This juncture parallels what is happening in our country. Across the nation, there are troubling and increasingly evident forces trying to consolidate unbalanced, authoritative power. The means used to this end have been blatantly racist, sexist, and fascist. At the same time, there are those who are trying to meet these forces with public outcries, political action and grass roots resistance. Fortunately, the latter is taking hold in a wave of political activism not seen for many years.
Here in our school district, people of color and our allies have become heavily involved in undoing the impact of bigotry and racism for our students and community, culminating in the recent request to establish a standing Board of Education Racial Equity Committee. This is a much-needed anti-racism structure, needed to study, recommend and, as appropriate, encourage racial equity work of the District. You, as our elected representatives, responded courageously by having several community dialogues on our school race issues. Most importantly, you voted to establish such a committee at the March 14, 2018 BOE meeting!! For this I am very thankful and unusually optimistic. Speaking for myself, and already hearing directly from people of color and our allies, I have good reason to be hopeful for the continuing anti-racism work of the BOE. Again, Thank you! Gracias! Asante!

Sincerely,

Maggie Veve

Publishing history:

New Paltz Times 3/22/18

"Distinguished' Letter to the editor Jo salas

Distinguished

Hugh Reynolds asks “Why haven’t any of the six candidates yet distinguished themselves from the others?” (March 15). He hasn’t been paying attention. These candidates are anything but clones, though all are courageous and determined. One, Jeff Beals, stands out in important ways: he is genuinely progressive, with explicit commitments to Medicare for All, ending fossil fuel dependence, and refocusing the economy on working people instead of big corporations. 

Unlike some of the others, he is running a Bernie-style grassroots campaign, with unpaid volunteers and small contributions from ordinary people rather than powerful lobbying firms. And, alone among the candidates, Jeff has substantial foreign policy experience as a former US diplomat in the Middle East. He knows what he’s talking about when he advocates diplomacy instead of endless war. 

Distinguished indeed. 

Jo Salas

New Paltz

"An appeal to gun owners" Letter to the editor Carole Ford

An appeal to gun owners

Many well-meaning people feel deeply about defending their right to own guns. I am not a gun owner, but in a culture beset with so much random violence, having a weapon to protect yourself and your loved ones may not be entirely unreasonable.

Yet, if you are a gun owner, there is an argument I would make in appealing to you to support some restrictions, particularly regarding assault weapons.

We have many rights that are not absolute; there are many examples of acceptable restrictions. Obviously, we aren’t allowed to drive without proving that we are capable. Or drink alcohol until we reach the minimum age. We understand government’s function in issuing regulations and restrictions which try to balance individual rights with the benefit to society.

Certainly, banning assault weapons would infringe upon the enjoyment of using them for target practice, or other legal pursuits. And, of course, it would mean that you would have to find an alternative weapon for your security. But isn’t that a reasonable trade-off for keeping society safe from those, mentally unstable or otherwise, in schools or elsewhere, for whom assault weapons are the weapons of choice for mass murder?

If the federal government won’t act, state governments must. Other measures can help, but without banning assault weapons, they are band-aids. Please support the demonstrations coming up on March 14^th and 24^th and the national school walkout on April 20 which will be asking for additional regulations. You, the gun owners, are most important.

Dr. Carole Ford, 

Publishing history

Albany Times Union 3/13/18
Middletown Records 3/23/18
Kingston Freemn 3/26/18

"Which Faso" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Which Faso

            NYTimes headline, 2/28--“Guns Create a Political Minefield in the Midterms:  After Florida Shooting, Candidates Carefully Adjust Views.”  And so we see those adjustments in the recent statements from Rep. John Faso.  His 2/16 public statement offered his prayers and the assertion that “the shooter shouldn’t have been eligible to purchase firearms.”  In a more hopeful development, his 2/23 response evolved.  Although criticizing the FBI, he 1) repeated his support for strengthened background checks, 2) agreed that a ban on bump stocks should be examined, and 3) said we should “seriously explore” raising the age to buy semiautomatic weapons.

 

Rep. Faso promotes himself as a moderate member of the Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress.  We are encouraged to believe that he will work hard to advance his proposals.  Contrast these statements on his web site:  he is “proud” of his “A” NRA rating; he says he will fight “liberal efforts to trample on our freedoms”; he voted for a House bill loosening restrictions on carrying concealed guns across state lines.

 

In a 2/22 C-SPAN interview, Rep. Faso rejected as an “outlandish smear” the claim that the NRA’s $8,000 donation to him would influence his votes and offered a defense of the NRA lobby: some NRA members work for police, fire, and emergency departments and are “enmeshed in our community, and . . . to say that they somehow don’t care about school shootings and other violence is really an outright lie.”

Oh.  Other adjustments.  Have you or I lately attacked the police, firefighters, and first responders, accusing them of not caring about the shooting?  Doubt it.  This adjustment telegraphs to those who might be uneasy about what they perceive as his waffling on gun rights.

 

 “Chameleon”:  a lizard . . . that changes its skin color to match its surroundings so that it cannot be seen (Cambridge Online Dictionary).

Publishing history

            Oneonta Daily Star                 3/7

            Sullivan Democrat                  3/12

            River Reporter                        3/14

            Shawangunk Journal              3/15

            Daily Freeman                        3/13

            New Paltz Times                    3/15