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Did Anyone Notice That Howard Dean Was In Town Last Night?

I don’t know if anyone heard (or cared), but National Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean attended the Monroe County Democratic Convention last night.  I had heard from my more liberal friends and colleagues how they were bracing for the storm of wonderfulness and delightfulness that would result from Dean’s visit and subsequent speech (Hopefully, Mr. Dean would give everyone a great bid bellowing scream to get the party faithful all wound up.  I had heard that his visit would be a countywide referendum on the failures of Republicans and the way they’ve been governing our area.  Unfortunately, those darn Liberals got my hopes up that some great breakthrough would be made.  Well, they fibbed again.  [Read more →]

New York City Governor David Paterson Promises To Do Nothing To Cut Taxes

Cara Matthews over at the D&C wrote an editorial about New York City Governor David Paterson and Assembly Democrats refusing to give middle class and lower income citizens a break on rising gas prices.

Here’s a clip on Paterson’s hardline stance against cutting taxes.

Gov. David Paterson said today that he would not give in to pressure from Republicans to give the state a sales tax “holiday” between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

snipet

The governor, speaking at a news conference in New York City, said he was taking responsibility for the issue by doing nothing.

There you have it folks!  The Democrat Governor, Democrat Assembly and some Democrat Senate members have made it very clear that they will NOT cut taxes on gas to save us money. 

Blogger Anthony Morelle makes a good point when Paterson does his typical dance by joking about the issue.  Paterson tries to explain that doing nothing to help burdened taxpayers is good for us, referencing the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke.”  Mr. Morelle aptly retorts:

Yeah well in 1967 gas wasn’t $4 a gallon either.  Not everyone has a government car to drive around or a mansion to live in paid for by the taxpayers

Personally, I don’t care what the reasoning is behind cutting gas taxes or if it would be a nominal savings for our working families and older folks who live on fixed incomes.  Every little bit helps when you’re not a wealthy Democrat elected official.  Cutting taxes is good, but the media is helping the Democrats by making you think cutting your taxes is bad.

Remember, the Democrat/Liberal/Progressives actually WANT gas prices to go higher to support their ”alternative fuel sources” political agenda.  ”But, doesn’t that just give more money to the big oil companies?” you might ask yourself?  ABSOLUTELY!  Their wanting to force you and I to live the way they want us to outweighes the negative impact to our family budgets.

And New York City Governor David Paterson, the Democrat Assembly and those Democrat Senators opposing these tax cuts promise that they will do nothing to help us. 

Thanks.

One more reason to not let New York City Democrats take over the entire State of New York.

Enough with the United Way!

Will I get tarred and feathered if I admit that I do not support the United Way?  In fact, I am sick and tired of people trying to guilt me into giving to that organization.  

At many workplaces around the region, employees are annually hectored into donating to the cause.  Just today, the editorial page of the Democrat and Chronicle sternly tells its readership to “Donate to United Way of Greater Rochester now, when it counts.” 

Undoubtedly, the United Way supports many worthy efforts across the region.  It also supports organizations like Planned Parenthood.

I do not understand why an organization created to do good for an entire community would effectively take sides on a issue as contentious as abortion.  It demonstrates that the leadership of the United Way either does not consider abortion to be a sensitive issue, or it does not care.  Either way, I refuse to support them.

And before you write a poorly-spelled response about how I am an evil conservative and that only liberals really care about the less fortunate, remember that it is a demonstrated fact that conservatives are much more generous than liberals.   In 2007, Arthur C. Brooks, a politically independent professor at Syracuse University, wrote a book called, “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism.”  George F. Will recently provided a nice summary of Brooks’s findings:

•Although liberal families’ incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).

•Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.

•Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George W. Bush.

•Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average.

•In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent.

•People who reject the idea that “government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality” give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

 To sum up, conservatives are generous people who genuinely care for the less fortunate and give more to charity than liberals. 

And this conservative will not give to a charity like the United Way that funnels money to organizations that I vehemently oppose.  SO STOP ASKING!

  

Need Proof Of Liberal Media Bias? You Better Watch Out Or We’re Going To Hector You!

Did you see the 1B story in the Democrat and Cronicle about Bob Duffy being accused of hectoring city councilmembers?  For all of you with a public education (the author included), I found this definition in the American Heritage Dictionary:

hec·tor  
n.   A bully.
v.   hec·tored, hec·tor·ing, hec·tors
v.   tr.
To intimidate or dominate in a blustering way.
v.   intr.
To behave like a bully; swagger.
[Latin Hect?r, Hektor, from Greek Hekt?r.]

I knew a guy name Hector in college, but in all my years, I’ve never seen or heard anyone use the word hectoring.  Ironically, the topic of Mayor Blue Sky and Sunshine hectoring City Council was our first post on Monroerising.com. According to the article:

City Councilman Dana Miller, during his 3 ½ hours on the witness stand, testified about the closed-door, three-person meetings. Miller was chairman of the committee that handled the ambulance legislation.

Miller testified that Duffy and Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri told council members they could avoid being sued by Monroe if they didn’t override the mayor’s veto.

Duffy and Malgieri also read aloud “statements from documents” suggesting there were allegations against council members involving campaign finance improprieties and open meetings violations, Miller testified. And such allegations could come up if there were a trial, they were told.

Council members were not shown the documents, Miller said.

Wow, this is pretty heavy stuff.  When people think of Bob Duffy they think of him as the cheerleader in chief, Mayor Blue Sky and Sunshine, you know, Mr. Nice Guy.  They don’t think of him as a heavy handed bully willing to use their henchmen, or in this case henchwoman, to threaten independently elected officials.

And thanks to the D&C using words like hectoring, they still won’t.  Nice work D&C!

Is The Democrat and Chronicle Finally Getting It? They’re Worried About What Will Happen to Upstate If Dems Take Senate

Yesterday’s D&C had a very interesting editorial about Governor Patterson’s plan to  eliminate the position of Upstate Economic Development Czar Dan Gunderson’s job. Paterson is showing his NYC bias by listening to downstate interests who feel there should be one economic development leader for the entire state.

The editorial stated:

As Paterson correctly surmised during a visit to Batavia earlier this week, the negative reaction to his intent to take away Dan Gundersen’s authority is based on fear.

People in this region have grown accustomed to being treated by Albany like second-class citizens. [Read more →]

In Honor of Howard Dean Coming To Rochester Thursday

This is an oldie but goody.  In honor of Howard Dean coming to Rochester enjoy the following:

Gov. Paterson to Pull Plug on Upstate Economic Development Czar

Apparently, everything is all hunky dory with the Upstate Economy and we’re doing just fine now.

Gannett’s Joseph Spector wrote several pieces about Governor David Paterson’s intention to eliminate Upstate New York’s Economic Development point-man, Dan Gunderson.  Here’s his original article.

Both Dennis Mullen of the Greater Rochester Enterprise and Sandy Parker of the Rochester Business Alliance have come out against Paterson’s elimination of the position which puts an Upstate focus on economic development issues in New York State.  Upstate elected officials are opposing the move too. [Read more →]

Mayor Blue Sky and Sunshine Is At It Again — Bob Duffy Says The City’s On A Hot Streak!

A reader e-mailed us to point out Mayor Blue Sky and Sunshine (aka Bob Duffy) proclaimed:

“I think this city is on a hot streak. I think this city is on the move,” Duffy said, adding that he does not want to do anything to derail the momentum.” 

We at Monroerising.com have criticized Mayor Duffy for being the Cheerleader - in - Chief of the City of Rochester, but he has really gone overboard with this.  It is important to note that the Mayor said this quote in an article announcing the need to spend $1 million on surveillance cameras in troubled City neighborhoods.

Maybe the Mayor doesn’t remember what happened at the Northwest College Preparatory Schools in the City of Rochester last month. Or what about the two long term city employees who were arrested for stealing? Or what about the gay bashing incident that never happened? Oh yea, don’t forget, there have only been 11 murders so far this year.

Sure, we are going to take a bunch of jobs in the suburbs and move them to Midtown Plaza and call that economic development and I realize the City graduation rate has climbed to 48%.  Progress is being made — but calling this a hot streak is stretching things.  Come on Mayor, let’s set the bar a little higher.

Meet Governor Paterson’s Life Coach

Gentle Reader:

Our good Governor, David Paterson, has a life coach.  Would you like to guess the coach’s gender?  Would you like to guess whether he or she would be considered attractive by most people’s standards?

If you ventured a guess, the correct ones would be a) female and b) yes.  Meet Sandra Tate — according to The New York Daily News:

As a state senator, Gov. Paterson spent $4,500 in campaign money on a woman who bills herself as a “life coach.”

Sandra Tate, who calls herself a “life coach” and is sometimes known as “Reclaimurlife Diva,” got the money in 2006. Paterson aides said she did campaign work; her Web site version is a little more vague.

(snip)

On Valentine’s Day 2006, Paterson issued seven $500 campaign checks for “wages” to Tate. He later sent two more. All told, she was paid $4,500. [Read more →]

Tom Hasman And The Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus — Hurry, Limited Tickets For Those 12 and Under!

I have read and commented on the recent stories about how Cheryl Dinolfo will have an opponent in her reelection campaign for County Clerk. I wanted to find out some more information on Tom Hasman, her perspective opponent. My research turned up his board membership listing for the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus. Because I had never heard of this organization before, I decided to peruse the site for some more information on these musically inclined men. What I found was disheartening. They call themselves the “Rochettes” and on their about them page, they state a brief description about the “Rochettes,” it states, and I quote:

One of the most significant, and sought-after attractions of the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, is the sub-group known as the “Rochettes”. These multi-talented, imaginative men not only sing, but also swing and sway, bump and grind, and tap dance into your heart. Their tightly-choreographed moves are truly show-stopping!

They state that amongst the type of performances they do is a “Bump and Grind.” I have been around the block a time or two and that is exactly what its sounds like. You may remember R. Kelly, the R&B singer (currently on trial for soliciting child pornography) had a hit under the same name. In the online ticket section of the site they sell discounted tickets to children 12 and under. I quote and link

RGMC Child, June 14 2008, Here Us Now
Price - $6.00
Child’s ticket (12 and under) to RGMC’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebration concert. One performance only.

The Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus sells tickets to their performances in which there seem to be overtly sexual acts, to children under the age of 12. As a board member for this organization, he should know that this is inappropriate.

[Read more →]