Meanwhile, the run-up to the fast-approaching June 28 primary between Faso and Heaney is getting uglier and uglier, replete with cries of liar, liar, pants on fire. On the Democratic side, Zephyr Teachout of Dutchess and Will Yandik of Columbia seem to be running a Hillary-Bernie hands-off-the-throat campaign. Supporters are more vocal behind the scenes. We may see blood at a series of debates scheduled to kick off June 7. Probably not.
New Paltz Times letter writer Ron Stonitsch probably stirred up some vets with his take on the town planning board’s refusal to place the Pledge of Allegiance on its monthly meeting agendas. The son of a World War II combat veteran, Stonitsch made some good points, like one does not have to prove one’s patriotism to speak out on issues of patriotism in our free society.
“I remember those fallen. I fly my flag. I bow my head in memory, but don’t dictate to me that all meetings have to start with a pledge,” Stonitsch wrote.
The planning board voted not to place the pledge on its agenda despite protests from local veterans’ groups that action amounted to disrespect for the flag.
Former assemblyman Clark Bell of Woodstock provided a Libertarian National Committee newsletter with what appears to be some revealing information. According to the Libertarians, who present themselves as an alternative to a corrupt, ineffective two-party system, registration in the national Democratic Party dropped from 43.9 million to 41.3 million between October 2008 and February of this year. Republicans, with about 11 million fewer enrollees, saw their totals drop by about 500,000. At the same time, independent registrations were up some 3.5 million. The Libertarians, off a narrow base, saw enrollment increase by 70 percent to 240,000.
And yet it’s the two-party system that produces our presidential candidates, often to great dismay, and almost all others. I sense disconnect.
Nationwide and hereabout, independent registration is on the rise, party enrollment relatively stagnant. Participation in elections is among the worst in any democracy. Bill de Blasio was elected mayor of New York with less than 20 percent of registered voters.
Bell, a lifelong Republican, ran a whimsical campaign for Assembly two years ago on the Libertarian line. He was last elected to the office in 1972.
Let’s see what else KHA cannot do:1)Answer the phone every day and every time with minimal decency to the caller;2)Pick up leaves; 3)The renovations of which you speak didn’t filter up to the area set aside for Senior Citizens in Colonial Addition(one sidewalk going up a steep hill (or coming down one depending in which direction you wish to walk) looks like it had an earthquake and the remainder are in raggedy shape with no renovations;4)provide a somewhat better sand to soil mix for grass or anything else to grow, such as trees;5)Cut down the trees that are diseased first;6)Mow without mowing off tree roots and sending up Colonial Gardens sand into the air fifty feet and also in all directions(place was built upon sand dredged from the Rondout Creek);7)Fight for the overdue school zone sign near the headstart school, overdue for the past ten(10)years since it was that long ago it was designated an official school zone;seem to be halfway decent in general anymore;8)Ride around in huge trucks during the warm weather months with no good reason most of the time when smaller vehicles are available;9)Stop workers from stealing money from tenants(“The police can only do so much” is a fave of KHA memos but that doesn’t seem to apply to THIS). Sounds a lot like a Zweben op. And then you have (fill in the blank, word of five letters, proper name) running the place(reportedly from the position of a literal snoozer–that should be grounds for “early retirement”). Hugh, good work in that you made a start–I just completed your column for you this week. You’re welcome–any time!!
No, no, no, I don’t want any reward–just your continued good esteem, you “Wall-Streeters”, you!!!