A Worthwhile Petition

Friends,
Though it is a holiday season for many, two of our Muslim neighbors in Albany are not celebrating. They have accused and convicted on charges that amount to "being Muslim". They have been sent to jail and are now awaiting decision from the judge who heard the case. The link pasted below is for NorthEast for Peace and Justice Alliance (NEPAJAC). Please consider signing on to this asking for leniency and/or a retrial. If you have followed this case in the Times Union or if you will take the time to read the fact sheet at the NEPAJAC site, you know that this was a terribly obvious case of entrapment and that the men accused, deeply devout family men, have never in their lives been in trouble with the law and are very certainly not guilty in this instance. Please support Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain by signing on. Thank you.

http://nepajac.org/Aref&Hossain.htm

A REAL Candidate!

Just in case anyone out there is unsatisfied with constantly voting for the lesser evil candidate, ..... You can now vote for a great candidate! Unfortunately, its just for Time Magazine's Person of the Year and not for president, but enjoy voting anyway. Vote now at the link below. Hugo Chavez is currently leading with 33%. Let's give him some comfort room, hey? Lets get him the ten million votes he asked for! ;-)

Viva La Revolucion!

http://www.time.com/time/personoftheyear/2006/walkup/

Howie Hawkins Visits Glens Falls

Adirondack Progressives Host Fundraiser for Green U.S. Senate Candidate, Howie Hawkins
For Immediate Release
Contact: Matt Funiciello (518)361-6278 or mattfuniciello@earthlink.net

June 26, 2006 – Local progressive and Green Party activist Matt Funiciello announced today that candidate for U.S. Senate from New York, Howie Hawkins, will be the guest of honor at a dinner and fundraiser to be held at 6 p.m., July 22, 2006, at Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe in Glens Falls. The event is sponsored by the Adirondack Progressives. Local musician Carrianne Skidmore will provide entertainment and a vegetarian buffet will be served. Tickets are available at Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe and also at High Peaks Java; there is a suggested donation of $25. Hawkins faces incumbent US Senator Hillary Clinton in the fall election.“Hawkins represents the best and brightest of the Green Party,” said Funiciello, a former member of the Green Party's National Committee, himself. “We’re extremely proud to have him as our party’s candidate against the pro-Iraq, pro-Patriot Act, pro-globalization, former WalMart board member, Citizen Hillary.”“An independent opposition party like the Greens is the most effective way to advance peace, justice, and a sustainable society,” Hawkins said, “It is not just the peace vote that is open to alternatives. So are the millions without health insurance, the workers who are losing wages and benefits and their very jobs, the environmentalists who see no program to address global warming, and the women and people of color who are losing their recently won rights. All have reason to be dissatisfied with Clinton, who is taking them for granted as she rebrands herself a ‘moderate’ for her presidential run.”“Clinton has been a consistent war hawk on Iraq and, indeed, all the wars initiated by Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. She is more responsible than any other person in America for killing the single-payer national health insurance bill that had about 100 members of Congress as co-sponsors in 1993,” Hawkins added.Howie Hawkins has been active in movements for peace, justice, the environment, and independent progressive politics since the late 1960s. A former Marine, he helped organize opposition to the Vietnam War and was a co-founder of the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in 1976. He was a co-founder of the Green Party in the United States in 1984 and currently serves on the Green National Committee.After attending Dartmouth College in the early 1970s, Howie worked as a carpenter in New England and helped start up a construction workers cooperative that specialized in solar and wind energy installations. Howie moved to Syracuse in 1991 to be Director of CommonWorks, a federation of cooperatives working for an economy that is cooperatively owned, democratically controlled, and ecologically sustainable. A member of Teamsters Local 317 and active in the national Teamster rank-and-file reform caucus, Teamsters for a Democratic Union, Howie presently works unloading trucks and rail cars at UPS.Howie's articles on social theory, cooperative economics, and independent politics have appeared in many publications, including Against the Current, Green Politics, International Socialist Review, New Politics, Peace and Democracy News, Peaceworks, Resist, Society and Nature, and Z Magazine . He is the editor of Independent Politics: The Green Party Strategy Debate (Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2006).Adirondack Progressives is a group of local Independents, along with members of the Green, Democratic and Republican parties interested in fostering a local dialogue on today’s most important issues. They are currently also organizing a fall appearance by Green candidate for N.Y.S. Governor, Malachy McCourt. McCourt is a longtime activist, author of the NY Times bestseller A Monk Swimming, and brother of Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt).

For more information about this and other Adirondack Progressive events, contact Matt Funiciello at (518) 361-6278.

For Campaign Information: www.hawkinsforsenate.org and www.malachyforgovernor.com

To Those Unfortunates Who Work at the Post-Star

An Open Letter To The Good Folks at The Glens Falls Post-Star,
Most of you will be glad to know that I am done. For the last four or five years, I have read your paper and have more than frequently tried to engage many of you in discussing all of the myriad of things that require improvement at our local daily. I have done so solely because I believe in democracy (I believe that a truly free press is the only way we can have one). The cynical and machine-like nature of dailies like the Post-Star ("product" merely put out to raise more ad revenue) puts our democracy at great risk. It is wrong. Its just that simple. I have spent many hours of my time asking only that you do what is right (or, at the least, that you might explain why you have knowingly done wrong). At the end of this very bumpy road, our "discussion" has devolved into a mere rant on my part. You have obviously decided to stop even pretending you feel a needto defend yourselves and your corporate, pro-war agenda.For that lack of communication, I cancel you. I already cancelled my home subscription about a year ago. I had already ceased writing letters to the editor last summer as you refuse to print them when they matter most. Quite recently, I ceased writing about your terrible behavior on my blog, as well. I am now cutting all ties and am going to stop selling your “paper” at my place of business. I vow to stop concerning myself about your existence in any way. I will continue to be a politically-active, community-oriented, citizen advocate and, as such, when I send out press releases, I will include your joke of a paper on my list of corporate, pro-war, anti-third party media (it is my feeling that you should at least have access to this type of information even though you will likely never use it). At the very least, you can all gather around the water cooler and talk about “that asshole Funiciello” and his ranting while you continue to blacklist third parties and regurgitate wire service crap. That will prove highly amusing for you, I have no doubt.You’ve had several months now to let people know that Howie Hawkins is running for U.S. Senate against Hillary. You have yet to mention it even once! Why? Is it because you're bad, evil people with a bad, evil agenda? I've given you way too many chances and you've failed at almost every turn. I am left with no alternative thought process. I know that your readership will never read that Malachy McCourt is running for Governor, either. You’re not going to tell them. That’s simply unconscionable! That is corrupt agenda-ridden bullshit and you know it. Those in management perpetrating this third-party blacklist should know one thing; You are without merit or integrity. You know exactly who you are.Good luck to those of you at "the paper" who try to do what is right on a daily basis. I feel sorry for you having to work in that environment. I know for a fact that you’re not all simple, corporate minions trying to dumb down the electorate but, obviously, most in the P-S hierarchy are. They totally negate your efforts. Here’s to the inevitable (and happy) day on which you escape from that tomb of lies and misrepresentation!

Peace to you all,
Matt Funiciello

Hawkins BEATS Hillary!

Hey, Everybody! While the Fascist Daily has yet to even mention most of the candidates running against incumbent Hillary Clinton in this year's Senate race, our local NPR-affiliate, WAMC (90.3), ran a poll on Tuesday asking people who they would vote for. Almost three hundred people participated and .... drum roll please .... Guess who won?!

HOWIE HAWKINS (a fellow Green, Teamster and activist).

Hawkins won with 32%, more than twice the votes for the incumbent!Aside from the fact that a Green won the poll, there are two other interesting points;

1) Steve Greenfield received 11%. He is a registered Green running as a Dem because of anger focused towards the national Green Party (which I share). His total would make the total Green vote 44%!

2) The two war parties (Dem & Rep) garnered less than 22% of the total vote ... Exactly half that of the Green vote. Who's in the minority?Food for thought, eh?

Way to go WAMC! Just don't lose all that neutrality and objectivity as election season looms closer! For those interested, Susan Arbetter sent me the results of the poll and they are posted below (unfortunately, WAMC's site doesn't allow one to view past poll results).By the way, if you are looking for information about Howie Hawkins, his agenda or his platform, check out the website below. He's an altruist and a tireless champion of the poor and the progressive. He would be a GREAT senator!

http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org/



Dear Matt,
Always good to hear from you. Thanks, too, for the kind words. Here are the results from Tuesday's poll:
14% - Incumbent Hillary Clinton Democrat
32% - Peace activist Howie Hawkins, NYS Green Party
5% - Reagan-era Pentagon official KT McFarland, GOP
11% - Anti-War candidate Jeffrey T. Russell, Libertarian Party
3% - Former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, GOP
9% - Anti-War candidate Jon Tasini, Democrat
4% - Bill Van Auken, Socialist Equality Party
3% - Mark Greenstein, Democrat
1% - Tom Weiss, Democrat
11% - Steve Greenfield, Democrat
4% - Other
3% - I don't know yet

... we had almost 300 people voting. best,Susan

Susan J. ArbetterHost/ProducerThe Roundtable ShowWAMC Northeast Public Radio

Irish Governors, Ghouls and Beheadings

Given the Post-Star's stubborn insistence on only reporting on two-party candidates, it should be no surprise that they have, yet again, managed to "un"report on all the third-party and independent candidates who are running for US Senate and Governor (and Attorney General and Comptroller). When it comes to leaving out all the details that don't suit their corporate paymasters, the Post-Star is truly stellar! Following are two stories they apparently felt weren't newsworthy (as they have printed absolutely nothing about either).The first story is from the Albany Times Union. Its about the NYS Green Party convention (held in Albany this past weekend). You may recognize the name Malachy McCourt. He wrote "A Monk Swimming" about his childhood in Ireland and about his coming of age in New York City. He is an author, an actor and a lifelong activist. He is also the brother of award-winning author Frank McCourt ("Angela's Ashes"). Mr. McCourt was given the official nod by State party officials to run for NYS Governor. He announced he was running about two months ago. Although I have reminded the Post-Star of this fact repeatedly over the last six weeks, its almost like they don't want you (or anyone else in their readership) to know about third parties or any other perceived threats to the two-party status quo. As such, they have simply withheld the information from you. Nice of them, huh? Can you say, "Propaganda"? Remember, its not just the lies they tell you and the bias with which they tell it, its actually what they DON'T tell you that matters most! The second story is about a friend of mine, long-time Syracuse activist and organizer, Howie Hawkins. He is running for Hillary Clinton's seat in the Senate and was also just given the nod by his Green compatriots at the convention. He announced his intent over two weeks ago. Apparently, this news is also irrelevant to you as the Post-Star will tell you nothing about it, either. I would suppose that the Post-Star's total lack of fairness and neutrality in this (as in all political races they've "reported" on) simply betrays their severe corporate, two-party bias. I guess its also possible that they just can't bring themselves to cut into that sexy 10 column inches a day they've been pissing away on their little love affair with the corporate, pro-war, John Sweeney (R) and his "opponent", the corporate, pro-war, Kirsten Gillibrand (D). God forbid we were to take ten seconds out from that B.S. and actually spend some time with candidates who actually care about (and understand) the issues! Thanks for protecting us from real information, Post-Star. Thanks for letting us know that Gillibrand and Sweeney are really good at fake-attacking each other. Thanks for reporting on it every single day! Your mothers must be so proud.Its also obvious that the "Glens Falls Pro-War" has a blacklist set up for all pro-peace or pro-worker candidates, anywhere ... anytime! Do you remember Nicholas Berg? He's the American hostage who was beheaded on video, a truly terrible and gruesome event. The Post-Star should know. They ran, literally, dozens of stories on the beheading and the video. The victim's father, Michael Berg, is now running for Congress in Delaware. This news has been in the national papers and the indie press for some time. The "Pro-War"managed to talk endlessly about the beheading (ghouls) but when the murdered child's father decides to run for office acting on his grief and his passionate belief that this war is wrong, they say, "Oh, thats just not sexy enough for us. Where's the blood?" Good job, Post-Star! Nice censorship and lack of professionalism! Nice Fascism! Where can I get me some of that?


The Albany Times Union
Green Party selects writer Author Malachy McCourt to run for governor on anti-war platform
By MATT PACENZA, Staff writer First published: Sunday, May 21, 2006
ALBANY -- The state Green Party picked a well-known author Saturday to run for governor and anchor its bid to regain the party's lost ballot line.Leaders expressed hope that a strong anti-war platform will attract 50,000 votes for Malachy McCourt: a commentator, actor and author best known for his memoir "A Monk Swimming," and for his even-more-famous brother, Frank. McCourt, 75, was chosen by about 60 members of the party's state committee at an all-day meeting Saturday on the University at Albany's uptown campus.The party picked a full slate of candidates to run for statewide office. The list included labor activist Howie Hawkins as its candidate against Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Green Party lost its ballot line in 2002 after gubernatorial candidate Stanley Aronowitz failed to win the minimum 50,000 votes needed to maintain the party's official status. The party won a partial victory in court when a federal judge ruled that boards of elections must continue to allow people to enroll in minor parties.But the party will have to collect 15,000 valid signatures for each candidate to get them on the ballot -- even before they try to get McCourt 50,000 votes in November. Party leaders said they're confident they'll get there. "2006 is going to be the year," said party co-chair Gloria Mattera. "You need a party in New York that will speak for people who need health care, good jobs and decent schools." The party's candidates -- which leaders are calling the "Peace Slate" -- also will tout the party's anti-war platform, which includes a call for the immediate pullout of all U.S. troops from Iraq.Party leaders said they didn't even considering offering their gubernatorial ballot line to Attorney General Eliot Spitzer -- widely considered to share at least some of the progressive ideals that Greens embrace. Activists criticized Spitzer's stand on gay marriage, among other issues. The attorney general has said that same-sex ceremonies violate state law, but also has pledged that as governor he would introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. At the meeting Saturday, the Green Party also chose Rachel Treichler for attorney general, Julia Willenbrand for comptroller and Alison Duncan as its pick for lieutenant governor.
Matt Pacenza can be reached at 454-5533 or by e-mail at mpacenza@timesunion.com.


Hawkins for US SenateMedia Releasehttp://www.hawkinsforsenate.org/
For More Information: Sally Kim, (518) 364-2968, green_sallyk@yahoo.com
Howie Hawkins 315-425-1019, hhawkins@igc.org

Hawkins Easily Wins Green Nomination for US Senate vs. Clinton
Malachy McCourt Wins Nomination for Governor
Peace, Global Warming, Health Care Top Green Election Agenda

(Albany)Longtime peace activist Howie Hawkins easily won the Green Party nomination Saturday afternoon to face Hillary Clinton in the race for Senate. The Green Party launched its effort to reclaim official ballot status in New York State by nominating author and Irish activist Malachy McCourt for Governor. McCourt, winning in a landslide, is widely viewed as having the name recognition and public support needed to get over the 50,000 votes need for Governor. Also nominated for statewide office was labor and lesbian activist Allison Duncan; attorney Rachel Treichler, a former Green Party Congressional candidate, for Attorney General; and, former New York City Mayoral candidate Julia Willebrand for Comptroller.Hawkins will challenge Clinton over the war in Iraq. The Greens support bringing the troops home immediately and believe that President Bush should be impeached for lying to the country about the reasons for the illegal invasion. "We have to stop going to war for oil," stated Hawkins. In Iran, Hawkins supports diplomacy rather than military confrontation. Hawkins supports the nuclear disarmament of all countries.Hawkins, a member of the Teamsters Union, won 12,616 votes among Green Party State Committee members, which is weighted based on the prior Gubernatorial election results. Sandor Hicks, a 9/11 Truth Activist, won 2,778 votes. Steve Greenfield, a New Paltz resident, finished third with 2,752 votes. Hawkins and the Greens will challenge the two major parties, including both Bill and Hillary Clinton, for failing to respond to the growing threat posed by global warming. Hawkins supports major investments in energy conservation and efficiency, as well as an investment in renewable energy sources such as solar and technology. The Greens believe such investments will produce much needed job creation, especially in upstate New York.Other key green issues in the 2006 election include abolition of the death penalty, same-sex marriage, reproductive freedom, living wage jobs, immigration rights, mass transit and agriculture sustainability. The Greens support the shutdown of nuclear power plants, starting with Indian Point. Hawkins supports shifting more of the tax burden at the state and federal level to the wealthiest taxpayers and polluters rather than low and moderate income Americans. Hawkins opposed the recent Congressional vote for a $70 billion tax cut package that overwhelmingly favored the rich. Hawkins believes that a fairer tax system would allow for increased state and federal funding of schools, reducing the burden on local property taxpayers. "Every politician tells you that they want to cut taxes. What they don't tell you is that they want to cut taxes for the rich while cutting essential services and shifting more of the tax burden onto working families," added Hawkins.While the Greens failed to retain ballot status in 2002 when Stanley Aronowitz fell eight thousand votes short (41,797) of the 50,000 mark, they successfully sued in federal court to retain the right to enroll as Greens. 36,141 New Yorkers are presently enrolled Greens. The Greens will need to collect 15,000 signatures from registered voters (of any party) to get on the ballot this fall.

Post-Star: Republican Tool or Fascist Propaganda Machine?

Some of the recent letters to the editor in the Post-Star speak angrily of "liberal bias". They talk about it with the simplistic idiocy of a Rush Windbag or a Bill O'Really. I would imagine these letters are written by those who can barely read. These occasional media buffs seem to think that Will Doolittle's occasional rant against John Sweeney and his drunken frat-boy behavior must constitute some kind of widespread bias against him and other faux-conservative types by our area's daily newspaper.The truth about the Post-Star's actual leanings is a lot more telling than that. I have often felt that the Post-Star staff write those "Stop Attacking My Little Weeney, You Liberal Rag" letters themselves so that they can talk about how embattled they are and how fierce their conservative critics are. My latest archive search seems to back that up, 100%.Trying to find out how well the Post-Star is doing at covering all of the candidates running for state office, I searched their archives looking for any evidence that they have even mentioned third party candidates or independents. Being a Green, I happen to know which members of my party are running for these particular offices. I apologize to those from other real parties for not properly representing the other independent and third party candidates. Like Will Rogers said, "I only know what I read in the paper." Too bad that OUR paper doesn't cover those who wish to represent the working class and the truth!In the Governor's race (which seems to be shaping up to be no race at all), the Post Star has not done much previewing of potential candidates. Interestingly, Malachy McCourt who is running for Governor as a Green and who announced almost two months ago, has not even been mentioned once by the Fascist Daily. The ComPost-Star has yet to report this information to anyone, anywhere (not even on page 5 with no pictures). Boy, they must REALLY hate democracy or Irish people or authors or Greens! In the Senate races, Hillary Clinton weighs in with 70 stories while her Green opponent, Howie Hawkins, gets ... NONE. "Little Chuckie" Schumer gets 221 stories under his belt while Green Publisher/Entrepeneur Sander Hicks gets ... NONE.In the LOCAL Congressional race, John "Pro-War" Weeney gets 222 stories. Kirsten "Fake Democrat" Gillibrand gets 113. Her anti-war Democratic Party opponents are hardly mentioned (Morris Guller, Doug Walters et al). When they are, it is often as an afterthought and rarely, if ever, is the lead point of the story. This presupposes, to the reader, that these candidates don't really stand a chance.Wouldn't it be great if the media was forced to do what is right and equally cover ALL candidates? Why should they be able to only cover the war-party and pro-corporate candidates (Democrat and Republican)? Where is there any journalistic ethic in the skewed, biased, narrow, selective, fascist reporting that this archive search represents?In a time when walls are literally being built around our country to keep our slaves in and allow for even more terrible abuses of power by our domestic, corporate, political machines, we MUST demand that media try to tell us the truth. Maybe they could have a special weekly column called, "The Truth (Just this Once)". They could run it every Tuesday hidden in the classified section or on a back page. Hardly anyone would ever notice, I'm sure. How much harm could it really do? The New York Times has been telling the truth with just about that frequency and look where its gotten them! We're all still well on the road to militant corporatism and they are still considered by many of those directly affected to be a "real" newspaper. Truly frightening!

Post-Star Like Democracy in Schools but Favors Fascism For the Rest of Us

Sometimes the use of bad language is wholly appropriate. This is one of those times. Today the Pro-War (Glens Falls Post-Star) published an editorial (probably written by Mark Mahoney, as most of them are). It detailed how enamored the management of the paper is with a little thing called ..... democracy! It celebrated all of the fine people who have stood up to run for their local school boards! What the f--ck are they thinking over at the Fascist Daily! The Pro-War is the LAST PLACE ON EARTH where one should seek advice about freedom, democracy or the political process and they have the nerve to suggest that all of the people running for school board in our various enclaves is a great thing? If they really think that running for office is such a great thing for all of our children and that it strengthens our democracy, why do they consistently and completely ignore those who run for office who are not two-party? Congress, Governor, Senator, President ... as long as the candidate is not already an entrenched, two-party, corporate prole, they get NO or LITTLE coverage in the Pro-War. When was the last time you saw a story in the Pro-War about Doug Walters, Malachy McCourt, Sander Hicks or Ralph Nader? Why do these faux news people ignore those who seek to beat the corporate proles and kick them out of office and then write bullshit editorials pretending that they are friends of democracy? Just a tad hypocritical, don't you think? The Pro-War only covers the two corporate parties and, even then, it only covers those two-party candidates who are "fit for mainstream consumption". Fans of democracy, my ass! They promote fascism, plain and simple. You think that I'm being extreme but this is pretty damn close to how things went in Germany. The free press no longer exists here. The Pro-War is just a very small part of a huge, corporate propaganda machine which is daily working to dumb down our collective psyche. This idiotic and hypocritical opinion piece says that things are healthier in a democracy when incumbency is challenged. If the Pro-War really feels this to be true, wouldn't they always alert their readership about alternate choices in every political race? When was the last time they did that, exactly? I must have missed it! Congratulations are in order! I hear that Pulitzer has just come out with a "Two-Faced Hypocrite" Award and that this specific editorial puts the Pro-War squarely at number 6 on the top ten list of nominees. Good work, Pro-War!


Competitive races help schools
Our view: Controversial issues often bring out candidates, voters
Published on 5/10/2006 Editorials THE POST-STAR

The silver lining in every cloud of controversy is often the community involvement it precipitates. Such is the case in Fort Edward and Warrensburg, where controversy has inspired local community members to come out and challenge incumbent school board members -- and perhaps has inspired more citizens in those communities to get involved in their educational system.In Fort Edward, the school board's handling of underage drinking allegations prior to this year's state basketball tournament has generated a race in which six candidates are vying for two posts, including one held by the school board chairman. At least two of the candidates cited the board's handling of the incident as prompting their candidacies.The race has even given rise to a candidates' night tomorrow, in which citizens can become better informed about the candidates by hearing their positions on the issues first-hand. In Warrensburg, one candidate's run this year was inspired by last year's decision by the school board to extend the teachers' contract in secret and with little negotiation.Even when incumbents are very popular and may be doing a good job, it's always better for the citizens to have candidates running against them. For starters, incumbents running unopposed are unlikely to present their own flaws to voters. So voters only get one side of their story. Any opponent, even one without a prayer of winning, forces the incumbents to defend their positions and potentially makes them more responsive to the citizens' concerns after they're re-elected.The other reason it's important to have contested races in elections is that unless voters are presented with a choice, they don't feel compelled to get involved. Unopposed races don't draw people into the debate because no debate is being presented to them.School board races, by nature, tend not to draw a lot of candidate or voter interest unless there's a controversial issue or a huge budget increase. That's too bad, because not only are schools vitally important to the community (whether you have a kid in school or not), but schools also account for the lion's share of your tax bill. Certainly, not everyone in a community is in agreement about how our schools should be run or how millions of dollars in tax revenue should be spent. Yet school board races are usually quiet affairs that draw little interest from the public. That's why anyone who runs for school board -- incumbent or challenger -- should be applauded. And the more the merrier.The presence of candidates on the ballot generates interest in school issues and entices voters to get involved. The result is a more open government that more closely reflects what the citizens really want and expect. And with a more responsive government, the parents benefit, the taxpayers benefit and most importantly, the children benefit.

The Post-Star's Twofer: Cheerlead War AND Subvert Democracy

The Glens Falls Post-Star (or "The Pro-War" or "Fascist Daily" as I like to call it - take your pick) regularly manipulates the facts to ensure that its readership is left ignorant, but did you know that, aside from all their propagandistic, pro-war, wire story regurgitation, in their spare time, they are also busy subverting our democracy? It is Day 41 of the Pro-War's purposeful blackout of third-party candidates in NYS. January 1st through today, they have printed a lot of stories for two-party candidates. To be more specific,

Kirsten "Hillary" Gillibrand -a corporate Dem running for Congress in our district 99 stories
John Sweeney -a real Drunk incumbent Republican (maybe) running against her 202 stories

Those running as third-party candidates have, thus far, been completely ignored. I wonder if they even believe in democracy?
Malachy McCourt -a Green running for Governor of NYS 0 stories
Sander Hicks -a Green running for US Senate in NYS 0 stories

Is Post-Star management just a bunch of frightened corporate proles or are they all enthusiastically goose stepping around with combs under their noses? You decide!

The Post-Star: Fascism's Happy Little Tool

Yesterday, I let everyone know that our own little local newspaper lies to promote war and kill workers! People at the paper were upset that I was so mean in describing their fascist behavior. Today, rather than apologize for my demeanor, I am writing to say that I am even more correct about their terrible, dishonorable pro-war agenda than I was yesterday! For those not up to speed, the "paper" ran an AP story about the huge Manhattan war protests over the weekend. In their usual fashion, they just ran the AP story on a secondary page (or so they said). This is hardly surprising, after all, NYC is hardly "local" and is slightly off their "beat".The Fascist Daily ran this AP story, though, as if it reported "thousands" of protestors in Manhattan. Interestingly, they CORRUPTED the original text of the AP story to suit their own pro-war needs! The same AP story running in the Daily Gazette and many other papers, said "tens of thousands" (in both headline and in text). Often, the story was accompanied by one of many available wire photos showing a teeming throng obviously a quarter million strong or better. This same AP story also reported that the organizers (United For Peace and Justice) estimated the attendance at roughly 300,000 attendees. The UFPJ website actually says 350,000.What's interesting is that the Daily Gazette and the other papers I checked ran this AP story UNCORRUPTED, in its entirety, and, in many cases, on the front page. The picture in the Gazette (and the Reuters photo I sent out yesterday) make it obvious that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of protestors attended, not just "thousands". The Times Union also ran the same AP story, unadulterated.Not only did our little Fascist Daily (The Post-Star) REMOVE the headline saying "Tens Of", they also REMOVED the words "tens of" in the body of the story. They also removed the part of the AP story where the organizers estimated the crowd at 300,000. They did not run a picture at all.Can we pretend that this kind of manipulation of the news to favor a pro-war agenda is an accident?! THIS IS NOT A FREAKIN' ACCIDENT! There are some people at the paper who are actively pursuing a pro-war agenda because their corporate masters are the paymasters and war makes them (and all of the ruling class) a lot of money. Facts don't just get casually edited out of AP stories by mistake. Their removal is purposeful. Fascism and its machinery of propaganda are alive and well right in our own backyard! You need look no further than those who run our sleepy little corporate daily to see that clearly! Below I have copied the actual AP story, unadulterated, for your viewing pleasure. Sleep well!

Tens of Thousands in NYC Protest War
By DESMOND BUTLER Associated Press Writer April 30, 2006
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tens of thousands of protesters marched Saturday through lower Manhattan to demand an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, just hours after this month's death toll reached 70.Cindy Sheehan, a vociferous critic of the war whose soldier son also died in Iraq, joined in the march, as did actress Susan Sarandon and the Rev. Jesse Jackson."End this war, bring the troops home," read one sign lifted by marchers on the sunny afternoon, three years after the war in Iraq began. The mother of a Marine killed two years ago in Iraq held a picture of her son, born in 1984 and killed 20 years later.One group marched under the banner "Veterans for Peace." The demonstrators stretched for about 10 blocks as they headed down Broadway. Organizers said 300,000 people marched, though a police spokesman declined to give an estimate. There were no reports of arrests."We are here today because the war is illegal, immoral and unethical," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. "We must bring the troops home."Organizers said the march was also meant to oppose any military action against Iran, which is facing international criticism over its nuclear program. The event was organized by the group United for Peace and Justice."We've been lied to, and they're going to lie to us again to bring us a war in Iran," said Marjori Ramos, 43, of New York. "I'm here because I had a lot of anger, and I had to do something." Steve Rand, an English teacher from Waterbury, Vt., held a poster announcing, "Vermont Says No to War." "I'd like to see our troops come home," he said.The march stepped off shortly after noon from Union Square, with the demonstrators heading for a rally between a U.S. courthouse and a federal office building in lower Manhattan.The death toll in Iraq for April was the highest for a single month in 2006. At least 2,399 U.S. military members have died since the war began. An Army soldier was the latest victim, killed Saturday in a roadside explosion in Baghdad.That figure is well below some of the bloodiest months of the Iraq conflict, but is a sharp increase over March, when 31 were killed. January's death toll was 62 and February's 55. In December, 68 Americans died.

The "Pro-War": Corrupting Truth EVERY Day

Yesterday, I let everyone know that our own newspaper lies to promote war and kill workers! People at the paper were upset that I was so mean in describing their fascist behavior. Today, rather than apologize for my demeanor, I am writing to say that I am even more correct about their terrible, dishonorable pro-war agenda than I was yesterday! For those not up to speed, the "paper" ran an AP story about the huge Manhattan war protests over the weekend. In their usual fashion, they just ran the AP story on a secondary page (or so they said). This is hardly surprising, after all, NYC is hardly "local" and is slightly off their "beat".The Fascist Daily ran this AP story, though, as if it reported "thousands" of protestors in Manhattan. Interestingly, they CORRUPTED the original text of the AP story to suit their own pro-war needs! The same AP story running in the Daily Gazette and many other papers, said "tens of thousands" (in both headline and in text). Often, the story was accompanied by one of many available wire service photos showing a teeming throng obviously a quarter million strong or better. This same AP story also reported that the organizers (United For Peace and Justice) estimated the attendance was roughly 300,000 attendees (the UFPJ website says 350,000).What's interesting is that the Daily Gazette and the other papers I checked ran this AP story uncorrupted, in its entirety, and, in many cases, on the front page. The picture in the Gazette (and the Reutersphoto I sent out yesterday) make it obvious that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of protestors attended, not just "thousands". The Times Union also ran the same AP story, again, unadulterated. Not only did our little Fascist Daily (Post-Star) REMOVE the headline saying "Tens Of", they also REMOVED the words "tens of" and also removed the part of the AP story where the organizers estimated the crowd at 300,000. They did not run any picture with the story. Can we pretend that this kind of manipulation of the news to favor a pro-war agenda is an accident?! THIS IS NOT A FREAKIN' ACCIDENT! There are obviously people at the paper who are actively pursuing a pro-war agenda because their corporate masters and they, themselves, (as well as the whole ruling class) make a lot of money when there is war and its not their kids who die, either. Facts don't just get casually edited out of AP stories by mistake. Their removal is purposeful. Fascism and its machinery of propaganda are alive and well right in our own backyard! You need look no further than those who run our sleepy little corporate daily to see that clearly!

The Glens Falls "Pro-War" Lies Again!

This weekend, our own newspaper, "The Fascist Daily" reported that "thousands" of anti-war demonstrators marched in Manhattan. The marchers wished to show the public how little support is left for our fake government's corrupt and illegal imperialist ventures in Iraq.The Pro-War (Ooopps, Freudian slip, I meant the "Post-Star") printed no picture with its AP story and then severely underreported the turnout. While this "underreporting the numbers" game goes back to the beginnings of the labor movement and the first robber barons and their control of the "free press", its always cool to catch the little Nazis in their lie. Along with a picture of the protests taken by Chip East, Reuters reported a QUARTER OF A MILLION PROTESTORS. Let me just ask you; thousands of protestors, tens of thousands of protestors, hundreds of thousands or a quarter million protestors? Which would be the most accurate description of the attendance and why did the Fascist Daily choose the LEAST accurate (and least favorable) description? The Pro-War (oops, there I go again) wanted to paint a mental image in your mind of just about enough people to fill a large high school auditorium. The picture hardly supports their flawed and biased reporting. One more truth they'll never show you.

Anti-war protesters gather in Manhattan
Published on 4/30/2006 Regional News THE POST-STAR
NEW YORK -- A day after the military announced that April was the deadliest month for U.S. forces in Iraq this year, thousands of anti-war demonstrators marched Saturday through lower Manhattan to demand an immediate withdrawal of troops. Cindy Sheehan, a vociferous critic of the war whose soldier son also died in Iraq, joined in the march, as did actress Susan Sarandon and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. "End this war, bring the troops home," read one sign lifted by marchers on the sunny afternoon, three years after the war in Iraq began.The mother of a Marine killed two years ago in Iraq held a picture of her son, born in 1984 and killed 20 years later. One group marched under the banner "Veterans for Peace.""We are here today because the war is illegal, immoral and unethical," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. "We must bring the troops home." Organizers said the march was also meant to oppose any military action against Iran, which is facing international criticism over its nuclear program. The event was organized by the group United for Peace and Justice.The march stepped off shortly after noon from Union Square, with the demonstrators heading for a rally between a U.S. courthouse and a federal office building in Lower Manhattan. The military said Friday that at least 69 U.S. troops have died in Iraq in April. That figure is well below some of the bloodiest months of the Iraq conflict, but is a sharp increase over March, when 31 were killed. January's death toll was 62 and February's 55. In December, 68 Americans died.

Finally,a REAL Paper Covers McCourt

Well, looky here .... Apparently, the Legislative Gazette sees a guy running for governor of the state its readership lives in and ... runs a story on it as if it were ... important to its readership! They did a story Monday on Malachy McCourt running as a Green for NYS governor.The fascists at our local daily "paper" still refuse to even let this information see the light of day.Interesting that such a tiny little paper like the Gazette without a huge staff and monstrous ad revenue, somehow managed to piece together this story by phoning the campaign manager and getting information off the web. They weren't even granted an exclusive interview with Mr. McCourt (this is apparently the type of access the Fascist Daily needs to even cover the announcement).Very strange. Now, why would the Gazette have an interest in covering third party candidates and campaigns in our sleepy little state? Our friends at the Daily Fascist don't ever give third parties coverage. I guess that's the difference between a "real" newspaper and an advertising mechanism masquerading as one.

Two Green Party candidates enter statewide races
By THOMAS SANTOMARCO Legislative Gazette Staff Writer
Mon, Apr 24, 2006 http://www.legislativegazette.com/read_more.php?story=1271
It's not easy being green these days. Or at least not as easy as it once was. Green Party candidate Stanley Aronowitz's 2002 gubernatorial bid failed to garner the 50,000 votes necessary to maintain the party's official ballot status, which was first achieved in 1998 by celebrity-activist Al "Grandpa" Lewis.Current Green Party candidates are faced with the daunting task of collecting the signatures of 15,000 registered voters in order to get them on the ballot this fall.Nevertheless, last week saw the entry of two Green Party candidates into statewide races, as Malachy McCourt tossed his hat into the ring that is the governor's race, while Rachel Treichler declared her candidacy for attorney general.Treichler, a resident of Hammondsport in Steuben County, cited what she called "numerous impediments to voting" as one of the reasons for her entry into the race. She said having Election Day be a workday and not allowing citizens to register to vote on Election Day are deterrents to the process of electing public officials.Treichler is also calling for the use of hand-counted paper ballots, which she said is the safest and most cost-efficient method of tallying vote totals.Treichler, who ran in 2002 for the House of Representatives seat from the 29th District, also said she wants to see more public forums for candidates to debate issues with citizens present and wants to do away with current methods employed in drawing legislative districts. "We need elected officials who are not beholden to the two major parties and the interests they represent," Treichler said."We need to make sure that our rights to vote and our rights to free and fair elections are protected."Meanwhile McCourt, a writer and actor, was expected to formally announce his candidacy at a Sunday Long Island news conference, but has created a "listen line" at 646-213-1870, where his recorded voice cheerfully greets callers with his campaign slogan, "Don't waste your vote. Give it to me."McCourt goes on to say, "We will stand in principle while the others have to run, lest they be found out," before concluding "Green Party all the way."McCourt, who has collaborated on three books with his brother Frank McCourt, of "Angela's Ashes" fame, currently writes a newspaper column titled "Sez I to Myself" running in three Manhattan newspapers. Maria Kuriloff, McCourt's campaign manager, said she is confident McCourt will easily make it on to the ballot this fall and thinks he will receive more votes than Lewis received in 1998.There are currently 36,141 registered Green Party voters in New York, according to the state board of elections."There's been an exciting reaction to this candidacy throughout the United States. We've even got support from Romania," Kuriloff said.Jeff Peress is also seeking to be the Green nominee for governor this fall, but McCourt could have a leg up with his campaign treasurer being the wife of state Green Party Co-Chair Ian Wilder. "Mr. McCourt has a leg up," Kuriloff said, "but it's not because Mr.Wilder's wife is his treasurer.""Jeff Peress has no support." The Green Party nominating convention is scheduled for May 20 in Albany.

Day 31: Our Paper Asks What Its Readers Think

Our "local" corporate paper is being so badly mismanaged that it isn't even telling us all the candidtes who are running for office. Scratch that! Maybe its the opposite. Maybe it's being so WELL managed that they're not even telling us who's running for office! Those who understand that the TRUE purpose of corporate media is to ignore third-parties, divert the public's attention away from real issues and destroy democracy need read no further. Our dear little local paper is doing a great job!While we all occasionally see a reader's poll that we think is cool, we need to remember that they are usually just not-so-subtle ways to refocis our attention. The Glens Falls Daily Fascist Reader's poll this week is a good example. They ask a stupid question but its an excellent example of how these fascist media types try to re-inforce the idea that no-one else is running for office except the two corporate candidates (in much the same way that printing three of four stories a day on the two corporate candidates re-inforces that idea, as well).The poll asks: Is the spirited campaign between John Sweeney and Kirsten Gillibrand likely to affect you in the fall? We are expected to answer; a) I’m more likely to vote, b) I’m less likely to vote, c) It won’t affect whether I vote or not, or d) When does football start? Ha. Ha. Ha. Wow, thats funny. Now, what is this "spirited campaign" they refer to? Surely, they aren't referring to the, thus far, unbelievably boring, careful, money-driven, baseless, passionless, issueless, political campaign that these two tired corporate proles are "waging"? They must mean the almost daily, two-party, advertising campaign that the paper itself has mounted for these two fascist, non-representative, non-populist, corporate candidates often accompanied by photos and backstories - that must be the campaign they're talking about!The Daily Fascist is again pretending to cover the story (in this case, the political races that effect their readership) when all they are really doing is regurgitating the PR that flows freely (like sewage) from these two campaigns.Doug Walters would like to provide the Democrats with another choice in Congressional District 20 besides Kirsten "Hillary Jr." Gillibrand but he has yet to be mentioned once in the Post-Star.Sander Hicks, a NYC coffeehouse-owner, filmmaker and publisher is running against Schumer for US Senate. Where is his story?Malachy McCourt announced his intent to run for NYS governor on the Green ticket over 31 days ago and he has still yet to be mentioned even once in our joke of a newspaper. One reporter has even asked me to arrange an interview for him with Mr. McCourt! I find it hard to believe that the Post-Star expects a daily interview with Weeney or Gilligan each day before cutting and pasting their latest he said/she said bullshit advertisement in the "paper"? The Post-Star has always had plenty of hype and pap about George Pataki and I have yet to see the "Maury Interview" with Elmer (George's real name). Why should Mr. McCourt (a far, far more accomplished human being than Elmer by almost any reasonable measure) have to suffer through a bullshit interview with some podunk reporter who will withhold coverage unless he yields? Malachy McCourt has a campaign manager and a website which lists press info, contacts, releases and some platform information (certainly far more than any other candidate has thrown out there, as of yet). He will be appearing at the NYS Green Party convention later this month (May 20th) to express his reasons for running and reveal some of his agenda and platform. I wonder what excuses the Fascist Daily will use to explain their lack of coverage on the upcoming convention? Many people who work in media tell me that the general lack of third party coverage is due to the fact that reporters are lazy and/or overworked and will, therefore, basically print anything sent to them by these PR idiots to avoid having to do more work. This may well be true if you are a two-party candidate (see the Post-Star's 8 million stories on Weeney/Gillibrand already) but let me say that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE if you are a third-party or independent candidate. You have to kill someone or fight tooth and nail for just one small story without pictures, very time. If these candidtes are sick, the headlines would read, "Sweeney Blows Nose: Gillibrand Hocks a Lugey".These internal arguments about why are just rationalizations to make the press feel better about their own complicity in the destruction of our democracy. In truth, the real reason why third-party candidates are not covered by the corporate press is that it is owned and run by fascist scum. Corporate interests rule! They can and do manipulate the masses by regularly offering up only two puppets running, both controlled by the same masters. They never tell us about the real candidates (the ones "sans strings"). The press is complicit and the lie that they are just ignoring third parties out of laziness or status quo reporting is just that ... a lie. We have to be angry and fully aware that this lack of coverage is purposeful and systemic.The average American does not do anything about this and is not really upset about it. Thats what many corporate media apologist-types say;"The people don't really care to know about the other candidates. Its such a small percentage of the population who care about third parties". If thats really true, then why is almost 40% of Warren County NOT registered two-party? That sounds like a frickin' majority to me! Are we really going to sit idly by while the whorish corporate media continues to destroy our democratic process? History says that, YES, we will. I hope that, in this case, history is wrong.As Aaron Russo said (in his recent film on illegal taxation - From Freedom to Fascism), "Stop being good Democrats. Stop being good Republicans. Start being good Americans!"

Day 27: Still No Coverage of Third Party Candidates

The Post-Star had THREE unbelievably inane stories in today's paper about the Weeney versus Gilligan race in our Congressional District 20. Count them ..... THREE! They ran pretty pictures and advertised for the two-party candidates for free. Good work, Post-Star! Way to ensure the continued success of the two-party system!There was, conversely, NOT A SINGLE SPECK of coverage about Doug Walters (a REAL Democrat seeking support to run in place of the corporate lawyer and yes-woman, Kirsten Gillibrand). There was also NARY A MENTION of Malachy McCourt running for Governor.I think we should rename the "local' paper, switching it to a more honest or demonstrative name like, Oh I don't know .... maybe ... "The Fascist Daily". They couldn't be more biased and corporate so they might as well just wear it on their sleeve. Think of the new masthead; A banner trailing behind a cartoonish Adolf Hitler as he goose-steps across the front page towards the new American police state. The banner reads; The Glens Falls Daily Fascist - One of Thousands of Small Corporate-Owned, Mass-Produced, Advertising Journals Masquerading as News, Whose Sole Purpose Is To Limit Choice Ensuring That The Corporate Elite And The Ruling Class Remain Firmly In Power. Sure, its kinda long but its also kinda catchy, don'tcha think? Of course, it is in the best interests of Lee Enterprises that a corporate whore from one of the two major parties be elected to every office, so why would they give third parties any press? Obviously, Lee Enterprises has given our fine, hard-working friends at the Post-Star no choice about this. They must be watching over their shoulders every second to ensure that the "No Third Party Rule" is being observed every minute. What spectacular journalism! What great honesty and pride in their work! Hip, Hip, Hooray! ;-)

What Corporate Media Won't Tell Us in CD 20

Three great articles on third-parties and their candidates.

Number One - An email from Doug Walters (Doug is seeking the Dem nod for Congress in our Congressional District). He is asking that Dems use some common sense and see Kirsten Gillibrand for who she really is and not throw their vote away on her but vote for him instead.

Two - An AP story about Peace activist, Michael Berg (you'll remember that Nicholas Berg, his son, was beheaded in Iraq). He is running for Congress in the state of Delaware as a Green.

Three - "Gonzo" journalist, Maury Thompson, reports in his ground-breaking column, "News From the Campaign Trail", even more inanefinancial information about the two fascists running in CD 20 but somehow manages to leave out any news about McCourt, Walters or Berg!

Especially with Berg, what is the Post-Star so afraid of? I mean, its not like any of their readers live in Delaware and would vote for Berg! Is their corporate ownership really so mean that they would still spank them if they ran a puff piece on this guy? I can understand their non-reporting on McCourt and Walters. I mean those guys are actuallyrunning in THIS state. If the Post-Star reported on them, people might know that they're running and take action; petitioning, helping out the campaigns, voting third party, etcetera! That's very frightening, to think about, of course. We can't have that ... but where's the danger in telling us about Berg? ;-)

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Below is an email circulated by Doug Walters, who is seeking to run as a Democrat against sweeney. A lot of the "progressive democrats" types have been pushing Gillibrand hard to run for Sweeney, because Clinton supports her and she can raise money through her corporate and old-time Albany machine / Pataki lobbying connections. So far she has raised around $750,000.

This is his response: Several of you have written to Cynthia Pooler expressing your support for Kirsten Gillibrand. Some of you also expressed some pique at the idea of an upstart from downstate daring to challenge her candidacy. This was sufficiently thought-provoking for me to decide to offer a response. To the one who suggested that I should "stop whining" and should have started running "two years ago," I hope to reassure you that "whining" is not one of my character flaws.As for running two years ago, I was a full-time felony investigator for the New York City Dept. of Probation until a few months ago. Running for political office was not only not in my mind, it was not possible.By way of introduction, I will say only that I have been a political activist for progressive causes since I began opposing the Viet Nam War in 1965. I volunteered for Eugene McCarthy in 1968. I consider George McGovern and Walter Mondale the two best presidents we never had. I spent my entire professional career as a social worker and a law enforcement officer. I was a union activist throughout my career. I supported Ken McCallion, Frank Stoppenbach, and Doris Kelley when few others were willing to do so.Like all of you, I have wanted to send a progressive Democrat to Congress for a long time, no more thinking of myself than you were. I made the decision to run for the nomination on Feb. 1, 2006, immediately AFTER seeing and hearing Ms.Gillibrand make her formal announcement, and I urge you to consider the implications of that. Her speech was notable for lacking any coherent statement of convictions or memorable ideas--except for her statement about Iraq, which John Sweeney could have endorsed without reservation. There wasn't even a vague statement about the environment. This does not fit with any notion of a progressive Democrat. I felt confirmed in my decision by her remarks at the candidates' forum in Dutchess County on April 8th, where she continued to say that our troops are "protecting our freedom" in Iraq and "protecting Iraqis' right to a democracy," words which nobody in the room believed. Why is a "progressive" Democrat saying this?Even more importantly, I heard all six Democrats running in the 19th Dist. speak in the afternoon. Ms.Gillibrand did not stay for this, but she should have. All six of them made excellent statements, forthright and passionate responses to questions, and presented themselves as credible candidates, unafraid to speak honestly in accord with their convictions. I think it significant that many of them have a background in public service and none of them is a corporate lawyer. The point is that Ms. Gillibrand was the only candidate there who came across as a pre-packaged media candidate making calculated statements in the hope of not affecting anyone's digestion.I urge you to at least stop and think before subscribing to her candidacy. Which one of us does not ask, " If this is the best government money can buy, shouldn't we find a new way of choosing a government?" So why are we so eager to embrace a candidate just because she shows up with a lot of money {Where does it come from? Why was it given to her? You need to know.} and the endorsement of party insiders with a documented history of losing elections? Isn't it true that there is an inverse relationship between big money and good government? What is our goal here? Several of you have made statements to the effect that you support Gillibrand because you believe she "will be the candidate" {i.e., you are impressed by the money} and you "hope she will get better." { How so, when she has been planning this for over two years?} Others have said, "We know the system is broken but until it gets fixed, this is the best we can do," so let's all get behind Gillibrand. I have a little trouble following the logic here. Just WHO is going to "fix the system" if WE keep nominating candidates who are part and parcel of the system, and are beholden to big money instead of to the people and their needs?Give me a break, friends. I was a criminal investigator. I know how to ask tough questions, and I know how to spot evasive answers. Sure, I'm an idealist, but I wasn't born yesterday. You are also saying, "This is a conservative district" so even though we "know she isn't just what we would like," we have to settle for second best because anybody is better than Sweeney. Is this the progessive vision that can change Congress? Is this the kind of hope that will inspire Democrats to make the effort necessary to win?In the year 2006, people want hope for a real change, not a cosmetic one. Voters respond to message, not money. I have yet to hear a real person say that Democrats should nominate a "centrist"{Republican} and that will solve all our problems. Let's do the arithmetic.To win the 20th, we need to win all the Democatic votes, a big majority of the No Party votes, and the disaffected Republican votes. Where do you see any spark in the Gillibrand campaign that has a hope of achieving this? Several months ago Maureen Dowd wrote a column in which she said that "Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry cannot lead the Democratic Party to victory." I have supported all those people, and voted for the last three, but Dowd is right, and we need to wake up to the truth. The same old tip-toeing around the real issues is just stumbling in the dark on the way to another defeat. 2006 is absolutely critical for our country, and for our world, given the lunatics and criminals who are running the show. 2008 will be much too late.Ask yourself whether Congress does not already have more than enough millionaires and corporate lawyers in it. That's not being harsh, that's reality, and everybody else will be asking it. If I'm not the right candidate, fine, find another one. I would love to stay home and enjoy my retirement. But remember this: 99% of the people in this district don't know ANY of the candidates yet {except Sweeney} and they are not going to be motivated by vapid speeches and slick tv ads about nothing. I'm not afraid to say that it is just as obscene for Democrats to throw a million dollars down the drain of a meaningless media campaign as it is for Sweeney to do it. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to settle for a weak candidate who is not going to be made strong by all the professional consultants money can buy.Even in the unlikely event that Gillibrand could defeat Sweeney, you know as well as I do that she is not somebody who will stand up to the White House or the party hierarchy or the special interests, and work to change Congress in the way it desperately needs to be changed. She is not one who is going to keep us out of Iran when the real crunch comes. She is politics as usual with a slightly different marketing spin.Give us a Barbara Boxer, a Patty Murray, or a Nydia Velasquez, and I'll work like a sled dog for her----but don't give me this! Thanks for your time. I will look forward to meeting you in person. Doug Walters
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Father of Pa. man beheaded in Iraq seeks House seat in Delaware
By RANDALL CHASE The Associated Press
WILMINGTON, Del. - Unlike other candidates who have dared to take on Delaware's popular Republican congressman in recent elections, Michael Berg shouldn't have a problem with name recognition.Since he spoke out two years ago about the death of his son Nick, a 26-year-old Pennsylvania contractor kidnapped and beheaded by Islamic militants in Iraq, Berg has been interviewed, marched in anti-war protests and given speeches around the globe.He's also been arrested about a half-dozen times for civil disobedience, most recently at the Pentagon while trying to get an audience with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.The same ready-to-protest wear that he dons for demonstrations is part of his everyday appearance as he campaigns for Congress on the Green Party ticket: jeans, anti-war T-shirt and sandals."If I don't get sworn-in in my T-shirt and jeans, then I've been lying to people," said Berg, 61, an outspoken peace activist who is the only candidate for the Green Party's formal endorsement at its May convention. "I don't see the suit as the symbol of something I want to emulate."Delaware's Green Party, which boasts about 600 members in an electorate of more than 547,000 registered voters, has never won a campaign. Berg has never run for office. The incumbent, Republican Michael Castle, is the longest-serving U.S. House member in state history. Berg has raised a few thousand dollars; Castle has more than $1 million in his treasury.But Berg is undaunted."I'm not a politician; I'm a school teacher," said Berg, who retired from teaching in 2002. "It's hard. It's emotionally exhausting. ... There are times when it's really hard to do it, but I'm committed to it."If everyone votes for what they really believe, that's all I ask," he added.What Berg believes is that Americans now understand that President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq was wrong, and that Castle and other lawmakers who supported the war effort also are to blame."This midterm election is really a referendum on the war, it's a referendum on the Bush policies," said Berg, who believes the most urgent task facing the nation is to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq and bring the troops home. Berg said he had no notion of running for office when he moved to Delaware last spring. He just wanted to downsize from the four-bedroom house in Chester County, Pa., where he and his wife were besieged by media after their son's death, and transition to a more urban setting. Since taking up residence in Delaware, Suzanne Berg has guarded her privacy and has not appeared at her husband's campaign events. "We respect her privacy," said Berg's campaign manager, John Atkeison.Berg switched his affiliation from Democrat to independent in 1992, fed up with what he calls front-loaded presidential primaries that left many voters out of the decision-making process. He registered with the Green Party after moving to Delaware, and party officials approached him late last summer about running."Some might whisper 'carpetbagger,' since he just came into the state in May," said Samuel Hoff, a political science professor at Delaware State University in Dover. Dennis Spivack, a Wilmington attorney seeking the Democratic nomination, said simply that he understands Delaware better than Berg does."I don't see how you can come into a state and in just three to six months be truly representative," said Spivack, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran who agrees with Berg that the Iraq war was a mistake for which Castle bears part of the blame. Castle did not return telephone calls seeking comment.Hoff gives Berg and Spivack little chance of winning but said general disillusionment with the Bush administration could reduce Castle's usually overwhelming margin by a few points."I think we have an interesting race which, on the face of it, looks like it's ganging up on Michael Castle in reference to the Iraq war," he said.Unlike his father, Nicholas Berg supported the Iraq war. The two didn't see eye-to-eye on many things, including religion and politics, but they respected each other's opinions. "He thought Saddam Hussein should be deposed, and that George Bush made a hard decision and a good one," said Michael Berg, who didn't try to dissuade his son from going to Iraq. "Bottom line is, I knew that I couldn't change his mind," he said.Nicholas Berg traveled to Iraq late in 2003 and again in 2004, hoping to find work repairing radio towers. He was last seen on April 10, 2004, when he checked out of a Baghdad hotel. Berg's headless body was found a month later on a Baghdad street, and his killers posted a videotape of his slaying on the Internet.Berg is angry at Bush for the war and what happened to his son, but he tries not to let it control him."You can't go around telling people that you stand for peace when you have hatred and anger inside yourself," said Berg, who came away with life-changing insights after taking a course in forgiveness at Immaculata University in Pennsylvania last year."It was the first leap of faith I think I've ever taken in my life," said Berg, who had been an atheist. "I couldn't say 'forgiveness.' It was too Christian, too religious an idea for me."While continuing his search for a belief in God, Berg energizes himself with daily bike rides and a vegan diet while tending to his affairs, which include volunteering, protesting, writing a book and campaigning."I think this is the year for third-party candidates to win," he said, "and among all the third-party people out there, I think I stand a really good chance."John Atkeison - Campaign Manager, Berg for Congress http://bergforcongress.us Michael Berg was thrust into the role of prominent spokesperson for the peace movement when his son Nick was abducted and killed on May 7, 2004 in retaliation for the torture of Iraquis in Abu Ghraib prison. When Mr. Berg emerged from his initial mourning, he became famous with one phrase he uttered to the press:Nicholas Berg died for the sins of George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld.

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Finance reports: Bloomberg contributes to Sweeney's campaign:
FEC filings out in 20th Congressional District race
By MAURY THOMPSON thompson@poststar.com Published on 4/20/2006
News From the Campaign Trail THE POST-STAR
Democratic congressional candidate Kirsten Gillibrand has continued to rake in campaign cash from the New York City area, while incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. John Sweeney picked up a large contribution from the city's mayor, new campaign finance reports show. Gillibrand, a lawyer from Hudson, raised $341,099 in contributions during the first three months of the year and spent $95,614 on her campaign, leaving a balance of $511,259 in her campaign fund as of March 31, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Committee over the weekend. More than half of her itemized contributors listed addresses in the New York City area. The campaign received many small donations from within the 20th District that were not itemized, said Gillibrand's campaign manager, Bill Hyers. Sweeney, of Clifton Park, raised $392,936 over the same period and spent $132,850, leaving a balance of $961,819 as of March 31. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg contributed $4,200 to Sweeney's campaign; and a political action committee headed by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and a potential 2008 presidential candidate, contributed $2,500, according to Sweeney's campaign finance report. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association contributed $5,000 on March 20, in addition to $5,000 contributed previously in this election cycle. Sweeney received contributions from two developers with proposed projects in downtown Glens Falls. Anthony Audi, one of three partners in a proposed hotel development across from the Glens Falls Civic Center, contributed $1,000, and Lindel Wishcamper, a principal in a firm that has proposed redeveloping the Henry Hudson Townhouses complex, contributed $500. Gillibrand received support from several prominent Democratic politicians, including $2,500 from a political action committee headed by U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and $500 from a political action committee headed by U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc. Former state Democratic Chairwoman Judith Hope contributed $1,000, and Democratic state Attorney General candidate Andrew Cuomo contributed $1,000. Edwin Pell, another Democratic candidate in the 20th District, reported raising $1,220 and spending $309, leaving a balance of $911 as of March 32. Complete campaign finance reports for candidates can be accessed here for John Sweeney and here for Kirsten Gillibrand.Article ID No. 219290

Malachy McCourt Announces Candidacy For NYS Governor

http://www.malachyforgovernor.com/
Malachy McCourt is running for NYS Governor! Did you know that? You haven't heard yet? Well ... How is that even possible? I mean, he announced well over three weeks ago! Didn't your local news source tell you? They didn't? Wow, they really dropped the ball on this "local" news story, didn't they!?Well, I suppose you could learn more about Mr. McCourt right now by reading the River Reporter story pasted below. For some strange reason, they wrote and posted the story pretty much right after theannouncement happened instead of waiting three weeks like their corporate competition. What a bunch of weirdos, huh? You could also look at today's AP story pasted below.However, I have a feeling that if you wait until tomorrow, your local corporate news media, in an effort to appear non-fascist and unbiased, will paste this same story into tomorrow's "paper". ;-)Remember, its not so much the lies and errors and agenda that make up what we can call true media bias. Instead, it is what is left outcompletely or totally buried that is usually of vital significance. Can anyone say "corporate two-party bias"?

From: The River Reporter Narrowsburg, NY March 30th
Author and New York State gubernatorial candidate Malachy McCourt holds court in Narrowsburg
NARROWSBURG, NY — Malachy McCourt delighted an overflow crowd on Sunday, March 26 at the Delaware Valley Arts Center. Announcing his candidacy for New York governor on the Green Party ticket, he spoke for over an hour about his childhood in Ireland, the state of the world, the state of religion and a variety of other subjects. President Bush and the war in Iraq were frequent targets of his musings.McCourt is best known today as the author of a number of books, including “Voices of Ireland.” But he also had a career as an actor in television and movies, with roles in many productions including “The Molly Maguires” and “The Dane Curse.” He also was a radio talk show host in New York City.Apr 18, 12:08 PM EDTAuthor McCourt to Run for N.Y. GovernorBy MICHAEL GORMLEY Associated Press WriterALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Malachy McCourt, a writer, actor and brother of the author of "Angela's Ashes," says he plans to seek the Green Party nomination for governor of New York to end nuclear energy programs and revoke the death penalty."It is quite clear in the Bible 'Thou Shalt Not Kill,'" McCourt, well-known in New York City progressive politics, said in a news release. McCourt plans to officially announce his candidacy Sunday. He was out of the country Tuesday and didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.McCourt has appeared on public radio and numerous TV talk shows. His latest of eight books is "I Never Drink When I'm Sober," and he writes a newspaper column called "Sez I to Myself."He also has acted in soap operas, in films including "The Molly Maguires," "She's the One," "The Devil's Own," and "Green Card," and in the HBO prison series "Oz." His brother Frank McCourt wrote the best seller "Angela's Ashes."A Green Party spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.Candidates seeking the job being vacated by Republican Gov. George Pataki this year are Democrats Eliot Spitzer and Tom Suozzi and Republicans John Faso and Bill Weld.

Neo-Fascist Scum Debate Freedom Removals

Today, Maury Thompson had a piece in the Post-Star about Chuckie (the Warmonger) Schumer's position on border-crossing and ID cards (pasted below). For those of us who see permanent (or temporary) road blocks as unconstitutional and national ID cards as tools of a police state, the news could not be worse. I feel that I have reason, like the frog, to think that the "water is getting a little too warm". It is AMAZING to watch both democrat AND republican elected officials trip all over themselves trying to outdo each other in removing the constitutional rights of American citizens. Thank you, Maury, for writing this story and thank you Post-Star for printing it. Thanks are also due to our pro-war, pro-fascist, non-partisan representatives. People like Chuckie and Billary and Weeney and all the others who play at pretending to debate each other over which type of removal of our constitutional rights is the best option! What a bunch of swell guys (and gals) you really are! Perhaps Sam Kinison said it best, "I hope you slide under a gas truck and taste your own blood!"I hope its obvious to you in reading this that I say the "gas truck" thing tongue in cheek. Of course, I wouldn't really want that to happen to anyone - even these fascist scum who are responsible for the murder and maiming of tens of thousands of Iraqis and American soldiers.

Schumer Proposes Border PassesSenator: 'Day pass would allow for spontaneous travel'
By MAURY THOMPSON thompson@poststar.com
Published on 4/5/2006
U.S. citizens could obtain free re-entry passes at the U.S.-Canadian border that would permit them to spend up to 24 hours in Canada and come back into the United States without showing a passport, under legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. "This day pass would allow for spontaneous travel so people in western and northern New York can continue to take advantage of services, shops and work on the other side of the border," Schumer said in a press release. The day pass also would be available for travel to Mexico, the Caribbean and Panama.To obtain the pass, people would have to apply at any border crossing site and certify there was not enough time to obtain a passport. The legislation -- co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Bryon Dorgan, D-N.D. -- also would limit fees to $20 to obtain permanent alternative border crossing cards. The Department of Homeland Security has proposed charging $50 for the cards, which would allow recipients to cross the border without a passport. The permanent border crossing cards would take four to six weeks to process.The legislation also would exempt U.S. citizens younger than 18 from a proposed passport requirement, as long as they are traveling with a parent or guardian.Schumer and other federal and state legislators have been debating a proposed federal rule that would require U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Panama to have passports to re-enter the country. Citizens of those countries also would be required to have a passport to visit the United States. Currently, those entering the country need only show a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification to cross the border into the United States.The passport requirement was intended to strengthen border security, but local government officials and business leaders have said it would discourage cross-border commerce and tourism. Schumer's proposal "appears to be moving in the right direction," U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, said in a prepared statement. A free pass valid for a longer period of time -- such as 48 or 72 hours -- may be more practical, he said.Schumer's proposal would be an improvement over the initial passport requirement, but would still cause delays for people waiting at a border crossing to receive a day pass, said state Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward, R-Willsboro. Sayward said the federal government should require that states request the same identification for driver's license applications as what is necessary to obtain a passport. That way, she said, a driver's license or state identification card could be used as alternative identification to a passport when crossing the border.

Arrest Those Damn Bikers!

Wouldn't it be cool if our local media would write stories about things like this ... Cyclists being ticketed for ... gasp! ... get this! ... CYCLING! Geezum Crow! Where do these degenerates get the nerve to exhibit this kind of obscene behavior in our North Country? ;-)

http://hm.indymedia.org/newswire/display/11790/index.php
Is It Even Legal To Cycle In Albany? This evening about 35 bicyclers showed up for the monthly "Critical Mass" in Albany. Expecting to enjoy a ride with our friends, families and kids, we started biking down Madison. We made it, really, 50 feet before an Albany police officer stopped in front of us to halt the ride. [WHEN THERE ARE NO BIKE LANES, a biker has the right to take up an entire lane of traffic, so assumingly our 35 bicyclists may legally take up one lane as there is no bike lanes and it would be dangerous and illegal to ride on a sidewalk (obviously).]Anyhow, the officer claimed that we cannot take up a lane of traffic as we ride on our bikes. As he flipped through a "rule book" it was apparent that he didn't know one way or the other. The officer claimed that we could discuss it with him and that no one may leave, or he would have to call for backup. (Thirty minutes of trying to reason with this person) Not really knowing what legal ground he had for stopping us from biking, he called for 2 cars for backup. Several people left believing that this "discussion" was not going anywhere and more unreasoning and angry cops were on their way. The majority of us did then leave for the rest of our bikeride (10 minutes of frustrated biking over Lark and up Central Avenue in one, legal lane). We got the call that there was one confirmed ticket (for one person who presumably tried to reason with the police officer and took the brunt for the rest of us). Thank you! Then, one police car did the same thing and stopped in our lane with lights a cirkus-like. As people biked past him, he picked one person on their bike and dragged them across the four lanes to the other side of the road (fortunately there happened to be no traffic passing!) Then, being among the few who passed the officer's nice-cop pleads of "C'mon guys, I wanna talk to you" we split up and went different ways. If anyone has any info on tickets/arrests and pictures, please post them.Albany is BIKE-UNFRIENDLY. We have to do something about it! The cops want to flex their muscles but bicyclists are not breaking any laws!!!! We ARE traffic, it's time for the Albany police department to recognize that!

It is Our Policy NOT to Allow People to Bash Businesses by Name

Dear ComPost-Star Staff and Gentle Readers,
Think what you will about those who would call themselves neutral or objective who run our local "paper". This tale is just way too revealing to not share it with you. Below, I've posted one of several letters to the editor that I wrote last summer. Our very own ComPost-Star refused to run it. It was sent in during the mayoral campaign and included a tagline about my mayoral preference. The "people" at the "paper" claimed that they could not print it because of its direct swipe (quite legitimate, I thought) at the (aptly named) Dick's Sporting Goods store and its faulty merchandise and return policy. Today, though, they printed a letter that totally bashes a local business ... BY NAME! But, golly, journalistic folk, didn't you tell me that you couldn't print letters that did that? I thought you said it was against your POLICY to allow letter writers to bash businesses by name? This leaves me with several different thoughts. Either, they are a bunch of liars who hate me ... OR ... They are a bunch of liars who hate Esmond Lyons ... OR ... They are a bunch of liars who love Dick's and its ad revenue ... OR ... They're simply part of the Good Ol' Boy Network and they do whatever they're told by their bosses, including refusing to print letters that are pro-independent or third-party during any election they cover. I wonder which unethical reason they choose to rationalize their terrible and dishonest behavior?

Support Local Business!
Refused by the Post-Star on July 7th, 2005

Dear Editor:
Yesterday, my ten year-old son needed a new bat. Unfortunately, Dick’s was the only place that had the correct size. The $80 (!) bat dented twice during its first use. The ball was regulation and I’m pretty sure that John’s not on steroids!I brought the bat and receipt back to Dick’s. The clerk said he couldn’t refund my money but would be happy to help me contact the manufacturer. “The manufacturer didn’t sell me the bat, your store did,” I said. He said, “It’s not my policy. It’s Dick’s.”I am a local businessman. I coach both baseball and hockey. You can be sure that any future players of mine will hear the “Dick’s bat” story and get a list of all locally-owned, responsible, sports retailers from which they should buy their equipment.This experience reminds me of why it is so important to vote November 8th for a mayor who actually understands the value of keeping things local! I hope that you will all consider voting for Esmond Lyons, a local mayoral candidate who supports small local businesses and farmers as an integral part of his platform. MATT FUNICIELLO

QueensburyBeware Of Local Towing Company
Printed April 1st, 2006
Dear Editor, Beware if you park in the public city parking lot on Oakland Avenue, across from Finch. During Civic Center events someone has decided no parking is allowed there, but no one seems to know who it is.I parked in that parking lot on Dec. 3, and when I returned my vehicle was gone. I called the police, they didn't know where my vehicle was. They suggested I call the Civic Center. I did, and they told me to call Essential Towing. They said they had my car, and it would be $100 to get it back. I went to their lot. My car had tickets and was not towed to a secured lot. Later I started asking questions and found out the towing rate allowed by city law is a maximum of $50. I called numerous places to express my concerns and to find out how Essential Towing could be allowed to do this. Once again, no one had an answer except for if I wanted my money back to take Essential Towing to court. In the Dec. 8 issue of The Post-Star under Glens Falls Board of Public Safety Meeting matters, it read: Essential Towing was dropped from towing by the city because of excessive tow fees.Today, I was told that six more cars were towed in one evening from the same parking lot, again by Essential Towing, at $100 per tow. Can anyone tell me how they can keep getting away with this? Please don't get me wrong -- towing companies that come to your rescue when you need them perform a valuable service. The ones I have a problem with are the ones like Essential Towing who can take your car without permission and are also allowed to overcharge. These companies must be scrutinized. BONNIE TURNER South Glens Falls

From Freedom To Fascism

www.freedomtofascism.com
info@givemeliberty.org
www.wethepeoplefoundation.org

I went to an advance screening of Aaron Russo's film, "America: From Freedom To Fascism", yesterday with my family at Adirondack Community College (the very same "institute of higher learning" that UN-invited me from representing Ralph Nader in a presidential proxy debate that I helped to organize - an excellent example of how the bastards really work). Check out the film's trailer (the first website listed). It was really well put-together and will speak its message well to, I think, a huge variety of audiences. To say the least, there are certainly some areas where the average Libertarian and I have significant disagreement, but Russo's film is very simply a damning look at the encroachment of governmental and corporate powers. We can all agree that these are steadily dissolving our rights and freedoms and that this MUST, ultimately, result in a fascist state. On that issue, we are in MAJOR agreement. The film speaks to us less from a pulpit or lectern. Russo simply wants to know WHY? The whores in the corporate media would do well to follow his example. Where is the law that says Americans HAVE to file or pay income tax? Where is it? Pamela Brooks wrote a nice story about the showing of the film but will the Post-Star have her do a special story on the IRS and its tyrannical and illegal behavior? Will she be told to interview IRS officials and do a follow-up on their side of the story? Please don't hold your breath - I wouldn't want anyone to asphyxiate. ;-)

Kudos to Bob Schultz, the local tax/constitutional activist and one of Russo's primary inspirations for the film. Mr. Schultz is the founder of "We The People Foundation". His courage and tenacity in taking on the evil that seeks to destroy our freedoms and the country that we all love makes him a good American by any measure. Bringing this film here and getting the Fascist Daily (or the ComPost-Star by which name I prefer to call them) to report on it and help get people out to see it is a major coup. After all, remember when Ralph Nader came to the area, IN PERSON, to talk about many of these same issues that Greens and Libertarians and Conservatives and independents and other smart people know are important, LeeAnn Womack got WAY better coverage. Russo intends to go to Cannes with his film and then to attempt theatrical release. The film will need some help getting distributed, to say the least. Mr. Schultz says that you can sign up to aid in that cause ($5 to $50,000 dollars) by contacting Russo or Schultz through the website's. I've already signed up and urge you to do so as well. We'll also show the film at the cafe as soon as it is legally available for that purpose. I urge you to check out the trailer.

Nader's Response to Dean's Democratic "Survey"

This piece is from Counterpunch. It is Ralph Nader's response to Howard Dean's survey about where the Democrats should go next ... I have a few suggestions of my own ... but Ralph's aren't so bad, either .... ;-)

March 20, 2006
The DNC's "Grassroots Agenda"Howard Dean's Plea for Advice
By RALPH NADER
I just received a letter from Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, describing me as a "Democratic Leader" and "an active and engaged member of our Party in your community." He asks for my "opinions" which "will help shape the future direction of the Democratic Party and make us more effective in building grassroots support for our agenda."Dr. Dean attaches a survey "registered in your name and intended exclusively for your use." How nice! He made me feel even more exclusive when he called me "the strength and soul of the Democratic Party," along with other "local leaders."Well, with such encomiums, how could I not peruse the lengthy questionnaire so that I can meet Mr. Dean's expectations. Especially with his personal instructions "Ralph, please turn the page to begin your survey."The questions covered some important topics. They include one asking whether I support "new tax cuts targeted at working families." But no request for my opinion on removing the massive Bush tax reductions for the wealthy, for their unearned income of capital gains and dividends, and for large corporations now making rocket profits.Another inquiry asked about raising the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour, but no higher figure was listed. Nor was there a question about labor law reform assisting workers in our concentrated industrial, commercial and retail economy (eg. WalMart) to establish or expand trade unions. The present system is rigged in favor of giant companies.Down further in the survey, there is the question about allowing Medicare to bring in less expensive drugs from Canada, but nothing about controlling sky-high drug prices, including drugs developed by your federal taxpayer research dollars or drugs purchased without Uncle Sam having the right to bargain under the new notoriously nutty drug benefit concoction. Question seven asks quite properly my opinion about "healthcare for all Americans." Three choices: tax credits for employers, medical savings accounts or "a government-run system where everyone is guaranteed health coverage." Who gave them these last words-the HMO industry? Why didn't the Democratic National Committee simply say "full Medicare for everyone?" Besides, the DNC should have said "a government-funded" system, which is what I believe they and "single-payer" advocates understand those words to mean. Not a takeover of the entire medical and health industry by the government.One would have thought Dr. Dean would have caught this miswording.Two questions relate to withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Various time frames are offered. But there is no question about whether a survey of Democratic leaders want to impeach Bush and Cheney or in any way hold these documented, serial outlaws accountable.No inquiries on the corporate crime epidemic, so well described in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Business Week magazines. No question about the massive corporate welfare payouts, directly and indirectly by the U.S. Government, including the eminent domain controversy of seizing homes to raze them and give away the land to corporations.Mississippi, for instance, wants to allocate $240 million in Hurricane-related federal tax escapes to a Korean auto company to build an assembly. The nearly $1 billion package of corporate welfare amounts to giving Kia Company $500,000 per job created, declared Automotive News in a critical editorial recently.The survey also ignored the bloated, wasteful, redundant military budget, denounced as such by many Congressional and Executive branch reports, which now absorbs over one half of your entire federal discretionary budget. And there is no Soviet Union to provoke any more continual building of the Cold War era of weapons systems ala Lockheed Martin's endless wish list.Of course, no Democratic Party survey ever includes a question on the need for much more consumer protection to avert harms and fraud, eating mightily into the standards of living, health and safety.Sure, you can't keep adding questions for a survey like this but omitting questions relating to corporate crime, fraud and abuse of power is a telling commentary on the heavily business-funded Democratic Party. Which may explain why there is no question on getting dirty private money out of our public elections.I was just getting going with my private critique of this survey when it occurred to me that I could not, in good conscience, reply to it. After all, I am not "an active and engaged Democratic Party leader."Oh how indiscriminate and indiscreet computers have become, Dr. Dean!

The ComPost-Star and Teen Drinking

Our own local editorial wunderkind was a guest on WAMC's Roundtable earlier today. He was talking about issues in the "North Country". Apparently, the "North Country" is now Fort Edward and their terribly important "teen-drinking problem". The ComPost-Star editor just can't get enough of this issue. He is apparently back on his puritanical teen-drinking tangent ... AGAIN! He spent almost all of his allotted time talking about the Fort Edward kids who .... gasp .... drank alcohol! It was a repeat of all of his previous, simplistic, wrong-headed, obsessive-compulsive, lunatic tangents on this tired subject (except this time everyone listening in the Capitol District heard as he bad-mouthed our close neighbors to the east).Kids die from drinking and driving. They do. That is a fact. However, that issue is Drinking & DRIVING, isn't it? It is not the same as TEEN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. Two totally separate issues. This editor knows that kids in Europe, most of whom have had access to alcohol from a fairly early age and who don't often own or drive cars, seem to avoid killing each other by DRINKING AND DRIVING almost completely. What he consistently fails to mention is that a HUGE majority of those Americans who kill behind the wheel seem to be .... ADULTS! If he really wants to save lives, perhaps he could use his bully pulpit to attack the real problems, ADULT DWI and ALCOHOLISM. Or perhaps he could use his substantial powers to foster a more enlightened attitude about alcohol in this country....!? The Post-Star has had Teen Drinking as a subject in over 240 printed pieces since 2003. Our own local congressman, John Sweeney, is currently being investigated by the Justice Department for having alleged dealings with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Post-Star has printed only one story about that. The story simply repeated the allegations that have been made and then allowed a Sweeney staffer to refute any claims of wrongdoing. Is this what currently passes for investigative journalism in our neck of the woods?

The ComPost-Star Responds!

(See Mark Mahoney's post below) What happened? Well, to sum things up, I sent an email out yesterday about Jack Abramoff and salon.com's report on his misdealing which included the LOCAL NEWS that our own LOCAL Congressional Representative, John Sweeney, is being investigated by the Justice Department in relation to Abramoff. I simply asked in my email why this story was not page one in our "LOCAL" paper? Why do I have to read these things online? After all, its a "local" story, right?I had two amazingly quick responses from the Glens Falls Post-Star. Maury Thompson (a reporter) let me know that he had already posted a story to the website (poststar.com) and that he was working on a story for today's front page (Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - Page One). Great story, great positioning, great job, Maury! Good work! Then, Mark Mahoney emailed me, as well, to say that the paper allocates TONS of its resource to local stories. In his email, Mark refers to this story as a "national story with local implications".I appreciate the Post-Star getting right on this story. Thank you, guys! I do hope that you'll stick with this story and try to dig up the dirt, though, because, I don't know about you, but I remember that not so long ago our infamous little fascist congressman ran into a power pole in Greenwich after getting drunk at Willard Mountain. I also remember that he sat in his vehicle for over two hours on his cell phone and refused to leave the vehicle or open his windows to communicate with the civilians and officials who arrived on the scene to help. He left when his NYS Trooper friends showed up to "take him away". No breathalyzer was ever administered. No charges were ever laid. No investigation was ever conducted. The Post-Star did, to its credit, post a few buried stories on Drunkie-Boy's little escapade, but did they ever really achieve a result? Was justice ever served? Did they ever uncover the truth? Did they editorialize that Sweeney was a drunken idiot who should be voted out? Did they relentlessly go after him and try to let their readership know what had really happened? In case the suspense is killing you, the answer is, "No, they did not." They ran a few "Sweeney's assistant said ....." stories and gave up on the whole thing. Lets hope that this isn't "Drunkie Boy Redux", in which local media prints idiotic non-answers from Weeney's staff and then throws up their hands and waits for national media to tell us the rest of the story. I sincerely hope the Post-Star will stay on this and not let go of it the way they usually do. I can hear the excuses now, "Well, Gee, Matt, Weeney's assistant said that Weeney never even knew this Abramoff guy. What more do you want from us? We did our jobs!"Mr. Mahoney left his email address and phone number after his missive and asked that I send it out. Please do get in touch with him and let him know that we demand to know the truth about Sweeney/Abramoff and that we don't want our local media to give up on this local story until the truth is known!

(The following is an email from Mark Mahoney, the Post-Star's Editorial Page editor and author of many of its editorials)
When you're scrawling your tiresome ramblings about how awful and out of touch this paper is, do you ever consider how much effort and resources we put into covering news that actually relates directly to the people in this community?We're going to have the Roll Call story tomorrow. In fact, it was on our Web site before you sent out your latest missive. We don't overlook national stories with local implications, and we never have.We don't have the resources to station a reporter in Washington, D.C., or even Albany. As Ken and I have explained to you numerous times, obviously without much impact, we pay wire services to get us the national news.We do, however, have a reporter at Glens Falls City Hall. And in Washington County. And Warren County. And Saratoga County. We'll have one at the Lake Luzerne town meeting tonight where they're discussing a controversial theater proposal. And one at the Hudson Falls village board meeting where they're putting together their budget. We've had a reporter sitting at a local murder trial for the past week. We've got one working on local school budgets. And others working on village elections. And another writing about what's happening at local businesses. We've got at least four people dedicated exclusively to getting community and hometown news and calendar and senior citizen and church items in the paper every day. We'll have our sports staff and local photographers covering the high school basketball tournament at the Civic Center this weekend in which several area teams are playing. As we speak, we have at least half-a-dozen Freedom of Information requests pending with state and local government bodies. And we'll have our reporter at the local protest in Glens Falls on Saturday marking the third year of the Iraq war. Oh, and yes, we did have a local reporter at Rock Hill Bakehouse covering a breast-feeding group on Saturday. Perhaps you saw the article on the front of today's Arts/Life section. It was underneath the photo spread of the Lake George Opera performance at the Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls. That's what a local paper does. That's what we do. We cover local news. Maybe you'd prefer that all those people instead be assigned to the search for Osama bin Laden or to dig up dirt on the president's ties to United Arab Emirates. But I doubt most of our readers would agree. (I hope you'll share this response with your devotees.)

Mark C. Mahoney Editorial Page Editor The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY mahoney@poststar.com