Mr. Murphy Goes To Washington

We all know that Scott Murphy is now the “decisive” winner of CD 20’s recent special election but we still have no idea who he is. I suspect we are about to find out.

Now, I’m no fan of Jim Tedisco. In fact, if I voted for evil of any kind (lesser or otherwise), Murphy might well have had my vote this time around. But, as I always do, I wrote in an independent. I’ve learned that it really doesn’t matter which two corporate felons the machine tells me I have to choose between. I don’t have to do what they tell me to. I am free. They’re not the boss of me. Either felon they want me to pick will inevitably do the same damage while they’re in office (which makes total sense if you stop to look at which lobby groups each candidate is indentured to).

After the Democrats in Pennsylvania hired Ken Starr’s old law firm to sue my fellow Green, Carl Romanelli, I swore that I would never again even consider voting for a corporate party candidate (never mind secretly hope that one would win seeing them as the “lesser evil”). I really don’t care anymore. Carl’s crime was that he had the testicular fortitude to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate. For that, the Democrats tried to totally destroy the man.

If you have ever met Carl and understand just what a wonderful and good soul he is, you would share my ire. The Pennsylvania Dems used House employees on the taxpayer dole to tamper with Carl’s campaign. Then, they sued him for legal fees because they brought him into court to have his signatures wiped out! Some of them have now been charged and convicted but not before they got a successful judgment against him for the legal fees … $80,000! Even with three Democrats in jail, this fight is still going on.

I will never look at the Democrats as the “lesser” evil party again. They’re evil “identical twins” from here on in and that’s that.

I made a lot of people angry telling them that Obama would just be another Gee Dubya (with, of course, an enhanced ability to speak and relate to others). I was right … the killing has become much more civilized! Obama’s use of predator drones, his many lies about ending torture and rendition and shutting down Gitmo, the acceleration of our two most obvious wars, his seeming inability to sputter the words “single-payer” even once (never mind in a complete sentence) … all this would seem to confirm my diagnosis.

You vote two-party. You get the same result. Every time. Period. This congressional election may be an excellent learning opportunity for those Democrats open to the idea that their behavior is the textbook definition of insanity (”doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result”).

Murphy was “chosen” through an arduous selection process. I imagine the county chairs lined everybody up and said, “All right, youse mugs! How much ya got?” They then picked the guy who had lots of it. I have lived in Glens Falls for about ten years and I was born in Saratoga. While I love Glens Falls, I don’t consider myself a “local”. I wasn’t raised here. No one who grew up here would consider me a local, either. I’m, more correctly, a transplant.

Murphy is not a “local” businessman. He is from Missouri and Manhattan and India. Now, I hate to say “carpetbagger”, but if the shoe fits ...

The old farmer was asked by the city slicker, “My daughter just had a baby. Is my new grandson finally a ‘local’?” Without missing a beat, the farmer replied, “Boy, if a dog gives birth to puppies in an oven, do you call ‘em ‘biscuits’?”

Murphy is not a local. As such, will he understand our CD’s needs? Does he even care to? He is also not a transplant who has embraced the community. He has not been involved enough in it for anyone to even know who he is (never mind what he thinks about the issues).

I have conversed with many of my friends and neighbors about this. Most of them have never even heard of Murphy outside of his TV commercials. Murphy claims to be local and no one’s even heard of him? I’m sure there are plenty of people in our town who don’t care for my politics (or don’t care for what they think my politics are) but we all get along pretty well, nonetheless, and that’s one of the reasons I love Glens Falls so much. That’s why when Murphy decided to run and no one knew who he was, my ’spider sense’ started tingling. We ALL know each other here. I was genuinely surprised that such a wealthy businessman could fly so low under the radar.

The local power structure seemed pretty happy to have “one of their own” running but they also seemed absolutely clueless about where he had suddenly come from. Does this mean “outside agenda”? Probably.

Murphy married into one of the most powerful Republican families in the area, the Hogans (these are State Senator Betty Little’s people). I can imagine that Little was pretty upset that the Republicans didn’t choose her to run in CD 20. If they had wanted to win, they certainly would have chosen her instead of Coach Jimmy. Does this mean that Murphy’s a D.I.N.O. (Democrat In Name Only) prompted to run by the same business interests Betty Little supports? Probably.

The local progressive Democrats were angry and felt betrayed when Murphy was chosen. Their committee chairs chose Scott for them, then he proceeded to avoid them all studiously. Many refused to go door to door for him, but he had more than enough money from his various jimmy“businesses” to run without their help. They all knew it and, more importantly, they all knew that not one of them had the chutzpah to cross the line and vote for a … gasp! … Republican, especially the hated Tedisco.

Murphy didn’t need to reach out to his own flock at all. the little (d) after his name means 1/3 of the vote, no matter what. It is a guarantee up here. You just need to work on the other 1/6th. Apparently, Murphy was aware of this.

He announced his intent to join the pro-war Blue Dogs almost right off the bat. Talk about spitting in their collective progressive face but, as I said, Murphy knew they would vote Democrat no matter what he did and no matter how much they disagreed with his basic positions. They will simply refuse to vote for an independent or a Republican who agrees with them on their issues, no matter what. Blind loyalty.

I asked a local organizer who he thought this Murphy guy was. He said, “We have no idea. He basically bought the candidacy. He’s never voted here. He’s never given money to any Democrat group or candidate. We’re totally in the dark.”

I asked if the fact that Murphy was being backed by Mark Behan and John Davidson bothered the Dems at all. Behan Communications serves as a mouthpiece for GE and local Republicans like Betty Little and Kate Hogan. Davidson is a VP at Jointa-Galusha, a cement company owned by DA Collins, a major contractor much involved in the AMD fiasco.

He was unaware on both counts. Could the Dems really be this excited about having put one more person in office whose basic aim is to funnel more pork into his buddies’ coffers? I guess they are all answering this question as we speak running around all excited about their “win”.

I have a simple question for you.

Aside from bringing home the bacon, all congress people need to vote on important national issues that are, likely, more broad-reaching than their acts of petty larceny at home.

Murphy is pro-war, pro-corporation in economic matters and anti-single payer health care.

Jimmy is pro-war, pro-corporation in economic matters and anti-single payer health care.

On the three issues a majority of Americans see as the most important of the day, these guys are in perfect lockstep with each other and with the corporate agenda.

So, why did it matter which of these “evils” was the victor? Please let me know why you’re happy about this. Who actually sees these guys as different and why?

Ken Starr's Law Firm is Evil. No, Wait. They're Good!. No, They're Evil Again!

A friend sent this out. While I fully sympathize with the gay community in their fight against Ken Starr and the moral majority, I am always amazed at the short memory Democrats seem to have. Read on.


From: Mary Beth Bolduc
Subject: FW: This video will break your heart

Have you heard that Ken Starr -- and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund -- filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and attempting to forcibly divorce 18,000 same-sex couples that were married in California last year? The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, 2009, with a decision expected within the next 90 days.

The Courage Campaign has created a video called "Fidelity," with the permission of musician Regina Spektor, that puts a face to those 18,000 couples and all loving, committed couples seeking full equality under the law.

Please watch this heartbreaking video now. If you have the same reaction that I did, you can help spread the word by sharing it with your friends ASAP -- before the Valentine's Day deadline:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/Divorce

The more people who see this video, the more people will understand the pain caused by Prop 8 and Ken Starr's shameful legal proceeding.

After you watch the video, please join me and over 60,000 people who have signed a letter to the state Supreme Court, asking them to invalidate Prop 8 and reject Starr's case.

Thanks.


* MY RESPONSE *

Mary Beth,

I did see this and it is heartbreaking. In a way, though, the injustice of these actions is a major victory for gay rights. Anti-gay fervor always rouses progressives and, in this weird time, when everyone seems to be in a coma while Obama continues to manifest a virtually unchanged imperialist American foreign policy, it is vital that we roust up continued support for a truly progressive agenda. Perhaps Starr's firm should be thanked for getting people angry and active. No one else is doing it!

That said, something else broke my heart involving Starr and his thugs. About four years ago, Starr's firm was hired in Pennsylvania to sue Carl Romanelli and Ralph Nader and keep them off the ballot (in the senate and presidential races, respectively). Did you hear about that? These thugs came in and kicked them both off the ballot (even though they had collected twice the necessary signatures). They then sued them for legal fees and the crooked (Democrat appointed) judges awarded the firm $75,000 dollars in legal fees from each of the candidates!!

Carl and his family are still in very real danger of losing their home to these bastards. Ralph has since had his judgment reversed. Even though the court's original decision had been overturned by a higher court and even though a handful of the Democrat operatives responsible for this are now in jail, the decision to make Carl responsible for the Starr firm's fees has, thus far, stood! It is a travesty what these two-party fascist scum will do! I agree.

The Democrats want Greens and independents to work with them. I think that they first need to take a good look in the mirror (as Democrat-King Alan Chartok might say). To gain this sort of trust the Democrats would need to stop behaving just as badly as the Republicans, wouldn't they?! I have a long memory and the reason I don't work with either corporate party is terrible hypocrisy of exactly this sort. The Dems are now saying that Starr and his firm are evil bastards because they subvert democracy and squash minority rights ... but were they saying the same thing when they hired these scum to thwart our very democracy?

Peace,
Matt