Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

This was the first time I met Senator Gillibrand and my interaction with the Senator was bounded as all such interactions are when a Senator walks through a crowd  -  hands were thrust in her direction, endless posing for pictures and cameras snapping feverishly.

In my 15 seconds with the Senator, we exchanged greetings .    What I liked and remember was I was her only focus was among the huge crowd - as I’m sure were the folks ahead or behind me.

So when my 15 seconds was over - I asked her legislative aide - where is the Senator on Health Care - Is she still in favor of “medicare for all”?  the answer was Yes - and I assume that this means “Medicare for all” as a public option.

per MSNBC -where is simply a banner on their website but Rawstory says

The Minnesota Supreme Court affirms that Franken won his Senate seat.

Governor Tim Pawlenty said on MSNBC Tuesday that he would sign the certificate if the court ordered him to.

WOW - 60 Senators - imagine that  -

What you you think will happen with/to the Dem’s agenda once Franken is seated?

Here is more from the HCAN Rally last Thursday - On the surface,  this is simply a video of Rep Charlie Rangel speaking at a Health Care rally but in reality it is more - much more - it really shows that the various Health Care reformers are on the same side - and a single payer system is a major improvement to the system.

In this 3 minute clip -

Rep Rangel emphatically states that Health Care is a right.  He goes on to praise the trade union movement by stating that is was the trade unions that got benefits for workers - not management.  Then he states that we are going to get health care reform and he has been ‘Championing Single Payer.” Of course the crowd roars its approval. Then he equates Health Care reform to the the Civil rights movement.

Ok, let’s back up - Single Payer at an HCAN rally?  HCAN is not against a “single payer system” but not actively pursing it either.  They are more focused on the undefined “public option.”   There is a broad set of principles that state what they want.  All of which can easily be solved by a single payer system/option but HCAN is focusing on what is “politically practical” with the hopes of getting something “better” later.

This is yet an other example of the fact that “we” are on the same side but have different ways to get there.

As I see it there are four options:

Option 1 -  replace the current system with a brand new single payer system.  Publicly financed, Privately Delivered (Government run, private doctors).  Not a lot of room for the private insurance companies or Big Pharma (or the donations they give our elected officials either)

Option 2 - There are those who want that single payer system as the Public option.    A single Payer system that people can opt into (or keep their existing private insurance coverage).

Option 3 - There are those who just want a public option.  Don’t know exactly what that is but a “public option”. as defined by Congress.

Option 4 - Status quo - the Insurance companies says we will lower or rates, cut our costs and pass the savings on to the American public.

Me?  I want the first option.  I’ll settle for the second option and am leery of anything that is ill-defined like a “public option”.   The failed Massachusetts plan for example, or the Co-ops, or some kludgy Amtrak system where the government heavily subsidizes it but delegates control to those who have a vested interest in ensuring it doesn’t conflict with their core business.  (think Amtrak and CSX).

So a speaker who was on stage advocating a single payer system,  This system can be option 1 or 2 and is in line with what HCAN is looking for. How cool is that.

You can read the article in the D&C for more info - check out this laundry list of accusations.

Allegations

Allegations against suspended Greece Police Chief Merritt Rahn center on six general topics: the June 6, 2008 crash involving off-duty Sgt. Nicholas Joseph; allegations of document shredding; complaints against former Officer Gary Pignato; allegations that Rahn mishandled a 2004 homicide investigation; the theft of Rahn’s gun in 1999; and allegations he ordered an officer to come jump-start a car rather than respond to a call for a burglary in progress.

Rahn is charged with violating 46 departmental regulations.
Here are some of the allegations, according to the documents:

• During a June 10, 2008, staff meeting, Rahn said “if Sgt. Nicholas Joseph had been drinking when he had the accident, that he took the correct action by leaving the scene of the accident.”

• Despite a subpoena for personnel records from the District Attorney’s Office, Rahn stood by on April 25 and watched Deputy Chief William Mackin shred documents without asking what the documents were and without ensuring no evidence was being destroyed.

• At the scene of a June 17, 2004, homicide, Rahn said the matter “was a clear cut case of self-defense,” ordered the homicide suspect’s handcuffs removed and handed the suspect a cell phone with a defense attorney on the line.

• Rahn did not report the November 1999 theft of his service weapon until February 2000, when he filed a false report that said the gun was taken on or after Dec. 4.

• In September, Rahn ordered one of his officers not to speak to State Police regarding a complaint he had taken against Officer Gary Pignato and in December ordered another officer to speak to Pignato’s defense team.

• Sometime in the fall of 2008, Rahn ordered an officer to stop responding to a burglary in progress call and instead use his town-owned police car to jump-start a used car Rahn had just sold.

Sunday evening I posted about the Rochester HR676 group gathering signatures to deliver to Congresswoman Slaughter.  I posed a question at the end, asking why Louise is not sponsoring the bill.  I had poked around with Google trying to find an answer.  I still haven’t found one, but in checking the mail which piles up on our counter that night,  I did find a response from Louise, herself.

You see, back when I was  encouraging everyone to call their Reps, I called Louise and spoke with her office staff.  I requested a response as I had with Senators  Schumer and Gillibrand.  I guess Louise took that seriously, for I received a 3 page letter:

Thank you for contacting me in support of H.R. 676, the United States National Health Care Act.  I appreciate your views on this important issue, and certainly agree that all Americans must have access fo affordable health care.

(So far, so good)

While I am sensitive to your concerns, I am not a cosponsor of H.R.676, which establishes a universal health insurance program with single payer financing.  This legislation would create a publicly financed, privately delivered health care system that expands the already existing Medicare program.

Ok, so she explains to me what HR676 does, but nowhere is it clear why she doesn’t support it.  She goes on to list eight principles for reform:

1. Making health care affordable
2. Aiming for universality
3. Guaranteeing choice
4. Protecting families’financial health
5. Providing portability of coverage
6. Maintaining long term fiscal sustainability
7. Improving patient safety and quality care
8. Investing in prevention and wellness

To this I say, “Check, check, check, and check.” Each of these principles is consistent with HR676.

This post ends, confused, as it began-

“Why, Louise?  You are regarded as the most liberal member of the House.  Why are you ignoring the will of your constituents?”

I was over at a friend’s house last night and they were describing a public Facebook chat with a member of the administration Health Care team that occurred yesterday.  What came out of it?  Well discussion over a public option and this little gem.

The plan currently being floated is that if a “public option” is part of the comprehensive reform everyone is talking about - you won’t have access to it if you already have insurance.

Got that?  If you have no insurance you can opt in to the “public plan.”   If you have crappy insurance coverage - well tough luck - try not to get sick for 5 years at which time people with insurance can opt into the public option.

So, either they really misunderstood the call and that isn’t true or the public option now floated has restrictions built in to ensure prolonging of undercovered insurance holders.

My money is on the captured customer and prolonging under-coverage.

At some point the Obama administration has to decide if Health Care is a human right or business activity.

If my friends’ understanding is correct, Team Obama really crossed a bridge.  Why?  Well, check this out.

Re taxing Health Insurance benefits

But administration officials are working behind the scenes on the idea, including the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, UPI reports: Sebelius said that “Obama would prefer not to resort to that measure but it is ‘open to discussion.’” Sebelius also said Obama would prefer to cap itemized deductions to help pay for reform to save $330 billion over 10 years for reform (6/28).

Then there is even IF THERE IS  A PUBLIC OPTION

Politico: “White House senior adviser David Axelrod says President Barack Obama would like to have a public option – or government-run insurance plan – as part of a health reform package, but will not insist on it. ‘We’ve not gotten as far as we’ve gotten by drawing bright lines in the sand,’ Axelrod said on NBC’s Meet the Press. ‘He’s going to fight hard for that.’” Later on Meet the Press, Republican strategist Mike Murphy called that “a huge concession.” (Allen and Siegel, 6/28).

Scary stuff for people expecting change.

And here is a big surprise - the GOP is appealing the decision.

via Rnews - (I heard this via the Press conference they broadcast)

A judge has ordered all 62 New York State senators to a special session Tuesday.

The order came down Monday afternoon and is likely an attempt to end the power struggle in the Senate that has been going on for over two weeks.

Our Albany sources say lawyers for the Republicans are immediately appealing the decision Tuesday.

Liz Benjamin has more including the Judges harsh words.

State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Teresi handed Gov. David Paterson a significant victory this afternoon, ruling that each and every member of the deadlocked state Senate - all 62 of them - must convene at the same time in the chamber when the governor calls an extraordinary session.

The judge (who happens to be a Democrat) made no secret of his contempt for the Senate mess and issued a harsh rebuke to the senators from the bench.

“You have a unique opportunity as elected officials to take the high road; do the right thing for the greater good,” Teresi said.

“Otherwise there are those citizens of the public who would conclude, if they have not already concluded, that these members have placed their own interests ahead of all other citizens of this state to the benefit of their own personal and selfish interests, and that those same people may also conclude and define that conduct as rude, inconsiderate and egotistical.

UPDATE: In what might be a signal of the Democrats’ intentions, (aside from the fact that their legal team did not, unlike the GOP, come to court armed with a notice of appeal), Austin Shafran, spokesman to Sen. Malcolm Smith, issued the following statement:

“Once again, the Republicans have proved our point - for them, it’s all about the power, titles and June 8th. After being compelled by a judge to join Senate Democrats in the Chamber, the Republicans immediately challenged the ruling with the hope of prolonging the gridlock they have brought to Albany.”

According to a demographer at Queens College, it’s possible that Democrats could make huge gains after the next census, resulting in a massive majority in the State Senate at the 2012 election. The population of upstate New York and Long Island has declined even more than expected over the past nine years, while the number of people living in New York City has grown. The lion’s share of senate seats in upstate and Long Island are in Republican hands, while the Democrats have almost every senate district in the city. So the fate of both parties’ chances is almost directly tied to the flow of the population in different regions of the state.

The New York Times:

An analysis of population shifts since this decade began suggests that Democrats are poised to gain as many as six seats when legislative districts are reapportioned after the 2010 census. That would give them an ample margin to untangle the 31-to-31 tie that has stalemated the Senate for three weeks.

“There is a very large population growth downstate in New York City and Westchester and a very large decline upstate,” said Andrew A. Beveridge, a demographer at Queens College, who conducted the analysis for The New York Times. “Basically, this is a rerun of 2000.”

Republicans used a lot of chicanery during the last redistricting to hold onto their majority in the Senate, doing things like putting more people in downstate senate districts than upstate districts and counting inmates in upstate prisons as constituents. The best possible outcome for Democrats would be a loss of about a half-dozen upstate districts to New York City while gerrymander the few remaining downstate Republicans out of their seats. In the process, many of the incumbent Republican senators who have been around for decades may see the writing on the wall and decide to retire, opening up even more competitive districts. Since 2000, New Yorkers have been voting with their feet, and anyway you cut it, Republican senators are in for a rough ride in 2012.

Ah… I look forward to the day when we won’t have to deal with “Gangs” of turncoat opportunist Democrats in the Senate.

Holy crap!  Did anyone see this?  Anthony DiMarzo, owner of Mark IV Construction, had an op-ed in the D&C (correction: the City News carried this piece - apologies) pretty much blasting Ren Square and Maggie Brooks’ (lack of) leadership:

The vision for downtown presented by Maggie Brooks in this newspaper June 10 is disappointing. She said: “If you look at other cities… and how they have approached revitalization and really redefined their center cities, they’re using the same three elements that we’re using: education, arts, and transportation.” Really?

He neatly dissects her arguments in the op-ed.  Go look– it’s worth a read.

He makes a great case for bringing high-speed rail to the forefront:

A vision for the future of downtown should definitely include high-speed rail. At present, our “gateway” is an airport. That means renting a car, or summoning a hotel jitney. With high-speed rail and a swift connector to the core on Main Street, our downtown becomes the gateway. That will generate the investment in housing, retail, conventions, hotels, and the arts necessary to fulfill its promise. Maggie said: “I certainly support a study of high-speed rail.” Study? If we redirect federal transportation dollars to build an intermodal station at Amtrak (as exists in Syracuse), we make that vision closer to reality.

More on Maggie’s “fun with numbers” money predictions:

Quoting Maggie: “The subsidy at the performing arts center, it’s a gap that can be overcome simply by increased participation….” I don’t believe that. Theaters, arenas, and public auditoriums have always required subsidies. Will bookings from 50 conventions a year make up the loss? I won’t bet on it.

Ouch.  He doesn’t just complain, he offers a plan:

When taxpayer money is at stake, we should consider what projects hold the most promise for economic development. My priorities are first to keep taxes as low as possible by only investing where it’s needed. Then, I suggest:

A) Provide the incentives necessary to get more housing downtown. That will generate the market for retail, arts, entertainment, restaurants.

B) Create places to park, especially on Main Street.

C) Create the station we are told will be necessary for high-speed rail, and while doing that, also accommodate the inter-city buses. It will be modest (as is the one in Syracuse). Avoid white elephants that will need continued upkeep and maintenance.

Maggie Brooks must be in political trouble when her base– local developers– are speaking out against her.

Gates Supervisor Ralph Esposito, who is leaving office after this year, admitted work on his home was done by Robutrad workers. In Greece, however, a tantalizing loose thread has people wondering… who, exactly, received break wall repairs to their Edgemere Drive home? Among the numerous instances cited in the Robutrad complaint was this one:

“Morone had Robutrad workers repair an individual’s break wall on Edgemere Drive in Greece.”

Edgemere Drive sparks questions in Greece because that’s where many prominent Republicans live. Number one on the “I wonder” list is Supervisor John Auberger, who lives (lived?) on Edgemere Drive. It isn’t clear if he still lives in the shore side home today, but Auberger certainly owned the house during the time period in question. And, he reportedly did have his break wall repaired in recent years.

If it’s Auberger’s house, he isn’t saying. Nobody is saying, and there are other notable Republicans  along that prestigious stretch of road too, including a former supervisor, a sitting town justice, and a sitting county legislator, Doug Dobson.

Listen for that next shoe, it may be dropping soon… in Greece.

I got my morning does of confusion today - this time via a D&C article that tried to explain a rife between Democrats and Republicans with regards to a County Legislature Committee proposal.

See, there is an important project - stabilizing the Irondequoit Creek stream bank in Powder Mills Park and Ellison Park.  Sounds important.  Trouble is it costs money.  Well - not to fear the State has provided a grant for the cost $250,000.  Problem solved right?  Whoa - not so fast, turns out the fiscally repressive Republican Majority want to borrow the money to pay for this project.  Hence the rift and my confusion.  The fiscally responsible Democrats said no and via the magic of a party line vote - the GOP got its way.

Via the D&C.

Monroe County Legislature Republicans on Friday criticized the Democratic minority for not voting in favor of borrowing funds for an environmental project.

[snip]

Democrats maintain that authorizing borrowing for projects that will be funded with grants is not necessary, and have suggested that such a practice hurts the county’s credit rating, though the Brooks administration refutes that.

In correspondence with the Republican leadership, Legislator Paul Haney, D-Rochester, sent legislation from other New York counties that show they authorized borrowing for projects only for the county’s share of the cost.

So this begs the question - if we borrow money that we don’t need - what will it be used for?

A statement from Democratic Caucus is below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

The D&C, today, tells us about local activists at the public market yesterday.

As visitors strolled into the market on Saturday, they were greeted with a different sight: about 20 members of Rochester for HR 676, a group that supports Medicare health coverage for everyone, along with members of the Progressive Democrats of America’s Genesee Valley chapter, collecting signatures and informing the public about HR 676, a bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich.

[snip]

About a week ago, Congress began work on separate health care reform legislation, hoping to limit costs while expanding coverage. Robin Wilt of the Progressive Democrats group said President Barack Obama once backed the single-payer system but is now supporting a public option that would compete with private insurers.

“There’s no perfect system out there, but I think we can do a better job at reducing costs than we are doing currently,” said Wilt, of Rochester, who estimates there are more than 1,300 privately funded health care plans in the country.

These signatures are to be presented to the Honorable Louise Slaughter, who has been unsupportive of the single payer initiative, thus far.  I’m curious as to why this is. Louise is certainly tenured, she has nothing to fear as far as re-election is concerned. Why would she defy her constituents? Last I heard, public support for single payer was somewhere between 60-80%.  Does she have some local polls which are showing a different result?  What does she know that we don’t know?

Does anyone know??

The D&C Ed Board weighed in earlier this week on the craziness in the NY Senate:

The situation keeps sinking to new lows. Yesterday, the upended Senate Democrats locked out Republicans before the scheduled start of a special session ordered by Gov. David Paterson.

What a circus!

 

New Yorkers deserve better than the power plays being executed by state lawmakers who clearly care more about power-mongering than the state’s future.

To recap, the Senate GOP “pulled a fast one” a few weeks back, overturning the Dem majority voters asked for last November. 

And yet the Dems get the blame:

Meantime, despite the paralysis caused by GOP takeover, the dueling parties have failed to devise a compromise arrangement that moves the Senate forward.

The Democrats, for the most part, have been unyielding in their zeal to resume power.

So, to sum up: the GOP caused the paralysis, but Dems should cave.

At least we agree on one thing:

At least through the special session, Espada should be moved to another post.

Yep.

Welcome to this week’s edition of In Case You Missed It… ROBUTRAD,  Health Care and lots of little local Political drama top the news, oh yeah, the State Senate was in session for a moment as well.

Let’s get to it shall we?

More fallout form ROBUTRAD

Now that the criminal complaint against ex-Gates GOP leader Bob Morone is public, additional revelations continue to come to light.  We discover that Robutrad crossed political boundaries as a Democrat  who ran for a County legislator position but worked for ROBUTRAD was told to support the opposition or else.

The D&C editorial board comes out strong on transparency and Accountability.   City News comes out even stronger on lack of County leadership.  Sean Carroll (13Wham) provides some analysis - this is deeper and more will come out and some folks will get away.

Finally, in a surprise to probably no one - Gates Supervisor has memory problems and finally announces that he had work done by the ROBUTRAD crew.

Health Care -Are they listening?

Well, the debate Health Care continues - Watch this video of Congressional testimony and see how and why Insurance companies rescind benefits from people they cover.  It’s the profit motive people.   We discuss blowback on the Senate if Health Care, specifically a real robust health care option is not passed.  Senator Schumer’s plan gets a little definition - big surprise - and, per this account, pulls up short.

I got on a bus to D.C. to make my and other voices heard. Here are my initial observations with more to follow this week.

Local Political drama

The Conservatives should rethink their endorsements of local Republicans.  Turns out the GOP doesn’t exactly follow the Conservative Party principles.

Greece Police Chief Merritt Rahn gets suspended again - this time without pay.

Monroe County Bond ratings are downgraded.

Add ethical questions to the long list of RenSquare problems.

The State

The Senate is back in session if only for a moment.  Paterson weighs in,

Some Senators want to tax Indians - violating a treaty.   Hey, about about working on that dysfunctional State Senate thing first.

Rick Lazio wants Governor Paterson’s job

Quick Clicks -

The Jazz Fest is Over

The Mendon Library breaks ground.

Local car shop goes green.

Post election drama is Iran continues as the opposition steps up.

Tech Support makes RT play better on the Internet.

Wingnuts are back - More birth certificate “He’s a muslim” BS and waiting for the Conservative resurgence.   Hold your breath - Are you turning blue yet?

The Town of Brighton has a highly successful medical waste collection effort.

Greece gets exactly what it needs - another WalMart.

Senator Gillibrand backs SCOTUS nominee Sotomayer

Massa votes against climate change bill citing lack of Hydrogen Fuel Technology.

That’s it for now - see you next week.

From Eric’s website comes this press release:

Rep. Eric Massa votes against Cap and Trade Legislation

06/26/09

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Eric Massa voted against H.R. 2454, the much anticipated American Clean Energy and Security Act. On Tuesday evening, Rep. Collin Peterson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, brokered an agreement to improve the focus on biofuels, however Rep. Massa ultimately decided that he could not support the bill for several reasons. The bill passed by a vote of 219 to 212.

“I oppose H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act
of 2009. The reason is simple. It won’t address the problem. In fact,
it might make the problem worse.

He addresses- one,by one each issue he takes with this bill. Twelve in all, but my favorite is #11:

11. Dirty energy options qualify as “renewable”-:
The bill allows polluting industries to qualify as “renewable energy.”-
Trash incinerators not only emit greenhouse gases, but also emit highly toxic
substances. These plants disproportionately expose communities of color and
low-income to the toxics. Biomass burners that allow the use of trees as a
fuel source are also defined as “renewable.”- Under the bill,
neither source of greenhouse gas emissions is counted as contributing to global
warming.

Read the whole thing.  Fascinating what they’re trying to pawn off as clean energy. Reminds me of what they’re trying to pass off as Health Care reform.

Remember to thank Eric Massa, once again.