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The Return of Eric Massa/Chapter 2

ladkiddo — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:10:26 +0000

Read the last line from this “Commentary“:

“The FBI is investigating the case of former Rep. Eric Massa, accused by his onetime male staff members of sexual harassment”

So, if the FBI found Eric guilty, found allegations to be true, wouldn’t Eric be serving prison time? Wouldn’t we have heard about it?

But you don’t hear about it if the allegations prove to be fallacious. Eric was investigated by the FBI, and they came at him with every intention of finding evidence of predatory behavior on Eric’s part.

They did not.

The Office of House Employment Counsel investigated, as well. From the “Justice Integrity Project”:[my bold]

Wayne Madsen, Nov. 3, 2011. “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?” Those were the words of former Reagan Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan after he was acquitted on fraud charges on May 25, 1987. Those same words and their attribution to Donovan appear on a t-shirt given to former Democratic U.S. Representative Eric Massa by a legal team representing the office of U.S. House Employment Counsel after their determination that Massa, a retired U.S. Navy Commander, did not sexually harass male members of his staff. Massa experienced a stormy resignation from Congress and a hasty departure from Washington after unsubstantiated rumors surfaced that he had engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with his male staffers. The rumors, as shall be described, emanated from a closely-connected group of gay congressional staffers on the Hill, many of whom once worked for openly gay Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, the chief overseer over Wall Street firms.

Back in the summer of 2011, the House Ethics Committee, again, opened up the case:

Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee continues to review the scandal. On July 15 of this year, committee members voted to reauthorize an investigative subcommittee to examine the case.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen no movement with this subcommittee. (Too busy, I suppose, with another unsubstantiated case against Maxine Waters- when you read this, note the 2 partisan attorneys mentioned, they will come up again) If the HEC would get off their butts and delve into this, I am sure the results would be a great read. And, maybe we could stop this from happening again, to another unsuspecting, naive freshman congressman.

The Return of Eric Massa/Chapter 1

ladkiddo — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:04:38 +0000

Does anyone remember what happened 2 years ago tomorrow?

Where were you when the news hit that our favorite congressman, the one who was beholding to only the people who elected him, announced that he would not run for re-election?

I was on my way to the paint store to buy supplies to redo my bathroom. I was shocked, dismayed and overcome with a sense of hopelessness.

Then, on the following Friday, it was announced that Eric was resigning. Period, end of story, no congressman for the 29th.

Rumors began to fly. More rumors began to fly. Ardent supporters began to feel betrayed. An angry Eric Massa appeared on Glenn Beck and Larry King - proof ( or at least it would appear) that some of these rumors were true.

They were not.

They are not.

We have the goods on the real story.

Interestingly enough, Eric didn’t even know what had happened to him until more than a year had passed since his resignation.

The Antagonist: Joe Racalto, Chief of Staff for Congressman Massa’s DC office, with aforethought and malice, conceived of and orchestrated the congressman’s fall from grace and effective removal from congress.

The Protagonist: Congressman Eric Massa, 29th District, NY, manipulated into hiring, befriending and trusting his Chief of Staff.

If you bristle at injustice, believe in doing the right thing, even when it is difficult or against popular zeitgeist, then do your homework, arm yourself with facts, and check out the stories about the Antagonist to prepare yourself for the ensuing chapters.

Nuke Plant In Illinois Leaks Radioactive Steam, Just Like Ginna Did

btp — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:44:56 +0000

From MSNBC:

A nuclear reactor at a northern Illinois plant shut down after losing power, and steam was being vented to reduce pressure [...] The steam contains low levels of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, but federal and plant officials insisted the levels were safe for workers and the public.

Phew! If they say it’s safe, that’s a relief! I felt much better after the Japanese nuke plant meltdown last year when the Japanese government and plant officials kept saying it was safe. Except it wasn’t, and still isn’t:

japanradiation

Live near a broken nuke plant or smoke for a year - your choice.

Today, the plant in northern Illinois is venting radioactive steam, just like Ginna did a few years back:

ginnagraphic

Not in my backyard? Too late...

We have the technology for large-scale AND consumer-level wind and solar. Why not invest in that instead of continuing the risky gambling with meltdowns and oil spills?

Is Rochester or Monroe County moving forward on renewables? Anyone know?

Buddy Roemer for president!

ladkiddo — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:39:11 +0000

I found a new hero.

He should be your hero, too.

His name is Buddy Roemer, he’s from Louisiana and he’s trying to get the Republican nomination for president. Why haven’t you heard of him before? Because his main issue is Campaign Finance Reform and, big surprise, the corporations who run this country don’t want that to happen, so therefore he has not been allowed to debate the stellar group which makes up the Republican hopefuls.

So, if you’re reading this, make it your job to get the word out that we finally have somebody running who wants to make a real difference.

We need you, Buddy.

No Fire in the Belly, but Logs Burning in the Insert

ladkiddo — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:50:34 +0000

To coin the Christmas tune, “Baby it’s cold outside”, but I and my 2 pups are safe and warm, enjoying the crackling log inside the fireplace insert. The insert was installed back in April, but is exhibiting it’s true value now. The fuel is cut in the back woods and the honey that is in the warm milk that I am drinking right now comes from my bees. Maybe next year the milk will come from my own cow.

I just came in from feeding and watering the chickens and putting them to bed for the night. Not anxious to endure the cold, my pups have to be strongly encouraged to accompany me on this venture. Now, back inside, little Nell sits next to me on the hearth rug and stares as I type these words. Dudley seeks comfort in the leather recliner.

Why do I tell you all this? I guess it’s to explain where I have disappeared to since my last post in the summer. Politics have left a sour taste in my mouth and I have refocused on what I can do, as an individual to make a difference. Campaigning has not been a positive endeavor. Even when I win, I lose. I can try to get the word out on hydrofracking, but when the governor of NYS trades hydrofracking for marriage equality, what is my measly voice going to lend to the discussion? Nobody listened when I railed against the miserable attempt at healthcare reform. The lump on my head has finally healed, should I really start the head banging again?

My energies have turned toward debunking the myth of pet overpopulation and encouraging the “No Kill” movement locally. My friend, Mary Ellen and I traveled to Best Friends Animal Society in Angel Canyon, Utah ( you may be familiar with the Dogtown series by National Geographic) last September for a week of volunteering in the largest “No Kill” sanctuary in the US. My current read is “Redemption” By Nathan J Winograd. I’ve moved from political activist to animal activist where the results of my endeavors are realized so much more expediently.

So, my political “Fire in the Belly” has been replaced by a warm glow of animal rescue and rehabilitation.

No more homeless pets.

Move Your Money Mondays

btp — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:06:26 +0000

Hey Roc City!

You may have already heard, but yes, there is something you can do. De-fund the 1%, and fund locally. The Occupy movement has inspired hundreds of thousands to move their accounts from the “too big to fail” banks to local credit unions. There’s a lot of reasons to do this - it’s not just altruism. You can potentially get better rates (we got a great rate on our mortgage), better or no fees, and a personal touch.

A new site, Banxodus, has been launched to help folks figure out where to move their money. I believe this is one of those “Crowdsourced” sites, meaning that they may be able to use some help filling in some of the info about Rochester area banks. Take a look and see.

Have any RT readers “moved their money”? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.

Sunday Funnies

btp — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:55:00 +0000

WWJD?

Rochester - Extreme Poverty Is Spreading

btp — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:42:36 +0000

From the D&C:

Over the past decade, the poverty rate in this Arnett Boulevard neighborhood has doubled. Forty-four percent of Morehouse’s neighbors now live below the poverty line, census figures show, and 59 percent of them are children. And total population has increased.

Poverty is becoming more concentrated and enveloping more of Rochester and other U.S. cities. The number of people living in neighborhoods in which 40 percent or more of residents are below the poverty line increased by one-third nationally in the past decade, according to a Brookings Institution report released last week.

No surprise - as the 1% sucks the money out of the economy, it affects everyone, the poorest first. Rochester is being affected similarly to almost everywhere in the country. The question is, what can we do about it at the city/regional level?

Veterans Day 2011

btp — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:37:54 +0000

If you haven’t been invaded recently, thank a veteran!

And if you know of one of the increasing number of veterans who are participating in the Occupy movement, thank them twice!

These folks have given a lot so we owe it to them to work together to preserve the country they’ve fought and died for.

OccupySyracuse has a website

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:41:54 +0000

Occupy Syracuse has a website, and it’s pretty happening. I’d love to hear from any of the OccupyRochester folks, they’re welcome to use RT to get the word out! Related posts:Draft Massa WebsiteGreat Theme Song for The Occupy MovementTom Hasman Website Helps People Get Their Info Off the County Clerk’s Site Related posts:

Crazy Redistricting - This is how power sustains itself and avoids accountability

btp — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:37:55 +0000

So, I’d heard that the GOP did some wacky redistricting this year. I had no idea how crazy it actually is.

Here’s a thumbnail - click on it if you want it full-size.

mc-2011-redist-map

A couple things had me scratching my head:

Look at district 20 (the yellow one) - it goes all the way from the western edge of the county to the city - how does that make sense?
Note how they chopped up the Villages of Brockport and East Rochester. Why?
How about district 5 (the green one)? It’s a crazy curl going from south Pittsford, through Mendon and Rush, finally taking a bite out of Henrietta. Why?

How does that make sense except to neutralize the opposition (aka Democratic) voters there?

That said, it’s a great way to help make sure the ruling party stays in power, and can avoid accountability. The more comfortable they feel about being re-elected no matter what, the more they’ll try to get away with.

What happened to checks and balances?

Ouch

btp — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:36:56 +0000

Based on the unofficial results from the Monroe County BOE, this was a mixed night for Dems.

Key indicators:

They only won 11 of 29 seats on the County Leg. I believe the GOP did a partisan redistricting this year - that would explain a lot of this loss.
Sandra Doorley won for DA. 58/41. Nice.
Sandy Frankel lost to Maggie Brooks. 57/43. Not a bad showing, but it still begs the question - what will it take to wake up that additional 8% of Monroe County?

Great Theme Song for The Occupy Movement

btp — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:26:06 +0000

Anyone familiar with the philosophy behind RochesterTurning will understand why I love, support, and otherwise totally dig the Occupy movement. It’s like the world is finally waking up to the fact that what we’ve been doing isn’t working, that funnelling money from everyone to the top 1% is great for the wealthy and the politicians and media they’ve bought, but is ultimately a hugely destabilizing force in our country, and the world.

It’s not sustainable. And no matter how many suit-wearing know-it-alls appear on talk shows to talk in a very reasonable way about how we should just keep going in the same direction (as the train goes over the cliff), enough people are starting to be affected by it that it’s impossible for the PR hacks to spin it effectively anymore.

The conversation’s turning - I’m finally seeing it in day-to-day conversations I’m having and (finally!) in the media. That alone is a victory for the Occupy’s movement’s intent to raise awareness.

I was in NYC in October and had the privilege to meet a few of the OWS folks. I told them they’re “doing the Lord’s work”, and they laughed. I guess they didn’t expect to hear that, even from a lefty Christian like myself. But I have to believe if Jesus were here today, he would be more at home in the Occupy camps than in the boardroom.

I hope to write more about Rochester’s own Occupy movement soon. They too, are “doing the Lord’s work”, right here in our very own backyard.

In the meantime - I think I found a great theme song for the Occupy movement. It’s a great song to begin with, musically, but add the lyrics, and then the video? Powerful stuff:

2011 Local Elections

btp — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:06:35 +0000

You may have already noticed, but in case you didn’t, there’s an election today. So vote! Take your kids! It builds strong bodies 12 ways!

I’ve been a bit out of the loop, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that there’s a Monroe Exposed website, which does a good job of rounding up all the shady stuff that’s been going on with the Monroe County administration. Here’s the link:

http://www.monroecountyexposed.com/

I didn’t realize there’s been so much in the news about the corruption in just the last few months - Monroe Exposed does a good job of rounding up the many articles and editorials.

Putting aside commentary by the Monroe Dems, it’s sobering to see how many naughty choices are being made. But then, as we’ve documented here at RT, the Monroe County GOP has built an impressive machine that is self-perpetuating. And since money is the fuel for that machine, of course you need corruption to ensure a steady fuel supply.

That’s why you have Robutrad, sweetheart deals with vendors, etc. It’s not rocket science. Where’s the accountability? If Maggie Brooks breaks the law, some underling gets thrown under the bus and the PR machine goes into overdrive for a while.

It’s always had me scratching my head why more folks in Monroe County don’t give enough of a crap about the corruption and waste of tax dollars that they vote the current administration out of office and let some sunlight in to the county apparatus.

That is a fundamental question that needs to be answered if folks want to move forward in this community.

That, and, “Where’s the accountability?”

Move to Amend, Rochester, NY

ladkiddo — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:44:03 +0000

Wish I had seen this earlier, but I would like to give these two activists a little blog space, however inactive we have become. For anyone out there who has the time and the inclination to continue to fight the good fight, here is your chance:

Two longtime local activists are teaming up to start a Rochester chapter of Move to Amend, a national movement that carries an end of goal of changing the U.S. Constitution to keep the government from being tied to corporate interests in the wealthy.

Co-founder Dave Atias, who is working with Sam Fedele, says a Rochester chapter has already received an official affiliation from the national Move to Amend organization. The idea came about after the pair heard David Cobb, former Green Party presidential candidate, speak in Rochester in August.

Unfortunately, the first meeting was last night, but I’m sure there will be more to come. Many thanks to Dave and Sam for getting this up off of the ground.