In the best news since President Obama was elected, Caroline Kennedy has removed herself from consideration for the Senate seat of now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The people of New York State should rejoice.

The news now ends the highly probable appointment that Kennedy was expected to receive.

“Kennedy discussed withdrawing from the race with Gov. David Paterson on Wednesday, and Paterson asked her to reconsider for 24 hours, the person said.”

Had she been appointed it would have been a mockery. Because of her inexperience, her questionable finances, and her inability to answer direct relevant questions about her intentions is appointed to the position. It is the combination of all these factors that led me to state that she has no place in Government politics.

But I am drawn to another question. If Caroline Kennedy is unqualified to become a Senator for New York State, in part due to questions of her financial background, how can Hillary Clinton be qualified for Secretary of State?

The Congress has severely mishandled this confirmation. Hillary Clinton is now the target of alleged and potentially true conflicts of interest. The very second that the Clinton Foundation receives another donation from a foreign Government, in the millions of dollars, every action she makes after that moment is suspect. And since the Clinton Foundation, as well as the Clinton’s themselves are remiss about disclosing those donations and the donors, it may well have happened already.

But a Democrat-led Congress, newly invigorated and hoping for a boost in approval ratings from the lowest ever recorded, is hardly the place to reprimand or delay the second most powerful member of the DNC. Much to the detriment of the public.

So I will have to enjoy this small victory for my home State. While it in no way will make up for the indiscrection that Hillary Clinton brings to the Secretary of State, it is something to savor before the political and economic absurdities of the Obama Administration take hold. Oh wait, President Obama has already authorized the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility. That was short.

Labels: Caroline Kennedy, DNC, Gov. David Paterson, New York State, Secretary of State Clinton

I've waited for a while now, just waiting for something from Caroline Kennedy to justify or remove her from consideration in replacing Senator Hillary Clinton. Mind you that I am not sorry to see Senator Clinton gone from office, as I am tired of her excuses on the broken promises that mark her time in New York. Though I am greatly saddened to see her working anywhere near the Executive Branch. But long-term readers know that, and this is about Kennedy.

Up til now there can be no question that Caroline Kennedy has zero qualifications for the Senate. She is a lawyer, like much of Congress. She is a Democrat, which at the moment gives her a boost. And she is the daughter of a revered dead President. Because if we are honest, that is the only reason any of us know her name.

Since she has never been politically active, which is a problem for me with anyone that would be Senator, we need to look at other aspects of this woman. She is part of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, which I personally like but is not enough. She has worked for 2 years, 2002-4, and rose $65 million in private funds for schools in New York which is great. The job was only 3 days a week though and one must wonder how much money she could have raised if she worked a full 5 days, the schools in NY could have used the extra effort.

Still none of this is a qualification. Yes she helps people, and is a committed Democrat. But what can she do? And what does she plan to do to help the state in this very critical time? The New York Times and other news media had the same question and asked her just that on several issues. The answers reveal quite a bit.

Mrs. Schlossberg is shrewd, having given a total of $7300 to Clinton before she switched to Obama in September of that year and gave him $2300. At the same time she has not voted in numerous Primaries since 1988. So we can understand she is willing to let her money vote for her.

In addition we now know that she supports same-sex marriage, which 68% of the nation opposes - even in California and New York. Something that neither Clinton nor Obama support. Which makes me believe she is even more liberal than the former most liberal member of Congress - President Obama.

It also seems that she opposes any restriction on abortion. This is another far-left Democrat policy stance. It includes, and Kennedy defered to not answer about, partial birth abortions. Even those in favor of abortion have issues with that. But seemingly not Kennedy, though she prefers to avoid having to make polispeak about such a position.

And in a hat tip to the Pelosi led Congress, she supports the mandating of public vote at unions. Thus taking away the normal right of secret ballots, and forcing workers to deal with peer pressure and criticism for co-workers and management. How kind.

And of course she is in favor of the auto bailout. Something that all Democrats are pushing to advance, though none have answered a simple question. When the auto industry came back to Congress after using up $25 billion in bailout money in one month, they stated that they HAD to have $50 billion or they would fail. Congress is trying to provide $15-35 billion instead, with a "car czar" (otherwise known as more government interference resulting in another Barney Frank). Since this is not $50 billion, and thus means the auto industry will fail and/or come back for more money, why does she support the lesser amount? No Democrat has a good answer for that, though they have been very good at avoiding the question.

And we know that Kennedy is anti-gun, which places her at odds with most of the state - except New York City. And it is the City that NY politicians proffer to.

Speaking of which, surprisingly she backs her uncles plan to make illegal immigrants (otherwise known as undocumented workers - the missing document is a greencard and reason to be in the U.S.) citizens. Pay a fine and swear in. We might as well make citizenship available on eBay.

But in a question that hits the pockets of the people in the state Kennedy is mum about capping property taxes. Or on taxing the higher income brackets more (which still would not make up the shortfall that the new spending creates).

So all in all what can we surmise? Kennedy is a liberal the likes of which we have not had in this state as far back as I can remember. She is more liberal than Clinton, and Obama. And if you wonder why might that be a bad thing recall this. Senator Clinton PROMISED to bring 200,000 jobs to New York State if upstate New York voted her in. We have lost over 30,000 jobs as of 2007, long before the current crisis hit.

Do you believe a more liberal, pro-illegal immigrant, anti-second ammendment, spend and tax, lawyer with no experience in politics would be a good Senator? Without the last name, the answer can only be no. But what Gov. Patterson decides will happen. Sadly.

Labels: 2nd Amendment, Abortion, auto industry, Caroline Kennedy, Congress, Democratic Party, Gov. Patterson, illegal immigration, mortgage bailout, New York State, Senator Clinton, Senator Edward Kennedy

So I have been listening to the argument that New York State needs to increase it's taxes to make the budget. It is expected that the State will miss by some $15 billion, and thus something needs to be done.

The current plan will increase taxes on everything from State college tuition to Gatorade. Literally. Expect higher prices for gas, and tax back on clothing under $110 dollars. Costs of Driver's liscences will go up, as will hair cuts, and your cable/satellite tv/radio bill. Internet downloads will also now have a cost, no matter what you download. Higher prices will also be found at the golf courses, parks, and camping areas (so every income level can feel the bite).

But don't fret because with these increased costs there comes increased spending. Yes I said spending. Like $350 million in new student loans (yes I realize that the new 14.5% increase in State tuition costs will absorb some of this) for 45,000 students. Increase welfare payments for 200,000 families. A $1 million dollar anti-obesity program (obviously not more than one television commercial run once across the State at 30 seconds). Increase pay for 1,200 state judges.

Other increases, which sound reasonable will include:

• Increase funding in programs to prevent lead poisoning in children - $2.5 million
  
• Increased funds for food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters
  
• Returning military veterans and their families get the government services to which they are entitled - $1.1 million
  

Obviously there is an imbalance here. There is far more spending than money coming in. And that is before all the new spending. So cuts in spending are needed. Yes, some spending will be cut, imagine that.

Where will the cuts go? Cutting income tax loopholes. Because we all use them to rake over the State, right? And reduced funding for hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. And 3.3 percent cut in school aid spending - roughly $600 million dollars (almost 2x the amount of new loans).

One of the biggest things will be cutting the Empire Zone program in half. You know that program. It's the one where companies get a break for staying in New York State instead of going to a cheaper State like most companies have done in the last decade. So cut that in half and increase corporate taxes, and personal, and increase taxes on all goods. That will keep a company in state and make more people employed.

But there is still a shortfall in this nightmare pipedream. So Gov. Patterson will add video slot machines at Belmont in case anyone who has some money left can lose it there.

This is a bad budget. It's based on a dumb premise. That companies will want to spend the extra money to say they are in New York State. The place already with the highest taxes in the nation. And thus their employees will be able to survive on less money after all these new taxes. And children will get better educations since their school will have less funding, meaning better jobs in the future.

Seriously.

Why don't we cut unessential spending, not create new spending, and maybe lower taxes on a few essential items like gas. Maybe lowering the State sales tax by half a percent. Maybe keeping the internet free. You think that maybe these things might stimulate growth. Maybe get more people spending here than in other states?

Hey here is a big idea. Modify the state no smoking law such that private businesses have the option to be a smoking or non-smoking establishment. With proper signage in the front of the business so patrons know what their choices are. Restaurants and bars might recover some of the 30% loss in revenues they have taken and never recovered when the state law was enacted. Add a drop in the tax on cigarettes so people might not travel to, or buy from people that travel to, other states (NJ, PENN) to buy their cigarettes.

I bet just those simple things will bring in more money than raising the taxes on everything as people lose money to the stock market, increased (it will happen sooner or later) energy costs, and fewer jobs (due to credit crisis or the fact that being in any other state is cheaper).

My ideas definitely can't be worse than what is being proposed now. And I bet no one has checked the benefit of what I just said.

Labels: Empire Zone, Gov. Patterson, government spending, New York State, tax increase

I could not let this pass without comment.



The polispeak is just incredible. Senator Hillary Clinton blasted Senator Obama during the Democratic Primaries. She made claims that he was inexperienced, sexist, and merely getting votes because he is Black. Her 3am political ad highlighted how unsafe America would be in his hands.

Now she wants to flip the view and say that Obama is great. That he is perfect for our security and the economic crisis. Keep in mind that Senator Obama has done nothing to improve this crisis. He refused to work on the issue, preferring to campaign rather than secure a good deal for the public.

Senator Obama would have allowed the first version of the bailout that would have funneled the repayment to ACORN and not the citizenry. He was so uninvolved that the President had to call him to the White house to get a better deal. And all the while he defended Chris Dodd and Barney Frank – who both were asleep at the wheel on this crisis. And he was the 2nd highest paid Senator from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

And let’s not forget that she, along with Senator Biden, stated that Senator McCain would be a better President than Obama. Or did she forget that?

Why is Senator Clinton not the Vice Presidential candidate for Senator Obama? Could it be the racial attacks the Clinton campaign made against Obama. Could it be the consistent refusal of Bill Clinton to acknowledge Obama’s worth as President. Could it be that Senator Clinton tried up to the last minute to steal the Democratic nomination from Senator Obama.

As for Hillary Clinton as the Majority Leader, that’s about the only thing that could be worse than the current Democratic leaders. Imagine a Pelosi and Clinton team. Can Congress get negative approval ratings?

Supreme Court Justice Hillary Clinton? That would just be insanity. Considering her desire for power, just imagine the laws she would corrupt. Though it’s likely that Bill Clinton would never worry about another sexual harassment case again.

How likely is it that Senator Clinton will run again? 100%. She never completely ended her attempt to become President this time until the Democratic nomination. Actually she has been taped at meetings (supposedly to raise money for Obama) where she is talking up herself as a future President. Bill Clinton has continued to shoot down Obama. And it’s well known that they prefer him to lose so she can jump forward and say 'I told you so.'

As for

“Bloom where you are planted”

Where is Hillary from? Not New York State, and it reflects in her lies to the people of Upstate New York and the jobs she promised to bring if elected (in fact the number of jobs in Upstate have decreased by 30,000 since she has been elected).

Hillary isn’t from Arkansas either. Not that she did much for anyone there. In fact she held no political office until New York. So if she means bloom as in making astronomical returns from absurdly little money during a relatively quiet stock market or Whitewater, then I supposed she bloomed a lot.

Suffice to say, Senator Hillary Clinton is a horrendous choice for any political position. The only positive besides her not running for President now is the thought that she may be voted out of office before 2012 and never heard of politically again. Unlikely but we can hope.

Labels: New York State, President Bill Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton

Well it's amazing but Senator Hillary Clinton finally realizes that Senator Obama has beaten her and is the Democratic nominee. It's only taken her a day to realize that 2143 is over 2118, and that she has lost. Only a day to recognize that using race and religion as negative attacks has not helped her, that every woman in America will not flock to her just because of her gender, that taking every position possible on issues (like illegal immigrants getting driver's liscences) or lying to the public (with Ireland and Bosnia to name a few) is not a means to gain votes. She has come to realize that far too many people remember her promise to bring jobs to NY state - which she has not only failed to do but there has been a net loss of jobs since she was elected - and understand she would do the same to the nation.

Now I hope she learns that her strongarm tactics to wrangle the Vice Presidency will fail as well. The Democrats that voted for her are not mere pawns in a bid for her to gain more power. She is not going to blackmail Senator Obama with less than 18 million votes (her math is way off) to guarantee that Senator Obama cannot win with her on the ticket.

In all I expect that there is just one thing to say... one song to sing...

Labels: Bosnia, Democratic Presidential candidate, illegal immigration, Ireland, New York State, Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, Vice President

Continued from What shopping at Olum's is like

I was told that I would have an answer on my corporate account in 2 days after Olum’s received my corporate ID number. They received the number on Tuesday of last week, the next day after I had come into the presence of Linda. Mr. Dave Titus, as I recall, gruffly reminded me that it would take 2 days, so I am sure I was expecting to get an answer by Thursday.

I say gruffly because if you noticed, Linda in all her efficiency had scheduled my delivery for Wednesday and when I mentioned this and that it needed to be corrected Mr. Titus directly told me that couldn’t happen. When I mentioned that their automated system had already tried to confirm the delivery and that he should take care of it, he emphatical stated he would. Don’t you feel the love.

On Friday I called Mr. Titus to find out the status of my account. I only got his answering machine, and he never called me back. Hey it was a nice Friday, I figured he was out golfing or something, which I would have done if I wasn’t working. So Monday comes by, and I call him again.

I am on hold for him to pick up for 5 minutes. The receptionist picks back up and mentions he seems to again not be at his desk. It’s 2:30 in the afternoon. She asks me to leave a message in his voicemail, and in 10 minutes she would go in and remind him to call me. Odd that she knows where to find him if he is not at his desk, but I say ok.

At about 5:40 I walk into the same Olum’s store I was at 1 week ago. I ask if Mr. Titus is around, a woman takes my name and goes to check. Nope, not there. (Oh if it matters I’m in a pair of Dockers and a polo shirt – no time off this day). So I ask if I can get the status of the corporate account, I am hoping to schedule delivery as I may be out of town later in the week. 10 minutes to get someone that “might” be able to access the information, and another 10-15 later I find out that there is no one able to get the information and I will have to wait to reach the elusive Mr. Titus the next day.

Now I get a bit snippy, having been serviced poorly since the moment I walked in the door a week ago, and state that I will just purchase the furniture outright. 4 of the women working the sales desk all stopped and were startled. I was not rude in my words, nor loud, but I was direct. They seemed quite flustered that I wished to purchase the office furniture outright. I pulled out my corporate card, quoted the remainder of the balance due, stated that I was told delivery could be done next day as well as assembly of the items that needed it by Linda, and reminded them that this was an imposition as I had preferred to do this via a corporate account but no answers were disrespectful. # of the ladies then started to apply themselves for the first time since I was in the store and found my account, the balance (exactly what I stated it was) and made the purchase and set the delivery. It took 5 minutes of actual work.

Though I was annoyed I apologized to the lady helping me, as she was not whom I was angered by, and stated clearly but a bit more softly that this was the least professional service I had had in a while.

I think that 6 days are more than enough to make a 2 minute call. I think someone should be able to access the status of a corporate account at all times. I don’t think a man in a t-shirt is going to pick up a desk and sprint out of a store. I don’t like being followed as I look over a purchase. I don’t like being questioned if I have enough money for a purchase I state I want, or ignored when I mention I want to make a corporate purchase. I hate when my ability to own a company is questioned.

If you wondered, yes I was the only African American (besides my friend) in Olum’s each time I was there.

What do I think of Olums’s? I don’t use such profanity on this blog. Suffice to say that if I looked different in both instances I was there, and my name was less Hispanic, I would have been treated far differently.

Pass the word on this experience, as I also plan to provide a copy of this to the owners of Olum’s and I want them to know what kind of word of mouth they engendered from me.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Labels: African American, Binghamton, furniture store, New York State, Olum's

So here was a fun day. Before I mention more I want to give you some background. Binghamton, NY is a small town to me. It is considered a city and is the largest place south of Syracuse in the state. There are about 200,000 people living in the greater metro area, which includes several towns, and estimates of the minority population range from 2-5%. The average income in the area is about $30,000 but that includes a small population of executives from IBM and a couple of other companies. I say this so those from other places have an idea of the place.

Last week I went to a local furniture store, Olum’s. They are well known and large here. I was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt as I had some free time, it was 5pm, and it was a hot day. I had the intention of getting some new office furniture and asked where that section was. My friend and I were shown the area and selections they had and were there looking over the choices for about 3 minutes before being asked if we needed help.

I replied no and the worker, Linda, went off about 30 feet in direct line of site at all times for about 5-10 minutes. She returned to ask if I needed help 2 more times before I had selected some office furniture. I asked about a couple of options, switching the chair mostly, and then decided to purchase some items.

At this point Linda decided to let me know what the price of the purchase would be, which was clear enough to see that had I been blind I wouldn’t need braile to read the price. I just asked her if there were any corporate options available as this was a purchase I wanted to make via my company. Linda proceeded to explain how lay-a-way worked, which I corrected her 2x about. It was a corporate purchase not personal, not that I needed lay-a-way.

Linda excused herself for her error, and directed me to the main sales area. I was told that there was a form that I could fill out to create a corporate account. I mentioned that I was going to put down a third of the price and the rest in 30 days if that was possible. I was assured it was, which I expected. I proceeded to fill out the form that I was given as Linda went to arrange my delivery date for 2 days later, though the next day was available.

Another woman, I forget her name, came over when I had the form nearly done when I asked why it had no place for my corporate name. Well surprise it was because Linda had given me a form for a personal account. I was given the proper account form, which I filled out except for my corporate ID number, which I don’t have memorized. I was told it was no problem, it would take a day or 2 to process anyway and I could call later in the day or the next day to provide the number from my office.

At this point Linda is back, letting me know the delivery would arrive the day my application would be approved. She also casually dropped the fact, 3x, that I would need to deposit 20% for the corporate account. I reminded her, politely each time that I was placing a third down as I had originally mentioned. She then ran my corporate card, asked me if I was authorized on this account (I had mentioned several times at this point I was the owner/President of the company), I reminded her that it was my name on the card and showed her my ID again, then she ran it thru as a lay-a-way. After correcting her mistake I left, somewhat annoyed.

If you think that I was upset by her persistent implication, I felt, that I could not afford the office furniture, and that I was not an owner of a corporation, wait til you hear the rest.

Continued in part 2...

Labels: African American, Binghamton, furniture store, New York State, Olum's