letters to the editor/opinion

Jacobs is right to want answers in presidential election

Posted 7 January 2021 at 8:28 am

Editor:

Several answers to questions could provide clarity to the 2020 elections. A 10-day audit would answer some of these concerns that Republicans, like Congressman Jacobs, have.

Why would your party remove poll watchers if everything is above board? If there is nothing to hide why remove them? Why do certain states have a large amount over votes? Why wasn’t the constitution followed regarding changing of election laws?

Why relax standards regarding signature matches? What is the exact reasoning behind that move? Explain the reasoning behind scanning the same ballets multiple times?

There could be logical explanations behind all of these. The be quiet and accept the results as your letter states is certainly not going to change anyone’s electoral concerns.

Edward Urbanik

Lyndonville

Democratic leaders in 27th District condemn Jacobs for opposing electoral certification

Posted 6 January 2021 at 6:54 pm

Editor:

The verdict of the American people is clear and resounding: Joe Biden will be our president, and Kamala Harris will be our Vice President.

Every single state has certified their results, and no court has found any of those certifications invalid. Despite repeated Republican accusations of fraud, Republicans have been unable to produce an iota of evidence to support, much less prove, their accusations.

Despite that failure, several Republican members of the House and Senate have tried to interfere today with the counting of electoral votes, a ceremonial ritual, today.

Yesterday Rep. Chris Jacobs (NY 27) dodged repeated questions from press and constituents about what he planned to do in the House today. Since his votes will be publicly recorded within hours, though, Chris Jacobs has finally revealed his intentions.

Shamefully, he is standing with those who would overturn the will of the American voters and the voters of New York. Rather than standing for democracy, he has aligned himself with the demagogues who refuse to accept their loss and are inciting violence.

We, the county Democratic Chairpersons of New York’s 27th Congressional District, condemn Congressman Jacobs’ decision in the strongest possible terms. No one who refuses to accept election results deserves to hold elective office. Once again, the Representative of NY 27 is bringing shame upon the people of this district.

Jeremy Zellner

Chair, Erie County Democratic Committee

John Jacoby

Chair, Niagara County Democratic Committee

Jeff Lewis

Chair, Orleans County Democratic Committee

Michael Plitt

Chair, Genesee County Democratic Committee

Cynthia Appleton

Chair, Wyoming County Democratic Committee

Judith Hunter

Chair, Livingston County Democratic Committee

Zach King

Chair, Monroe County Democratic Committee

John Hurley

Chair, Ontario County Democratic Committee

Developer premature because new state siting process not in place for large energy projects

Posted 1 January 2021 at 11:40 am

Editor:

Barre residents, do not be fooled. The Apex informational online presentation was a mere draft of what might come!

Cuomo shut the state down and that includes the courts, which has resulted in the halt of this 94-C formation. Governor Cuomo has New York State in the red financially and it will take money to establish new departments.

Per Citizens for a Better Barre’s attorney: You should know that the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) does not really exist, as it is comprised in its entirety of one man: Houtan Moaveni. He holds the title “Executive Deputy Director” of ORES, but Moaveni works for the Public Service Commission on Article 10 matters. ORES is supposed to be located at the Department of State, but Moaveni has still no office there.

Moaveni has issued a solicitation for technical staff, as it appears he has none of his own. He’s using DPS.

Heritage Wind will need to explain what happens if ORES does not get off the ground for a year or so.

Alexander Nacca

Barre

Hawley says communities showed resilience in 2020, poised for much better 2021

Posted 30 December 2020 at 4:11 pm

Editor:

With all the negativity and anxiety that has run rampant through the public consciousness in the last year, as we move into 2021, I think we should look back at 2020 and take pride in the strength we showed as a people.

In a matter of months our lives were flipped upside down, as everybody from young children to the elderly had to adapt to the unthinkable circumstances we live with today.

From getting used to mask-wearing, bearing with new technologies, and learning to go with less physical contact from the people we love, we have all done our part to face this unprecedented challenge to both our public health and economic well-being.

As the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine continues to accelerate in the months to come, I hope we can look to the future with hope and look back at these times in the same way we look at the sacrifices made by our greatest generation during World War II, as people changed the way they live for the sake of their neighbors and their country.

What I would like in 2021 is to see the ability to adapt to changing circumstances displayed by the people of our state emulated within our state government. Just as families throughout the state learned to tighten their budgets and focus on what’s truly essential in this period of hardship, our State Legislature should also look at cutting out spending we don’t need and focusing on what’s really important.

Wasteful spending on things like tax breaks for movie studios and extra political advisors for our Governor is unconscionable in a time when more small businesses and restaurants are being forced to close their doors by the day.

This holiday season and throughout the year families looked within their own communities as they purchased gifts and necessities, and just as the people of our state have gone out of their way to support their local institutions, we should act as a state to support our small businesses, small landlords and restaurants that have endured a massive drop in revenue during the pandemic.

We should be talking with local stakeholders in these industries and talk about how they can do more, not less, business in our state, and what we can do to support their success in terms of both fiscal and regulatory policy.

When small businesses succeed, families prosper, and in 2021 I want to bring the voices of small business owners to the forefront of our conversations in Albany, as they know better than anybody what needs to be done to help them grow and thrive.

2021 might end up being the best year we’ve seen in a long time, but only if the Legislature learns from its mistakes and acts with the same toughness and adaptability the people of our state have.

New Yorkers deserve a government as tough and as compassionate as they’ve been throughout this year, and I am hopeful that if the Legislature gets smarter with spending and listens more to people affected by the policies they create, that 2021 will be the dawn of a new and brighter day for our state. With that said, I wish a happy and healthy New Year to all of my friends and neighbors!

Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Batavia

Poetic verses can’t elevate a failed president

Posted 24 December 2020 at 11:42 am

Editor:

You tell ‘em “Tiger Blood”! So much local talent coming from such a small place.

Personally, I believe that Donald Trump’s epic rendition of Oscar Brown’s poetic allegory is much more apropos:

“Oh shut up, silly voters,” Trump read with a grin. “You knew I’m a snake before you voted me in.”

Donald Trump became a failed President for one simple reason. Long before that he was a failed man. Fortunately for America many (including myself) woke up to that fact in time for 2020.

Merry Christmas to all, and your New Year be bright.

Tom Graham – Albion High School ’78

Rochester

’Twas the Nightmare before Christmas

Posted 24 December 2020 at 9:03 am

Editor:

This is in response to Tom Valley.


’Twas the Nightmare before Christmas, The Dems still occupied the House.

The A – – es sent a Covid bill to Santa, with nary a crumb for a mouse.

With Pelosi in dementia and McConnell back in swamp

In believing Beijing Joe, soon will be infiltrating the White House.


The lunatics for the new cabinet were gathered, oh what fun,

With the color of their skin being qualification number one.

In ignoring the facts, that the election was stolen

States violated their own law, in this corruption promotion.


Name calling and lies, It does really work,

Ask Schumer, Pelosi, BLM and the Woke.

Trump supporters are a movement that the Dems can not break.

That’s why they lie, cheat, and steal, and their Medias fake.


Our country has suffered, but not everyone got sick,

Blue state Governors thought “Ahh this will do the trick”

We will lock down the Public, to end the middle class,

Look how far we can push these serfs, what a gas.


Wear your mask and stay home, we demand, we order,

While we sit high upon our throne, in our “Kingdoms of Grandeur.”

What we do our own selves, do not ponder,

Ending your ability to have a livelihood is all that matters.


When all of a sudden there came such a clatter,

Santa Trump and eight mighty gas burning engines,

Down the chimney he came, smooth as silk,

With a big lump of coal for Tom Valley, his kind, his ilk.


The lies from the Valley of pardons you see

Come as is there were no other President than came before he.

They all have done this for friends can’t you see,

No, I think not. There is too much hate way down low in the Valley.


Separating Illegal children from parents was originated by Obama.

He built the cages to take them from their Mamma.

Beijing Joe, the “Big Guy” when not getting his cut,

Was out praising China and punching America in the gut.


Beijing Joe, the sniffer, the groper, the racist. He hid in his basement,

While Kamala laughed at everything the left said that was baseless.

You wonder what kind of drugs swirl in her head,

These two coming to power, the world seriously should dread.


Yes, ’Twas the night before Christmas and the Grinch yes he chose,

To defile a great poem to take a political pose.

Not from high up on the mountain looking down,

But way down low in the Valley, in the sty and the swarm.


The election was stolen, those with eyes open agree.

It’s not over yet, there is still January.

On the floor of the Senate, In the House they should debate,

How crooked are the Democrats and seal their fate.


How this all will turn out I truly do not know,

But Beijing Biden will bring ruin, to a country, soon you will not know.

If you think things are bad now, they are about to get worse,

The country you knew as America, will be put into a hearse.


It’s funny how one can see the country sitting way up high.

And get an opinion from low down in the Valley, stock full of lies.

Why is it such a man, who has been so blessed, be so unhappy with his own country,

Can feel guilty for his own skin color, be full of hate and side with those who invade us.


Christmas soon is over, the leftists they have got,

Tons of carbon emitting coal, the production of Xi’s best.

The corrupt Biden Crime family, will do China’s bidding.

The fix was in, and now the Eagle is weeping.


On Buick and Cadillac and Dodge and Plymouth,

On Studebaker and Packard and Chrysler and Lincoln,

Emit Away, Emit Away, Emit away all!

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas.


Paul Lauricella

Yates

Kendall woman who sent Santa to see kids in quarantine has long cared for others

Posted 23 December 2020 at 5:29 pm

Editor:

After reading about Kristen Ostrander organizing care packages for Kendall kids in quarantine, we weren’t surprised to see her looking out for people in a difficult circumstance.

We have known this girl since she was dating her husband. She was always a person who cared for others. I am happy to see her get some recognition for her generous efforts to help others. She is quite a gal. Thank you Kristen for your hard work.

Dayton and Nancy Hausman

Medina

The Blight before Christmas

Posted 23 December 2020 at 10:09 am

Editor:


‘Twas the blight before Christmas, and the Dems held the House

The Republican morale was as low as a mouse

Stocked in delusion, the GOP hadn’t cared,

In belief that Trump, would always be there


The sycophants were nestled, all smug in their seats

With visions of a candidate, who couldn’t be beat

But something happened, the news did shout

Twitter Bird had lost, he’d been voted out.


Name calling and lies, just didn’t work

Gone were the smiles and so were the smirks

Their backbones once solid, now were like jelly

There was a frightening feeling, deep in their belly


The whole country was suffering, everyone was sick

From the virus and politics, take your pick,

Ma in her kerchief and I in my mask,

‘End the pandemic,’ is all that we asked.


When on the TV, there rose such a clatter,

I turned up the volume to see what was the matter.

“Off with their heads, it’s bogus, unfair”

This, from a guy, with fake tans and fake hair.


Red hats all gathered, as the process stood frozen

Shouting and screaming “The election was stolen”

And ignoring the facts, they bowed to their king,

Looking to him, what would he bring?


Don Junior was unhappy, ”This couldn’t be!”

As Senior insisted “It’s all about me”

“I’ll threaten, I’ll bully and I’ll sue everyone”

“Forget the Constitution, Democracy is done”


“One for all” – made his blood boil red

‘Cuz “All for one” was the game he led.

“Give me more time, the wall is in sight”

Unfortunately he built it between the left and the right.


No matter how crazy the advice he’d spout

His followers loved it, and sought him out

He wanted yes-men, others he’d fire

The women he abused, he called them all liars.


Separating children, from their mom and their dads,

Loyalists cared not, “it’s not that bad”

Like hypnotized subjects, they were blind to his ways,

No room for outsiders, like Muslims and gays


And if you weren’t white, he’d feign to befriend

But then George Floyd, we know how it ends

“There is” he said, good “on both sides”

Then he’d head to the bunker, sit there and hide.


The moon on the crest of the White House garden

Signaled abuse as he passed out pardons

“Run free Mike Flynn, and you, Roger Stone

There is no penalty for protecting my throne”


And just in case, any other problem arose,

He schemed to bypass, those who opposed

By letting his friends, and kids off the hook,

Behind the scenes, he knew they were all crooks


“Go free my children, my enablers and all”

Their names he shouted, as he issued his call,

“You’re safe Ivanka, Eric and Junior,

I beat the system, and also Bob Mueller,”


And then Hunter Biden, an imagined problem,

He vowed to find out and get to the bottom

While the virus did rage and our nation was hacked

He spent his time, tweeting non-facts


More people were sick, and so many dying

His priorities askew, common-sense defying

He ignored Covid meetings, went golfing instead

“To heck with my duties, to heck with the dead”


Grabbing his golf bag, as the nation fell apart,

Totally unconcerned as he sat in his cart,

Put quite briefly, put quite bluntly,

He loved his country clubs, more than his country


The election he lost, but he wouldn’t concede

He wanted to stay, he wanted to lead.

But he couldn’t keep a job, he refused to do

So the country voted in, somebody new.


But he kept on playing, cheating and hacking

That’s the reason why… his a – – was sent packin’

The votes are all in, only one thing to tally,

Merry Christmas to ALL … and that’s from the Valley.


Tom Valley

Medina

In cyberattack against U.S., Republicans decline to denounce Russia

Posted 22 December 2020 at 9:48 am

Editor:

Where are Republican loyalties? Robert Mueller found multiple suspicious contact between the Trump campaign and Russia, yet Republicans refused to acknowledge the potential conflict of interest.

During the impeachment hearing in the House of Representatives there was testimony by military personnel (Lt. Col Alexander Vindman), former CIA analyst (Kurt Volker), former and current ambassadors (Gordon Sondland, Bill Taylor, Marie Yavanowitch), and many others under oath who made the case that the Trump administration withheld needed military equipment needed to fight Russia in an ongoing war.

Despite all the testimony, which was under oath, Republicans in the Senate refused to hear any witnesses or see any documentation giving encouragement to Russia. This past summer Russian fighter jets repeatedly veered close to U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers over the Black Sea. Later Russian warplanes flew close enough to Alaska that F-22s were scrambled to intercept them and then seven U.S. soldiers were injured when Russian armored vehicle rammed an American patrol in northeast Syria.

Republicans are silent. Republicans are silent about Russia putting a bounty on American and allied forces in Afghanistan. With no push back from Republicans or the Trump administration, Russia felt emboldened to attack our cybersecurity.

Thomas P. Bossert, Homeland Security Adviser to President Trump, wrote in a NYT op-ed. (12/18/20) “President Trump is on the verge of leaving behind a federal government, and perhaps a large number of major industries, compromised by the Russian government.”

It may be a coincident that Senate Leader Mitch McConnell recognized Joe Biden as President-Elect after Vladimir Putin or maybe Vladimir Putin was giving permission to Mr. McConnell to recognize the President-Elect.

The way Republicans have behaved over the past four years one has to ask, “Where are Republican’s loyalties.”

William Fine

Brockport

Next four years could be rough in ‘new normal’ under Biden administration

Posted 21 December 2020 at 10:00 am

Editor:

I literally laughed out loud when I read Bill Fine’s recent statement, “Democrats came down to $2 trillion relief package, but Republicans refused to accept any compromise. So now we have the $906 billion relief bill that is not ideal and will not meet the needs of those suffering from forced unemployment but it is better than nothing so Democrats will support this bill but Republicans still reject it.”

Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful woman in our nation and matriarch of the left not only signed off on this bill – she has publicly admitted that she has deprived American people in need for 3 months in favor of her ongoing political battle with the right.

“What changed? Two things, said the Speaker. A vaccine appears nearing delivery. And Joe Biden won the White House. That was not a mistake, it was a decision,” Pelosi said of her choice to demand for months a deal three times as large as what she’s now settling for. “That is a total game changer — a new President and a vaccine.” (Time Magazine 12/7/2020).

So, the vaccine that could never be developed in time under Trump actually was. And because “her guy” won the election, she has now started thinking about the American people?

I am not saying the right does not play the same types of games. Unfortunately most politicians do. That is the main reason a non-politician was elected in ’16. We are ALL tired of the political games and power grabs by both parties.

Now that we are about to enter Obama 2.0 (look at his cabinet choices) all eyes are on Georgia. If the left takes the Senate as well, the next four years will be filled with far left “achievements.” This will undoubtedly drive the 2024 elections.

And that is not to mention the unavoidable gross inflation we will experience for the next few years. Most of this will be a direct result of Covid. I do think it fair to say that the rate of inflation would be less under Republican control as there would not be as much “free” stuff given out to buy votes.

We are about to find out just how powerful the far left/socialists are. AOC is completely clueless as to reality, but she and others have been given rock star status by the media. Pelosi has rebuked her several times but she still wields a degree of power.

With Pelosi’s control deteriorating it is certainly going to be an interesting four years. Our nation will survive. Unfortunately, I don’t think we will thrive under Biden. Undoubtedly the new administration will come up with excuses and a newer version of “the new normal” in order to rationalize their failures.

Bob Harker

Clarendon