The election season is almost over. Every sane person must be breathing a sigh of relief. We, of course, love the entire political season and are sorry to see it wind up.
In the interest of professional courtesy, we extend the following stories to the Times Union and The Record for the next go-around. No need to re-invent the wheel.
Fill in the Blanks
_____________, candidate for District ___ in Troy, has alleged that ____________ has stolen _____ of his/her signs. __________ denies the allegation, calling ________ a _______ __________.
__________, candidate for District ___ in Troy, wants to see safer, cleaner neighborhoods and pledges to be a more effective councilperson than _______________.
Absentee Landlords
One issue that everyone is talking about is absentee landlords. Dunne started this conversation and gets no credit. The Council was supposed to implement Mahoney's absentee landlord legislation but, like just about everything else, dropped the ball.
Absentee landlords are the target. We understand the point. People take better care of a property if it's their residence. Fine. We get it. However, last we heard, this was America and you are allowed to purchase as much property as you want. Owning things is good. Not all absentee landlords are bad. Could we please say something like negligent landlords or irresponsible landlords. Candidates shouldn't paint with such a broad brush. And no, in the interest of full disclosure, Democratus is not a landlord. God forbid.
If You Aren't Busy, Go Vote
Lets see, Tim O'Brien says don't vote if you don't want to.
Franco says every vote counts.
We take the middle view. Your vote counts, just not that much. Don't get any big ideas about participating in the democratic process. Not in New York State.
The problem in New York State are the minor lines. The Independence Party is a joke and its leaders should be sued for false advertising. It's not independent. It's a client party, currently, of the Republican Party. Same with the Conservative Party. It's a joke.
If they were real parties, the Conservative Party and Independence Party would do what most parties do, run candidates. Instead, they endorse the candidates of the party that offers the biggest payoff. Those payoffs come in the form of jobs for the party leaders and their family members. It's a huge shakedown racket and nothing more.
Franco and Talespin have pointed out that these minor lines can sometimes be worth upwards of 14% of the vote. Basically, idiots will vote for candidate A on line C but not for candidate A on line A. Essentially, it's the same mentality that finds Nascar and wrestling entertaining.
A democracy can't work when the 5% or 8% or 14% that decide elections are up for sale. If Harry looks weak for 2007, Mirch will shop the Conservative endorsement around to the frontrunner. Why? So he and his family can leach off the public some more and build up a nice pension. Wake up folks. He's laughing all the way to the bank and you don't get it.
All in the Family
Wow! We guess LoPorto won't be going to Harry's place for the Holidays. Few politicians take out full page ads (today's Record) attacking their wife's uncle but hey, we're in Troy. A lot of familys have issues. True, most don't revolve around political races and Frear Park restaurants.
Harry claims that LoPorto is pissed at him because he, LoPorto, didn't get the Frear Park restaurant deal. Well, LoPorto should be pissed. Why should Mike be the only one to suffer from Harry's "ethics".
We take that back. The Carignan Agency has suffered, and so have the Bucks, from Harry's fine ethics. So, LoPorto is in good company.
As for outsiders, we suppose Dave Mitchell will be leaving Corporation Counsel's Office sometime soon.
And what does he have against Brunswick. By all accounts it's a well-run town. He's actually a Brunswicker (Brunswickian?), born and raised. Hell, he votes in Brunswick. Trojans go to Brunswick for all their needs, Wal-Mart, Price Chopper etc. Perhaps they should have a say on the City Council.
All in all, we respect Harry. Because when a grown man is really pissed off, he did what all grown men do, took out an ad in a newspaper.
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