Random Recordings of Mental Meanderings

Tomorrow is Election Day, and in order to vote, one must be informed. These are the candidates for the offices up for grabs in my voting district:

US Senator

Roger Calero
Socialist Workers
An anachronism. While I agree in theory with some of what he says, the guy uses too many exclamation points, and is as reactionary as the neo-cons running this country. Will corner the Cuban National vote, and scattered wing nuts from around the state.

Hillary Rodham Clinton (incumbent)
Democrat, Independence, Working Families
This election is the next stop on the “Hillary for President” Tour. Get your concert t-shirts now! Seriously, though, while I like her, she has played too much to the middle, which I think is a problem in American politics. She is part of the problem, unfortunately. She will win, but she won’t be the next president.

K. T. McFarland
Jobs & Security
She didn’t make it on the Republican ticket, so she got nominated on a very very minor party line. That just about says it all: she’s not even good enough for the Republicans in this state. The only people voting for her will be close relatives, and a few people around the state who have no clue about her and don’t want to vote for Clinton or Spencer.

Jeffrey T. Russell
Libertarian
Isolationist and anti-government. Should get the votes of all those red-neck conservatives who remember Timothy McVeigh, Waco, and the FBI Assault At Ruby Ridge. Don’t give him any guns, as he probably has more than enough to arm a small militia. He’ll get enough votes to get the Libertarians on the ballot again.

John D. Spencer
Republican, Conservative, Right to Life
A shill for the President. Sure, he served in war, but he wants to keep the troops involved in the illegal war in Iraq, rather than bring them home ASAP. Spews all the Republican talking points. He will further marginalize the Republican Party statewide.

William Van Auken
Socialist Equality
The German counterpart for Calero. They should join forces and become the Socialist Party. Will get support from those who strongly believe in Marx, and maybe a few Neo-Nazis who aren’t voting for Russell.

My Choice: Hillary on the Working Families Party line.

US Representative in Congress

Brian M. Higgins (incumbent)
Democrat, Independence, Working Families
A right-wing sheep in Democratic clothing. Brings a lot of Federal funds to WNY for waterfront development.

Michael J. McHale
Republican
Is running because the Republicans have to have someone who is not a Democrat on the ticket. Will lose badly. Really, really badly.

My Choice: A write-in vote. Perhaps Jimmy Griffin or Mickey Mouse.

New York State Governor

John Broderick
Right to Life
The only issues this guy cares about are making abortion illegal again, and eliminating stem-cell research. Didn’t bother answering the League of Women Voters questionnaire, and isn’t listed as the candidate on Wikipedia. His significant other probably won’t even vote for him.

John Clifton
Libertarian
Plans to BRING BACK FREEDOM TO NEW YORK by parroting Libertarian talking points. Plans to BRING BACK FREEDOM TO NEW YORK by capitalizing words. Plans to BRING BACK FREEDOM TO NEW YORK, losing by a big margin.

Maura DeLuca
Socialist Workers
Another NYC socialist who will garner many votes in the left-wing Hispanic constituency. Will steal votes from the Green Party.

John Faso
Republican, Conservative
Funniest line: “I would veto any plan that is a partisan gerrymander regardless of which party benefits.” Unless, of course, the Republican Party benefits. I don’t know what will be a bigger loss: this guy against Schumer or the Bills against the Colts on Sunday.

Malachy McCourt
Green
The “progressive” candidate. Didn’t finish grade school, and is straight off of the boat from Ireland. A classic politician in the Jimmy Griffin mold. May cause the Green party to be removed from the ballot.

Jimmy McMillan
Rent is Too Damn High
Love the party name. This guy is certifiable. Biggest problem in NYS as he sees it: high rents in NYC. Ran a failed campaign for Mayor of NYC. Climbed to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. Claims he was abducted by al Qaida before the attack on the WTC back in 1993. Can’t even keep his website on-line. Will get 3 votes: himself, and two people with warped senses of humor.

William E. Murawski
Voice of the People
Should seriously think about merging with the Green and Socialists parties. Is a better candidate than McCourt. Will not get many more votes than McMillan.

Eliot Spitzer
Democrat, Independence, Working Families
I can only say three words: he will win. The only question I have is: will he quit midway through his term in order to run for President, or will he wait until the middle of his second term?

My Choice: Spitzer on the Working Families Party line.

Lieutenant Governor

Alison Duncan
Green
When queried by the League of Women Voters, she forgot that she’s running for Lieutenant Governor, not Governor. Or maybe she’s planning for the next go-around. Or maybe she’s planning for Spitzer’s untimely demise. It doesn’t matter, because this position is absolutely meaningless.

Wendy L. Holibaugh
Right to Life
Thinks she is campaigning for her husband to be a deacon at her church. Will get about as many votes as there are members in her parish.

Ben O’Shaughnessy
Socialist Workers
An Irishman who has a thing for Cuban Latinas. Will get more votes than his gubernatorial counterpart.

David A. Paterson
Democrat, Independence, Working Families
A tool for Spitzer, will corner the Harlem vote for him.

Donald Silberger
Libertarian
Spent a half-century teaching Math at the post-secondary level, which eminently qualifies him for a career in politics. I guess. Sure. It makes sense to me.

Scott Vanderhoef
Republican, Conservative
Will return to Rockland County to finish out his term as County Executive. Another NYC politico who siphoned money and resources from upstate in order to enrich his constituents. Yet another reason to merge NYC with Northern NJ and Western Connecticut in order to form their own state. In a fit of irony, New Yokers will elect him to this nondescript governmental post

Donald Winkfield
Voice of the People
Hosts a public access show with Murawski, so it’s only fitting that he run on the same party line. Thinks apartheid is alive and well in NYS. Will get two votes: his, and Murawski’s.

My Choice: Duncan, because I have to vote for the Green party somewhere.

New York State Attorney General

William T. Conroy, Jr.
Right to Life
Didn’t bother answering the LWV questionnaire. A lot of people will not bother voting for him, either.

Andrew M. Cuomo
Democrat, Working Families
Formerly of the Clinton administration and son of the former governor. Is working his way up to a run for Governor after Spitzer leaves office, and eventually President. Will sadly be shut out of that race.

Christopher B. Garvey
Libertarian
Promises to use his skills as a patent attorney to be an advocate for the people of the state of New York. Will return to sailing instruction after losing badly.

Martín Koppel
Socialist Workers
Will work hard as Attorney General to dismantle government in NYS as we know it, in order to return to a state of anarchy. Often reminisces about protests in the late 60′s.

Jeanine Pirro
Republican, Conservative, Independence
Will give Cuomo a run for his money, because she has qualifications for the job. Will lose because she is a Republican.

Rachel Treichler
Green
Should be the Democrat candidate. The only other qualified candidate besides Pirro.

My Choice: Treichler. OK, so I will vote Green twice.

New York State Comptroller

John J. Cain
Libertarian
Anti-government. Will get votes because people will confuse him with the Arizona Senator.

J. Christopher Callaghan
Republican, Conservative
Spent 35 years in government accounting and finance, which disqualifies him for the position of fiscal watchdog for the state. Will lose because he is a Republican.

Willie Cotton
Socialist Workers
A sewing-machine operator who wants to free Cuban revolutionaries in US jails. Doesn’t realize it has nothing to do with being a comptroller.

Michael A. Cronmiller
Right to Life
Did not bother to answer questionnaire from “uppity women-folk”. Write-in candidates will get more votes then he will.

Alan G. Hevesi (incumbent)
Democrat, Independence, Working Families
Recent scandal proves Democrats are not immune to corruption. Will win after weeks of re-counts forced by Callaghan.

Julia Willebrand
Green
A college professor and NYC environmental activist. Very progressive in her ideas. Should run for higher office next time around.

My Choice: Willebrand

New York State Senate

Joseph J. Mesler
Republican
Has been involved locally in Republican politics. Apparently his first run at office. He will lose by a fairly large margin.

William T. Stachowksi (incumbent)
Democrat, Conservative, Independence, Working Families
Has been the state senator since 1981, and will continue to be until he decides to retire.

My Choice: Stachowski

New York State Assembly

Richard E. Zajac
Republican
This is the 28-year old’s first run for public office, and he knows he will get killed in the polls. His slogan is “This is a learning experience”.

Mark J. Schroeder (incumbent)
Democrat, Conservative, Independence, Working Families
Will win in his second term. Will eventually unseat Higgins when everyone else in town figures out that he is a Republican Party tool.

My Choice: Schroeder

NYS Supreme Court Judge

Timothy J. Drury
Democrat, Conservative, Working Families
Is the acting Supreme Court Judge. Many people confuse him with the current Sabre.

Timothy J. Walker
Republican, Independence
Many years experience as an attorney, no judicial experience. Many people will be confused because he has the same first name and middle initial as Drury.

My Choice: Drury

Erie County Court Judge

Douglas Warren Marky
Republican
President of the Kiwanis Club, Town of Aurora Justice

Michael L. D’Amico
Democrat, Conservative, Independence, Working Families
Currently an Erie County Court Judge

My Choice: go with experience and the Democrat.

Erie County Clerk

David J. Swarts
Democrat, Conservative, Independence, Working Families
Served as Erie County Clerk since 1986. It took him that long to tear down the tollbooths on the I-190.

Shelly Schratz
Republican, Family First
President of Bings Restaurant and member of the Amherst Town Board. Will work to get more money into the suburbs, er, reduce expenses from top down. Promises to attend a session of the County Legislature.

My Choice: The same: vote for the Democrat incumbent.

Draft: Erie County 2006 Proposition

At the next general election to be held on the 7th day of November, 2006

Shall there be approved in the County of Erie, Local Law Intro. No. 7 of 2006, entitled “A LOCAL LAW amending Local Law No. 1-1959, constituting the Erie County Charter, as amended, in relation to recommendations made by the Erie County Charter Revision Commission, duly organized pursuant to Local Law No. 4-2005, as amended by Local Law No. 10-2005”? Said Local Law Intro. No. 7 was enacted by the Erie County Legislature on the 27th day of July, 2006 and approved by the County Executive on the 16th day of August, 2006.

From the Buffalo News:

• An independent county comptroller would be empowered to oversee budget revenue projections and trigger budget corrections if a deficit is foreseen. Currently, only the county executive can do so.
• The budget would be written in more easily understood language and in a more informational form than the current line-item system.
• Performance standards would be used to monitor and evaluate delivery of services.
• “True cost” accounting would be sought to better clarify how much each department spends instead of having some items used by one department covered elsewhere in the budget.

WNY Coalition for Progress President Alan Bedenko said “some reform is better than no reform.” I am not so sure. The summary sheet at each polling place is 11 pages long. I read the 40-sentence abstract and it is pretty incomprehensible. An attorney on the radio couldn’t even understand everything that it does. Will a 30-second glance at the entire document by me before voting be any better? I think not. While we need reform at the county level, I’m voting against this bit.

A massive piece of legislation like that needs to be broken up so that we, the citizens of Erie County can understand what the hell they are doing. There are several references to ECMC and ECC. There are reorganizations, deletions, additions and amendments. These things need to be considered separately, and not thrust upon the public to vote en masse with scant references and discussions on the web and in the news.

It’s a large-scale restructuring of county government, with no one knowing what exactly is going on. The legislators and control board sure aren’t talking. The comptrolller doesn’t want anyone to know about his power-grab. The Buffalo News digests the whole thing to four bullet points. Let me repeat that: an eleven page abstract reduced to four bullet points. I’m sorry, but anything that encompassing needs much more discussion and a hell of a lot more publicity. People should be given a lot more than this to vote on.

So get out and make sure you vote. Vote early and often.

And if you don’t vote, don’t bitch about anything, because you gave that right up by not voting.