Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Haikuesday!

Sorry, this letter is just BEGGING for a triptych...(link)

In case you missed it
Craziest letter EVER!
Thank you, W-D-T!

Only two parties:
TEA Party? Tickle Party?
Did Hoffman say that?

Recycle Congress?
Like "Soylent Green is people?" (link)
I'm not that hungry...

Thursday, April 1, 2010

North Country Republican Convention?

According to the Watertown Daily Times (link), Oswego County's own Honorable Will Barclay (link) has proposed a North Country Republican Convention for New York's 23rd Congressional District.

According to the article, Barclay
"...has proposed inviting the 1,300 county committee members from the 23rd Congressional District to a central location this summer to mingle with the party’s three prospective candidates, hear their pitches and then pick a favorite."
The suggestion doesn't demonstrate a full-tilt rift in the party, but it does demonstrate a difference of opinion among Party Chairmen.

The article states that Jefferson and Franklin Counties' chairmen are opposed to the idea, citing the possibility of backlash for another back room deal to annoint the candidate. Alternately, Oswego County's chairman is in favor of the convention idea as a way to involve the committee members more in the decision making process.

NCN calls it: Mr. Barclay, a North Country Republican Convention is a fantastic idea. The average party member is disaffected and feels misrepresented by their party leadership. Unfortunately, that includes the committee members as well as more well known party leaders. Beyond that, the logistics of inviting 1,300 committee members from 11 counties with full-time jobs, families, and schedules to one central location would be overwhelming.

NY-23 is 14,739 square miles of God's favorite country (link). That's the land area of Washington D.C., American Samoa, The US Virgin Islands, Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, Rhode island, Delaware, Connecticut, and Hawaii combined (link). Geographically, the center of the district has got to be someplace southwest of Tupper Lake (link). Good luck trucking everyone in.

But as I said, it's a fantastic idea... if you scale it back. Right now the Republican Party is at a crossroads. The TEA Party people say they're fed up with misrepresentation. Can we reach them and bring them back into the fold? Probably some, but not the most virulent. What we can do is make the party more appealing to rank-and-file members. Let's stem the tide and momentum away from the TEA Party movement, and bring them back into good relationship with the Party.

Mr. Barclay, let's have a Senate District Barbecue. Oswego, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence Counties have much in common, but we're separated by lines on a map. You name the place - your family's estate in Oswego County, Fort Oswego (hurry, before it closes!), Jefferson County's many lovely parks (Southwick, Westcott, Thompson Park, Grass Point, Keewaydin... a field in St. Lawerence County... Just name the place, send out the invitations, and make sure you bring extra ketchup.

In fact, why don't you open it up to rank-and-file members? They're already feeling disillusioned, what better way to bring them back into the fold than to let them mingle with their party bosses, see their neighbors from the north and/or south. Let's put up a united front and rally the troops. It'll do wonders for our Senate candidates (Go Ritchie!), our Assembly candidates (Go Barclay! ... and others to be named officially later).

Mr. Barclay, I urge you to unite the Party with a party.

Republican Kegger, anyone?

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Haikuesday -- Mark Two!

Patty Ritchie:
"I have always been pro-life"
All I need to hear...

Friday, March 26, 2010

A great primer on our House Democrats

Special Thanks to the House Republican Committee for this educational, entertaining video primer on their democratic counterparts.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

TEA Party - Friend or Foe?

According to a recent poll (link), New York's 23rd Congressional District is still as Republican as ever. When given the opportunity to vote for two candidates, the Republican wins. Throw a third party (TEA Party) candidate in there and what happens? The Democrats win.

Why is that?

As Sun Tzu said, "We can form a single united body, while the enemy must split up into fractions. Hence there will be a whole pitted against separate parts of a whole, which means that we shall be many to the enemy's few." VI:14 (link)

Think it over, TEA Partiers. What is more important - standing up for Glenn Beck's 9/12 principles and losing completely, or finding common ground behind a Republican candidate? Res ipsa loquitur.
 
That is what is so dangerous about Doug Hoffman resolving to run on the Conservative ticket Republican Primary or not.
 
YNN has an excellent piece about a North Country native who's seeking the nomination from the Republican Party (link).
 
Rain or shine, sink or swim, win or lose - the Republican Party cannot afford to be splintered for this race.
 
If Hoffman wins it, let's get behind him. If Doheny wins it, let's come together and kick some donkey.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

2010 - The North Country's Last Stand Against Obscurity

Nestled between two of the greatest lakes ever fished by man (and the ocassional woman) lies New York State's North Country. With Lake Champlain to the east (link), Lake Ontario to the west (link), and the majestic Saint Lawerence River (link) keeping Canadian aggressors at bay (link), the North Country is the finest place to live, thrive, and survive (link) in all of New York State.

For as wonderful as the North Country really is, let's be real. It's a looong way to Albany (link). And even though Cape Air offers insane airfare between the two cities (link), regular air travel won't bring any more influence to our region.

The 2010 Census brings with it a reallocation of representation in Washington and Albany (link). With this Census comes the risk that New York will lose one representative in the House, and that other districts will be realigned to match the new populations (link)(link)(link).

Haikuesday!

Happy Haikuesday, everyone. Posted here for your enjoyment at "Hai Noon" every Tuesday.

A triptych for the NY State Senate (link)



the busy season
for democrat senators
the BUDGET SURPRISE!

one point four billion
less for our children's futures
teachers are betrayed

middle finger from
Aubertine to Sen. Little
"no prisons for you!"