Hood-winked at the Article X Banquet
The definition of hood-winked is: “To take in by deceptive means; to deceive.”
Come along with me and imagine that four of us from Cape Vincent were invited to attend a banquet at the Roxy Hotel. We are told that some Big-Shots from Albany are interested in what we have to say about our community. Exciting, huh? Can't wait, huh?
We arrive the night of the banquet and head for the door when two big ushers tell us only two can enter and sit at the table. We begin to decide who among us will enter when the usher interrupts and tells us he decides, not the four of us. Hmm? We are beginning to wonder about this banquet.
The Roxy is humming with noise. Lots of people, mostly men, running around in suits and ties, typical Albany political types. We see a banner on the wall ARTICLE X SITING BANQUET.
We begin to get the drift of why we are here. Some smiley, ex-high school valedictorian leads us to the banquet table that seats seven. We are introduced to the other five sitting at the table – Mr. NYSERDA, Mr. PSC, Mr. DEC, Mr. DOH and Mr. DED. They all smile, shake our hands, tell us we are welcome, and thank us for coming. “Glad to have you share our banquet,” said Mr. PSC at the head of the table.
Then the food begins to arrive. Waiters fill the table with a wide assortment of great food. The five Big-Shots ask us what we'd like for dinner. We respond, “The turkey looks delicious and the prime rib is my favorite.” More smiles. “How about some fixings,” Mr. NYSERDA asks. “Thank you,” we respond and we are beginning to think this is really nice. They are all so friendly and solicitous – they really seem to be interested in us.
After all the food has been served, the Big-Shots pick up the knives and forks, still smiling, and begin to eat. As we move to do the same, the Big-Shots stop eating, stop smiling and tell us to stop. “You two can't eat,” they shout! “You are ad hoc invitees to the banquet, you don't get to eat,” they continued. We dropped our forks and they began to eat, began to smile and even asked us what we thought of the food. Can you imagine their nerve?
How would you feel if you were invited to the table, asked what you would like to eat, but then were denied the opportunity to eat? This is exactly what is written into Governor Cuomo's Article X “Power NY Act 2011.” The law takes away home rule in siting power projects, but allows two, token locals to sit at the table with the Big-Shots as ad hoc member. Ad hoc means no voting rights. They take away our home-rule rights and throw us a few crumbs, but then tell us we can't eat the crumbs.
If you are madder than hell at the nerve of Albany then cut and paste this piece in an email to your local representatives and tell them that the Little-Shots from the North Country want to eat too! The legislature needs to revise the law so that local representatives on the Article X siting board get to vote along with the Big-Shots. With the current law the deck is stacked in favor of Albany 5 to 0. We aren't even asking for fair representation, just some representation. We'd settle with 5 to 2 odds in favor of Albany? Let us vote.
Lone Ranger
Senator Patti Richie - ritchie@nysenate.gov
Assemblywoman Addie Russell - russella@assembly.state.ny.us
7 comments:
Reminds me of the photo op with GWB serving up a turkey dinner. It was a prop. It looked absolutely delicious, but not one morsel of substance for the troops. I think that was the moment when everyone should have seen the pomp and circumstance that rules the country. I've seen enough congressional hearings to know the entire event is always staged. The questions are limited, as is the scope. Once in a great while you get a really good whistleblower, and then they get discredited, and run out of town.Meanwhile, tobacco company execs all chide "We do not believe tobacco is addictive" and cigarettes go to ten bucks a pack. There was a line in a movie that said it all, and I paraphrase; "We're so beyond screwed we need a space shuttle just to get back to screwed." Soon, I predict a huge distraction that will once and for all dissolve all democratic processes. Oh, wait. I'm sorry. That already happened. Lotsa luck at that buffet. It was a great analogy, anyway. The whole thing is made of styrofoam. You're right. We don't even get to eat the crumbs. Article X is simply a declaration.
We must all get involved before it's too late. The politicians are selling us out. This is supposed to be government of the people, by the people and for the people! If the people don't care and don't get involved they don't deserve to be free. Turn it over to the big banks and big corporations and become a slave.
Behind Cuomo’s Curtin of transparency.
Government of the corporation, by the corporation and for the corporation!
Good point Lone Ranger. I'm sending your argument for full representation to both Senator Ritchie and Assembywoman Russell. I'm surprised Cuomo didn't also tell us to sit at the back of the bus.
Remember though, a corporation can't be held criminally liable for anything. They just play a blame game and someone gets sent to the corn field. Corporations have the same rights as citizens, however, and speak with a singular voice. Where we live by the "rule of law", they live above it simply by being a corporation. Even better to hide behind a foreign corporation and countries that actually retain some sovereignty. If these corporations all flew the flag of their own country you'd hardly see an American flag anywhere. I had one, but someone stole it and sold it on Ebay.
Seems like every few days somebody emails me to send a letter to another government representative concerning a wind issue.
I'll bet ya the wind company lobby doesn't write many letters.
Letters?...we are barking up the wrong tree. What needs to be done is to have all the anti wind groups state wide start a fund drive. Raise a couple hundred grand...or even better a million. THEN write letters to our state and fed. legislators and remind them we have a big bag of CASH just burning a hole in our pocket for them for their next campaign. All they have to do is kiss up to and vote along the lines of the new anti wind lobby.
Wanna get somewhere and kill article X, then start playing ball by the same rules the wind lobby does and that these legislators understand. They would much rather count cash than letters.
11:50. Letters=Votes.
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