State of Denial

Trump's ... out of this world

Did the Oswego County Clerk Violate Federal Law?

Oswego County Legislator Doug Malone is angered that private information in regard to his vehicle registration was released to the public by Oswego County Clerk George Williams.

Malone’s privacy, as well as that of the public, is protected under federal law. Malone said the release of his information is a breach of that law.

The local county clerks have access to the information processed by the state for the vehicles registered in the clerk’s respective county, according to Jacque McGinnis of the state DMV.

That information, she said, is protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act.

The law states, “State department of motor vehicles, and any officer, employee, or contractor, thereof, shall not knowingly disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity personal information about any individual obtained by the department in connection with a motor vehicle record.”

Personal information can only be disclosed “for use in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft, motor vehicle emissions, motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories, performance monitoring of motor vehicles and dealers by motor vehicle manufacturers, and removal of non-owner records from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers,” the law states.

The federal act continues, “It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to obtain or disclose personal information, from a motor vehicle record, for any use not permitted under section 2721(b) of this title.”

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To learn about the Clerks  additional DMV tax click here

Republican Budget Proposals on Social Security

Donald Trump: You're... Not Voting!

New York City Board of Election records, according to the station, show that while Trump changed his party registration three times over the last 20 years, he has only voted in two party primaries -- the 1989 Republican mayoral primary, in which Rudy Giuliani faced off against Ronald Lauder, and last year's GOP primary for several statewide races, including governor and U.S. Senate.The Donald also blew off casting a ballot in the 2002 general election, according to NY1's records review.

Republicans Voted to End Medicare: How Will You Pay?

Budget Plans

House Democrats Punk Republicans On Budget Vote

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats showed Friday that they, too, have it in them to pull the kinds of parliamentary tricks on the House floor that Republicans mastered when they were the minority.
During a series of votes on alternative budget proposals, Democrats made a play to sucker GOP lawmakers into passing a proposal from the conservative Republican Study Committee that calls for dramatic cuts that even some GOP Members would find too drastic.

At one point during the vote, a majority of Republicans were on record in favor of the RSC budget. Democrats then began casting votes as “present,” rather than “no,” as they would be expected to do. Without the Democratic "no" votes, the amendment would be adopted and would supersede Budget ranking member Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) ballyhooed budget.

After time for the vote expired, Republicans held it open so that enough of them could switch their votes to prevent the RSC budget from passing.

In the end, only 119 of the 176 RSC Members voted for their own budget proposal, authored by Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.). Because so many Democrats voted "present," meanwhile, the final tally was 136-119 against – a bizarre total in a chamber with 435 members. Had nine Republicans not switched sides, the measure would've passed. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) switched her vote from "aye" to "no" at the last minute, as did Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Rules Committee.
A total of 172 Democrats ended up voting "present" instead of "no."

Amid the voting chaos, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) tweeted, “Dems voting present on RSC budget to highlight GOP divisions, plans to end Medicare - which bdgt does GOP support?”

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“They lied about us. All we have to do is tell the truth about them. And the truth is in today’s vote to terminate the guaranteed Medicare benefit. And if we tell the truth, we’ll win the House back.”

The Risk involved with EPA Budget Cuts...Guest Editorial by Nick Scott

The Risk involved with EPA Budget Cuts 

As of late, there has been a push by the House GOP towards reducing even more from the already struggling Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget. This movement has ignited a heated debate concerning the potential health risks that could result from a decreased EPA budget. Republicans believe that defunding the EPA would cause gas prices to go down and revenue to increase for American industry. The proposal made by the House GOP aims to cut the EPA’s budget by nearly 30 percent. Such a reduction could lead to the extermination of many of the EPA’s major initiatives, including The Clean Air Act, and their ability to oversee the nation’s energy practices.

A common talking point made by proponents of the budget cuts is that EPA regulations cost businesses extremely large amounts of revenue. Many business leaders are highly outspoken about the impact these pollution rules are having on their company’s income. Specifically, the main issue stems from the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from plants, factories, and refineries.

GOP lawmakers believe that if businesses have relaxed emission standards, they will indefinitely see increased revenue and job growth. Supporters have even gone as far as to question whether the emissions produced by American manufacturers are even involved in the pollution of the environment at all. Senator James Inhofe from Oklahoma, perhaps the GOP’s largest global warming skeptic, has introduced the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, a bill meant to strip the EPA’s authority of greenhouse gas regulation. Inhofe claims, “This bill puts Congress in charge of deciding our nation’s climate change policy, not EPA bureaucrats.”

While gas prices are sky rocketing and job growth is at an all time low, the potential benefits of the budget cut do seem appealing at first. However, despite the positives, the EPA believes that the associated health risks of a budget cut are not something to be taken lightly. EPA administrator, Lisa P Jackson, shares the same sentiment, having stated: “the standards that EPA is set to establish for harmful air pollutants from smokestacks and tailpipes would remain missing.”

If a budget cut of nearly 30% to the EPA becomes a reality, increased air pollution is sure to be a consequence. Currently, air quality and pollution remain as two the EPA’s main concerns. An increase in poor air quality and thicker pollution would undoubtedly accompany a spike in health dangers such as mesothelioma, respiratory problems, asthma, and other health concerns. Lives will also be put at risk. For instance, the mesothelioma life expectancy averages only 14 months at most after diagnosis. Furthermore, the EPA has stated that 160,000 cases of premature death, 130,000 heart attacks, 1.7 million asthma attacks, and 13 million lost work days have been prevented due to initiatives such as The Clean Air Act.

In summation, any type of proposed budget cut should have an end goal of bringing benefits to the general public. After studying the background and benefits of each side of the budget arguments, its clear to see that there are two strong points of view. While reducing the gas prices and unemployment levels of the country are an extremely important topic, the public health should not be something tossed to the side. The potential long term health risks proposed by this bill should be carefully evaluated before there is anymore forward movement.

President Obama on the Budget Compromise to Avoid a Government Shutdown

Cuomo: It's been a good 100 days for the state!

Sunday marks the 100th day of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's tenure and he took a victory lap of
sorts this morning on Susan Arbetter's radio program "The Capitol Pressroom."

"I feel like it’s been a lot longer than 100 days," Cuomo joked. "I think if you count the hours rather than the days, its been years of service Cuomo quickly added: "I think its been a good 100 days for the state."

Not surprisingly, Cuomo ranked passage of an on-time state budget as the signature achievement of his first 100 days."If I had told you 100 days ago that the New York State Legislature is going to pass this  budget on time, I think there would be significant levels of disbelief," Cuomo said.

Aside from closing a $10 billion deficit with no new  taxes or borrowing, the budget, he said, also included strong program initiatives,  including a permanent power-for-jobs program, regional counsels for economic development and  a reorganization of state government.

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Owens praises budget compromise

Owens voted in favor of the budget comprise, voicing a need to keep vital services running for upstate New Yorkers.

"I am pleased that both parties were able to compromise and keep critical programs running for American families as Congress continues to work to keep government running through the rest of the fiscal year," Owens told the Press-Republican in a statement Saturday morning.

"This compromise will ensure that the troops, who risk their lives for our freedom, will not see an interruption in pay or benefits. I look forward to next week's final funding bill and hope that it takes politics out of the discussion while moving to cut spending in a responsible way."

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GOP 2012 Elections

Email from Congressman Owens on Federal Budget

Good morning,

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to let you know that, last night, Congress finally compromised on a budget to avoid a government shutdown.  I am pleased that both parties were able to compromise and keep critical programs running for American families as Congress continues to work to keep government running through the rest of the fiscal year. This compromise will ensure that the troops, who risk their lives for our freedom, will not see an interruption in pay or benefits.   I look forward to next week's final funding bill and hope that it takes politics out of the discussion while moving to cut spending in a responsible way.  I will continue to fight for compromise from both parties in Washington as we move forward to pass a responsible 2012 budget that cuts spending and continues the momentum we have seen in Upstate New York to create jobs for our friends and neighbors.

If I can be of service, please do not hesitate to contact me through my website or at any one of my offices in Upstate New York or Washington.

Bill

Federal Budget Deal Reached, Government Shutdown Averted At Least Temporarily

Working late into the evening Friday, congressional and White House negotiators struck an agreement to pay for government operations through the end of September while trimming $38.5 billion in spending. Lawmakers then approved a days-long stopgap measure to keep the government running while the details of the new spending plan were written into legislation.

Actual approval of the deal would come in mid-week. "Today Americans of different beliefs came together again," President Barack Obama said from the White House Blue Room, a setting chosen to offer a clear view of the Washington Monument over his right shoulder.

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Tea Party Roadblock To Budget Compromise

WASHINGTON -- Two new national polls confirm the political underpinnings of the ongoing budget stalemate: Most independent and Democratic voters want leaders to compromise and reach a budget deal, but the Republican's Tea Party base wants the GOP to stick to a hard-line position -- even if that could force a government shutdown.

The new polls released yesterday by Gallup and the NBC News/Wall Street Journal polling partnership support the results published by the Pew Research Center earlier this week. "The American public," as Gallup explains, "has clearly and consistently expressed a desire for elected officials in Washington to pass a new fiscal year budget without bringing government operations to a halt."

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Scott Walker's 'Waterloo'

A divisive budget battle between labor unions and Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) turned a state Supreme Court race into a nationally watched bellwether on the electorate's mood heading into a recall campaign and the 2012 elections.

Nearly 1.5 million people turned out to vote, representing 33.5 percent of voting-age adults -- 68 percent higher than the 20 percent turnout officials had expected. Democrat JoAnne Kloppenburg has already declared victory, with the vote tallies showing her beating incumbent David Prosser by just a couple hundred votes. The race is expected to head to a recount.

Significantly, 19 counties that went for Walker in the 2010 elections this time flipped and went for Kloppenburg, including LaCrosse (59 percent), Sauk (56 percent) and Dunn (56 percent).

On a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate was jubilant over the results, saying they represent a "watershed moment for Wisconsin and a Waterloo for Scott Walker."

Residents voice opposition of deputy county clerk of operations

Residents, legislators and employees of the Oswego County clerk’s office spoke in opposition of a Civil Service exemption for the deputy county clerk of operations position during a public hearing last week.

The hearing was attended by more than a dozen people, none of whom spoke in favor of exempting the position from Civil Service classification. Those who spoke had varying reasons for their disapproval.

Matthew Bacon has been holding the position since January 2009. The county personnel department made a request to exempt the position from Civil Service testing in early 2010 and withdrew the request Oct. 6. The public hearing was required as a part of the new process.

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Government Shutdown Could Occur Even If Budget Deal Is Reached

Even if Congressional negotiators reach a deal by the end of the week on a budget resolution that would last through the fiscal year, the government could still shut down, at least for a short period of time.

While leaders in both parties continue to debate everything from how much money to cut from current spending levels to which programs should get the ax, there remains some dispute over the procedural process to pass the final bill.

Under rules adopted by the House Republicans, the chamber must allow for 72 hours of debate before voting on legislation. There is disagreement as to whether the rule means that, literally, 72 hours have to pass. If that’s the case, then the window to avert a government shutdown has already passed. Another interpretation, offered by GOP officials in the past, is that three business days must expire before a vote, meaning that if parties agree to a deal by the end of Wednesday they will still be allowed to vote on it on Friday.

With talks still ongoing, the latter scenario seems implausible. But as of Wednesday morning, House GOP leadership wasn’t yet ready to commit to waiving the 72-hour rule. 

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GOP wants Govt Shutdown

WASHINGTON--Washington is hurtling toward a government shutdown on Friday night as the time to agree on a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year grows very short.

Because of Senate rules, Democrats could be forced to break two GOP filibusters in order to pass a spending bill, and each vote requires a 30-hour delay. Government funding expires on Friday night, meaning that if negotiators don't reach a deal by the end of today or early tomorrow, just one Republican senator could stall the vote until the deadline arrives.

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Oswego ... Where is the job development?

On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Labor released its monthly unemployment statistics for February. Unsurprisingly, Oswego County — which sustained a record 10.5 percent annual average rate of unemployment last year, and the second-highest unemployment rate for a month in January — came in with the state’s second-highest joblessness rate, at 12 percent, ranking only behind the Bronx.

This follows a trend of record-high unemployment, including January’s revised unemployment rate of 12.5 percent — amended down from 12.6 percent, the second-highest rate since February 1992’s 12.7 percent. Even worse, after adjusting for changes in population, more people were without work in January than any other point in the 21 years that data has been kept, with approximately 7,500 county residents seeking work.

The Palladium-Times reached out for comment to some of the county community development agencies over the last two months, to inquire as to what initiatives were under way or what prospective projects were in development, in hopes of finding a glimmer of hope for those in the area still seeking work. However, what we heard back was far from inspiring.

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Koch: Skelos Has ‘Disgraced Himself’

Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch has had it with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ claims that redistricting reform is a non-issue for the remainder of the legislative session now that his conference has passed its constitutional amendment bill.
After Skelos said last night on “Inside City Hall” that he has no plans to revisit this issue after the budget has passed, Koch apparently could take no more. He just released the following statement:

“Dean Skelos has disgraced himself by repudiating his written pledge. After claiming for weeks that the Senate would address the issue of redistricting as soon as a budget was passed, he is now backing out of that promise too.”
“Dean Skelos is foolishly ignoring the mandate which returned his conference to the majority last year: A mandate for Albany reform.”

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Resolution to rescind position fails

A request to rescind a resolution in support of the position of Deputy County Clerk of Operations failed to get any support from members of the legislature’s Community and Consumer Affairs Committee Wednesday.

The request was made by Legislator Doug Malone.

“I’d like to give you other committee members a chance to right a wrong,” Malone said. “Based on the untruths and inaccuracies of the resolution to appoint Matt Bacon as shown by the e-mails between the state and the personnel department, it is clear that what this legislature did was wrong and against Civil Service Law.”

The remaining committee members sat in silence and no one made a second to Malone’s motion.

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Weekly Address: Gas Prices & Energy Security

Speaking from a UPS customer center as part of the new public-private Green Fleet Partnership, the President discusses his Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future to help free us from oil and boost the American economy.

Oswego County Posts SECOND HIGHEST unemployment rate in New York

While the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) reported Tuesday a continued mild economic recovery statewide, local community leaders are looking for a solution to the county’s continual economic struggles. The latest data indicated that Oswego County was once again near the top of the list of state unemployment rates, posting a near-record 12 percent for February.

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Editors Note: Once again the Republican controlled county ranks at the top of the list.  Why then does not the Republican County Legislature do anything??  Maybe this fall the voters of Oswego County should turn control of the county legislature to the Democratic Legislators and then Oswego could be put back to work.

Wisconsin Union Law Passage To Be Examined By Judge

Madison, Wis. — Having declared that Wisconsin's divisive union law isn't really a law yet, a judge was set to return to one of the underlying questions dogging the measure – whether Republicans violated the state's open meetings law during the frenzied run-up to passage.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker's administration reluctantly suspended efforts to enact the law Thursday after Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi unexpectedly declared the measure hadn't been properly published. The move marked another round in a messy legal fight over the law, which requires most public workers to pay more for their benefits and strips away most of their collective bargaining rights.

Democrats and unions have filed three lawsuits challenging the law. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne's action has taken center stage so far; he alleges Republicans didn't provide the proper public notice when it convened a special committee to amend the plan before its passage.

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