There’s a spot-on editorial today in the Washington Times on how public-sector unions are bankrupting America.

Usually it takes a national government to spend itself into a debt measured in the trillions. Yet it comes as little surprise that the same profligacy that pervades the corridors of federal power infects this country’s 87,000 state, county and municipal governments and school districts. By 2013, the amount of retirement money promised to employees of these public entities will exceed cash on hand by more than a trillion dollars.

That’s according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, which earlier this month released a troubling analysis of 126 state and local pension plans. The center’s researchers found in the wake of the stock market collapse that measures of pension program solvency hit a 15-year low with no signs of improvement on the horizon. This means taxpayers will be left picking up the tab.

California is number one in the nation for public-sector unionized employees and we are seeing first-hand what that is causing that state with its budgetary woes. New York is second for public-sector unionized employees.

Of New York’s 229,000 state workers, 69% are unionized. Last year they received a 3% pay increase and this year they’re slated to get a 4% pay increase. This stands in stark contrast with most of us who work in the private-sector who received no pay increase.

The Washington Times Editorial went on to state:

While most private-sector firms have trimmed their work force during the recession to achieve more efficient and profitable operations, public agencies have expanded. State and local governments employ about 15 million individuals, a figure that has jumped up 40 percent from 1992. By 2016, the number of state and local bureaucrats is projected to reach 20 million. Too many of these people are being promised far too much money, leaving state and local systems as bankrupt as Social Security, Medicare and other multitrillion-dollar federal entitlements.

Here we have a rampant case of government not facing the reality of our economic woes. Government continues to grow, while public sector jobs are being trimmed. How long will it be before public-sector jobs outnumber private-sector jobs? Who pays for those public-sector jobs? We do! It’s an ominous sign to see this happening in America and we’re going down the same path as the country of Greece is and we won’t be able to pay for it.

I woke up early yesterday (4/15/2010) morning with much excitement in anticipation of the 2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party! After I poured myself a cup of coffee, I turned on the TV and tuned it to WHAM TV-13. Mike Deming and Gabe Sukenik were going to be giving interviews. Evan Dawson interviewed Mike and Gabe and also gave reports from Genesee Crossroads Park, the location of the Tea Party. He was fair in his questions and reporting and we all certainly appreciate it!

A special thanks to Matt for taking and posting the videos on youtube and Freedom Fighter for taking the photos that I posted to this blog.

Jill Terreri from the Rochester Democrat and Chromicle interviewed the Tea Party Planning Group at our meeting a week ago and her report was published in the D&C:

Local Tea Partiers defy labels

It was a pretty fair article but her mention of racism was unwarranted and rubbed me the wrong way.

Unlike organized political parties, the loose affiliation of Tea Party activists can make the group unpredictable, and some of their rally signs can be controversial at best, racist at worst.

We’ve never had racism displayed at any of our Tea Parties, it’s a myth that’s perpetuated by the media and doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation and it’s time it was put to rest! Jill, I did not see you at the Tea Party yesterday, but if you were there, you would have witnessed that there was no racism. We told you at the meeting that we don’t tolerate racism or violence.

I left the house at 9am. My wife and our neighbor joined me this year. We encouraged people to invite their families and friends to the Tea Party so that they can experience them first hand. They are fun events, full of patriotism and they have a street fair atmosphere to them!

When we arrived at the park, Mike was already there with his son. Gabe, Linda, Guy and Rich were also there and Art and his son also showed. We all pitched in and helped haul the PA’s, tables, podium into the rally point in the park, at the “Y” of the Sister Cities Bridge. I noticed that the portapotties were already in place. Jon and his crew from “Mr. V’s” were also there with their food cart to provide lunch for the participants.

The forecast for the day called for temperatures in the high 60′s with a chance of scattered showers in the afternoon. It was kind of cloudy all morning and some folks mentioned that it rained a bit at their homes. While we were setting up, the clouds parted and dissipated and it warmed up real nicely. It felt more like San Diego rather than Rochester in April!

Bob called me to let me know that he arrived. Bob was bringing the generator. There were no working outlets at the park, so a generator was needed to power the PA’s. He brought his portable Honda that was rated at 2000 watts. It runs real quiet and we didn’t even notice it.

Helen, Valerie, Lisa, Paul and the rest of the We Surround Rochester folks showed up to help with the setup and they got the information tables set up for the organizations that were organizing and supporting the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. Folks from We Surround Rochester, Campaign For Liberty, Young Americans For Liberty, RochesterWatch and RochesterConservative.com all pitched in with talent and treasure to make this years Tea Party a success! Many thanks to all who helped!

Once the PA’s were set up and tuned, Billy Joe and Dave from Billy Joe and the Blues Gypsies performed a great accoustic blues set that set a festive tone for this year’s Tea Party. Billy Joe’s daughter, Gypsy Rose, also joined in and sang for a few songs during the set and it was so cool and the crowd really loved it!

You can see Billy Joe and the Blues Gypsies play every Friday evening from 6pm-9pm at Six Pockets Bar, Grill and Billiards in the Ridge/Hudson Plaza at 716 East Ridge Rd., 266-1440. My wife and I are going to check out their “electrified” set!

Pretty much everyone in the crowd had smiles on their faces and there was much laughter and good vibes! We joked with each other on how there were so many angry red necks, the mantra that the MSM is trying to perpetuate and it’s just not true! You had to be there to experience what can only be described as a fun and inspiring event, full of patriotism and love of our country!

At 11:40am, I gathered the folks who volunteered for the Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard and we crossed the bridge to prepare for the Presentation of the Colors. We met with our bagpiper, Scott and our bugler, Chris, and planned out what we were going to do. At High Noon, Chris played a bugle call, to get everyone’s attention and then played “To the Colors”, annnouncing the Presentation of the Colors.

We marched across the Sister Cities Bridge, towards the crowd and it was an exhilirating experience!

Here’s a video of the Presentation of Colors and Gyspy Rose, leading us in the National Anthem:

Chaplain Ayesha Kreutz then led us in the Invocation:

Next up was the Salute to Veterans, that I led. We dedicated that part of the program to Tea Party pioneer, Charlie Eames, who passed away back on November 1, 2009. Charlie spoke at all of the Rochester Tea Parties and has long been involved in promoting Liberty. Linda got a photo of Charlie, saluting during the National Anthem, and blew it up poster size. She held it up during my introduction and we presented it to Charlie’s wife, daughter and aunt.

Our bagpiper, Scott, then played a medley of the Service Anthems and I called out each branch and asked veterans who served in that branch to give a wave and the crowd to give them a big cheer.

Mike Deming then gave the introduction for the speech portion of the program:

John LeDoux from OathKeepers led us off:

Gabe Sukenik from Young Americans for Libery on the unconstitutional Federal Reserve:

Ayesha Kreutz on the Health Care Reform Bill, Cap and Trade and not wanting to be controlled:

Kevin Williams on the departure from traditional values and the human induced global warming hoax:

Ken Witherow on Upstate New York secession:

Warren Redlich (Stop Wasting Money), on New York State Government waste:

Sonja Rightmyer on not being like Ghandi:

Yvette Simons on the four letter word, “JOBS”:

Chris Edes on the growing popularity of the Tea Party Movement:

Art Wheat:

Ann Marie Buerkle:

Elizabeth Edwards libertarian:

Laura Jean leads us in God Bless America at the finish of the Tea Party:

What wonderful and genuine speakers we had at this year’s Tea Party! I was truly inspired and so was everyone else that attended. Nobody is putting words into our mouths! We are free thinkers and lovers of Liberty!

This post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t post photos of the clever signs that people took the time to make. Thanks again to Freedom Fighter for your photos!

The following was the announcement of the 2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party

______________________________________________________________________

There’s going to be another Tax Day Rochester NY Tea Party!

April 15, 2010 starting at 11:30am
Genesee Crossroads Park
Downtown Rochester NY

The 2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party is being organized by a coalition of grassroots groups and bloggers that include, We Surround Rochester, Campaign For Liberty, Young Americans For Liberty and RochesterConservative.com. The theme of the Tea Party is Redress of Grievances Concerning Fiscal and Economic Policy. Please make up signs that go along with the theme!

There’s going to be tables set up for the organizations that are organizing and supporting the Tea Party, so get to Genesee Crossroads Park at 11:30am to mingle amongst the tables and get acquainted with the groups and the other people that are participating! Folksinger Liz Abbott will be performing during this time as well. The formal presentation portion of the Tea Party will kick off 12noon with the Presentation of the Colors.

Please join us, rain or shine and bring your family and friends! Last years Tax Day Rochester Tea Party was an inspiring experience for the 1500 people who participated. Here’s a video of that wonderful day!

We’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the 2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party!

RV
Here’s a link to some flyers for the Tea Party, that you can print out and pass out to help spread the word:

2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party flyer, jpg format

2010 Tax Day Rochester Tea Party flyer, pdf format

Like most of us here today, I believe the government governs best when it governs least. In the coming election, if Assemblyman Brian Kolb gets his way, you will be asked if you would like a statewide Constitutional Convention. This is the NY State Constitution. It’s 46 pages long. In comparison, this is the United States Constitution, the basis upon which the entire country is created, and it is a mere 6 pages long.

I know some people out there believe the solution to fixing NY lies within fixing this document. However, if there is a Constitutional Convention, who do you think will be the people drafting the new document? It will be the politically well connected, the very people that are a problem in New York.

Sure, it sounds appealing. I’d love to see provisions for recall and voter initiated referendums, giving us a say in power, but do you think those currently in power want to relinquish their stranglehold over us? I think it is more likely that, rather than a whole new Constitution, we’re going to see lots of little tweaks that sound good but are really aimed at making things worse.

Rather, I think we should consider something far more profound, something many of us here have heard rumblings of for decades. I think we need to adopt the mantle of Charlie Eames, the late patriot we remembered earlier today. Now, Charlie wasn’t just active in our Tea Party movement, for years, often finding himself in a room alone after promised people failed to show up, he strongly advocated for one goal – the division of New York into two different states. Charlie worked endlessly devoting a significant portion of his life to freeing the people of this state from the ineptitude of the government in Albany, running for office as a third-party candidate on a line he helped create, and motivating, educating, and inspiring people from all backgrounds to take their state back, including many of the people that stand before you today. Just like Charlie, everyone who came here today doesn’t just have the power to work to change the hearts and minds of your fellow citizens, but a patriotic obligation to do so. And I think it’s pretty obvious, none of us are alone anymore.

Downstaters have complained for years about sending tax money upstate while Upstaters have bemoaned the regulations foisted upon us by the New York City/Albany regime which have strangled our economy. They didn’t care because they had Wall Street and as long as the city thrived, those of us outside didn’t matter. Now that they’ve faltered, we sit on exploding deficits, runaway debt and yet more proposals for yet more taxation and still they refuse to cut spending.

Nationally, New York is dark blue, but if you exclude Long Island, New York City, Albany and the Hudson Valley between them, we are split almost evenly between the left and the right. Do Senators Schumer, Clinton or even Gillibrand represent our interests Upstate? Do they speak for you? I know they don’t speak for me.

In fact, look at the statewide elected politicians. Don’t look at their party, look at where they’re from. Paterson – New York City. Schumer, NYC. Gillibrand, Albany. Ravitch, NYC. Pataki, NYC. Spitzer, NYC. Cuomo, both of them, NYC. Smith, NYC. Skelos, Long Island. Then, of course, maybe the biggest thug of all of them, Sheldon Silver, NYC. In fact, I think that Kolb may be the only statewide guy that ISN’T from the power region of NY. Then again, he’s elected to that position by his fellow Assemblymen, not the voters.

West Virginia split with Virginia over the issue of seceding from the Union during the Civil War, becoming our 35th state. They set the precedent that it can be done.

For far too long, Albany has refused to hear our pleas, to permit our redress of grievances. For far too long, we’ve had mandates shoved onto us by New York City and Albany. It is time to demand our voices be heard, to demand the right to representation in Congress and self-governance as a state. Let New York keep their Constitution, let them modify it however they want. In return, let us become the Fifty-First state, a state of our own. A free upstate.

PL <phantomlord@rochesterconservative.com>

Much has been made lately on the Internet, the national MSM and even the local news about Tea Party crashers, who have threatened to disrupt Tea Parties across the nation. Why somebody would want to do something like this is beyond me, but we are prepared for them if they show up at the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party.

We have made the proper arrangements with the City of Rochester and obtained the necessary permits to hold our event at Genesee Crossroads Park. This is vital because we have Rochester Police Department (RPD) protection as a result. I spoke with the RPD Sergeant who is in charge of the detail that will be patrolling the Tea Party on Thursday. I told him of the threat from the Tea Party crashers. The RPD will have mounted (horses) and motorcycle police as well as foot patrols that will be circulating through the crowd and if anybody steps over the line and gets violent, they will be arrested.

Here’s some other plans that we have to deal with the Tea Party crashers, if they show up, courtesy of Tea Party Patriots:

In any event, we know that infiltrators might be coming to our tea parties. But remember last April 15th; the idea that the tea parties would be infiltrated in the same way was all over the news. The results? Virtually no infiltration. We know they might be coming, and they know we know. And they know we are ready. So if you’re a couple of guys who enjoy wearing Nazi uniforms or holding racist signs, are you really likely to show up…just a couple of you, all alone, at a well organized tea party of 1,000-20,000 people who disagree with you? I haven’t seen many leftists with that much spine. They prefer to hide in the shadows. They don’t want to be identified. And we ARE ready to identify them. Do they really want their mugs pasted all over the internet holding racist signs? Hmmm…they might find it funny to think about and even to threaten, but it’s probably not a good career move, and most will chicken out before they ever get started.

So here are some tips for dealing with this situation, should it arise at your tea party.

1. Be prepared. Make sure your community event team knows about the potential for disturbance, and your procedures for dealing with any issues. If you have law enforcement at your event, let them know about the potential threats in advance. Most are happy to remove people who intend to disturb your event.

a. Have a plan. We suggest that you handle every incident in a predetermined manner. Your preparation will allow you to handle any incident in a calm and reasoned manner.

i. No aggressive confrontation. Make sure all of your people know that they are in the media spotlight. Our behavior will be watched. So if you encounter these miscreants, be polite, and ask them to leave your event. If you have police there, ask them to help you.

ii. Video, video, video. Make sure you have teams of people with Flip cams or other easy format video, and make sure every single encounter of this nature is captured on videotape. Create the record. We’ll use it later to publicly humiliate the bad actors, and also to allow you to prove your version of the incidents if challenged.

iii. Partner up. If you are going to deal with one of these situations, always have at least one other person with you. It’s imperative that any situation not be your word against someone else’s. Have a witness and a helper with you at all times.

iv. Make signs that say “Infiltrator. This person is not with us.” Put a big arrow on it so that you can stand next to infiltrators and point at them. Usually this will embarrass them, ruin their prank, and they will leave. Plus it’s just plain fun and makes for great photos and video. Again…always with good humor, and a cheerful demeanor.

b. Talk about the issue of behavior and signs at the beginning of your event. Set the guidelines from stage.

i. No signs or behavior evidencing bigotry or racism of any kind will be tolerated, and people will be asked to get rid of them or leave.

ii. We are polite, law abiding people, and that’s how we run our events.

iii. Ask attendees to immediately report any suspicious people to the community event team or the police (according to your own guidelines).

c. Don’t worry…be happy. If you weren’t so good at what you are doing, and so successful at influencing the debate in this country, people wouldn’t feel compelled to try to shoot you down using sleazy tactics. You are dominating the political playing field, and doing so by being honest, operating with integrity and staying within the law. Be proud of what you are accomplishing, and enjoy your day.

Join us on March 27th for the first Tax Revolt/ Tax Protest against Albany.

Where? On the Waterfront at the Commercial Slip, off I-190 in Buffalo, NY,
same place as last year. Here’s the link to the google map of the area:

Map to the Commercial Slip in Buffalo, NY

Start time? 2 PM. Get there early and bring your own signs.
Customize your message to Albany to the Governor, Senators and Assemblymen.

If you have had enough, if you are Mad as Hell and don’t want to take it anymore,
If you are tired of the Dysfunction, the Corruption, the Selling off of your representation
to the special interests, if you are Tired of our WNY Voices not being heard.

You need to be there and to bring all your friends.

Speakers, Rus Thompson and Carl Paladino, two of the loudest voices in Western New York.

The only Voices standing up and Calling out your Western New York Legislators and
Standing up for YOU!

Sponsored by TEANewYork.com , Rus Thompson and Special guest Carl Paladino.

Thank you and see you there!
Rus Thompson

Today is Veterans Day, which honors those who have served our country in military service. Today is also the 2nd anniversary of the launch of RochesterConservative.com, which is made up of Veterans and Patriots, who continue to honor our oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America and the Republic, for which our Flag stands.

Much has happened over the past year, most notably the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. A good orator, especially with the aid of a teleprompter, he ran the better campaign than his Republican (some say, RINO) opponent, John McCain. Obama benefited from “Bush fatigue”, support from George Soros, ACORN, the unions, American socialists (aka “progressives”) and 95% of black voters. It was never about race here at RochesterConservative.com, we recognized Obama early on as a radical socialist, with the most “liberal” voting record in the U.S. Senate, who’s had a long history of friendships and associations with radicals of the socialist/communist bent. I won’t belabor the point, as RochesterConservative.com is on record in opposition of Obama’s policies and agenda. It’s painfully obvious that he’s a typical leftist who loathes our country and American exceptionalism. Most Amercans who are paying critical attention to the goings on of the Obama Administration are seeing who “the man behind the curtain” is. Starting on the day of the launch of RochesterConservative.com, we have reported on this and will continue to do so!

Charlie Eames posted a wonderful essay, arguing the cause of Upstate New York Secession in the Christmas Eve 2008 post, Upstate Ultimatum. Here’s an excerpt:

It is true that history repeats itself. Over two hundred years ago our Founding Fathers were ruled by a distant and detached government. This government was run by people that cared nothing about the colonies or her citizens. They passed oppressive laws and levied burdensome taxes upon the people.

As the American Philosopher and Poet, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The citizens of Upstate are now enduring these exact same conditions. We have no representation and no power. Albany in general and the Assembly in particular are controlled by New York City. The Speaker of the Assembly has proven time and time again that he has no regards for the needs or the will of the people of Upstate New York. Over the years the Speaker has refused to allow the General Assembly to vote or even discuss Initiative and Referendum. I&R is only one example of the cold callousness of the State Government. More recent events show the attitudes of Albany and the treatment of Upstate will only get worse.

My blogging partner, phantomlord predicted, the election of a far left President, along with the take-over of the Senate and Congress by the “progressives”, would ignite grassroots conservatives, and the Tea Party Movement was founded in early 2009. We of RochesterConservative.com were in on the ground floor of the Tea Party Movement and joined forces with other bloggers and stepped away from our computers and put “boots on the ground” at The “Commando” Rochester Tea Party.

On a cold and very blustery day, approximately 40 concerned citizens met at a downtown Rochester, NY park on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, to participate in our local version of the Tea Parties that have been sweeping the nation! NY Governor Paterson was here for a “town hall” meeting at the Rochester Convention Center and the decision was made nine days prior that with the Governor in town, March 11 would be present a great opportunity to not only protest the Porkulus Package, but also the crushing tax burden that New York State inflicts on its citizens.

Charlie Eames was one of the first to speak:

phantomlord and Mike also spoke and Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis delivered the keynote address:

We never meant for the “Commando” Rochester Tea Party to be a big event. We were taking the opportunity with Gov. Paterson being in Rochester, to stage a rally and demonstration, directly across the Genesee River from the Convention Center, where his “town hall” meeting was being held, to protest against State and Federal government expansion. There were only 9 days to plan and get the word out. We garnered the coverage of all of the local TV stations, not bad for a small gathering. Of course, we were mocked by the local lefty blog and a few national lefty blogs. We expected that would happen, as we have read Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals” as well, but the “ridicule” only strengthened our resolve!

The “pioneers” at the “Commando” Rochester Tea Party exchanged contact info and plans were immediately set for the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. Erik Anderson obtained the permit and we formed an alliance with “We Surround Rochester” for the planning and support of the Tax Day Rochester Tea Party. It was truly a grassroots effort with everyone pitching in to make it the largest and most successful rally and march that Rochester has ever seen! 1500 working class citizens showed up at Genesee Crossroads Park to protest the “Porkulus Package” and the huge expansion of government that it brought.

Again, RochesterConservative.com played a central role, with many of our members speaking and participating! This video shows me leading the Rochester Veterans and Patriots Color Guard, Charlie, phantomlord and Rev. Dr. Tommy Davis speaking and a12iggymom and NoSocialism rallying and acting as event volunteers.

That video still touches me, as it captures the spirit of that day! All I can say is that you had to be there.

Here’s another moment, when Laura Jean led us in singing “God Bless America”. Everybody sang, whether we could or not! It brought a tear to my eye…

The first three Rochester Tea Parties came about as a result of our discussions on RochesterConservative.com, both the blog and the RC Pirate Forums and our collaboration with RochesterWatch, North Shore Journal, the Campaign for Liberty and We Surround Rochester.

Charlie and I joined up with Mark and company from RochesterWatch and We Surround Rochester on the March on Albany on June 16, 2009. Tea Party activists from across New York State converged at the steps of our Capital to protest corruption and malfeasance in state government:

The Rochester Contingent gathered beneath the horse’s posterior…

The momentum of our movement kept rolling with the Rochester Independence Day Tea Party that was held at Charlotte, aka Ontario Beach Park, on July 3, 2009. Again, RochesterConservative.com folks were front and center.

RochesterConservative.com contributing writer, Deneen Borelli, was a featured speaker at the March on Washington on 9/12/2009. Here’s the video of her speech.

Seth Swirsky contributed some good commentaries:

It’s No Wonder People Are Angry!

When In Doubt, Blame Bush

Why Should Obama’s Poor Cabinet Choices Surprise Anyone?

We also got to hook up with Debra J.M. Smith and her crusade to hold Louise Slaughter accountable to her constituents.

Louise had posted on her site that she would be having meetings. I called almost daily for a while wanting the dates and times. To my surprise, when the answer came, it was that Louise would only conduct telephone meetings with people like me, also known as, her constituents.

I was one of the first to sign up for the phone meeting that took place this past Thursday night. All of the people that signed up were to be called for the phone meeting. They did not call me.

If you want to see Louise unseated in the NY 28th, contact Debra J.M. Smith at http://www.debrajmsmith.com.

Although I couldn’t participate in the March on Washington DC on 9/12/2009, a12iggymom and four busloads of Rochester area patriots did join the million plus participants. Here’s a12iggymom’s eye witness account:

There was not less than the 1 million first estimated. Col. Riley from PoA was told by the head of the Park Police late last night that there were, by Park Police estimates, over two million people at the March on DC. I got to the park about 9:30am, for HOURS the street entering the mall was packed and they continued to March until after 11:30am.

It was a breath-taking sight! It was so packed, body to body that the grassy area needed to be opened up.

9/12 is a historic day and We Will Be Silent No More!

Of course, the State Sponsored Media either low-balled or ignored this historic event, it was reported on the free press of conservative blogs.

“Operation Can You Hear Us Now?” was held back on October 17, 2009, a protest of the MSM and their blowing off a movement that represents millions of working class American citizens, many of us are veterans.

This past November 1, 2009, we lost our buddy, Charlie Eames. If you noticed in my post here, I tried to feature photos, writings and videos of him. We’re hurting from the sudden loss of Charlie, but we are heartened by his spirit of friendship and freedom and will keep those fires burning!

In Memory of Charlie Eames

If there was one thing you could say about Charlie, other than the love he had for his family, it was that he truly believed we could make things better for our fellow man through the expansion, the recapturing, of our liberties. I couldn’t even guess how many different forums he participated in across the state, not only on the internet, but also in person as part of the Independence Party, in his quest to reform the state.

By all means, he should have been on the ballot this week, but that same Independence Party that he once believed wanted reform, stabbed him in the back despite his years of service, including service on their nominating committee, and endorsed a major party candidate instead of one of their own. I’d like to say he was furious, but I think it’s more appropriate to say he was disappointed. He even asked me if I knew any ways to make his former party members squirm without being a vindictive instigator. That was Charlie, he couldn’t even bring harm against those who harmed him.

Over the last couple years, Charlie, others from our group, and I would occasionally meet up, sometimes privately, sometimes in front of thousands of people, like at the tea parties. I’m actually a pretty bashful guy, but Charlie was like a battle standard, flying out in front to give the men something to rally behind. He said what he meant and he meant what he said. Most importantly, he believed in us and what we were fighting for and that we could achieve it, if only we could spread the word.

The man who carries the standard has typically been one of the greatest targets of his foes on the battlefield because how strong the rallying cry is that he represents. Tradition says that the man closest to him should bear his flag and continue the charge if he falls. I can’t say that I will ever be able to be the crusader that Charlie was, but I can say that I’m willing to help lead the charge for the cause that we both believed in. Just because Charlie’s body is gone doesn’t mean his spirit has failed to live on.

To you Charlie, a husband, a father, a brother, a veteran, a patriot, my friend and a champion of all of our freedoms: May you continue to touch the hearts of all you befriended. You’ll be sorely missed. Rest in peace, but know that you will always be a part of us as we carry on.

PL <phantomlord@rochesterconservative.com>

By Charlie

In all my writings trying to improve conditions in Upstate New York I often get comments of, “If you don’t like it just leave!”

From the song “Monster” by Steppenwolf:

Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope

The early settlers of America took great risk, sailing into the unknown to find a new homeland. They traveled thousands of sea miles in small wooden ships. They arrived in a wild, unsettled land to build a new life for themselves. Unfortunately this wasn’t good enough. Just as nature’s predators follow the migratory herds, evil, corruption, tyranny and oppression followed them to the new shores. Eventually the entire East Coast had been settled and the settler’s influence had spread several hundred miles inland.

From the movie “Billy Jack”:

Jean: We’ll go someplace else, someplace were it doesn’t have to be like this.

Billy Jack: Oh, really? Tell me, where is that place? Where is it? In what remote corner of this country-no-entire goddamn planet is there a place were men really care about one another and really love each other? Now, you tell me where such a place is, and I promise you that I’ll never hurt another human being as long as I live.

[shouts]
Billy Jack: Just one place!

Once again, they were repressed, denied their basic rights, and taxed without proper representation. It was clear that they could not run from evil. If they moved how long would the good life last? Eventually it all breaks down unless the people are willing to stand for their rights. It was pointless to pack up, move, and start over.

Our Founding Fathers had no real army, no Navy, and no real currency. Yet they declared war against one of the most powerful countries in the world.

And though the past has it’s share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it’s protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it’s a monster and will not obey

America where are you now?
Don’t you care about your sons and daughters?
Don’t you know we need you now
We can’t fight alone against the monster

In every situation there are three categories of people.

There are those who choose to remain ignorant. They are getting robbed by those in power but take no interest in making their lives better. They won’t even make the effort to figure out how or why it is happening!

There is another group that may see what’s happening but are either too scared, lazy, or apathetic to make any effort in defending their property or their rights.

Then there is the third group. These are the people that know there are some things in life worth standing for.

To the other groups, if you have nothing in your life that you feel are worth standing up for, I pity you!

There is no big secret as to why other states have lower taxes and more freedoms than NY. It is because the people insist on it and stand for their way of life. Go to a state like Tennessee or Texas and tell them you will take away their rights like Albany does to NY. Tell the that you are going to increase their taxes to the levels of those in NY as Sheldon Silver has done to us. When you see and feel their reactions then you’ll understand why people are moving to those states from NY. At that point you should learn two things: There is a reason those states have a better life than NY. There is no reason NY can’t!

RV

By Charlie Eames

It is true that history repeats itself. Over two hundred years ago our Founding Fathers were ruled by a distant and detached government. This government was run by people that cared nothing about the colonies or her citizens. They passed oppressive laws and levied burdensome taxes upon the people.

As the American Philosopher and Poet, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The citizens of Upstate are now enduring these exact same conditions. We have no representation and no power. Albany in general and the Assembly in particular are controlled by New York City. The Speaker of the Assembly has proven time and time again that he has no regards for the needs or the will of the people of Upstate New York. Over the years the Speaker has refused to allow the General Assembly to vote or even discuss Initiative and Referendum. I&R is only one example of the cold callousness of the State Government. More recent events show the attitudes of Albany and the treatment of Upstate will only get worse.

GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE STATE OF NEW YORK:

Regional issues are being taken over by the State. While a policy may be proper for one segment of the State, it can be irrelevant at best or harmful in the worse case for people of another section of the State. These issues include but are not limited to: The Wicks Law, The Scaffold Law, The Taylor Law, Upstate Farming Issues, and NYC Rent Control. Due to the imbalance of population in New York, Upstate can not influence the outcome of the internal concerns of New York City. New York City, however, can and does set policy for Upstate. The local Upstate leaders are being usurped by those who have no right or consequence of meddling in the Upstate condition.

Medicaid and Social Programs are some of the largest drains on the Upstate economy. The federal government decrees that every state maintains a basic level of Medicaid. There are also 27 optional coverage plans available. New York signed up for them all and has no Residency Requirement. The result of this is that New York with the third largest population in the U. S. pays more for Medicaid than the two more populated states combined. Charity and short term assistance are to be commended, but destroying the economy of New York in the process should be condemned.

Unfunded Mandates are passed to the local entities against the wishes of the people. This unjust practice has been inflicted upon the people of Upstate for years. 2008 has proven to contain the most flagrant abuse of the Upstate people to date. Many counties report that eighty percent of their budgets are controlled by the State with no concern as to how the counties will pay for these demands.

On Friday, March 28, 2008 a conference call was held for County Managers and executives. All across New York the State is pushing higher demands on the counties. Westchester County already has some of the highest property taxes in the nation and will have to raise property taxes again.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has said this budget increases spending at a greater rate than the rate of inflation. The new budget relies too heavily on increasing taxes and fees in New York, additional borrowing, and projected incomes that may never materialize.

Back Door Borrowing is a method to circumvent The New York State Constitution. According to the New York Constitution, all State borrowing must be approved by the people of New York. In the 1960’s, the people refused to allow State borrowing. Instead of complying with the wishes of the people, New York set up quasi-governmental entities called Authorities. There are now 860 Authorities in New York. New York has one of the largest State debts in the Nation. To quote the Comptroller’s website, “Authorities operate largely without government oversight and with limited public scrutiny. State Comptroller DiNapoli has warned of public authorities’ huge debt burden – now at more than $129 billion.

The New York State Thruway was supposed to be a toll road until it was paid in full. The construction bond for the Thruway was paid in full in 1997. The toll not only remains but has been increased. The Thruway claims to not use any tax dollars, yet New York’s tax demands continue to be the highest in the nation. New York receives federal funds every year to maintain the Thruway but still needs a toll. The last increase was 25% in May, 2005 just two days before the US Senate approved $16.8 Billion dollars for New York roads and bridges. In 2006 there was a 2.9 Billion dollar bond act in New York for roads and bridges. Despite protests from Governor Paterson, Comptroller DiNapoli, many legislators, and the people of New York, the Thruway authority voted in April, 2008 to increase the poll yet again with plans for another incremental increase in 2009. New York continues to maintain and increase the toll, while most areas of the United States have no tolls and lower overall taxes.

The State has recommended that many local entities be combined or dissolved. This consolidation would erase many towns, townships, and Tioga County. Many of these entities have been around since before the 1800′s. NOW we are told we can’t afford them. What has changed? Is Tioga County suddenly the cause of the state ills? What has changed is the growth at the state level. We now have 860 Authorities in NY. Merge them! NY now has one of, if not the highest ratio of government employees to citizens in the nation.

The Upstate Chair of the Empire State Development Corporation was an effort by Governor Eliot Spitzer to address the issues and conditions in Upstate New York. Daniel Gundersen was appointed to be the Upstate Chair of the agency. One year later Governor David Paterson is eliminating the Upstate Economic Czar and merging the position back under Downstate control. This return to the previously failed structure is a reminder to the people of Upstate to “Know your place!”

CHOICES FOR THE PEOPLE OF UPSTATE NEW YORK:

The State of New York has repeatedly demonstrated they have neither the desire, nor the capability of providing justice for the Upstate region. As Upstate New Yorkers we can surrender our rights, pride, dignity, freedom, and future to the Oppressors from New York City. We can turn our backs on our heritage and turn off the dreams and visions of our ancestors. Whether our bloodlines descend from the Revolutionary War or from the legal immigrants that followed, this is not the life they risked so much to provide for us. The only ones that deserve to be treated as lower class citizens are those who allow it. Our ancestors deserve better descendents. Our Founding Fathers and War heroes deserve better homage and tributes. Our State deserves better guardians. We deserve better lives. Our children deserve a better future.

We can and should stand up and defend what is rightfully ours. The problem is how to defend your rights in America when those rights have been nullified. If the citizens of Upstate were to unite and remove every Democratic Assembly Member it would do no good. The Speaker of the Assembly has the majority of the House well within New York Cities Sphere of Influence. The Speaker does not respect nor care about the people of Upstate.

In the year 2007 there was a plan by then Governor Eliot Spitzer to give driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. The outcry and outrage was heard all across the State. County Clerks stood up to the Governor and Albany and refused to comply. In shows of unity County Legislatures voted to stand with the County Clerks. The plan was eventually dropped. The Governor stated “The support just isn’t there at this time.”

The Illegal License issue set precedence for the people of Upstate. It demonstrated that we can win if we stand together. When the State Government in Albany fails to perform its duties for the good of the people, it falls upon the Counties, and Cities to perform those duties. The people of Upstate should encourage, support and assist their local governments in these efforts.

The County Managers and Upstate Mayors should NOT be required to create hardships for their people to fulfill Albany’s obligations. As with the Licenses for Illegals Counties and Cities should band together and refuse to accept Albany’s incompetence. The unfunded mandates should be sent back to Albany for revision!

The Local Entities should not only stand to represent fiscal responsibility for the people of Upstate, but should have the added incentive that New York State wanted to eliminate these same local positions.

On December 16, 1773 The Sons of Liberty took symbolic action against unjust taxes being levied by distant and uncaring leaders. This act was the Boston Tea Party. The Tea Party created a short term loss of tea, incited years of war, and gave birth to decades of freedom, growth, and prosperity.

Most other States in the nation have disproved the need for tolls and a Thruway Authority. Those States also enjoy an overall lower tax rate than New York. The ever present and increasing toll is causing more damage than benefit and should be dissolved. This will not happen unless the people of New York demand it. There should be a boycott against the Thruway Authority. Not only by the people of New York, but major interstate trucking companies as well. If the major trucking companies boycott the Thruway, it not only cuts off New York, but New England as well. There is no doubt that the neighbors to the East will have something to say about the Toll increase.

There is no valid reason Upstate New Yorkers should be denied the basic American rights. Boycotting the Thruway will be a temporary inconvenience that could inspire long term improvement and savings. If taking the Thruway is necessary, then do not use EZ Pass. Swipe a magnet on the Toll Ticket’s black stripe. This will erase the information and disable the automated accounting system. Make the Thruway as cumbersome for the State as it is expensive for the people.
New York City and her elected State officials have been abusing their political power at the expense of Upstate for too long. Despite the City’s weighted vote the City is in a precarious position. Most people think we need the City more than she needs us. The City thinks of Upstate as nothing but “Hick Farmers” and that is our strength. With a little short term pain, we could reap a crop of long term gain. New York City is predominately an overpopulated island. The City may have the money of Wall Street but they can’t eat money. How many days could the City survive if food from the Upstate farms stopped flowing into the City? Despite her wealth New York City is extremely vulnerable. What would happen to the City if Upstate started to boycott New York City? Could New York City survive if Upstate were to enact a siege on the roads and bridges leading into the City?

It must be remembered that we consider New York City to be a vital part of the United States. All we are asking is that we be given the same consideration. This is not a call for a revolution. This is a petition to our elected Upstate leaders to flex the few political and financial muscles available in our self-defense. We should not think of the City as an enemy but damage done is damage done regardless of where it comes from.

A split of NY would actually be mutually beneficial to NYC as well as the people of Upstate. The NYC controlled State forces their programs onto the people of Upstate. The people of Upstate can not afford the programs so the State takes 10 Billion dollars from NYC to help prop up these programs. Even with the 10 Billion, there is still a massive shortfall making taxes in Upstate among the highest in the nation. By splitting the state, NYC and Upstate could both enact the philosophies best suited to their environment.

The primary purpose of any government in the United States is to “Promote the General Welfare.” This does not mean putting honest, hard working people ON welfare! The citizens of Upstate have been patient for too long. We have tried to negotiate in good faith only to have the years of empty broken election promises. The citizens of Upstate New York should not be chastised for their resentment of mistreatment. The fault lies with those responsible for the deplorable conditions that have led to this situation. This must be resolved in the proper channels. Otherwise the citizens of Upstate will have no recourse but to demand their rights of Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.