The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Photo credti: dcwriterdawn on Flickr

NYS Senate bill 06779

AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to protecting a person’s right to know who is behind an anonymous internet posting

The Senate sponsor is Republican Thomas O’Mara, 53rd Senate district. The Assembly sponsor is Republican James Conte, 10th Assembly district.

As Wired reports

Proposed legislation in both chambers would require New York-based websites, such as blogs and newspapers, to “remove any comments posted on his or her website by an anonymous poster unless such anonymous poster agrees to attach his or her name to the post.” … Oddly, the bill has no identification requirement for those who request the takedown of anonymous content.

There are a lot of idiots in the world, and some of them are unfortunately Republican. O’Mara’s Senate district includes Ithaca, Elmira, Corning and my birthplace of Arkport. Conte’s district is a chunk of Suffolk County gerrymandered to include a winding piece of Nassau County. I suspect the voters of both districts may wish to choose another representative in the next election, based solely on the sheer stupidity of their current state Senator and Assemblyman.

The nurse depicted in this 2006 image was administering an intramuscular vaccination in the left shoulder muscle to a young girl. The nurse immobilized the girl’s arm by clutching it tightly, while the girl held up her sleeve in order to facilitate the procedure. CDC/ Judy Schmidt

Two deadly childhood illnesses are back in the news. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) raised all sorts of flags over the number of measles cases in the United States last year. The number of pertussis cases, also called whooping cough, is also rising rapidly across the nation.

The CDC publishes the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report every week. In that report is the data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. The latest report is for week 16, ending April 21, 2012.

Through week 16, the CDC has received 28 reports of measles case. For all of 2011, the number of cases was 222. There were seventeen outbreaks. The CDC held a press conference about the number, which was a spike from the historical median of sixty cases and four outbreaks. 200 of the measles cases were contracted overseas.

Measles (rubeola) is very contagious and is a serious respiratory illness. It is preventable through a series of immunizations. With 90 percent of the measles cases in 2011 having originated outside the United States, it is unclear what the reason is for the alarm. The Customs Service states that they have a program to prevent travelers with an illness from entering the country.

What was the legal status of the 200 patients who caught measles outside the U.S. but were diagnosed here?

Changing gears, the opponents to immunization place children at risk by avoiding necessary vaccinations. The same MMWR reports that the number of cases of pertussis, whooping cough, is up 29 percent over the same time last year. Eight of the top ten states in case counts allow parents to exempt children from immunizations based upon some sort of personal or philosophic objection. 59 percent of all the pertussis cases reported in 2012 originate in the 20 states that allow such objections.

Using the MMWR data, the highest number of cases of whooping cough reported in 2012 is from Wisconsin. They have reported 1,006 pertussis cases. Illustrative of the situation is a report from Fox 6 in Milwaukee. 30 students at the St. Matthias Catholic School in the Wisconsin city have whooping cough. The article quotes the school principal as saying that the cases are throughout the elementary and junior high grades.

Coming in second, with a declared pertussis epidemic, is Washington with 863 pertussis cases. Minnesota and Oklahoma are the only states reporting no cases in 2012. Here is a list of reported cases of whooping cough from the top ten states in 2012.

Only New York and Illinois do not allow a personal exemption. Also of note is the sharp drop in cases counts from New York to Pennsylvania.

Washington, on its Health Department website, reports more cases than the CDC, 1,008 pertussis cases. This is common and reflects reporting delays at the state or local level.

It is unclear why New York is reporting so many cases. In theory, without a religious or medical exemption, every student in New York ought to be immunized for pertussis. It is the law. The State Health Department has an office that audits public schools for their compliance with this issue and their record keeping on immunizations in general. Inquires to that office have not received a response.

Is it possible that some New York public schools schools do not comply with the law? The audits are not punitive and there is no punishment for not complying, so far as can be determined. It is a monumental record keeping task and schools can ill afford the loss of state revenues based on attendance. Barring large numbers of students would put one more financial strain on already tight budgets.

The University of Rochester has this on its website:

The University of Rochester envisions itself as a community that welcomes, encourages, and supports individuals who desire to contribute to and benefit from the institution’s missions of teaching, research, patient care, performance, and community service. In a pluralistic culture, that community includes faculty, students, and staff who represent important differences. … The University not only welcomes such differences in the members of its community but, in fulfilling its own missions and in preparing the leaders of tomorrow’s world who will necessarily be operating in an equally wide-ranging environment, it actively seeks to recruit and include them in all aspects of the institution’s operations.

Steven E. Landsburg is a tenured Professor of Economics at the University of Rochester. he authors the blog The Big Questions. In several recent posts, he has defended Rush Limbaugh’s comments about Sandra Fluke and that is the issue that the University seems to have with him. Here is a sample:

March 2, 2012

But whether or not he chose the right word, what I just don’t get is why the pro-respect crowd is aiming all its fire at Rush. Which is more disrespectful — his harsh language or Sandra Fluke’s attempt to pick your pocket? That seems like a pretty clear call to me.

March 7, 2012

Mandated insurance coverage means that the government requires everyone who doesn’t use contraceptive pills to contribute to the costs of everyone who does. This is exactly equivalent to a tax on not using contraceptive pills.

March 9, 2012

Had Sandra Fluke offered an actual reason for her position (including any of the ones I proposed on my blog), I might have disagreed with her, but we’d at least have had the basis for a thoughtful discussion. By contrast, it’s quite impossible to have a thoughtful discussion with someone who says only that she doesn’t like the outcome of a negotiation.

The University of Rochester’s president, Joel Seligman, had this to say about Professor Landsburg’s comments.

I was deeply disappointed to read UR Professor Steve Landsburg’s recent blogs praising Rush Limbaugh for a “spot-on analogy” with respect to his offensive remarks about Georgetown student Sandra Fluke (although Landsburg parted company with Limbaugh for calling Fluke a “slut”). Landsburg went further. He stated that Ms. Fluke’s position deserved “only to be ridiculed, mocked and jeered.” He further stated that the right word for her position was “extortionist,” characterized those who disagreed with his view as “contraceptive sponges,” and added that there is nothing wrong with being paid for sex.

Professor Landsburg has the right to express his views under our University’s deep commitment to academic freedom. And, of course, no reasonable person would ever assume that he speaks for the University of Rochester.

I also have the right to express my views. I am outraged that any professor would demean a student in this fashion. To openly ridicule, mock, or jeer a student in this way is about the most offensive thing a professor can do. We are here to educate, to nurture, to inspire, not to engage in character assassination.

I totally disagree with Landsburg that there is nothing wrong with being paid for sex. Having been a Dean of two law schools with clinics that addressed violence against women, I am all too aware of the terrible correlation between prostitution and the physical and emotional demeaning of women.

Landsburg now has made himself newsworthy as one of Limbaugh’s few defenders. I wish he had focused instead on the ideal of a university as an institution that promotes the free exchange of ideas and lively debate at its best in an atmosphere of civil discourse in which the dignity of every individual is respected.

The professor’s response:

I reserved the phrase `contraceptive sponges’ very clearly and specifically for people who demand subsidies without offering any reasons beyond the fact that they’d prefer to be subsidized. In other words, the targets of this phrase are people who have not actually stated any views on the matter at hand, namely how do we know when a subsidy is justified.

People who express actual views on this matter do not deserve to be mocked or ridiculed, and I never once said or implied that they do; indeed the considerable respect I’ve shown to opposing views throughout the comments section (and in the posts themselves) belies this interpretation.

Again, my objection is to people who think we ought to draw policy conclusions based on nothing more than their own personal preferences—that is, people who think that ideas don’t matter. I’d have hoped that a distinguished academic would share that objection.

Campus police stood by as student protesters disrupted a class being taught by Professor Landsburg on March 7.

A number of respected academics have read the statement by Dr. Seligman and seen the classroom behavior permitted by the University and have made these comments.

Ann Althouse, Robert W. & Irma Arthur-Bascom Professor of Law, University of Wisconsin School of Law

“We are here to educate, to nurture, to inspire, not to engage in character assassination.” Where’s the character assassination? Landsburg disagreed with the policy Sandra Fluke promoted. In Congress. Professors have the obligation to “nurture” and “inspire” her from afar by refraining from taking on her ideas? Is that some special kid-gloves treatment for women? Ironically, that would be sexist. Should we be patting the female political activist on the head and murmuring good for you for speaking up? That is dismissive. It’s better feminism to react to what a woman in politics says and to respond to her with full force the way you would to a man.

William A. Jacobson, Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School

Why did the President of the University feel the need to get involved? Is he the thought policeman?

Sure, the President of the University is entitled to an opinion, but it’s clear that he was trying to tamp down a dissenting view using the power of his presidency.

Glenn Reynolds, Beauchamp Brogan Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Tennessee College of Law

ou know, it’s going to be harder and harder to sell the notions of universities as places where people pursue knowledge for its own sake.

And Landsburg has tenure, but don’t you think that a university president going after a professor like this will serve to chill the speech of untenured professors, grad students, etc.? And do you think Joel Seligman was unaware of that?

Robert Shibley, vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

Most worrisome, however, is the fact that UR allowed its students to disrupt Landsburg’s class without any consequences, despite the fact that campus security was on the scene. What happened in Landsburg’s class is a textbook example of “mob censorship,” where a group of people silence or drown out a speaker with whose views they disagree. A classroom is perhaps the least appropriate place for something like this to happen, and the fact that UR did not see fit to clear the heckling students out of the class is disturbing. If UR truly values “freedom of expression of ideas and action,” it should make clear that those who engage in mob censorship will be punished and that it will tolerate no further disruptions of campus speakers …

Congresswoman Gabby Giffords has announced that she will resign her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Her recovery from a gunshot a year ago has caused her to miss 98 percent of the 814 votes in the 112th Congress, according to the New York Times. Few members of the House or Senate make such a decision. In fact, history demonstrates that they will remain in Congress despite being physically incapable of attending or running for another office.

While Gabby Giffords tops the Times’s list of most frequent House absentees, two members running for President are second and third. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul have each missed over 30 percent of the votes while campaigning.

Examining the Times’s House absenteeism list from October, eighteen members of Congress missed 10 percent or more of the votes. Six were due to the illness of the member. Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois missed 10.7 percent of the votes for “Constituent work”. NY congresswoman Louise Slaughter missed 10.2 percent of the voters for “Family events”. A spokesman for Don Young of Alaska told the Times that Washington, D,C. is a ten thousand mile round trip. Young has missed 16.2 percent of the votes.

The law is very specific when it comes to absences from the House. Only the illness of a member or in the member’s family is an allowable excuse. Tile 2, chapter 3, section 39 of the U.S. Code permits the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House to deduct pay from members for having been absent other than for the two illness exceptions. The law is not enforced and no member of Congress in recent memory has had their pay reduced for being absent.

Congresswoman Giffords’s resignation will allow the people of her Arizona district to elect someone who can attend the sessions of the House and House committee meetings. Her action is laudatory. It is fair to her constituents who need a representative in Washington and fair to the American taxpayers who pay the salary of every member of Congress.

Newt Gingrich is correct. The Palestinians were invented as a nation.

So what? There are a great many invented nations in the world today. No one suggests that Timor is “invented” or that the bloody Congo is “invented”.

History will not change the present. Israel has to deal with the Palestinians in 2011, no matter who they were in 1948 or 1917 or 800 AD. The harsh reality that everyone resists is that you ALWAYS have to deal with things as they are, and not with things the way you wish they would be.

Obama has muddied the waters in the Middle East very badly. Rick Perry said it best in last night’s debate. “This president is the problem, not something Newt Gingrich said.”

Our priority as a nation should be the support of Israel. They may make mistakes and we can deal with those as allies do, not with public condemnation and petty wrist slapping. No other nation in the Middle East ought to be closer to the United States as Israel.

But, and it is a big but, only Israel and the people who call themselves Palestinians can solve their issues in the end. We can support a process but they are the ones who will have to live with each other. Only those two parties can agree upon a solution that both can support. Our meddling helps nothing.

On the morning of September 12, 1814, a British force of 9,000 men landed at North Point, Maryland, with the intention of marching inland and capturing Baltimore. Brig. Gen. John Stricker, commander of the 3d Brigade of the Maryland militia, was ordered to delay the British advance so that the defensive entrenchments around the city could be completed. The 5th Regiment was assigned the task of holding the American right flank. Despite two hours of artillery and rocket fire, the 5th Maryland stood their ground. After inflicting some 300 casualties, the 5th was ordered to fall back to a new position in front of the Baltimore trenches. The British army, exhausted by the fighting and surprised by the stubborn defense of the Maryland militia, withdrew, while the British navy failed to silence the guns of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. Thwarted on land and sea the British force sailed away

On land and at sea, the United States and Great Britain struggled for three years in a war that many historians see as the final chapter of the American Revolution. From 1812 to 1815, the U.S. Navy was on the front lines worldwide as it fought the Royal Navy. At home, Canada and the U.S. were both battlegrounds as capitals burned and the tides of war flowed back and forth. The War of 1812 settled the issue, once and for all, of America’s relationship with Great Britain and established the new nation as quite thoroughly independent.

The approaching bicentennial of the War of 1812 is being commemorated by the United States and Canada in a series of events to be held all along the East Coast, through the Great Lakes and down in New Orleans. The U.S. Navy sees these events as a way to highlight the events of the time and to also feature the modern Navy with its current missions and capabilities.

The first event on the 1812 calendar is a visit to the last battlefield of the war, New Orleans. From January 6-8, 2012, the National Parks Service will remember the 197th anniversary of the battle immortalized by singer Johnny Horton.

As events are developed, they will appear on the Official War of 1812 Bicentennial website. The Navy has assisted in the development of an online game titled A Sailor’s Life for Me! which allows the player to experience the life and times of a sailor in 1812.

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/200-years-after-the-war-of-1812/feed 2 http://northshorejournal.org/why-daylight http://northshorejournal.org/why-daylight#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:17:43 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/?p=18772

Did you ever wonder why you wake up in the morning? OK, put down the anti-depressants and think about it. How many animals do you see active in the daylight hours? What made humans creatures of the daylight?

Back when we were just oddly behaving monkeys, we noticed something. Lions and tigers and bears all prowled for food just before and just after sunrise and sunset. They napped during the day.

Those of us who waited until daylight to do our foraging got eaten far less often. Eventually it became ingrained, whether genetic or just deeply instinctual. I don’t know which.

As I visit my Keurig for my third cup of coffee, I need fear no lions, tigers or bears. That, my friends, is a good thing.

Keurig single cup brewers

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/why-daylight/feed 0 http://northshorejournal.org/are-moammar-gadhafis-missiles-really-missing http://northshorejournal.org/are-moammar-gadhafis-missiles-really-missing#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:05:05 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/?p=18617

SA-16. Click on the image for more information.

Since April 2011 the group Human Rights Watch has been warning about the dangers of unsecured munitions in Libya. Those complaints were renewed in recent news articles after HRW took reporters to munitions sites they believe had been looted. The Daily Caller and AFP both are reporting that up to 20,000 man-portable surface to air missiles have disappeared from Libyan military warehouses. Are those missiles missing or did they never exist?

There is some confusion in the various reports over just what types of missiles are missing. Moammar Gadhafi’s security forces are believed to have supplies of the SA-7 and SA-16 portable anti-aircraft systems as well as the SA-24 vehicle launched system. All three are Russian built and exported. The Russians have told Aviation Week that the SA-24 systems sold the Libyans lack the man-portable components needed and can only be vehicle fired.

The civil war in Libya continues with forces loyal to former leader Moammar Gadhafi holding out in a few cities. Most of the nation has now been taken by various forces from the National Transitional Council (NTC). The loose nature of the rebel organization has hampered resumption of governmental services in the areas that they control, and has allowed looting of governmental facilities to occur almost without interruption. Lots of munitions have disappeared and this is how the missiles are supposed to have vanished. All that was left was paperwork and empty crates.

Some of the looting has been done by forces aligned with the NTC. Both official and unofficial NTC units have little logistics capability and the NTC has been unable to organize an effective supply system. Humanitarian assistance is being provided to much of the civilian population through a number of aid charities but they do not supply armed groups.

If the Libyan military had access to so many weapons, why were they not used? One answer could be that the 20,000 number cited by HRW and others is grossly exaggerated. There is a clear risk of looted munitions, including these missiles, being transferred to terrorist groups. What is unclear is just what is missing.

As I lay in bed last night waiting to fall asleep, I began thinking about how we name various nationalities in English. I wondered if there were any rules to the process and though that I might derive one or more rules by example.

British, Irish, Scottish, Cornish but not Welish. Spanish but not Portugish.

Swedish, Finnish, Danish but not Norwegish.

Mexican, Cuban, Honduran but Brazilian, Canadian, Panamanian and Argentinian. An versus ian.

Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese but not Koreanese.

Afghani, Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi but not Indiani or Sri Lankani.

Dutch is not related to the nation’s name. Greek and Turk are close. Anyone want to be a Luxembourger? Or a Cretan? OK, let’s all agree that the name for a citizen of Monaco is just stupid – Monégasque.

And, the newest nation in the world took the easy way out. They are South Sudanese, not to be confused with Sudanese.

Rules for naming nationalities? We don’t need no steekin’ rules.

While trying to fall asleep last night, I spent some time thinking about doing a piece on tools for household use. I’m no handyman but I have worked with most of the common tools and been injured by many of them, as well. My thoughts, though, kept drifting back to that king of tools, the ball peen hammer.

There are a lot of hammers. Claw hammers come in their own shapes and sizes. Each has a specific use. Sledge hammers and rubber mallets also have their uses. None serve perfects for the main use for a hammer in the home, banging on something until it works or it breaks.

The perfect hammer is easy to hold, metal and fairly unbreakable and small enough to fit into some tight spaces. Hence my love of the ball peen hammer.

For those of use that lack the knack of handiness, much of our work around the house results in a less than perfect outcome that must be adjusted. That means banging on the object in question until

1. It fits
2. It’s bent enough
3. It’s busted off

The larger the hammer, the more likely that the first bang may be too much and more damage will have been done or a worse mess created. You want a hammer that requires a few taps or full blown bangs to achieve the intended purpose. Better to get there in three attempts than to miss in one.

I don’t know how to properly use a ball peen hammer. I use it as a hammer. Heck, I’ve found that screwdrivers make perfectly good wedges or chisels so don’t expect me to be keen on the peen.

You can use a ball peen hammer with a wrench, to all just enough force by banging the wrench to force that rusty nut to give. The handle is usually made of strong wood, and that allow the ball peen hammer to make a great lever in a tight space. If you can’t fix the problem by banging on it, you might be able to lever it into place.

So, when the kids turn 18 and are looking for that great graduation gift, give them a ball peen hammer of their very own. It will be the best gift you could ever give them although they may be in their forties before they recognize that fact.

President Barack Obama gave a major foreign policy address at the U.S. State Department on May 19. The topic was America’s future relationship with the people and the nations of the Middle East and North Africa. President Obama laid out a series of core principles by which future policy will be guided.

As part of the speech, perhaps the most controversial portion, Obama discussed a new approach to the Palestinian issue. He describes the status quo as “unsustainable”. At several point in his speech, the President referred to the “occupation” of Palestinian lands. He spoke out for a peace settlement based upon Israel’s return to its borders in 1967 and Palestinian agreement recognizing Israeli right to exist and peace with Israel. He acknowledged that Israelis have a right to mistrust the Palestinians as long as their security continues to be threatened.

It does appear that all sides must overcome the resort to history and face the facts on the ground today. There is a Palestinian state. It will not go away. It is in the economic and security interest of both the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together.

In the earliest history of the current state of Israel, extremist groups had to be suppressed by the Jewish majority. The Stern Gang and the Irgun were outlawed, and some of the leaders jailed. The Palestinians face the same conditions as they try to form a viable state.

Israel has also faced the social stress of immigrants from many differing lands and cultures, Ethiopian, Yemeni, French, Polish and Russians Jews and more have emigrated to Israel. Some were socialists, some were religious zealots, some were illiterate and others had multiple degrees. Palestine will face similar stresses if emigration is allowed from Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza and other areas where refugees have been kept in camps by Arab governments for the last 60 years.

Both Israel and the Palestinians are the recipients of billions of dollars in aid. Interests in both nations are heavily vested in the continuation of that aid. Much of the aid given to the nations of the Middle East, Israel included, might be viewed as bribes to keep the peace. President Obama proposes no changes in this. Indeed, he proposes even more assistance to Egypt and Tunisia.

The gist of the President’s address is this: His administration will espouse a set of values that we do not typically see in the Middle East and North Africa. The United States will increase assistance in the region by billions of dollars in an effort to increase the popularity of and belief in those values. He hopes that all nations in the region, along with the Israelis and the Palestinians, will recognize the value to their people of these core principles.

Upstate New York resident Charles Simmins brings 30 years of accounting and finance experience and a keen interest in military affairs to the news of the day. His years of experience working with the personnel of the Secretary of Defense’s New Media activity on Bloggers’ Roundtables provide insights often overlooked by other reporters.

Just a few thoughts about the nit picking of the raid to get Osama or Usama bin Laden.

1. Release all the photos possible. Let each media outlet decide what to show. Our troops are in combat. How much more danger can they be in?
2. Bury him any old way. We, as a culture and as individuals, owe his body no particular respect. Abusing the body would be immoral but beyond that we had no further obligation.
3. OK, Obama did good. Let’s give him a little credit. Not a lot, but he is due some.
4. The Obama gang that can’t shoot straight has thoroughly mucked up the aftermath of the raid. Misinformation, lack of apparent planning and just plain stupidity.
5. Obama and crew watched live. Why? To quarterback the op from ten thousand miles away? Or just out of vanity?
6. That pic of everyone watching the live feed of the raid. Anyone else think it looks like they are in a large closet. Wouldn’t you think that the USA could provide a large conference room for this sort of thing, big screen TV and stuff?
7. And doesn’t Hillary Clinton look horrified? Planning for a future statement if things went in the shitter?
8. I agree with others who have noted the complete lack of military briefers on this raid. Makes you wonder if Obama and the Chicago Mafia parachuted into Pakistan and not the SEALS.

About four p.m the power went out. It would stay out for the next eight hours and my wife and I would have to cope. As emergencies go, it was a small one. It did succeed in pointing our our lack of preparedness.

High winds due to a cold front coming into Rochester caused the outage. For the first three hours or so, it was just inconvenient but at nightfall it became a little more serious. We did not have enough emergency light sources. There were two battery powered “lanterns” and one working flashlight in the house. There was enough light to navigate to the restroom and the telephone, but only just enough.

The house was warm enough, luckily. The cats’ food cans opened with pull tabs so they could be fed. The two people in the house were less fortunate. Other than some snacks, all the food required a microwave to prepare. Plus, we did not want to open the freezer or the refrigerator and allow the food inside more of a chance to warm.

Being prepared for an emergency is vital. Most state and national agencies advise you to plan for a three day wait for outside help in a large disaster. The recent tsunami in Japan showed us quite clearly that sometimes you may be on your own for days.

After the events of September 11, the U.S. government created a website to help all of us prepare for emergencies. Ready.gov is a one-stop source for all kinds of information on the topic. The Centers for Disease Control also have a website that provides equally valuable information.

The advice from the experts? Put together an emergency kit. Make an emergency plan. Keep informed of what is going on in your community.

We are going to make a few changes. The obvious one is to buy more flashlights and battery lanterns, as well as batteries and bulbs. Since my wife and I both have medically related dietary issues, we are going to put together a stock of foods that do not need cooking, have a long shelf life and that meet our dietary needs.

I am also going to put together a “sump kit”. Since our sump pump will not work in a blackout, it has been necessary on occasion to bail the sump to prevent our basement from becoming flooded. Rather than scurry around in a blackout to find what I need, I am going to gather it all up and keep it right at the sump.

Our telephone worked, but only because I had bought one phone that did not need power to operate. The cordless phones were useless. And, my cellphone barely had a charge. Keeping that charged is now a part of our plan.

Are you prepared for the next emergency, minor or major? The resources are available for free from the Federal Government. You just need to take the time and put some thought into the effort to prepare.

Nothing will change without you voting. If you cannot vote for a candidate, then vote against one. Remember that Americans don’t elect politicians for life so voting out an incumbent is always a good idea.

Our picks:
Governor – Carl Paladino (R) (and we ARE holding our nose)
Lt. Governor – Robert Duffy (D)
Comptroller – Harry Wilson (R)
Attorney General – Dan Donovan (R)
Senate 2 yr term – Joseph DioGuardi (R)
Senate 6 year term – Jay Townsend (R) (oust entrenched incumbent)
Congress 28th district – Jill Rowland (R) (oust entrenched incumbent)
State Senate – Mary Wilmot (D) (oust entrenched incumbent)
State Assembly – Mark Scuderi (R) (oust entrenched incumbent)

On the BACK of the ballot – vote NO on all propositions

The word “gerrymander” means

to divide (a territorial unit) into election districts to give one political party an electoral majority in a large number of districts while concentrating the voting strength of the opposition in as few districts as possible

according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. New York’s 28th Congressional District was carefully crafted to illustrate that definition. Actually, it was crafted to ensure that the inner cities of Buffalo and Rochester would always be able to elect a liberal Democrat.

New York's gerrymandered 28th Congressional District

The current occupant of this Democratic seat for life is Louise Slaughter. We have criticized Louise in the past for her ultra-liberal views and anti-military stances. And, for the fact that she retains her Texas accent after have been an area resident for decades.

The New York Republican Party routinely offers sacrificial lambs for Louise to slaughter in each Congressional election. We’re hoping that the current candidate can do much better.

Jill Rowland is a practicing dentist, wife and mother. Her name will be appearing on both the Republican and Conservative Party lines on November 2.

Jill Rowland - Click image for more information.

Jill Rowland for Congress

Twitter: @JillforCongress
Facebook: Jill Rowland
Website: http://jillrowland.com/