Who is Breaking all that Wind in Jefferson County?

The circus is officially coming to town. We aren't talking about the race for NY-23, or last night's season premier of the Bachelor where ladies put their tata's out to play with Bachelor Jake's heartstrings, and no, we aren't referring to the Buffalo Bills lousy .375 winning percentage this year either.

We are talking about tonight's BIG SHOWDOWN with the Jefferson County Legislature. To find out more about the proposed PILOT and the aggressive tactics being employed to develop wind energy projects we invited Bert Bowers, Co-Chair of the Coalition for the Preservation of the Golden Crescent and the Thousand Islands, to give us his perspective on things. Bert's team, has been farting all over -- doing everything they can to break wind and put a stop to what they believe is an unfair and unsustainable proposal to develop wind farms on the eastern shores of Lake Ontario. The debate tonight, it seems, goes well beyond some ramshakel island you can find heading south off I-81 from Watertown. It is about something much, much bigger than you or I, or this awesome blog.

This is really a debate about the proper role of county government, unelected bureacurats making decisions that directly affect our everyday lives, our property rights and values, our tax structures as well as basic transparency in government. On nights like these where rumor has it the people are coming out en masse to defend their property, their environment and their way of life, you just have to wonder why Congressman Bill Owens and no other Republican candidate for Congress has made an effort to reach out to this team of people that make up this formidible citizen lobbying group making headlines across NY-23, www.preservethegoldencrescent.com. And so we begin!

Buggs Buddy Question: Bert, thanks for taking the time to address this fascinating topic which has so much relevance to our politics and our way of life in NY-23. Can you please tell us what the most important thing you have learned about wind development since the debate came to the eastern shores of Lake Ontario?

Bert Bowers, Co-Chair of The Coalition for the Preservation of the Golden Crescent and the Thousand Islands, Response: Wind power has not, in this case or in general, been proven to reduce overall use of fossil fuels or reduction of greenhouse gases. Wind developers claim that WTG installations are "clean and green," but do not supply any analyses to demonstrate that wind power actually reduces the use of fossil fuels or the emission of greenhouse gases. The poor efficiency of wind power is not a result of deficiencies in the design of the turbines, but is simply a result of the natural variability in the wind's velocity. We are asked to accept that all of the environmental problems created by the construction and operation of this proposed facility are acceptable or are in some way mitigated in order for the development to proceed.

We are asked to accept all of these negative effects based on the unsupported assumption that the electricity produced by the turbines will enable utility companies to significantly reduce their use of fossil fuels and the consequent emission of greenhouse gases.

This assumption that the WTG fulfill their intended purpose is questionable because of the extreme variability of the wind. The operation of the WTG effectively magnifies the variability of wind, as the kinetic energy in wind is a function of the cube of the wind speed. Thus a doubling of wind speed will cause the WTG to produce eight times the energy or conversely if the wind speed drops by half, the electricity will be merely one-eighth.

The only types of existing generators capable of accommodating the extreme variability of the wind are hydro-power and simple gas turbine powered generators. These are the generators that will need to be used to “fill-in” the approximately 70 % of the WTG rated capacity that is not produced by the wind turbines due to the natural variability and unpredictability of wind.

Obviously, to the extent that hydro-power is used to balance the variability of the wind, there will be no reduction in fuel usage or emissions as we will simply be substituting one form of non-polluting power for another.

If the balancing is done with simple gas turbines, it will require them to be operated in a very inefficient manner. This mode of operation is similar to a car being operated in a manner that includes sudden stops and jackrabbit starts. The fuel economy will be poor and a high ratio of unburned hydrocarbons will be emitted. There are a number of available studies that indicate that the provision of more efficient, combined-cycle gas turbines alone would be more efficient and reduce both the emissions and investment than the case of simple gas turbines combined with WTG installations. All we see from the wind energy proponents are the meaningless slogans they promote such as “Clean, Green and Free.”

Buggs Buddy: Has Congressman Bill Owens or any of the potential NY-23 Republican challengers met with your group to learn about your issues and concerns?

Bert Bowers: No, but the Coalition is barely two months old.

Buggs Buddy: Many people, when they think of wind energy, automatically think “green.” They think that “green is good” and that since wind is renewable it must be good for the environment and that it therefore must be good for the residents of Jefferson County. Some critics might say that the people in Henderson just don’t want the wind turbines because they are flat-out ugly and might devalue private property, not because they are harmful for the environment. Can you give us a sense of how you respond to your critics when they bring up these issues, or the fact that proponents say they are getting a real deal with federal support?

Bert Bowers: I don't favor turbines because they cannot and will not save us from using fossil fuels to generate electricity (See answer to your first question above). They create an impression among the public that we are taking action to solve our problems, but we are simply handing out government money to groups of investors who qualify by building wind turbine facilities. Most of the stimulus funds handed out for wind turbine development have gone to European companies. The only "green" is the money we give away to wind turbine developers.

Buggs Buddy: Some activists who oppose the PILOT say other local citizens who are also opposed to wind development are scared to speak up, that people are fearful of being targeted by elected town officials. Do you think there is any truth to that? Do you believe town officials are vindictive or that they have a real financial stake in the wind project? And have most of your inquiries been answered by local officials, regulators and developers who have an interest in seeing the project move forward on Galloo Island?

Bert Bowers: No. I have been speaking out against the wind developers for the past three years. I think it is more a case of people not being aware of what is going on or being uninformed or misinformed. There are a number of Town Officials and County/State Officials who are clearly conflicted on this issue.

Buggs Buddy: Do you think wind developers are deliberately targeting poor rural areas? Do you think there is any legitimate place for wind developers to go in New York State? Would you feel differently about the project if the subsidies were going to local manufacturers of the turbines?

Bert Bowers: Yes, they are targeting poor, rural areas. No, I do not believe there is a place anywhere in NYS for wind development -- it is clearly a hoax. I would hope that NY manufacturers would steer clear of manufacturing these useless machines.

Buggs Buddy: Will you be working to replace any legislator that supports the PILOT or other measures that would allow for expanded wind power development? What is your next plan of action in dealing with the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency?

Bert Bowers: Yes, I will oppose any official who works in favor of the wind developers. I am on record as opposing the very idea of a PILOT for a development that, in the Golden Crescent/Thousand Islands area will cause a net loss in employment by chasing away the tourist/vacationer community who are one of the principal supports of our local economy.

Buggs Buddy: Bert, thanks for your time and your answers to our questions. We will be following the issue and how the Jefferson County Legislature votes on the PILOT. We hope to stay in touch and continue the dialogue with you and your team. Best of luck to you!

Interview with Democrat Ted "Ezra" Ford

Our goal with this site is to hear all sides of the debate on the left, right and center so that we can bring forth new ideas and positive discussion to our friends and neighbors in NY-23. And we were happy to connect with Ted "Ezra" Ford of the Jefferson County Democratic Party as we begin this journey. For those of you who may not know, and for those who want a reminder, Ford is the past Jefferson County Democratic Committee Chair, a former Democratic candidate for the NYS Assembly in 1998 and also the Jefferson County Legislature in 2000. He is most certainly "in the know" of Democratic politics in NY-23, so here we go!

Buggs Buddy Question: Ted, thank you for agreeing to taking the time to participate in our interview and thanks also for highlighting our new site on your your page,www.jeffersondemocrat.org. I am sure our readers are very interested in learning about your thoughts on NY-23, local politics and the direction of the Democratic Party. Please share with us when you first started your site and how it has developed since its inception. Why did you decide to start your site?

Ted "Ezra" Ford from Jefferson Democrat Response: Thanks for asking. I'm flattered. The blog I run began almost five years ago as an effort to just stir the hell out of a stagnant, moribund political pot because I thought it needed some jostling around. There was no blog like ours on the local web then. Originally we called ourselves Danger Democrat (DD), and brought a conscious case of big attitude to the local political atmosphere. Other bloggers adopted the strident style and in reaction Jefferson Democrat (JD) became a little calmer in presenting an always progressive viewpoint. We are a very small site. The meter reads about 200 or so page views a week. But thats fine.

BB: Obviously Democrats picked up a big win in NY-23 with Bill Owens beating Dede Scozzafava and Doug Hoffman several weeks ago, a seat that hasn't been held in a very long time by a Democrat. Can you tell us what you think are some of the other major accomplishments that Democrats have seen in Northern New York in the past year. What do you think Bill Owens' chances of keeping the seat in 2010? And if you want to answer this -- which Republican opponent do you think would be the hardest and easiest for Owens to go up against?

TEF: Democrats have pushed forward a lot. This year Mark Bellardini in St. Lawrence County led the Party to a numeric enrollment advantage. WhooHa! As Billy would say, "That’s huge." The actual geographic spot that JD calls home has a Democratic Assemblywoman, a Democratic State Senator and a Democratic Congressman. Ten years ago there would have been very few who would have suggested that the Democrats could have won even one of those seats. And even more important by winning those seats the area now has a voice in the majority caucuses in each of the legislatures. That means we have representatives with substantial clout instead of the bygone bystanders.

Of course, Bill Owens is the odds on choice to repeat this year. What would lead anyone think otherwise? For my money the Congressman would probably have to beat himself to lose and it appears that isn't very likely. The Republican Party is first going to have to sort out its ideological inconsistencies and make internal accommodations before any challenger could begin to mount a reasonable bid.

BB: What are the main policy issues you are focused on and will focus on at www.jeffersondemocrat.org and why do you think those are important issues for voters in our region?

TEF: My main area of focus and concern is always progressive politics generally. May I quote JFK when he was asked derisively about being a liberal?

If by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people – their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties – someone who believe we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our politics abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”

BB: Are you supporting any particular candidate for Governor in 2010? There seems to be a lot of anxiety over the tenure of Governor David Paterson? Do you think voters in Upstate New York are looking for someone different like Andrew Cuomo or are they are satisfied with Paterson for now?

TEF: Its way, way too early to think about a Democrat candidate for Governor. David Paterson will be mainly judged by his own party by the success of his budget presentation to the legislature. That begins with the State of the State on Wednesday. Andrew Cuomo is polling well, but as soon he declares candidacy prior to the Convention he'll be plagued by the same questions being asked of Paterson. Frankly, he may not want to answer those questions. I don't have a favorite.

BB: What candidates or local leaders are you most excited about and who do you see as rising stars of the Democratic Party in Upstate New York?

TEF: My pick for a rising democratic star is my boss, Assemblywoman Addie Russell. I'm a part time constituent liaison in her Watertown office and every day I'm there I get to see the intellect, the humanity, the political awareness of a really strong emerging player. Last year as a Freshman she was a press pick for a list called 'The top 40 under 40' in Albany. They can see it too. She led the Freshmen with chaptered legislation she sponsored. I'm paid for about 10 hours a week and volunteer about 20 more. She is truly worth it.

BB: The Republican Party in NY-23 seems to be contemplating its future direction and how to manage its moderate and conservative interests? What do you think about the direction of the Democratic Party and do you see the Democratic Party having to deal with similar competing interests within its party?

TEF: Decades ago Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat." It’s still true. Democrats have a history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. We've done it many times with infamous, sometimes annoyingly petty, infighting. Just like the elephants in 23 last time. Of course there are competing interests in our party. We are a little different than the Republicans though. We have gotten used to that stuff over the years. A person in my party can be sure of only one thing. Whatever you present another Dem will probably disagree.

BB: Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you and the Jefferson County Democratic Party that might be of interest to our readers?

TEF: I would refer you to the official blog of the Jefferson County Democratic Committee called North Country Democrat,www.northcountrydemocrat.blogspost.com. Current Chair Sean Hennessey does a good job with the official party line. Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed. Good luck with your blog Buggs and be prepared to be picked on. It’s in the nature of the folks that read this stuff to pick any scabs they can find. God love em. And about your last name, Mr. Buddy...I think it could be an adenoid flareup.

BB: Ted, thanks for your insight and outlook on politics in NY-23. I look forward to future discussions and best of luck to you.

One question we will have to get an answer from Ted on eventually is who he thinks is the toughest Republican candidate to go up against Owens. He'll have to get back to us on that.

Exclusive Interview with Candidate David Kimmel

Here is our first exclusive interview with a 2010 candidate for NYS Assembly, David Kimmel. We hope to continue this conversation with Kimmel and get a chance to interview other candidates all across NY-23. We thought this interview included some fascinating information. To find out about Kimmel's New Year's Resolutions, his thoughts on Janet Duprey and Doug Hoffman, how he thinks NYS CO's should be treated, and his musings on dirtbag politicians, read on below!

Buggs Buddy Question: Mr. Kimmel thank you for agreeing to take the time to participate in our interview and congratulations on your decision to run for public office. I am sure our readers are very interested in learning more about your issues and your priorities, but first we need to know who you are as a person. Can you first give us a little bit of background on who you are, where you grew up, what you do now, and tell us what your first experience in politics was?

David Kimmel Response: I’m a city kid. I grew up in Downtown Flint, Michigan. I lived across the street from a house of ill repute and next door to a half-way house. I got mugged more times than I can count until I learned to fight for myself. We moved from there to a little town called Owosso and from there to Lansing. I spent most of my adult life in the military – first the Marines and then the Army. I served in special operations in both branches. My post military jobs have been in technology. I currently own and operate my own technology integration company. My first experience in politics was volunteering for a mayoral campaign for a woman in Evansville Indiana. I worked the phones.

BB: What made you decide for run for the New York State Assembly?

DK: I’m tired of sending people to Albany who have no vision and can’t get anything done. I decided to run for Assembly because I have a vision and can get things done. At some point I would love to expound on this idea of “vision” for your readers.

BB: Karen Bisso, your campaign manager, told us that your intention in this race is to "shake up business as usual" and "offer the citizens of the 114th District a common sense, real solutions option the North Country can be proud to send to Albany." Can you tell us what your core message will be? What are your common sense, real solutions to our problems we face today? Specifically, I am sure our readers would like to know what three issues you want to work on.

DK: You bet. Like I state on my bio page, I have seen New Yorkers respond to crisis. I have seen the best in our folks. We’re not the problem. Government is. I know that sounds like campaign rhetoric, but it’s true. My core message is three-fold.

1) Shrink the size of government. There are different ways we do it, but one way in particular is to privatize routine information technology tasks. I will discuss others later in the campaign.

2) Create a business friendly environment. We have to send a clear signal to the business world that we are open for business. Apparently Albany didn’t get that memo. Albany lawmakers decide who the winners and losers are through incentive. This is a Socialist principle, not a free-market one. Another way is to freeze fees. I will announce an initiative to address this Monday night. This is so important to small businesses that it can’t wait until the election. While this flies in the face of convention, I’m going to reveal a no-brainer opportunity that my opponent should not pass up. It’s so important that I don’t even care if she tries to claim it as her own idea.

3) Market the 114th Assembly District. I have a very specific plan to accomplish this. It is at the core of my message on vision. I will reveal this within the next 120 days.

BB: We understand that you have just started your campaign. Can you tell us what the response is like so far and what do you have planned on the campaign trail for the rest of the winter? Do you anticipate that you will be able to raise the necessary campaign funds to win? Have you raised any money since starting your campaign?

DK: Sure. The response has been very positive, so much so that I’ve asked my team to be leery of the possibility of groupthink. The response has renewed my belief in the great people of the North Country. I mean literally only one guy said he wanted to see literature before making a decision about whether he would support me or not. I’m going to spend the next 90 days visiting small groups and individuals. I’m going to open my home to anyone who wants to sit down over a cup of coffee and tell me what’s on their mind. I’ve already booked some radio shows, and have most of the next two weeks booked for engagements. I anticipate that I will raise a lot of money. I’ve raised about $1100 so far, and really believe that we will continue to see success in our fundraising efforts.

BB: What do you think are the main differences between yourself, Paul Maroun, and Janet Duprey? Why should someone consider voting for you rather than these other two candidates in the Republican primary?

DK: I don’t want to speculate concerning Paul Maroun since I don’t believe he has stated his intentions publicly. (Goodness knows I wouldn’t want anyone throwing me in the ring if I hadn’t made a decision.)

As far as Janet Duprey, our views on social issues are dramatically different. However, there are so many things to fix in the fiscal realm that my campaign will lead with a fiscal agenda of necessity. Janet has painted herself as a fiscal Conservative; however, her support of Dede cannot be reconciled with her claims. Dede supported card-check. That is not only anti-business, but anti-American. (Well, she claimed to be against it, but in an AFL-CIO survey she said she would support it.)

Janet lacks tenacity. Our next Assembly member should aggressively advocate on all fronts for the North Country. As recently as January 2nd she is quoted in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise as saying she's helped constituents deal with serious problems with state bureaucracy. That's not tenacity, that's making time. What she should be doing, and what I will work for, is the elimination of state bureaucracy. We can either work to reduce and eventually eliminate bureaucracy, or we can help people navigate it. I would focus on eliminating it. She introduced so-called tough legislation which she billed as part of her plan to clean up Albany stating: "If you commit a crime you won't get a dime." The bill, A01057, looks good but only addresses tow of the most difficult sections to convict in the penal code. You can apparently Rape, Murder, molest children, and engage in or with a prostitute. This is feel-good election year legislation. It doesn't even address two crimes committed by people the North Country previously sent to Albany.

BB: You are obviously running for the Republican nomination for state assembly, but you also describe yourself as a conservative. Can you tell us what conservatism means to you? What core conservative principles do you subscribe to, and what, if any, place do you think there is for moderate or more liberal Republicans in the GOP today?

DK: What I mean by Conservatism is that I don’t want the government meddling in my personal affairs. I should be free to worship God as I understand Him. I should be able to own as many weapons as I want, automatic or otherwise. If I own my house outright, I should not have to pay the government on an annual basis to live there (property tax). Our men and women in uniform are heroes. I’m talking about our CO’s, our troopers, our sheriffs, our police, and our firefighters, and our military. We should pay them commensurate with the incredible sacrifice they make for us each and every day, because they are the keepers and sustainers of our liberty and freedom. We should be especially embarrassed by the paltry amount we pay CO’s and sheriff’s deputies.

I believe that unfunded mandates, whether from the federal government, or from the State deny us our 10th amendment rights. I believe we are a great beacon of hope for the world, and we naturally attract the disenfranchised and down-trodden. We should welcome anyone who loves liberty and freedom, but we should do so while asserting our sovereignty. This is especially important since we have ten U.S. Land Ports of Entry within the 114th Assembly District.

I believe it is the duty of government to pass laws that open markets and enable free trade instead of restricting them. I want judges to support the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and not rewrite them or legislate from the bench. I believe our founders got it right some 200 years ago. I embrace the sanctity of life and the traditional definition of marriage. Finally, I believe it is the responsibility of government to promote the general welfare of the people, not to provide it.

The second half of your question is more about party politics. My focus is going to be on providing real solutions and real results for all the people of the 114th Assembly District. The views that I hold will inform some of my solutions, but they are not the sum total of my parts. What I mean is: I really think we can get a lot done if the people are our first and only priority. I can find common ground with just about anyone, even if they don’t share all of my views and values. I want to start there. I’m going to let the Party bosses figure out how to address the philosophical issues within the Republican Party. I won’t be taking my marching orders from them anyway. I’ll be taking them from the people. Someone accused me of being naïve about this. I’m not though. Some of the most Conservative people in New York are Democrats in Central New York. The idea that I should take marching orders from party politicians won’t fly. It can’t. Janet Duprey’s support of Dede Scozzafava is a perfect example of why that approach doesn’t serve the people.

BB: What is the main thing you want voters in the 114th to know about you and your candidacy? Is there anything else you want our readers to know about you and this race?

DK: I will provide real solutions and real results because I believe first and foremorest that it is possible. As I will state substantially in my announcement on the 4th, I have the audacity to believe that détente is not a foregone conclusion. People called Reagan a fool when he stated his belief that Soviet Communism could be defeated. Lincoln’s Cabinet said he was off-track when he shared with them his desire to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Our leaders must have faith in the extraordinary and the vision to see it through. Otherwise we should not send them to Albany.

BB: Do you have a favorite candidate for NY-23 in 2010 or a favorite candidate for New York State Governor? If so, why do you think they are the best candidates? If not, what kind of candidates do you think the people of NY-23 and New York State are looking for?

DK: I worked on Doug Hoffman’s race. I think he’s a good man. I’ve said that publicly, so I’ll say it again. I thought John Faso would have been an excellent choice for Governor in 2006. I think he’d be a good choice now too. He seems like a good egg. For now though, I’m going to stay in my lane. The folks in the 114th Assembly District deserve all of my attention.

BB: A lot of people are apathetic to politics whether they are registered as a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or not even registered to vote. Why do you think that is? How do we begin to solve our states problems in Albany? Do you think it is possible for public officials and state leaders in Albany to regain the voter’s confidence, and how would you do that?

DK: This one is easy. Career politicians often turn out to be dirt-bags. We’re all tired of it. They’re often so careful that it’s hard to actually know what they stand for. About the time you think you have them figured out, they pull a fast one, and you realize the person you thought you were voting for is not the person in office. Now before anyone gets worked up about this, I’m not saying my opponent is one.

My opponent thinks we should have a Constitutional Convention. So does Minority Leader Kalb. I think that the career politicians would start abusing the new Constitution even before the ink is dry. This sounds cynical but please we’ve institutionalized corruption so much here in New York that we actually plan to re-write every twenty years. Our US Constitution has served us well for over 200 years, but New York’s solution is to change the rules. This is sort of like changing laws to accommodate criminals. So I’ve got a better idea. When our politicians screw up, let’s hold them accountable. When they screw up repeatedly, either through wrong action or inaction, let’s throw the bums out. I think if we do that a few times it would help restore voter confidence.

BB: Did you have a New Year’s Resolution for 2010?

DK: More like goals… 1) Read the Bible every day, 2) Tithe 10% of my income consistently, and 3) Win the 114th Assembly race!

Buggs Conclusion: Mr. Kimmel, Thank you again for your time and for answering our questions. We look forward to following your campaign in the weeks and months ahead. You can learn more about Mr. Kimmel and his candidacy by visiting his website, www.votekimmel.com. Best of luck to you and your team!

UPDATE: We heard from Karen Bisso, Kimmel's campaign manager, that their kick-out announcement was a real hit tonight. Karen said Kimmel "tackled big government, government bureaucracy, taxes and fiscal responsibility. An added bonus... a surprise guest was there." I wonder who the guest was?

Conservative Split

An old-timer in the North Country's Republican Party establishment, Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, may be getting a primary challenger for her 114th district state assembly seat. Two potential challengers have already emerged and they both appear to have been a product of the aftermath of Dede Scozzafava's nomination for NY-23 last year.

First, it was reported that Paul Maroun of Tupper Lake was coming out swinging. Now there is a story that David Kimmel may put forth his own effort to be the Republican party's nominee for the 114th District. Both Kimmel and Maroun have an extensive military background and both consider themselves conservatives. Local activists have described both men as the same candidate who have different names. Duprey is seen as more of a moderate or liberal, although she repeatedly disputes her record being called "liberal."

Maroun may also be interested in trying for the 23rd Congressional seat so it will be interesting to see how Kimmel's entrance into the 114th will affect his decision to run for state government or the federal job. Either way, Maroun's entrance into either race could result in a split among conservative activists in the 114th state district and also in the 23rd congressional district, conceivably allowing a more moderate candidate to break through with a plurality of the vote.

Maroun has put his name out in the press and has remained open, but uncommitted, to either race. Maroun has also been the most public and outspoken in his criticism of Scozzafava and Duprey saying back in November that, "There are a lot of people upset at the way she (Duprey) handles herself. You can't support a liberal on everything, and then say you are not a liberal. She has got some political problems. I'm a big boy, and she's a big girl, and we'll see what happens."

Paul, we are still waiting to see what your decision is. Can conservatives unite behind a single candidate or will they split their vote between various candidates in 2010, leaving the moderate wing of the party some breathing room and a chance to win the nomination?