Call Bill Owens & Tell Him NY-23 is the People's Seat, Not Obama & Pelosi's

The White House self-imposed Thursday, March 18th, as the date when the House should vote for the Senate version of the health care reform bill. That doesn’t mean the President or the folks in the House won’t move the goal posts again, but it is a pretty safe bet that the end of March is last battle cry for the Democrats to carry on this looney tune fantasy to socialize our medicine.

The conventional thinking goes like this: expect that the House will be taking up the Senate-passed health care reform bill any day now. This bill is not good for Northern and Central New York. If you are reading this blog then we expect that you should already know the reasons why. It costs $2.5 trillion and for what? It will not create a single job for a single person in NY-23. It will increase our debt. Seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage plans. Your money will go to pay for other people’s abortions. Washington bureaucrats will be getting between you and your doctor and their meddling will have a significant impact on the health care delivery options you are entitled to. Premiums will go up. Rural hospitals and health centers will be consolidated. Medical liability will continue to drive up costs, resulting in less access for patients and fewer incentives for better-trained medical professionals to enter the health care field.

The whole thing is a precursor to Bigger and Bigger and Bigger government. Ladies and gentlemen, this is simply not what we signed up for. Now is the time to tell Washington.

Can anyone talk to Congressman Bill Owens about this, please? Ask him why he is still undecided. Ask him how many jobs this monstrosity will create. Ask him how he expects our children and our grandchildren to pay for the costs. Ask him why he wants to take our money to pay for abortions. Ask him if he is so concerned with our debt why he wants to spend more money on a government run system that would force small businesses to comply with new bureaucratic red-tape or else face fines and new taxes. Ask him why he is so in the bag for Obama and Pelosi.

There is only one solution to this nightmare: we must start over and work out a bipartisan solution. Tell Congressman Bill Owens, who voted for the House Health Care Reform bill when he was first elected to office last year, that we need his help. Even though he lied about his true position to the people of NY-23 on the campaign trail he is now evolving on this issue. If Owens gets enough pressure from his constituents we can make a difference. In recent news reports Owens says he might flip-flop on health care. Tell Owens that just because he owes his seat to Pelosi and Obama who raised him buckets of money last year, the NY-23 seat is still the people's seat. Afterall, Owens does have to answer to us next fall.

You can call his DC office today at 202-225-4611. You can call his Watertown office at 315-782-3150. You can call his Plattsburgh office at 518-563-1406. You can call his Mayfield office at 518-661-6486. And you can call his Canastota office at 315-875-5115. Then you can e-mail his office by going to this link. And if you really want to make sure he gets the message you can e-mail his campaign aide, Gary Whidby, at gary@billowensforcongress.com. Ask Owens to go public in the news. Demand that he represent the people of NY-23 instead of Obama and Pelosi. This bill is bad, but we don't even know all the problems that are in it because even the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, doesn't even know everything that is in it.

Hoffman Shows His Cards

Posted at the top of NewzJunky.com is a link showing Doug Hoffman now in the race for NY-23. That would make Hoffman the first Republican in NY-23 to actually quit dancing around the district, testing the water temperature with just his toes. And to highlight his independent streak, Hoffman comes out of the gate as a uniter seeking three different political lines. It appears that the congressional hopeful is taking the gloves off and wants to show people he is serious. It is a bold move to be the first candidate to enter these rough political waters and by going first, it shows that Hoffman really wants it.

However, the big question remains as to whether the GOP establishment will be amendable to accepting Doug Hoffman as their Republican nominee. He is now putting himself out there, asking for their support and has put all of his cards down on the table. And by the looks of things Hoffman isn't bluffing. He has a good hand of cards and a groundswell of Republican, Conservative and Independent grassroots voters backing him. But insiders believe the GOP County Chairs in NY-23, who picked Dede Scozzafava last year, are apprehensive about giving this political newcomer, who won over 46% of the district buried on line D last year, a chance on their ballot.

Now as Kenny Rogers would say, "for a taste of your whiskey I will give some advice..."and this advice is for the 11 Republican county chairs to seriously consider: How will you feel if your leadership provokes a messy and fractured Republican primary that agitates the competition so much that it allows Bill Owens to win in November? And how will the county chairs feel if the Republican Party misses taking back the majority of the US House of Representatives by one Republican vote because of a loss in NY-23? The advice I give to you is simply the moto that Kenny Rogers gives to all of us in life: "You've got to know when to hold 'em, you've got to know when the fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run. You never count your money when your sitting at the table. There will be time enough for counting, when the dealings done."

And there is an old proverb that politics knows no humility. But maybe that is the characteristic most needed in our political conversation as we move closer to the 2010 elections. Maybe if we look for humility instead of looking at people as problems, we will be successful as Republicans. Maybe if we look to the future instead of the past, we can find hope again. Maybe if we look through the rhetoric and the spin, we will find true leadership. Doug Hoffman is clearly looking to unite a movement that could change the course of politics throughout NY-23 all the way down the ballot to the most local of races for the Republican Party. He deserves that opportunity and he deserves the chance to earn our respect and our vote. Lets give him that benefit at the outset.

He proved something to Mayor Graham today. Just a few weeks ago Mayor Graham of the great City of Watertown said that the first candidate to show he had the guts to get into the mix would gain an advantage locally because people want to see passion instead of political posturing. Doug can now say he took Mayor Graham up on that challenge. While there is no doubt that other credible and worthy challengers will emerge in this contest for the Republican nomination soon, it is well known that to build a winning coalition in the expansive and rural 23rd, it takes time, money and hard work to earn the people's trust. Hoffman is first out of the gate and he even has a new website.

In addition, this week seems like this is a good week to make the formal announcement considering a recent New York poll showed most New Yorkers are ashamed of the recent political scandals that have rocked our state. It is a swipe at incumbency and the old style business of politics. No one wants to see how the sausage is made, but we are seeing everything out in the open recently.

According to the poll, "Seventy percent of voters agreed that New York has never been more dysfunctional, and by a 54% to 41% margin, voters also say that what's going on in Albany makes them "embarrassed" to call themselves New Yorkers." Add that poll to a list of political grassroots frustration emerging from the Paterson and Massa scandals, and dissatisfaction with federal spending and the health care push-through happening in Washington, and you can see the potential for a populist uprising in support of a candidate like Hoffman.

Stepping forward with a strong economic message may be good politics, but going first also has its clear disadvantages. Watch for competing campaigns to come out swinging. But landing a solid punch could prove difficult for any would-be competitor, especially at this early juncture. Hoffman has his cards down on the table and now it is time for the rest of competition to show their cards. They have got to know when to hold em and know when to fold em, when to walk away, and know when to run. The money is on the table. Who is in this game to win it?

Did Vaugh Plagiarize Doheny or did Doheny Plagiarize Vaugh?

File this post under the "you can't make this stuff up" bookmark because it is bizarre. Read the two statements below from Nick Vaugh, running for the 118th Assembly district, and Matt Doheny, running for the 23rd congressional seat held by Bill Owens, and then tell me someone isn't plagiarizing.

Nick Vaugh's Fundraising Appeal to Republicans Posted on NewzJunky.com on March 4, 2010:

"I owe my values and success to my family. My mother and father along with my grandfather taught me firsthand the dignity of hard work, the sanctity of family, and the value of service to the community. It is with these values that I seek your assistance in representing the citizens of the 118th Assembly District and the rest of New York. It is with these values and experience I will aggressively work to create an economic environment in which businesses and families can thrive."

Matt Doheny's Letter to Local Republican Committee Members Dated January 21, 2010:

"The value of hard work in the North Country, the sanctity of family and the importance of service to the community was passed down to Matt at a young age directly from his parents. It is these values and the values that he learned from his work in the private sector that Matt will use to represent the citizens of the 23rd Congressional District."

These two paragraphs sound like outright plagiarism to us. And it appears that either Vaugh and Doheny are brothers, or one of them copied the other's campaign materials. Notice the terms that are intimately woven into each candidate's perspective biographies, words like: values, hard work, sanctity of family and service to the community. This could create a major problem for each candidate and they need to be honest with the voters about their backgrounds instead of spouting off vague, cookie-cutter generalizations and near verbatim wording. The website Famous Plagiarists.com sums the seriousness of this political foul on their site:

"A proven accusation of plagiarism can have serious repercussions for a candidate's political ambitions. Just ask Joe Biden. His borrowing of a British politician's campaign speech is perhaps the most famous instance of political plagiarism... This P-word sums up a number of qualities with which no successful politician would want to be assocaited: in-authentic, shortsighted, manipulable (by speechwriters), dishonest, criminal, deceitful, and so on... And if the plagiarism charges stick, the accused is forever tainted, corrupted, and sullied with the justly deserved stigma surrounding such reprehensible behavior. Even if the speechwriter is the real culprit! ["Your speechwriter did it?--yeah, right."]"

And there is a precedent for plagiarism among North Country politicians that never goes over well. Remember when Darrel Aubertine plagiarized a bill that his colleague, State Senator Elizabeth Little, wrote last year? A few weeks after Little had submitted a bill in early 2009 to regulate block-voting rights among co-ops in the New York milk market, Aubertine introduced near similar language amending the state agriculture and markets law. In a classic response to Aubertine, Senator Little took to the floor of the State Senate and said Aubertine's bill was essentially something she could support because she had already introduced it (the video can be found at the end of this post in case you missed the exchange). You may also remember this second instance of plagiarism by Aubertine reported by the Gouverneur Times.

The reason why today's instance of political plagiarism is particularly offensive is because each candidate involved in this scandal used language to describe the values and character they inherited from each of their respective families. It is fine to talk about your core values on the campaign trail and in your written correspondence, but in doing so you should never resort to copying another politician's rhetoric. Beyond sounding unoriginal, it raises questions about one's ethics and personal competence. And to borrow unoriginal language about the values handed down to you by your parents is just lame and embarrassing.

Voters expect candidates to be open and honest about their backgrounds. And this violation raises larger questions for each candidate because it is a safe bet that neither Doheny nor Vaugh will want to be associated with Democratic State Senator Darrel Aubertine for plagiarizing. Will Vaugh and Doheny clear the air with a public statement, an explanation or an apology?

Winners and Losers

We felt like it would be fun to point out some of our recent winners and losers in New York State politics over the last several days. We hope many of our readers will concur with our assessments. Feel free to add others to either category in the comments section, or debate why we are wrong in our analysis.

Biggest Losers:

Governor David Paterson - Putting Tiger Woods aside, we don't think anyone can deny that this guy wins the gold medal for the biggest loser. Our 55th Governor of the State of New York has racked up a long list of stupidness: pending ethics violations over accepting World Series tickets, covering up sexual abuse scandal with state resources and direct calls to police to save his body man, rumors of various affairs including one with a state employee that he admitted when he first came to office, proposed tax increases on all sorts of goodies, appointing Kirsten Gillibrand to a US Senate seat and a general gross mismanagement of the state's runaway budget deficit. Paterson's story is playing out like a bad scene from the Jersey Shore. Good riddance.

Congressman Eric Massa- Rumors are abound that the House ethics committee will investigate whether Massa had sexually abused a male staffer and will be retiring at the end of 2010. Just wait for the attack dogs and Democratic colleagues alike to call for his resignation. A special election like the one in New York 23 might be just around the corner.

Congressman Charlie Rangel - Rangel is caught up in some compromising ethics violation(s). Politico reported that, "the catalyst for Rangel's removal came last week, when the ethics committee ruled that he had broken House gift rules by accepting corporate-sponsored travel to the Caribbean." He has now lost his chairmanship of the powerful Ways and Means Committee that writes tax policy after serving the House for 39 years. Is there anymore to say about that? Owens is counting his lucky starts that he didn't have to vote on removing Rangel of his chairmanship.

New York State Democrats - How many Democratic Governors can New York blow through without looking ridiculous? Spitzer, Paterson, State Senator Monserrate, Massa and Rangel have seriously damaged the party brand in New York. Are these leaders a reflection of the Democratic party as a whole? The budget is a mess, taxes are high, businesses are moving out of state, party leaders getting greedy and Harold Ford said he got out of the primary race because the party in New York State Democrats aren't strong enough to deal with the pressure and still win. All bets are off in 2010.

Congressman Bill Owens - Our new representative is talking about jobs recently, but he is about to lose his own for voting for socialized medicine that includes all sorts of perverse carve-outs for other states, increased taxes and cuts to Medicare. If he flip-flops on the health care vote he will discourage his base of Democrat supporters. If he votes for it he loses the election to whatever candidate(s) that run against him. It is a tough spot to be in, but Pelosi and Obama are the ones who got him to Washington and he owes it to them. Ironically, Pelosi and Obama, the same people who got Owens elected, are the same people who are going to get him run out of office.

Assemblyman Will Barclay - His campaign will not answer our questions and the candidate is not being open with the public. Michael Baucus of the Barclay campaign responded to an e-mail request to get 3-5 of our 20 questions answered with this lame response: "Will Barclay would be more than pleased to answer each of those twenty questions if he becomes a candidate for Congress. If you live in the 23rd Congressional District, all you have to do is attend any scheduled candidates debate, stand up, identify yourself and state your question. Will Barclay would, of course, afford any district voter the same opportunity." So for our readers -- feel free to ask your questions when you see Barclay on the campaign trail. But good luck getting your questions answered.

Mayor Jeff Graham - If Mort Zukerman had given up control of his media empire to run for US Senate, Jeff Graham could have made a quick move to cut into the media mogul's huge national market. Graham is still doing well with his blog and radio show. But had Zukerman officially gotten into the race, Graham could have capitalized and made it big.

USA Men's Olympic Hockey Team - Team USA were the underdogs, no doubt. We played hard but only got the silver medal -- unfortunately, second place is the first loser. And you lost to Canada!

The Watertown Daily Times - The Times falls into the loser category because they are awful almost every week. Any objections?

Winners:

Andrew Cuomo - Love him or hate him or just don't care, this guy is undoubtably going to be the Democratic nominee for Governor. For the sake of our state, lets just pray he is better than Spitzer and Paterson.

Harold Ford Jr. - He got out of the Democratic US Senate primary just in time. The New York Democratic establishment was about to eat the guy up and spit him out. He saved his reputation and now maybe he can make a run for Charlie Rangel's seat.

Bruce Blakeman - Media mogul Mort Zuckerman is pulling out of the US Senate race against Gillibrand and that opening gives Blakeman a clearer shot at the GOP nomination. Gillibrand's negatives are so high that the Lewis county dog-catcher could make it a competitive race in year where Republicans were able to win in Massachusetts.

Ann Marie Buerkle - We haven't talked about our neighbor district to the south-west, but they have a battle brewing for the congressional Republican nomination to challenge Representative Dan Maffei in NY-25. Buerkle is winning Republican and Conservative endorsements for her race at a blistering pace. What's Up NY-23 isn't offering its endorsement yet, but is predicting Buerkle is on the best path to become the GOP nominee for that race.

Darrel Aubertine - Getting beat up by New York City press for opposing a liberal farm workers bill isn't always a bad thing for an upstate Democrat. He is also now a member of the fiscal watch force. Let's see what he does with it.

Mike Long - The Conservative Party Chairman has been gaining credibility across the state and has to be taken seriously by Republicans at every level because of the fusion voting system in the state and the conservative movement's ability to tap into voter discontent.

Patty Ritchie - Even though Ritchie has been attacked on the Lewis and Oswego blogs, she is still the frontrunner for the 48th Senate district race. Whoever gets the nod could make it a race for the ages against Aubertine. There is still a lot of time left, but Ritchie has positioned herself and it doesn't look like Matt Doheny is going to jump races as we move into the spring.

Assemblywoman Janet Duprey - Duprey seems to be handling her competition for the GOP nomination with stride. David Kimmel has yet to make the kind of impact that conservatives had hoped for, which may leave the door open for Paul Maroun or another candidate to jump into the race at this early stage. There is still time for Kimmel to make his case for the nomination, but each day that Kimmel lags is another day Duprey is counting her blessings.

NewzJunky.com - Just because they are better than the Watertown Daily Times.

SU Men's Basketball Team - First time the Orange have been ranked #1 in years. Congrats and Go Orange!

Buggs Sent Will Barclay 20 Questions Today

Putting up a new poll on the sidebar: Do you think Assemblyman Barclay will answer our 20 interview questions?

In an appeal to start debate and discussion with the voters of NY-23, Will Barclay says he wants to be open. Today he said, "I cannot say it strongly enough... Candidates for the US Congress owe this to the people. It should not be viewed as an option - it's an obligation... Let's give the people the real thing for a change" (Barclay for Congress Press Release, 2/25/10).

Will Barclay Wants to be a Looney Tune?

As Buggs Buddy I think I am in the best position to say this: State Assemblyman William Barclay’s knee-jerk reactions and absurd press releases are making him look like Wile E. Coyote trying to chase down the one he will never catch, Doug Hoffman, the one who looks more and more like the Road Runner speeding to victory in NY-23.

Tonight Barclay became the newest looney tune running for federal office when he issued an attack on Doug Hoffman. Barclay’s expensive new media consultant, rumored to be former unknown Congressman Fred J. Eckert of Eagle Communications, e-mailed the statement tonight at 8:16 pm to multiple news outlets.

In the release Barclay reveals his desperation by “urging” Doug Hoffman to renounce the idea of Ron Paul running for President in 2012. Not that Hoffman has any connection to the idea after having been endorsed by several other potential 2012 presidential hopefuls including: Governor George Pataki, Governor Sarah Palin, Senator Fred Thompson, Congressman Mike Pence, Governor Tim Pawlenty and others, but it is kind of silly to read Barclay’s disunity rant.

If you read between the lines of everything that Barclay sends out (the stuff that comes in complete sentences at least) all you find is negativity and knee-jerk reactions. It’s the kind of stuff that fills the Assembly Chamber in Albany where Barclay was infected with this vitriolic incumbent disease I like to call “Albany insider-osis.”

The positive press attention Doug Hoffman received from the Syracuse paper, National Review Online, several prominent Republican bloggers and the Washington Times, has clearly demoralized the Barclay camp. But to Barclay’s credit at least he realizes the need to do something to shake up this race quickly. He can only get away with being the guy who lost Republican control of the State Senate, to Darrel Aubertine, for so long without losing people’s attention.

However, the fact that Barclay chose to attack Ron Paul instead of (oh… I don’t know) Bill Owens or Barack Obama speaks volumes about what kind of Republican he is – a Republican of disunity, a looney tune Republican. Barclay’s attacks are a function of four key things that all voters should consider.

First, Barclay is consumed with the idea of purging Republicans instead of beating the Democrats in 2010. What Barclay doesn’t understand is that his recent call for a unity pledge in NY-23 was completely undermined when his next move was to call for a purge of any fellow Republican who he disagrees with on one particular issue. In this case it is Ron Paul’s opposition to the War in Iraq. Next week it will be his opposition to Tim Pawlenty’s position of being pro-life. The week after that it will be something else absurd. The real question is: why does Barclay want to make the GOP smaller instead of uniting Republicans of all stripes behind a common goal like winning back the House in 2010?

Second, Barclay’s focus on the 2012 presidential elections shows his priorities are in the wrong place. He should be focused on winning in 2010 and bringing prosperity and economic growth back to NY-23. Barclay’s attacks are a distraction from his lack of solutions and focus on what people really care about today: better jobs, lower taxes, less spending, more credit, improved education and market-based solutions to health care.

Third, Barclay’s attacks are a sign of desperation. Doug Hoffman has the lead on money raised, grassroots support, national endorsements, online media, local press, an organized campaign team and about every other metric that could possibly be used to judge a candidates viability in a Republican primary.

Finally, Barclay’s release was absurd on its face. To insinuate that Doug Hoffman is weak on terrorism is pretty lame. After all, Barclay never spent any time in the military. Hoffman has. Hoffman’s campaign website is clear on this issue.

“We are past the point of pointing fingers over how we got to where we are in Iraq and Afghanistan. The question for us now is where do we go from here? I believe we must continue to try and turn the security and governing of Iraq over to the Iraqis. I also believe we need to continue to go after the terrorist strongholds and training bases wherever they are located. The war against terror is not over and the terrorists’ goal remains the destruction of the United States and our way of life. We must never forget this fact.”

Hoffman understands the threats we face and is committed to being a strong defender of American interests. Unlike Barclay, Hoffman was never fed by a silver spoon and he wasn’t an heir to political power like Barclay was from his father’s hard effort. Unlike Barclay, Hoffman had to make something of himself. And Hoffman is the only candidate who has military experience. That is something that military families in Fort Drum will recognize and it is an insult that Barclay would attack a veteran with such vitriol.

Barclay should apologize for throwing other people under the bus to further his own political future. Barclay does not have a campaign that can win. It could have been, but it is evolving into a campaign in desperation mode, running out of fuel. And for that reason we are moving him back to the third tier of candidates with the rest of the other looney tunes.

Vaugh Loses Traction as Other Candidates Gear Up

It appears that Ogdensburg City Legislator Nick Vaugh he has put the breaks on his idea to leave the GOP to start a new "Anti-Addie Russell Party." And Vaugh has, for now at least, forfeited his strategy of conquering Assemblywoman Russell on Twitter, a new social media site online, where Vaugh had obsessively posted critical and controversial critiques of his rival for months.

Like a man hanging on the edge of a cliff, Vaugh is squeezing tightly, his rookie grip, in what looks to be a very difficult campaign for the 118th Assembly district of New York. In the past few days the young city legislator has somewhat recovered, taking productive meetings with Rick Lazio, Massena Mayor Delosh and Senator Griffo. We asked Vaugh for an interview last week and he was unresponsive to our humble request, just like Janet Duprey except at least she had the courtesy to write back.

However, now rumors are floating that Ogdensburg Mayor Bill Nelson might jump into the race, which would really take the wind out of Vaugh's north country sails. On top of that are rumors the local GOP is hoping to recruit another candidate. Possible names like Wells, Brining, Nichols, McNeil, Forsythe, Cantwell, Gray and Renzi have been mentioned even if Nelson decides not to run. The Republican 23rd congressional primary race could also complicate things if Barclay or Doheny drop out of the federal race and decide to play for the 48th Senate District. And if that were to happen it could pressure Pattie Ritchie to make another try for the Assembly.

The political dominoes are sure to set up so that Vaugh is the first to fall, but the young college student doesn't seem persuaded by the old guard of the GOP in 2010. Perhaps Vaugh's idealism and youth are characteristics that would play well in a race for the 118th district against Russell, but those traits could also serve as a disadvantage in his quest for higher political office. While it is true that all candidates have strengths and weaknesses -- true leaders are the ones who accentuate their strengths and turn their biggest weaknesses into political positives. As for the things that matter in the 118th, the variables that matter to Vaugh, are the things he is largely unable to control.

Ambassador Scozzafava to the Rescue?

Like a cold and wet blanket, conservative bunnies everywhere were sickened by the neverending Dede Scozzafava junk that comes across our desk. In her latest interview she labeled Conservatives as Sexist, a zinger that would make Keith Olbermann proud. It is about par for the Dede course, but is she talking about the same sexist who drives a thousand miles and waits 15 hours in the cold outside a bookstore just to get a glimpse of the former GOP VP candidate, Sarah Palin? (I never thought I would have to remind my readers that Palin is a female who also happens to be beloved by Conservatives.)

I'm predicting that the next line out of Scozzafava's mouth after she reads this post will read something as incredulous as "all Republican Rabbits are Racist."

You can read about it all in this stellar profile piece, "Dede Scozzafava's View, From a Small Office on the Fifth Floor: Lonelier, frustrated and still a bit bitter, the woman whose name became a verb reflects," by Chris Bragg at the Capitol.

Poor Dede is so far in the dumps that she is begging the President through the media to make her the next Ambassador to Haiti. Of course Dede doesn't think she will get the assignment because, "people in this business have short memories" and she now seems to be questioning whether the national Democrats even remember her endorsement of Bill Owens in the critical final hours of the NY-23 special election last year.

But the problem isn't really the short memory of the current administration. It is that the President is actually smart enough to not put a person of such colossal incompetence in such an important diplomatic position. Being an ambassador requires something called loyalty, which hasn't exactly been Dede's strong suit of late. And if you think Haiti is messed up now just imagine if Dede were there running things. For crying out loud, I can see Dede's solution to the problems in Haiti right now: more government spending and abortion on-demand services in every working telephone booth around the country. This woman has already proven she can't deliver anything short of a pepperoni pizza or an embarrassing press conference under pressure.

And because I am so sick and tired of Scozzafava's rants I am going to say something that someone should have said a long, long time ago. Dede should just stop playing footsies with the Democrats already. Everyone is sick and tired of it. As a rabbit concerned with the future direction of our country, I am asking politely that she just leave the Republican Party and stop pretending to be something she clearly is not. Dede should just leave the GOP and spare us her paranoid delusions. When she is done with that, conservatives everywhere are ready to hear her apology. Addressing controversy is about all Scozzafava is good for these days, besides a good laugh.

Hoffman Making Big News At CPAC Today

We heard several reports today by e-mail and news stories that Doug Hoffman was in Washington today building support with conservative activists at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. Mr. Hoffman even won an award tonight, "Courage Under Fire," at the national conference which draws thousands of conservative activists and donors from around the country.

In addition, we learned that Doug Hoffman joined Dick Armey to launch the Contract From America, an effort that emulates the Contract for America that Newt Gingrich promoted upon the Conservative Revolution in 1994.

Below are two links to stories we found online from Hoffman's participation at CPAC today. It looks like Doug Hoffman might be the first candidate to make his true intention to run for Congress in NY-23. He does so making the case that he is a uniter of the various fractions of the Republican, Conservative and Tea-Party movements and he also offers a smart alternative to Representative Bill Owens, who Hoffman says is vulnerable because of his votes on government take over of health care and higher spending.

National Review Online - Hoffman Cometh

"Owens has violated every one of his campaign promises. From health care to spending, he's vulnerable." Hoffman points to Scott Brown's Senate win in Massachusetts as proof that conservatives can win in the northeast this year. "But he wasn't the first guy to drive a truck on the trail... Look for me in my '55 Chevy."

Washington Times Article - CPAC News: Hoffman to announce candidacy for NY-23 in coming weeks

"We feel very very good about it [the Hoffman campaign for the 23rd]. I think the fact that Bill Owens violated three campaign promises the day he was sworn in, like voting for the health care bill, is going to give us a lot of leverage. I intend to reunite the Republicans, Conservatives, the teaparty groups and the other activists in defeating Bill Owens this year."

Happy Presidents Day

Happy Presidents Day! For those of you who don't know, George Washington's birthday is actually on February 22nd. Abraham Lincoln's birthday is on February 12th. And Ronald Reagan's birthday is on February 6th. For some interesting background on Presidents Day check out this article that I found online today.

I thought it might be fitting to give a quick recap of a speech I heard from Assembly candidate David Kimmel, who hosted a Lincoln Celebration Dinner in Plattsburgh on Friday night. I'd say there were about 90 people in attendance for the dinner, including Doug Hoffman and a few members of the UNYTEA Party that Mark Barie organizes. Below are some excepts of Kimmel's speech titled, "A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand," which I encourage you to check out.

My speech tonight is titled, “A House Divided against Itself Cannot Stand.” Some might think it is a speech about Republican politics. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it is noteworthy that we have Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Independence, and Independent voters in the room... Some people forget that the Republican Party had only recently replaced the Whig Party when Lincoln gave his famous speech. I think today’s prospective candidates ignore this similarity to their own peril. In fact, I submit that a Nation that ignores its own history is on a perilous path. And it’s in that regard we can learn a lot from Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech.

Lincoln gave the speech in 1858 during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. He was actually running for the U.S. Senate. He said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other...” We can learn much from this speech and this man.

A house divided against itself cannot stand…It will become all one thing or all the other...

In hindsight we know these words were prophetic. However, in 1858 there were those who discouraged this speech. Every generation has a Chamberlain who exclaims “peace for our time.” Every generation has those who believe the words “can’t we all just get along” are better than addressing the issues of their time. There were those in Lincoln’s day as well.

As you examine the speech you realize that Lincoln wasn’t being provocative or inciting. He was speaking the truth. It cost him the election in 1858. People were doing everything possible to avoid the impending war between the states. But you cannot avoid the inevitable by ignoring it. You could not avoid the war by ignoring slavery any more than you can avoid terrorist attacks by avoiding the word terrorism or the term “War on Terror.” The simple truth is: we must face the problems of our day head on, unless it is our desire to pass the problems we have created on to the next generation of Americans.

We know this was no mere anomaly. When Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation most of his cabinet was against it. They complained the timing was wrong. They claimed it would incite the South to fight harder. They complained it would alienate moderates in the North. All of this sounds familiar. We see in these decisions that Lincoln possessed an abundance of two great leadership traits: decisiveness, and initiative. It is essential that our leaders possess the bravery and fortitude to exercise these traits in order to make the right decisions because they are right, and not just politically expedient.

Abraham Lincoln was also a student of modern history. In 1812 Abigail Adams invoked these same words, “a house divided…” in a private letter to her friend regarding the enemies of our young country. In 1850 Sam Houston invoked these same words when discussing The Compromise of 1850, also about slavery.

We learn from Lincoln that it is important to know our own history and the words of our founders. As we study our founders we learn that they rejected big government. They embraced free markets. They warned against providing welfare, in favor of promoting it. They agreed that the people were the great “safe depositors” of the ultimate powers of society. They embraced virtue and discouraged vice. They rejected “influence” and acknowledged it as the antithesis of government. “Influence” was not bad government. It was “no government.” Still today, whether in Albany or Washington, we gage our politicians based on their ability to peddle or distribute influence. We consider our vote based on our belief that someone can or cannot bring home the bacon, somehow forgetting that the bacon was ours to begin with...

Today we stand on a precipice. Whether in Washington or Albany, politicians are spending the hard-earned money of our children’s children’s children. We will either be a free United States or one enslaved to debt. We will either be free to determine our course and live the dream our founders envisioned, or we will be a nation of mediocrity, bound to the state in return for our daily bread. We will either promote the general welfare of the people or provide it. Ladies and gentlemen…we cannot be both...

As I look at you tonight I am hopeful. I see great New Yorkers who are alert. I see people from New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts who have rejected the alternate narration of those who seek to remake the United States. I see the great people of the North Country who are committed to the preservation of our State and Nation. I see people who are ready and able to show our leaders the way. And if our politicians will not abide, I see people who will show them the door.

Kimmel draws some interesting parallels from Lincoln's "House Divided" speech and government's approach to providing the general welfare of its people today. He also suggests that our founders were weary of big government approaches to policy-making. It sounds like a theme the Tea Party movement is united against. Kimmel's reflection on Lincoln's leadership qualities, the need to be decisive and avoid political expedient decision-making, foreshadows what he believes to be Albany and Washington's inability to make the tough and difficult decisions for the future of our state and country.

While I don't think Kimmel is suggesting that our country is as divided and torn over the growth of government as it was over the question of slavery, I do think he might be tapping into the national sentiment that our leaders need to make some tough decisions regarding how to deal with the size and scope of our government. And Kimmel is right that those decisions ultimately lay in the hands of the people who are the "great depositors of the powers of society." The people will decide if we follow the current path we are on, or if they will entrust a new set of leaders committed to challenging the status quo in state and federal government. It is a great question for citizens everywhere to ponder as we celebrate this Presidents Day.

Janet Duprey Running as the Party of No

Our unscientific poll asking whether Janet Duprey should do an interview is officially over and we are taking down the poll. The results were pretty much predictable. On the question of "do you think Janet Duprey should complete Buggs Buddy's interview?" the results are 58% think yes and only 42% think no.

Hopefully Janet will come around and reconsider doing an interview with us so that the people can learn more about her record and accomplishments. It was kind of pathetic that she couldn't list any accomplishments for us, or even tell us what the main thing she wanted voters to know about her in the 114th Assembly District. Below are the questions we proposed to Janet that she couldn't answer. We can say though that at least Assemblywoman Duprey is taking her cues from the Republican Party in one respect: she is continuing to make Republicans look like the Party of No.

Buggs Buddy Question: Assemblywoman, thank you for agreeing to taking the time to participate in our interview. I am sure our readers are very interested in learning more about your agenda for 2010 in the Assembly. Can you give us some insight into what issues you will be working on and why?

Janet Duprey Response: Not able to answer.

BB: Why did you initially decide to run for state office and what do you count as your most significant accomplishments?

JD: Not able to answer.

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

JD: Not able to answer.

BB: You are obviously running as a Republican but some people in the GOP want to move the party in two different directions: the moderate direction or the conservative direction. You followed the NY-23 Congressional race closely last year. The candidacy of Doug Hoffman in NY-23 against Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava and Bill Owens resulted in a very public debate that seemed to pit generic Republican voters into two competing Republican camps in 2009. What place do you think there is for moderate or more liberal Republicans in the GOP today? Can conservatives and moderates coexist within the Republican Party moving forward?

JD: Not able to answer.

BB: There are a lot of challenges in New York state today. But, unemployment and the poor economic environment are on the minds of a lot of people, what can Albany do to bring more jobs and economic development to Northern New York?

JD: Not able to answer.

BB: What do you think about social issues like gay marriage and abortion in the New York State legislature? Do you think the state has a role to play in governing morality? What level of priority do you think we should we give to issues that often divide people in both major political parties?

JD: Not able to answer.

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?

JD: Not able to answer.

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?

JD: Not able to answer.

BB: Did you have a New Years Resolution for 2010?

JD: Not able to answer.

Maybe some of our readers can try to answer some of the easy questions we posed to Janet Duprey in the comments section. We would love to hear your thoughts.