I don't think it's a big mystery why Reed lost his hometown of Corning. Before Massa melted down, Reed made a simple calculation that the only way to win the election was to be pretty far to the right of Massa, especially since the possibility of a Tea Party spoiler was a real one (as Janice Volk showed). One of the tenets of the Tea Party is that stimulus money is bad and should be refused by politicians. So, even though Reed had supported Corning's request for $210K in stimulus money to buy some new buses, he switched positions and opposed those buses as soon as he declared his candidacy for Congress.
Being for something one day and then changing one's position when it's politically convenient is bad enough, but doing it in a way that harms the people you represent is even worse, and Reed committed that political sin in order to advance his career. The fact that Reed took what could pretty fairly be considered "stimulus money" to remodel the Bath Masonic Temple made it even worse.
Comments
Amen
Would like to know how well Janice did in election? The rag, "D & C," wouldn't even mention Jan in the results FOR the NY-29th. My understanding is the hiding behind the NYS laws that make a WRITE-IN candidate a NON-SENSE office seeker. This permits the major parties(et al) to deny a write-in the basic opportunity to speak to the voters.
I made it a point to meet with Jan at Nazareth debate, and was told that Jan would NOT be allowed to ask ANY QUESTION(S?)!!! One vocalization, and an escorted removal.
This site gives the FED view on Write-In BALLOTS, but that does NOT extend to the candidate for a FEDERAL OFFICE. http://www.jstor.org/pss/1341593.
Moving on, watched a "CSI' episode called "FRACKING." VERY much using info regards some of the peril involved for Marcellus Shale drilling. For those with Time Warner Cable; IF, you have channel 735, you might be able to access this airing ---- and BLESSEDLY NO COMMERCIALS!!!
MY point is that the small scale used by "CSI," DOES have implications FOR citizens of the NY-29th, and its adjoining neighbours. It DOES point up the need for CITIZEN SURVEILLANCE to see to it that Tom Reed DOES promote the OPTIMUM combination of SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY to access the NG, yet leave our precious water storage IN TACT!!!
If Dimock Township in Pa., MUST IMPORT drinking water(at DRILLING COMPANY EXPENSE ---- and RIGHTLY SO!!!), the "CSI" episode ALSO pointed up the RUINATION of AGRICULTURE, both in the animal husbandry, and cereal production spheres. If we extend that thought line we have LOSSES in the FINGER LAKES as to the beauty, and usefulness of this region; to say NOTHING of the total wipe-out of the WINERIES. Cattaraugus County can no longer feature its water reserves as an enticement for new industry to locate.
Are looking at ANOTHER mass migration effected by bad processes, ala "The Grapes Of Wrath?" If Pa., is an indicator, then it is all the MORE IMPORTANT to ride herd on Tom Reed and see to it he does NOT succumb to Radical Republicanism for the next 2+ years.
Just as a side note, there was a blurb regards the Town Of Brighton, Monroe County, NY, that featured a request for DRILLING for Natural Gas in that township. Have no answer at this time. BUT, Brighton IS in the 29th; and IS THIS a long distance attempt to access the NG from 100+ miles away??
Thanks for the opportunity to engage.
RM
Ragingmt@rochester.rr.com
11-12-2010
file:///C:/Users/Tom/Pictures/Raging%20Mountain%20#2%20stromboli_e3035m.jpg
Rottenchester, you make good sense, but I think you left out the part about Reed only serving half a term, being a lawyer (and taking advantage of a lot of Corning folks who have fallen on bad times and hurting) and taking money from the oil companies who want to drill in the Marcellus Shale. Since you are in Rochester, you probably don't know how much that scares most of us living down here.
And you probably don't know what most of us do. For all Tom Reed likes to push what a great family man he is and how true and he is to his wife, everyone around here that I've talked to know that's not true.
I'll buy the shale thing - I think he was on the wrong side of that issue. I thought he served out his term as Mayor and chose not to seek re-election?
He did stay for the entire term
Yep - he's the devil - eats children too
Hmm, I heard he only eats fully-grown adults.
Wow. So, this is what happens when Democrats get beat. They focus on the one thing they didn't lose, and act like it matters. Sorry, y'all, the voters of the 29th District have spoken. Turns out they want a Congressman who opposes socialized medicine and fiscal irresponsibility -- and they're sick of the party that left them without a representative!
RedDog, for those of us who--for better or worse!--follow politics with an excessive passion, and who turn to this site as one congregating place, this is not "focusing on the one thing they didn't lost and act like it matters." The fact is (just as it's surprising Reed beat Zeller in Monroe County!) it is VERY intriguing (to many of US) that Corning--hometown of Mr. Reed, where presumably he is best known and followed--did not vote for him.
Kind of Like Al Gore
Mr. Reed's actions as mayor of Corning do not promote fiscal responsbility. He raised taxes and sewer fees for Corning residents during his "part-time" tenure as mayor of Corning. It seems that people in Corning, Hornell area, Bath area undertsood this but not many others did. It is too bad, either Zeller or Volk would have been much better. However, we have Mr. Reed and he is up for re-election in less than two years now!
Yeegads, the election is over. Let's stop replaying the attacks which, in any event, had zero impact on the election day results. The 29th is now back in GOP hands and absent an Act of God it will be until 2012 when there is one thing for sure -- it will no longer be the 29th. Something is going to change with redistricting.
The question now turns to a) will NY lose 1 or 2 congressional districts (we'll know by the end of December when the census numbers come out); b) will the GOP control the state senate, and if they do will they care anyhow about whether the 29th CD (or 28th or 27th, whatever it comes to be known) is a southern tier district, or is merged into Buffalo, or Rochester, or Syracuse districts, or something else.
Democrats in Albany believe the "decider" on congressional lines will be Cuomo, and that he will make deals with the GOP state senators to throw the congressional lines under the proverbial bus in exchange for him giving them control over their senate lines. This makes sense. Why would the GOP senators care about congressional seats anyhow? Amo "bought" his congressional seat the last round, but Pataki was Governor then and the GOP had a more solid grip on the senate. Still, the 29th/28th/27th whatever may still wind up in GOP hands if Cuomo's focus is on wiping out the GOP gains along the Hudson and putting the nail in the GOP seat on Long Island (Peter King, and possible the 2nd GOPer depending on the absentee count).
Another guess:
New York - New York will lose one district and is on the cusp of losing a second. Assuming Republicans maintain their leads in the state Senate, they'll probably look to give up a seat upstate in exchange for shoring up other districts, or maybe improving their state-level map. If the state loses two seats, population shifts suggest a Democratic seat in western New York and a Republican seat on Long Island would be the likely targets.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/11/11/a_preview_of_2012_r...
My home state of Texas is picking up four seats. I guarantee they will be Republican, or Republicans will always have a fighting chance of winning all four of the new districts. Come on down y'all, I run into Ex New Yorkers all the time.
And your governor wants to withdraw from either the union or social security, depending on his mood. No thanks.
Don't gloat, tiberius. We have all the water. Its a matter of time until you deplete what's left of your aquifer and Texas drops down on its knees with 10 gallon hat in hand, begging for our true liquid gold.
Zeller posted a thank you letter on his website.
http://zellerforcongress.com/ShowPage.asp?Page=Default
Hmmmm....shows what a class act he is. Worth the read and leaves all sorts of possibilities open for the future.