Do our votes really count?

Do our votes really count? I wonder how real elections really are. I read the following information in a book recently:

“On election night, when the three major television networks announce the next president, the winner they announce is not chosen by the voters of the United States. He is the selection of the three networks themselves, through a company they own jointly with Associated Press and United Press International.

The company is called News Election Service (NES)...News Election Service provides ‘unofficial’ vote tallies to its five owners in all presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. NES is the only source Americans have to find out how they, as a people, voted. Country and city election supervisors don’t come out with the official totals until weeks later. Those results are rarely reported in the national media.

The U.S. government does not tabulate a single vote. The government has granted NES a legal monopoly, exempt from antitrust laws, to count the votes privately.

Those are the facts.

Even an average citizen should be a bit unsettled by the prospect of a single consortium providing all the data used by competing new organizations to discern winners and losers in national elections...

One rationale behind maintaining a vote-counting monopoly is to insure ‘accuracy,’ but in 1968, when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey by a margin that could be measured in angstroms, the role of NES became a good deal more shadowy.

At one point in the tally, the NES computer began spewing began spewing out totals that were at the time described as ‘erroneous.’ They included comedian/candidate Dick Gregory receiving one million votes when, the New York Times said, ‘His total was actually 18,000.’ The mistakes were described as something that ‘can happen to anyone.’

NES turned off its ‘erroneous’ computer and switched on a backup system, which ran much slower. After much waiting, the new machine put Nixon ahead by roughly forty thousand votes, with just six percent of the votes left to be counted. Suddenly, independent new reporters found over fifty-three thousand Humphrey votes cast by a Democratic splinter party in Alabama. When the votes were added to Humphrey’s total, they put him in the lead. Undaunted the Associated Press concluded its own state-by-state survey of ‘the best available sources of election data’ (presumably, NES also makes use of the ‘best available sources’) and found Nixon winning again. And that’s how it turned out.

What exactly was going on inside the ‘master computer’ at NES? The company’s director blamed software, even though the machine had run a twelve-hour test flawlessly just the day before using the same programming. Could the software have been altered? Substituted? Or was the fiasco caused by a routine ‘bug,’ which just happened to appear at the most inconvenient possible time? At this point, it’s more a question of what we can know than what we do know.” -From, “Conspiracies, Cover-Ups, and Crimes” By: Jonathan Vankin

How Gun Happy Is Your Senator?

Hillary Clinton's replacement as Senator of New York- Kirsten Gillibrand, has been brazenly professing her affinity for firearms. She is doing this despite representing a state that has stringent sentencing guidelines when it comes to gun possession.

New York City's transit riders would be remiss not to have noticed advertising that warns of a mandatory 3 and-a-half year prison stay if caught with an "illegal" firearm. However, New York Senator Gillibrand is declaring her advocacy for guns; stating that she has a right to protect her home.

There are likely a lot of politicians and law-makers who concur with the Senator's gun position. They also likely feel that this right is exclusive to a certain demographic. After all, who are all of the mandatory gun sentencing advertisements and laws targeted to?

This kind of covert racism is just as- if not more- dangerous than the racism exhibited by The New York Post that has people up in arms. Therefore, I must ask: What are we going to boycott to protest this?

[SIDEBAR: Caroline Kennedy, where are you?]

Will Obama Pass A Law That Will Help To Bolster The Profits Of The Biggest Tobacco Manufacturer?

While he was a Senator, President-Elect Barack Obama helped to co-sponsor a bill that financial pundits are declaring favorable to Altria.

Altria, whose subsidiary is Philip Morris USA, controls about half of the tobacco market in the United States. This profitable company also endorsed the aforementioned Obama-sponsored legislation. The bill, which the President-Elect is likely to sign into law once he takes office, would subject tobacco products to regulation by The Food and Drug Administration.

The question is, "Why would a tobacco giant want to implement a law that would make tobacco-makers and cigarette manufacturers subject to FDA scrutiny?"

Here's the answer: According to CNN, "The proposed legislation might as well be dubbed the Altria Earnings Protection Act. For starters, the bill prevents the FDA from ever banning cigarettes. Just as important, the wording makes it extremely unlikely that the FDA will ever approve a new cigarette product, because the new entrant would have to be deemed 'appropriate for the protection of the public health.' The bill also restores states' ability to restrict tobacco advertising. Yet another part of the measure would require the FDA to crack down on sales of counterfeit cigarettes, which have been a drain on Altria earnings for some time. All of these provisions would be beneficial to Altria, as they would help it 'lock in its already dominant market share,' says Dan Clifton, a political analyst at Strategas Research Partners."

Pretty slick, huh? The old-hat strategy of a giant corporation using government officials to annihilate their competition. All of these slick maneuverings has prompted CNN to place Altria on its list of the best stocks for 2009. With this type of support, Altria's "vice stock" will likely rise in value even during this "recession."

[SIDEBAR: If you are still a smoker, are you ready to give it up in 2009? It's resolution time for a lot of people :)]

America & Saddam Hussein: A Friendship Gone Wrong (Part 2)

In an excerpt from, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman the author explains the relationship that America had with Saddam Hussein.

"At the end of the Gulf War in 1991, President George H. W. Bush signed an order directing the CIA to foment an overthrow of Saddam Hussein by his own military. According to one estimate, $100 million was set aside for the project. Not having enough operatives in place to make that happen, the CIA hired the Rendon Group, a public relations company, to set up radio and television operations to produce anti-Hussein propaganda...

The destabilize-Iraq account was so large that Rendon had trouble spending the money fast enough. As one employee put it, 'We tried to burn through $40 million in a year. It was a very nice job.' The Rendon propaganda machine would churn out phony stories about Saddam in the British press and watch how each would be picked up and embellished by the American press. In its first year on the Iraq account, Rendon claims not only to have formed the Iraqi National Congress (INC) but also to have given the organization its name. The INC, a coalition of Iraqi and Kurdish groups dedicated to the overthrow of Saddam, became the vehicle for the CIA's propaganda efforts...

In January of 1992, the Rendon Group set up the Iraqi Broadcasting Corporation as well as Radio Hurriah, which began beaming bunk from a U.S.-controlled transmitter in Kuwait. Months later, it convened a meeting in Vienna of major Iraqi opposition groups and named the umbrella organization the Iraqi National Congress." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

America & Saddam Hussein: A Friendship Gone Wrong (Part 1)

In an excerpt from, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman the author explains the relationship that America used to have with Saddam Hussein.

"Evidently, the choice was easier between Iran and Iraq during their savage war in the 1980s. Although the United States was officially neutral, it provided Saddam Hussein with everything from intelligence officers to training for Iraqi nuclear weapons scientists and a long list of chemical and biological agents whose export was officially banned, but which, with a wink and a nod, were listed as 'dual use.' Not only was the United States aware that Iraq was using chemical weapons against the Iranians, it was helping their efforts. Iraq employed U.S. military intelligence to 'calibrate attacks with mustard gas on Iranian ground troops,' and used some sixty U.S. officers of the Defense Intelligence Agency to help plan battles and airstrikes and to assess bomb damage. Washington also gave Saddam intelligence gathered by Saudi-owned AWACS aircraft operated by U.S. personnel, plus huge loans from the Export-Import Bank.

Once again, the moral relativism of foreign policy makers allowed them to justify backing Iraq for the sale of oil, for the sake of the Arab-Israeli balance, and as payback to Iran for taking and holding American hostages...

Not only was the United States shipping out material and advisers to help Saddam Hussein, but it had dispatched special envoy Donald Rumsfeld, at the time CEO of the GD Searle pharmaceutical company, to obtain Saddam's approval for construction of a new pipeline that would run Iraqi oil through to Aquaba in Jordan, the Iranians and Syrians having cutt off the flow of Iraqi oil through its territories.

The now infamous photo of Rumsfeld and Saddam shaking hands at their meeting in Baghdad has since become an Internet icon, a symbol of the moral relativism of American foriegn policy. Saddam Hussein was every bit the murderous tyrant in 1983 that he was in 2003, but, according to an Iraqi intelligence officer present at the meetings, "All Rumsfeld wanted to talk about were business deals.' It is a testament to both Rumsfeld impudence and his ignorance that his secret plan was to run a tap off that pipeline into Israel, a scheme he hoped to sell to Jordan's King Hussein...King Hussein immediately rejected the idea." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

Who Will Replace Hillary Clinton As New York's Senator?

Now that Hillary Clinton has been named President-Elect Obama's Secretary of State, her Senate seat will be left vacant when she assumes her new role.

The powers of the Governor's office vests New York's Governor David Paterson with the responsibility of picking Clinton's replacement. As of now, Paterson says that he will remain silent on who he will choose to be the new New York Senator. He has stated that he will not announce his choice for Senator until the current-Senator Clinton officially vacates her seat.

If anyone has any idea on who should be the new Senate representative for New York, now would be a good time to write or call Governor Paterson's office and let your voice be heard.

Is This Really Real?...You've Got To Be Kidding Me!

New York's Governor, David Paterson, reportedly has a new Turkish rug in the Governor's mansion that has a five-figure price tag attached to it.

In the midst of an alleged multi-billion dollar city deficit, the Governor's executive mansion has apparently been able to afford a new (approximately) $20,000 show piece.

According to New York news source, The Gothamist, the rug was purchased from Democratic gubernatorial sponsors, Stark Carpeting.

The Gothamist also states that, "A spokeswoman for Governor Paterson revealed that the governor only yesterday [November 20, 2008], learned of the high price tag antique rugs bought for the Executive Mansion over the summer. His administration also denied all requests from the press to see the [$20,000 rug], that now has been revealed to be one of five purchased- for a total of just under $38,000. Assemblyman James Tedisco has already called on the Governor to return the expensive carpeting. But once again the Office of General Services was defending the purchase saying, 'We have to keep that mansion in the kind of condition it's in because it's a treasure to the public.' And the general manager at Stark Carpeting, where the first rug was discovered to have been bought for over $20,000 defended the governor for actually being a spendthrift by not purchasing a $150,000 carpet, 'They could have had the Bentley instead of the Ford.'"

New York Politicians, and their staffs, keep showing what they're made of.

[SIDEBAR: "...A treasure to the public?" I wonder if they'll let me have a holiday meet & greet on it? SMH.]

Transcript Of Barack Obama's Victory Speech

Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our Founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states; we are and always will be the United States of America. It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him, I congratulate Governor Palin for all they've achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton, and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Auma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given to me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign who built the best political campaign I think in the history of the United States of America. To my chief strategist, David Axelrod, who has been a partner with me every step of the way, to the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics... you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.

We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington; it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy. Who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep. It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory. Now, I know you didn't do this just to win an election, and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know the government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.

And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand. What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek; it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.

Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House- a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity. Those are values we all share.

And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends- though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection."
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those who would tear the world down: we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals- democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope. That's the true genius of America, that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She is a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons, because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America: the heartache and the hope, the struggle and the progress, the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed, yes we can. At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can. When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can. When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We shall overcome." Yes we can. A man touched down on the Moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there's so much more to do. So tonight let us ask ourselves, if our children should live to see the next century, if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time- to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope; and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you.

God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Democrats Take Control Of The State Senate

The Democratic Party needed to gain 2 more seats in the Senate in order to gain control of it. Mission accomplished. The Democrats will now take control of the State Government for the first time since 1965.

In yesterday's election, all of the incumbent Democrats held their positions. Meanwhile, 2 Republican incumbents lost their seats; thus, ensuring an overall Democratic victory.

It's Official

In what may be the best look for America since its inception, a man who has inspired hope in so many is the 44th President of The United States.

In what may be deemed the most realistic, get down-to-business victory speech ever, Obama mapped out what we as Americans have to work towards in order to enhance the betterment of this country. He stressed that this election win was not about him solely, but about we the people.

To the people, Obama proclaimed, "I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you."

Here's to the reverberating optimism that says, "Yes, we can!"

After I Vote Today...

Today is the big day! After I cast my vote, I am going to purchase the new Sister Souljah novel, "Midnight." (It is being released today).

I hardly ever read fiction- but for Sister Souljah, I'll make a rare exception.

"Midnight" will focus on a character that Souljah introduced in her first novel, "The Coldest Winter Ever." This book is not your average sequel. Instead of extending the story of Winter Santiaga, where Sister Souljah's last tome left off, it interestingly explores the depth and biography of Midnight- one of "The Coldest Winter Ever's most stand-out characters.

Here's a little extra tidbit/exclusive: Allegedly, the next book in Sister Souljah's novel series will be written from the viewpoint of "The Coldest Winter Ever's" character, Mercedes (Winter's younger sister).

[SIDEBAR: Support Black Bookstores!]

[LIVE FROM THE VOTING LINE SIDEBAR: I've been on line to vote since a little before 6 AM. The line is blocks long, but it's progressing nicely :) Today is a truly historical day. We'll be proud to tell future generations how we participated. Be sure to bring some snacks & something to occupy your time as you patiently wait to cast your vote. Happy voting!]

Former Detroit Mayor Has His Day Of Reckoning At The Courthouse

After committing a laundry list of crimes- criminal and moral- Detroit's former Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, was sentenced to 120 days in jail.

Kilpatrick was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of felony obstruction of justice. According to News Blaze, the former mayor's punishment will also include, "A $1 million payment to Motor City in restitution and five years' probation."

[SIDEBAR: I'm sooooo tired of shady politicians!]

The Day That Democracy Died: NYC Term Limits Extended Without The Approval Of The People

Today the City Council of New York, not only voted not to allow the citizens of the city to determine whether their municipal representatives should have an extension of term limits, they also took matters into their own hands- negating the rights of their constituents to cast their own votes- and voted to extend NYC's term limits.

The people of New York previously voted twice (in 1993 and 1996), not to have their governmental officials in office for more than two terms. However, today, the voice of the people was blatantly ignored by the majority of the city council. According to the New York Daily News, "Votes began tipping toward the mayor before noon, as Council members feared they would lose committee assignments or pork-barrel funds if they voted "no"- and their protest would be pointless if the bill passed anyway." [SIDEBAR: The war of politics is no place for jellyfish!]

The term extension bill was passed in a 29-22 vote.

Many of the city's residents seethe over not being able to vote for term limits directly. However, this fight is far from over. Many constituents are vowing not to re-elect council members who voted to have term limits extended.

Here's the New York Daily News' breakdown on how the City Council voted on extending term limits:

YES
Maria del Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx)
Maria Baez (D-Bronx)
Leroy G. Comrie, Jr. (D-Queens)
Inez E. Dickens (D-Manhattan)
Erik Martin Dilan(D-Brooklyn)
Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn)
Lewis A. Fidler (D-Brooklyn)
Helen D. Foster (D-Bronx)
Alan J. Gerson (D-Manhattan)
Sara M. Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn)
Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan)
Melinda R. Katz (D-Queens)
G. Oliver Koppell(D-Bronx)
Miguel Martinez (D-Manhattan)
Darlene Mealy (D-Brooklyn)
Michael C. Nelson (D-Brooklyn)
Christine C. Quinn (D-Manhattan)
Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. (D-Brooklyn)
Diana Reyna (D-Brooklyn)
Joel Rivera (D-Bronx)
James Sanders, Jr. (D-Queens)
Larry B. Seabrook (D-Bronx)
Helen Sears (D-Queens)
Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn)
James Vacca (D-Bronx)
Peter F. Vallone, Jr. (D-Queens)
Albert Vann (D-Brooklyn)
Thomas White, Jr. (D-Queens)
David Yassky (D-Brooklyn)

NO
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens)
Tony Avella (D-Queens)
Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn)
Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan)
Anthony Como (R-Queens)
Bill de Blasio (D-Brooklyn)
Mathieu Eugene (D-Brooklyn)
Daniel R. Garodnick (D-Manhattan)
James F. Gennaro (D-Queens)
Vincent J. Gentile (D-Brooklyn)
Eric N. Gioia (D-Queens)
Vincent Ignizio (R-S.I.)
Letitia James (D-Brooklyn)
Jessica S. Lappin (D-Manhattan)
John C. Liu (D-Queens)
Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan)
Michael E. McMahon (D-S.I.)
Rosie Mendez (D-Manhattan)
Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens)
James S. Oddo (R-S.I.)
Annabel Palma (D-Bronx)
David I.Weprin(D-Queens)


[SIDEBAR: In alignment with the Biggie Smalls adage that, "Real Bad Boys move in silence," the instigator of the whole term limits debacle, Mayor Bloomberg, has yet to issue a statement regarding today's going-ons.
What isn't for sale in this city???
Democratic Dictatorship at its worst!]

With 2/3rds Of The City Council Reaching Their Term Limits By 2009, They Have A Motive To Support Bloomberg's New Term-Limit Expansion Bill

In August, I posted a blog entry stating that: In 2009, "The mayor, the comptroller, and the public advocate have all used up their turns at the dance...two thirds of the city council and four out of five borough presidents will also be ousted due to term limits." I also stated that, "With all of the mandatory changes on the horizon, now is as good a time as any for New Yorkers to start wielding their political power." However, the game has now changed.

After making repetitive bold-faced denials to the press concerning seeking an unprecedented third-term, Mayor Bloomberg has done an about face and has introduced a new legislative bill requesting to increase New York City politicians' term limits from two terms to three terms.

The modus operandi that Bloomberg has used to slip the bill to the city council has been very Machiavellian. His initial denials, ate up the time that dissenters of the bill could have had to organize and protest it. [SIDEBAR: How's that for democracy at work?] According to the New York Daily News, this bill could come to a vote in the city council in as early as two weeks. With 35 city council members soon to be ousted due to term limits, it is no mystery as to how many of them will vote. However, I implore the elected officials who have the power of the ballot on this issue to put the people first. Their first and last loyalties should be to the constituents that they serve.

After seeing eminent domain, and other economic and social perils, proliferate in the city during Bloomberg's terms as mayor, I am personally not looking forward to him serving a third term.

The mayor who serves the city for the upcoming term should be one who has the interest of the average New Yorker at heart. During these perilous times, the last thing we need is another politician at the helm who will bailout corporations with "the people's money," while "the people suffer."

Make sure your voice is heard by your city council representative!

The Self-Serving Crusade Of Our Billionaire Mayor

After repeatedly denying that he would seek an unorthodox third-term as mayor, Michael Bloomberg has changed his tune.

The Billionaire New York Mayor is now aggressively on a crusade to secure four more years in office. To do this, the long-standing law of allowing a mayor only two-terms at the helm, will have to be amended.

When Bloomberg was first elected Mayor of New York, I hopefully predicted that he would be of great service to the city. After reading his rags-to-riches autobiography, I thought that the current mayor would be able to relate to the average New Yorker, and their aspirations. [SIDEBAR: This was before I was wise about the ways of the world, and the smoke & mirrors/puppet show that is politics.] However, in my opinion, his mayoralty has been weak, and detrimental to the working-class New Yorker.

I have more than a sneaky suspicion that Bloomberg, and his flushed with cash friends, have swooped down on the New York real estate market (among other New York markets) in stealth; making the city close to unlivable for average-waged workers.

Also, the mayor has been virtually mute on important going-ons in the city. He has rarely given more than evasive comments, if that, when various crises have occurred.

Currently, there seems to be a debate going on over whether or not New York City Council members, or New Yorkers (in a special spring-time vote) will decide whether or not the current mayor will have the privilege of having a third term. I feel like this type of decision should be in the hands of people, if it is to be entertained at all. However, a lot of indicators are pointing to the city's council members having the final say. Therefore, it is imperative that you voice your opinion concerning this matter with your council person, ASAP!

Florida: The State Of The Disappearing Ballots, Is At It Again

It is unfathomable that a country as wealthy and technologically advanced as America could possibly have a problem tallying votes during elections. However, in 2000, the "leader of the free world" was ushered into office amidst a ballot-counting scandal in the state of Florida. For the most part, the U.S. government inexplicably placed the blame for the miscount on the butterfly ballots that were used in Florida.

Since the 2000 presidential election, Florida's counties have implemented multi-million dollar optical scan voting machines. You would think that these new, expensive contraptions would alleviate any voting mishaps; think again.

According to Wired Magazine, after a recent judicial election in Florida, in which the votes had to be recounted due to a close race, over 3,000 cast ballots "mysteriously disappeared ."

Wired reports that the Palm Beach County Election Supervisor stated that, "the discrepancy in the number of votes cast in the judicial race was likely due to the extra sensitivity of optical-scan machines used in the recount, which are different from optical-scan machines that counted the ballots on Election Day. The seven high-speed tabulating machines used in the recount are much more 'unforgiving' than those that processed the votes on election day." [SIDEBAR: ???...More excuses after a few million spent.]

Floridians should take this newest voting faux pas as a heads-up to be on high alert come this November. Make sure that your vote is counted.

How Unscrupulous Politicians Can Cash-Out On Big Budget Construction Projects

By virtue of their position, politicians are privy to a wealth of information. Some unsavory members of the political profession have unscrupulously used their access to knowledge, to line their pockets.

When public works and major construction projects are being planned, politicians are right in the thick of things. They are either major participants in constructing the blueprints, or at the very least, they have a ringside seat that grants them insider information. If the politician lacks integrity, they can use their inside position to benefit economically. They can also use their knowledge to barter favors with other powerful entities.

The below excerpt from, "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York" By: Robert A. Caro, tells how politicians can personally benefit from the construction of parkways. From this excerpt, it is easy to see how a money-lusting out-for-self politician can cash-out on any high budget construction project.

[SIDEBAR: Think about how this ties into gentrification and all of the "development" that is going on in the major cities- particularly New York.]

"The construction of parkways- like the construction of conventional highways- was a potential source of great wealth to politicians. Parkways meant construction contracts. Politicians who had a say in which firms received those contracts could expect financial remembrances from a successful firm, if indeed they- or a relative or a trusted associate known in political terminology as a 'big man'- did not actually own a piece of it. Parkways meant real estate transactions, generally either purchase or condemnation, both methods under which landowners could expect to do well financially; state public works officials, anxious to begin construction and not too concerned about price because the money they were offering was not their own, were traditionally more generous than private buyers.

If politicians were the landowners- if they brought the land at pre-parkway prices, from owners who didn't know the parkway was coming, and then sold it to the state at right-of-way prices- they could expect a large profit. It took longer to get one's money through condemnation, but the rewards could be even greater; the success of politically well-connected attorneys in winning high condemnation awards from Court of Claims judges who also had risen through the ranks of political machines was an open secret in legal circles in New York State during the 1920's- as it would be in the 1960's.

Parkways meant development: Sleepy countrysides long static because of their inaccessibility suddenly became desirable locations for factories and housing developments when a parkway brought them close to a large town. Land in these areas bacame suddenly valuable. Land near the parkway's exits, automatic focal ponits for development, became particularly valuable.

The politician who brought this land at pre-parkway prices and sold it as or after the parkway was being built could reap great profit, and the politician who brought the land but instead of selling it developed it himself, buikding himself the houses and factories, could reap a fortune. Moreover, in terms of development, the impact of a parkway spread in ever-widening ripples: stores and laundries and gas stations and insurance brokerage firms for the residents of the houses, subcontractors and material-supply houses for the factories. This meant a burgeoning in land sales, insurance premiums, legal fees- in all the areas in which politicians grow fat...

To take advantage of the financial opportunities provided by a parkway, a politician had to have foreknowledge...And polticians had a weapon they could use in obtaining such advance information; if they did not get it, they would not approve the buildindg of the highway." -From, "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York" By: Robert A. Caro

Time's Up In New York Politics

In 2009, New York residents will be seeing a shuffling of their municipal officials. Due to term limits, new faces in new political positions will emerge.

The mayor, the comptroller, and the public advocate have all used up their turns at the dance. If they want to stay in the political game, they will have to run for different offices.

According to The NY Times, in addition to the inevitable change of leadership in the aforementioned positions, two thirds of the city council and four out of five borough presidents will also be ousted due to term limits. Many New York politicians are playing musical chairs, and are scrambling to reserve a seat somewhere in the city government for the upcoming year.

With all of the mandatory changes on the horizon, now is as good a time as any for New Yorkers to start wielding their political power.

Who's Up For A Game Of: Pocket The Buck, Pass The Buck?...Apparently Some NYC Council Members Are

According to news sources, like The Gotham Gazette, approximately $4.7 million of NYC taxpayers' money was allocated by city council members to fictitious organizations. Funds were embezzled via fake non-profits like, "The New York Foundation for Community Development" and "The American Association of Concerned Veterans."

This revelation comes amidst a time when the city is already at least 9 figures in the red. With such a deficit in the city's balance sheet, you would think that city officials would be extra vigilant about how every alloted dollar is being spent. However, despite very tough financial times, some elected officials have been playing fast and loose with discretionary funds. Two council staffers have already been indicted on embezzlement charges.

It is bizarre that such a fiasco would unfold under the gaze of a billionaire mayor who specializes in finance. The fact that the administration of a financial wizard would let millions of dollars slip through the cracks (especially during a fiscal crunch), rings of either: gross incompetence and negligence, or a case of "the fox guarding the hen house."

As of yet, no one has taken responsibility for dropping the ball on watchdogging the funds. The buck is being passed as to who is to blame. However, some government officials who are appalled by the theft of funds, are asking that the Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, step down from her position. This request is due to the fact that the "missing" funds were parceled out to various council members and organizations solely at her discretion.

Riddle Me This: How Far Can An Apple Fall From Its Family Tree?

A curious group of genealogists have traced the lineage of the current U.S. Presidential hopefuls. Headlines blared that Barack Obama is a distant cousin to Brad Pitt, and Hillary Clinton is distant kin to actress Angelina Jolie. Many journalists and bloggers chuckled at the irony. However, the irony doesn't stop there.

According to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Barack Obama is related to current President George W. Bush, and 5 former U.S. Presidents. How's that for irony?

Barack Obama and current Vice President Dick Cheney, have also previously publicly discussed the alleged lineage that they share. [PLEASE SEE THE VIDEOS POSTED BELOW.]







NOTE TO MR. OBAMA: If you do happen to get an invite to The Cheney Family Reunion, and after everyone's bellies are filled and the dishes are done- if Cousin Dick happens to invite you to a post-dinner hunting round-up in the wooded backyard area- emphatically say, "No!"