tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90211816508427711702023-11-16T09:22:23.077-05:00The Ontario RepublicanDedicated to Maintaining Republican Leadership in Ontario County, New York!The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-68275252371754130122008-07-17T09:39:00.006-04:002008-07-17T14:17:13.334-04:00Kuhl Reports Best Fundraising Period Ever; Raises Over $333,000<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First, I must apologize for not blogging recently. With the wedding planning (which was this weekend, and we had a very special surprise visit at the reception from none other than Congressman Kuhl), and starting my new job, I've just been swamped. In addition, while I will be blogging throughout the fall campaign season, I will be on another two week hiatus starting this weekend for my honeymoon in Italy.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Second, I have good news to report on Kuhl's fundraising figures. According to the FEC, Congressman Kuhl has outraised Massa by $43,000. While Massa has around $50K more cash on hand, he still has $75K in outstanding debt, meaning he actually only has $577K cash on hand compared to Kuhl's $610,000 cash on hand.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Below is the Kuhl campaign's statement on the latest figures:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bath, NY – U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr.'s campaign today announced Kuhl's best fundraising reporting period in his three campaigns for Congress. Kuhl will report raising over $333,000 during the second quarter. He announced his reelection plans just prior to the start of the quarter.<br /><br />"I'm deeply humbled by the strong grassroots support my campaign is receiving throughout the 29th Congressional District," said Representative Kuhl. "I am proud to be an independent voice who has a record of delivering for my constituents. Western New Yorkers believe in lowering taxes, increasing the exploration of America's energy resources, finding affordable solutions to healthcare, and making our economy stronger so we can attract and retain competitive jobs. I look forward to continuing out on the campaign trail because I know we're on the right side of the important issues facing the families of my district."<br /><br />Between April and June, Kuhl raised $333,201.43. Kuhl's previous best fundraising reporting period was three years ago – the second quarter of 2005.<br /><br />Last week, Kuhl, a lifelong resident of Western New York, announced he will run on the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines this November.</span></blockquote></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>UPDATE:</strong> According to the <a href="http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/NEWS01/807170334/1001/news">Star Gazette</a>, the Massa campaign owes most of its $75,170 debt to Massa's wife...</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-5995399750622759962008-05-20T15:09:00.002-04:002008-05-20T15:15:29.240-04:00U.S. Chamber of Commerce Endorses Kuhl for Congress<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Kuhl campaign just announced today that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Congressman Kuhl, citing his commitment to economic growth and job creation. Here is the press release:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Bath, NY</strong> – U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr.’s campaign announced that the United States Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Kuhl for reelection to the United States House of Representatives. The Chamber cited Kuhl’s pro-business leadership and his support of legislation that advances economic growth, job creation and less government.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“A key to reviving our economy is to ensure that we do everything we can to support businesses, which will lead to the creation of more jobs. I firmly believe that the reason I'm here in Washington is to create more jobs,” said Representative Kuhl. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce shares this priority with me and plays a pivotal role in encouraging business growth around the nation. I thoroughly appreciate this endorsement and look forward to working with the Chamber in the future.”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“Randy Kuhl has been a champion for the people of Southern Tier, Finger Lakes region, and Rochester and an invaluable leader on important business issues,” said Bill Miller, Chamber senior vice president and political director. “On issues ranging from simplifying our tax code, containing our budget deficit, investing in our infrastructure, and improving education, New York's business community has no better friend than Randy Kuhl.”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The United States Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses. Last month, the Chamber awarded Kuhl the “Spirit of Enterprise” award for supporting pro-growth, pro-business legislation during the first session of the 110th Congress.</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-74118485462950579562008-05-19T11:17:00.002-04:002008-05-19T11:19:58.680-04:00Houghton, Brooks To Serve As Honorary Campaign Co-Chairs for Kuhl Campaign<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I just got this press release from the Kuhl campaign:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Bath, NY</strong> – U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr.’s campaign announced that former U.S. Representative Amo Houghton and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks have joined the campaign as Honorary Co-Chairs. Houghton represented Western New York in Congress from 1987 to 2005. Brooks is currently serving her second term as County Executive.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“I’m honored to have the support of Amo and Maggie,” said Representative Kuhl. “We have a strong team of supporters from around the district who will help me continue spreading my message of finding real solutions to keeping our taxes low, promoting a growth economy, giving families access to affordable healthcare and making sure every child receives a quality education.”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“Randy has asked me to be the Honorary Chairman of his campaign, and of course I’m delighted to accept,” said Houghton. “Randy is a good person and under a variety of trying circumstances in Washington has been an excellent Congressman.”</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“Randy Kuhl is a great partner for our community and a strong voice for our region,” added Brooks. “Time and time again, he has delivered for the people of Monroe County by delivering important funds for public safety, education, and creating jobs. I am proud to support Congressman Randy Kuhl and am confident that he will continue to work hard for the residents of the 29th Congressional District."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Representative Kuhl, a lifelong resident of Western New York, has represented the 29th Congressional District since 2005. Prior to serving as a U.S. Congressman, Kuhl was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1980 and served there until being elected to the State Senate in 1986. In the Senate, he served as Assistant Majority Leader from 1995 to 2004.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>About Amo Houghton:</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Houghton served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2005. While in Congress, he was a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the International Relations Committee. Houghton is the founder and chairman of the Republican Main Street Partnership and was responsible for the historic Bipartisan Congressional Retreat. In addition, he founded the John Quincy Adams Society, an issues forum that brings together moderate officeholders with top business leaders.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Houghton, the only former CEO of a Fortune 500 firm ever to serve in the House, is a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Business School. He joined Corning Glass Works (now Corning, Incorporated) as an accountant in 1951 after serving as a Pfc. in the United States Marine Corps. He retired from Corning in 1986 after serving as president, board chairman and chief executive officer.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>About Maggie Brooks:</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brooks, elected Monroe County’s fifth County Executive in 2003, is the first woman to hold the position. She was re-elected to a second term in 2007 by an historic 74 percent of the vote. In 2005, Brooks was appointed to the newly-created Federal Medicaid Commission, serving as the only public official from a local government to be appointed to the Commission.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brooks previously served as Monroe County Clerk and as a Monroe County Legislator. She is well-known in the Greater Rochester area from her many years as a local television news anchor and radio reporter. </span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-5638935335981781362008-05-19T10:41:00.002-04:002008-05-19T10:47:00.053-04:00Congressman Kuhl Launches "Fix Washington" Project<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Last week, Congressman Kuhl <a href="http://kuhl.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=91575">unveiled</a> his "Fix Washington" project as a way for constituents to introduce legislative proposals to the Congressman. Constituents can send their ideas to the Congressman through July 18, at which time five will be chosen to be voted for on Kuhl's website. The proposal that gets the most votes will be introduced by Congressman Kuhl on the House floor. IMHO, this is the ultimate constituent outreach.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">If you would like to submit your own proposal, <a href="http://kuhl.house.gov/fixdc/">click here!</a></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-28644866012405127092008-05-13T09:06:00.003-04:002008-05-13T09:15:00.171-04:00Kuhl Holds 20 Point Lead in Latest Poll<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My apologizes for not posting in weeks. I got extremely bogged down with other obligations, but I'm back, and what better way to be back than to report such good news.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A poll conducted earlier this year by McLaughlin & Associates shows that Congressman Kuhl now has a sizeable lead (a 20 point advantage) over Massa. According to this poll, Congressman Kuhl continues to build confidence with the voters, while Massa's favorable/unfavorable ratings are almost even. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here's a quote from the NRCC on the poll:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Rep. Randy Kuhl has been working in Congress to improve the economy and to meet the needs of families in New York's 29th District. And, as the numbers in this polling memo illustrate, Randy Kuhl is well-positioned to win in November. Eric Massa is a re-run candidate that now will carry the weight of a Democrat Congress that has voted for new taxes and increased spending at every turn on his shoulders," NRCC Spokeswoman Julie Shutley said.</blockquote></span> </span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-24345953181061438582008-03-25T15:29:00.003-04:002008-03-25T15:39:31.803-04:00Congressman Kuhl Responds To Today's MPN Editorial<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You know, because MPN has nothing else to complain about, they've decided to devote an entire editorial criticizing our congressman for sending out a mailer which informs constituents about the economic stimulus package. The editorial mentions that the IRS has already sent notices to us about the package details. I, for one, never received such a notice, though my fiancee did, even though we both qualify for the rebate. I'm sure many other constituents in our district also didn't receive this notice, and given that Kuhl's office has already received hundreds of calls on this matter, I think he's fully justified to send out a mailer to us about it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is Congressman Kuhl's press release on the editorial:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>WASHINGTON – March 25, 2008 -</strong> Today the Daily Messenger Post Newspaper published an editorial titled, “Campaigning on your nickel,” which criticized a recent district mailing Rep. Kuhl distributed to inform his constituents about the details of the economic stimulus package. To read the editorial </span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.mpnnow.com/opinions/x79613239" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">click here</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Below is the Congressman’s response to their editorial:<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>In your March 25th editorial criticizing my mailing about the economic stimulus package you say, “Unless you’ve been conducting a census on polar bears north of the Arctic Circle, you’ve no doubt heard of the federal government’s economic stimulus package.” Well, it must have been a busy year for Arctic pollsters because nearly 200 residents of the 29th district called my office in early February with questions about their rebate check.<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>The purpose of my mailer was to inform my constituents about the details of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. Your editorial actually pointed out why I distributed the mailing when you inaccurately said, “Although specific guidelines affect the bottom line, as long as you file a federal income tax return, you’re getting something.” That is wrong and frankly if you had read my mailing then you would have known the truth.<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>The truth is that some individuals who file a federal income tax return and who have less than $3,000 of qualifying income will not be eligible for the stimulus payment. There are also maximum income limits that will preclude those making above those limits from receiving a rebate check. Another important detail is that individuals who are not typically required to file a return, such as senior citizens, will have to file a tax return to get their rebate checks. <br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>I understand that the editorial board at the Messenger Post Newspaper has a thorough understanding of tax regulation and the tax code. But this mailing was for everyone else with questions about when and how they are going to get the money they will use to put gas in their car and pay off their debt. And if MPN wants to follow up with the correct information about the details of the stimulus feel free to contact my office with any questions, like many of my constituents did. <br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Sincerely,<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Rep. Randy Kuhl<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">=30=</span></blockquote></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-55032291317246316432008-03-17T15:58:00.003-04:002008-03-17T16:00:13.590-04:00Massa v. Dickert: Libel Case Settled<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It appears that, at long last, Eric has </span><a href="http://www.politicalgastronomica.com/blogmt3p3/archives/massa_campaign/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">settled</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> with Sanford Dickert, his former campaign manager, on the latter's libel suit against Massa.</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-38680187501129458932008-03-12T22:16:00.003-04:002008-03-12T23:11:57.110-04:00Blogversation III: Blog Misinformation & "He Said, She Said"<a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/blogversation-4.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rottenchester</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> has a great roundup on the lastest postings in the Blogversation, and I would like to thank Evan, Rottenchester, and Exile for allowing me to participate in this great conversation and apologize for not posting my remarks on the last topic until now. The last few days have been very focused on other issues. On Friday, I was covering the Kuhl announcement, and when I was prepared to write my Blogversation response on Monday, the Spitzer scandal broke, so all of my limited free time from work (which is the only time I have to blog) had to be focused on such a big story, since it's not everyday that your governor resigns.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So with that, I'll give a brief reply to the last questions which Evan asked. First, Evan asked if we agreed on whether we "would like to see more fact-based reporting -- instead of the 'He said, She said' style." I do agree that the media have an obligation to gather factual information and present it to the public, and naturally, a simple recap of what one politician says and then the adversary's response would not fall under that obligation. Sometimes these exchanges remind me of those hilarious "Point/Counterpoint" skits which SNL ran in the late '70s with Jane Curtain and Dan Aykroyd (you remember, "Jane, you ignorant slut..."). And yet this is what the media are accused of doing on numerous occasions. I wouldn't say it's a journalist being lazy, but rather the fear of bias which factors into a journalist's decision when reporting such matters. I understand the fear, and a journalist has to walk that fine line between "fact reporting" and an "opinion commentary," and in some cases, a vindictive "hit job" on a particular candidate or issue. Of course, as I've stated before, I'm not a fan of the "objective journalist" model, and would prefer reporters who wear their politics on their sleeves rather than claim their "bias free" when they're not, but as journalists continue to strive for "objectivity" when reporting on political affairs, these issues will only continue to grow.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">As to the question about whether the rise of blogs will either increase misinformation or rise to a form of respected journalism, the answer is that both will occur, as it did in the initial rise in newspaper or TV reporting so many years ago. Just as we complain about bias in the media today, one must not forget that in the 19th century, many (if not most) newspapers had strong ties to (and sometimes fully backed by) one political party or candidate, which only added to the rise of yellow journalism. I mean, have you ever wondered why so many newspapers across the country have names with the word "Democrat" or "Republican" in them? The great thing about misinformation today is that it can be dissected and commented on in a matter of minutes. Look at how blogs played an active role in reporting on the CBS Memogate in '04. Within hours of Dan Rather's initial report, swarms of blogs were already posting the memo images and concluding that they were fakes. Naturally, blogs can also add to the spread of misinformation, but humans are a gossipy creature, so that will happen with or without the blogosphere.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, with that, I'd like to thank all the participants again, especially 13WHAM for making this possible, and would enjoy the opportunity to do this again real soon!</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-30563066118923907422008-03-12T20:46:00.006-04:002008-03-12T21:52:17.633-04:00Massa on Client 9<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After a long afternoon away from the office, I just got around to reading Grievous Angel's coverage of today's <a href="http://rochesterturning.com/2008/03/12/eric-massa-on-gov-spitzer-and-other-issues/">Massa presser</a>. Frankly, this type of response was Massa's only option given his close association with Spitzer in the last election. Plus after that wonderful ad the two did together started to float around again, continued silence would have only resulted in humorous YouTube remixes of the ad and Massa's association with Spitzer, like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr5Z_I95mqU">this one</a> which was sent to me this morning.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So to combat that, we got lovely images of Massa standing in the cold yesterday "with a tea kettle of hot water" scraping off his Spitzer bumper sticker (what, was Spitzer's campaign so cheap it couldn't afford those easy to remove vinyl ones?). His remarks weren't gaffe free, though. After throwing Spitzer under the bus and praising David Paterson as "a man who listens," he analogized Paterson assuming the governorship "much like Lyndon Baines Johnson was able to get done what JFK couldn't get done." Of course, LBJ became president after JFK's assassination, while Paterson became governor after Spitzer's ejaculation, so I fail to see the connection.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And leave it to Massa to find a way to attack Congressman Kuhl. When asked about an innocuous article which mentioned that Kuhl is a good golfer (for shame!), Massa responded, "If you have enough time [as Congressman] to improve your golf game then there's something wrong." You know, because Heaven forbid that Congressman Kuhl is allowed play a round of golf once in a while. And it's this type of rhetoric which gets <a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/noon-roundup.html">Rottenchester</a> to state about St. Eric, "Watching him...I see a sense of honor and commitment that isn't always there in politicians." And <em>I've</em> been accused of being "over the top." <em>Puhlease!</em></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-15181788219614359992008-03-11T19:31:00.009-04:002008-03-11T23:03:00.649-04:00Massa Remains Mum on Client 9<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">According to </span><a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/spitzer-afternoon-report-and-m.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rottenchester</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, Massa has apparently donated the $2,000.00 he received from Spitzer this year to the Steuben County's Net Domestic Abuse Program. Good for him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I'm still wondering, though, why Massa's remaining silent about Eliot "John" Spitzer, especially after today's reports that Spitzer has <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/03112008/news/regionalnews/spitzer_has_used_hookers_for_6_years__so_101444.htm">"used hookers for 6 years"</a> and spent <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/spitzer_prostitution;_ylt=AgSSH92CpC92rlhXuff_snus0NUE">"perhaps as much as $80,000"</a> for such services over the years. Congressman Kuhl issued a <a href="http://ontariogop.blogspot.com/2008/03/kuhl-on-spitzer.html">statement</a> today stating that Spitzer should step down. Most of the major New York papers have called for <a href="http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/03/spitzer_round_up.html">Spitzer's</a> <a href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003723127">resignation</a>, along with the <a href="http://www.mpnnow.com/homepage/x1993297108">local</a> ones. Democrat Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand also <a href="http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/03/gillibrand_no_choice_for_spitz.html">called</a> on Spitzer to resign today, as did local <a href="http://www.mpnnow.com/towns/canandaigua/x633713446">Democrat politicians</a> in Ontario County, so why the continued silence, Eric?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>UPDATE:</strong> Rottenchester has the <a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/spitzer-afternoon-report-and-m.html#more">full press release</a> from Massa today, which I would have gladly posted before, but it wasn't on his campaign website. Regardless, Massa says, "If in fact these accusations are true, I hope the Governor does the right thing." Now, we can try to assume that Massa is suggesting that Spitzer should resign, but unlike Gillibrand and the other Dems I mentioned above, he's not flat out saying that. This comment appears to be ambiguous on purpose. It could mean to some that he's saying that Spitzer should resign, or merely that he should just plead for his family's forgiveness. So Eric, for the record, answer me this, "Yes or no, should Spitzer resign?"</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-62836888854384628562008-03-11T10:59:00.002-04:002008-03-11T11:07:05.098-04:00Kuhl on Spitzer<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Congressman Kuhl issued the following <a href="http://kuhl.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=85685">statement</a> today on the Spitzer scandal. We in the 29th are now waiting for Massa to come around and also call upon Spitzer to resign.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">WASHINGTON – March 11 - U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (RC-Hammondsport) issued the following statement today:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Yesterday was a sad day for the residents of New York State. I like many of you were shocked at these allegations. My thoughts and prayers are with the Spitzer family as they cope with this difficult time.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As the Governor puts the pieces of his life back together it is important that he puts the constituents of New York State ahead of his own political prosperity. Due to the personal, legal, and political ramifications of his alleged activity, I do not believe that it is in the best interest for him to remain as governor of this great state."</span></blockquote></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-67924189300846073842008-03-11T08:10:00.001-04:002008-03-11T08:12:12.043-04:00NRCC: Will Eric Massa Return Spitzer's Sleazy Money?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The NRCC <a href="http://nrcc.org/news/view_article.asp?id=1437">asks</a>. And we in the district await the answer...</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-2458032989396732902008-03-10T22:02:00.002-04:002008-03-10T22:16:23.813-04:00Spitzer & Massa: Together Again!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I asked, and you responded. I present to you all, once again, that wonderful Massa/Spitzer ad, entitled "Day One":</span><br /><br /><object height="373" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/osnMLFURkyE&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/osnMLFURkyE&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="373"></embed></object>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-35588661070870322952008-03-10T15:27:00.017-04:002008-03-10T21:35:03.973-04:00NYT: Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?em&ex=1205294400&en=d0917c3b73427b6a&ei=5087%0A"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">headline</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> says it all. St. Eliot of New York "has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I wonder if Massa will try to secure the good governor's endorsement again this year:<br /></span><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4qfxVvjabE4&color1=" width="425" height="373" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" color2="0xcd311b&border=" wmode="transparent"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>UPDATE: </strong>Here's Spitzer's <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_us/spitzer_prostitution_21">apology</a>. And here's a wonderful album of <a href="http://www.42photojack.com/gallery/2088897/1/107720549#107720549">snapshots</a> featuring the "venerable" Spitzer with his good buddy Eric Massa in Canandaigua. Enjoy!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>UPDATE2: </strong>If the above video doesn't work, that's because the Massa campaign just took it off YouTube. No worries though, I'm sure people will remember how much Massa embraced Spitzer and vice versa. Btw, does anyone out there have another copy of the video?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>UPDATE3:</strong> Psst, Eric, if you're going to take down the video, perhaps you should also take down this <a href="http://www.massaforcongress.com/blogdetail.asp?contentid=8265">post</a> from your website mentioning the wonderful Spitzer endorsement, which links to that great ad. Just trying to help!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>UPDATE4:</strong> Eric, if your webmaster doesn't know which page from your website to take down, it looks like this:</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176209611924157234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUptR4UPBTw07tSMEhqK8liiAP1wch50wZUJ7_sDxkwRXZZpcxl-5JI2ooLYg7Uz-Bk7Dr6zoMrXBODnb47moDl-ewLS6NDFz2fMaUfGxGKrFiRGR9lay6l5_KEn_KnaAVn2hctR_ftTwr/s400/Massapage.JPG" border="0" />The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-53197837791364720232008-03-07T09:30:00.012-05:002008-03-07T10:42:51.391-05:00EXCLUSIVE: IT'S OFFICIAL...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dRRpJmHlqiiJBEEql9mI9jW8fMBXU4F8lsxxkPwdcMBzxBA2rYAwPF5pzG6WNWwz7vE6da_fD115WMYCr0MDE_onKfKHHmsjlLK3X7BFm_GGYYz1Emn3eO4AHas2EYsjSfsT7tFnaJ-Y/s1600-h/siren.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174820853143066786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dRRpJmHlqiiJBEEql9mI9jW8fMBXU4F8lsxxkPwdcMBzxBA2rYAwPF5pzG6WNWwz7vE6da_fD115WMYCr0MDE_onKfKHHmsjlLK3X7BFm_GGYYz1Emn3eO4AHas2EYsjSfsT7tFnaJ-Y/s400/siren.gif" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;"><strong><em>KUHL'S RUNNING...</em></strong></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You've officially heard it here first! After weeks of speculation and unsubstantiated rumors flying around, I am at the Monroe County Republican Committee's headquarters in Rochester where Randy Kuhl will be announcing any minute now that he will be seeking a third term in Congress.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Here's the text of Congressman Kuhl's prepared statement, which I obtained just moments ago:</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">WASHINGTON – March 7, 2008 - U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R,C-Hammondsport) issued the following statement today regarding his decision to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Congressional seat in the 29th District:<br /><br />"Today, I stand before you to declare my intent to seek a third term as your representative in the United States Congress. When my constituents voted for me in 2004 and again in 2006 they chose to vote for a lifelong resident of the 29th District, who has the experience and convictions to represent their best interest. They know that I care about securing their jobs, protecting their families, and ensuring that they have a government that doesn't control their lives. They know that I represent them, not a political party or any interest group.<br /><br />Three-quarters of Americans think that we are on the wrong track. From our faltering economy to the skyrocketing cost of oil, people are worried about keeping their jobs, paying for their healthcare and gasoline, and ensuring that their children grow up in a safe and happy home. Regardless of our political affiliation, we all want similar things. We want to know that when we work hard and follow the rules, we will be successful. We want solutions to our nation's problems, and these issues are not Republican problems or Democratic problems, but American problems.<br /><br />In the good times and the bad, I have always been there to help my neighbors and fellow Americans. Whether I have helped you avoid the bureaucracy of the many government agencies or listened to you during one of my town meetings, I have maintained my devotion to you. I voted to cut taxes so you can keep more of your hard-earned money. I voted for the economic stimulus package that provides relief to cash-strapped Americans and business. I have voted against wasteful spending and abusive earmarks and demanded accountability and transparency from our government. I voted to bring jobs to the district because at the end of the day, the prosperity of our nation, our state, and our community relies on the ability of our citizens to earn a good income and be confident that their job is secure. But there is still a lot more to do. And there are people who want to raise taxes on your income, healthcare, capitol gains, gasoline, and reinstate the death and marriage tax penalty. There are people who are more concerned with making government larger and more expansive and taking your money to do it.<br /><br />Two years ago, Democrats took the gavel and things have only gotten worse in Washington. We went from a Republican majority who lost its way to a Democratic majority with misguided priorities. And now, more than ever, we need to fight for the hard working men and women of Western New York. We need to make sure that we cut taxes, cut wasteful spending, and cut partisanship. We need to support our troops in Iraq, but we need to bring our men and women safely home as soon as possible, with the honor and dignity they deserve. We need to create energy policy that lessens our dependence on foreign oil and puts our nation on the way to energy independence immediately. We need to ensure that every man, woman and child has access to affordable healthcare.<br /><br />My election to Congress provided me the opportunity to solve the problems that face our country. I believe in the American Dream. I believe that if you believe in your dream and you work for your dream, anything is possible. We must ensure that the people of New York have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. I am running for re-election because there are serious issues facing this country and I feel that it is my duty and privilege to work for New Yorkers to ensure that their dreams can be realized. This is not a time for partisanship or political games, but a time for progress, action, and solutions. I am running to ensure that this great community has the best representation."</span></p></blockquote><p>Developing... </p><p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> I just came back from the press conference. One of the questions posed to Congressman Kuhl after he gave his statement was whether he expected a primary challenge. At the podium, he was flanked by Maggie Brooks (Monroe County Exec, who was rumored to be a candidate, but gave an absolutely wonderful introduction for Kuhl), Steve Minarik (MonroeGOP chairman), Jay Dutcher (OntarioGOP chairman), and Jack Clancy (YatesGOP chairman). As Congressman Kuhl was about to answer the question, Minarik assured everyone in the room with just one word, "No!" Congressman Kuhl followed suit and said that it was extremely unlikely, given all the support he has from the county committees, and stated that the remaining GOP committee chairmen from the Southern Tier will be joining him in Corning later today.</span></p>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-35785629935113730392008-03-06T21:14:00.001-05:002008-03-06T21:16:24.527-05:00OntarioGOP Exclusive<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Check out my blog tomorrow morning for a web exclusive. Developing...</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-70112593198853876962008-03-05T21:04:00.006-05:002008-03-05T21:26:31.860-05:0013WHAM: Sources Say Kuhl's Running<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've been hoping. I've been praying. And Evan Dawson's colleague, Sean Carroll, is reporting on <a href="http://www.13wham.com/content/news/political/story.aspx?content_id=7b749105-31ab-4582-a0d0-b46a1948b76a">WHAM's blog</a> that "at least four Republican sources" told him that Congressman Kuhl will announce his re-election bid on Friday. I hope they're right, but since Sean doesn't name any of his sources, I have no idea if they're reliable, so I guess we'll still have to wait until Friday to find out officially (I'm not knocking Sean's reporting here, I'm sure his sources are trustworthy, I guess I don't want to launch into premature celebration, so I'll remain cautiously optimistic for the next two days).</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">As for Sean's suggestion that there might be a GOP primary if Kuhl's running again, I highly doubt it. Granted, anything in politics is possible, but it's a bit too late in the season to challenge an incumbent congressman, especially when Republicans have to rally behind a candidate very early on in this swing district. The Republicans in Ontario County are all behind Congressman Kuhl, and frankly, to have a shot at winning in November, the victor must win, well, Victor and other swing townships in the second largest and fastest growing county in the district!</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-49138357613659011572008-03-04T21:28:00.007-05:002008-03-04T22:47:37.312-05:00Blogversation II: How is the Media Evolving?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rottenchester has a good roundup of our blogversation <a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/blogversation-2.html">here</a>, along with his response to the latest question Evan has posed to us: "Where do you guys see the traditional media (and more specifically, the traditional local media) evolving? And perhaps more importantly, where is the traditional media currently failing in its coverage, style, or presentation?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">One does not need to perform an endless Google search on the subject to discover that national newspaper circulation and network evening news viewership are dwindling to the point that these news sources can be classified as endangered species, while nontraditional media, be it online, radio, or cable nets, are all on the rise. Here's a great article by <a href="http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/will042605.asp">George Will</a> from 2005 on the subject, where he concludes:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The future of the big media that the young have abandoned is not certain. But do you remember when an automobile manufacturer, desperately seeking young customers, plaintively promised that its cars were "not your father's Oldsmobile"? Do you remember Oldsmobiles?</span></blockquote></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">When it comes to the national MSM, there's no question that the drop in its consumers will continue at a fast pace. With internet users continually on the rise, why would people continue to pay for stale national/global news and a handful of opinion columns in the <em>New York Times</em> when they merely need to type in a few words on Google to find a plethora of news items and thousands of political commentators offering their unique insights on the day's events? Plus, if they still want to read the <em>Times</em>, they can merely visit its website and keep their hands ink-stained free. And why would people want to continue to wait for the NBC Nightly News just to see the same news reported throughout the day on the cable nets and online?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">However, when it comes to local news, the situation is much different. Rottenchester is right that there is a rise in alternative media in the area (our blogs included), but certainly not at the level of national media sources. For example, throughout the day, I mostly follow national news online through nontraditional sources (e.g., Drudge Report, RealClearPolitics, various blogs, and then later in the day, Rush Limbaugh's website as I can't listen to his program at work usually), but for my local news, I'll go to the D&C's and Daily Messenger's websites (though I'm sure most people in the area get the paper edition) and watch the local news at night. I also read Fighting 29th and Rochesterturning daily, but more to see what they're saying about the local stories rather than as my source for local news.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So while I see national traditional media dying out, on the local level, Evan Dawson is safe with his day job for now.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">As for ways in which the local media can improve, it's hard to say. Most of the major newspapers and networks have decent websites, and have been adding blogs to their online news coverage, <a href="http://www.13wham.com/content/blogs/default.aspx">WHAM</a> especially. But some have committed a few unfortunate errors in their pursuits to move into the online community. The D&C's <a href="http://gadzoo.com/democratandchronicle/Pets.aspx">RocPets</a> website comes to mind (I mean, really, did they have to create another forum for people to post mindless pictures of their pets?).</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-53202659941487577442008-03-03T19:18:00.008-05:002008-03-03T23:31:08.282-05:00Blogversation I: Do I Consider Myself a Journalist?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As you will see from Rottenchester's <a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/blogversation-1.html">latest post</a>, 13WHAM's Evan Dawson has asked local bloggers to participate in a "blogversation," and the first topic we will cover is answering the following question: "Do you consider yourselves journalists?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I decided to consult my copy of <em>The American Heritage College Dictionary</em> (Third Edition) to get a definition for the word "journalist," which is defined as follows: 1. One whose occupation is journalism. 2. One who keeps a journal. In trying to determine my status as a "journalist," my first concern was determining whether my writing this blog is my "occupation," given my assumption that Evan wasn't asking whether we consider our blogs a type of diary. So I looked up the word "occupation," and found this definition: 1.a. An activity that is one's regular source of livelihood; a vocation. b. An activity engaged in esp. as a pastime; an avocation. Clearly my blogging does not fall under the first part of the definition, i.e., I have a day job that actually makes me money and has nothing to do with my blog, but my blogging certainly falls under the second part in that a synonym for "avocation" is "hobby." </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Now that I've proved that I can be "occupied" as a journalist, I now need to determine whether my writings on this blog can be considered "journalism," which is defined as follows: 1. The collecting, writing, editing, and presentation of news or news articles. 2. Material written for publication in a newspaper or magazine or for broadcast. 3. The style of writing characteristic of newspapers and magazines, marked by the direct presentation of facts. 4. Newspapers and magazines. 5. An academic course in journalism. 6. Written material of current interest or popular appeal. While it's debatable whether what I engage in here falls under the first three definitions (which is what most people think of when they hear the word "journalism"), and it's clear that it does not fall under the fourth and fifth definitions, there is no question that my blog posts fall under the last, looser definition. Therefore, because my blogger status falls under the definition of "journalist," and unlike some occupations, e.g., doctors or lawyers, one does not necessarily need to attend a special school or hold a license to call oneself a "journalist," then I would answer the above question in the affirmative.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>UPDATE:</strong> In my haste to reply to Evan's initial question, I forgot to answer a followup question he had posed on whether I was impressed with the liberal Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo for <a href="http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/02/tpm-muckrakers-win-polk-award.php">winning</a> this year's George Polk Award for Legal Reporting, the first time that a blogger has won this prestigious award. The conservative in me is not a fan of <a href="http://newsbusters.org/node/4117">the award's advisory panel consistently honoring liberal journalists</a>, but the blogger in me is proud to see a fellow blogger, regardless of his ideology, win such an award, so kudos to Mr. Marshall.</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-85375084741881507442008-02-27T13:33:00.003-05:002008-02-27T13:42:47.909-05:00Those Retirement Rumors<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On Monday, Rottenchester posted about </span><a href="http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/02/another-retirement-rumor.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the latest Randy Kuhl retirement rumor</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, this time involving the NRCC trying to convince Congressman Kuhl from seeking another term (you know, "We'll make him an offer he can't refuse..."). I agree with Rottenchester that this latest rumor sounds incredibly fishy, not only for the reasons he cites, but also because federal election laws forbid the NRCC from approaching any incumbent to have such a conversation anyway.</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-4807360235045879892008-02-27T13:00:00.003-05:002008-02-27T13:30:46.740-05:00William F. Buckley Jr., 1925-2008<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"A Conservative is a fellow who is standing athwart history yelling 'Stop!'"</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>~William F. Buckley, Jr.</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I'm very saddened by the passing of WFB today. Building a political movement is much like building a house: You need to start with a firm foundation. And I would argue that while Edmund Burke was the father of conservatism in general, Buckley laid the foundation for the modern American conservative movement. Conservatives should be thankful that a man like Buckley existed, and that he never gave up on yelling "Stop!"</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-32141101169762678882008-02-22T00:42:00.003-05:002008-02-22T08:04:07.049-05:00Ontario County's Growth<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">13WHAM's Evan Dawson has a great story on </span><a href="http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=a5fe1524-79c9-4df9-ad12-d9586ab3ebcf"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ontario County's growth</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> compared to most of the region, along with a blog post about the </span><a href="http://www.13wham.com/content/news/political/story.aspx?content_id=f10e44dc-845a-4748-94dd-162f32c05b77"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Eastview Mall</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> in Victor. It's great to read and watch stories like these about Ontario.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dawson emailed me a few days ago to get my input on the story, and here was my response:<br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I think the <em>Progressive Farmer</em> put it best in 2006 by ranking Ontario County the "Best Place to Live" in the United States, because of its: "Great schools. Low crime. Excellent health care." I'm not originally from here, having grownup downstate and then living a few years in DC, but I fell in love with the area after meeting my then girlfriend (now fiancee) who's from the region. It's a beautiful county, right in the middle of the Finger Lakes region and New York State's wine country, and with its closeness to the third largest city in the state, Ontario County offers a unique opportunity to residents who commute to Rochester but want to live in either a rural or suburban setting. Besides, where else in America can one get a slice of delicious grape pie?</span></blockquote></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-83625731817734971182008-02-19T11:27:00.003-05:002008-02-19T11:44:03.718-05:00Congressman Kuhl's Statement on FISA<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I missed posting </span><a href="http://kuhl.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=84132"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">this statement</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> from Congressman Kuhl over the weekend. As to his comments about the Clemens hearing last week, while I'm no Yankees fan, I fully agree that last week's congressional hearing on whether or not Roger Clemens used steroids was a joke. If it turns out that Clemens did in fact use roids, he should be punished, not by Congress, but by Bud Selig. And if Henry Waxman is so concerned about the state of baseball, I propose that he do us all a favor and resign from Congress and try to become the MLB Commissioner.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15 – U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) today issued the following statement regarding the priorities of the Democratic Leadership:<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"America is fighting a battle against a potential recession, job loss, ramifications of war and famine, outlandish spending, and a failing health care system, but the Democratic leadership would rather hold a full-day hearing to determine if Roger Clemens used steroids. By being more concerned about sensationalism of cheating in baseball, the Democratic majority is cheating Americans out of the security and prosperity that their government has promised to uphold.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week was another example of what happens when Congressional leadership fails to get their priorities in order. I understand that Speaker Pelosi wanted to get home for a wedding this weekend, but she put the bride and groom ahead of protecting our nation. By not allowing the bipartisan, Senate-passed FISA vote to be brought up on the floor, she has rendered U.S. intelligence officials unable to certify new terrorist surveillance without needless, cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles. I sure hope that was some amazing wedding cake.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Unless Roger Clemens has a plan to revive our faltering economy or pass legislation that will protect American from a terrorist attack, he has no business testifying on the Hill when Congress has more imperative issues to discuss. Maybe next week American Idol will hold their audition on Capitol Hill so the Democratic majority can delay taking up legislation to fix our porous borders or create solutions to Social Security.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Democratic majority is out of touch with the American people. The majority has forgotten that the reason that they were sent to Washington was not to get a photo op with a celebrity, but to solve America's problems. I hope we can do better in future weeks."</span></blockquote></span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-17515498775684307772008-02-17T22:21:00.002-05:002008-02-17T22:43:59.693-05:00Who Does My Brain Want to Vote For?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So I took the </span><a href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/featuredtask.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Implicit Association Test</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> from Harvard University today, which is designed to use your mental reflexes to rank the remaining presidential candidates in either a positive or negative light. Not surprisingly, in my results, Huckabee was ranked on top, followed by McCain, then Obama, and all the way at the bottom, Hillary. These results pretty much mirror my results from <a href="http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkm.G.rhHeScA7m5XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4dnZwczd2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0Y2NjZfODUEbANXUzE-/SIG=12g95n1ke/EXP=1203391494/**http%3a//www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/senate2006.asp%3fquiz=2008">this online candidate selector</a>, which had Huckabee at 68%, McCain at 55%, Obama at 18%, and Hillary at 10%. The interesting thing about the latter results is that it is generally viewed that Obama is more liberal than Hillary, and he was, in fact, rated as having the <a href="http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/">most liberal voting record</a> in the U.S. Senate last year. But according to the quiz, there are a few (and I mean "few") issues that we do agree on: (1) we favor allowing churches to provide welfare services; (2) we favor a means in which illegal immigrants could earn citizenship (though I'm sure we disagree on the means); and (3) we agree that drug laws should be enforced. As for Hillary, we agree on the first two items, though supposedly not on the third issue concerning drugs. Granted, none of these issues are make-or-break issues for me, but still interesting that a hard-core conservative like me slightly agrees with Obama more than Hillary.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">As for the Harvard test, it measures likeability more than one's preference on the issues, and in that contest between Obama and Hillary, Obama wins in a landslide. And while I like McCain, there's no question that Huckabee is the more affable of the two, IMHO.</span>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021181650842771170.post-32091761272208130452008-02-14T15:03:00.002-05:002008-02-14T15:05:09.056-05:00House Republicans Protest Democrats’ Partisan Games at the Expense of America’s National Security<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/3/2008/045/13/3343_3_20080214_134659_349.wmv" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">CNN</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> : "What they're doing here is that they're trying to bring awareness to what's going on. They're ratcheting up pressure on House Democrats on the FISA act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. We heard from President Bush just a short time ago as well, so this is a full-court press that Republicans and President Bush are staging against House Democrats. This is a showdown over the legislation that governs how U.S. intelligence agencies oversee some communications between suspected terrorists." <strong>(Watch the full segment </strong></span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/3/2008/045/13/3343_3_20080214_134659_349.wmv" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">here</span></strong></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>.)</strong><br /><br /></span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/10/2008/045/13/3343_10_20080214_135020_140.wmv" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">FOX</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">: "There is some outrage on the Republican side. … The President and a number of Democrats and many Republicans in both the Senate and House are saying 'you have to pass a law, we cannot let the old law expire because there are problems in it.' The Leadership instead decided to pursue different matters and recess for a week without even taking up another effort." <strong>(Watch the full segment </strong></span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/10/2008/045/13/3343_10_20080214_135020_140.wmv" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">here</span></strong></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>.)<br /></strong><br /></span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/12/2008/045/13/3343_12_20080214_134710_840.wmv" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">MSNBC</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">: "A day when the President and these Republicans and a vast majority of the Senate feel as though the law governing the electronic surveillance of terrorists in this country should be taken up. That bill right now in limbo because the Senate has passed a bill that House Democrats are vehemently against … Congress due to go out on a week-long recess after they leave this week … Nancy Pelosi at this moment holding a press conference saying they will hold firm, they will not put the Senate bill on the floor…" <strong>(Watch the full segment </strong></span><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/12/2008/045/13/3343_12_20080214_134710_840.wmv" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">here</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.)</span></strong>The Ontario Republicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04971916682904252224noreply@blogger.com0