Nassau and Schodack Dems host Bagel Breakfast

This in from Nassau Town Chairman, Mark Berger:

Second Bagel Breakfast

Saturday, March 5, 9:30 AM, Nassau Reformed Church 

Co-sponsored by the Nassau and Schodack Democratic Committees

As We Salute Two Local (political) Heroes

            Peter Grimm, a two-term Rensselaer County Legislator and a one-person band when it comes to starting vital community organization.  He will share some of the secrets of his success. 

            Linda Underwood, our dear Schodack friend. When Linda’s not out campaigning for good government, she’s still doing the good work. Linda will share her insights.

            Like the first bagel breakfast, there will be time for discussions to take place. 

            Let’s get together, enjoy each other, grab a bagel, get a cup of coffee, and have some meaningful conversation. For five bucks, how can you go wrong?

ALL INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS ARE WELCOME!

Over the last few years, Nassau and Schodack Democrats have been working together on issues of common interest.  Joint fund-raisers and social get-togethers are a great way to bolster our enthusiasm and network with like-minded people. Especially in off-year elections, Democrats need to focus on local issues and helping each other make in-roads into predominantly Republican towns.

Won't you be my neighbor?

It is great news for county residents to learn Senator Gillibrand will be calling Rensselaer County home.  While we knew she would be coming back to the Capital District to be closer to family and friends, her choice of Rensselaer County was a closely-guarded secret until today's announcement to Rensselaer County Democrats by County Chairman Tom Wade:

"I am pleased to announce Senator Kirsten Gillibrand found the home she and her husband Jonathan have been looking for in Brunswick.  She has spoken to me in the past about settling in the Brunswick area of Rensselaer County in order to be closer to family and basic conveniences. 

I am happy she has chosen to make Rensselaer County the residence of one of our two great United States Senators."

When you think about it, the Senator knows what the rest of us know about Rensselaer County - it is a great place to live. Rural Rensselaer County has stunning views and any commuter knows it is far easier to get to downtown Albany from here thank from the suburbs of Saratoga County.  Downtown Troy has much to offer from funky little shops to wonderful eateries. And you can't beat the acoustics of Troy Music Hall.

In a way, the fact that the Senator chose to buy a home in the Town of Brunswick is almost like a home-coming. She spent a great deal of time here as a student at Emma Willard .

We here at RenscoPolitico are proud and pleased to call our wonderful Senator "neighbor." 

You can read more about it in the Times Union.

Senator Gillibrand not only fighting the "good fight" but also staying close to supporters

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, favorite of county and Capital Region Democrats, was recently in the area touching base with small businesses. It is this personal touch that helped her easily defeat challengers for the Democrat nomination and trounce right-wing Republican Joe Dioguardi.

One thing the Senator never forgets to do is thank her supporters. After her tour of the businesses, she had a get-together with her long-time supporters, many of whom hail from Rensselaer County. She worked the room, chatted casually, and told everyone how much she appreciated their continuing support.  Before leaving to race off to her next event, Senator Gillibrand conducted a short Q & A.

Being thanked for one's hard work does wonders for volunteers. Senator Kirsten Gilliband knows this and keeps her earliest supporters informed and  feeling valued. It makes them worker even harder for her. It is this wonderful grassroots organization that will make her hard to beat in two years.

A record of accomplishment

For some Democrats, Obama has not done enough.

For most Republicans, Obama has not done one thing right.

In an effort to counteract the talk radio/Fox News anti-Obama lies, which have an impact on local and state elections, and encourage Democrats, here are some facts about the Obama/Democratic record of accomplishment:

* The Affordable Care Act will end health insurance corporations' egregious abuses of their customers, and help control the cost of care for millions of Americans.

* Obama and the Democrats have enacted the most significant Wall Street regulatory reform in 70 years, providing the toughest protections for investors ever. 

* The Recovery Act saved and created more than 3 million jobs, provided the largest middle-class tax cut in a generation, and made landmark investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and education.

* Obama/Democratic investments in General Motors and Chrysler saved tens of thousands of jobs -- and perhaps the companies -- and spurred a rebirth of the American car industry.

* Obama/Democratic laws that reformed student loan and credit card practices ended the worst abuses of the banking industries and made lending much more fair and affordable for American families.

* There are now two new Supreme Court justices -- Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan -- who bring their rich and diverse experiences to the Court.

* America's relationship with the international community has been dramatically improved, from the ratification of a new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia to tough new sanctions on Iran to strengthening our long-term partnership with a unified Iraq.

* Obama and Democrats in Congress finally repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which makes our military stronger at a time when it needs to be the strongest, and does so with a basic sense of justice for all.

Obama came into office facing a possible Great Depression II, almost entirely due to Republican economic and deregulatory policies.

His actions, supported by Democrats in Congress, avoided a catastrophe, and built the basis for the economic recovery we are currently experiencing.

Gibson explains his vote, and lies again

According to PolitiFact, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking website, the "Lie of the Year" for 2010 is "a government takeover of health care," referring to the health care bill passed by Congressional Democrats and signed into law by President Obama.

PolitiFact explains that the Big Lie, which originated with GOP propaganda consultant Frank Luntz, "is simply not true," since the law "relies largely on the free market."

Tea party/Republican Congressman Chris Gibson voted to repeal the health care law today, and repeated the Big Lie he told at almost every campaign stop, with an extra lying adjective:

"By voting to repeal the health care legislation passed last year, we’re one step closer to enacting health care reform that increases access to quality and affordable care in a way that does not result in a massive government takeover, harm small businesses, or step on our freedoms."

Rensselaer County's other Congressman, Paul Tonko, opposed the tea party/Republican stunt bill.

"I voted against this effort by House Republicans because repealing health care reform does not create jobs, it does not protect the middle class, and it balloons the deficit.

"The Affordable Care Act provides Americans with new benefits and protections that makes insurance more affordable and accessible – that’s why polls show most people are against a full repeal of reform.”

One part of the county has a Congressman who wants to provide health care security for his constituents.

The rest of the county has a Congressman who is a serial liar.

The View of Gillibrand

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has been getting a lot of national attention lately -- for her leadership on getting Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal and the 9/11 health care bill through the Senate, and for being at the bedside of her good friend, critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, when she first opened her eyes last Wednesday.

Yesterday, Gillibrand was on The View, have a look:

Gillibrand was also on Meet the Press and Face the Nation Sunday, and several cable news shows late last week.

And, back in December, the New York Times noted that "a succinct, passionate and effective Senator Gillibrand has made her presence felt" in the lame-duck session.

With President Obama and Senator Gillibrand atop the ballot, prospects for New York Democrats look pretty good in 2012.

Gibson still waffling on Don't Ask Don't Tell

Democrats in the current lame-duck session passed a long-overdue repeal of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, which will end the persecution of thousands of gay people who want to serve our country.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was a leader in making DADT repeal happen, but Chris Gibson, the Army veteran who will represent Gillibrand's former Congressional district next year, doesn't like it.

Gibson still won't come out and say that he opposes DADT, though he obviously does, so he tells Susan Arbetter that there will be problems in implementing this overwhelmingly popular policy, among the general public AND among the military.

Gibson's basic problem is that officers like he was will have to spend some time learning how not to discriminate against gay service members.

He seems to think that that will take longer than a short briefing of officers and noncoms -- an hour or so, tops -- repeating the basic message, "Don't discriminate against gay people."

Gibson is playing to his right-wing base on this, and hoping that the non-right-wing majority in his district will not remember in November 2012.

But, once he's in Congress, Gibson will make plenty of far-right votes that will ensure that he will be a one-term Congressman.