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Election recap: the Funke rout
Rich Funke’s victory over Ted O’Brien is more than a win for Republicans and a loss for Democrats. It is a collective decision to reject the “war on women” rhetoric and an acknowledgment of the inherent value of human beings in the womb.
In a Time Warner Cable News broadcast on election morning, a representative from Senator O’Brien’s office acknowledged that O’Brien’s focus on the passage of the Women’s Equality Act, with its abortion component, to the exclusion of other important issues, was a “misstep.”
Women want equal pay, solid protections against the perpetrators of domestic violence, and the other promised benefits within WEA. They don’t need or want more abortion access.
Gone should be the days when women have to choose between their children and social and economic equality. New Yorkers have spoken, and now it’s up to the legislators to listen. Pass the first nine points of WEA.
KELLY BRUNACINI
The Slaughter cliff-hanger
The Monroe County Republican Committee put all of its time, effort, and money into Rich Funke because they knew he could beat O’Brien. No one ever thought that Slaughter could be beaten. Even if Assini loses after the ballot count, we have sent a clear message to Louise: Get off your butt and get this economy going again if you can; make a few changes in the ACA Act to make it even better; get funds to fix our infrastructure; rail is good, but fix the freakin’ bridges first; work with the entire congressional and executive bodies to get it done and stop bickering; lessen the size of government and make your people work harder with less like the rest of us.
CRAIG MOFFITT
What are we, Florida?
MATTHEW EHLERS
Having Louise Slaughter as our representative is one of the many things that make me proud of Rochester. I am so grateful that she is willing to continue serving us during this difficult time.
JOHN MARSH
Voting against Louise Slaughter was incredibly, incredibly stupid. She was the main person in Congress fighting against industry farm policies that are making antibiotics obsolete. Do you want to go to the doctor with your child who has an infected finger and be told there’s nothing that can be done about it and your child will die? That is what will happen if we don’t get a control on misuse of antibiotics.
MAE
The Cuomo win
I am truly disheartened at the news of Cuomo winning another term. So sad for the New York State economy. So sad for all of us who hoped to have the Safe Act repealed. So sad for all of us taxpayers who will continue to be bled dry by the laws instituted by the Democrats and by subsidizing the welfare recipients welcomed with open arms by New York State from their own home states that refuse them aide.
I truly wish New York City would just separate from the rest of New York State. They just want to drag the rest of the state down with them. Their ideals just do not match the majority of folks in the rest of the state. They favor socialism and government handouts. We favor fiscal responsibility and limiting government intervention.
Our businesses are leaving the state. Our taxpayers are moving out. Our homeowners are moving out. Look at our paychecks, people! Just see how much taxes are taken out to support those that choose to not support themselves. It is becoming harder and harder for hard-working people and homeowners to live in New York State, and easier and easier for those who want to live off your hard- earned money.
We are headed down a slippery slope with Cuomo still in power.
IN
Republicans have no shot at the governor’s seat or Assembly. They have redistricted control of the Senate but that won’t last. Guess what: we take care of people in New York State. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
PHILIP GIGLIOTTI
Wegmans and us
I would like to know if the voting for Best of Rochester is rigged, or if the people of Rochester just have low self esteem. I have lived here for six years, and for six years, Wegmans has won Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner.
It is a grocery store.
Rochester is the epicenter of pivotal events that helped shape this country, from the American Revolution to the Underground Railroad to Women’s Suffrage to the Industrial Revolution. Your main cemetery likely has more iconic historical figures buried in it than anywhere else in Upstate New York.
There is a Great Lake less than 10 miles north of us. The RPO is world-renowned. Rochester’s International Jazz Festival draws people from all corners of the earth. The Hungerford has some of the most innovative artists and artisans rotating through it.
The University of Rochester has the nation’s first educational program focusing exclusively on optics. Both RIT and the U R are doing research and making innovations that cause not just ripples but waves across the world of academia and science.
Yet you expect me to believe that the readers of an independent newspaper –the residents who should have their fingers on the pulse of what makes Rochester great – think that the best they have to offer a Baltimore ex-patriot is a grocery store?
Have you seen High Falls at dawn or dusk? Have you been on the roofs of any buildings on Water Street and been able to see both Brighton and the City’s Independence Day fireworks simultaneously? Have you ridden a bicycle up Arnold Park at the dawn of spring, right when all the trees are flowering and the wind is blowing the petals around the Zen Centre?
I saw the best roots reggae show at Water Street Music Hall. It was a local(ish) band playing: Mosaic Foundation. Not once did I think, “Man, these are all great! But you know what would be REALLY great? A place where I can buy a pound of chicken AND cheese!”
I have heard many defenses regarding my disappointment at Wegmans winning Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner:
“But it has so much food, and it’s so fresh!”
It has lots of fresh food because it is a grocery store. It is probably the law that they sell fresh food. If it had rotten food, it would go out of business.
“I have not seen anything like it! I moved away from Rochester, and I have been all over the country, and I must say, I miss Wegmans.”
I understand that moving from your hometown will make you miss your local stores. That is just homesickness.
“There is a bulk food/sushi/sandwich/pizza/prepared-food bar in it. Where else do you see that?”
In Albertsons (California), Meijer (Michigan), Whole Foods (Everywhere), Superfresh (Maryland), Giant (Maryland), Kroger (North Carolina)…. I could go on.
“Whenever I bring my friends from [insert country here], they are amazed!”
Your [insert country here] friends are likely amazed at the grandeur of American extravagance and abundance. They would be just as wowed at an American pharmacy, where one can get both carcinogenic high fructose sodas and cigarettes and the prescribed medicine that are used to treat the effects of those items.
If Wegmans wins Best Drag Show next Year, I will KNOW that the contest is rigged.
CHRIS THOMPSON
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2014.
regarding ms towler’s 11/12 editorial:
thank you for clearly explaining the democratic loss on election day. the continuing attitude that we (democratic party) know what is best for you, and if you don’t agree with us you are stupid, if not worse, is just the elitist attitude that caused the rout. any chance that the public does, in fact, understand the issues and that they have rejected all those positions you mention? of course not.. it has to be low voter turnout, ignorance, and, of course, republican issue spending (even though they spent less than the dems). rationalization is so much easier than re-evaluation.
I could not agree more with Chris Thompson that it tells much about our community when a chain grocery store is the place we choose impress guests. Affluenza. Want to really impress a guest with fresh food? Take them to the 109 year old Rochester Public Market. Buy them one of Juan’s empanadas, get a fresh and inexpensive squash or bucket of local apples, maybe some bright fall foliage to decorate the table. Way better than any grocery store!
” The Cuomo Win”
Let us not forget about Elliot Spitzer, Patterson and Pataki… because these three could not get a budget passed to save their lives let alone our lives in NYS. And, if it were not for Bob Duffy and Cuomo, Upstate would be in much, much worse shape in my opinion.
No one governor can be agreed with on more than 50% of the issues… as all of us can only be 50% right. However, at the very least ,the current governor has made a good case with two layers of Gov’t right here in Monroe County. Mendon / HF, Pittsford / Village of Pittsford, Wheatland / Scottsville, and so on. Two layers of property taxes that cost much more for no real good reason except that it has been since I can remember ( 58 years ). And , perhaps the biggest mistake is Rochester / Monroe County… the same old Democrat – Republican control issue with “silos” being built as we speak.
WHEN ON EARTH WILL THIS AREA WAKE UP AND START THE PROCESS OF MAKING GOVT” SMALLER (LOWER TAXES AND LESS SEPARATION in EXPENSIVE REDUNDANT SERVICES ). AND, to stop SPENDING so much on the duplication OF THESE SERVICES THROUGH TOO MANY LAYERS of GOVT’.
When these changes; and, along with the demise of the most antiquated system of budget reporting and planning that I have ever seen; only then…will ( UPSTATE and Western NY ) NYS become the most respected state in the Union again. And, we will have more jobs as a result of less taxation.
CRaig R. Moffitt