New NY 23rd

June 27, 2018

Dear Friends,

I spent Saturday with some of my House colleagues at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. I felt I had to see for myself the impact of President Trump’s family separation policy. I wanted an opportunity to talk with parents and children about what they are enduring and to express my grave concerns directly to federal officials.

We started at the Centralized Processing Center in McAllen, Texas, where individuals detained at the border are first sent. This is the place where 15-foot high chain-link fences are used to contain children and adults – you may have seen the widely published photos.  Detainees are held in 4 large “pods”.  Two pods were reserved for unaccompanied children, one for boys and another for girls. The other two were reserved for adults and adults with children.  Approximately 300 detainees were present when we visited.  I was struck by an open box of diapers, clear evidence that some of the detainees are mere babies.

We were told that most detainees spend only a few days at the processing facility before being sent to other locations around the country.  We had many pointed questions for officials there, who have been carrying out this cruel and indefensible policy. The answers I received weren’t even close to satisfactory.

We went next to the McAllen Border Patrol Station and Intake Facility where federal officials monitor border crossings and detain anyone they believe is attempting to enter the country illegally. This facility resembles a municipal jail – all cement, locked doors, and a central monitor station.  Detainees here were also separated and held by group.  We were told detainees usually spend only a few hours here before being sent to the processing facility described above.  However, the area had recently suffered severe flooding which impacted travel and delayed their transfer. As a result, some detainees had been held there much longer – with no cots or mats to sleep on, just a hard, cold cement floor.

I expressed in the strongest possible terms my concern that families are being separated with little thought given to reunification. This is beyond unacceptable. It inflicts needless pain on innocent people. In simple terms, it is evil.

Our fact-finding mission ended at the Port Isabel ICE Detention Center. I talked with parents who have no idea where their children have been sent. They expressed fear and anger, sharing details of their journey to the United States and their worries over what will happen to their families now. Lots of tears were shed.

I saw children in cages, looking scared and disoriented. I had an opportunity to speak to some of the children, and it touched me deeply, as a father and a citizen. They are terrified and confused. There is no doubt that these innocent minors will suffer lifelong consequences from the trauma of separation. And there is no doubt that the government of the United States deliberately and needlessly caused their suffering.

Some of the overriding impressions I came away with include the following.  Our government had no plan to initiate this new “zero tolerance” policy.  Our government has no thoughtful plan on how to end the policy.  The detainees I saw were poverty stricken and did not speak English. They were terrified and confused.  Many did not know where their children were.  Some knew where their children were being held but had not spoken to them in quite a while.  None had any idea of when they might reunite with their children.

We learned a particularly infuriating detail from detainees about communication. Although we were repeatedly told that detainees could call their children, the process of doing is was broken.  To start, many detainees didn’t know where their children were.  Some had trouble accessing a phone.  Others said they had to pay for the call – but didn’t have any money in their “prison account”, so they couldn’t even contact someone to ask that funds be deposited for them.  Keep in mind, the detainees are coming from abject poverty – they are some of the poorest people in the western hemisphere.  Is it a surprise they cannot afford a phone call?

We also learned that many of the children crossing the border unaccompanied are told to look for the “green uniform”, which is worn by CBP personnel. The reason they are given this information is because their loved ones think they will be taken care of. Instead, they are being imprisoned.

I have returned more determined than ever to fight for the reunification of every family. I am working along with my travel companions to draft legislation to address the issues we identified.  To be clear, legislation will take time and will be difficult to pass in the Republican-controlled Congress.

I also listened closely to the Border Patrol and ICE officers we met.  Most are local people of Hispanic descent who speak fluent Spanish. They are not unmoved by this situation. Those of us who are trying to address this debacle will do well to remember that the problem starts and ends in Washington D.C. with Donald Trump.

Donald Trump created this crisis on his own and we are obligated to force him to fix it. What has happened to these children is nothing short of child abuse – state sponsored child abuse which every decent American should take action to end.

It is a sad chapter in American history, but I am convinced that we can change it and find ways to make sure it never happens again.  I look forward to seeing many of you protesting and rallying as we continue our push to right this horrendous wrong.

This entry was posted in Immigration. Bookmark the permalink.

We’re working hard to get immediate relief to the American people during this Coronavirus outbreak…–Rep. Tom Reed

The Problem Solvers Caucus’ proposed recommendations include:

1.  Economic Response for Businesses, Employees and the Self-Employed

• Immediate, Direct Financial Payments to Individuals: Limited only to the crisis, significantly increase unemployment insurance benefits, including payment amounts, for hourly and salaried workers, under a certain income threshold. This relief should focus on mid-to-low-income workers and furloughed workers. Provisions to be made for freelancers and the self-employed to ensure the same relief.
• Bridge Loans to Help Keep Businesses in Business: Low-or-zero-interest loans to businesses of all sizes willing to keep their employees (furlough, but preserving benefits) in their positions during the coronavirus crisis.  Must include long-term repayment options, and not exclude any industries.
• Allow Individuals and Businesses to Defer Mortgage Payments and Rent: During the national crisis, stay all foreclosure and evictions proceedings.
• Contract and Insurance Protections for Existing Contract and Business Insurance Policies: Legislatively declare the coronavirus a public health crisis, and, as such, a qualifying event for all existing force majeure contract provisions and business interruption insurance policies.
• Loan Deferral and Forbearance: Develop and allow loan deference, modification, and forbearance mechanisms for individuals and businesses of all sizes, during the crisis (e.g. mortgages, lines of credits, student loans, and other qualifying loans).
• Refundable Tax Credit to Employers for Employee Retention: During the crisis, provide immediately advanceable, refundable tax credits for employee retention by employers — including maintaining employment status or providing benefits for furloughed employees.

1.  Health Care & Food Security Needs

• Speed Testing to Market: Provide additional regulatory relief at FDA and CDC for market-based testing solutions and essential supplies (e.g. testing kits, ventilators, PPEs, reagent supply, and hospital conversion).
• Childcare Enhancement: Reflecting new work and school environment, enact childcare assistance policies and regulatory relief to provide childcare coverage during term of crisis.
• Price Gouging: Enact applicable measures to strictly enforce anti-price gouging measures.
• Medical Personnel and Supplies:  Where available, deploy federal government excess medical personnel and equipment capacity, including military sources (e.g. vents), to affected areas needing service.
• GI Benefits: Correct the technical glitch, so that, during this time of crisis, veterans can utilize GI benefits for online learning.

1. Infrastructure Investment: Passage of a significant infrastructure package which would stimulate job growth and allow for borrowing at historically-low interest rates.

These seem reasonable; I wonder how many will be enacted? Support for Hospitals and people who must work–doctors, nurses, pharmacists, public servants, grocery clerks–should be considered. We need somehow to stop those who endanger themselves and others with indifference. What else was missed?

https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/problem-solvers-caucus-release-health-crisis-economic-revival-package/

There are certain things that strict fathers cannot be: A Loser, Corrupt, and especially not a Betrayer of Trust.–George Lakoff

Tom Reed poses as a strict but caring father–he knows best what is good for us. Cut social spending to make us self-reliant, master a trade as an alternative to college, trust him and President Trump. Tom Reed’s more detailed campaign strategy is laid out on his official facebook page:

• Frequent photo ops show him as a caring person at home in his district.
• Run against “hippies:” Tom says: “Heroin injection sites are an extreme proposal and they are not the solution to ending the opioid epidemic in our region and across the country. These sites attract drug abusers and criminal drug dealers, making these communities vulnerable to more crime and homelessness.”
• He has an answer for concern over student loans — force schools to disburse endowments.
• On the loss of the state tax deduction, he blames NYS Democrats.
• He has an answer for concern over tariffs–Trump’s negotiating ploy.
• He has an answer for concern over deficits — optimistic predictions of economic growth.
• On rising health insurance costs, he points the finger of blame at Democrats.
• He has an answer for concerns over immigration–bipartisan compromise.
• On the question of tax cuts for the rich, he posts anecdotes about wage increases and bonuses.
• On farm policy, he feigns concern.
• On veterans, wave the flag, attend parades, arrange photo ops.
• On guns, claim to defend the Constitution, offer to address mental health.

Tom will run on his issues and his proposals. It won’t do to bicker with him on his terms. He has framed the debate to his advantage. His opponents must do better at framing the debate to advantage.

This entry was posted in 2018, Congress, Economics, Education, Farm Bill, Gun Violence, Health Care, Political, Reed’s Views, Trump and tagged Don’t think like an elephant, Lakoff. Bookmark the permalink.

This was an interesting study. Here are some conclusions:

• To better understand how these unwanted callers operate, we monitored every phone call received to over 66,000 phone lines in our telephone security lab, the Robocall Observatory at North Carolina State University. We received 1.48 million unsolicited phone calls over the course of the study. Some of these calls we answered, while others we let ring. Contrary to popular wisdom, we found that answering calls makes no difference in the number of robocalls received by a phone number.
• Using these techniques, we learned that more than 80% of calls from an average robocalling campaign use fake or short-lived phone numbers to place their unwanted calls. Using these phone numbers, perpetrators deceive their victims and make it much more difficult to identify and prosecute unlawful robocallers.
• No one knows how robocallers interact with their victims and how often they change their strategies. For example, a rising number of robocalls and scammers are now using COVID-19 as a premise to defraud people.

https://news.yahoo.com/does-ignoring-robocalls-them-stop-114409203.html

This entry was posted in Constituents, Education and tagged Robocalls. Bookmark the permalink.

The Good News: Less taxes to pay.

The Bad News: Less revenue for governmental services.

The New York State Property Tax Cap  is the highest amount a local government (County, Town, City, or Village) or school can raise their tax levy from one fiscal year to the next. It
was aimed to control expanding property taxes which are a major local source of revenue for those agencies. The other local sources of revenue would be from Sales Tax, Occupancy Tax and local fees. The law states that the tax cap is either a 2% increase, or the most recent inflation rate, which ever is less. The governing board may exceed the cap if it passes a Tax Cap Override local law  by a “Super Majority” (60%) vote. For a seven person board, it will need to have five votes to pass an Override Law.

There are limited, narrow exclusions to the tax cap,  including certain costs of significant judgments arising out of tort actions and unusually large year-to-year increases in pension contribution rates. Recently the value of property which has a PILOT  (Payment-in lieu-of-taxes)  has been excluded from the tax cap.

Don’t forget the State is now issuing Tax Rebate Checks to property tax payers who reside in municipalities that keep their budget tax levy at or below the Tax Cap.

Most New York State Villages’ Fiscal Years run from June 1 to May 31. They need to have their budgets developed and passed by May 1 to have the tax bills sent by June 1. Villages will start developing their budgets soon.

For Villages the 2012-13 and 2013-2014 inflation rates were over 2%, so they could raise their tax levy by 2%.  The 2014-2015 inflation rate was 1.48%, and that became the tax cap for Village budgets. The Villages Tax Cap for our present budget (2015-2016) was 1.68%.

This week Villages received their New York State Tax Cap notices. The inflation rate for next year’s Village budgets is 0.12%!

Yes, in order to meet or stay under the tax cap the Villages in New York State can only raise taxes a bit more than one-tenth of one percent. Penn Yan’s 2015-16 tax levy was approximately $2.8 million. If  the Penn Yan Village Board is to meet the State’s Tax Cap, their budget’s tax levy can not be raised by more than approximately $3,400.

Even if the Village leaders have kept their employees’ salary raise to one percent  (plus related benefits) that would wipe out the tax cap increase. It doesn’t leave much money to maintain basic services, let alone doing preventive maintenance, upgrading old infrastructure, or improving services.

Local Village Boards will will face a dilemma. They are always concern about tax increases, and would like to stay within the tax cap. They also want to maintain or improve services to their constituents. Don’t be surprised if a lot of Villages override their tax cap this year.

Villages are just the beginning. The Town and Counties budgets, which goes into affect January 1 had a Tax Cap limit of 0.73%. Schools, whose budgets are voted on in May have not received their increase limit yet. How can their tax cap be much larger than Villages? For a chart to see the history of the tax caps rates follow this link.

When the Tax Cap law was created it in 2011, it was scheduled to expire in 2016. Polls show that 70% New Yorkers favor the it.. The feeling is that it is working since the property tax increases are leveling out.  Many, including Governor Cuomo, want to make the tax cap permanent.  Others want to tweak it. One suggestion is to have the Cap be a real 2% cap and not tied to the inflation rate. That is what Albany has done on state spending. Another suggestion is to exclude the cost of improving infrastructure from the cap.

The Legislature decided not to make it permanent, but to extend the Property Tax Cap through 2020. That gives our state legislators time to study how the low tax cap limits the local governmental services, and how it affects our economy.

Rich Stewart, the author of this article, is a Penn Yan Village Trustee.

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.–Fourteenth Amendment (Section 4) The debt ceiling crisis … Continue reading

Posted in Congress, Political, President, Supreme Court, Uncategorized Tagged debt ceiling, Fourteenth Amendment, Heather Cox Richardson, trillion dollar coin

Once again, the Danish film crew was filming and, after the events of that day, recorded Stone asking again for a presidential pardon. This time, Gaetz apparently wanted one, too. When White House counsel Pat Cipollone prevented Trump from issuing … Continue reading

Posted in Constitution, President Tagged Heather Cox Richardson, Matt Gaetz, pardon, Pat cipollone, Roger Stone

If something seems wrong, it likely is wrong. A guest columnist, writing in a local paper, complained about historian Heather Cox Richardson. He wrote “her blanket condemnation (of white American evangelicals) is dishonest partisan demagoguery.” Heather Cox Richardson is a … Continue reading

Posted in Political Tagged dubious, Heather Cox Richardson

On April 28,2022, Heather Cox Richardson discussed  “two right-wing, antidemocratic ideologies.” About the first she wrote: One is pushed by Texas governor Greg Abbott, who is embracing a traditional American states’ rights approach to attack the active federal government that … Continue reading

Posted in Impeachment, Political Tagged Heather Cox Richardson, Insurrection, Public Health, Regulations, Rep. Claudia Tenney, Rep. Tom Reed

Debates help voters understand what a campaign represents and each candidate’s stance on various issues. — Tracy Mitrano

Tom Reed  “introduced the Help Act to allow federal prosecutors access to more severe penalties when prosecuting certain drug cases, and has also supported increased funding to fight the epidemic. The 2018 Omnibus alone included $4.7 billion for prevention, treatment and law enforcement activities, and the House and Senate recently passed a package of more than 50 bills aimed at fighting the opioid epidemic.”

• Tracy Mitrano believes Rep. Tom Reed’s unwillingness to meet with her for debates is a disservice to the 23rd congressional district.
• Mitrano criticized Reed for neglecting the eastern portion of the 23rd district, noting he “never” visits Ithaca, Seneca Falls or Owego for debates.
• The candidate also said she disagrees with Reed’s May 15 vote against the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which provides relief to the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals and businesses in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Mitrano stated her position on the opioid crisis, saying she supports “clear language” surrounding opioids, via tracking prescriptions, treating addiction and using technology at U.S. borders to prohibit drugs from coming into the country.

Is law enforcement key to addressing opioid abuse; are debates a vital service to the 23rd congressional district? What do readers think?

Reed’s campaign spokesperson Matt Coker released the following statement in response to Mitrano’s request for debates.

“To suggest that the congressional race warrants more debates than even the race for President shows that Tracy is a grand-stander looking only for public attention to pacify her own ego. However, Tom is focused on results. He is protecting the interests of New Yorkers during these unprecedented times while remaining accessible to voters as evident by having held over 270 town halls. In time, voters will see they can’t trust radical liberal Tracy Mitrano.”

I don’t know that Tom has defended his vote against the HEROS Act.

Here is Tom Reed’s statement on opioids; see if you can tell what he proposes:

https://reed.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1593

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/greater-olean/sections/elections/articles/during-media-call-mitrano-discusses-disagreements-with-reed

This entry was posted in 2020, Reed’s Views and tagged Debates, HEROS Act, Opioids, Tracy Mitrano. Bookmark the permalink.

In 2013, Syrian atrocities provoked President Obama to threaten the use of force to destroy chemical weapons. Obama asked Congress to approve the limited use of force. Rep. Tom Reed held “listening sessions.” He opposed President Obama’s request. He said he favored diplomacy without threats. The crisis was resolved when agreement was reached with Russia and Syria which provided for the verified destruction of the prohibited weapons. Congress never voted on “The Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against the Government of Syria to Respond to Use of Chemical Weapons.”

Now in April, 2017 the question has come up again. Evidently chemical weapons still exist in Syria. Were the Russians fooled by the Syrian government, or did Russia conspire with Syria to conceal prohibited weapons? What now?

President Trump has expressed outrage. Will he undertake some action on his own authority or ask Congress for approval as President Obama did? What position will Rep. Reed take this time?

• Hold “listening sessions.”
• Oppose any threat or use of force.
• Support President Trump without reservation whatever he does.
• Keep his head down.

The situation is even more difficult in 2017 than in 2013 because of direct Russian intervention in the Syrian Civil war.

The following articles may be of current interest:

https://reed.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reed-letter-white-house-calls-president-address-nation-syria

https://reed.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-tom-reed-takes-local-voices-syria-washington

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/01/rep-reed-to-hold-listening-sessions-on-syria/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/02/lets-avoid-partisan-rancor-in-debating-the-resonse-to-syrias-poison-gas-attack/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/02/rep-reed-please-look-at-all-aspects-of-the-syrian-crisis-carefully/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/03/tom-listened-today-in-big-flats/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/04/geneva-listening-session-on-syria/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/08/reed-backs-house-defeat-of-syria-authorization/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/09/reed-should-support-president-obama-on-syria/

https://newny23rd.com/2013/09/17/reed-was-wrong-on-syria/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_the_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_the_Government_of_Syria_to_Respond_to_Use_of_Chemical_Weapons

This entry was posted in Trump, War and tagged chemical weapons, Syria. Bookmark the permalink.

Does “tres Brooklyn” really mean young and cool in Paris, or only in the NY Times Travel Section?

*****

Are attractive young women the new thing? Here are some indications of that:

• Daytime TV hostesses and commentators.
• Trump’s three  wives, all fashion models.
• Omarose Manigault-Newman, Hope Hicks, Ivanka Trump

On the other hand, experienced politicians like Susan Collins, Diane Feinstein, and Nancy Pelosi may be old hat. When Tom Reed in his political propaganda attacks Nancy Pelosi, is he emphasizing her age and appearance rather than her competence? Did her age cost Hillary Clinton the election?

Does  male adultery no longer matter to “value voters?” Is the “metoo” movement a reaction to youth-worship? One wonders.

This entry was posted in Reed’s Views, Seniors and tagged metoo movement. Bookmark the permalink.

The following is an article from a NY 23rd resident who has requested to remain “anonymous”.  The article is a reaction to the announcement that Tompkins County’s Leslie Danks Burke will be running for State Senator for the 58th Senatorial District (Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Yates and the western portion of Tompkins Counties) against incumbent Tom O’Mara. We will have more articles about all State races that affect the people of the NY 23rd.  

In my young life, I have seen the victory and fall of Democrats across the country, I have seen rural areas, working class folk that Republicans count as their own pull the lever for a man named Barack Obama not once but twice. I have seen underdogs win in places where others would give up.  Often I’ve been frustrated with both parties, but I can tell you that America is greater than the corruption and cynicism we see.

I write to you not to tell you that we can win, I’m writing to tell you that we need to win.

I’m tired of people both young and old saying that Congress, is corrupt, we must elect leaders that can change the very rules of American Politics and bring about the needed revolution to give our politics back to the people of the Southern Tier.  We need restore our faith in democracy, so that every child from the children of factory workers in Elmira and farmers in Owego to the son of Corning executives can both have the ability to engage in democracy and have the same opportunities just as the founding fathers wanted.

In my mind this election is about reviving the greatest generation idea of service to country and community, and rejecting the politics of cynicism and neglect to say let’s elect leaders who will stand up for the American people and the people of the Southern Tier.

We need to reject the idea that every issue is right and left, but that there is a right and wrong beyond partisan bickering. We must bring back those values of the greatest generation of service to community and country.

While these remarks may seem celebratory, I write to tell you that this election will not be decided by fancy fundraisers in Manhattan or Caviar receptions in DC, they are decided by us the people.

We need to elect leaders to congress like John Plumb,  Zephyr Teachout (who is considering running for Congress from the Hudson Valley area), and  Utica’s Anthony Brindisi (who will probably run for the NY-22’s open congressional seat). Proven Leaders who will not only go to Washington to bring our hopes and dreams but to fight for our communities.  To bring economic development to places like Chemung County so that families no longer need to be broken up due to lack of job opportunities.   We need to stand with John Plumb and send him to DC, so that we have a fighter for our shared values and communities.

We need to elect leaders like Leslie Danks Burke, and Hudson Valley’s Terry Gipson who will fight for our communities so that the Southern Tier and Upstate New York will get a fair shake. Leaders who will go to Albany to end the endemic corruption and make sure we get a fair shake for our region, and do what others can’t by having the political will to put the Southern Tier and upstate New York before party.

We always hear, that every election nothing is going to change, but I’m here to tell you that it does change, that money can only buy ads and not people. That the next 11 months are crucial to bring back our democracy, and bring back that god given democracy that America was founded on. Lets bring back people powered politics.

As my President Barack Obama once said “Change does not come from Washington  D.C. change comes to Washington D.C.”

Let’s Stand with John Plumb and Leslie Danks Burke, let’s stand for our Southern tier and Upstate New York values.

Leslie Danks Burke’s website,  Facebook, Twitter accounts

John Plumb’s website, Facebook, Twitter accounts

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