Tricounty Update: Saratoga DFA Meeting Tuesday -- Upcoming events, Much More
Hello Everyone;

First: Remember, October 14th is the voter Registration deadline for the November 8th election! If you aren't registered, you need to show some speed!

In this update:

1. Saratoga Meetup Tuesday
2. Glens Falls Meetup Report
3. Washington County Democratic Events
4. Saratoga County Democratic Events
5. Glens Falls Mayoral Candidates to Debate Tuesday
6. A Long View Of What Has Gone Wrong Through The Prism of Architecture and J.K. Galbraith
7. The Long View Of How To Put It Right: Dean, Colorado
8. On The Lighter Side

1. Saratoga Meetup Tuesday

The next Saratoga 'Meetup" -- now DFA-Linkup -- is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11 at 7:15pm. It will be held this month at the home of Sally Kirouac, 21 Horseshoe Drive, Saratoga Springs. Pat Friesen is unable to host this month, so Sally has graciously stepped forward to host. For more info call Sally at: 518-580-9264

On the agenda is an opportunity to meet and interview Mayoral Candidate Valerie Keehn, who will make a presentation. If you live in Saratoga and haven't met her yet, this is a great chance to do so; they are also looking for campaign volunteers. This is a big race, with serious implications for the future of Saratoga Springs. Remember,the last mayoral race was decided by only 80 votes!

To RSVP or get more info go to: http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/link/event.php?id=1353

2. Glens Falls Meetup Report

Last Wednesday we held another successful DFA meeting at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls. We discussed the September 24th March on Washington, with in person reports from Pat and Dick Dudley, Bernice Mennis, Rebekkah Chenoweth and KImberly Kennedy.

We also talked about the coming Congressional race against John Sweeney. You may not have heard that George Bush has a nickname for our John Sweeney. Guess what it is? "Congressman Kick-Ass." That's right, "Congressman Kick-Ass." George Bush knows he is indebted to John Sweeney for shutting down the fair and accurate counting of votes in Miami in 2000 -- otherwise he would not be in the White House now. We must never forget what Sweeney did.

On the subject of votes, we also discussed the upcoming local county decisions on voting machine technology -- will our communities go with optically scanned paper ballots that can be recounted and verified, or touch screen DRE's, which can be hacked with the real vote locked up and altered inside the machine?

We agreed to invite Bo Lipari, of New York Verified Voting, to a forum to be held later this month or early next month on voting machine technology and the decisions local counties will have to be making soon. To pay his expenses we passed the hat to raise the $125 needed. We are contacting him now and expect to hear from him shortly as to the available dates. This should be a very big event.

Also -- if anyone wants to chip in -- we fell a bit short -- that would be greatly appreciated. We need about $25 more.

If you want to help as a volunteer, contact me or the committee chair for this issue, Bob Rockwell at rrockwel@nycap.rr.com

3. Washington County Democratic Events

Lisa Manzi sends these Washington County Democratic Events:

October 18th - The Salem Democratic committee will be hosting a "Meet the Candidate" night for Dottie Schneider at 7PM at the Georgi Museum meeting room in Shushan. Refreshments will be served. Contact Frank Fronhofer 854-7893 for more information.

October 21st - noon to 3:00 PM, Women's Luncheon with Kirstin Gillibrand at La Fontana Resturant in Hudson Falls. To reserve your seat, send $25 per person payable to WCDC to Mary Silitch PO Box 78, North Granville NY 12854. Contact Mary Silitch at 642-9410. Note: Space is limited - reservations are required by October 17th.

October 25th - Greenwich Democrats are hosting a "Meet the Candidates House Party" for Suzanne Cohen and Lisa Manzi from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Ed and Jane Dowling's House, 1 Highland Street in Greenwich. Refreshments served. For more information, contact Ed Dowling at 692-3394.

4. Saratoga County Democratic Events

Pell Kennedy sends these Saratoga Events:

The Friends of Valerie Keehn cordially invite you to a McKrells Concert Fundraiser for Valerie at the Parting Glass.
Come hear the music, support & meet Val, and have a blast. Cash bar, free appetizers! $25 per person. 7 - 9 PM.
The Parting Glass is on Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs between City Hall and the Armory; you can't miss it or the partying crowd!

The Saratoga Springs Democratic Women’s Committee is hosting a Luncheon Fundraiser for its Women Candidates.
Wednesday, October 19th at the Inn at Saratoga. Noon – 1:30pm

Featuring remarks by:
Valerie Keehn, Candidate for Mayor
Joanne Dittes Yepsen, Candidate for County Supervisor
Cheryl Keyrouze, Candidate for County Supervisor

Please RSVP by Sunday, October 16. $25 per person
For more info contact: Janine at 583-7855 or jstuchi1@nycap.rr.com or Stephanie at 581-2627 or corps@lexcenter.org

5. Glens Falls Mayoral Candidates to Debate Tuesday

All five candidates for the Glens Falls Mayor's race will debate live on television on Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30pm on TV 8. TV 8 is also available on Time Warner Cable channel 8. This will be the first time all five candidates: Republican Bud Taylor, Democrat LeRoy Atkins, Independent Esmond Lyons, Independent Peter McDevitt and Independent WIlliam Berg will meet to debate.

6. A Long View Of What Has Gone Wrong Through The Prism of Architecture and J.K. Galbraith

The famous 19th century artist, critic and historian John Ruskin once observed that the story of a civilization is more accurately told by the story of its stones, that is, its buildings, than its poems or histories. Perhaps. Certainly architecture can give a true long view of what has gone wrong with a county.

The NY Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff gave a deeply thoughtful long view of America in the Sunday Times. Starting with the heroic saga of New Orleans pump operators trying to keep pumps built in the 1920s working (yes, New Orleans was dependent on 80 year old pumps!), he goes on to observe;

"For decades now, we have been witnessing the slow, ruthless dismantling of the nation's urban infrastructure. The crumbling levees in New Orleans are only the most conspicuous evidence of this decline: it's evident everywhere, from Amtrak's aging track system to New York's decaying public school buildings.... Rather than confront the causes of that deterioration, we are encouraged to overlook it... The inadequacy of that vision has now become glaringly obvious.... our decision makers will have to face up to what our cities have become, and why. "

In Ouroussoff's powerful account, this happened because of the privatization of American culture and the decline of a commitment to the common good, what used to be called the commonweal. A not to be missed article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/09/arts/design/09ouro.html

It is also the 97 birthday of America's greatest economist John Kenneth Galbraith. Galbraith famously warned us against the danger of "private affluence and public squalor" -- exactly what Ouroussoff is describing. Interviewed for his birthday, Galbriath, "the man who warned Kennedy about the championing of war in Vietnam added: 'Our military operations, including notably Iraq, are under corporate direction through Rumsfeld and a compliant military staff. In the absence of corporate initiative and power we would not be in Iraq. And, a more poignant matter, we would not have George Bush.'

Best read back to back with the story of New Orleans antique pumps.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1588151,00.html

7. The Long View Of How To Put It Right: Dean, Colorado

Thankfully, in Governor Dean we have a man who takes the long view in how to set America back on track:

Dean was just interviewed on Hardball -- he is saying the leading issue to come will be a "culture of corruption exists in the Republican Party", which actually ties into the two articles above: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9601984/

There was also a great Washington Post profile on how he is rebuilding the Party and what voters are really looking for from Democrats: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801129.html

Also, Dean Democrats are busy in Colorado:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100800615.html

8. On The Lighter Side

Finally, on the lighter side, Drew found this gem: http://www.cronyjobs.com/

Thanks Everyone! See you all soon.

Larry
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:21 AM