We couldn't resist. After receiving a number of emails asking what the local Conservative Party stood for, we did some soul searching and think we have an answer.
Here’s the background. As a so called minor party, the Conservative Party at the local level no longer embellishes ideology. The party of William F. Buckley as one might conceive of it on a national scale is, locally, no more than a line on the voting machine. The names which appear by endorsement come at the bequest of the Republican County leaders whose members and families have infiltrated the party in sufficient numbers to capture a majority of the committee seats in the county and hence the county officers are at their command.(Many hold State jobs to ensure loyalty.
In North Greenbush it’s more humorous. A local contractor seeing political power as a means of improving his business has used his money and influence to capture a majority of the seats at the town level. He has installed a company brother, Michael Casale as Chairman and made Conservative Republican Lou Desso its Vice Chairman.
The party has one goal, control of town government and favorable treatment for more contracts, favorable interpretation of the existing contract for Water District 14 and, more cash from town taxpayers. Control of the party by a contractor who has significant multi million dollar business dealings with the town is a recipe for an ethical quagmire for taxpayers. If the company’s candidates for town board win and set the policies of town government, Casale Excavating most likely will find itself back in the drivers seat of cash flow and contracts.
So what is the “soul” of the town Conservative Party, well frankly its about money, money made from water! In essence, they have no soul.
Know any prayers?
2 comments:
This brings up a very important question: Can a candidate stand for the beliefs of the Republican, Conservative, Independence, and/or the Democratic line at the same time. I think not. How will the people know what one's beliefs are ?
At the local level you're not voting for ideology. You're voting for an individual and in the case of North Greenbush just trying to find someone who won't be bought and sold is the first challenge. My advice is to forget about political parties and try to find an individual who can stand tall, be a leader and who truly wants to try to clean up the mess our shady politicians have left behind over the years.
We have a democratic majority trying right now but they are left with the mess the supervisor leaves behind when he acts unilateraly. They are also only at meetings every two weeks and not directly overseeing the employees of the town offices. In our town, the job of supervisor becomes even more important because of the corruption within.
Post a Comment