Greenbush Party Becomes Only Alternative to “Coronation”

When you do the math, less than 1000 party members from the Democratic and Republican enrollment of voters, the majority of which were loyal to the wishes of party bosses, gave away the independence of each party to replace the general election with a sort of coronation where only one candidate’s name appears on all four lines for Supervisor and town council. Less than 1000 people voting at either a caucus or in a primary deciding that the 8,000 or so enrolled voters in North Greenbush need not have a choice in their November election and will be compelled to accept their choices for town offices defies common sense and democratic principles.

This is certainly not the way a two party system in a democracy is supposed to function. It removes any competition of ideas. Ends a meaningful debate on the issues confronting the town and in effect renders voting in the general election a meaningless act of coronation.

This fear of the party bosses deciding together to endorse the same candidates and divide the spoils of North Greenbush between themselves, a contractor thirsty for more unlimited payments on his contract and developers led town residents to form an independent party called the Greenbush Party.

Those running on this line in November are now the only opposition to the political union of the four major parties which have ended electoral debate at a time when this town is most urgently in need of debate. It is no doubt a daunting task confronting candidates for town office on the Greenbush Party line. They are from all political faiths, Democrat, Republican, even a Blank or unaffiliated candidate who is enrolled in no party. It is now up to them to force a debate in North Greenbush on matters from adoption of a Comprehensive Plan, mismanaged multi million dollar contracts, illegal appointments by the supervisor, the lack of a supervising manager in the Building Department to guide the actions of unionized employees who are now managing themselves.

Nonetheless, the Greenbush Party, created by the signatures of more than 500 town residents from all political faiths, is now the last hope for a competitive election instead of a coronation by party bosses.



Kyran Devery
Today is Day 68 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.