Letters to the Editor 7/5

Posted 7/3/18

Delgado’s regional ties When Antonio Delgado won the Democratic primary on June 26, John Faso gleefully said, “Our neighbors don’t look kindly upon candidates who have just moved to …

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Letters to the Editor 7/5

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Delgado’s regional ties

When Antonio Delgado won the Democratic primary on June 26, John Faso gleefully said, “Our neighbors don’t look kindly upon candidates who have just moved to the district.... “ This will certainly appeal to his Republican base. Delgado was born and raised in Schenectady, NY; went to college in Hamilton NY; his wife is a native of Kingston, NY; he bought a house in Rhinebeck NY and moved his family there. So he hasn’t moved here from Mars; he knows our part of New York State and its needs. The irony of Faso’s remark should be apparent to those who have followed his career. Faso failed to visit many parts of his district while in office and refused to meet with constituents who requested visits. 

According to the website FiveThirtyEight, Faso has voted in line with Trump 89.4% of the time. He voted to: repeal Obamacare, which would have cost the loss of health care to 10% of his constituents; and for the recent farm bill, which eliminated regulations which protect our water against pollution from pesticides. Even when he voted against Trump’s tax bill he got permission from the party. And most telling, his voting record correctly represents who his real constituency is: the Long Island billionaire Mercer family, who have given him a large portion of the $2 millin he has raised for his reelection campaign. The Mercers are the money behind Breitbart News, the content of which Faso claims to be ignorant. 

Faso is smart and knows how to change the subject when asked a question that counters his “market supremacy” philosophy. I met him at an event he did attend and asked about the truly small amount that is dedicated to the social safety net, and he responded that regulations are choking off small business. But the regulations that Trump reverses and Faso agrees to are all about making things easier for big corporations, like the oil and gas industry. 

So according to Faso, Delgado has a strike against him—but what NY19 and the country need should motivate voters to see that Faso is out at second.

Roy Tedoff

Hortonville, NY

At the rally for children

I went to a rally for the children in Monticello. It was great; nearly 100 people turned out and created a lot of enthusiasm. We won the attention from the steady stream of cars, good or bad. We need to know who our friends are, and our enemies and the mass of indifferent, or so it seems. Greeting friends, watching the crowd, listening to voices. 

I heard it said:” Where are the young people?” I can’t be concerned. We had at least two 90-year-olds who were there, and I am 86, and I brought my passion, as they did, as we all did. 

I looked at them, sweating in the 90° heat, holding up their signs. They were all homemade signs, trying to send their personal message to the president. Where do we go from here? I am scared. I don’t want the president to destroy our country, do more damage. If we could only help each other to stay strong. There was such fertile ground in the participants. Can we go beyond saying: What can we do? and helplessly asking, “Where are all the young people?”

 I call on one of you techies to create a national registry of the discontent with Trump. I would put myself on it in a second. 

Heidi Schneider

Narrowsburg, NY

Thanks to those who made Milford Community House possible

This past week the Milford Community House celebrated a milestone: After years of careful restoration and interior rehabilitation, Milford has a new visitor center, offices for non-profit partners and a community meeting room (see story on page 9).  

The Milford Community House Board of Trustees owes thanks to hundreds of citizens and organizations who helped make this happen—too many to mention in this letter. For instance, citizens recently donated art work, artifacts, and furnishings for the new Milford Community Room so that it has the look of a home when you stop by for a visit.   

But we are not done. Our first order of business is to “retire our mortgage.” The trustees had to borrow $60,000 to complete this phase of work. Our first priority is to pay this off before we begin the next phase: creating another work space in the basement that can be used for classes and informal work sessions; upgrading the temporary toilets to full flush toilets and a secure structure; and squeezing in nine more parking spaces.

We also want to give a special thanks to Commonwealth legislators  Sen. Lisa Baker and representatives Rosemary M. Brown and Michael Peifer, who were critical in helping us receive a $200,000 LSA Grant (i.e. casino funds) to make progress on the interior.  Thanks to you, we are now open for visitors and residents alike.

Most importantly, we want to thank the Pinchot family for the gift almost a century ago of this wonderful building in the center of town.  We think of it as the center of contact for visitors and residents of our county.

Edgar Brannon

Milford Community House Board of Trustees

Milford, PA

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