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What tangled webs
At the kick-off of Ron Kim's campaign for mayor earlier this afternoon I had the chance to catch up with former mayor Valerie Keehn.
When asked about Ron Kim's chances for election, she spoke at length about what a poor job she feels Scott Johnson is doing as mayor. Still bitter? Perhaps, but she did have a legitimate complaint about the Independence Party.
The party has asked its members not to sign petitions that aim to get other candidates onto the ballot as write-in candidates -- a process that several Democrats are hoping will allow them to primary the Independence line, which is viewed as important in November's election. A letter sent by Independence city chairman Gordon Boyd said that the endorsed candidates were chosen by a party committee, and he asked for the voter's support for them, noting that other candidates are "likely to raise taxes."
However, this stance is at odds with statements about voter participation made on the state party's website. Basically, Keehn is saying that if the party is all about voter choice, the voters should have the right to choose who gets a spot on their line come November, and not a committee
The basis for her complaint is not really about the Independence Party's possible double-talk, but more about who comprises the city's Independence Party slate of candidates. For the most part, the endorsed candidates are Republicans.
OK, that's all well and fine. Those candidates were interviewed, deemed to fit the proper message, and were duly endorsed. The same can be said of Commissioner John Franck and Supervisor Joanne Yepsen, who have also been endorsed.
The trouble lies with the chairman himself, Boyd, as well as Ed Miller, candidate for Public Works.
Both are former (current?) allies of deposed Commissioner of Public Works Thomas McTygue. The same could be said of Franck, although he seems to be aligning himself more closely with Kim these days.
Keehn's objection is that Boyd, under the mantle of the Independence Party, is, in her view, continuing to advance McTyuge's agenda of 2007 -- oust Keehn AND her friends. Politics are politics and rivalries are nothing new, but if I were a voter registered in the Independence Party, I would want candidates that truly fit the party's agenda, and not candidates advanced because of a rivalry among members of another party.
When asked about Ron Kim's chances for election, she spoke at length about what a poor job she feels Scott Johnson is doing as mayor. Still bitter? Perhaps, but she did have a legitimate complaint about the Independence Party.
The party has asked its members not to sign petitions that aim to get other candidates onto the ballot as write-in candidates -- a process that several Democrats are hoping will allow them to primary the Independence line, which is viewed as important in November's election. A letter sent by Independence city chairman Gordon Boyd said that the endorsed candidates were chosen by a party committee, and he asked for the voter's support for them, noting that other candidates are "likely to raise taxes."
However, this stance is at odds with statements about voter participation made on the state party's website. Basically, Keehn is saying that if the party is all about voter choice, the voters should have the right to choose who gets a spot on their line come November, and not a committee
The basis for her complaint is not really about the Independence Party's possible double-talk, but more about who comprises the city's Independence Party slate of candidates. For the most part, the endorsed candidates are Republicans.
OK, that's all well and fine. Those candidates were interviewed, deemed to fit the proper message, and were duly endorsed. The same can be said of Commissioner John Franck and Supervisor Joanne Yepsen, who have also been endorsed.
The trouble lies with the chairman himself, Boyd, as well as Ed Miller, candidate for Public Works.
Both are former (current?) allies of deposed Commissioner of Public Works Thomas McTygue. The same could be said of Franck, although he seems to be aligning himself more closely with Kim these days.
Keehn's objection is that Boyd, under the mantle of the Independence Party, is, in her view, continuing to advance McTyuge's agenda of 2007 -- oust Keehn AND her friends. Politics are politics and rivalries are nothing new, but if I were a voter registered in the Independence Party, I would want candidates that truly fit the party's agenda, and not candidates advanced because of a rivalry among members of another party.
posted by The Saratogian City Desk at
9:42 PM
15 Comments:
Let's face it. Boyd is the one who is bitter. He was used by McTygue and still hasn't figured out he is just a puppet. Make sure to tell all the independents I know to vote for those choosing to primary. Afterall Mr. Boyd this is America.
Both Keehn and Kim voted to build the "Wreck Center" and raised taxes to do so. This action automatically put the next city council, Johnson's, in a position of dammed of you do, dammed if you don't because of the money Keehn and her coherts spent on it.
Keehn is a joke and a liar. I for one supported Keehn in her first run for Mayor and she never told me her first pressing issue would be to change the city charter. And yes I believe that many McTygue supporters left the Democrat party for the Independence party. But these same people looked very hard for Scott Murphy. In the end they did not leave the Saratoga Democratic Party the Saratoga Democratic Party left them. Tom McTygue has nothing to do with anyone we support. There are hard times ahead and we support who will be the best people in difficult times.
That is why we formed
Democrats for Johnson
I also don’t believe Keehn as grown as a person. She seems to be taking the same stance she always did POOR ME and still doesn’t except that she made some terrible mistakes in office {the Rec center bonding for one}. Kim is simply following in her footsteps and banging her same drum, once he is out of office for good the city will be a better place.
As far as Eddie Millier you where at the city council meeting when Skippy talked about the sidewalks on on 9P. Do you believe he has the faineance idea what he's talking about. Did you hear Sirocco claim he can make anyone anywhere fix their sidewalk if he doesn’t like it. He then went on to claim he can make any homeowner who doesn’t have a side walk put one in.
We have a grandfather clause on properties if he would care to have someone read it to him very slowly he might comprehend what that means.
And you wonder why he thinks his trucks can ram any car they feel like regardless of what the courts say.
And Gordilocks if you are Gerard, people are watching the terrace for voter intimidation by you a person in authority in public housing.You are well aware that forcing people to vote or sign petitions and threatening people if they refuse is a violation of the Hatch act and after reading the papers I doubt if you need any more trouble in your life.
Andrew,
With all due respect, I must say this is a prime example of the pot calling the kettle black. To say Keehn is being disingenuous would be like saying the global economic crisis is not that bad. First of all, the link you provided is "no longer the 'official' site of the Independence Party." Instead, follow the link here.
Secondly, the party has made endorsements ever since Tom Golisano got it on the ballot as a third party. For Keehn to say Gordon Boyd is misrepresenting the party's goals is her feeding you a bold-faced lie. The party isn't as organized as the major parties, in that it doesn't have voting districts in the city, or a city party to begin with. Pretty much, the only way to have an Independence Party nomination is for the party's hierarchy to select candidates. Unfortunately, the party has and continues to be used as a political football tossed between the greedy Republicans and Democrats, who think that having their name on the ballot as many times as possible will confuse and goad elderly voters into pulling the lever in their favor. Keehn tried to do the same thing in 2007, when she waged a primary against Boyd, who was in fact endorsed by then-county chairman Lee Kolesnikoff. I would advise you, in due diligence, to contact Kolesnikoff or state Chairman Frank MacKay before propagating Keehn's venom.
But with her concerns, I will repost some of the Independence Party credo, as relayed by their current site: "All government spending is a tax on each and every one of us, and WE, THE PEOPLE must demand appropriate accountability. We deserve a better quality lifestyle relative to our contributed tax dollars. We deserve a better reputation on the world's stage relative to the average American's honest goodwill towards all people, and the sacrifices that many generations have endured to improve the lives of others around the globe. We deserve competent, intelligent and forward-thinking leadership to lead the nation to new heights of prosperity."
Now, I realize there are indelible links between the Democratic Party's castaways and the so-called "McTygue faction." And I think you're safe in saying these folks have found a new home in the Independence Party, after being summarily and unfairly castigated by a small group of fanatics. But for Keehn to suggest they make no endorsements -leaving the choice up to the people -is just flat-out palaver spewed by a lady who still can accept the fact that she blew an election that would have been easily won had she not made an complete jackass of herself for two straight years in office.
Lastly, I'm really not sure where she translates "participation" into meaning the Independence Party doesn't make endorsements without city-wide vote. In fact, forcing a primary in the party actually goes against one of its precepts, which is fiscal responsibility. Every time a major party candidate not endorsed by the committee files for an opportunity to ballot, it costs the county Board of Elections thousands of dollars to host a primary.
Mr. Alger - I respect your comments but I am an independent in every sense of the word. This meaning the likes of a Gordon Boyd to tell me how to cast my vote is nothing sort of him being an arrogant blowhard. You can trash Keehn all you wish, makes no difference to me personally since I don't know the woman. But this Boyd seems to have an evil streak and it showed when he accused Jewish people of dropping fish on his porch after his embarassing loss to Keehn.
An Independent is just that, an Independent. Don't try pushing your party politics here, does not work. My eyes are wide open,I will decide for myself who to vote for. I know you folks need my vote to win, so work for it.
If Keehn was truly interested in giving the voters a choice she would have applauded Miller for standing up to Sirocco and giving the voters a choice.
But then again the voters had a choice two years ago and she didn’t like the way that turned out. So instead of accepting the will of the people she still blames bogey men and figments of her Shawn Thompson inspired imagination.
Sad really.
AHHH...Goddamn...I'm suddenly understanding the issue here, and frankly, it doesn't reflect kindly on Keehn's political savvy.
People, there is a gigantic, stadium-sized difference between the 'Independence Party' and being an 'independent' voter. Members of the Independence Party first use a capital 'I' because it's the name of a political group. Voters who are 'independent' simply register to vote. They can't vote in most primaries in New York, because they're technically not considered enrolled in a party; in fact, I don't think they can vote in any primaries, but I'm not certain. In other words, you're a small 'i' if you chose not to enroll in any party at all.
5:03, it sounds very likely that you're an independent, in which case I whole heartedly agree: If Boyd is trying to tell the masses of unaffiliated voters how to cast ballots, then he's got a thing coming. But he's not. As far as I know, he's the chairman of the Independence Party, which is a group specific to upstate New York, as it was founded by Paychex and Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano. I've often wondered if he chose the name simple because he realized some people would confuse it with independents. Look, I won't defend Boyd. The guy made a real ass out of himself during the campaign. But he did ultimately help the city by helping to oust the worst mayor in modern-day history.
9:11, grammatically speaking, the only time there's an 'Independent' voter is when there's more than one and that group is mentioned in the first word of a sentence: i.e. 'Independent voters turned out in droves for the election.' In as much, the only time you would otherwise use a capital 'I' with independent would be if it were the name of a person, place or thing: i.e. 'He named his dog Independent because the damn thing wouldn't obey any commands.'
I hope that clears things up a bit. Maybe someone could shoot an e-mail to Keehn, 'cause it doesn't sound like she knows the difference either. And that's pretty damn sad considering she was vying for the Independence Party endorsement in 2007.
DPW is still threatening to ram people cars
http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/07/24/news/doc4a6910545ab06412587036.txt
magicmom wrote on Jul 24, 2009 10:12 PM:
" Someone should ram Kaiser's car. He stole x rays from the hospital many years ago and got caught disposing of them illegally. Another wonderful supporter of Boyd and McTygue. "
wow, who is the small group? do you really believe this crap you write horatio? the democratic party had an incubment mayor who was popular within her party. at the insistence of a small group of committee members, she was not endorsed and mytygue's buddy was. now, this was all funny timing given the rift between the mctygue and keehn. in the keehn / boyd primary, many democrats let the committe know, that it made the wrong decision on whom they wanted to represent the party. it was the larger group of voters who overruled the smaller group's will. boyd ran anyway.
it's also funny and ironic that the party has endorsed everyone that supports tom or doesn't support people who would be seen as sympathetic to keehn. including tom's horse training buddy and self professed "best friend".
now, on to boyd and the party not taking on any primaries or having any challenges to their candidates.
here is what boyd has to say, "Ed felt it would be good for our party to have a full slate and good for citizens to have a choice." i guess he was not talking about a choice within his own party.
"miller said that he will be lobbying for the democratic nod.... city democratic committee chairman, allen turkheimer said that boyd has contacted him with the request for an endorsement..."
six degrees of seperation with tom mctygue.
demroc,
You're the one with no credibility here. You are blinded between your stumping for Scirocco and your hatred for McTygue. You gloss over the fact that Keehn lost by a landslide when you tally the voters who didn't vote for her. But this is old news, for the most part; except for the fact that the same dastardly machine that put this hollow shell of a mayor into office is still operating out of the PS department. And now they've amassed a slate of candidates with ALL their cronies, save for John Franck, who they must grudgingly keep on the ballot to give the faux impression of a unified ticket.
As for the Independence Party and your assertions, I await a response from a recent inquiry before I proceed with tearing your often misguided theories to pieces.
ps. I'm sending you a picture of McTygue sporting a leopard-print Spedo and dousing himself with a liberal dose of KY jelly. I hope it satisfies your otherwise insatiable McTygue lust this week, so the rest of us in the cyberworld don't have to listen to you prattle on about him like some jilted lover.
oh and i forgot, while you're pretending like i have nothing better to do than bash the mctygue-a-longs, it was the topic of this thread.
demroc: I have not posted your previously-submitted comment because it's gross. Please re-submit without the third grade allusions.
I think Andrew you are simply asking to much of demroc.
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