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The Godly Humanist's avatar

The success of the Last American Newspaper is a joy to read about. As you now you've adapted it to a play. I will say it again congratulations. Enjoy.... A reflection of life well lived.

In the same breath the video is a testament to how the gross greed of few will effect many. Lives will be lost. I sit thinking how much a billionaire needs another vacation home. I as a working man enjoy vacationing in Maine.

Corea Maine a lovely spot to bask in the sun. Coastal towns are great spots where the local fishermen come in with the first catch of the day mid Am. I being said consumer having the am to burn off get a mid Am snack of a fresh lobster roll before noon. This is my measure of success. Steamed lobster is gold ..Spend a day relaxing with family in a Air BNB... Not a bad way to spend a day ..

The peaceful revolts we have seen bubbling are a testament to the fact people will continue to hand on to what is good. We will revolt and correct the lies of the people who claim to be Godly but savoring the gluttony of Billionaires.

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Miriam Lang Budin's avatar

Elise Stefanik could have voted NO on the Big Ugly Bill. But she didn’t She has no concern for the health of her constituents. Thank you for your attention to this message.

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Dominic Tom's avatar

Not only did she salivate in voting "yes" for the Big Ugly Bill but I saw some reports that she bragged about casting the actual vote that passed the bill, leaving intelligent people to wonder how her equally decrepit colleagues in the House felt about her self-promotion. StefaniQ never had concern for the 21st district in any aspect -- health, finance, cost of living, family support, farming issues, the military at Fort Drum ............... She's an entitled, spoiled, little rich kid who was planted in the 21st by her handlers long ago. What's not well known is that -- as an elected official -- she and the other rabble are indemnified for their words and actions, same as our local elected officials. Dems made the mistake a long time ago for not finding state charges to levy against her, including that fake residency fiasco used for her first run for the office.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

I think that should be her calling card from now on that she was the reason this bill passed. That should be her legacy.

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Sandra M. Watson's avatar

I want more people to be woken up from the nightmare. Angus King is right and Ted's YouTube is direct.

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Dominic Tom's avatar

I've admired Angus King for quite awhile after seeing him in action but also reading articles and seeing interviews with him even before his election to the Senate. I think he'd make a very good president, especially since he's an independent but has the Democrats' support. He may have waited too late, though, as he's not the young person that young voters, progressives and moderates favor these days.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Unfortunately, political parties every rare pick the best, most qualified person to be president.

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Catherine's avatar

Congratulations Ken. I can't wait to go to the reading of the Last American Newspaper! Glad I bought our season tickets.

If only we could go back in time...we could have stopped the worst of what we are now living through, or would we have? The bill is cruel. Increases ICE more than $400 Billion, adds 10,000 border patrol agents and gives them a $10,000 sign on bonus! The goal is to deport 1 million people per year. Trump said yesterday, even US Citizen!. Building concentration camps in the Everglades mocking it calling it "Alligator Alcatraz"! Some estimate that it costs $165 a night to house an immigrant family in NYC and $245 a night in the new Florida camp not including the cost to build the structure. Never mind the tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires, all the while cutting our healthcare, education, environmental protections and more... It's a crime and I do not see the House standing up against the bill. Our lives are going to change and it is not going to be pleasant. Calling the bill cruel is really an understatement. It's inhumane, depraved, unconscionable. Our representatives are not representing us, only themselves and their pocketbooks. I sure hope they can spend their money in hell.

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Chriss's avatar

I intend to write every elected official who is on the ballot this November and ask them if they support this "Big Beautiful Bill" and why. I suspect few, if any, will answer. I will vote accordingly.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Start with Dan Stec and Matt Simpson and every local candidate after that.

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Chriss's avatar

That is my intention.

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Dominic Tom's avatar

Might as well send their letters to Santa Claus.

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Dominic Tom's avatar

You guys need to add a laughing emoji to the reply section. LOL. Stec, Simpson and other local state Republicans -- actually, statewide -- in the Assembly and Senate are utter jokes when it comes to being elected officials. They're all powerless in state government because of the overwhelming dominance of Democrats, especially downstate. So they latch on to the disgusting national Republicans to avoid the reality that they do nothing beneficial for their constituents except hand out awards and certificates to a few people. All the while collecting undeserved six-figure salaries, great benefits -- I'll bet their health care won't be affected one iota -- per diems, expense accounts, staff employees, etc... I speak from experience having worked as an editor for the state Assembly Minority Member Services Department years ago. Oh, the stories I could tell.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

Leaders from the past are calling us to action.

A republic, if we can keep it…

https://albellenchia.substack.com/p/declarations?r=7wk5d

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Eric Mondschein's avatar

Congratulations Ken! Not only a terrific achievement for you, but also our community and those who believe we must have newspapers!

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Ken Tingley's avatar

Exactly! I hope that is the message it sends. There is a core audience desperate for great journalism.

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Bridget Ball's avatar

Thanks to the gentleman who prepared the maps illustrating the effects of the OBBBA on the North Country.

I think I’ll make another donation to dairy farmer Blake Gendebein.

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Tom LaBombard's avatar

Thanks for sharing the video. In an email to Elise, I decided to share the URL for it, and remind her that if she wants to run for governor as she says that voting to cut SNAP and Medicaid will not be helpful. Also, the video shows 3 hospitals likely to close in the district. Frankly, I don't see Ticonderoga hospital surviving this if it goes through, so we need to factor that one in too. Patients there would either go to Glens Falls or Middlebury VT. Wait times can be long in Plattsburgh Malone and Potsdam as it is now in the Emergency Room. I can see that only getting worse as the demand increases.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

The Fort Hudson CEO commented about the struggles that nursing homes are facing and this will make that even worse.

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Tom LaBombard's avatar

I didn't really expect different, but looking at the voting Elise has decided to follow Trump on the bill. We all know how to "reward" her in 2026, now don't we. I have seen Gendebien speak twice, and if you are worried about him being too far left, don't. He generally comes down in the middle of most issues. He doesn't like this bill.

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Roland Van Deusen's avatar

We can't rely on the 2026 mid-term elections to be the magic bullet for GOP/MAGA. Trump's new Postmaster General may finish the job DeJoy started, & mail-in ballots from Dems & independents might get "lost." The red states continue their gerrymandering & purging voter lists, etc., & the new bill's cancelling of health insurance & SNAP benefits have been cruelly timed to not reach most kitchen tables until too close to, or past, the 2026 elections. We'll still need to work our asses off to win a squeaker to take Congress back.

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Maggie's avatar

The Postal Service got wacked really hard by DeJoy. I've been seeing the results loud and clear here. I live on a rural route - post office is about 4 miles away - small town. Now every piece of mail goes to Syracuse (an hour and a half away) even a birthday card to my grandson from me to the small town! Also, if our regular mail person is off - our post office calls Binghamton (15 miles away) for a replacement - if they dont have one, there is no mail delivered or picked up! Hows that for DeJoy's efficiency?

My question would be how are the mail in ballots going to work in mid-terms?????????

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Kevin Robbins's avatar

Great job by Ted Peterson. Thanks for posting his video.

I’ll never understand the nihilism of Republicans. Trump continues to turn over every rock to grift a few more dollars out of his supporters. Most recently fragrances to go with the usual apparel merch. What’s the point of dying with a few more dollars?

And when he dies there are going to be millions upon millions of people dancing in the streets. He’s leaving a legacy of damage and more to his own supporters than to those in blue areas.

I realize he’s a narcissistic sociopath. But do the rest of them like Murkowski and Stefanik share that? Murkowski managed to score a small carve out for her state at the expense of the other 330+ million people in the country. Stefanik is reportedly going to be running for governor at a time when she’ll be potentially responsible for the closing of any number from 1 to 5 hospitals in upstate NY and the excess deaths that result from closures.

Ambition outweighs being remembered fondly I guess.

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Dominic Tom's avatar

I'm still waiting for Great Meadow prison to reopen and provide jobs for the entire (former) staff. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what StefaniQ, Stec and Simpson promised during those big rallies held in the North Country? Sounded more like an early campaign rally for the three -- all promises, no positive results.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

I believe they did. And they got re-elected anyway.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

What I don't understands is that members of Congress fail to understand that there is strength in numbers. If 10 of them banded together, they could be the counterweight. All is you need is 10 people with a conscious, with a moral center. But of course, there are not 10 people with those attributes.

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Maggie's avatar

10 Congress or Senator members WITH A CONSCIENCE AND A MORAL CENTER?

Plus not being terrified of losing their "offices".

There is a name for people like that - but its denigrating to cats.!

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Agata Stanford's avatar

Congratulations!

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Chriss's avatar

And folks don't feel that your healthcare is safe from cuts either from private/employer funded insurance. I read an article yesterday, from a trusted source, that explained that when RJK, Jr.'s firing of the entire 17 person CDC vaccine advisory board and replace them with vaccine skeptics may effect how insurance companies cover vaccines, especially for our youngest citizens. The insurance companies take their advisement from the advisory board therefore, if the board rules vaccines should not mandated, insurance companies may decline to pay for immunizations as being unnecessary. Another day another worry.

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Ken Tingley's avatar

I believe I had that in The Front Page, but of course, I read it elsewhere.

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Richie Bittner's avatar

That the entire Republican Party goes on with this is disgusting. Climate change, a real problem is being ignored and in may cases going backwards while the immigration issue and it's infliction of pain and the divesting effects it is having on real people everyday is now going to become worse. The joy they take in touring the prisons is beyond the pale, the hell that these places are for the incarcerated seems to be the point. I stammer in dis-belief.

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Steve Bederian's avatar

Elise will watch you and/or your neighbors die to further her political ambitions. It’s that simple.

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Edward Low's avatar

one thing I can say about theatre... enjoy it all

º appreciate being produced.... you have some major bonuses many do not.. many have wanted to be reporters, but never get to... and so many playwrights never get their plays produced

º I am sure the performances will be thrilling and without a doubt there will be mistakes.... but know those flaws show how hard theatre (life) is

º enjoy all aspects.. if you talk to theatre people you will often find the most enjoyable part is the rehearsals. Unlike the editing process of writing, where favorite lines are cut for clarity or space.. a play is more visual and you see a performance become better because of the changes...

Sometimes an actor will make a mistake and you realize it is better that way...

In some ways a play is like a child.. you lead as much as you can.. nurture when you can and accept things will be as they are..

And you hope when all grown up.. others appreciate

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Ken Tingley's avatar

We've had one reading in Albany in March and to see my written words come to life was quite thrilling. Loved the rehearsal process as well. What has been obvious since the beginning is that this is a collaborative process with Artistic Producer Miriam Weisfeld being my guide along the way. She has helped transform the play from its beginnings that I think is something worth seeing. Hopefully, others will as well.

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