Upstate is more than just Stefanik's district. District 22 (at least before redistricting), went for Biden. Granted the newly created district voted for Brandon Williams the Texas carpetbagger, but I don't think he will be re-elected. Katko was a fair congressman and local but Williams insulted him even though they were in the same party. Why being rude to people you don't even know is considered to be "a fighter" or any kind of positive quality in a politician, I will never know. But it does seem to prove out the erstwhile presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's deplorable comment.
When CD 21 was carved out, urban centers like Saratoga Springs which would be more liberal were carved around to make 21 much more Republican. The term conservative doesn’t fit; Trumpism is not really conservative. Remember that our district elected democratBill Owens before it was redrawn and Washington political operatives pulled Stefanik out of their hat.
Elise will make herself into anything that serves her ruthless political ambitions.
The same thing happened to us-- Onondaga County, City of Syracuse is Blue. But they jammed in Madison and Wayne counties into our district. I work in healthcare and believe me, we can name the county when many of these rural residents transfer in for care. And so many are well, brainwashed. There is no logic, just talking points, regurgitation of TFucker and their radio shows and silo'd social media. I really don't know what can fix this situation. These so-called "law and order" want to delete the FBI... does that make any sense? Crime for their "team" is a-ok, no biggie, everyone does it. But if not on their team they need to hammer them, arrest, imprison etc. What is happening in Republican dominated state houses is concerning. There is not even a show of allowing debate, discussion, fair handed hearing but lots and lots of censure and draconian punishment. Is this really okay with the citizens of the US? What next? assassination attempts a la Putin for daring to contradict them?
As I have said before, Stefanik needs to have a mental competency evaluation. Obsession over one particular person is not a good sign of objective observations. She is barely doing her job, and using her constituents as an excuse to continue supporting trump. She is working for him, not N.Y.!
My suspicion is that she does not do anything without checking the polling. There may still be a majority of residents who support Trump - hope they read David Brooks’ column today - but opinions can change quickly with current events.
I have no doubt there is still a lot of brain-washed people in this area still. We occasionally hear them when we are doing our lighted letters for the North Country Light Brigade. Even if we are doing letters for other causes, people bring up trump's name.
Moral vs amoral. Yes...that distills it to its essence. You don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to believe that there is good and evil in this world, and that moral fiber is the bulwark agains the latter. We must stand fast.
After Mike Pence's testimony before Jack Smith's grand jury in Washington yesterday, impending indictments, if any, regarding the attempted overthrow the 2020 presidential election should be seen in the near term. The conspiracy that was dreamt up to overthrow that election was referred to as the "Green Bay Sweep" by Trump advisor Peter Navarro. According to him it involved many members of congress, some who have been rewarded for their support and now sit as committee chairs and leadership within the personality cult formerly known as the GOP. Co-conspirators. These co-conspirators continue the fraud out of necessity as investigators zero in on who will be charged and what those charges will be. Soon Washington will be littered with victims who claim it is a politically motivated witch hunt. Of course it's politically motivated; 147 members of Congress attempted to overthrow a Presidential election. If you are not held accountable for what you have done, you won't hesitate to do it again. These co-conspirators, who cheerfully threw around slogans during campaigns like "law and order" and "back the blue" now find that to be the opposition. Many of the minions who believed in your fraudulent conspiracy and conducted a riotous siege upon the Capitol now find themselves in prison, their lives ruined because of it. This era of criminality extended to include fraudulent business records to cover hush money payments to a porn star, campaign finance fraud, illegal possession of classified materials, obstruction of their eventual recovery, espionage and state election interference. These potential crimes all center around one individual and were committed before, during and after a daily lie filled term in the White House. This is Elies' champion. Ask yourself, why would anyone in elected office want to so closely associate themselves with and promote an individual who faces a maelstrom of indictments, arrests, bookings and court appearances because of their thinking themselves above the law? Are you hoping for a future pardon, which has already been promised?
So glad to hear good things about Nikki Haley and Jill Lochner.
About Nikki Haley:
"While watching an interview with Haley, I was startled at how level-headed and professional she was. There were no attacks, no belittling of the current administration. She seems to be an old-fashioned Republican. You know, one with values and a courage of her convictions."
About Jill Lochner:
"She is a Republican challenging Stefanik for her congressional seat. The good boys old running the county committees won’t even take her calls.
They won’t even take a meeting.
They believe this is “Stefanik Country.”
It was once Sweeney country, too, until he lost.
What Stefanik has ignored is that her very red district has many voices."
Thank you for this..you just reminded me to change my party affiliation today from dem to republican so I can vote in the Republican primary against Stefanik. If the "good ole boys" of the republican party won't take her challengers phone call, then, the voters need to stand up...I'm really really sick of the republican "machine" in the North Country.
I have started following Ms. Lochner because I find her to be mainstream. I think the combination of Ms. Stefanik’s extremism and her inability to address or even vote for issues that are prevalent in HER district disqualify her. Her support and fund raising fot Donald Trump just makes her more unacceptable but her inability to recognize the peril her votes have on the underprivileged and the poor in her district are reason enough to find someone who might actually want to work for her district
If I was voting in the Republican primary today Nikki Haley would pretty likely have my vote. What you write about her position on abortion seems a little off, tho. It seems to be in flux. This is Elaine Godfrey at The Atlantic today.
“Yet on Tuesday, Nikki Haley set out to declare her position on the issue—and proceeded to be about as clear as concrete.
She began with plausible precision. “I want to save as many lives and help as many moms as possible,” the former South Carolina governor and ambassador to the United Nations told reporters gathered at the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America headquarters, in Northern Virginia—a press event billed as a “major policy speech.” But her statements quickly got squishier. It’s good that some states have passed anti-abortion laws in the past year, she said. And as for the states that have reacted by enshrining abortion-rights protections? Well, she wishes “that weren’t the case.”
To be fair to her that’s going to be a tough needle to thread.
She’s walking a tightrope. I understand politics well enough to give someone the benefit of the doubt in some cases. Trump seems to be the only one capable of actually taking a pro-choice position and living to tell about it. I still wish Nikki well. She’s running a better campaign than Meatball Ron anyway. Or is he Bobblehead Ron now?
I realize that just because he’s a horrible person is no excuse for nasty nicknames. 🙈
Oh yeah, reading Charlie Sykes just reminded me of Nikki Haley saying Joe Biden is likely to die in the next 5 years. It’s going to be a tough choice in that Republican primary for president next year. Lucky the congressional choice is looking so clear.
It’s more likely that at the same time Republicans are running around saying Biden’s going to die leaving Kamala Harris president, they’re secretly wishing for Donald Trump to be taken home.
So, just one more. I don’t follow the politics of abortion because I’m incapable of it. Here’s a really good piece at The Bulwark today. I don’t know if it’s behind a paywall. Hoping not. Bulwark is a fantastic bargain anyway so subscribe.
So, this is the piece I was looking for. Also at The Atlantic by Peter Wehner.
“Lack of restraint is the essence of the Trump movement. Shattering guardrails is what they find thrilling. But what MAGA adherents forget is that those guardrails exist to protect not only others, but also ourselves from excess, self-indulgence, and self-harm. There’s a reason temperance—self-mastery, the capacity to moderate inordinate desires, balance that produces internal harmony—is one of the four cardinal virtues.
The extremism, aggression, and lack of restraint in MAGA world are spreading rather than receding. They are becoming more rather than less indiscriminate. Those who are part of that movement, and certainly those who lead it, act as if they’re invincible, as if the rules don’t apply to them, as if they can say anything and get away with anything. That has certainly been true of Trump, and it is often true of those who have patterned themselves after Trump, which is to say, virtually the entire Republican Party.”
It probably goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of The Atlantic.
So, now a comment that I’ll try to write in my own words. Thanks so much, Ken, for having the stomach to endure Twitter. I set the blue bird free awhile back. Also, appreciate the numbers on Trump voters. I got 54% that he received.
Hopefully by Spring of 2024 whatever spell Trump casts over his followers will have started to lift. I don’t know that cults often end that way. Maybe those just don’t get the same attention as the more cataclysmic ones.
Not that anecdotal evidence means much, but I couldn’t tell you where I’ve seen a Trump flag hanging recently. The ones I did know of have gone the way of all flesh. May their tatters be an apt metaphor.
Stefanik is so wrong. This is not "Trump Country." The people in her district are smarter than that. I believe that had the Democratic Party nominated almost anyone other than Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump would never have been President. Notice who won when Joe Biden was the nominee. Elise is playing it safe. She doesn't have the spine to point out that Trump is a two-bit conman.
I would suggest that we are beyond the "where there is smoke" cliche. Trump brought us a burning inferno. The world watched as Trump befriended and, yes, admired, despots around the world, reversed engines on climate change, battled against women's rights, stoked the racial divide, tried to overturn an election (and almost succeeded), incited an insurrection (for which he was impeached and narrowly averted a Senate conviction), all the while acting like a petulant child. This list goes on and on. Stefanik's claim notwithstanding, this is not Trump country, not in the North Country and not nationally. Trump lost the popular election to Hillary Clinton by 3 million votes and by 7 million votes to Biden. And now, Fox News (in name only), the media outlet that fanned the flames, has been exposed for its hypocrisy and lies. Stafanik has hitched her wagon to a madman and time and truth will ultimately prevail.
For planning a Drag show story hour, a library received bomb threat. We can no longer pretend anything like this is anything but --> CREDITABLE!
When one thinks of libraries, several things: old men sleeping in overstuffed chairs, children story hour, a child checking out his or her first book (on the way to a lifetime of reading), many many other things and freedom of speech.
The book on how to build a bomb, could likely be in the stacks at Rockwell Falls Library. If not, through interlibrary loan.
Who deserves to be killed in a bomb blast because of the first amendment.
It isn’t just that library receiving bomb threats, many schools have received them
Yes, it is time o hold #pos_tefanik and the gop accountable for this vile behavior.
We don’t know the bomb threats come from fearpublicans... for sure.
BUT We do know when there is a protest it is republicans that show up.
We know that the things they say and the sign they carry echo what is said by #pos_tefanik, other fearpublicans and fearpublican media (like fox/oan/newsmax).
And sadly, we know when violence does happen (like Jan6,2021 or abortion clinic bombings) that these producers of hate may post a hidden ‘thoughts and prayers’. Tucked away on one small social media posts (#pos_tefanik does it on whatever her least read social media is --- but not ALL of the 7-8 that she maintains).
BUT they do not stop with the hateful rhetoric that lead to the violence.
It is time to hold #pos_tefanik accountable.
She is a liar.
And she is responsible for the deaths that her words lead to.
Like Charlie Manson, who was never at the scene of the crime, we know #pos_tefanik has continued to push evil. She pushes it on those who mentally are unable to understand what is right and wrong. #pos_tefanik knows what she is doing... she is satan in a cloak of sedition.
Upstate is more than just Stefanik's district. District 22 (at least before redistricting), went for Biden. Granted the newly created district voted for Brandon Williams the Texas carpetbagger, but I don't think he will be re-elected. Katko was a fair congressman and local but Williams insulted him even though they were in the same party. Why being rude to people you don't even know is considered to be "a fighter" or any kind of positive quality in a politician, I will never know. But it does seem to prove out the erstwhile presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's deplorable comment.
When CD 21 was carved out, urban centers like Saratoga Springs which would be more liberal were carved around to make 21 much more Republican. The term conservative doesn’t fit; Trumpism is not really conservative. Remember that our district elected democratBill Owens before it was redrawn and Washington political operatives pulled Stefanik out of their hat.
Elise will make herself into anything that serves her ruthless political ambitions.
The same thing happened to us-- Onondaga County, City of Syracuse is Blue. But they jammed in Madison and Wayne counties into our district. I work in healthcare and believe me, we can name the county when many of these rural residents transfer in for care. And so many are well, brainwashed. There is no logic, just talking points, regurgitation of TFucker and their radio shows and silo'd social media. I really don't know what can fix this situation. These so-called "law and order" want to delete the FBI... does that make any sense? Crime for their "team" is a-ok, no biggie, everyone does it. But if not on their team they need to hammer them, arrest, imprison etc. What is happening in Republican dominated state houses is concerning. There is not even a show of allowing debate, discussion, fair handed hearing but lots and lots of censure and draconian punishment. Is this really okay with the citizens of the US? What next? assassination attempts a la Putin for daring to contradict them?
Gillibrand and Murphy were Dems and Gibson was a moderate Republican! Things can change.
Stefanik has her hopes pinned on being a part of *Team trump* ....maybe hopeful for VP?
Her rhetoric is dangerous and disgusting.
I have lived here my entire life and am proud to be a never trump/never Stefanik.
I like to think of my position as “Always open-minded.”
As I have said before, Stefanik needs to have a mental competency evaluation. Obsession over one particular person is not a good sign of objective observations. She is barely doing her job, and using her constituents as an excuse to continue supporting trump. She is working for him, not N.Y.!
My suspicion is that she does not do anything without checking the polling. There may still be a majority of residents who support Trump - hope they read David Brooks’ column today - but opinions can change quickly with current events.
I have no doubt there is still a lot of brain-washed people in this area still. We occasionally hear them when we are doing our lighted letters for the North Country Light Brigade. Even if we are doing letters for other causes, people bring up trump's name.
Moral vs amoral. Yes...that distills it to its essence. You don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to believe that there is good and evil in this world, and that moral fiber is the bulwark agains the latter. We must stand fast.
After Mike Pence's testimony before Jack Smith's grand jury in Washington yesterday, impending indictments, if any, regarding the attempted overthrow the 2020 presidential election should be seen in the near term. The conspiracy that was dreamt up to overthrow that election was referred to as the "Green Bay Sweep" by Trump advisor Peter Navarro. According to him it involved many members of congress, some who have been rewarded for their support and now sit as committee chairs and leadership within the personality cult formerly known as the GOP. Co-conspirators. These co-conspirators continue the fraud out of necessity as investigators zero in on who will be charged and what those charges will be. Soon Washington will be littered with victims who claim it is a politically motivated witch hunt. Of course it's politically motivated; 147 members of Congress attempted to overthrow a Presidential election. If you are not held accountable for what you have done, you won't hesitate to do it again. These co-conspirators, who cheerfully threw around slogans during campaigns like "law and order" and "back the blue" now find that to be the opposition. Many of the minions who believed in your fraudulent conspiracy and conducted a riotous siege upon the Capitol now find themselves in prison, their lives ruined because of it. This era of criminality extended to include fraudulent business records to cover hush money payments to a porn star, campaign finance fraud, illegal possession of classified materials, obstruction of their eventual recovery, espionage and state election interference. These potential crimes all center around one individual and were committed before, during and after a daily lie filled term in the White House. This is Elies' champion. Ask yourself, why would anyone in elected office want to so closely associate themselves with and promote an individual who faces a maelstrom of indictments, arrests, bookings and court appearances because of their thinking themselves above the law? Are you hoping for a future pardon, which has already been promised?
Pretty dark stuff, but sadly there could be some truth here.
Thank you, Ken, for this column.
So glad to hear good things about Nikki Haley and Jill Lochner.
About Nikki Haley:
"While watching an interview with Haley, I was startled at how level-headed and professional she was. There were no attacks, no belittling of the current administration. She seems to be an old-fashioned Republican. You know, one with values and a courage of her convictions."
About Jill Lochner:
"She is a Republican challenging Stefanik for her congressional seat. The good boys old running the county committees won’t even take her calls.
They won’t even take a meeting.
They believe this is “Stefanik Country.”
It was once Sweeney country, too, until he lost.
What Stefanik has ignored is that her very red district has many voices."
See this interview with Pat Bradley on WAMC:
https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-03-30/jill-lochner-talks-about-her-decision-to-challenge-fellow-republican-elise-stefanik-in-new-yorks-21st-congressional-district
Nikki Haley wears sheep’s clothing.
I’m thinking I may just write in Jacob Javits in the Republican primary.
Thank you for this..you just reminded me to change my party affiliation today from dem to republican so I can vote in the Republican primary against Stefanik. If the "good ole boys" of the republican party won't take her challengers phone call, then, the voters need to stand up...I'm really really sick of the republican "machine" in the North Country.
Yeah, they are supposed to be on the same team. You’d think they would at least meet with her and hear her out.
Good for you Mary. Joining me in going from far left Democrat to RINO. 😉
I have started following Ms. Lochner because I find her to be mainstream. I think the combination of Ms. Stefanik’s extremism and her inability to address or even vote for issues that are prevalent in HER district disqualify her. Her support and fund raising fot Donald Trump just makes her more unacceptable but her inability to recognize the peril her votes have on the underprivileged and the poor in her district are reason enough to find someone who might actually want to work for her district
If I was voting in the Republican primary today Nikki Haley would pretty likely have my vote. What you write about her position on abortion seems a little off, tho. It seems to be in flux. This is Elaine Godfrey at The Atlantic today.
“Yet on Tuesday, Nikki Haley set out to declare her position on the issue—and proceeded to be about as clear as concrete.
She began with plausible precision. “I want to save as many lives and help as many moms as possible,” the former South Carolina governor and ambassador to the United Nations told reporters gathered at the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America headquarters, in Northern Virginia—a press event billed as a “major policy speech.” But her statements quickly got squishier. It’s good that some states have passed anti-abortion laws in the past year, she said. And as for the states that have reacted by enshrining abortion-rights protections? Well, she wishes “that weren’t the case.”
To be fair to her that’s going to be a tough needle to thread.
Had not heard the latest on that position. I thought she had been consistently pro choice.
She’s walking a tightrope. I understand politics well enough to give someone the benefit of the doubt in some cases. Trump seems to be the only one capable of actually taking a pro-choice position and living to tell about it. I still wish Nikki well. She’s running a better campaign than Meatball Ron anyway. Or is he Bobblehead Ron now?
I realize that just because he’s a horrible person is no excuse for nasty nicknames. 🙈
Oh yeah, reading Charlie Sykes just reminded me of Nikki Haley saying Joe Biden is likely to die in the next 5 years. It’s going to be a tough choice in that Republican primary for president next year. Lucky the congressional choice is looking so clear.
It’s more likely that at the same time Republicans are running around saying Biden’s going to die leaving Kamala Harris president, they’re secretly wishing for Donald Trump to be taken home.
So, just one more. I don’t follow the politics of abortion because I’m incapable of it. Here’s a really good piece at The Bulwark today. I don’t know if it’s behind a paywall. Hoping not. Bulwark is a fantastic bargain anyway so subscribe.
https://www.thebulwark.com/lindsey-graham-wants-a-national-abortion-ban-heres-what-he-overlooks/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
So, this is the piece I was looking for. Also at The Atlantic by Peter Wehner.
“Lack of restraint is the essence of the Trump movement. Shattering guardrails is what they find thrilling. But what MAGA adherents forget is that those guardrails exist to protect not only others, but also ourselves from excess, self-indulgence, and self-harm. There’s a reason temperance—self-mastery, the capacity to moderate inordinate desires, balance that produces internal harmony—is one of the four cardinal virtues.
The extremism, aggression, and lack of restraint in MAGA world are spreading rather than receding. They are becoming more rather than less indiscriminate. Those who are part of that movement, and certainly those who lead it, act as if they’re invincible, as if the rules don’t apply to them, as if they can say anything and get away with anything. That has certainly been true of Trump, and it is often true of those who have patterned themselves after Trump, which is to say, virtually the entire Republican Party.”
It probably goes without saying that I’m a huge fan of The Atlantic.
So, now a comment that I’ll try to write in my own words. Thanks so much, Ken, for having the stomach to endure Twitter. I set the blue bird free awhile back. Also, appreciate the numbers on Trump voters. I got 54% that he received.
Hopefully by Spring of 2024 whatever spell Trump casts over his followers will have started to lift. I don’t know that cults often end that way. Maybe those just don’t get the same attention as the more cataclysmic ones.
Not that anecdotal evidence means much, but I couldn’t tell you where I’ve seen a Trump flag hanging recently. The ones I did know of have gone the way of all flesh. May their tatters be an apt metaphor.
Stefanik is so wrong. This is not "Trump Country." The people in her district are smarter than that. I believe that had the Democratic Party nominated almost anyone other than Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump would never have been President. Notice who won when Joe Biden was the nominee. Elise is playing it safe. She doesn't have the spine to point out that Trump is a two-bit conman.
I just pray that people will wake up to the hate and lies she spread especially by not validating our last election and be defeated!
Stefanik made herself over to fit her manipulative calculation that CD 21 is “Trump country”. Her naked pandering is nauseating.
Great article Ken.
I would suggest that we are beyond the "where there is smoke" cliche. Trump brought us a burning inferno. The world watched as Trump befriended and, yes, admired, despots around the world, reversed engines on climate change, battled against women's rights, stoked the racial divide, tried to overturn an election (and almost succeeded), incited an insurrection (for which he was impeached and narrowly averted a Senate conviction), all the while acting like a petulant child. This list goes on and on. Stefanik's claim notwithstanding, this is not Trump country, not in the North Country and not nationally. Trump lost the popular election to Hillary Clinton by 3 million votes and by 7 million votes to Biden. And now, Fox News (in name only), the media outlet that fanned the flames, has been exposed for its hypocrisy and lies. Stafanik has hitched her wagon to a madman and time and truth will ultimately prevail.
That sums it up nicely.
It is time.
I have long called for calling that we call #pos_tefanik what she is: a liar.
But we are past that. We are dealing with mental illness.
Example one: https://poststar.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/library-that-planned-drag-queen-story-hour-receives-bomb-threat/article_32183674-e52c-11ed-af97-8b19c6b67c5a.html?utm_source=poststar.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Fdaily-headlines&utm_medium=PostUp&lctg=3304598&tn_email_eh1=5ace3d13aed14d9df51ddb79f621455f9403ac48
For planning a Drag show story hour, a library received bomb threat. We can no longer pretend anything like this is anything but --> CREDITABLE!
When one thinks of libraries, several things: old men sleeping in overstuffed chairs, children story hour, a child checking out his or her first book (on the way to a lifetime of reading), many many other things and freedom of speech.
The book on how to build a bomb, could likely be in the stacks at Rockwell Falls Library. If not, through interlibrary loan.
Who deserves to be killed in a bomb blast because of the first amendment.
It isn’t just that library receiving bomb threats, many schools have received them
Yes, it is time o hold #pos_tefanik and the gop accountable for this vile behavior.
We don’t know the bomb threats come from fearpublicans... for sure.
BUT We do know when there is a protest it is republicans that show up.
We know that the things they say and the sign they carry echo what is said by #pos_tefanik, other fearpublicans and fearpublican media (like fox/oan/newsmax).
And sadly, we know when violence does happen (like Jan6,2021 or abortion clinic bombings) that these producers of hate may post a hidden ‘thoughts and prayers’. Tucked away on one small social media posts (#pos_tefanik does it on whatever her least read social media is --- but not ALL of the 7-8 that she maintains).
BUT they do not stop with the hateful rhetoric that lead to the violence.
It is time to hold #pos_tefanik accountable.
She is a liar.
And she is responsible for the deaths that her words lead to.
Like Charlie Manson, who was never at the scene of the crime, we know #pos_tefanik has continued to push evil. She pushes it on those who mentally are unable to understand what is right and wrong. #pos_tefanik knows what she is doing... she is satan in a cloak of sedition.