Anyone I have ever talked to, complained about the phone calls. Most of them say that they just hang up on them. If it is a recorded message, the senior citizens think it is a real person. They try talking to the recording, and then get confused. (Including my 82year old mom) And most people have caller ID now, so most won't even answer the call. I never thought the phone messages were an effective choice. But I don't know the stats.

As far as fliers, now that would be my choice. People have to look at it as they are going through their mail. If nothing else, the candidates name is usually in the largest print, so it can't be missed. Then they throw it out. But at least they saw the name.

A flier with a little more than cute sayings.....just once would be fine...take all that shiny paper of 4 mailings and put it into one with real facts/plans....

The mailings are particularly effective when you pander to the voters with misleading and deceptive information pertaining to your position on the issues and promises.  The content of the Godlewski/Jasenski do not parallel the candidates' statements and actions.  It is the task of their opponents (Lazzari/Santabarbara) to inform the voters of the Democratic candidates' true colors

Yesterday, I received what I believe is the fifth mailing from the Schenectady County Democratic Committee since the primary election.  I assume that there will be many more in the two and a half weeks between now and election day.  The question that I have regards the source of the funds financing these mailings.  They are not inexpensive.  The Democratic candidates for Legislature appear to be spending an unprecedented amount on this campaign.

One party control of government at the county, city, state level is dangerous.  Further, the control of the media by the same party will only lead to (continued) censorship and manipulation of the masses.  The Democrats in Congress are trying to pass a "Fairness in Broadcasting" Law that will silence political talk radio.  County Attorney Gardner's placement on the Board of Directors of SACC, Schenectady's public access television station, will surely "influence" the viewpoints that are expressed on the station.

The works of the 'Shadow democratic Party'?

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6706

I don't like the phone calls. They seem like telemarketers and they seem to invade my home life. The mailers don't bother me. But I will  not be voting for Mr. Jesenski or Mr. Godlewski or Mr. Cooke anyways. So I just don't read their mailings and don't listen to the phone messages.

I see that Jesinski and Godlewski jumped on the anti-Spitzer bandwagon. There aren't siding with the reps now are they? This is clearly a dishonest ploy for the votes. We all know that if they ever got elected, God forbid, Suzie would pull the strings and these guys would get right back in the democratic dictatorship line. They are not allowed to think for themselves. Actually it's a pretty great job when you think of it. They get paid to do nothing!! And hence, we get nothing! Just higher taxes and stupid graffiti laws and illegal sex offender laws.

Well Bumble, based solely on campaign effectiveness, I think it is the first smart thing the dems have done since June 12th

You are correct on that one Rene. And it may be campaign effectiveness, I call it dishonest campaigning!

I don't think the flyer asking to sign the petition against the licensing of illegals is dishonest, they both indicated they were against it.  Pandering, yes, but dishonest no. I would have to chalk this one up to a pretty smart campaign strategy.

Interestingly, however, are the following points:

• Mr. Jasenski would not publicly state his position during the last scheduled meeting of the County Legislature.
  
• The mail to address of the petitions is one used by the candidates' campaign headquarters, not that of the Governor at the State Capitol.  Thus, I question if the candidates will use the information acquired to contact the concerned voters and then disgard the petitions, rather than forward them to Spitzer.
  

Godlewski, Jasenski, Hughes, and McDonald have all stated during the League of Women Voters forums that they opposed the Governor's order (though some were less emphatic than others), yet Hughes and Jasenski have not demanded of the County Legislature Chair that Mrs. Lazzari's proposed legislation  be allowed to come to the floor for discussion and a vote.  I suspect that the words of the aforementioned candidates are pandering for votes.  After November 6th, I expect that the majority party will NOT oppose the Governor's actions.

I composed the following Letter to the Editor and submitted it to several local newspapers.  I am posting it to this forum because I expect that it may not be published.

---------------------------------

To the Editor:

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING NEEDED IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS

Campaign advertisements are symbolic of our democratic form of government.  However, truth in advertising should be required of politicians as it is of private industry and private citizens.

On Thursday, October 18th, I received one of four recent mailings from the Democratic candidates running for the District 4 seats in the Schenectady County Legislature.  The content of the latest flyer suggests that the candidates’ actions have eliminated the nearly double digit increase (9.7%) in the county property tax rate resulting from the proposed 2008 Schenectady County budget that carries $283.4 million in spending.  The timing of the mailing was amusing in that I had attended, only two days beforehand, a public hearing on this matter during which the public was informed that the budget vote is scheduled for October 25th.  Further, to date, the proposals for reduction in spending made by the members of both parties have yet to be presented and debated in an executive session.

Of further interest was the assertion by the two individuals that they were responsible for cuts totaling $6.1 million.  These were not clearly presented as “proposals”, but rather as approved spending reductions.  Of the candidates being promoted in this mailing, Mr. Godlewski does not hold a seat on the county legislature nor have a vote on the county budget.  Mr. Jasenski is the freshman member of the Democratic majority party who was appointed as recently as June 11th,, just one day prior to the passage of the sex offender residency legislation, to fill the seat vacated by Kent Gray.  Thus, how can either of these candidates claim responsibility for economic development that has occurred (a claim made in an earlier mailing) or guarantee a budget yielding no increase in property taxes?

As a resident of Schenectady County, I welcome reductions in government spending regardless of which party proposes (or takes the credit for sponsoring) the cuts.
Schenectady County property taxes are oppressive.  Excessive taxation is a serious issue that impacts all residents of our community.  It is not a topic that should be addressed with deception, dishonesty, misrepresentation, or political pandering.  

I propose the passage of a “truth in advertising law” for candidates who are running for political office.  The voters deserve to hear the truth so that they can register their support of candidates based on their positions on the important issues that face Schenectady County.


B. Littlefield
Delanson, NY

Okay first, great letter Z. Hope it makes the gazette's publication.

Second, I noticed the address on the flier/petition from Godlewski & Jasensk regarding the illegals drivers license issue. I thought the petition would go straight to Spitzer. But instead, it appears that they it will go to the democratic head quarters, which I would then assume would be thrown out. Just a thought here folks!

And if that in fact happens.........I call that dishonest campaigning.

Quoted from bumblethru

Okay first, great letter Z. Hope it makes the gazette's publication.

Second, I noticed the address on the flier/petition from Godlewski & Jasensk regarding the illegals drivers license issue. I thought the petition would go straight to Spitzer. But instead, it appears that they it will go to the democratic head quarters, which I would then assume would be thrown out. Just a thought here folks!

And if that in fact happens.........I call that dishonest campaigning.

They wouldn't be thrown out....they would hold all those stacks of signatures in front of some public forum/meeting etc, proudly and emphatically state:

"We have received thousands of signatures from folks across the region, "bi-partisan like" and we are bringing them to you Mr.Spitzer. We are willing to work out a solution to this 'problem'."

You see if you dont have fuel for your campaign as leader of the masses, you make it.....with fear/money/insecurities etc.....

Where is our true Shepherd???

Not to mention it adds fuel to the 'bi-partisan' grab for power with National security/ID/health......some one will get credit for the whole enchalada in the end.....namesake and all......It will be a 'different kind of Deal'.....essentially the same....

Quoted Text

The New Deal was the title President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to the series of programs he initiated between 1933 and 1938 with the goal of providing relief, recovery, and reform (3 Rs) to the people and economy of the United States during the Great Depression. Dozens of alphabet agencies (so named because of their acronyms, as with the SEC), were created as a result of the New Deal. Historians distinguish between the "First New Deal" of 1933, which had something for almost every group, and the "Second New Deal" (1935–36), which introduced class conflict, especially between business and unions. Opponents of the New Deal, complaining of the cost and increase in federal power, stopped its expansion by 1937 and abolished many of its programs by 1943. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled several programs unconstitutional (some parts of them were soon replaced, except for the National Recovery Administration). There are several New Deal programs still in operation[1]; the largest such programs still in existence today are Social Security and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - the primary regulator of publicly traded U.S. firms.

I say we take these fliers, go around and get them filled out, then we can mail the back, but on to Mr. Amedore or Mr. Tedisco and let THEM carry this.

The other alternative to these illegal immigrants....is to have a National ID/Heath card that is not a NYS drivers license.....we cant track what we dont know.....is that what we want???

I DONT WANT EITHER SCENARIO!!!!

DONT TREAD ON ME............................