Republican defends Democrat's comment

Posted on Wed, Mar. 22, 2006
Republican defends Democrat's comment

By Michael Gormley
Associated Press

ALBANY - The state's highest ranking Republican lawmaker on Tuesday agreed with Democratic candidate for governor Eliot Spitzer on the Upstate's dire economic straits - a condition Spitzer described as being similar to Appalachia.
But Gov. George Pataki, in his first comments on the week-old issue, called Spitzer's comparison an "insult" to upstaters.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's comment came as other Republicans were trying to make Spitzer's comparison stick as a political gaffe that insulted Upstate - similar to Democrat Edward Koch's comments 20 years ago that helped sink his candidacy for governor.

GOP candidate for governor Bill Weld, for instance, said Spitzer created an image of poverty-stricken people that is not only inaccurate, but also will turn businesses away.
(snip/...)

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/nation/14156957.htm

and operation of privately owned prisons. Trouble is that although it provides jobs for the residents, politicians and police are under stress to find "residents" for the jails in order to have them to make a profit.

It's not just ny. all over the US these prisons are being built, and it gives the thugs a built in base to support their lock them all up idea.

The prisoners in those prisons are inevitably from New York city, disenfranchised while they are incarcerated, but counted in the census to pad the congressional district count of invariably Republican legislators. There was a big scandal over this (but no remedial action) several years ago. And by no means is it just New York state... The prison population of the U.S. is now significant enough to used to help undermine democracy. Ironic, ain't it?

are all owned by the State and run by the Department of Correctional Services. There are no private prisons housing NY inmates.

wrong.

"The City and State of New York have wisely rejected prison privatization, yet our communities still feel its effects. Within the New York, metropolitan area, there are private detention centers operated by Wackenhut and CCA, located, respectively, in Queens and Elizabeth, NJ. Meanwhile, outside New York, private facilities for immigrant prisoners (98.5% sentenced for nonviolent offenses) have opened in California City, CA and Cibola County, NM, with two more slated for McRae, GA and McComb, MS. New York’s immigrant communities are losing family and friends to these immigrant prisons and detention centers, where many people who pose no danger to society have suffered abuse at the hands of guards, and are often placed thousands of miles from their loved ones."

http://www.notwithourmoney.org/06_actions/community3.html

along with Wall Street CEOs and Chuck Schumer will do anything to destroy Spitzer.
Bruno pointed out Spitzers comment only because he remembers the Koch comments.
Bruno isn't "agreeing". He's trying to hurt Spitzer upstate by drawing attention to Spitzer's accurate assesment.
Given that the OP quotes a Myrtle Beach paper, it seems he is succeeding.

I grew up three-four hours north of NYC. Lower Adirondacks. People in that area are now seeing real estate prices go through the roof (for *them,* that is) from people moving out of the NYC area.

Of those who were born in these regions, prior to the start of the upward migration (mid 1990s?), the average teen will not go to college. The average teen that does go, will attend a small community college for two years. Maybe one. Jobs that pay well, for their education level, are few and far between.

Drive through the Adirondacks and you'll see gorgeous, wild, state-protected land (FUCK YOU, George, you can't touch it). The downside is that there's no development boom and never will be, because of that protection. If you want to live in that beautiful region, your economic options are very limited.

In the small town I grew up in, even five years ago, you could get a Victorian fixer-upper for under $50k and do all right. That's just not the case anymore, prices have doubled, tripled, quadrupled and the people who grew up there simply don't have the education level to make such a home affordable.

You'll get your shit jacked before you can finish your statement.

real economy is the education and then exportation of their children to other parts of the country.

Taxes
Poor (well paying) career positions
Unresponsive political structure
A medieval "fiefdom" mind set
and more, all combined to drive me out of Upstate NY (WNY specifically)

FUCK YOU PATAKI. Spitzer is da bomb and he is going to be our next Gov so deal with it. You haven't done shit for us. Hilary either.

P.S. Weld Fuck you too we are poverty stricken. my wife and I working 3 jobs have never been able to make jointly more than 36k a year up here. You live on that.

far before Pataki...WNY politics have been a cluster fuck for over 30 years.