By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SATURDAY JULY 30, 2011) — Pittsfield voters, surrender now. It’s over. You have no chance. You have been maimed, stamped, filed, marginalized, indexed, ignored, and crushed. The GOBs want it that way, and by your low participation in the political process, they got it that way.

THE PLANET cannot blame you for your apathy, though we would remind you of the simple remedy: 80 percent+ voter participation in the upcoming elections. VOTE THE BUMS OUT. That panacea would oil the golden hinges that hold in place the gate that guards integrity. It won’t happen, of course, because the GOBs keep adding to the weight that keeps you in your place. If you’re carrying Balance Rock, you’re not going to be able to move too fast or go too far. That’s OK with “Them.” They want you dumb, barefoot, and pregnant.

We The People: TFB, Council Thinks They’re Too Stupid to Vote

The latest example came when our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council agreed with the administration in the person of Tricia Farley-Bouvier that you — the Pittsfield electorate — would only clog up the works by being allowed to vote on such a trivial item as BUILDING A NEW PHRIGGIN’ SCHOOL that will cost $40 million or  $50 million. Those are the actual numbers, but you can bet they won’t be giving it away if they go ahead with construction, and you will be on the hook for the bill.

And yet, given the high-price of this big-ticket item, neither TFB nor the council wants your input via the ballot box, even though there are FOUR elections coming up between next month and November. Farley-Bouvier-Kennedy-Onassis — as former councilor Mark Brennan used to call her — said that a vote by We The People would be poisonous.

“Quite frankly …” TFB told the council, “it can really hold up the process.”

In her comments, Farley-Blah-Blah — as citizen activist Jim Gleason memorably dubs TFB —showed utter contempt for the intelligence and integrity of both Pittsfield voters and the democratic process itself. Yet in a short time, she will be seeking the support of those same disrespected voters as she fronts the latest shell game the GOBs are playing the the 3rd Berkshire State Rep.’s seat.

Voters: You’re Too Stupid, and You Would ‘Only Hold Up the Process’

Voters: You’re too stupid and would only “hold up the process” by being allowed to vote on building a new high school, but you’re convenient enough to use to enable your masters to perpetuate their claim of slavery over you. Let THE PLANET remind you with this recent-history lesson on the state rep’s job the GOBs covet so dearly for TFB:

* They put up Peter Larkin for the job. He cheated the system, got elected again, quit for a big-bucks job, and necessitated a special election.

* THE GOBs, meeting in the Back Room at Remo’s, hand-picked that Larded Lout, No Show Speranzo, to do their bidding in Boston.

* Also at Remo’s, the GOBs decided they’d move No Show to clerk magistrate for Central Berkshire District Court. Of course, the plan was again to fool voters at regular election time. No Show barely turned back Mark Miller’s valiant challenge then quit, necessitating another special election. Cost to taxpayers: $40,000. The Larded Lout should be sued for that amount.

* Now the evidence, though not conclusive, points to the same thing happening again. Was there a meeting at Remo’s sometime this year where they hand-picked TFB?

Farley-Bouvier recently received a pay hike and a new title. She’s doing the same work, essentially, for Mayor Jimmy Ruberto, but for more dough and, more importantly, a fancy sounding title. The fancy title, we’re told, was put in place because the GOB thinks it will sound impressive to you, who are in their minds nothing but dumb-rube voters.

Ah, the ballot box and We The People. They want your vote to send another of the GOBs hand-picked stooges to Boston, but how dare We The People be allowed to vote on a what will sure to be a prohibitively expensive new school?

Mazzeo, Nichols Stand Alone for The Little Guy

The only two councilors who fought for voters rights at the council meeting in question (July 12), Melissa Mazzeo and Joe Nichols, received no support. Uncle Gerry Lee came out of his coma long enough to stifle debate and ram through a 9-2 vote.

John Krol, who serves with TFB on the school building needs commission, said, “This is … an adult conversation that includes the entire community.”

What odd syntax! Let’s parse: “This is … an adult conversation.” TRANSLATION: Those who disagree with my position are immature. This “conversation … includes the entire community.” TRANSLATION: We don’t need their stinking input via a vote. This is a classic GOB tactic. Claim that public meetings, usually held at the most inconvenient times and dates, are equivalent to the ballot box.

The “public meetings” on this matter drew 10 or fewer people. That satisfies the commission and the council that “they’ve heard from the public.” The GOB, making sure to cover their tracks, stuffed the council meeting with ringers, who would berate Nichols and Mazzeo during the public input part of the council’s meeting.

Which is It, Peter Marchetti? The Voters Want an Explanation

Fortunately, voters has at least one friend in the peanut gallery. Terry Kinnas rightly pointed out the poor job done by the SBNC, which has received $200,000 in taxpayer money to blow on consultants.

Mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti countered Nichols claims that there’s been “a lack of communication [with] the public.” Marchetti, who also serves on the SBNC, said a ballot question would cause confusion and would do “nothing more that foster false impression. Nichols will be running against Marchetti for mayor.

Marchetti’s claim reeks of disingenuousness. Look at what he, Krol, TFB, etc. are actually saying:

(1) They’re saying that a non-biding question seeking the public’s input on building a new school would “cause confusion.” Who’s confusion? Would it confuse the voters? Or would it confuse the GOB, who fear anything other than a rigged game.

(2) Simultaneously, though, that these people are running for office this fall reveals their contempt of voters. They are willing to accept endorsement through the same process that they call confusing — i.e., the ballot box. If voters are too stupid to be educated enough to cast a helpful ballot on the expensive question of building a new school, what makes these same voters more qualified to vote for anyone during a campaign?

Campaigns — as Marchetti and Krol well realize, are not about education, after all, but obfuscation.

PETER MARCHETTI, EXPLAIN THAT TO PITTSFIELD VOTERS.

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INTO THE WEEKEND WE TRAVEL, A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY KID SKIPPING AND WHISTLING DOWN THE PATH OF LIFE, AND SO WE SAY …

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.