THE MEULLER REPORT: TRUMP, PUTIN SKIP; LIGHTWEIGHTS IN LIPSTICK LAMENT
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
ADD 1, 3/31/19 — Around 1:30 a.m, a motorist driving east on Dalton Avenue just east of Plastics Avenue struck and killed a pedestrian and drove off. The vehicle is believed to be a tan or light-colored Ford SUV. It will have heavy front-end damage. It left the scene heading on the direction of Dalton. Police have not revealed the identity of the person killed pending notification of next of kin. Anyone with information should contact the Pittsfield Police Department immediately at 413-448-9700. It’s a sad thing when something like this happens, but to have the driver hustle away under cloak of night makes it infinitely worse. If you know something, make that call.
———- ooo ———-
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 29-31, 2019) — MUELLER: “No evidence of a crime or collusion.”
TRUMP: “I told you so.”
PUTIN: “I told you so.”
CLINTON, NADLER, OCASIO-CORTEZ, et. al.: “Son of a frickin’ !@#$%$^&*(#” sassafras.
So runs the essence of the 22-month, $25 million probe into alleged Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. The nightmare precipitated by the political left represented their Heil Mary pass after they became convinced that Trump was being taken seriously by the electorate and he would likely defeat Hillary Clinton. The report’s findings represent vindication of sorts for the President and a humiliating full-nelson for the Democrats. True, there wasn’t an express “exoneration,” but it’s clear the exhausting probe — fueled by Trump enemies, who had cause to examine every possibility, no matter how far-fetched — found little to nothing against the President, certainly nothing that would hold up in court. It’s a short step to read this as a de facto exoneration.
Trump being Trump, he overstated the results, but it’s clear he won and the Dems lost — this round, at least.
If there was a smoking .45, the Dems would have found it. Fearing they would lose with Hillary in 2016, Democrats launched a campaign of “investigation by innuendo” in an attempt to derail Trump. That’s when the FBI made the dubious decision to investigate the Russians during the election itself. The Heil Mary toss failed to reach the end zone and fell incomplete.
Why did former FBI director James Comey decide during that Summer of Love to investigate Trump? Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department has released the “evidence” that led to the probe and the eventual hiring of special counsel Robert Meuller. The only thing we have is a thoroughly discredited Russian dossier. We also know that FBI’s Peter Strzok and Lisa Page hated Trump with a bias that had it been unleashed on St. Mother Teresa would have made her look like the Queen of Mean. Strzok and Page e-mailed with glee their loathing of Trump and their passionate desire to secure a win for Hillary. Such were the “impartial” probers. Next thing you know, the Clinton campaign with an assist from Barack Obama started loud whisperings of “collusion,” believing if they repeated it enough, the electorate would suck for it. They didn’t.
Democrats are correct in demanding release of the full report. The chairs of the House Judiciary, Oversight, Intelligence, Financial Services, Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs committees each signed off on a letter to attorney general Barr, telling him that “Your four-page summary of the special report is not sufficient.” THE PLANET supports that request.
———- ooo ———-
The Clinton-Obama election ploy fatally poisoned the political waters. It called into question the legitimacy of the election and by extension the constitutional nature of electoral succession. It also birthed a hysterical “resistance movement” on the extreme left, a campaign that gave rise to lightweights in lipstick whose shrills have been magnified by social media, that bastion of civic ignorance. They find solace in conspiracy theories and fantasies of impeachment, not realizing their wanderings with a lit match in a dynamite shed may take their entire party with them in 2020.
The fallout has led to a stalemate in government that makes vitriolic Capitol Hill partisanship seem the essence of diplomacy. Democrats now condemn every Trump appointment, policy decision, and legislative initiative a priori. Is “sight unseen” any way to run a government?
Have a great weekend, everybody.
——————————————————————————————————————-
“There’s nothing ever gained by a wet thing called a tear” — The Pogues, from “Streams of Whiskey.”
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
Suck it up snowflakes..
I am so happy to read about the lovely Linda Tyer’s announcement of her re-election campaign for Mayor of Pittsfield today, Thursday, March 28th, 2019. I strongly believe that she is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER! If I was a big wheel in business or government, I would recruit and hire the lovely Linda Tyer to lead my firm or agency. Pittsfield doesn’t realize how fortunate the community is to have someone with the lovely Linda Tyer’s talents to lead the city government towards a promising future. I say with full certainty that she inherited a mess from the “Doyle debacle”, the “Hathaway hack”, the “Ruberto regime”, and the “Bianchi bust”! However, Mayor Linda Tyer is turning the tide. People and jobs are coming back to Pittsfield after decades of losses in population and jobs. I long supported Linda Tyer in Pittsfield politics, including way back when I was a resident of Pittsfield. She is a smart and progressive leader. Indeed, she represents everything I stand for in politics and government. I am rooting for her to win a second term in the corner office at Pittsfield’s City Hall!
– Jonathan Melle
Mayor Tyer is Rueberto trained. Raising taxes does not bring jobs it just continues the FAILURE of Pittsfield. We will always have Hospital growth and nursing home growth.
How many of our hard earned tax dollars that support you are you sending her way?
And is Shakes going to file a hurt feelings report with Dan on this comment?
JONATHAN
THE PLANET will present the full text of her announcement on Monday.
Landslide Linda left out a few things in her announcement for re-election;
Although property taxes went down slightly, or hardly went up, last fiscal year, they went up around 7% the year before that, so who’s fooling who? She has risen your taxes each year except one, but they went down? How stupid does she think us Kapnaskis are?
She gave over half a million to a private company. She gave, or forgave over a million more to another private company. Covanta Cash, Beacon Bomb???? How about your tax money for free home improvements for the elite victim class????
She campaigned on crime, yet supported a progressive DA that said she wouldn’t jail people for non-violent crimes, and gave millions more to the police department, and spent thousands on a shot spotter. Crime is now worse, and they still spent over a million on overtime this year. How’s that for progress?
She campaigned on blight, standing in front of KFC on East, and said that eyesore wouldn’t be tolerated when she was mayor. It is worse now than it was then. Now, it is slated to become a marijuana distribution facility. How is that for progress??? Next thing you know, she’ll be supporting shooting galleries and homeless encampments like Seattle.
She has failed to have the fiscal reckoning with the school department, that this city so desperately deserves, and continues to cow tow to them.
And where exactly are the 113 jobs she claims to have created? And at what cost did they come? And what is going to actually go into the mysterious and illustrious BIC that is part and parcel of the Pathetic Economic Development Authority (PEDA) scam? Or will it be just another waste or the Kapanskis’ cash?????
At least I got my street light replaced, 12 years after I complained about it.
Excellent report. She really is not qualified. Scary part is, is there anyone who can come near the campaign bonanza that will be backing her? She has taken good care of the special interests and they are going to be dumping the bucks along with other hopeful benefactors who will line up for anticipated gravy train. She may break Rubertos all time high in campaign donations
Great post JoePesci. Another four years of a Tyer regime would be the nail in the coffin of Pittsfield.
Let’s also not forget about her plan to bring in Syrian refugees – a plan which Krol helped push for her. Thankfully Trump put the brakes on that program!
And all that is from the best mayor ever. I’m glad your light was finally replaced after 12 years.I think they would have waited another 12 years when the world ends to save some costs. Luckily for you the current mayor has to do something for the people before then to stay elected.
The Dems and the liberal media are making it sound like the Mueller report in its entirety is being held back because the Trump administration is “hiding something” is more nonsense from them. It’s over a 300 page report with testimony that cannot be given to the public and may also have top secret government info that cannot be given to the public. That is the holdup. They know that, but will use every opportunity to try to fool the public. Mueller knows what’s in the report and if it was being falsely presented by the Republicans, we KNOW he would be speaking out.
So Who WAS colluding with the Russians…….?
Will we hear “Lock her up!” chanted again soon?
“The entire Russia conspiracy, orchestrated by high-ranking figures in the Obama administration, Hillary Clinton campaign and broader leftist network, was designed to undermine and then destroy the crass interloper who posed an immediate existential threat to all of them. They had to crush him before he could crush them.”
“• Actual Russian collusion: Mrs. Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee enlisted a left-wing opposition research firm, Fusion GPS, which hired a former British spy and rabid Trump hater, Christopher Steele, who sought dirt on Mr. Trump from shadowy Russian contacts, among others. Mr. Steele then compiled a phony dossier on Mr. Trump based on the unsubstantiated, uncorroborated nonsense from those sources and helped to pass it off to pivotal figures in the Obama administration and friendlies in the media. With the lies teed up, these figures weaponized them, including using them to secure warrants to spy on the Trump campaign from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which was not told that the “evidence” was a pack of political smears derived, at least in part, from Russian sources.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/27/the-real-obama-clinton-cover-up/
Trump lemmings have not seen anything from the Mueller report but a very satisfied. They are newspaper headline scanners with no interest in information.Just want to follow somebody.
The lightweights in lipstick need to stop being so gullible to the far left agenda. Women are now being made to feel guilty for having children what with the global warming that will kill everyone in 10 years, why bother? Liz Warren and Kristin Gillibrand are promoting the Green New Deal to women as comparable to the moon landing. So many women bought into the Russian collusion with President Trump that was being sold almost everyday by women like Mika, Joy Behar, and our own local conspiracy theorist Rachel Maddow.
I want my own gender to be so much better than this. We women have the ability to think logically and intelligently and not fall victim to believing absolute nonsense.
Might be too late for some
Beautifully said Pat…We need so many more like you to speak up and be their own voice…Thanks for renewing my hope that has gotten “progressively” worse. And Again…I am a Democrat—though likely not for long!
Thank you Two Cents.
I think Adam Schiff should also resign. He didn’t remain quiet throughout the Mueller investigations. Schiff felt he needed to assist the investigations by appearing on CNN, MSNBC and every other anti-Trump network on a weekly or even daily basis to reassure the American people that President Trump was guilty of collusion with Russia. He assured everyone that the evidence was there and it was only a matter of time. Even now, he will not let it go.
How can people in Congress work with Adam Schiff, especially Republicans, when he continues to want to believe that President Trump is guilty of treason? What with partisan politics at an all time high, the tensions that Adam Schiff is contributing is just not a reasonable situation in my opinion.
The pathological liar Schiff is still lying about it. The truly sad part is there are many fools, several on this very blog, who still believe him.
All the last few years have done is confirm how incredibly stupid and mentally lazy most Americans are.
Let’s see what the report says. Barr has thrown a blanket over evidence before at the behest of the rich and powerful. To boil a 300 page report down to a couple of sentences and then insist there’s nothing else to see is ridiculous. Everyone close to trump during g the election is GOING TO JAIL. What is he then, a shining paragon of virtue who resisted profound temptation? Or was he given just enough deniability to skate free under the narrow parameters of the Investigation?
The Globalists’ soft coup against President Trump has suffered a major setback with the Mueller report. The fight to remove Trump from office will continue, at taxpayer expense, by the Dems and many Republican traitors like Mitt Romney, and Graham, who is working on a new Dream Act.
I am thankful we have a President with a spine of steel who is willing to fight back for the sake of our country. Go Trump!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6862783/Trump-declares-victory-Mueller-rally-end-Russia-probe.html
I agree Gigi.
Pat ,I watch Fox message all day.Its comical
In its repeated subtle messaging.To have you repeat it here showing how effective it is is powerful.You do repeat word for word .
As I once heard in an assault court case…
“Forget it kid. You lost the fight.”
all the earmarks of a cult following…fits every definition
We have not seen the report and until we do we have a cover-up plain and simple.
Mayor Tyer is Rueberto trained. Raising taxes does not bring jobs it just continues the FAILURE of Pittsfield. We will always have Hospital growth and nursing home growth.
I would love to see Washington do what we the taxpayers pay them to do! Work for what is truly best for us as a country instead of what they can do to stay in power and in the money. They act worse than kids on a play ground and wonder why our children act like they do in these times. Values, morals, honesty and respect have gone missing in society.
In the Dems fantasy world of unicorns and Green New Deals, committing felonies like Clinton and Smollet did are AOK. But commiting the unforgivable crime of winning a presidential election fair and square is unforgivable.
“Collusion Delusion”
Disney could write a song for their next animated, sort of like “Dalmatian Plantation.”
3 am Wednesday after the 2016 election results final:
“What are we going to do, Bubba?”
“Well, we’ll have, yeah, we can have right here in our little piss-n-moan fest . . . a diversion. Pin on them what we ourselves have being doing all along.”
“OK, a diversion to mess Trump up for four years. Collusion with the Russians. Yes, that’s it.”
“A collusion diversion.” No, how about a “Collusion Illusion”!!!??
“By Jove, I think you’ve got it.”
“The Russia Collusion Delusion”
“We can get our Hollywood buddies to write up the music and lyrics. And then order our friends in the media to play that tune to death over and over, day after day after day, every hour, every minute, in all our print media, late-night TV, talk shows, and elsewhere (even plant it in school curricula, college curricula) over the next fours years.”
“It’s a plan.”
“Yes, and how about we start everything we say in whatever context:
‘In this political climate …’
“Fearing they would lose with Hillary in 2016, Democrats launched a campaign of “investigation by innuendo” in an attempt to derail Trump. That’s when the FBI made the dubious decision to investigation the Russians during the election itself. The Heil Mary toss failed to reach the end zone and fell incomplete.”
Obama et al. set the FBI on Trump and Russians because Obama and HRC in tight with the Russians themselves–classic case of transference–accuse others of what you’re doing yourselves.
Well, OK, perhaps the more clearheaded in the Clinton campaign saw that HRC’s poor health (multiply displayed in public, or displayed by public absences), refusal to go to places such as Wisconsin, mounting trouble over the Clinton Crime Foundation, low attendance at HRC events, very high attendance and enthusiasm at Trump events, and emails, emails, email server issues–
All this would have led the smarter ones to say, “Hey, we could blow this. What the hell are we going to tell our .01% donors in Hollywood and on Wall Street why we lost?”
So at 3 am on Wednesday, those donors were livid and calling off the hook–“How did you people F this up, you lamebrains?! We gave you millions, dad nab it.”
But I’m not sure it wasn’t until then, at 3 am, that a couple, three Clintonistas came up with the Russia Collusion Delusion.
Hillary was a toxic candidate and the Dems made a huge mistake putting her forth as their entitled one. They only have themselves to blame, but much like Hillary herself, they blame everyone and everything else for their own failings.
She’s one of the most corrupt, spiteful, mean spirited, dishonest politicians in the history of US politics.
Their antics over the last 3 years is beyond compare. Totally disgusting and as anti American as you can get.
I used to vote mostly Democrat. But with what’s gone on in Pittsfield and nationally I won’t ever again unless they change drastically. I won’t hold my breath waiting.
Green New Deal defeated 57-0. Dems were too cowardly to vote for their own proposal! They are a joke.
LW
It’s not that they were too “cowardly,” at least the majority of them. It’s that they have the sense to recognize a non-starter when they see one. The GND, and the other wacky proposals being offered by that branch of the party, will, left unchecked, hand the election to the Republicans in 2020. They know that, and that’s what they’re trying to figure out at this point: How to reign in the extreme left.
If that’s the case then Booker, Harris and others should not have co-sponsored and supported it from the start. To do that then vote present is disingenuous at best.
They just plain old chickened out. They’ve also done a terrible job reigning in the extreme left, even showing their support – by not condemning Omar or removing her from the committee – for anti-semitism among their ranks.
The federal government should abolish the EPA and refuse to monitor or enforce any of the GE cleanup in Pittsfield and the rest of river. I don’t want anymore of my tax money to go to that nonsense. The contamination poisoned your youth and tormented your quality of life, but if you’re still stupid enough to live there, that’s not my problem.
You make a good point about Booker, Harris, and the others. They showed how green they are (pun intended) by getting caught up in all the rah-rah when the GND first made headlines. Then they watched, aghast, at the reaction against it. It wisened then up quickly.
The failing of the Dems. They must like losing a lot.
2016 election – failed.
Trump – Russian collusion hoax – failed.
Cavanaugh smear campaign – failed.
Green New Deal – failed.
Blocking the border wall – failed.
Impeaching Trump – failed.
Doing anything that’s right for the country – failed.
OK, I forgot to mention what they have not failed in – promoting anti semitism, hatred, and racism.
…and socialism
…and infanticide!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/03/29/watch-democrats-block-bill-protect-babies-who-survive-abortion-from-infanticide-22nd-time/
Barr under no obligation to release anything, of course. Adam Shiffty can find his own info and write up his own report.
And then, if he finds anything, and he and the rest of the Dems who have any balls or female equivalent left whatsoever, then impeach the MoFo.
Impeach or shut up. There ain’t no other way.
In fact, I’ve heard it is illegal to release classified information and grand jury testimony/proceedings. So Mueller report will be heavily redacted in any event.
The issue here has not been well explained to the public. So what I’ve been able to gather is this:
Mueller is a “special counsel” under the DOJ’s special counsel regulation, whatever that is. So, he is accountable to the DOJ and need tell no one but DOJ (Attorney General) about what he finds. This is all within the executive branch.
I ask again (and will do so gladly as many times as I have to):
How can you expect the executive branch to check itself?
Ken Starr (Clinton) and, I believe, Leon Jaworski (Nixon) were “independent prosecutors” under a congressional statute, and therefore had to report to Congress on their findings.
Both parties agreed to get rid of the independent prosecutor stature.
I admit that there’s a problem here, but it is the job of the legislative branch (and judicial) to check the president, not his own damn executive branch.
And, one time (again, glad to repeat it):
Nixon only resigned because he didn’t have the votes in the U.S. CONGRESS.
“statute”
Cont.:
Nixon didn’t resign because he was unpopular, his approval ratings sank, Walter Cronkite didn’t like him, Johnny Carson didn’t like him, Woodward and Bernstein were superavengers fighting for the American way, or almost every other damn thing in the media was negative on him.
There was a book out long ago that took another look at the Watergate scandal. It was called “Silent Coup” and it was written be Len Colodny and Richard Gettelin. (sp?) They are trying the same thing against President Trump.
Democrats are losing to Trump .His current issue is asking the Supreme court to remove the affordable healthcare act and to make it illegal to covert pre existing conditions.Democrats will probably win the healthcare debate.Also on the agenda of Republicans is to cut Senior Citizen Healthcare in Medicare and Cot retirement checks of the elderly in the SS system.Democrats should win on both of these.I would give republicans a 25 billion dollar solid wall ,and I would give them their tax breaks to the wealthy……by the way,every tax preparer said there was no tax break given to middle class as all they did was cut your over payments and reduced your reimbursements but hey you guys buy it hook line sinker.
Stop spreading your fake information.
Breaking “NEWS”!!!
Just when you thought the kooky leftists would let the ashes of the Somellett staged “hate crime” disappear…
It’s all Trumps fault!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/03/29/rahm-emanuel-blames-toxic-trump-for-jussie-smollett-hate-hoax/
Will there be an investigation to see if the Russians were involved?
It’s crazy, Trapper. The Dems have lost their minds. Rahm should be in a mental institution for treatment of advanced TDS.
This Smollett case involves so many interconnected high profile people – can’t wait to see what the Feds turn up in their investigation. Sounds to me like the whole thing was planned from the beginning by Dem operatives who enlisted Smollett to play the “role.”
A question for residents of Pittsfield: If Linda Tyer wins a second term would you think about moving out of the area? If not, you’d have to endure ever-rising property tax rates, not to mention the spiraling out of control water and sewer rates.
Many older folk on fixed incomes would have bailed a long time ago if they could have afforded it. Some of us may be stuck here against our will until we turn to dust.
Most of the houses will end up being torn down when their owners’ die. Can already see the local politicians looking to scam the state out of money as they run out of victims here, can expect them to make more moves to bring in illegals so that they can take a cut of the aid
Does it really matter to the average citizen/resident/taxpayer who the mayor is or who’s on the City Council?
No one can control the City departments. Elected officials can’t represent and advocate for their constituents, especially with those City departments.
DPW destroys your property? Causing you more work, more effort, more time? Tough.
Shut up and pay your taxes.
“Oh, hey, DPW, fix this problem.” And if they don’t, so what?
So, if it doesn’t matter, might as well just rotate people every election. Four-year term for mayor is scary enough, but another on top of that?
No.
It’s Official: US is First Country in World History to Increase GDP by More than $1 Trillion in a Year!
For the second year in a row President Trump broke the record for the largest annual increase in GDP in history! In 2017 the US GDP increased by a record $853 billion. But this record was shattered in 2018 with an increase of greater than $1 trillion, the largest annual increase in GDP by any country in world history!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/03/its-official-us-is-first-country-in-world-history-to-increase-gdp-by-more-than-1-trillion-in-a-year/
Great job President Trump!!!!
That’s amazing news.
Thanks for posting that.
MAGA!
That’s great joe.How does that affect SScuts,Medicare cuts and Affordable Healthcare being abolished.Middle class has lost 22% of its buying power.
The official government GDP statistic, however, is calculated by comparing how many goods and services were produced in 2018 ($18.6 trillion) with 2017 output ($18.1 trillion). That change is 2.9%.
Creepy Joe getting #MeTo-ed
BREAKING: Fmr Nevada Democrat state Sen. Lucy Flores accuses Joe Biden of sexual harassment:
“I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. He proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head”
https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1111732292517429248
Yeah, old Creepy Joe Biden…..what a tool.
And he’s the leading Dem, tho not yet declared, for president.
Yikes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy07yHAgM4E
Peter Schweizer, author of “Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends,” called Joe Biden “the most corrupt VP in modern American political history.”
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/03/22/schweizer-china-buying-off-joe-biden-through-his-son/
Meanwhile, Alex Jones, another breitbart type right wing nut job, is claiming ” a form of psychosis”, in his defense for claiming Sandy Hook was a hoax. Will this be the defense Trump, Tucker Carlson and Hannity will use when they are put on the stand?
The SAME creep lawyer Somellett used to stage his “hate crime”.
BYT Barry is gay, ask Moochellee.
https://www.wnd.com/2012/10/trinity-church-members-reveal-obama-shocker/
You mean Barry’s wife Michael Obama – as stated by Barry’s brother.
Youz guys will believe anything they put in front of ya. They be owning you
SAD
Give it a rest collusion clinger.
So Mad Trapper, would you agree that the Smollett hoax case is all tied into the Obamas? Planned by the Obamas, who recruited Smollett from this Down Low group, and now covered up through their back channels?
Can’t wait to see what the fed investigation turns up!
MAGA!
If it turns up ANYTHING, it will be more than the DNC creeps/Mulller/ et al found on PRESIDENT Trump.
NBC is intimidating a reporter to do special favors for the DNC. This probably happens all the time, but this reporter spoke out against it as being very unethical.
https://sputniknews.com/us/201903301073677948-yashar-ali-dnc-nbc-editor/
https://babylonbee.com/news/stopped-clock-named-cnns-most-accurate-reporter?fbclid=IwAR2bdsOJTtiQvAf6FTzMrUj9cwe19Gxn76rqx27R_cM3jY_-IuvF7H43P2k
According to Alan Chartock, “Smitty” Pignatelli is wonderful. What about the facts? Rep. Pignatelli’s first vote on Beacon Hill’s State House was a vote for the dictatorial and corrupt Speaker Tom Finneran. Smitty Pignatelli spoke out against “Sunshine” laws, while he supported closed door legislative business. Smitty Pignatelli also supported Speaker Sal DiMasi before DiMasi went to federal prison. Smitty Pignatelli now supports Speaker for life Bob DeLeo, who has more unanimous votes on his legislative bills than Communist countries! Smitty Pignatelli went against the will of the people on marijuana by proposing to give youth criminal records if they possessed a small amount of marijuana at or near a youth center. Smitty Pignatelli is a nearly 2-decades long career politician in state politics who voted for and supported his own legislative pay raises. Smitty Pignatelli published an op-ed in the Berkshire Eagle about all of the losses in population and jobs over the last couple of decades in Berkshire County without looking at himself in the proverbial mirror. In 2004, when I asked Smitty Pignatelli to sign my nomination papers for Berkshire State Senator, he declined by saying to me, “I don’t sign nomination papers”. When I tried to email Smitty Pignatelli, he blocked my emails to him. I don’t understand Alan Chartock’s glowing words for Smitty Pignatelli! It seems to me that Alan Chartock supports the political establishment instead of the truth and the common people.
– Jonathan Melle
Chartock solicits prizes from Great Barrington restaurants for prizes for the WAMC auction but he doesn’t give them to the station. He keeps them for himself so he can eat for free.
The following news article outlines policy prescriptions for post-industrial, struggling, and stagnating cities, including Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Aaron Renn believes economically disadvantaged communities like Pittsfield needs to move away from failed subsidies and towards good governance.
– Jonathan Melle
“How to Bring Back Struggling Cities”
By Aaron Renn, City Lab, March 28, 2019
Post-Industrial Pittsfield is part of the Northeastern Rust Belt
The truly left behind and most forgotten cities are smaller places, many of which are little-known: Danville, Illinois; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Michigan City, Indiana; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; and Youngstown, Ohio.
These metropolitan areas often have several strikes against them, including population loss, weak job markets, low value economies, a low share of adults with college degrees, and a central municipality that is financially distressed. They also have very few if any high value assets to rebuild their economies around.
Massachusetts included Pittsfield in its list of proposed Amazon HQ2 sites…. But decades of subsidies haven’t worked and won’t work.
Instead, deeply challenged smaller post-industrial cities should do the basics: Local governments must address their often huge unfunded liabilities and get to structurally balanced budgets. They should reform their governance where necessary, especially by eliminating corruption. And, they need to start rebuilding core public services, especially public safety but also parks, etc. Make no mistake, this will require help from federal and state governments, and may involve painful steps like bankruptcy and prosecutions.
My theory about Pittsfield’s depressed local economy centers on the economics theory “Perverse Incentives”. What I mean is the more poverty, crime, social issues, economic inequality, and the like, means more federal and state dollars for the city government, not-for-profits, social services agencies, and the Pittsfield Jail. To be clear, I do not believe Pittsfield wants to have economic equality with a strong middle class. Year after year, Pittsfield is becoming a sister version of North Adams without its Mass MoCA museum.
I grew up in Pittsfield (Mass.), and I lived in the Pittsfield area for over a decade as an adult. I witnessed the losses in population, businesses, and jobs in Pittsfield. I read that Pittsfield is one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. I don’t believe it happened by mere coincidences. Rather, I believe Pittsfield purposefully profits off of all the public funds it receives from the economic misery of the many disadvantaged people who live there.
For decades, state and local politicians pointed out the socioeconomic realities of GE leaving town, but they did not do anything of substance to provide living wage jobs to the common working people. Instead, Pittsfield’s real economic growth was in the underclass. To illustrate, in Pittsfield, teen pregnancies double the statewide average with low quality pre-natal pregnancy healthcare. Moreover, Pittsfield is number one in all of Massachusetts for poor pregnant mothers who smoke cigarettes.
Pittsfield has a high concentration of social services and not-for-profit agencies. Pittsfield (and North Adams) is known as the welfare capital(s) of the Berkshire region. I ask myself why doesn’t Pittsfield change? But I know the real answer to my question, which is Pittsfield wants the public funds instead of living wage jobs.
I have a Master of Public Administration degree. I studied the functions of local government. The key to a prosperous community is to invest in its people by keeping them safe from violent crime, educating them in good public schools, and ensuring economic opportunities for living wage employment. The people are to be treated like gold. The people are the most valuable asset to a community because they live, work, and invest in their government and small businesses. That also means politicians should serve the people instead of their own Good Old Boys club and its vested interests!
I liken public administration to George Bailey in the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. George Bailey used his building and loans firm to invest in common people and the community. If his suicidal wish to never exist came true, he saw the opposite vision than his good will towards humankind. He realized he wanted to live again, and when he returned home to his loving family, the common people saved his small business.
In conclusion, Pittsfield fell into the wrong hands for many decades. The Good Old Boys club of political hacks invested in themselves and their vested interests instead of the common people. The politicians used perverse incentives to enrich themselves through the economic pain of others. They did nothing for decades to bring living wage jobs to the common people.
– Jonathan Melle
Mayor Tyer never mentioned taxes need to be lowered.Hinsdale financial board stated they could not justify a 200.00 hike in taxes for a new high school.This is how real people deal with finances. Mayor Tyer is going to Florida when her part in this collaspe is done.Its to late for a leader to emerge to consolidate.They will leave us to pick up the pieces.Pittsfield Ma. Has a terrible reputation for school corruptions, city council special favors and a Mayor I believed was financially capable but I was so wrong about her talent to consolidate.Drugs and suicide murder and robbery and the gangs that have establish neighborhoods around Tyler street.The police are understaffed by 50 positions are burnt out and nobody cares to do anything about that.Pittsfield has a reputation for violent schools a crime ridden neighborhoods.Pittsfield is a very depressed town.The federal goverment know we are going to 30k people and McCandless spends our police money on empty high schools.The very dangerous Crosby school for our most vulnerable kids should be torn down.This is where special ed kids always get put.We as a city put the weakest children in the sickest building.Marchetti,Tyer,Yon McCandless make these decisions.This year they want more money and next year more money and one day they will just walk away.We are the worst run city in New England.
The far left wants us to give all money and power over our lives to big government with themselves in charge of course and, in exchange, we will be thrown some freebies from time to time. The media is in bed with them so will NEVER be critical of anything they do so corruption will run out of control with these SOCIALISTS in control of our country. Who would vote for such insanity?!? This is why they need younger and younger people voting who are not experienced enough to know that giving any government too much power is a very dangerous situation.
Liberal teachers have grade school kids promoting the Green New Deal. These same liberal school teachers want more and more money for themselves while preaching in favor of the far left agenda that capitalism is bad. Ocasio-Cortez says that capitalism is bad as she is dressed everyday in $3,500.00 suits and lives in a luxurious style. The message is that it’s OK for those at the top to live it up in style while the rest of us should sacrifice to lessen our carbon footprints.
You are worried about liberal teachers when Trumps education secretary wanted to dump a watery crap on special needs kids. Do you know any sp0ecial needs kids Pat? They are not as evil as Betsy and Donald say they are. Some people even love them as odd as that may seem to the Hannity crowd.
Greedy teachers have nothing to do with special needs kids. As I recall, President Trump reinstated the money even though only 10% of the funding for special needs kids comes from the federal government. Babies who are alive after a 3rd trimester abortion are also not evil. Why does the far left treat them so badly?
Why aren’t my posts going through. Anyway hit and run this morning,pedestrian died.
The fatality occurred just east of Plastics Avenue, on Dalton Avenue. Car ran over a pedestrian and didn’t stop. Hit and run. Police think the vehicle of a tan SUV. They are withholding the name of the dead pending notification of next-of-kin. The vehicle was heading in direction of Dalton. It will have heavy front end damage. Anyone with information should contact the police. It’s bad enough to learn of the fatal accident, but it’s even worse to learn that the driver ran away. Who does that kind of thing?
Lauren Stevens from the Berkshire Eagle writes that young people get it about the climate change threat. No, Ms. Stevens, young people have been indoctrinated to believe the climate change threat. They have been indoctrinated to believe that murdering all of the cows because of their gas issues is a good thing. That tearing down every building in the country, getting rid of all cars and planes, and giving government total power over our lives is a great idea. Teachers are scaring the school kids on a daily basis about climate change.
Meanwhile, while the far left would have us make all of these unbelievable changes to our country, giant China is polluting the planet more than anyone.
So what’s your take on climate change? Complete hoax? Really happening but not caused by humans?
Pat your repeating Hannity,Limbaugh,Beck the United State military believes in global warming Pat.Your indoctrination was easy for them.When was the last time you sat in a elementary class.You are ignorant of a elementary teachers day.
I don’t belong to the far left cult School Committee. You are the one who is indoctrinated.
Drugs and crime along with landlords have ruined Pittsfield for good.The bleakest area is Tyler street and a good Taco store will not solve the problem of morningside.Tremendous poverty there and there is no hope.New curbing and store front will not cut suicide rates or overdoses.Marchetti,Yon,Tyer and dept.head McCandless are powerless.Anotber councilor wont do it as the street outside Morningside school has little to do withMCAS math scores.Trump and the regressives cant do anything.Trump does not want these people to have healthcare.Mrs Devoid want charter for proffit schools.The one thing we can do is make the neighborhood safe for kids to walk to and from school.Get this Mrs Mayor,the men in the Southeast live 12 years longer than men in morningside.How do trash cans affect that or the school dept head tell me how a math coach changes that.Regressives blame everyone and Pat and his regressive republicans throw 1.5 trillion at the 1% crowd.
A safe border would stop drugs coming over to our country and save the lives of many Americans, but the far left wants open borders. They should not act shocked that so many Americans are dying from drugs. The policies of the far left are a big part of the problem.
The far left is finally admitting we have a crisis on the border which they knew before, but they are now being forced to admit we have a humanitarian crisis on our border.
It will not,that is a lie.Just put up that meaningless solid Wall but stop lying
I wrote an open letter email to Chris Canning Wilson today [March 31, 2019], but I edited it because I promised Dan Valenti I would not post about (blank) on his awesome blog.
—-
You, Chris Canning Wilson, emailed me about Pittsfield politics’ Good Old Boy network. You asked me about my knowledge and experiences with Cliff Nilan, Angelo Stacuzzi, Carmen Massimiano, the late-Jim Mooney, and journalist Conner Barry’s coverage of the many allegations against Carmen Massimiano’s sexual deviancy and sexual abuse towards boys when he was a camp counselor at the Boys Club’s Camp Russell and at the Pittsfield Boys Club. You are writing a book.
My knowledge and experiences with the aforementioned Good Old Boys is connected to my father’s past decades of courthouse work and community involvement in Pittsfield politics. Cliff Nilan was friendly with my family, but he could not always be trusted because his loyalty was to the Good Old Boys, especially Carmen Massimiano. I liked Cliff Nilan and always thought he meant well, but his connections weighed him down.
Carmen Massimiano was very scary and intimidating towards me. ….the Good Old Boys are from interrelated Pittsfield families….
….(edited)….
Per Carmen Massimiano’s reputation as an alleged sexual deviant and alleged sexual abuser towards boys, I read that he allegedly sexually abused boys at both Camp Russell and the Boys Club when he was teenager through his 20’s – and possibly beyond. I even read a blog post that a man allegedly took his own life to suicide based on Carmen’s alleged sexual abuse because the man couldn’t safely seek help and/or justice against Carmen in Pittsfield.
Jimmy Mooney was always friendly towards me. I knew him as a child in the 1980’s when I went to the Pittsfield Boys Club. I worked for him when he ran the grounds at Tanglewood in the mid-1990’s. I sat with him at Carmen’s Sheriff picnic at Camp Russell during the Summer of 2002. I believe Jimmy Mooney meant well at the Boys Club, including Camp Russell, and he was always nice to me. I understand that Carmen was close friends with Jimmy Mooney, and I heard rumors that they allegedly shared hidden secrets concerning Carmen’s alleged sexual deviancy and alleged sexual abuse towards boys.
Angelo Stracuzzi was President of the Pittsfield City Council and worked his way up to run Greylock Credit Federal Union. But he got in legal trouble in Maine trying to sexually abuse teenage boys. Cliff Nilan and Angelo had to step down from their post a GFCU. From what I understand, Cliff Nilan was Angelo’s probation officer, but Cliff may not have ensured Angelo received the mandated two years of pyschological counseling for Angelo’s sexual deviancy. Cliff was reprimanded by the court, but he got to keep his job. Angelo Stracuzzi moved from his Pittsfield home to New Jersey.
As a side note, I never understood why Carmen and Angelo never got married to each other.
Journalist Conner Barry worked at the Berkshire Eagle and published a news story about Carmen Massimiano’s alleged sexual deviancy and alleged sexual abuse of a then-seven year old boy at the Pittsfield Boys Club. Carmen denied the Eagle’s allegations, and threatened to sue all involved. Carmen published a page wide article denying the Eagle’s allegations against him. Carmen then decided to retire as Sheriff after 30 years of service. Carmen now collects a 6-figure state pension, and he serves as the Chairman of Pittsfield’s Licensing Board.
In conclusion, the Good Old Boys are self-serving and intimidating in Pittsfield politics. They protect each other whether they are right or wrong. They still run the show in Pittsfield through this present day. They ran Pittsfield into the proverbial ditch with major losses in population and jobs, while municipal taxes/fees and debts hugely increased.
….The Good Old Boys club is ran like a Mafia. If you don’t kiss their dirty behinds, they retaliate against you….When you speak out about the corruption in Pittsfield politics, you lose your job in “a NY minute”. If you continue to protest, they make false allegations and spread vicious rumors against you.
Sincerely,
Jonathan A. Melle
We kids get shot in school shootings students and adults explode.That is what happens when military weapons are made for retail sales.People explode.Children just are torn to shreds.
Now they have a prison In Maine that will wipe your nose and burp and you get rewarded for breaking the law. Here comes he lefties to the extreme. What does the this say to future criminals?
MR. Melle has redeemed himself with me! In a couple of posts, he has characterized Pittsfield as a carbuncle!
(An active boil or carbuncle is contagious: the infection can spread to other parts of the person’s body or to other people through skin-to-skin contact or the sharing of personal items. So it’s important to practice appropriate self-care measures, like keeping the area clean and covered, until the carbuncle drains and heals).
Thank you. I hope the best for my native hometown: Pittsfield!
Also, I support Mayor Linda Tyer!
I’m sure. Carm and Andy agree with your choice. She is the Champion of something,
I thought it was an uncle who liked carbs.
I was thinking, if the person that struck the pedestrian last night that died,comes around before tomorrow saying that they didn’t know they hit anyone, why doesn’t the driver get let off, you know, like another famous hit and run?