THE DEMISE OF PITTSFIELD: A RIBBON AT A TIME
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 4, 2019) — Just a reminder. Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice, our beloved chairman, has opened the nomination period for THE PLANET‘s coveted Orbit Award, the announcement of which takes place before year’s end. If you have one, let us know.
Question: How does a pulsing, 60,000 Pittsfield, one of the great little cities in America, end up on the sucking end of the toilet plunger? How does it become the sub-40,000 Pittsfield of today, a neglected haven for drugs, gangs, garbage, and the tranquility of Cumby’s at 3:30 a.m. every Sunday night?
Answer: In gradual steps, one after the other, none steep enough to cause nosebleeds.
It took 50 years.
Not long ago, Amanda Drane of the Berkshire Eagle quoted THE PLANET in her story about the Great Divide that has rent Pittsfield in two like the curtain to Herod’s temple after Jesus gave the ghost on the Cross. She did a decent job digesting our 45-minute interview. As writers have to do with this sort of chorus piece, though, she left out much. We pick up some of the rest here, in particular, explaining how a city rots. It doesn’t happen overnight. It occurs, as the poet would say, “a ribbon at a time.”
- Late 1960s — The federal government makes countless billions available to cities under the ill-advised Urban Renewal program. The money, as does all “free” grant dollars, comes with excessive costs. In this case, the city, in accepting theJudas coins, agrees to raze downtown West Street. The Union Station, the Busy Bee, Pickwick Hotel, and countless shops, restaurants, bars, and homes, are destroyed. Pittsfield has no plan in place. The street sits empty for decades.
- Early 1970s — Berkshire Community College moves from The Common. Pittsfield encourages the exit. In an instant, 2,500 students, faculty, and staff take refuge four miles away from downtown. Gone is the money they daily circulated there.
- 1970s/early 80s — Various developers propose plans for a downtown mall. The city holds two referendums, each of which passes. The politicians, however, ignore the will of the people. The mall vanishes, to turn up at the end of the decade in a location that will guarantee its failure.
- Mid-1980s — The city council petitions Boston for home rule to uncap pensions for municipal workers. Pension go from a maximum of 35% of top salary to 80% of a worker’s top three years. The great, unfunded pension liability begins. Today, pension and OPEBs have put taxpayers on the hook for $400 million dollars. It’s a time bomb yet to go off. One day it will, and it will take the city with it.
- Late 1980s-early- to mid-90s — General Electric pulls out, taking 14,000 high paying, private-sector jobs and leaving the city’s air, land, and water polluted. The retreat creates a power vacuum. The Special Interests see their big chance, ushering in a succession of bad politics and worse politicians. Gone is the concept of public service. Arrived is the notion of politics as career. The motto becomes: “I wanna get mine, so I better suck up.” Sic transit gloria.
- 1998 — City “leaders” sign the Consent Agreement with GE and the environmental agencies. In the end, the EPA and GE skunk Pittsfield, leaving the city with 52 acres of un-remediated land. After 21 years of PEDA, the only thing the agency has to show for it is two jobs: the con job and the snow job heard by its various executive directors.
- 2000 — The Civic Authority. Pittsfield civil war pits Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski in a guerrilla war against a well-funded war-machine The Suits created to put in a non-elective, appointed board that would usurp democratic institutions. Miraculously, With People prevail. The Suits vow never, never to let that happen again.
In these subsequent 20 years, we have seen a series of administrations that inadvertently or not have led to the stranglehold the Special Interests have on municipal government. They don’t need to rig elections. Because of union muscle, elections — especially for mayor, clerk, council at-large, and school committee — are predestined, as if they were some kind of Divine Right. Taxpayers have been waxed. Pittsfield has become a 2-32-66 city. There’s 2% at the top making out swell, 2/3rds at the bottom having government paying for their indolence, and the taxpaying third in the middle, supporting the entire mess at ever-increasing burden.
Don’t think so? What do you think happened last night when Pittsfield set its tax rate?
Ah, but that will be THE PLANET‘s subject for The Weekend Edition?
————————————————————————————————————-
“Fear is the refusal to accept what is certain” — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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TSC, can you show us how this is all Trump’s fault?
In today’s politics, EVERYTHING is Trump’s fault — except the booming economy and other such good things.
I thank Obama for our economy. 8400 to 20,000
I don’t thank Barry Sotero, for gunning down Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, with a gun He and Eric Holder ran as illegal gun runners.
They both belong in a MEXICAN prison, as many more were murdered in Mexico. An American prison is too good for either
Trump is idol.He does no wrong in your eyes.There are 36 million who follow Trump.You cant see.
And let us not forget the new city charter which is kind of the same animal as the Civic Authority in which those who control the city have been given much additional power.
Thank you to the city councilors who recognize that they were elected by the people and that their oath was to represent the people and not to be the mayors thug voters. And to the city councilors who are in the mayors back pocket and never intended to honor their oath of office in the first place? You are now wearing a banner that identifies you as a immoral mayoral toady.
And to the people, do not hesitate to call your toady representative when your ward has issues because they have forgotten what their job is and we need to remind them. Constantly.
Yes Johhny!!!
Go Johnny Go!
JA
Well made point, sir. The Charter could indeed be added as a “ribbon.” It was introduced on the sly with lies and subterfuge. One example: The city said it would print the proposed charter for citizens and make the pamphlet available to everyone. Distribution would be to libraries, senior centers, and post. Never happened. Only a tiny number voted, mostly Special Interest-types, and — voila! — a new charter with onerous implications for the Kapanskis.
Ed Lapoine was the chair of the charter commission and a more honest man never lived.
LaPointe
Yes, TM, a good man, he.
Abe. Abe Lincoln.
The fesidents of ward 4 told every other resident in this poverty stricken city that they must fund their bad choices.If ever their was a time that most taxpayers needed a real tax cut it was last night.The blue collar taxpayer is funding Tyers elitist leadership as they fund Trumps tax cuts for billionaires. No difference.Thank you Councilor Simonelli for your no vote……Why does Pete Marchetti want to be a politician?
Tyer wants your property assessment to go up whether you like it or not.
“And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
My independence seemed to vanish in the [M]aze.
but every now and then I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you like
I’ve never done before”
– Help
“(Help me)
If you open your mind for me
You won’t rely on open eyes to see
The walls you built within
Come tumbling down, and a new world will begin
Living twice at once you learn
You’re safe from pain in the dream domain
A soul set free to fly
A round trip journey in your head
Master of illusion, can you realize
Your dream’s alive, you can be the guide”
– Queensryche (Silent Lucidity)
So true. The people no longer have a voice in their government. Pittsfield is the worse example of this, but I was listening to a radio commentator who said that in many cities across the country the government workers are determining the outcomes of elections, specifically very liberal teachers. Sound familiar? The school employees in this city as well as the unions head to the polls and easily sway the outcome of the elections to those who will keep money coming their way and who represent a far left agenda. These teachers are graduating from far left schools where they were indoctrinated with this agenda and they are passing it on to their students and future voters. They believe that voices should be shut down who do not agree with their agenda and they have little use for the 2nd Amendment. This is our future America unless the stranglehold that these teachers and other government workers have on elections can be broken. We need to encourage choice in schools which the far left is against because they want ONLY their message to get through to the kids which is how they keep control now and in the future.
When all else fails blame the teachers. Sound familiar?
Downsize the jail.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association and the National Education Association both support the killing of unborn humans.
I’ve worked in numerous school districts in my career. Certain ones, and Pittsfield is DEFINITELY one of them, have more politically active liberals who brainwash the students and harass staff who don’t vote along the union lines.
I recall how many times Brendan Sheran had to take a vote to pass Bianchi’s insurance switch. At least 3. First few votes voted against it.
Teachers and Nurses go together. Whine about wages then make $500 a day in overtime (nurses)
Let me guess. When you worked in the school districts , Did you work as a janitor?
RFF
As if there’s anything wrong with that? Let me tell you, the maintenance people were and maybe still are some of THE PLANET’s most reliable spies. They know what’s going on … even in the PFD.
Looky looky, the union elite of the city with his lovely pension and years of overpaid overtime is putting down hard working men and women.
Funny, most fire fighters are treated as heros. Many of the ones I know are complete trash in their personal lives. I’ll assume you’re one of them.
As a fairly recent college graduate, I can tell you it has gotten MUCH worse. The professors do not need to shut down the voices because the rest of the class will. They won’t shut it down by having a civil argument, rather they will look at you in disgust and assume the worst about you.
Professors also no longer have a backbone to allow civil discourse among students. They allow it to happen and conservative students rather then face social media backlash, just sit quiet. We then wonder why the employment outlook for recent college graduates looks as dim as it is.
“conservative” is whitesplaining code for racists. The job market for college grads is booming, just not with impractical or non-terminal degrees.
Shakes,
Look at a university catalog. Impractical and non-terminal degrees make up the majority of the course catalog. This of course is not factoring in the underemployment rate of recent college graduates which is quite high. If you want to invest or like many, go into debt to obtain a meaningless degree laced with social justice and political activism that holds no merit in the real world, knock yourself out. I believe when my generation starts to become parents we will be the first to really question the value of particular colleges and programs. Heck, were starting to see it now with all of the recent school closures.
Actually with one kid a Freshman in college and the other graduating high school and already awarded over half a million dollars in potential scholarships, I’ve researched a lot more about college offerings than you have.
What is a “potential scholarship?”
Academic scholarship awards in acceptance letters.
OK. I had never heard that term before.
Did you really say “awarded over a half million in potential scholarships?”
Thanks for the laugh.
Universities, in their acceptance letters, typically indicate significant academic scholarships. Loyola offered $100k, Marquette $88k, and DePaul another $100,000. Obviolusly those are institution based and only kick in upon attendance. Therefore, “potential”.
OK. Good explanation. Good schools. If I were advising, I rank them 1. Marquette 2. DePaul 3. Loyola. Depends, too, on what she wants as a major (if she knows).
They haven’t decided yet, the early decision hasn’t responded, which is binding. There are several other substantial offers, as would be expected when you finish with a 3.9 gpa in a top 10 nationally ranked high school. She can’t go wrong wherever she decides.
How much is based on student loans. These are obviously four year awards. What is percentage of total tuition, room and board?
This is the point that needs to be made. Average annual cost to attend Marquette is $~50K. If your in a position where you can self fund the difference including the cost of living, books, food, etc, then great. My point was that many cannot and end up burying themselves in debt to get a meaningless degree.
Iv’e got a pHd in Chemistry. BS In BioChemistry.
Find me a job Shakey!
In SiTTSfield!!!! ROFL
Is your PhD from the Lenox water institute? And that’s your problem. You’re over educated and there is a jobs mismatch.
Nope. All degrees from a top 100 University.
No jobs in SHITTSfield Shakey.
Unless you can flip burgers, change linens, mop, manipulate a computer cash register, service section 8, D-rat politician, ……….
General Dynamics is looking for highly educated people right now.
Not chemists/biochemists.
Engineers, or floor sweepers
HENDRIX
As a long-time professor who taught his first classes in Fall 1977 semester at Le Moyne College, Syracuse, I can attest to this phenomenon. The ideological conformity on most campuses today calls to mind the thought control of Soviet Russia, Pol Pot’s Cambodia, and all of the Thought Control practiced in Eastern Bloc countries. The result has been an intellectual shrinking of young people, who have been subjected to the most perfect form of brainwashing — that where neither they nor their parents realize they have been seized. Why do you think the whole zombie thing found its resurrection? It’s art’s feeble attempt at protest.
Dan,
I concur. I started in the early 1990s, at colleges…
Students were polite. They asked for help if needed. They were not rude and crude….
Social media has become the way to contact a Professor: Something like “Hey Dude I cant mak clas, butt Il get U my wek in soon…”
Seen that , done that,….
Carry on Dan. Perseverance.
I agree Dan. The zombie thing describes perfectly what is happening in our public schools. It’s especially terrible what is being done because they are trying to convince the young that big government will solve all of our problems and they are preying on the idealistic minds of young people. They are quite literally trying to “make a meal of some bright eyed kid” and a young person in any kind of public school and the public colleges really does need “somebody looking after him or her” to save them from the indoctrination process. Think Hitler youth. In Nazi Germany they wanted to train the young in loyalty to Hitler and the Third Reich. It was so successful that young people would turn in their own parents if they thought they were being disloyal to Hitler. In our day and age, the young people will shut down anyone who thinks differently and they are being taught that white people are the enemy and Conservatives are no good. It’s the far left trying to become the only voice which will give them the power they are seeking.
I’ve often referred to this as the New Stalinism–on campus and on the Left generally.
Prime evidence was the Kavanaugh show trial.
Also on display yesterday with the three leftist Dem Party hacks posing as law professors. What a joke.
“Ms. professor, is Trump bad?” “Oh, yes, very, very bad. Bad, bad, bad.”
“Ms. professor, do we have a monarchy in this country?”
Same ol’ intellectually weak snark from the lefties. Snark, snark, snark–that’s all they got.
It has been a long time formenting. Dr. Ellis calls it ‘higher order fascism.’ Their objectives are no different from the base prejudice and hatred of law and order that describes common fascists, but their methods are masked by the appearance of intellectual quality and benefits from the prestige of academia.
Do you remember the outpouring of hate when Allan Bloom published The Closing of the American Mind? Professors formed a united front against him at my college. They were intent on not permitting his argument from detracting from their coveted prestige. Their response was like the shocked and terrified shephards in Poussian’s Et in Arcadia ego. Death shows up in the most surprising places.
Pat …teachers are teaching to the test.This is the rights answer to public education. Public education Pat along with elite school choice is the republicans idea.
School choice to get away from public school far left brainwashing is not a Republican idea. It’s an idea of anyone who doesn’t want their child to be indoctrinated. So sad that it’s the poor children who are being subjected to the brainwashing. The left complains about the education of the poor, but they don’t end up giving them a good education in our public schools. It’s these government controlled schools that are the problem. They are not teaching the young how to think, but what to think…that’s a huge difference.
That is the dumbest rebuttal I’ve ever seen!
School choice is public school to public school.Were you indoctrinated in public school?
School choice is being allowed to go anywhere including out of the public school system. We need more schools just teaching the basics and not indoctrination. Some private schools can also be far left, but ALL of the public schools are far left. When I attended public school, we were taught the basics not all of these crazy courses about activism and identity politics and gender studies…just the basics and we were taught critical thinking skills….that was the most important of all. You could get a really good education from public schools at one time, but that has all changed now. Now kids are getting an indoctrination not an education.
Pat school choice is not supported for private schools.
Pat would you take a moment and explain how kids are taught left wing American history.If revising some of those undeniable facts is a left wing teaching you win.
I will tell you. I was filling in for a social studies teacher instead of my assigned duty. The teacher was absent that day. The assignment was to write why it was morally wrong for the US to drop atomic bombs on Japan during WW2.
These kids had no context about why that was done, I had asked the class.
Sad thing is some of those students might not be there today if the grandfather would have had to invade Japan.
It’s not about research and understanding, it’s about how you feel about it based on your own limited life span and personal opinion, or beliefs.
Great example of far left indoctrination. It’s what they are NOT teaching the kids that is a big part of the problem too. They leave out vital parts of history because they want to always portray our country as the bad guy.
Read Elizabeth Warren’s earlier book…she was for school choice, and her son went to private schools.
I don’t think she is a republican.
No child left behind with standardized testing was led by the ultra liberal senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy. Stop trying to blame Republicans for this. Republicans just want options to get kids out of this horrendous situation, just like Elizabeth Warren did with her son.
Actually, it’s the Union donations and block voting that is powering the Democrats. The teachers vote as they are told and are shrill as F$&k! if they have to explain themselves. To cite an example see what happened with Cuomo and the teachers union in NYS. I think Trump and Pence are disasters. I think the religious right are the American Taliban, but this crony fake progressivism is just pick pocketing. I am a middle of the road think, I think? But if you point out certain facts prior get irate.
Pretty soon Pittsfield will be as dangerous as other rust belt cities like Syracuse NY and Gary IN.
Were number four or five now shakey
And mASSachusetts only lets the CRIMINALS, have firearms for protection.
Law abiding citizens are denied their rights. But the CRIMINALS, just get a slap from DA Harrington. You’ve got to be a 25+ year old thug to get prosecuted.
But a lifelong hunter, who has mASShole permits, then leans his shotgun on his truck, will get prosecuted for loaded firearm in a vehicle.
Its cute how you print Massachusetts and masshole . very creative.
Been there done that, mASShole.
I was in Berkshires before You were born. I hunted, fished, trapped.
I worked on farms, went to school, got educated, taught at Universities and Colleges.
What about EWE?
Why would you unsafely lean a loaded firearm against a vehicle? Definitely criminal negligence.
As I have been instructed as a Youth, from my Father a WWII vet, my uncles WWII vets, who were taught firearm saftey, for MANY generations, and “hunter safety courses”, that LIBERALS HAVE BANNED FROM SCHOOLS.
What YOU have done SHAKEY? Ever even had a slingshot?
Liberal don’t even know a BB gun from an ASSualt weapon….You Go Shakey……
Sam Adams would have given You a good bitch slap!!!
I know better than to lean a loaded firearm up against something in an unsafe and criminally negligent manner.
So how long have you hunted/been a gun owner/military service?
I’m sure you opted out of safe gun handling, when they taught it, in mASSachsetts schools.
Shaky?
You sound a lot like the ASShats in Baastun restricting my rights
Shakes,
There are such things as open bolts, safe settings, and unprimed muzzle loaders.
You assume too much. I know, presumptions, inferences, and hypothetical thinking is hot these days,
My dad had weapons and a license to carry. He taught my brothers and me how to shoot when we were lads. He taught us gun safety, respect, and the whole 900 yards.
Dan,
Why has gun safety been eliminated from mASSachuseets schools?
Cars kill more people, but they still have driver Ed.
But Tyer et. al. is striving to be #1!!!!
Terrible job plowng C- at best.
They had 1″ of salt on the roads left over from last RAINFALL!!! Sunday, before the storm.
EPA should get after Pittsfield DPW for polluting waters/wells with salt! I think that was when they were out plowing water……
I lived in Pittsfield for 30 years. When I arrived, Pittsfield was a thriving small city with an amazingly vibrant downtown. I enjoyed living there. Drip by drip, or as Dan puts it “Ribbon by Ribbon” it all went to hell.
I finally left a few years ago when my primary doctor’s office stopped accepting my medical insurance.
There you go, your reason to leave had everything to do with City Government.
SW
Yes. Medical services, or lack of them, is another “ribbon.”
Dan,
Just go to BMC ER, tell them “no Hablo Ingles?”. ” No tengo documentas”
You’ll get free service!!!
Love it! Or say you’re an addict, a drug pusher, a welfare cheat, or other form of bottom-feeder: Free as well.
Nice comment! If you ask any small Business owner in the Berkshires they would love to have the exact people you speak so ill will of. Including but not limited you the Refugees from Syria etc. However we are left with a labor pool of mostly white men and women 18-50( like yourself) who would rather make a doctors appointment and noon on a Tuesday or can’t get the car out of the driveway because of 5 inches of snow or My grandma died anyway you get the picture? So yeah bring “those people” here so small business can run. Please!
The commentators never ran a small business that actually provided a local service.
Mucas Garcia
You have the Brain Center?
Anybody know details of the ruckus and officer involved shooting in PITTSfield last night?
There was a brief blurb on the late Albany TV broadcast news last night. No details at all, except the officer shot someone, possibly after an assault.
So,……
No shootings in PITTSfield? Channel XYZ from Albany was just WRONG?
Where is THE LEFT WINGED PARROT, of the Rutberg chicken Coop on this?
Maybe POLICE REPORT can check in on this.
To respond to Mr. G from last thread:
“And the bribery, plain and simple, was holding $495 million in congressionally allotted funds up until he got the Ukranians to SAY they would investigate Biden.”
Trump not very good at bribery, then.
“Obstruction of justice, how about defying legally issued subpoenas?”
If anyone defies a legitimate subpoena, Congress can take them to court, prosecute them for it. Is this happening?
“Witness intimidation? He does that I’m plain sight every day.”
Not in anyone’s plain sight that I know of. Writing a tweet about the mediocre career of a witness is not witness intimidation. I know, hard to understand that, but it is not.
Trump not very good at witness intimidation either.
“What about stealing $2 million from his charity? That too is criminal.”
Is this a subject the impeachment farce?
Clintons seemed to do this on a regular basis. What’s happening with the prosecution of them? Or how about taking $13 million from the king of Morocco? Or lots of funny business as secretary of state that Hilary played with her foundation?
“The list goes on and on. I am not a big fan of any politician but this guy is a swindler, crook and criminal and has to go.”
Yup, yup, yup, has to go. Yup. What’s this, about the 50th time he has to go?
Chucky with his arse on fire behind the grate.
If the most powerful and corrupt person targets you its intimidation.Trump said he could do this and his blind supporters will support this 3rd world behavior.
For the Orbit award I nominate Police Report. who gave us all so much interesting and good information about the state of law & order and public safety.
Yeah, ‘Police Gets It’ . I’ll wait to nail next year…..Again…
Pete White won an Orbit. It’s lost it’s luster.
Yes, Mr. White’s win was a stain. There were extenuating (probably odd) circumstances, no doubt. THE PLANET shall investigate, if you wish!
Now that’s funny! Although White has won some other prestigious award from somewhere, as best politician last few years.
I second the motion.
Good choice!
Mike Ward won an Orbit then got out of Dodge. Smart guy.
Can someone explain the Orbit Award, never heard of it
I think everybody remembers some aspect of the Pittsfield of old. Sadly, every elected person in the city seems to believe that the solution to everything is to just throw more tax dollars at the problems. The result is continued degradation of the city and budgets that grow every year.
Logically, when you have a problem, you identify it and fix it. When you have a ton of problems in any department, you rip the thing apart and totally restructure and do what you have to do with the goal of bringing things under control. Who is ever going to get elected that does that? Very sad.
I hear that Clairmont’s 15 vote win in 2013 over Donna Rivers while Linda T. was the clerk is coming back into focus in the Mazzeo voting scandal. Sometime is quite rotten in Denmark my friends.
Barry should not be in the Registrars Officeever.
Nobody gets that.Barry was desperate before the election.
My garbage hasn’t been picked up in two days going on three? Where’s the warning? City hall closes no way to pay bill other day?wheres the info? Then the perimeter around City a Hall was a f mess. And a three car pile up on Fenn and first tying up traffic,wth?
Remember Low victory over Joe Breault?
Fraud in elections is a ten year sentence. No deals.
Pittsfield politics made Pittsfield worse off over the past 5 to 6 decades. After GE cut its workforce in Pittsfield around 1990, Pittsfield politics has done nothing of value on economic development over the past nearly 30 years. I believe Pittsfield politics makes more money from social services programs than living wage jobs; I call it “perverse incentives”. Pittsfield has become one of the most economically unequal communities in the state and nation. Pittsfield politics shuts down civic participation in state and local government. If a citizen speaks out about Pittsfield’s long demise, they will lose their job and be blacklisted from getting a new job. The people who run Pittsfield politics are called the “Good Old Boys”, who are a group of multi-generational and interrelated families; I believe Pittsfield politics is ran like the Mafia. The Good Old Boys serve the vested (big 3 unions) and special interest groups. The political ruling elites in Pittsfield all answer to the “big wheels” in Boston, who are the state Democratic Party bosses. Many thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield over the past decades. Many thousands of living wage jobs have been lost in Pittsfield, as well. The underclass has taken over inner-city Pittsfield, which has violent crimes, gangs, drugs, and poverty. There are dozens of empty storefronts on North Street. Teen pregnancies and welfare caseloads double the statewide average in Pittsfield. I have long believed that I had a better chance of winning the state lottery jackpot than finding a living wage job in Pittsfield; those are terrible odds! PEDA in over 21 years old, and it is a case study of business failure with zero private tenants on a worthless parcel of polluted land. The worst thing to happen in Pittsfield in recent years was when former Pittsfield Mayors Gerry Doyle and Jimmy Ruberto led the campaign in favor of the Berkshire Museum’s unethical sales of historic and valuable pieces of art for tens of millions of dollars. There were protests locally, nationally, and throughout the World. This past week, the lovely Linda Tyer raised municipal taxes by millions of dollars, despite having about $10 million in reserves, and despite state education aid for Pittsfield’s public school district increasing by millions of dollars. The latest tax hike made no economic and/or financial sense.
You’re a good man, JM.
Oh well, someone thinks otherwise….
Jonathan Turley always solid on constitutional/legal stuff.
I hear he is a liberal Democrat, if so he’s definitely out the cool kids’ club now.
He and Dershowtiz can hie to the Island of the Misfit Liberals because they ain’t getting no more invites to the cool kids’ parties on Nantucket or in the Hamptons. No Hollywood starlets’ cleavage in their faces. No flights to Paris to see Polanski. Nada.
And that’s what the Dems still got–nada.
Speaking during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday morning, George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley called out Democrats and fellow members of the panel for moving forward with impeachment because “everyone is mad.”
“I get it. You’re mad. The president’s mad. My Republican friends are mad. My Democratic friends are mad. My wife is mad. My kids are mad. Even my dog seems mad and Luna is a golden-doodle and they don’t get mad. So, we’re all mad. Where has it taken us? Will a slipshod impeachment make us less mad or will it only give an invitation for the madness to follow in every future administration? That is why this is wrong…it’s wrong because this is not how you impeach an American president,” Turley argued, adding that the evidence Democrats are using is severely lacking, the process is rushed and that a number of witnesses haven’t been subpoenaed.
“I am concerned about lowering impeachment standards to fit a paucity of evidence and an abundance of anger. If the House proceeds solely on the Ukrainian allegations, this impeachment would stand out among modern impeachments as the shortest proceeding, with the thinnest evidentiary record, and the narrowest grounds ever used to impeach a president. That does not bode well for future presidents who are working in a country often sharply and, at times, bitterly divided,” he said.
And by the way, Turley isn’t a Republican and voted against President Trump in 2016.
“I’m not a supporter of President Trump. I voted against him. My personal and political views of President Trump are irrelevant to my impeachment testimony, as they should be to your impeachment vote,” he continued. “As I have previously written, such misuses of impeachment would convert our process into a type of no-confidence vote of Parliament. Impeachment has become an impulse buy item in our raging political environment.”
“………an “expert” that Democrats brought before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to talk about the constitutional references to impeachment wasn’t exactly a “witness.”
She’s better described as a financial supporter of Hillary Clinton with a personal grudge against President Trump’s election because she “was on Hillary Clinton’s short list of Supreme Court nominees,” an opportunity she lost when Clinton failed to win in 2016.”……….
https://www.wnd.com/2019/12/democrat-expert-actually-anti-trump-hillary-clinton-donor-list-supreme-court/
Mr Shit, a.k.a. Capt. Kangaroo is holding a great impeachment proceeding……..
Carry on D-s! !!!
Here’s an intellectually honest liberal–I give you Jonathan Turley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcoc6Y4Iusc
I can’t continue now because the shock has put me into myocardial infarction. The EMTs are here to de-fib me.
My Orbit contenders are as follows:
1 Police Report
2. Johnny 99
3. Johnny Absurd
Many on here contribute to the discussion on so many issues. I thank all! You make this site great.
And The Planet makes all this happen.
Yes,those three are worthy. We haven’t had this much excitement since the Inaugural Clueless Lew and Stooge Shows.
Thanks, J2S. You are in nomination!
Two of my favorite moments from last night’s meeting:
Paula King conveniently not being able to recall which two previously taxed properties were suddenly added to the non-exempt rolls. I’m sure it’s not a simple or easy task to get that change of designation. She should have been able to remember that.
And her sneaky math – the average tax increase this year will be around $200. Over the last ten years, the “three year average increase” was approximately $100 each year. From last year to this year, average property owners will pay $200 more. Factoring in that there was no increase at all last year from the year prior, they are still considering in line with a $100 increase every year.
Guess what, it was a trick! No one’s taxes were lowered last year. They just postponed the annual increase by one year. Now it’s all due at once.
PHIL
Bingo! They merely added on to the increase this year. There NEVER WAS a tax decrease. THE PLANET’s Weekend Edition will explain the scam!
I wonder WHOSE properties are now tax exempt. Inquiring minds want to know! The Tyer administration is a circus.
More on the Ukraine connection….and why the anti-Trumpers want him out of office! He’s messing up their corrupt business dealings!
– Romney’s top advisor, Joseph Black, sits on the board of Burisma.
– Hunter Biden in business with John Kerry’s stepson and Whitey Bulger’s nephew in an equity firm laundering millions from China & Ukraine to the
U.S.
– Paul Pelosi Jr. (Nancy’s son) is involved in oil importing from Ukraine through his company Viscoil, which is being investigated for securities fraud.
– Nancy Pelosi’s aide is from Ukraine, and has connections to their govt. & military.
– Pelosi & Schiff have a business connection to a Ukrainian arms dealer.
– Aivar Rehe, former CEO of Danske Bank, known for money laundering during the Obama/Biden years – was just found dead. He was a witness
for the prosecution in the money laundering scheme.
This is all from info on the web and is easily researched. Check it out.
No wonder they want Trump impeached!
And be said it on here about ten times.They’re all in on it,including the media who is making the biggest fortune.
Of course Congress will never investigate these, many others there are probably just as guilty.
Maybe Justice Department under AG Barr will take it on.
Just too many corrupt members of US House and Senate to imagine ever restoring honest government.
The politicians are in it to enrich themselves, families, close friends and big donors.The politicians make the mob look like novices with the way they run their rackets on the tax payers .
Trumps OK
Lets get them when we finish with Trump.
A never ending battle to rid our government of corrupt politicians because of the amount of money involved. For every roach taking out there is 2-3 more roaches to replace them.
For what? Getting something for all the foreign aid we urinate away.
And to get to the bottom of corruption by the Bidens. Biden is on videotape at a CFR conference bragging about holding up one Billion in aid to Ukraine unless they fire the prosecutor investigating his son and Burisma. He even stated that they should contact ex-president Obama if they didn’t believe him (Joe Biden).
No one cried about this abuse of power. These guys in Congress, and you are such hypocrites.
And a couple of recent “Arkancides”
Epstiens plastic surgeon, and banker that delt with the Clintoon foundation….
Watch as more close to the Clintoons show up dead……..
Im accusing Pittsfield plows of purposely blocking corners all around the city.Why would any person with common logic pile it high as to create a life and death situation on our roads…..pretty sure they conspired to do it.The mayor can easily find out who plowed what streets…..
All reports indicate the plowing to be the piss-poor it has been in the last score of years. Wait til you hear what our embedded sources in the DPW have to say.
I thought the plowing was good the first day considering the amount of snow. But then it seemed like someone shut down removal operations after barely opening the roads after the second snow hit. I think it was deliberate and possibly related to the city council insisting on using more free cash. Payback from the corner office? Giving taxpayers the finger for wanting budget oversight? Who knows with this moody administration?
Dan ,
Salt was an 1″ deep in PITTSfield, at intersections, BEFORE the snow, on Sunday. North, Wahconah (sp?), Center,
I guess even all the rain, and plowing water, so much the DPW still left it there.
Who runs PITTSfield DPW?
I stayed away from the PITT, since
MT
As in the film Marathon Man, “Is it Safe?”
In trying to drive around my neighborhood with the piss-poor plowing I can’t help but wonder if Lovely Linda told the DPW which Wards to do a crappy job in (the ones that she lost in). Honestly I could have done better with a shovel. Counted that the City plow has driven up and down my street at least six times with the plow up, two men in the truck. Yet during the rain storm they had the plow down causing sparks. Also wondering why the robo-call was not utilized for garbage pick-up? Was told pickup was moved forward a day yet the truck showed up yesterday, asked the driver why and he said he had more room in his truck so he figured he would pick-up?! This City is such a mess, don’t ever remember in the past having such problems with garbage pickup. Yet drove by City Hall and you could eat off the sidewalk. Does Lovely Linda ever drive around the City and check out the poor workmanship of her departments?
MERRY
Our spies within DPW, reliable guys, have been sharing some head-shaking stories about the plowing. Have to be careful on using some of the info because the last thing THE PLANET will do is identify a source. Suffice it to say, however, that the city doesn’t have its act together with regard to efficient, timely snow treatment.
Dan,
I’d like to see a heads down chain of command of DPW/Snow removal.
And a breakdown of private contractors and any/all ties to pissfield politicians.
I saw trucks running all over Sunday, hours before any snow. Maybe filling up sand/salt? Maybe getting in some overtime?
Pissfield sure don’t take care of it’s own sidewalks in a timely fashion. Why should homeowners?
I’m sorry Jims and Carrs is leaving North St.
At least Carrs had their own parking. I seldom shop/stop on North St due to the parking NAZIs, and having to go to a abomination , instead of putting in a nickle.
Ward 4 sidestreets are a mess.
Moon represents Ward 4 Caccamo Ward 4 Marchetti Ward 4,White is Ward 4 Rivers is Ward 4…..Ward 4 would like to thank the other wards for sending your kids to Allendale toxic swamp and the Crosby mold school.
Moon represents Moon. Marchetti represents Marchetti. Two of the mayors BFFs.
Ward 4 loves all of their councilors.Thank you for all your support.Pete White is the best Ward 4 councilor we ever had.Did anyone tell Caccamo Tyer won.
I don’t know about Orbit,is this like an Emmy? On here? I was listening to the radio this morning or trying to,and there was nothing,two men were shaving? Then some women is cackling like wood woodpecker very annoying,said she works for the city? Let’s hope not. Give that station the whammy for an award.
MnS
The Orbit is like the Emmy or Oscar of THE PLANET. Given for stellar contributions during the year. Contributions that advance discussion, that share information, that form the basis of action, that improve the lives of citizens.
Tyer and Marchetti need to find out why her plows built up all corners around the city so you cant see when entering roads.Taxpayers have children in their cars.These snow banks need to be knocked down today.It is an emergency. Someone could die today because of this.We also need to fine private plows 500 bucks if caught doing this.The plows are sending snow 15 feet into property’s on purpose.Tyer need to figure out how to be Mayor.
We heard this stupid practice is being done by some plow jockeys because they are too lazy to do a careful job. Corner piles are fast, easy, and — as you point out — dangerous.
Dan,This was not done last year when they split 2.3 million.
Of course not,they put a hundred pounds of salt on it and melted away.
The corruption of Trump asked the corrupt Ukraine to help him again in 2020 like they did in 2016. Trump and the Ukraine are doing alot to help Republicans keep power.
Psst……
It was the Clintons and Democrazies in 2016…there is dirt on Sotero, Biden and the Clintons.
MSM won’t touch that, Judicial Watch has. Their FOIA requests, from 5-4-3 years ago are just coming to the light of day. More H-beast emails, obstructing justice…………
The Democrazies still have not got over, Nov 2016, so after peeing their undies, they are still in a bunch, wet and soiled.
So Bye, Bye, to collusion lies………. Mueller got nothing so just let it die…….
But Schiff’s got new bunch of cow pies…….. And the democrats are knee deep in their own mire…..
I have a feeling that there are many politicians who are running scared over what hasn’t been exposed yet.
They should be. Between the Epstein case and the Deep State biz dealings in Ukraine – let the truth be exposed!
Nazi Pelosi says impeachment vote’s a go. I’ll believe it when I see it, but they probably have no choice at this point. She must figure they’ll look less idiotic if they go through with it than if they bail–and get more donations if they do it.
Also, “If you testify and spill the beans, I will hurt you and/or your family in some way, financially, physically, career, etc.”
That’s witness intimidation.
You can’t just redefine words and concepts, but I understand that in the throes of Trumpsteria words only mean what you want them to mean.
Don is going to need the Ukraine to win again.The Ukraine are experts in election meddling around the world. We all know it was the Ukraine that loves Trump.
If they were, the Hildebeast would have been POTUS TSC.
Biden and his Son should be in jail, along with Sotero and the H-Beast, for their dealings with both Ukraine and Russia.
Holder for being corrupt ,and his and Barrys Gun criminal running
Explain what Biden did and what Bo did.Don jr put his name on a book and said he wrote it then sold 100 k to the Republican Party
I was going to say this as a half joke, but I’m hearing now that GWU law school students trying to get Turley fired.
As I was saying . . .
Silly Jonathan, there is no free thought on the Left, no diversity of opinion, no honest, actually informed scholarly opinion.
There are only Democratic Party hacks.
You called it Ed, Pink Hats & Midol for those who dare to have a difference of opinion or else.
What happened to interference with contractual relations?
Pelosi: “Ukraine? This isn’t about Ukraine. It’s about Russia. Trump was trying to help Putin by withholding aid from Ukraine.” (or words close to that)
Wa? When Ukraine got millions in aid from Trump, and Obama did jack squat for Ukraine in 8 years?
Hilarious already.
Oh, yeah, bring on the Senate trial.
And thanks to the impeachment hearings, President Trump has earned a 52% approval rating (Rasmussen). The American people see through the charade.
Roads in my area were “opened up” Tuesday morn and packed down by traffic since. Nobody been around to widen it. Storms drains blocked 3 feet out. Can’t wait till the rains come Sunday/Monday. Kids are gonna love the slush baths they get trying to get to the school buses. Did the mayor give all snow budget money to her friends in the school system so they would vote for her? Sure would be nice to have the money Stanley walked away with for snow removal and public safety. What the hell happened, was there a mass walkout of plow drivers?
What is unacceptable we’re the slush piles around city hall. If anyplace that should be plowed correctly. I had to see the assessor Dusty Haas,I believe,very personable and helpful. They don’t pay him enough.
Someone here gave a grade of C- for the plowing job by the city. I think that was about right, if not generous. Below average, almost failing (D).
With a job done so poorly, there has to be something happening behind the scenes. I look forward to getting the scoop.
This clown went down my street going fifty at least with his plow up. Did you know we still have speed limits on side streets. Black pick up newer west side.
I agree. Sounds like a management issue assuming someone was in charge at all. I am guessing they were told to stand down and teach the taxpayers a lesson. Payback from city hall?
Got a feeling good service will be hard to come by. Millennials are spoiled and don’t give a shit.
So, a School Bus was involved in an accident today. Cause,sheet of ice,roaf not sanded? You could make it up,but can’t.
The roads were like this when Bianchi was mayor. They were like this for Tyer I. They will be like this for Tyer II. It is a management issue, but I’m not sure it is the mayor. I think the hired management may be the problem.
2.3 million over budget is a Tyer thing.
I’m glad to have survived days like last Monday, when sometimes they didn’t cancel school.
And the roads got plowed, there were no State of emergencies, kids made a bunch shoveling rather than dealing dope, there were sleds snowshoes and skis instead of tablets,…….
Your still complaining you old fart. But your right.
Does the DA or her husband ever do anything without claiming credit in the media? This is at least the third eagle story on his store giving away lemonade and coffee. It’s always what’s in for me. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/inspired-by-teachers-project-dalton-fifth-grader-raises-money-for-boston-childrens-hospital,591635
What a couple of creeps shaving their beards this morning. If it’s for prostate cancer shave your balls. On second thought,those to should have beards. And the woman cackling this morning,what a loser. Bruce no back the music toT B R.
Congrats to potential five hundred g scholarship……..Trump U?
James, as a non subscriber to this sight a friend mentioned this comment to me so I had to look it up. I’m really sure we have never met? if so I’m sure you would have never made such a comment. I use the platform of my business to donate to anyone who asks, I have donated thousands of dollars and countless hrs to my community. I give kids a place to have a lemonade stand in front of my store all summer long I provide all the necessary goods and let them keep every penny. The link you provided is a story not about me but more about a kindhearted young man who is doing great things. I have also as well as my family have done countless hours of community service donated to Anyone or any organization that asks. Not for the credit as you claim but just trying to make this world a little better.I will not ask what you do for the community but trust you are a good person. So I invite you to my market in West Stockbridge for a cup of coffee or a lemonade on me. Tim
Tim,
Thank you for posting. I second the motion! You’re a great guy who does a lot of good for the community. Your generosity and good heartedness is selfless, and not the least self serving, and has nothing to do with politics or scoring political points. And your Fogbusters coffee is the best.
Don’t know what you said but agree. The homlier guy kept saying he had blond in his beard? So?
I don’t think there is one good looking guy over at P C T period. Maybe Matt,that’s it.
I think the Low tally of getting Beat by five hundred votes has gone the way of O J and his phony search for the real killers. That also ain’t happening. Stop embarrassing yourself Low by being on insignificant boards. Your beating in the Ward election tells us all one thing. Your a loser.
Ride into the sunset my friend, your political career has passed you by. The sad thing is you could have been a great leader until you sold out your soul.
It’s possible he was a blond at one time before his head turned into a wrecking ball.