THE PRIVILEGE TO COMMENT … IMPEACHMENT NOT PEACHY … MORE BRAINWASHING? … BEWARE OF COVID-19 SCAMS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 27, 2021) — From time to rare time, it becomes necessary to pull the plug on a commentator. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often. Most people respect the power of broadcasting their words. Other? Not so good.
THE PLANET believes in the secular and moral “sacredness” of the Bill of Rights, particularly free speech and freedom of the press. Without such freedom, America might just as well be bigger North Korea. However, as we’ve discussed over the years, such freedoms are not absolute. They come with responsibility. That’s true in the country and on this board. As a practical matter, though, reality assures that interactive, online media such as this site will occasionally draw that person who violates the extremely loose guidelines we must impose on a reader’s ability to comment.
We have little patience for that.
First, there’s no “right” to comment here. THE PLANET grants it as a privilege.
Second, that privilege requires an equal commitment from the participant to keep the comments within the broad and admittedly ill-defined realm of “fair play.”
Third, it would be far easier to publish our columns and disallow free, unhindered, real-time interaction with, for, and from readers. There would be far fewer firewalls and security algorithms needed, it would save time, and it would reduce the expense of producing content. Why do you think every other media outlet in Berkshire County has either severely restricted your ability to post in real time or eliminated it completely?
Fourth, as long as we continue with THE PLANET, we shall keep it free and open.
This preamble serves as an explanation of why someone gets bounced, which we’ve recently had to do.
We do it for the integrity of the site, for without such an ongoing, diligent, and vigilant effort, any site soon dissolves into Topix or worse. THE PLANET has no interest in creating a fetid cesspool of guttur-dwelling ignorance. And that’s the point. Americans needs to learn once again how to engage in vigorous, even offensive debate without taking it personally, without dishing it our personally, being “offended,” or reacting with irrationality.
We like to think that in our small way, THE PLANET contributes to that lesson.
Fortunately, the vast majority of our readers and commentators get this point. Their contributions makes this the area’s most popular and lively site.
If you comment, do it with intent. Do it with your best foot forward, your best writing, your best arguments. Lower the boom or sing hosannas; deliver the knockout punch or place the laurel crown on head top — but do it in a way that doesn’t embarrass yourself.
You have something to say, and THE PLANET will always be interested in hearing and sharing it.
———- ooo ———-
IMPEACHMENT AN EMBARRASSMENT TO AMERICA
On Monday, House Democrats trudged ceremoniously across the hall to the Senate to deliver the indictment against ex-President Donald Trump.
Once again, America chose to embarrass itself.
The bill charges Trump with inciting a riot, something that will have little to no chance of passing in the Senate. The first obstacle toward conviction is that Trump’s speech on the day of the Capitol riot contained no direct instruction to the crowd to engage in violence. There might be people who hear such urgings in the tone and in reading between the lines. THE PLANET understands that. But you can’t convict on something so subjective. Fact is, the hard evidence is not there for a conviction.
The other factor that will likely preclude conviction can be found in the numbers. At least 17 Republicans will have to vote with 100% of Senate Democrats (including the two independents) to reach the two-thirds mark required for conviction. No way that happens. What, do you think the Republicans, having lost the Oval Office so narrowly and with such slim margins in both houses, suddenly will want to “Kumbaya” with the other side of the aisle?
No way. Despite Syracuse Joe’s pledge to “unify” America, he sat by as his party went ahead with an impeachment that has life for no other purpose than sore-winer politics, to rub salt into the wound. Unity? We are more divided than ever.
———- ooo ———-
RACE TIME
Hold on to your hats if you’re wearing one. This week, Syracuse Joe plans to reveal his policies on “racial equality” — as if through paperwork and pen strokes you can change people’s hearts. Details will be forthcoming, but the plan will include:
- Federal requirement for more “diversity” and “inclusion” training. More Cold War brainwashing?
- Push for “social justice.” You know what that means.
- Policies to promote “racial equity” (giving preference and discriminating on the basis of skin color).
- Additional “support” for “communities of color” (more Big Government to keep people poor, dependent on government freebies, so as to secure their votes every two years).
Anyone who dares critique such wasteful and expensive in social engineering best brace themselves for condemnation, including the now-meaningless adjective “racist.”
Ain’t that America?
———- 000 ———-
Finally, this warning from the mayor’s office, City of Pittsfield:
City and health officials urge caution against COVID-19 vaccination scams
As COVID-19 vaccinations continue throughout the Commonwealth and across the country, city and health officials are urging the public to be cautious in light of a growing number of vaccination scams targeting users through multiple platforms.
“In the cybersecurity community, we’re seeing an uptick in scams related to the vaccine. The attack vectors are email, text messaging, and phone calls,” said Mike Steben, the city’s Chief Information Officer. “The newest ones are online ads for vitamins that are alleging to ward off COVID-19. We just want people to very cautious.”
Dr. Alan Kulberg, chair of the city’s Board of Health, says established processes are in place for those eligible for each phase of the vaccine roll-out. “Everyone who is eligible, per Phase for the vaccine, will have a vetted and legitimate channel for which they can sign up. Please note that there isn’t a ‘list’ or place for anyone to sign up who is not eligible for Phase 1 or Phase 2, which is expected to begin Feb. 1,” said Kulberg. “Anyone who is eligible in Phase 1 and is not part of an agency should send an email to vaccineteam@bhs1.org.”
Here are some additional tips provided by AARP to guard against these types of scams:
- Avoid online offers for coronavirus cures or faster access to vaccines. They aren’t legitimate.
- Be wary of emails, calls and social media posts advertising “free” or government-ordered COVID-19 tests. Check the FDA website for a list of approved tests and testing companies.
- Don’t click on links or download files from unexpected emails, even if the email address looks like a company or person you recognize. The same applies for text messages and unfamiliar websites.
- Don’t share personal information such as Social Security, Medicare and credit card numbers in response to an unsolicited call, text or email.
- Be skeptical of fundraising calls or emails for COVID-19 victims or virus research, especially if they pressure you to act fast and request payment by prepaid debit cards or gift cards.
- Ignore phone calls or emails from strangers urging you to invest in a hot new stock from a company working on coronavirus-related products or services.
——————————————————————————————————————
“If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking, you might just as well be alone” — Poet Yoshida Kenko.
“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 and contained in 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. Copyright (c) 2020 by Dan Valenti.
And the Wichita lineman is still on the line.
I didn’t know Wichita had a football team. O line or D line?
The line for the County.
Council Grades
Kavey A
The U.S. Senate is going to hold a trial on the Impeachment of Donald Trump soon. But what about Joe Biden and his alleged “crime” family who are all worth tens of millions of dollars without reasonable explanation? What about Hunter Biden who is under federal law enforcement investigation for his foreign business dealings with adversarial countries such as Communist China, and his alleged money laundering? They are all alleged crooks! In order to be in the big leagues of national politics, you have to raise enormous sums of money each and everyday. Some people believe that K Street is the real Capitol Hill because corporate lobbyists write a lot of the legislation that most Members of U.S. Congress don’t bother to read before they vote on various bills. Most citizens do not understand most public policies that keep Wall Street at record highs, while Main Street is at record lows (the K-shaped recovery/recession). Lastly, there is only one real political party in American politics: The career politicians who are Incumbent Office Holders for Life, such as over 3 decades long PAC-Man Richie Neal who raises so much money from K Street lobbyist firms that anyone who challenges him can’t compete with his millions of dollars in his campaign coffers. The system is rigged in favor of the wealthy and ruling elites! The rest of us have no choice but to pound sand.
Wall Street and the powers to be didn’t like anyone else using the supposed same legal system they do.The game is fixed. Great article.
https://redstate.com/bonchie/2021/01/27/reddit-trolls-play-the-stock-market-and-the-elites-are-really-really-mad-n317300
That has been so fun to watch!
Jonathan
Biden impeachment’s coming in 2022
Republicans will now stoop to democrats level
You’re talking out of both sides of your mouth again. You didn’t think Twitter should ban Trump, yet you ban here. Who is the decider of what is okay and not okay to say on Twitter, you?
MR W
Not a drop of it. Twitter banning Trump, the POTUS, for saying “We shall continue the fight” or words to that effect — for that matter, banning the New York Post essentially for its coverage — is apples, rotten ones at that. THE PLANET only rarely bans commentators, posters, or contributors. And usually not permanently. If you read the content of the ones who have earned a lifetime ban, you’d would immediately see the distinction. As to your question of who decides, obviously, the owner (publisher, editor) of the site. Twitter has the RIGHT to ban anybody, but doing so doesn’t make it right. Get it?
I get it. Thank you for acknowledging their RIGHT, as they own it. That is my point.
Dam
Local propaganda presses- eliminated comments to control narratives, much like Twitter. My guess is 230 protections will be eliminated. And monopolies broken followed by racketeering indictments.
The New York Post is owned by Fox entertainment and conservative propaganda Billionaire Rupert Murdoch
Councilor Maffuccio last night said “Now is not the time for solutions”. Classic.
Pittsfield really needs some Professional representation. The City Council is a divided warring faction. A real clown show of late.
The attempted impeachment is an embarrassment to our country just like the last one was a waste of time and money. It’s about 2 things….revenge and not letting Donald Trump run for president again. It proves that the Democrats could care less about unity for the country. President Biden is doing nothing to stop it so he is proving to be useless in going against his radical party which is what many predicted would happen.
Now the Clowncil wants to revisit pay as you throw? The thinking is why should taxpayers subsidize multi bag users to their one bag. Well,it’s usually due to the fate the apartment owners and anyone else with a larger family have more bags,and you know what they pay taxes. Compare it to the stupid taxes paid by single taxpayers,elderly who don’t have children in our lousy schools. Should they have to pay for that? Of course.
Let’s hope these green types get a hold of themselves and stop being so annul.
I was appalled at the never-ready for an honest answer Kufflinks stating,taxpayers don’t like paying useless debt. Is he joking. The City is driven by debt. Time fora ton Manager…..yesterday
Anyone see that picture of a black family handcuffed to the ground in Aurora Colorado? Are cops serious?
Training police lessons the chances thiat this lack of proffesionism will happen.I guess this black family was a threat for 2 hours.
Pat, it’s time to be honest with yourself. if the situation was reversed and it had been Obama who riled everyone up with fake rigged election stories and then held a big rally for BLM protestors who then stormed the Capitol, you and all the right wing TV folks and all the House and Senate Republicans would all be screaming from the rooftops that he needed to be impeached. And you know what, you’d be right. Just like Trump should be impeached.
What Trump did was the embarrassment to our country. He made us a laughing stock of the world and failed to uphold his oath of office he needs to be held accountable.
The Democrats spent 4 to 5 years getting everyone riled up with false information about President Trump. The Trump Russian collusion was a huge lie and so many on the left were urging people to attack Trump supporters in streets, restaurants and anywhere they found them. Many on the left like Maxine Waters were promising to take out President Trump and laughing while she said it. All of this aggressive talk and investigations resulted in Republicans being attacked on a baseball field. One almost lost his life and it could have been a massacre.
Pat, assuming what you said is true(which I could debate with you all night, does that make what Trump did right?
Other countries are currently afraid for us. They see Biden and his administration as a huge danger to this country. Germany is warning us not to go down the road of silencing and demonizing people because we see how that ended for the world when it began in Germany. So many other countries are now afraid for the freedom of all Americans. Don’t believe the lies from the media that we were an embarrassment to the world under President Trump. It’s just not true. Just more of their lies.
Other countries (except Russia and Saudi Arabia) are thrilled that Trump is out and Biden is in. Do you not remember the G7 Summit when all the European leaders were laughing at Trump? They consider him a buffoon.
Nothing would have been known because the press wouldn’t have covered it and bat winged crazy Pelosi would have served tuna and toured the capital with the peaceful protesters
We were the world’s laughing stock long before Jan 6. We argue, they profit.
It’s a smear campaign, just like first one
A waste of time and money
He was impeached a second time Pat.
What is the charge for wrongfully accusing someone. Maybe Trump is waiting this out so he can sue for defamation
You are unaware of Dec 6,2021
Obviously, you’ll delete this comment, but you’re a hypocrite. I was substantively adding to the discussions as much if not more than your other commenters. The only difference? I disagreed with you and let you know it. This is just an echo chamber for your little fan group where you can be their little leader. You’re as bad as anybody when it comes to censoring those who don’t agree with your narrative.
I feel bad for the fools and idiots who look to you as some guiding voice.
TONY
I’m hitting the reset button here. You obviously have a lot of frustration. Try to keep it cool.
Tony B is just Barry Clairmont posting under a different name right? The anger is the same
THE PLANET protects the identities of all posters who use pseudonyms.
It’s sad that every media outlet in Berkshire County has mostly prevented any kind of public commenting and this happened years ago. They don’t want a diversity of voices. They want people to think in one way and one way only which is their way. I hope and pray that Planet Valenti will continue in these dark times and the voices of the public will be heard.
Not only do they want you to think one way, they want words to mean what they want them to mean, and not what they have been used for.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-claims-words-picnic-brown-bag-are-offensive
I stopped writing letters to the editor decades ago because the Eagle would rewrite what I wrote to say the exact opposite
I will do my best to swear less often.
I will continue not to watch the stooge show or listen to t be on my way home from the graveyard shift. As it is the dumbest show format and content in the history of P c tv
Heh. Unless you want to get all your swears in before you get home.
It should be called gabbing with gobsigs.
Dumb show is correct. And bootlicker extroidinaire.
Does anyone believe that Trumps threats to the Republican Secretary of State in Georgia to break the law and find 11,000 pretend votes to make him the winner by fraud and blackmail was not cheating.Trumps desperate attemp to steal the Presidency speaks to his last ditch effort at the capital to violently intimidate Republicans by threats of death to our Vice President and others in the party of Lincoln.Who believes Lincoln would have supported Trumps overthrow of our democracy….A Qanon response is just science fiction given life by those who host that fantasy and its a red flag of misinformation.
The pretend votes were coming from the mail-in ballots that the swing states were using to overtake Trumps votes because they had the advantage of knowing how many they needed and could easily fill out the mail-in ballots they needed to win. They didn’t need actual people showing up at the polls. It was a really fishy election. President Trump had so many votes from non-white people than ever before.
That is called Qanon conspiracy…There is zero proof.Now prove that Q
You push the Qnumb theory
Proof please.
Everyone has seen the results for President Trump having more non-white votes than any president in history which is amazing for such a supposedly racist president. Obviously non-white people didn’t believe the lies from the Democrats.
Lots of video of swing state vote counting stations closing early and kicking out Republican vote count watchers. They then proceeded to pull out suitcases full of mail-in ballots, but nobody could tell from the video if they were already filled out or not. This is why they needed total privacy and closed their stations so early, something that has NEVER been done.
Because of inappropiate usage and cliched overuse, the term “racist” has lost almost all of its meaning. Today, it means “I’m woke left and your sleepy right. I can’t handle any point of view that differs from my own. Therefore, you are a racist (you can substitute “sexist” when dealing with gender issues).
Can a racist or sexist be vibrant and dynamic?
I would argue that Trump has built a coalition of White suburban moms that he said he would protect from the subsidized housing projects that were coming their way…..I know what he was talking about and thats when the racist play dumb…..racism is above ground now are easily targeted…..The word has real meaning and some dont like the exposure.
Try building affordable housing anywhere near a gated community or the such and watch what happens. They all preach ,but want it elsewhere. See windmills, solar etc.. These people are the loudest when it comes to “ Not In My Backyard “.
Pat, I know you probably never see facts given you don’t change the channel, but you should really make a better effort to inform yourself before repeating the same crap that Trump told you.
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/12/video-doesnt-show-suitcases-of-illegal-ballots-in-georgia/
Fact check is a liberal site so maybe you need to broaden your channels of information. And I know I saw a clip on a news program during the days after the election with affidavits
If you google it you will find the same information on many, many sites. There’s a reason Trump lost all his court cases. It’s because there was nothing to it.
Pat; Are you a Proud Boy ? Did you pass their initiation ceremony ? You apparently subscribe to The Blaze. Are you a Berkshire County resident or do you post from Alabama or Mississippi ?
Hmm, Better check with the overthrow stuff with using Lincoln to push it.San Fran school board says, No to the one who didn’t want slavery.
You twist the truth, I call fake news.
TDS continues
https://capecodchronicle.com/en/5209/chatham/1291/Chatham's-Community-Development-Director-Takes-Truro-Planner-Job.htm
Related to the recent Pittsfield email scandal with the Community Development Department, I did some checking and it *appears* our Director Ruffer was actually pushed out of Chatham as community development director. In this article she claims its to take a lower paying planning job in Truro so she could work part time, but instead she got rehired for her old (full time) job by Tyer a few weeks later. Wonder what the real story there was? Anyone know?
I for one appreciate your protecting us from the cesspool. Thanks.
Biden could only have gained the presidency by fraud. He has dementia and has no idea what Executive Orders he is signing. He is told what to say by the teleprompter. The puppeteers are leading us into war with China, and dementia Joe has the nuclear codes.
Yesterday he signed an E.O. eliminating the phrase “China Virus.”
CHINA VIRUS! CHINA VIRUS!
Wake up people ….speak out about the fraud and silencing of opposition voices!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/want-see-rage-wait-til-americans-see-fake-news-media-lied-months-hid-joe-bidens-severe-dementia/
John Kerry is also influencing him with climate change legislation. Kerry and Biden are destroying jobs during a pandemic all in the name of climate change, but really it’s about government control. Asked today if he was worried about the jobs he is destroying, millionaire Kerry said that people will be re-employed in green energy jobs. We’ve all heard that before.
The Eagle’s opinion piece on Yuki gate is entirely and appallingly wrong centered and biased. Given that Yuki is the only bar owner given repeated opportunities by the eagle to repeat what appear to be repeated lies is galling.
Shame on the Eagle. Trash reporting, bias, and reinforcing corruption. Never a peep when Mr Maybor was suing Mazzeo. Worse than RT. Total propaganda.
I just wish she would accept responsibility for what she did or didn’t do, admit it, and move on. I wish her no harm but her continued defense act is making her look bad. I liked one of the responses to her latest Facebook post and it was response to her saying “how would you like people taking pictures of what you are doing at work, The response was “go ahead, if you aren’t doing anything wrong the, who cares?”
Right? Mazzeo had to dig out his security cameras. They are such a bunch of jerks.
Can you imagine a ‘my bad’ and just paying the fine? Like the other guy? No, it’s an epic defense that is so gross. No one in the clique is expected to take responsibility and it’s a terrible way to conduct things. The Eagle doesn’t get that, and perpetuates the fury of people fed up with a double standard.
The propaganda parrot gets it, fake news is only news some see And believe
The worst part of this, the Eagle by innuendo raked a number of restaurants over the coals. What they didn’t report was Yuki didn’t get Covid from her “friend”, she GAVE IT TO HIM.
A number of her staff had already called out sick, and she was sick as well. She was calling around to people to see if they could work. She called me and said she had staff out due to Covid.
Eagle in protecting Yuki missed the actual story
Let me re-write the Eagle editorial!
To Thine Own Advice Be True
Pittsfield’s City Council is embroiled in a timely controversy – the question of which is should our leaders (sitting councilors) be expected to follow the law of the land, in this particular case those relating to Covid. Should we not expect leaders setting the rules to follow their own rules?
As a a society American has lost its moral footing – with a President who lies and uses his influence to get people to do his bidding, especially when he should be facing the music. The public is heart sick at corruption around us. Everyone is suffering from Covid restrictions, especially the children who are not being properly educated.
What we see in Pittsfield is indignation from the public and fellow councilors that one councilor, Yuki Cohen, doesn’t respect or follow the Covid regulations which she as a member of the Health Care task force (and a sitting city councilor) has instructed others to follow.
To make matters worse, another sitting council member is also on the licensing board and is apparently defending Cohen. Why did the Mayor make an exception for this person to sit on both bodies? There are many capable people in the COP who could sit on the licensing board in Ms Lampiasi’s stead if she prefers to be a councilor, and also a member of the DAs inner circle. The Mayor was wrong in that call and it’s coming back to bite her.
Ms Lampiasi can not be conducting her role judiciously if during proceedings she or her spouse are seen at the bar without masks. To defame a sitting Councilor for asking another councilor to follow the rules and set a good example, especially when so many businesses are suffering, is shameful. It is even worse that the licensing board didn’t ask Cohen for any evidence in their queries. Why was she not asked to produce receipts showing food was served? There have been numerous pieces of evidence and testimony which have been presented by the public (unsolicited!) to the licensing board which they willfully and actively seemed to ignore.
Of course the council is about politics – there is no other reason the Mayor would make an exception to allow a sitting council member (Ms Lampiasi) to be in two conflicting roles – if only appearing to be in a standard conflict of interests. Or why the Mayor would include a repeated health and safety violator (Ms Cohen) to be on the Health and safety task force. Ms Cohens bar was the site of underage drinking, gun violence and has been the subject of repeated drug innuendo.
To conclude, Pittsfield has an outlandishly high level of Covid given our tiny population and more than its share of heart aches and deaths in nursing homes. The flagrant refusal of Ms Cohen to recognize the reason for the rules – or even to refuse to be part of the Heath task of she feels her business hardship would prevent her from honestly taking them up. Never once did Cohen speak out and say the rules were wrong – she did not break from party lines – she just broke the rules in secret to make money. And if you are mad at the President or the GOP, you should be sickened by her, the Mayor and Ms Lampiasi.
(Sorry don’t have Melle’s way with worlds. Maybe he can rewrite for me.)
Why did you bring China Joe, or Quid Pro Quo Joe into a conversation about the Pittsfield shenanigans
I was sort of making fun of the editors as every freaking Eagle opinion is about the evil of Trump.
No you don’t need Mele,you did good. And you told the truth.
Dan blocked my long winded fakes Eagle article. Maybe for the best. It does seem like the Eagle are going to very protracted and unethical steps to prevent Yuki from some negligence suits.
These city council meetings are becoming the best entertainment on cable. Buffoonery at its finest. Connell carrying on about the same sheet different day. Come on Chris, that whole water tank debacle happened on the Bianchi watch while you were leading the troops. I love seeing the puppet strings on mumble mouth Morandi, does he have a lucid thought in his head. And Mafufucio where did I begin? Quoting MLK, that was a riot. This guy must velcro shoes because there’s no way he knows how to tie his own shoes.
Why are you licking Tyer’s boots.
Still have not figured out how our garbage costs so much. Isn’t sold to Vicon for fuel so they can make steam and electricity for the mills? If they want to save $500,000.00 stop paying Scarafoni $500,000.00 rent for the planning department. Bring them back to city hall seeing how no one is using it anymore
Lectures on climate change from arrogant John Kerry who takes his private jet everywhere? The millionaire ketchup king says oil and gas workers made the wrong job choices so they shouldn’t be shocked at losing their jobs from his and Biden’s new job killing policies. His superior attitude toward working people is unbelievable. Kerry inherited most of his millions through marriage. He is one of the major examples of the elites who look down on so many Americans.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-private-jet-climate-change
The swamp is back in charge in Washington and made up of so many Obama cronies. These are the Obama/Biden/Kerry Oligarchs secretly, and now not so secretly, running America. The Biden administration is serving the interests of stakeholders. This is stakeholder government. Grassroots efforts at the local level are the only thing that can bring back government by the people because the federal government is going in a direction that is moving away from concern about the general public.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVtbN4dU5Jc
They might as well shut Wyoming down and go socialism,the jobs they’ll lose with the Presidents green machine deal.
Dan
Fair enough- guidelines would probably help – keywords-taboo subjects etc
On impeachment Trump is guilty of poor judgment, had he held rally when congress was not in session- stupidity would of been avoided.
Racial equity- is less offensive than men playing women’s sports in my opinion.
I see the mayor will have a state of the city address on Monday for a half hour. With so much going on in the city and area, giving it a half hour doesn’t seem to be enough time to address all the issues.
That will be the b s part. The other stuff is behind the scenes, she can’t talk about
The lovely Mayor Linda Tyer’s State of the City of Pittsfield politics address will take place on Monday, February 1st, 2021 shortly after 12-noon. Here is my sarcastic synopsis of her planned speech. “We are all Pittsfielders”. Our city is being used as an art exhibit as “A City in Decay” in upscale art galleries and museums in London, NYC, and L.A. by artist Gregory Crewdson’s large photos of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As your Mayor, I live in a wealthy Gated Community very close to the Hancock border. I live far away from the working poor and marginalized residents of inner-city Pittsfield, which is called “Social Services Alley” by day, and “The Shooting Gallery” after hours, as I can while still living in Pittsfield. I have passed 3 record setting municipal budgets with costly fees and hundreds of millions of dollars in public debts and other liabilities, while my chief bureaucrat Matt Kerwood sits on a +$10 million slush fund that should belong in the pockets of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski. Pittsfield’s tax base is still shrinking, while Pittsfield’s taxes are still increasing by record setting levels. Pittsfield has the second highest business tax rate in Massachusetts. Some of Pittsfield’s public schools are at Level 5, which is the worst rating by the state government. Pittsfield’s former Superintendent left Pittsfield for upper class Williamstown in 2020, but I will find a new Superintendent in 2021 who will shakedown city taxpayers to fund our community’s underperforming public schools. Since early-2016, I have continued PEDA’s so-called polluted and vacant business park record of absolute failure since the Summer of 1998. My administration and supporters allegedly harassed two opposing City Councilors – Connell and Morandi – from running for reelection this year of 2021. I hope the people who replace them will rubber stamp my agenda of giving most to all of the city’s public money to the vested and special interests. I have proudly continued Pittsfield politics nasty use of retribution against anybody who questions my leadership because democracy and dissent are dirty words in Pittsfield. My failed leadership on COVID-19 and the many deaths in Pittsfield’s nursing homes should be blamed on Melissa Mazzeo and her husband’s restaurant, as well as the careless people who don’t adhere to social distancing measures. Because I am a woman leader who believes in double standards, I blame everyone else, but I don’t take any responsibility for my actions. If someone calls me – and other women leaders – out for my/our failed leadership, I/we will cry sexism to scare them off. When one Googles “Is Pittsfield Massachusetts a safe community”, he or she will read that the answer is “NO!”. Pittsfield is always in the top 10 for violent crime in Massachusetts by the FBI year in and year out. I am hoping that President Joe Biden and the Democrat controlled U.S. Congress will bailout Pittsfield’s constrained public finances so I can direct Matt Kerwood to build on his +$10 million slush fund, while taxing the Hell out of our elderly and Veterans and other fixed income local taxpayers. In closing, I am going to continue my leadership debacle until I retire someday in the future with my 6-figure city pension.
Stooge seems to be o k with the Veteran part. His old lady has a big school pension.
I commend aspects of today’s Eagle editorial “Justice must rise above optics”: “Equal justice requires consistency even when the optics might be less than ideal. It’s disheartening to see that the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office would try to revoke a defendant’s bail based on his exercise of protected symbolic speech.”
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/opinion/editorials/our-opinion-justice-must-rise-above-optics/article_115182e6-60cd-11eb-81e9-f78b2ca4f553.html
What was missed is that the Lonnie Durfee case is important as yet another example that DA Harrington’s motivations are those of a purely political phony. When confronted with this case her reaction was not that this a guy who really needs help in the form of mental health and alcohol interventions etc. She didn’t see hale bales burning in an open field and a person in need of help. She saw a purely political opportunity for, as the Eagle states, “optics.”
For a true picture of who Harrington is and why her actions are so dangerous to justice, it’s imperative to connect her actions in this destruction of property case with the Simon’s Rock case. As we know, the latter case involves a young black woman who falsely fomented racial hatred in our community. Harrington dropped this case as she stated because the defendant refused to cooperate. Yet her office pursued with a vengeance a white man with mental health and alcohol issues against her own stated policies. She had Durfee held without bail as a danger to the community despite his addition and the non-violent nature of his offense. One can only conclude she did so because Durfee is a white male right winger. At Simon’s Rock, a black person with a mission to promote the political interest of one small group succeeded in a false narrative of racism.
“Progressive” racial justice attempts to undo a system of injustice that treats people differently based on race. The Eagle fails to see how the DA managed to inject not just political but racial bias and use her discretion as a prosecutor to achieve the opposite result.
Why? Harrington is not and never was about justice and doing what is right. She is not about being a good lawyer or a community leader but sheer hucksterism. She can’t even get that right. She can’t stick to a commitment and narrative about equal treatment because she is a phony. The Eagle does a disservice in not calling this out.
Agree wholeheartedly…Well stated!!
Excellent analysis, well-presented.
Stooge should start doing his ridiculous phony back slapping show in the studio at pct where it belongs.
Meh. The Eagle doesn’t approach those stores equally, why should AH?
Huh? The DA’s job is to respond to what the media says?
Notice the mention of Dumboney the Clown’s bringing in the photos. Did he come up with this all by himself or is there so little supervision in that office that they let him go ahead and do it? God help us.
Hay there ….. screeeeeeeeeetch……stop picking on my friend! She has lots of work to do! She has 5 yoga classes a week she has to go to!
That’s a lot of work for a lady who’s never managed anything in her life.
First week in office; 33 executive orders bypassing the legislature and being encouraged by the majority leader. For context; Bush 0, Clinton 1, Trump 5, Obama 7 executive orders in the first week. 33. “Democracy” is dead. We are an Oligarcy and there is no dispute – Congress has abdicated its power by blunder and ineptitude by ALL sides.
I’m more worried about the spending on a new water tower here and the next water rate bills. The Next Big Thing Mayor? Are you going to address any of this at your State of the City address next week? Albert some good news for a change concerning better idea for the water plant going forward. Or are you waiting to surprise us with another fat contract like the sewer updates? By. The way, why don’t you tell us taxpayers what is and has been happening at that facilitiy also? Can you say CONTINGENCY FEES!
True. With people like John Kerry telling us how to live our lives and getting rid of jobs because he is now the climate czar. Kerry will continue to live as he always has as an extremely rich man with no limitations on his lifestyle because of climate change. Not so for the rest of us. I saw many pictures today online of the tight circle of these people. Biden, Kerry, and Obama and their families are all good friends. Add in Hillary to the mix and all the other career politicians and we are being ruled by these wealthy people who are making deals with foreign countries to enrich their own families. These wealthy elites don’t answer to the people anymore. We can’t even trust our elections.
Remember when Kerry was docking hopes Yacht in Rhodesia Islandcto avoid the tax in Massachusetts. Almost as bad as the school promoter rep here sending her kids out of town.
Council Grades:
Moon F
Guiel-Lampiasi F-
Connell C
Morandi A
Maffuccio A+
Marchetti C
Cohen A+
Caccamo A+
Kavey D
White F-
Persip A+
Climate is one of those issues that have moved beyond the science and facts and is STRICTLY politics. Same as race, gender, COVID-19, etc.
Where’s the comment from TSC, John Doe and the rest of the liberals. Sounds like unity happening in DC
You and many are still waiting to hear from them.
I am curious. What’s up with Maffuccio? iBerkshires has a piece on him today. It seems like he’s on a quest against everybody on city council and then some? Good guy or not? Just curious.
He’s the new Pete Arlos