Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden ) and Sen. Peter Oberacker (R,C-Schenevus) announced their support for the creation of a universal healthy school meals program in New York at a press conference on February 17, 2023.
Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden) and Senator Peter Oberacker (R,C-Schenevus) are among a group of legislators reaching across the aisle to support creation of a permanent healthy school meals program in New York State.
Maher is a co-sponsor of the legislation introduced by prime sponsor Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas (D, WFP-East Elmhurst). The bill as proposed, A0194/S01678-A, would establish the program to provide breakfast and lunch to all children in public school districts, from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.
Union College Professor of Political Science Zoe Oxley will deliver the 2023 Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, March 1 at 4 p.m. in the Celebration Room, Shineman Chapel House, on the Hartwick College campus. Her presentation, “This One’s for the Boys: How Gendered Political Socialization Limits Girls’ Political Ambition and Interest” is free and open to the public.
Oxley is part of a team whose latest research on gender and political socialization has been featured in top academic journals and a number of media outlets, including Forbes, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” The 19th, WNYC’s “The Takeaway,” and The Conversation. They found that through the process of gendered political socialization, children learn about the political world, about societal gender roles and about gender in politics. Drawing from surveys of and pictures made by over 1,600 children from across the United States, Oxley and her colleagues find that girls increasingly see political leadership as a “man’s world.”
Co-chairs of the Cherry Valley Democratic Committee, Dennis Laughlin and Kathleen Taylor, have announced that, at its February 14 meeting, the committee unanimously endorsed MacGuire Benton as the Democratic candidate for the position of Otsego County clerk in the November 2023 election.
MacGuire enters the race having the experience of the Cooperstown Village Board, Deputy Elections Commissioner and work in the private business sector. He brings the energy and vigor of a new generation. Petitioning for the clerk position begins at the end of February and the CVDC will be aiding MacGuire to gather the needed signatures.
Phil Durkin Secretary, Cherry Valley Democratic Committee
A win in the house is a positive step, but we have a long road ahead to save this country from the global elites. We have been on a much longer road tearing this country down than most of us have realized and it’s going to take all of us that see what is going on, with God’s help, to save our country. God will help, but only through us.
We have many tasks ahead of us; three being as follows: First is informing the rest of our people what is really happening and, if left unchecked, what kind of country we will have left to live in. Most of the media is fake news and has helped get us to this new low, so we can’t look to them. Although there are good sources of accurate news, if you look around.
My January 12 essay ended with these words: “Forget the Beltway.” Given the embarrassing shenanigans of the past few months, that sentiment still holds true. The fact that many years ago it took 133 votes to elect a speaker in no way negates the atrocity of it all. I used to excuse the political conundrums that we continually embroil ourselves in as just more evidence of the messiness of democracy. That just does not cut it anymore. There has to be a better way. For instance, the fact that any side holds a statistically insignificant margin of victory over another that then enables it to exercise such undeserved power over the other is in no way defensible, either on moral grounds or any rudimentary sense of fair play. The world the founders lived in and imagined does not exist. Our system of governance has not kept pace with the exigencies of the world we now live in. I wish I had the answers; I do not. But one thing—based on some experiences of late, as well as recent readings—I do know for sure. There are better ways to skin this cat. And I believe (and this surprises me, because it is antithetical to what I have believed most of my life) we would be much better off, despite the pitfalls of any system of governance, expecting far less from the circus the Beltway has become, and look more to ourselves for solutions to common problems. There is, and always should be, a role for central government.
Things are pretty much settled in for the winter up here on the hill. A few odds and ends remain to be attended to come spring. No matter, never possible to fit everything in. Putting a place to bed bears a striking resemblance to getting something like an essay written. One never quite hits it square on the nose, but there comes a time to either send it in as-is or slip it into the file for another day. Perhaps it is true that nothing is ever finished. That is equally true of the noble goals upon which this country is founded. A work in progress always in need of some tweaking.
COOPERTOWN – As this election cycle ends, it has become clearer that the fight for the right to vote did not end with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Claims of fraud, polling place closures and gerrymandering are rampant. Access to voting continues to depend on who we are, how we look and where we live. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled in Shelby County v Holder that it was no longer necessary for states and local governments with a history of voter suppression to submit changes in their election laws for review; other outstanding Supreme Court cases threaten to erode voting rights even further. While New York itself has recently passed laws to protect the right to vote, de facto barriers, growing political animosity, and a feeling that one’s vote will not count continue to threaten voting in the state, clearly evidenced by the drop in voter turnout in this recent election cycle.
COOPERSTOWN – Village trustee and former Deputy Elections Commissioner MacGuire Benton announced his candidacy for Otsego County clerk on Monday, November 14. With his trustee tenure ending in April, he plans to begin his campaign for the 2023 General Election Ballot with a listening tour across the county.
“I feel ready to take on more for more people,” stated Benton.
The reopening of Oneonta’s Department of Motor Vehicles office, he explained, is a central issue to his campaign.
The polls closed last night for the 2022 Midterm Elections. This morning Spectrum news is reporting the following results of the statewide elections.
In the Race for Governor Kathy Hochul has received 3,022,429 (52.7%) of the vote in the statewide race with Lee Zeldin receiving 2,709,903 (47.3%). In Otsego County Hochul received 8,540 (39.80%) of the vote to Lee Zeldin’s 12,874 (59.99%).
For the State Attorney General Letitia James received 3,054,696 (54.1%) with challenger Michael Henry receiving 2,586,521 (45.9%) In Otsego County James received 9,016 (42.73%) to challenger Henry’s 12,076 (57.24%)
In the race for the US State Senator Charles Schumer received 3,099,062 (55.9%) of the vote to challenger Joe Pinion’s 2,391,383 (43.2%) and Diane Sare’s 51,554 (0.90%). In Otsego County Schumer received 9,337 (44.08%) to Pinion’s 11,690 (55.18%) and Sare’s 145 (0.68%)
This election is like none other in our time. It will either cement the global elite’s plan for our country or start us back on a path that will ultimately save this country so our grandchildren can have a lifestyle of freedom and opportunity that we have been so blessed with.
The Democrats have gotten used to swaying liberal Republicans, buying key elections with global elites’ dollars or just stealing elections. They have worked our judicial system, our media and the mind of some, so they can pull off most of their tricks. If patriotic Republicans don’t achieve wide margins we will see more elections stolen. Contrary to what many liberals think, a successful Democratic midterm election will lead to a country we will not recognize or be able to reverse. Democrats want a one-party system of government which will end our democracy, our way of life and the principles that have propelled us to the greatest power in the world.
Choosing who we want to represent our interests in Albany is about looking at the track record and asking who will do more for our area.
In the 122nd Assembly District, the answer is clear. In Brian Miller’s six years in office, he has had only one bill passed and signed into law. More often than not, he voted AGAINST legislation that would help our district.
Meet a Candidate for US Senator for Election Day, November 8, 2022
Publisher’s Note: We sent out an e-mail asking the candidates for the major political races next week to share information about themselves, so our readers can get to know them a little better. Every candidate had the opportunity to return their answers. We asked them:
A. Please tell us about yourself. B. If you were elected to office, what are your top priorities and why?
We have run these answers over the last few weeks, in hopes this will help in your decision-making process on Tuesday, November 8. Please get out and vote!
As Supervisor of the Town of Montgomery I can say firsthand that I have been proud to call Brian Miller my New York State Assembly representative. While I know many of the folks reading this letter may be voting for Brian Miller for the first time, rest assured he will represent you well. He works hard, he listens and he has been a fierce advocate for issues that have been very important for the residents I represent. The 101st district is one of the longest in the State of New York. It is a two- to three-hour drive to many parts of the district. Brian Miller did his very best to make sure all of us felt represented even with this geographical challenge. I look forward to continuing to work with Assemblyman Miller and I know that he will continue to work diligently to improve the quality of life in any community he represents.
Brian Maher Supervisor, Town of Montgomery, Orange County
Publisher’s Note: We sent out an e-mail asking the candidates for the major political races in November to share information about themselves, so our readers can get to know them a little better. We asked them: A. Please tell us about yourself. B. If you were elected to office, what are your top priorities and why? We will run these answers over the next few weeks, in hopes this will help in your decision-making process on Tuesday, November 8. Please get out and vote!
Meet the Candidates for New York State Comptroller
Publisher’s Note: We sent out an e-mail asking the candidates for the major political races in November to share information about themselves, so our readers can get to know them a little better. We asked them: A. Please tell us about yourself. B. If you were elected to office, what are your top priorities and why? We will run these answers over the next few weeks, in hopes this will help in your decision-making process on Tuesday, November 8. Please get out and vote!
Meet the Candidates for Representative in Congress, 21st District
