Voice of Buffalo Forum

Should something be said?

FeatTheVoices — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:11:06 GMT

Regarding the criticism of Obama's silence on the Iranian protesters, there are two opposing views on the position the president should take. One saying that he should openly come out in support of the protesters, the others claiming that nothing should be said in order to be seen as not being involved in the matter.

Perhaps I have a bit of a skewed perspective of it; but here it goes. I don't think he has the strength to comment, since their administration isn't strong enough to take a position and stick with it, right or wrong.
Secondly, since the only transparency that exist with this administration is that we are clearly able to see the double standards, hypocrisy, weakness, contempt, and deliberate attempt to destroy our country and Constitution.
Let us not forget, though the majority of us have been opposed to things like TARP, the stimulus, the bail outs, and socialized health care, we continually have been ignored. Quite the opposite of what he said a government should be doing: "...listening to the voice of the people...." Also, let's not forget who's administration labeled those who assembled to voice opposition to irresponsible government spending, bail outs, and the increasing nation debt as extremists and radicals. Not to mention all the other things we've learned about like the Homeland Security reports.

No, he may not say too much in support of the protesters, and it may be a good move to make at this time. However, sometimes that silence is also not the best position to take. We don't have all the information that those in Washington do, so we cannot always make the best decision. However, this administration has expressed its own position on people openly protesting within it's own country with a severely critical position. So, should something be said by the Hypocrite-in-Chief?

Welcome to New York...LOL

FeatTheVoices — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:28:53 GMT

Well, Hillary will be in the area today....big deal. She had proved to be like most every other politician that held office to represent this state in Washington. She, like others, only sweet talked us into a vote to better herself. Not unlike most of those who have won an election and went to Washington on our behalf. Of course, she promised to create jobs for our area, but how many jobs are really created from Washington -- Washington creates jobs for Washington, not for us. In fact, the jobs politicians create usually benefit them the most, or cost many times more to create than if those businesses than needed employees actually created them.
Now we have more dysfunction in the state capital. If it wasn't being publicized would anyone notice? What really gets done there? Does anything they actually accomplish there benefit us? When was the last time some done there actually helped our state, not to mention any part of upstate?
Just as with our state, it seems the more they claim to do for "our benefit" the worst off we are, and the more it ends up costing us; financially and in freedom. So what is wrong with us that we continue to elect these false messiahs and let them continue to mislead, misrepresent, and misspend?
What is it going to take for us to put an end to the course the politicians have set for out state and nation, and can we actually think that at this point we can avert the the dangers they are directing us towards?

Gov. Patterson's Legacy?

jimski — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:03:24 GMT

Dear Gov.

Let's think about this ... you are unelectable. So, you have the perfect opportunity to slap the faces of the money gougers, and life long TAX czars ,oops elected officials...sorry ... and leave Albany with a wry grin.

Eliminate the Thruway authority, the Peace Bridge authority, fire the attorney general, agree with the Indians regarding reservation business, eliminate tolls, reduce user fees, lower everybody's income taxes, streamline every Albany bureau and department, make sure state workers actually work at some job we actually need, keep the rank and file workers if they are needed and reduce department heads and their staffs.

Do all of this with Exectutive orders, step back and watch how exciting this ex-great state can become. Can you believe the uproar???!!!

Have some BA--S, man! Make us proud again. Make New York attractable rather than laughable.

Four Foundational Beliefs

ConservativeVoice — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:49:36 GMT

Four Foundational Beliefs

1.) Personal Responsibility

Its time for everyone to take responsibility for their own life and the decisions that they have made. If your life isnt going as you have planned, then it is your responsibility to improve it not the governments. What do you gain if the government punishes another group? How does your life improve? The only person who can make your life better is yourself. A society that points fingers and expects to be taken care of is a society in trouble. We have benefitted from our parents and grandparents hard work, but we must make our own prosperity. Nobody took care of them, they took care of themselves, and created the greatest country in human history. Unless more Americans become more self-reliant and accept responsibility for themselves, we will not be as prosperous as in the past.

2.) Individual Liberty

The government is slowly taking our personal liberties. Its been a slow process. Americans have a right to make their own decisions without the government looking over their shoulder. We have the right to not wear a seat belt if we dont want to. The right smoke without paying punitive taxes. The right to allow smoking in a private establishment. The right to raise our children as we see fit. The right to drive cars that we want to, not cars that the government wants us to drive. The right to own and carry guns. The right to send our kids to a private school without having to pay for the public school district. The right to use the kind of light bulb that we want to. And the right to keep what we earn without paying confiscatory taxes that punish achievement.

3.) Religion

Like it or not President Obama we are a Christian nation. How dare you attack our core founding principles. In God we trust and We have been endowed by our creator with certain and inalienable rights are key phrases in our Republic. Religion is slowly being taken out of our lives by the Left. The first thing to go was prayer in public schools. Now, people want under God taken out of the pledge of allegiance and In God we trust removed from the dollar. People always point to the separation of church and state for why religion must be removed from government. However, the purpose of separation of church and state was not to remove religion from government but to remove government from religion.

4.) Hard Work

The founding American generations had to work hard in order to survive. We today can enjoy the benefits of their hard work. However, we cant get lazy we must continue the long history of a strong American work ethic. People now want things paid for them, they want get paid for not working. People choose to not work because then they wont get their welfare check. We need to take pride in the work that we do and how we provide for our families. This is what has made America so great.

What do you think? Are these principles under attack?

More patronage waste

FeatTheVoices — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:10:04 GMT

Once again we get to support another has been wanna be at our expense. It has been discussed at length the other day on Tom Bauerle's show, and covered on local news; but the fact remains that this is most likely another political favor "pay-off." Yes, another office has been created for a political candidate and done even after a state hiring freeze.

Hearing the news story again this morning, and the reasoning of the recipient; that patronage jobs are only so if given to long term politicians doesn't change the truth. Flawed reasoning aside, a hand out is a hand out and nothing else.
This is nothing more than another political pay back at our expense. We had no need for offices like this before, what justifies it now?
Am I also to conclude that the jobs Joe Mesi's family received at our tax dollars are also justified? They were reportedly hired without having to follow the rules applicable to everyone else, a civil service exam.

Joe Mesi cites in one news story that this office is going to aid community development; isn't this what we have elected officials in Albany for, and other local development groups for?

We already know from experience what these politicians are about; what makes anyone think that this time these positions are needed and actually going to accomplish something tangible?
Aren't we already tripping over all those jobs Former Senator Clinton created for us.

How many more political jobs are we going to create in this state? How many more can we support at the expense of our families?
When are we going to put an end to them?

another Bill in trouble?

frankp — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:53:20 GMT

What is with the pro football players. Another Bill (DW) arrested and tasered. Come on players our kids look up to you guys. Stop playing gangster. Our star running back(ML) will miss the bigest game on monday night. So who is hurt by these suspensions, the fans? At least TO does not break any laws. I expect next to see R Wilson arrested for fighting. Some team huh??

Gay Marriage And the Gov

newsjunkie — Thur, 09 Apr 2009 11:12:18 GMT

Gov. Paterson wants the state Senate to vote on a gay marriage bill, even if there aren't enough votes to pass it. Paterson said Wednesday he doubted the measure would pass, but that it still merited a vote on the floor of the Senate.

"We'll put a bill out and let the people decide one way or the other, which is actually the reform Albany really needs," Paterson said, referring to the gay marriage bill.

The state Assembly has approved a gay marriage bill and Paterson promised to sign it if it's approved by the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat, supports the gay marriage bill but has not allowed a vote because he thinks it will be defeated.

Huh? Suddenly an informed vote matters? Yet on the budget, they didn't dare bring it up as long as that one Senator was in the hospital, unable to vote without a rule change....

Could it be that the popularity-challenged Gov. wants to appease gay rights groups... without really seeing this measure advance? A politician playing games.. or perhaps a truly decent guy with commitment to equal rights, but no real political savvy?

Government Overreaching

ConservativeVoice — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:05:42 GMT

This is unconstitutional, the government demanding the resignation of a CEO of a private business. I'm not suprised since everything that this administration does is unconstitutional. Why are we in the private sector letting the government roll over us. Why did Rick Wagoner of GM agree to resign at President Obama's request. It is becuase private companies are now whores to the government. They want the money, so they'll do anything to get it. This is a shame. Our Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.

Anyone Else Think Spending Stimulus Money For A Longer School Day I Stupid?

gunjunkie — Thur, 26 Mar 2009 16:34:43 GMT

Today I learned that Buffalo Schools Superintendent Dr. James Williams intends to use his $24 million stimulus money to lengthen the school day as a means of "closing the performance gap."

Anybody care to tell me how lengthening the school day is going to help stimulate the local economy?

I'd have thought this money could be spent in a variety of ways that both improve school district property and generate contract work for local tradesmen. The list of such improvements is almost endless but includes things like installing new windows, replacing aging heating plants, reparing or replacing roofs, upgrading technology wiring for computers, fixing plumbing and replacing old fixtures, installing new lighting, painting the walls.

You get the picture.

I simply do not accept that none of his school buildings are in need of capital improvements.

Dr. Williams basically thought that this $24 million dollars was for him to create jobs...which he wouldn't do because the money ran out in two years. So, the only thing he could think of was for the district to consume it.

After he's done digesting the $24 million..."burp"... he will not have closed the performance gap. If he can't do it on his current $700 million budget then the $24 million (that's about 3%, if you were educated in some of Dr. Williams' schools) will not help.

Rather than stimulating the economy he's handing this money to his "friends." That's just stupid.

gunjunkie

Buffalo Tea Party

sixpacktr — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:23:52 GMT

Saturday, March 28th at 2 p.m. at the Erie Canal Terminus in downtown Buffalo. Come join in and show the Weasels in Washington and the Anal Pores in Albany that they've gone too far, and we aren't going to stand for it anymore!

YOU DECIDE: What sentence should Bernard Madoff get?

twenger — Thur, 12 Mar 2009 15:06:30 GMT

Hmmm.....I'm thinking turn him loose on the floor of the NYSE! See how long he lasts. Certainly not 150 years!

I though this was an end to earmarks?

ConservativeVoice — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:15:27 GMT

President Obama said throughout his campiagn that he would put an end to earmarks. But, based on the latest omnibus spending bill, I guess that is not true. He said today that after this bill there would be no more earmarks. Why wait until the next spending bill? Why not veto this bill and take out the earmarks? I thought Obama told us that he would "go line by line through the budget and take out unecessary items"? However, when push comes to shove Obama will not remove earmarks and sign a spending bill with 1,000 earmarks in it.

What do you think?

Terrell Owens

twenger — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:28:38 GMT

Wondering how people feel about the Terrell Owens decision. Was this more about marketing?

Terell Owens... In BUFFALO?

newsjunkie — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:19:49 GMT

Terrell Owens has found a new team, signing Saturday with the Buffalo Bills only two days after the high-maintenance receiver was cut by the Dallas Cowboys.

One columnist in a city where Owens used to play says that Bills Coach Dick Jauron now has " the roster equivalent of a snake coiled beneath the paper nest of the Easter basket," because of his outspoken ways of criticizing teammates and courting the media.

BUT>>>>>the 35-year-old Owens caught 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with Dallas.

Is he worth the grief?

Will he hurt the low key Dick Jauron? ( and is that so bad, afterall?)

Can Trent Edwards withstand this sort of player at this stage in his career?

Snake or Savior?

Terrell Owens.. in BUFFALO??

newsjunkie — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:14:27 GMT

The Buffalo Bills have signed Terrell Owens, a high-profile, high-maintenance player that often speaks out against his teammates.

One columnist in a city where Owens used to play says that Bills Coach Dick Jauron now has " the roster equivalent of a snake coiled beneath the paper nest of the Easter basket"

In cities where he used to play, Owens has criticized the quarterback, saying he didn't get the ball enough because of favoritism, at one point even questioning the QBs sexuality in a public and demeaning way.
BUT>>>>>>>The 35-year-old Owens did catch 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with Dallas.

Was it a good move... despite the low key style of Dick Jauron and the pace of development for Bills QB Trent Edwards?

Snake or savior?? What say you??