Government 101

If you live in the U.S. you have to read this, especially if you are a minority!

They don’t teach you this in civics class.  Today is July 4^th, a day we celebrate the independence of our nation.  In 1789 with the establishment of our government we all know of the three levels of government, legislative, judicial and executive, but few people actually understand how our government really works.  Hopefully this gives you a little insight to how government works and why they say all politics are local.  I’m going to try and keep this as simple as possible without getting too far in to the weeds.

Most people have no idea how ward boundaries, state and federal districts get decided and drawn.  It all starts with the census.  You know, those strangers who come around ever 8 to 10 years, knock on your door and want to know how many people live in your house, along with other statistics.  The census is one of the biggest government factors there is and quite frankly far too many people take it way to lightly.  A member of the census bureau comes to your door you ignore them, don’t answer the door or lie to them.  This is one of the biggest mistakes a community could make.  The census bureau is not there to get information on you to arrest you; they are there to gather information on demographics of a particular area.  At the national and state level census information is used to plan the provision of health care, education, employment, and transportation.  It is also used to help determine where to build new schools, roads, health care facilities, child care and senior centers.  The census is also used for federal and state fund allocations.  Another and very important function of the census is, it’s used to determine how many representatives, (Congressmen) a state will have.  It is this factor that has been overlook in the past that contributed to the government we have today, including the President we have, but that’s another article for another day.  For the purpose of this article, the census is used every 10 years to recalculate state, county, city and town populations.  Why is this? Other than for the purpose of funding, election districts are drawn based on population.  For example, if the census shows a state lost 710,000 people since the last census and another state gained 710,000 people since the last census, those states would lose or gain a Congressional seat respectfully.  The census is also VERY important on the state level.  In New York State for example, the census is used every 10 years to determine Assembly district lines as well as State Senate district lines.  Why is this so VERY IMPORTANT?  In many cases throughout our nation it is the State houses who draw the new Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly districts lines which will be in place for the 10 years to follow.  The effect of being in control of the state house at the time of drawing lines can easily be seen in many states all across the U.S.  Take New York for example, the Republicans were in Control of the Senate, they for the most part got to determine where boundary lines were going to be drawn.  An examination of New York’s boundary lines one would quickly see boundaries drawn to give the Republican Party an edge in winning a particular district during an election cycle.  The drawing of district lines is a science and a real expertise.  New district lines can be challenged in court if they appear to be gerrymandered: definition – manipulate the boundaries of an electoral district so as to favor one party or class.  Both parties are aware of the advantage of being able to draw district lines, but in my opinion the Republican Party has been better at it over the last 10 years and the effects are being felt all the way up to the white house.  The Republicans even came out and told Democrats their plan, called Red Map.  Either the national Democratic Party didn’t take the plan serious or they were arrogant enough to think it couldn’t happen, either way, it did, which is part of why we are where we are today.  Here’s a clue people, you heard it here!  People get all caught up in President Trump’s immigration rhetoric, yes, it’s terrible, yes, separating the kids from parents isn’t who we are, but the big picture is, the fear immigrants pose to the control of power.  When the census was created it was created to count PEOPLE for the apportionment of resources, but if you look at what the Justice Dept. is trying to do now, they are pushing the census bureau to ask if a person is a citizen or not in  the 2020 census count.  The justice dept. claims it needs this information to protect voter’s rights, but we know better.

The census is a big freaking deal! If you didn’t know it, now you do!  Running good candidates and voter turnout are all very important, but if we ignore the census it makes our job at that much harder for years and years to come.

I hope you read to the end this issue is much too big to ignore, we did it once and we are now paying the price for it, we can’t afford to do it again.

Part two of Government 101 coming soon

William Hughes Jr. 

Columbia County Political News

HOMELESS KERFUFFLE

IF you live in Columbia County and you care about our homeless population or the amount of money we spend, you need to read this.

Recently Supervisor Linda Mussmann called into question a homeless supportive housing project being coordinated with the Galvan Foundation, her constant pitch is, “why isn’t Galvan building a shelter in Hudson?”  What Supervisor Mussmann and others choose to ignore is, there was a project proposed by Columbia County in 2012 on 7^th Street, (Columbia Paper) “a joint effort by the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties Inc. and the Galvan Foundation propose a full-time, 24-hour a day program for single homeless people and include counseling, job skills acquisition and other rehabilitative services”.  This project was protested against by groups of people who live in Hudson and eventually shutdown by the County.  Everyone thinks it’s easy to build a facility to help our Homeless, everyone say they want to help or that something needs to be done, but then there is the protesters saying, “not in my backyard”.  Take the 7^th Street project, first it was, it’s too big, then it was, it’s going to cost too much, there was so much negativity being thrown at the project the Board of Supervisors unfortunately decided to walkway. 

Today, there is a new idea, with a few important changes that make a pretty big difference from the 2012 project.  The main differences are, the 7^th Street project was being built by Galvan, Columbia County would inter into a lease with Galvan and the Mental Health Association for $300,000 a year to provide all the services.  Also, at the time, homeless numbers were projected to be falling as low as 16 to 20 individuals, Columbia County was looking for a 10 room minimum circuit breaker.  Today, our homeless individuals average around 45 during warm months to as high as 95+ in winter months. 

The current proposed project is, Galvan is renovating the Sunset motel, rooms are being built using green standards, and rooms would be of high quality standards.  As far as services go, Columbia County Dept. of Social Service, (DSS) would rent a room, 30% of the room fee would be given back to provided wrap around services.

The big difference here is, Galvan is building a hotel, the County can choose to use them or not, but if they continue doing what they are doing it means using hotels and motels in poor conditions, no services, little guidance and high room rates.  What the Sunset is offering is, a room rate that would be very competitive with other motels, rooms that are in much better condition and the big “get”, Galvan will give 30% of the room fees back for the County to provide wrap around service onsite, which means a dramatic saving to the taxpayer overall.   

One of the top arguments being said is, the Sunset is too far away from all the services: Answer. The County has already created one bus line from philmont, through various towns and the City of Hudson, to the College and was in the process of creating another line from the Sunset to shopping centers and sites of potential employers.  The reason this works is, when someone is in homeless care of the County, most, if capable have to do job searches as well as other job programs which they do at the College, so the argument they are too far from services, not really, they are closer to the college at the Sunset than if they lived in the middle of Hudson.  As to being close to shopping centers, they would be closer to Hannaford than most that live in Hudson is to Shoprite.

Another big complaint is, these people are going to be near a school or adult housing:  Answer. These comments bother me the most, our homeless is being stigmatized like they all are bad or have something we should be afraid of.  The truth is, many need money management skills, don’t have a steady stream of income, may have pressing health issues or a slight mental illness that can be managed like many who live around us today.  The fear mongering of the homeless population is out of hand and unwarranted.  Hell, we all have people living in our community that isn’t homeless we wished lived elsewhere.  Being homeless isn’t a crime and it certainly doesn’t make you a bad person.  Stop thinking our homeless are all bad people; for the most part they are people who have fallen on hard times.

Another issue being thrown around is, let’s put this project out for  an RFP, (request for proposal). Answer.  The County has no control over Galvan building a motel, so there is no RFP there.  The County can, RFP services, that is a decision for the Commissioner of DSS on how that process will be done.

Another important point, Supervisor Linda Mussmann says, “Galvan should build a shelter in Hudson” Answer.  Hudson has zoning laws, the only area in Hudson that would allow “transitional housing” is, the North 7^th Street area and parts of Green Street, so options are limited in the City of Hudson.  Plus, a project on 7^th Street was walked away from by the County in 2012 because of public pressure To make projects like this successful a lot of ground work has to be done, if Supervisor Linda Mussman wants a shelter in Hudson, she should lay the ground work first, then seek out a developer to work with her to get the project done.  It’s easy to say, build it here; build it there, without putting in the work. 

CONCLUSION:  The Galvan Foundation is going to build a motel, Columbia County could rent rooms, receive 30% back to provide wrap around services, expand the transportation line to the homeless as well as general public at a reduce cost or they can continue to rent rooms from the current hotels they’re in, rooms in bad shape, no services, hotel owners can charge what they want, because NYS mandates DSS house the homeless in weather below 32 degrees.  Through all the kerfuffle, truth is, Columbia County by renting from the Sunset can rent rooms at a discount, provide needed services, expand transportation, all for the same price or a little cheaper than what they are currently doing by using the hotels they are in.

If you support doing better for our homeless and saving taxpayer money, call your County Supervisor, tell them to support our homeless and to stop listening to people vilify our homeless.

Columbia County Political News

DOW BE DAMNED, THE ECONOMIC TRUTH
Part Two

For those who watched the State of the Union, if you read what I wrote in part one you would see the point I was making to be even more glaring.  President Trump touted the stock market and its recent surge as a result of the recent Republican tax bill.  There is much to disagree with President Trump about, but I have to admit, the tax cuts had a part in what is driving the stock markets success.  I could be a true Democrat and say, President Obama's financial policies had us on the path before President Trump took office, but I'm going to skip the politics and give this one to President Trump.  That being said, President Trump would like middle class America to believe the rise in the stock market is benefiting them? Let's take a look at that.

The rise in the stock market is benefiting people, it's making the top 10% wealthiest in the U.S. much richer.  As I pointed out, 93% of the stock market wealth is owned by 20% of the people, while the remaining 7% is owned by the middle class.  If you are one of those in the middle class, more than likely you own stocks through a 401k or some kind of pension fund.  What you're not told is, after fees paid to manage your fund, fees paid for inner stock trades, your 401k or pension fund may have a small modest gain at best.  Nothing like the top 10% will have, they will use tax loopholes, as well as other financial techniques to avoid paying as many taxes as possible.  I personally like the stock market, I also know the average citizen doesn't benefit much from a rising stock market.

 That being said, President Trump used the State of the Union speech to highlight that because of his financial policies unemployment among the African American community is lower than it has been in history.  Part of his statement is true, unemployment is lowest it has been in history, what President Trump omitted is, the unemployment rate has been dropping in the African American community since 2013 under President Obama.  (Bureau of labor statistics)  "Under Trump, African American unemployment rate has dropped a full percentage point to 6.8 percent in December. That’s the lowest rate since the bureau began regularly breaking out unemployment rates by race in 1972.

A similar drop of 1 percentage point was recorded during the same 11-month period in 2016. The drop was even more pronounced in each of the three years before that. It fell 1.9 percentage points in 2015, 1.5 percentage points in 2014 and 1.8 percentage points in 2013".  Under President Trump, BLS shows unemployment is actually dropping slower than when President Obama was in office.  Hey, arguing this point is fighting over pennies, here is where the real money is, the unemployment rate for white Americans is almost twice as low at 3.7% than it is for black Americans at 6.8%.  If President Trump is going to draw racial distinctions he needs to give all the facts, not tell half the story.  Fact of the matter is, the rise of the stock market will do little to help the African American community, truth be told, most of the middle class community regardless or race will not benefit.

Another point President Trump cheered, all the bonuses he claimed is being given out by companies all over the U.S. because of the Republican tax bill.  Well, let's talk about those bonuses and corporate profits.  According to (USA TODAY) 39+ companies in the S&P (standard and poor's) have given out some kind of bonus or increased match to 401k plans.  This all sounds great, right?  Getting a one time $1,000 bonus is a play on people's financial emotions.  Getting a bonus is good, but it is very short term, it does nothing to help you with your average salary, it's a one time thing, it also does nothing to help with your retirement which in many cases is based on your last three years of service.  These companies and President Trump know what is going on here, give you a bonus and you will cheer for he one sided Republican tax bill for the rich.  Increasing 401k match is even worse than getting a bonus, how many of you actually take full advantage of your workplace 401k plan? Based on the data I wrote in part one, not many.  Companies know this, but it sounds nice to say.  The truth is, with all the bonuses, 401k matches and other one time giveaways, those 39+ companies are going to give an estimated $1.7 Billion in bonus compensation.  With the new Republican tax bill, S&P companies are estimated to pay $75 - $100 billion less in taxes, where is all that additional money going? Workers as stated in my aforementioned data will receive $1.7 billion of a $100 billion being saved.  I'm not saying don't take the bonus, that would be crazy, what I am saying is, if these companies are serious, they should give their employees and additional $1 an hour pay, $40 a week, $2,080 a year in their paychecks.  That is a long term benefit that would multiply year over year and would help boost the middle class.  Don't be fooled by the financial smoke and mirrors being peddled by President Trump and the Republican led Congress. The Republican tax bill will help some, the rich mainly, it will lift some up, but the big winners are the rich for sure, there is no doubt about that.  One more point about the Republican tax bill, it will add $1.5 Trillion dollars to the national debt, what happen to being the party of fiscal conservatism?   

Columbia County Political News

DOW BE DAMNED!
Part One

Recently the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 26,000 an unthinkable mark 10 years ago.  Now that the stock market is soaring, what does that mean for you?  When the Republican lead Congress passed the new tax reform bill it was touted as the "greatest" tax bill every.  President Trump said, "this bill is going to allow corporations to bring billions back to the U.S., which they will use to create jobs and increase wages, raising up the middle class.  To this point we've seen corporate revenue go up, stock values go up, but what about your paycheck?

How many of you reading this know the DJIA, (Dow Jones Industrial Average) is up 28.5% over the last year?  Can you see that increase in your pay? Has your financial situation gotten dramatically better over the last year?  I don't ask these questions to be a downer, I ask these questions to make a point to the average middle class american citizen.  The stock market is a great vehicle to make money, it's also risky, you have to be in it, to win it!

The reason almost half of you aren't aware of the stock market gains, nearly half of you aren't in the stock market. "54% of Americans invest in the market, either through individual stocks, mutual funds, pensions or retirement plans like a 401(k), according to Gallup", that means 46% isn't in the market at all.  The tax cuts and stock market has made the rich richer, (CNBC) "84 percent of the stock in the United States is owned by the top 10 percent of households by net wealth".  (CNBC) What's incredible, statistics show more than 93 percent of the stock is owned by the top 20 percent of households. The bottom 80 percent of households owns only about 7 percent of stock.

If you think you're getting rich by the rise of the stock market think again, unless you are one of the top 20% or one of the lucky few who got into the market before its historic rise.  There is no doubt the tax cuts have increased corporate profits and spurred economic growth in the U.S., yet, the national minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour.  You would think, if Congress can create a bill to increase corporate profits, why can't they raise the national minimum wage to at least $10 an hour?  Although I'm thrilled the stock market is doing well the middle class is seeing little of that gain in their paychecks.

This market and recent Republican tax cuts is widening the wealth gap between the have and have nots, but listen to President Trump tell it, you would think everyone in the Country had a good paying job, got a wage increase and a big bonus.  Don't be fooled by the gimmicks corporate greed is alive and well.  I will talk about the tax cuts, corporate profits and the middle class in part two.

MEDICAID FOLLY

While everyone who watches the news is well aware of the recent government shutdown few are talking about the change in Medicaid that could affect millions, including you if you receive Medicaid. 

While everyone was paying attention to something else, here is what the Trump Administration did.  Health & Science

“Trump administration opens door to states imposing Medicaid work requirements”

 The Trump administration issued guidelines to states that would allow them to force people who receive Medicaid benefits to work.  Medicaid is a fundamental part of the social safety net for U.S. citizens.  Is there fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean you take the extreme path to addressing the issue.  The reason for Medicaid is, Medicaid is the safety net for people who fall on hard times, run out of money, come down with a debilitating illness or some kind of family crisis.  Forcing people to work for benefits is not that easy, there are many reasons why a person would be on Medicaid. 

Here is a list of those exempt from having to work for Medicaid benefits: Pregnant women, Full time students, Caretakers of children under 19 or disabled adult, and those deemed medically frail.  Some would look at this list and say, this looks about right to me! I would say, this list is ripe for abuse and unfair management.  Some things are obvious like a pregnant woman, but what about the healthy looking man or woman with a mental illness?  Trump’s administration gives such vague guidelines States can build on them as they go along putting vulnerable people in a worse situation than they are already in.  Unless States plan to put examination boards in place to qualify individuals to work this is unjust treatment waiting to happen.

States that are currently looking to move toward the Trump Medicaid work for benefits programs are: Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin.  Kentucky has received approval and is on its way to implementing a work for Medicaid program.  I think it’s worth noting, every State on this list has a Republican Governor, except for Roy Cooper of North Carolina who’s a Democrat with a Legislator controlled by Republicans.  It’s no secret that Republicans have a problem with safety net programs like Medicaid, they often refer to Medicaid and other safety net programs as, “entitlement” programs.  Say what you want Medicaid and the people who need it knows no party line, just hope you’re not one of those needing Medicaid that would mean you too have fallen on hard times and need help.

I am positive Governor Cuomo of New York will not sign up for such a draconian change in how citizens receive Medicaid benefits, so Counties in New York are safe for now, but if we were to elect a Republican in the Governor’s office in New York who knows, it does seem to be a tread for Republicans.

William Hughes Jr.

Twin Counties may join lawsuit against big pharma for opioid epidemic expenses

LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY!

August of last year Columbia County didn’t have a plan or
idea in place to combat the opioid addiction problem.  Today, we have a plan in place focused on
prevention, education, treatment, recovery and law enforcement.  This has become one of our top priorities in
Columbia County, we are treating this like people lives depend on it, because
they do!  This is probably some of the
most important work I will do in my lifetime, having the support of Chairman of
the Board of Supervisors Matt Murrell is vital to the success we have had thus
far.  The newspaper story isn’t totally
accurate, the law firm didn’t come to us, it’s the Columbia County Opioid Epidemic
Response Sub-Committee who called them. 
Our Sub-Committee has been working very hard on the opioid issue, we’ve
been meeting every two weeks, setting up trainings, floating different ideas,
trying to make sure residents of Columbia County get the best possible service
we can provide.  I’m proud to be a
co-creator of Columbia County’s Opioid Response Plan, along with a great group
of dedicated, hard working professionals. 
This is another step amongst many we will be taking, we are going to do
the right thing for the people of Columbia County that I can promise.   Help
us fight to save a life!






Twin Counties may join lawsuit against big pharma for opioid epidemic expenses: Columbia and Greene counties are considering joining a statewide lawsuit against several pharmaceutical companies that accuses the companies o…

William Hughes, Jr. Comments on Race Relations in Columbia County

Hello
everyone, I wanted to bring this conversation up again, it’s been close to
10 months since I addressed the board of supervisors on race.  To my knowledge this was the first ever
lengthy conversation held on the floor of the board of supervisors regarding
race relations.  I want to point out some
of my figures, (guesstimates) were high, but the point of the conversation is
what is important.  I will also like to
say, since this conversation Chairman Matt Murrell has hired more minorities
and made it clear, if you have the qualifications regardless of race, you have
a chance.  It’s still not a perfect
system, but I believe I have a Chairman in Matt Murrell and a Majority Leader
in Pat Grattan who works with me to solve problems and this is a problem we are
going to continue to work on, that I PROMISE! 
Thank you to Dan Udell for providing me with the video.  This video is a little lengthy, but if you
want to engage in the topic or get a good idea of the full conversation the
board of supervisors had on race relations, PLEASE LISTEN.  Know what your government is doing for you!

 William
Hughes Jr.

4^th
Ward Supervisor, City of Hudson


Minority
Leader

Columbia
County Board of Supervisors

ELECT LOCAL

Elect local almost sounds like the catch phrase, "buy local"! But when you go out to shop do you buy organic or inorganic? Do you even know what that means or care to know what that means?

I guess some feel that way when asked to vote on local elections.  The simple truth is, all politics are local.  Your local elected officials are the ones responsible for the laws, fees and regulations that govern most your daily activities.  Most seem to have a problem figuring out who is responsible for what, so I'm going to attempt to bring a little clarity to what your local elected officials in the City of Hudson do.

Local Elected Officials In the City of Hudson, NY 101

There are 3 major elected body's of officials in the City of Hudson.  There's the Hudson City School District Board of Education, which has 7 elected board members, There's the Hudson City Common Council, which has 10 Aldermen, 2 Aldermen per Ward times 5 Wards and a Council President, bringing the total of Common Council officials to 11 and There's the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, which has 23 members of the County board of supervisors.  There are 18 Towns apart of the board of supervisors, each Town having 1 member elected to the board of supervisors and there is the City of Hudson (county seat), which has 5 members elected to the board of supervisors, 1 elected per ward times 5 wards.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

HUDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Hudson City School District Board of Education - The Hudson City School District covers 6 Towns, Ghent, Stockport, Greenport, Livingston, Taghkanic, Claverack and the City of Hudson, members to the board can be elected from any of the Towns or City of Hudson to the board of education.  One of the primary functions of the school board is, working with the Hudson School District administration to develop and set a budget for the coming year.  You could say the school board is responsible for school taxes, but, we the public do get to vote on the budget, so we bare some responsibility I would say.  The board of education is responsible for hiring a school district Superintendent.  The school board like most elected boards, develop policy and procedure for the school district, most issues that are directed at the school district could or would be bought to the school board. 

CITY OF HUDSON
Common Council, (Aldermen) -  Aldermen are the legislative body of City government.  Aldermen make local laws, such a zoning changes, set fees and regulations i.e. fines changed for parking, that govern the City of Hudson.  City parks, sidewalks, housing, trash pickup, police department, fire department, roads, waterfront, youth department, senior department, truck route, city property sale and City of Hudson taxes are all under the charge of City of Hudson Aldermen.  Most of what has been set forth in the City of Hudson's charter has been done so by the Common Council, (Aldermen).  Some has been set by public referendum, but the majority has been set by the Council.  Any 3 Aldermen can bring a resolution to the floor for a vote without going through a committee or the Council President.  All Aldermen are elected officials who can only be removed from the Council for very serious legal violations, see City of Hudson charter for specifics.  The city charter outlines the legislative power of a city Aldermen

Common Council President - The Council President, unlike Aldermen are elected by a city wide vote.  The City of Hudson has 1 Council President, who's main function is to facilitate Council meetings which are set by City law.  The Council President, drafts and make changes to the Common Council's rules of order, such changes, if any, are then voted on by the full body of the Common Council where it takes a 2/3 vote by the full Common Council to adopt a change in the rules of order.  The Council President, outlines committees, assign Aldermen to specific committees and names the Chair of each outlined committee.  The Council President can choose to be an ex-officio or voting member of any committee he or she should choose.  The Council President can pull or refer any resolution to a specific committee for review.  The Council President can create a sub-committee at his or her discretion to work on specific issues.  The Council President presides over all full board meetings of the Common Council.  The Council President is a member of the (BEA) board of estimate and apportionment along with the City Treasurer and Mayor.  The BEA develops the City of Hudson's budget which is then brought to the full Common Council for a vote to adopt said budget.  The city charter outlines the powers of the Common Council President. 

COUNTY
Columbia County Board of Supervisors - The City of Hudson has 5 members elected to the Columbia County Board of Supervisors 1 supervisor per ward in the City of Hudson.  A Supervisor elected to a ward in the City of Hudson has NO say in city issues under the charge of City Aldermen or Common Council President.  Members of the Board of Supervisors are responsible for, the department of social services, the department of health, office of the aging, county attorney, county probation department, Columbia county public defender's office, county historian, Columbia county mental health department, county comptroller, county MIS, (management information systems), county tourism, Columbia county airport, all county roads and bridges, facilities department, county solid waste stations and closed landfills, Columbia county 911, county EMS (emergency management services) Columbia county veterans department, Columbia county weights and measures, county fair housing officer, Columbia county board of elections (budget only), sheriff department (budget only), D.A. (budget only) county clerk's office (budget only), Columbia county treasurer's office (budget only), virtually half of the Columbia-Greene community college (budget only), county taxes.

This outline is by no means an absolute description of each elected position, but it gives, you, the public a good idea of the separation of power at the local City level.  Each body of elected officials have some duties not so clearly defined, those can only be discovered once elected to a respective position.

William Hughes Jr.
Minority Leader
Columbia County Board of Supervisors

Oh Snap!

Oh Snap!

“Oh snap” was a cultural phrase used In the 80’s to describe something funny, exciting or dramatic.  Today, I’m using the phrase to articulate concern for the federally funded S.N.A.P, (supplemental nutrition assistance program) specifically food stamps.  There’s a debate raging in Congress regarding S.N.A.P. and other federally funded programs like it.  With the lack of a farm bill being put into place by Congress, S.N.A.P is facing a mandatory 6% decrease in benefits for recipients.  Some looking at the reductions would see them as minimum.  A household of one person would see a reduction of $11 in monthly benefits. Two-person households will see a reduction of $20; three-person families will be reduced by $29, and four-person households will lose $36.  These are relatively small amounts, but when your income is growing less than inflation, any reduction in benefits is exacerbated.   My criticism of Congresses handling of this issue is Congress’s own report from the Congressional Research Service indicated by the U.S. department of agriculture, (USDA) projects that annual U.S. food inflation will be in the range of 3% to 4% for 2013 and relatively the same for 2014.  If this is indeed the case, how in the world can our federal elected officials allow this benefit to be cut?

While many criticize federally funded programs like S.N.A.P and think many who receive food stamps are lazy and less motivated.  They fail to realize, many of our disabled, seniors and in some cases, veterans also receive food stamps.  Despite what many may think, the food stamp program is crucial to the well being of the most vulnerable population in the U.S.   I agree, monitoring the abuse of this program is needed, but to continue to squeeze this population is shameful in my opinion.  Congress seems far less concern with approving COLA, (cost of living adjustment), increasing COLA, for federal retirees 1.3% in 2013 and 1.5% in 2014, then making sure the most vulnerable in the U.S. has enough food to eat.  I agree most of our federal retirees deserve their COLA increase, the point I’m making is, there seems to be a clear attack by some in Congress on the poor and needy.  For any of our federally elected officials to think a 6% decrease in food stamps is ok, when the price of food is rising by 3% to 4%, is not only irresponsible, but dangerous.  As a citizen, you get every two years to voice your approval or displeasure of how your congressman is representing your needs.  This year, 2014 is that year, follow the issues important to you and use your vote to voice your opinion.

William Hughes Jr.

4^th Ward Supervisor, City of Hudson

Minority Leader, Columbia County Board of Supervisors

 

The Evolution and Resurgence Of Hudson

The evolution and resurgence of Hudson

Not so long ago, you could walk up the main corridor of Hudson, otherwise known as Warren Street and see boarded up, shuttered buildings, with all its historical splendor, slowly deteriorating.  One by one, most of the buildings have been brought back to their former glory and in some cases, exceeding their past existence.  Because of the poor condition and lack of interest in a lot of buildings on Warren Street, those with an eye for historical value and cash on hand, saw Warren Street as a cheap, underdeveloped, historical gem, waiting to once again gain its former grandeur.  The development of Warren Street has spawned a population shift, which is slowly leading to a cultural change in the City of Hudson.  Through the years of Hudson’s past, when it was known as a manufacturing player, you could find a job in a day, regardless of education, get a cold beer from a bar virtually on every corner, while enjoying a piece of chicken or slice of pizza, all for less than $5.  Today, on Warren Street, you can still enjoy a beer, at inflation adjusted prices and grab a bite to eat from one of its many restaurants.  Yes, Warren Street has changed greatly from its former past.  Today, Hudson's Warren Street is talked about State, Nationwide and even in foreign Countries regarding its presence in the antique world, boasting a range of antique stores and a collection of artist, making Hudson’s Warren Street a tourist destination.

There is no arguing the fact, that the resurgence of Warren Street has been a blessing or curse depending on which prism you are looking through.  Warren Street, which was once boarded up, was also home to a large portion of Hudson’s, low to moderate income population.  As each building was bought and sold, the occupants of the building were more often than not asked to leave, in most cases causing an unintended form of gentrification.   As a result, a lot of the Warren Street population and affordable housing stock was pushed over to the North side of the City. There was a time when most of the homes on the North side of the City were single family homes, owned by middle class income earners who worked for the cement plant, City or State government.  Once the cement plant along with a few other existing factories left Hudson, single family homeowners begin selling their homes to would be landlords looking to make a buck renting to the displaced tenants formally living on Warren Street as well as other locations on the South side of the City.  In my opinion, it is during this time period when tension and disdain for antique stores and new homeowners from Warren Street south developed.  Warranted of not, people on the North side of the City believed the City was and is being taken over by those moving from New York City, with lots of money.  Rents on Warren Street, South, shot up 3 to 4 times what families use to pay for an apartment.  The Columbia Diner shutdown and was eventually sold, going from a budget meal eatery to a much higher end American style restaurant.   I often hear mentioned, that no one can afford to eat on Warren Street now.  It’s a fact that a burger, beer and fries, which I enjoy most Thursdays, at a restaurant on Warren Street, will cost you on average, about $25.  That price point is close to where some residents on the North side of Hudson pay for monthly rent.  Although the tension seemed to have died down at times, it is always bubbling under the surface waiting for the next shoe to drop so it can rear its ugly head.  People, families have become fearful of their livelihood, ignoring the contributions being made by the population from the South side of the City.  It has gotten so bad on occasion, that some have refused to walk on Warren Street, other than to attend a street event or to go to one of the corner stores.  Because of these tensions alliances have been formed, which in the past may not have happened.  People now feel as though they are fighting for their future survival in the City of Hudson, real or not, that is the perception.  On occasion you can see the tension and frustration of the different opinions boil over at School board, business and local government meetings.  An example of this is, the recent decision to locate the Hudson City School District’s ALP (alternative learning program) a program for struggling youth in the Hudson City School District, on Warren Street.  There was certainly two mines of thinking here and maybe more.  Business owners on Warren Street seemed to be concerned about the safety of the youth and the lack of space for physical activity at the Warren Street location.  It was widely believed by those who live on the North side of the City, that the business owners were using that ploy as a way to fight the project, instead of disclosing their real feelings, they didn’t want youth who may have had a troubled past on Warren Street, potentially disrupting their business.  Factual or not, that was the widely spread belief.  This incident deepened the divide of the City, further solidifying belief that those who live and own businesses on Warren Street has to give you their blessing if you are to live or try to establish a business on Warren Street.  I believe many on Warren Street would say this is pure lunacy and totally basely.  In my opinion, this issue of a divided City has risen to become one of the top three issues facing the City.  Business owners who move to Hudson, establish a business here, in many cases using their life savings, do so at great risk.  Taxes are fairly high and a great deal of their business is at the mercy of tourism.  Contributing to Hudson becoming a tourist destination, is the culture of Warren Street and the fact that patrons feel safe visiting and walking up and down our City Streets.  Disrupt any part of the harmonious balance on Warren Street, I believe the ripple effect will be felt, not only City, but County wide.  This may be why Warren Street’s solvency is defended so rigorously.  Many on the North side of the City wouldn’t know that, given many never, shop or eat on Warren Street, let alone have a conversation with a business owner.  What they do know is, they see, more and more homes on the North side being bought by those moving to Hudson.  These once single family homes, converted to two or in some cases three family homes are now being converted back to one family homes, leading people to believe, this is Warren Street all over again.  With the affordable housing shrinking every day and low income housing locations like Bliss towers reaching its useful life, tension are running high as to where people will go once the affordable and low income housing are no more in the City of Hudson.  I don’t see this happening in the immediate future, but some would say it bares a resemblance to the development and resurgence of Warren Street.  I believe there is a direct correlation between the housing stock in the City of Hudson and the tension between the North and South sides of the City.  Housing isn’t the only contributing factor, but it’s a major one.  One thing I think can be addressed with some willingness and smart planning by City leaders, residents and business owners.  Hudson could immediately adopt a policy that no new housing will be constructed without 20 or even 30% being set aside for low to moderate income housing.  This would show that an effort is being made by all sides to preserve the diversity of Hudson, which has made the City what it is today.  Also, an idea brought up by defeated Mayoral candidate, Victor Mendolia, to change the zoning for Columbia Street, allowing more businesses to develop there, would maybe spawn some businesses geared more toward the moderate income population of Hudson.  Something, like a Columbia diner type restaurant, where someone could get a soup and sandwich for $5 - $7 bucks.  Again, this would open doors to relationship building in the City.  Then we could move onto much harder dividing factors such as education and jobs. 

It seems, most of our newly elected City officials are listening, let’s guide them and help them, make Hudson a true melting pot where people of all race, gender, economical means and sexual orientation, can live harmoniously together.

William Hughes Jr.

4^th Ward Supervisor

City of Hudson

Minority Leader

Columbia County Board of Supervisors

The Keys Are On The Hook

I haven’t added an edition to my blog in a long time, so I figure today would be as good as any to rectify that.

Most call this time of year, silly season, others would say, this is when we get to choose those who will represent our views locally for the next 2 – 4 years.  Whatever your view, you decide where this story falls on that meter.

Earlier this week, it was brought to my attention that a room located in the County Administration building, 401 State Street, secured with the new electronic voting machines under lock and key, was entered without authorization.  It is to this point that the story gets murky.  As Minority Leader, it was brought to my attention that the room under lock and key securing the voting machines had been entered back in May without bipartisan authorization from the Board of Elections.  The Democratic Commissioner of the County Board of Elections reported to me, that she and the Republican Commissioner of the Board of Elections had been in ongoing discussions with the Director of Facilities about creating space and a form of security that would require a bipartisan team to enter the space holding the new electronic voting machines.  Once that space was erected, a lock with keys that couldn’t be duplicated was to be put in place, with keys going to the Republican Commissioner and Democratic Commissioner, respectfully.

The lock was put in place and keys were given to each of the Commissioners, with the understanding that work in the space was completed.   One day in May, the Director of Facilities came in and apparently questioned why the room where the voting machines are was locked.  The Board of Elections was under the impression the room was done, the machines were in the space, thus a locksmith was called by the Commissioners of the Board of Elections to put a special lock on the door and keys made.   The Director of Facilities came in and for whatever reason was upset or questioned the lock being put on the door to the room securing the electronic voting machines.  Upon discovering the lock on the door, the Director of Facilities, called a locksmith and had the lock drilled out and removed.   Later the next week to the surprise of members of the Board of Elections, the Director of Facilities and a County Supervisor, came in with 2 new keys and told members of the Board of Elections, “here is your new keys to the room securing the voting machines”.   What the 2 men must not have realized is, at the time of them bringing the new keys into the Board of Elections, a member of the State Board of Elections was present doing an audit.  Given the confusion around the removal of the old lock and installation of the new lock, the auditor from the State felt compelled to note the incident in their report.  It’s from this point that concern for the performance integrity of the voting machines and there security was questioned.  The Democratic Commissioner was very concerned and raised flags about the room being entered without a bipartisan team, how long the room may have been unsecure and who may have entered the room while it was unsecure.   The Republican Commissioner was less concerned, noting in a local paper, “This story is being blown way out of proportion”.   The Republican Commissioner went on to say, he doesn’t believe anything has been done wrong and that the voting machines were never in danger.  The Democratic Commissioner’s opinion differs on the situation, noting, she believes the machines should always be under lock and key that can only be accessed by a bipartisan team to maintain performance integrity of the voting machines. She also suggests, New York State law requires such action be taken.  Again, this is an area where the Democratic and Republican Commissioners of the Columbia County Board of Elections disagree.  This question should be cleared up soon, as soon as the audit from the NYS Board of Elections is finally released to Columbia County.

As Minority Leader, I was asked to look into this issue.  Given, both the Director of Facilities and the County Supervisor present when the Board of elections auditor was here are members of or answer to the DPW Committee, I thought it would be the best place to get answers to the questions I had regarding the whole story.  I attended the DPW Committee meeting with the Democratic Commissioner of the Board of Elections and members of the DPW Committee.  Once the Director of Facilities, finished presenting his monthly report to the DPW Committee, I asked the Chairman of the DPW Committee if I could ask the Director of Facilities some questions around the situation of removing the lock from the room securing the electronic voting machines.   I mentioned to the Director of Facilities the story in which I was given around the locks being removed off the door securing the voting machines, his story differed that which I was given by the Democratic Commissioner.  With all the confusion going on and at times, tempers flaring, it seemed the question I most wanted answered was getting lost. 

As the Chairman of the DPW Committee tried to end the discussion, I said Mr. Chairman, I only need the answer to one question.  I asked the Director of Facilities, “Given you were here trying to get into the room during business hours, did you use a key to take the lock off the door to the room holding the voting machines?  After a long pause, the Director of Facilities said and I quote, “NO”.

I ask you the voters of Columbia County,  if the story went as the Director of Facilities stated it did, why would he CALL a locksmith to take the lock off the door, given he could have just gone  up one small flight of stairs to the Board of Elections and get the keys to enter the room?

I’m definitely not accusing anyone of doing anything nefarious, I’m simply putting this out there.  A locksmith was called, at the expense of taxpayers, to cut a lock off which the Director of Facilities could have easily gone up stairs and gotten the keys to remove, why didn’t it happen that way?

If you are a voter in Columbia County, you too should be asking WHY?

Trouble hitting the curve

Like a bad Clint Eastwood movie, the Republican Convention rolled out mega star Clint Eastwood for what looked like "the good, the bad and the ugly" of an Eastwood movie.

Trouble hitting the curve", is not just the title of a new Clint Eastwood movie, it describes the campaign of Mitt "Myth" Romney. Myth Romney, has indicated he will go after social programs like an old Eastwood movie "a fist full of dollars". Myth Romney, looked "we" American people in the eyes and said, I shall "hang em' high". Being a supporter of Congressman, Paul Ryan's budget and picking him to be his Vice Presidential, running mate, Myth Romney states, I will cut all entitlement programs, making it clear, that if you are poor, not of the financial elite, you will no longer receive government assistance. The problem with Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget is, they not only attack the poor, but seniors, women and the middle class too. Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget would cut the WIC program, put millions of young kids in our Country at risk. Their budget would also cut the Safety-Net program, the program that provides food stamps, housing assistance, day care and medicaid to 10's of millions who need help in our County. Just to show that they really want to destroy the middle class, The Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget would cut Pell Grants, making it much harder for poor kids and poor families to have access to higher education. How does Myth Romney propose to tackle that problem, by telling families, you can borrow the money and pay it back. Oh no, wait, Myth Romney and Paul Ryan didn't stop there, what do they say about those who would like to start a small business, but don't have the funds to do so? Listen to this one, "go borrow the money from your parents", as if we all have millionaire parents like Myth Romney had.

 The Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget not only demonstrates what they think of the poor and disadvantaged in our County, its a clear attack on women. Data shows that 2/3 of those who use Pell Grants are women, 2/3 of those who receive WIC are women, 2/3 of those who receive food stamps are women and oh, did I mention, Myth Romney and Paul Ryan would repeal a woman's right to choose?

Now I know who Clint Eastwood was talking to in that empty chair, it was we the American people. Myth Romney and Paul Ryan, see most of us as empty, not being worth their time. That is why, Myth Romney is caught on tape stating how, 47% of people don't pay taxes and I will never get there vote, they will vote for Obama, no matter what. What Myth Romney doesn't say is, a percentage of that 47%, although they may not pay property taxes, they do pay payroll taxes, basically the working poor and low middle class. Although he hasn't said this, this tells me one thing, Myth Romney and Paul Ryan would go after the Child Earned Income Tax Credit, a tax that most working poor and middle class workers rely on getting at the end of the year to help settle up bills that they have gotten behind on. Like another Eastwood movie, The "sudden impact" of this would create a clear difference between rich and poor in our Country. With the outlined plan of the Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget, the rich would get a tax cut, making them richer, in the hopes of some of that wealth trickling down to the poor. By the time funds were to trickle down, there would only be enough left to maybe create a few hundred minimun wage jobs. This is just like another Eastwood movie, "play misty for me", the math of the Myth Romney, Paul Ryan's budget is so foggy only they can see it. To vote for the Myth Romney, Paul Ryan ticket, would be like walking, "the gauntlet", of death for the middle class, it will disappear as we know it. Taking a cue from Clint Eastwood, Myth Romney and Paul Ryan is saying, "go ahead, make my day" vote for me and this is what you will get. We as voters in Nov should look Myth Romney and Paul Ryan in the face and say, this is a, "true crime" and vote them out "any which way you can".



Vote Row A all the way

A House of Cards

Some are fortunate enough to never need food stamps or ever worry about being homeless.  Unfortunately, there are others who have been dealt a different hand in life and for whatever reason, they need any and all help they can get.

This brings me to what has become a divisive debate amongst elected officials and soon to be public in the City of Hudson.  Columbia County has proposed to build, with the assistance of a private developer, (Galvan Initiatives) a 37 unit living facility targeting those who have fallen on hard times and has no other place to live.  The living facility  would provide counselling, meals, transportation, laundry, 24 hour security and a live in facility manager, along with other amenities.

Currently, Columbia County houses those in this condition, in Hotels through out the County for an average of $70 a day or in some cases $1,300 - $1,400 a month, which does not include food and transportation cost.  Not to mention, under the current conditions counselling and services are not offered to help these clients get back on their feet, giving them a second chance at life.

A second chance at life, it is to this point that I have been working diligently to increase The City of Hudson's low income and affordable housing stock.  To no direct fault of anyone specifically, Hudson's affordable housing stock has been dropping precipitously, leaving many unable to afford the new market rate for an apartment.  We also have a problem of those who are poor money managers or those coming back home after a stint in NYS prison system.  Whatever the reason, Hudson and well as other Towns in Columbia County have citizens who have found it impossible to find a place to live.  As mandated by NYS, if a citizen has been found and proven through an initial evaluation to be homeless, the County in which they live, must provide them with a place to live.  As a result of this law, Counties across NYS have been forced at great expense to find a dwelling for individuals proven to be homeless.  Speaking specifically to Columbia County, over the years, Columbia County has spent as much as $2 million a year addressing this problem.  To the County's credit, they have tried several times to come up with plans that would provide a better living environment for the County's homeless clients.  One that would also help to decrease the amount of money being spent to address the issue.

Recently the County's homeless numbers have dropped sharply, holding stead at around 25 single individuals.  In the past few months some aggressive tactics have been employed by the County to decrease its homeless numbers.  One of those tactics is, to convince individuals who are living in the hotels to partner up with another client, put their resources together and move in together, often in apartments that are barely at living standards or worse.  What's amazing to me is, that some elected officials and fellow human beings would find this method to be acceptable, for someone to live in substandard conditions, as long as we save a dollar and they are not living next to them.  What isn't mentioned is, that which I believe!  The number of homeless kept by the County is skewed, I believe the homeless in the City of Hudson and the County is higher than reported.  The County does not track those who are staying with friends or family until they can find an affordable apartment, which in most cases doesn't happen.

Most of us, who live in the lower half of the City of Hudson, know of families or friends who have people staying with them who are essentially homeless, if not for the generosity of those family or friends.  The problem with this particular arrangement is, most times, those families or friends are barely making ends meat themselves.

It is because of this reason that I stood up and fought, when some elected officials made mention that the City of Hudson shouldn't renew the tax credits to the Hudson Terrance project, which were needed to keep rents affordable.  That is why, I stood as a fighting voice to build, what is now known as "Crosswind", when other elected officials were balking at the project.  And that is why I am now leading the charge at the County level to  develop this facility, with the partnership of Galvan Initiatives.

This project has now come under fire, with citizens and a few elected officials saying "Hudson already has too many services located here, we don't need anymore".  I had a few citizens tell me, we should move them to Kinderhook or Chatham and bus them back and forth to the City of Hudson where the services are.  One thing I would like to note here is, I haven't had one person from the 2nd, 4th or 5th Ward's make these kinds of statements. 

It's my belief that some have been instructed to protest at the next full board meeting with signs, voicing their displeasure with having more housing "these people" in the City of Hudson.

I'm putting out there, if you support this project, you too should show up at the next Board of Supervisors full board meeting, which is to be held on:  August 8, 2012  at: 7:15pm.  Come and hear what some have to say about your friends and family members who are currently staying in hotels.

Again, come out to a very important meeting, being held, August 8, 2012  at: 7:15pm.  I will post or info you more about this meeting as the date gets closer.

Thank You!

Sincerely,

Minority Leader
4th Ward Supervisor
William Hughes Jr.

U.S. Debt, Who is at fault? Where do we go from here?

First, let’s talk about under the Bush administration how the rules for short selling was deregulated. Note: "Wikipedia", During hearings on the bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers and bailout of AIG before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, former Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld said a host of factors including a crisis of confidence and naked short-selling attacks followed by false rumors contributed to both the collapse of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers


Secondly, the lack of regulating the derivative market allowed billionaire’s to rape the stock market and investors. Note: "Wikipedia", 2000 December:Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 (based on a report by Summers, Greenspan, Levitt, & Rainer) declares credit default swaps (and other derivatives) to be unregulated, banning the SEC, Fed, CTFC, state insurance companies, and others from meaningful oversight. CDS eventually destroy AIG & others.

• Third, it was under the Bush administration that the mortgage industry was deregulated. Don’t we all remember when then, President Bush stood on the White house lawn and said we are going to make home ownership affordable to millions of Americans? Deregulating the mortgage market is one of the biggest factors in causing the sub-prime mortgage market collapse. Note: "Wikipedia", subprime mortgages. 2002 June 17:Bush unveils his "Blueprint for the American Dream". He sets a goal of increasing minority home owners by at least 5.5 million by 2010 through billions of dollars in tax credits, subsidies and a Fannie Mae commitment of $440 billion to establish NeighborWorks America with faith based organizations. 2003-2007: U.S. subprime mortgages increased 292%, from $332 billion to $1.3 trillion, due primarily to the private sector entering the mortgage bond market, once an almost exclusive domain of government sponsored enterprises like Freddie Mac.

o The Federal Reserve fails to use its supervisory and regulatory authority over banks, mortgage underwriters and other lenders, who abandoned loan standards (employment history, income, down payments, credit rating, assets, property loan-to-value ratio and debt-servicing ability), emphasizing instead lender's ability to securitize and repackage subprime loans. 2007 Home sales continue to fall. The plunge in existing-home sales is the steepest since 1989. In Q1/2007, S&P/Case-Shiller house price index records first year-over-year decline in nationwide house prices since 1991. The subprime mortgage industry collapses, and a surge of foreclosure activity (twice as bad as 2006) and rising interest rates threaten to depress prices further as problems in the subprime markets spread to the near-prime and prime mortgage markets. April 3: According to CNN Money, business sources report lenders made $640 billion in subprime loans in 2006, nearly twice the level 3 years earlier; subprime loans amounted to about 20 percent of the nation's mortgage lending and about 17 percent of home purchases; financial firms and hedge funds likely own more than $1 trillion in securities backed by subprime mortgage; about 13 percent of subprime loans are now delinquent, more than five times the delinquency rate for home loans to borrowers with top credit; more than 2 percent of subprime loans had foreclosure proceedings start in the fourth quarter The monoline insurance companies (AMBAC, MBIA, ACA, &c) have written vast quantities of insurance against the failure of CDO tranches. Those tranches now begin to fail by the hundreds. The credit ratings agencies downgrade the monolines from AAA, but the monolines have a unique business model. If they don't have a AAA rating, then their main line of business (bond insurance) becomes impossible for them to perform. By 2009, the monolines have all crashed. 2008 October 1: The U.S. Senate passes HR1424, their version of the $700 billion bailout bill.

o October 1: The financial crisis spreads to Europe.

• October 3: President George W. Bush signs the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, creating a $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program to purchase failing bank assets. It contains easing of the accounting rules that forced companies to collapse because of the existence of toxic mortgage-related investments. Also key to winning GOP support was a decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to ease mark-to-market accounting rules that require financial institutions to show the deflated value of assets on their balance sheets."

o October 6–10: Worst week for the stock market in 75 years. The Dow Jones loses 22.1 percent, its worst week on record, down 40.3 percent since reaching a record high of 14,164.53 October 9, 2007. The Standard & Poor's 500 index loses 18.2 percent, its worst week since 1933, down 42.5 percent in since its own high October 9, 2007.

o October 6: Fed announces that it will provide $900 billion in short-term cash loans to banks.

o October 7: Fed makes emergency move to lend around $1.3 trillion directly to companies outside the financial sector.

o October 7: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relaxes rules on US corporations repatriating money held oversees in an attempt to inject liquidity into the US financial market. The new ruling allows the companies to receive loans from their foreign subsidiaries for longer periods and more times a year without triggering the 35% corporate income tax.

o October 8: Central banks in USA (Fed), England, China, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and the European Central Bank cut rates in a coordinated effort to aid world economy.

o October 8: Fed also reduces its emergency lending rate to banks by half a percentage point, to 1.75 percent.

o October 8: White House considers taking ownership stakes in private banks as a part of the bailout bill. Warren Buffett and George Soros criticized the original approach of the bailout bill.

o October 11: The Dow Jones Industrial Average caps its worst week ever with its highest volatility day ever recorded in its 112 year history. Over the last eight trading days, the DJIA has dropped 22% amid worries of worsening credit crisis and global recession. Paper losses now on US stocks now total $8.4 trillion from the market highs last year.[87]

o October 11: The G7, a group of central bankers and finance ministers from the Group of Seven leading economies, meet in Washington and agree to urgent and exceptional coordinated action to prevent the credit crisis from throwing the world into depression. The G7 did not agree on the concrete plan that was hoped for.

o October 14: The US taps into the $700 billion available from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act and announces the injection of $250 billion of public money into the US banking system. The form of the rescue will include the US government taking an equity position in banks that choose to participate in the program in exchange for certain restrictions such as executive compensation. Nine banks agreed to participate in the program and will receive half of the total funds: 1) Bank of America, 2) JPMorgan Chase, 3) Wells Fargo, 4) Citigroup, 5) Merrill Lynch, 6) Goldman Sachs, 7) Morgan Stanley, 8) Bank of New York Mellon and 9) State Street. Other US financial institutions eligible for the plan have until November 14 to agree to the terms.

October 21: The US Federal Reserve announces that it will spend $540 billion to purchase short-term debt from money market mutual funds. The large amount of redemption requests during the credit crisis have caused the money market funds to scale back lending to banks contributing to the credit freeze on interbank lending markets. This government is hoping the injection will help unfreeze the credit markets making it easier for businesses and banks to obtain loans. The structure of the plan involves the Fed setting up four special purpose vehicles that will purchase the assets.  2011 The U.S. Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission reported its findings in January 2011.   It concluded that "the crisis was avoidable and was caused by: Widespread failures in financial regulation, including the Federal Reserve’s failure to stem the tide of toxic mortgages; Dramatic breakdowns in corporate governance including too many financial firms acting recklessly and taking on too much risk; An explosive mix of excessive borrowing and risk by households and Wall Street that put the financial system on a collision course with crisis; Key policy makers ill prepared for the crisis, lacking a full understanding of the financial system they oversaw; and systemic breaches in accountability and ethics at all levels.

Not to be lost in all of this is the easing of “mark to market” (Mark-to-market or fair value accounting refers to accounting for the fair value of an asset or liability based on the current market price of the asset or liability, or for similar assets and liabilities, or based on another objectively assessed "fair" value.) on bank balance sheets, asked for by the “GOP” Republicans. This in itself is a legal way for banks to not tell us the truth of how much they are really worth, what happened to transparency?

These events not only collapsed financial markets in the U.S. but around the world. As a result the U.S. economy was sent into a tailspin that we are still in today.

I will admit, we have to get our spending under control, but the question needs to be asked, were do we start? We are spending billions in fighting two wars and now, one conflict overseas, should spending be cut there first? During this whole bank crisis, some banks took the bailout money reinvested and made billions on the back of taxpayers, should we demand that money back, plus that which they borrowed.

Yet, we hear talk about cutting entitlement programs, since when has social security, medicaid or medicare been entitlement programs? Most who receive these programs paid for them through payroll deductions. Social security is a promise made by the federal government, pay into it while you are working, if you become disabled or reach retirement age you will receive “payment”, sort of an american investment. Social security an “entitlement program”, here is what President Bush had to say about the program: “SentinelSource.com”, President George W. Bush made a shocking assertion back in 2005 when he was pushing to privatize Social Security. “A lot of people in America think there is a trust,” he said, “that we take your money in payroll taxes and then we hold it for you and then when you retire, we give it back to you. But that’s not the way it works. There is no trust fund — just IOUs ….”

Actually, working Americans have paid so much in Social Security payroll taxes during the past three decades that they have built up a $2.6 trillion surplus in the account. That money should make the system strong enough to cover the current level of benefits for the next 26 years. In the interim, a prudent government could restructure the program for the rest of the century, perhaps by means-testing benefits and rejiggering contributions.

But, unfortunately, Bush was right. In 1983, Congress and the Reagan administration adjusted Social Security taxes and benefits to put the program on an even keel that began to build up a huge surplus for investment. But Congress decided to “borrow” the surplus instead of investing. They’ve been using it to help pay for things that have nothing to do with Social Security, things the political establishment and tax-averse Americans wanted but didn’t want to pay for: invasions, education, highway repairs and so on. And, without giving any thought to paying the surplus money back, the federal government has been trading it for special Treasury bonds that politicians used to assure us were safe in a lockbox.

Just IOUs. In a lockbox.



Here are some programs I would call entitlement programs: Welfare programs such as: food stamps, shelter rent, homeless housing and WIC. As a people we have to ask ourselves if we want to help those who are less fortunate? Making the claim that we need to cut social programs to balance the budget vs. creating a millionaire’s tax is creating class warfare.

Where do we draw the line, the future of our great nation depends on how the majority of the people in this Country answers that question. One thing is for sure, social programs are not the sole blame for the financial crisis of the U.S., as a matter of fact one could argue the majority of the blame falls with the millionaire’s and billionaire’s on Wall St. and the politicians who robbed the social security fund.

TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT, THAT IS THE QUESTION!

YOU THE VOTER CAN FORCE POLITICIANS TO DECIDED