Commentary In The Times Leader- Stephen M. Alinikoff

Election will offer clear philosophical choices for U.S. COMMENTARY Stephen M. Alinikoff

I CONSIDER myself an average citizen, lucky enough to be born in a country that has bestowed bountiful gifts to my family and to me. I have lived my entire life in the Wyoming Valley and was born in the waning days of World War II. The country has changed dramatically since then and I must say in most respects not for the better. I honestly feel that we will not be leaving our children a country in which their generation will be better off and better equipped to surpass the achievements of previous generations.

If I were not so angry with what is happening with my beloved country I would have merely passed over an article in The Times Leader, which reported a meeting that Congressman Paul Kanjorski hosted at the East Mountain Inn on Sept. 8.

What Kanjorski was reported to have said is emblematic of one of, if not the major problems facing this nation: a dysfunctional Congress totally out of touch with the desires, needs and history of this country.

Kanjorski related his defense of the bailout packages over the last two years: “Those days will be remembered as the most instrumental moments of the 21st century.” Kanjorski, Nancy Pelosi, Charley Rangel and Maxine Walters were the ones standing between us and the total financial collapse of the United States. Yes, he honestly believes that and expects us to believe it.

The congressman went on to say: “If you recall gun sales were way up, America was weaponed up, that’s what the times were like two years ago.” He then said something that has yet to be followed up by our local or national media. He told the group “8,000 troops stood at the ready” in North Carolina to come to Washington to guard the White House and the Capitol.

I certainly was not aware we were so close to an armed insurrection. My question is: from whom?

It really is hard to believe, if nothing else Congressman Kanjorski is at the top of his game when it comes to political hyperbole on the campaign trail. History and its facts do not lie. The facts are that over the last 77 years, we have seen an undeniable march of one-party rule and that party’s philosophy being legislated into statutory policy.

It is the undeniable philosophy of central government growth at the expense of federalism and individual rights.

It is an undeniable fact that we are on the verge of a national bankruptcy, which, if continued, will have consequences for our national security and ability to remain the world’s preeminent power.

It is an undeniable fact that all legislation concerning matters of revenue, taxes, spending and finance must constitutionally originate in the House of Representatives.

From 1933, (the 73rd Congress) to the present (the 111th Congress) there have been 38 sessions of Congress. Thirty-one of the sessions – 81 percent – have been controlled by the Democratic Party. In the most recent 26 sessions the percentage in Democratic control has been 85 percent – even higher.

Kanjorski, one of the most senior Democrats, has served since 1985. He has worked to bring us public projects such as: an inflatable dam; some sort of shooting range/training facility to be placed somewhere. He also was successful in steering over 5 million in taxpayer funds to a failed business owned by family members. As one of the most senior members, he was one of the leaders in bringing us “Obamacare,” which will create the single largest bureaucracy by any Congress in our history.

In his meeting at the East Mountain Inn, he also heralded his role in passing Wall Street reform although he didn’t mention that the two main culprits – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – were left noticeably untouched in this new legislation. Those agencies have been used by Congress for years as a repository for political jobs and bad loans.

After reading the article, I do not for one moment doubt that Congressman Kanjorski believes in what he said and has done and is proud of where he has taken us. He is not only one of the leaders of the present majority in Congress, but also one of its most outspoken defenders.

So, our choice seems clear. If you are satisfied with the politics of Kanjorski, Pelosi, Walters and Rangel, and where they are taking us, your choice is easy.

However if you feel anger about the half truths, the lack of integrity, the self serving attitude and arrogance as well as the downright incompetence of our elected representatives, the choice is also yours.


Stephen Alinikoff lives in Kingston. He is a managing principal in a local insurance and investment firm.

Rangel Spells Trouble for Democrats

When will Paul Kanjorski return or donate the money from Charlie Rangel?

Charlie Rangel's Problems For Paul Kanjorski

Last election season Paul Kanjorki couldn't help himself but attend a fundraiser for Charlie Rangel(tell me he doesn't look a little like Al Sharpton). In the shadow of ethics charges against Rangel Kanjorski felt the need to pay homage to his friend.

One day until Kanjorski-Rangel fundraiser
Tuesday, September 23, 2008



Ohh what a difference a new election season makes...Diana Ross couldn't script this better..."Stop in the name of Paul before you break my heart think it oooover .....think it ooooover..."

Ethics Panel Finds Rangel Broke Rules

Rep. Charles Rangel, the most powerful tax-writing lawmaker in Congress and a 40-year veteran of Capitol Hill, acknowledged Thursday that an ethics panel has accused him of accepting corporate money for Caribbean trips in violation of House rules.

The panel exonerated five other members of the Congressional Black Caucus who also were on the 2007 and 2008 trips to Antigua and St. Martin but told them they will have to pay for the trips.

The findings are certain to raise questions of whether Rangel, a New York Democrat, can continue as Ways and Means Committee chairman in an election year. Democrats took over the House in 2006 on a campaign promise to "end a culture of corruption" in Congress that they blamed on 12 years of Republican rule.

The panel, formally the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, is still investigating Rangel's use of official stationery to raise money for a college center to be named after him and incomplete financial disclosures that omitted some income and assets, including rent he received from a vacation home in the Dominican Republic.

Somehow Paul Kanjorski cannot divorce himself from unethical behavior whether it be Cornerstone where the government is still looking for those $100,000.00 pumps or associations with Rangel.

Arianna Huffington Tells Rangel To Step Down

In a George Stephanopolous roundtable report he detailed Arianna Huffington's comment that Speaker Nancy Pelosi should demand that Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel should step down as early as Monday morning.

“They should decide it on Monday morning,” Huffington said. “He should step down from his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee if they want to improve their chances for 2010. Otherwise, they might see their approval rating come down to single digits.”

Here was Speaker Pelosi's committment from November, 2006.

"This leadership team will create the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history" - Speaker-Elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release, November 16, 2006

Evidently Paul Kanjorski didn't agree with the Speaker when he attended Rangel's fundraiser last year.

Kanjorski Didn't Know He Was "Rangled" At Fundraiser

Last year during his courtship of Democrats in his bid to save his career he attended a fundraiser for Charlie Rangel. You may recall Rangel is involved in failure to report income and other misdeeds credited to him. He was also known for trying to get a $4 trillion dollar tax increase. Kanjorski accepted a contribution from Rangel and, according to the video, refused to return it.

The House Ethics Committee voted to expand their investigation into Rangel's financial transactions.

The House Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to expand its probe of Rep. Charlie Rangel, D.-N.Y., chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee who is at the center of an investigation into a long and stinging list of alleged wrongdoing.

The committee said Thursday that it has reviewed more than 12,000 pages in documents, conducted 34 interviews and held 30 hearings into Rangel's alleged misdeeds, which include failure to pay taxes and disclose income -- as much as $1.3 million -- he earned from multiple properties. But the committee did not specify how the investigation would change.


Paul, why did you accept his donation? Was it a "Specter Bustamove"(meaning a desparate move to save a career or go bust)?