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Statement from Kathy Hochul on 2012 election

By Howard B. Owens

Press release from Kathy Hochul:

“Early this morning I called Chris Collins and congratulated him on being elected to Congress. I encouraged him to work across the aisle and offered to assist him in any way I can. I also volunteered to help him make a smooth transition in January to ensure our constituents are well served. Congress can do better, and the people of this country deserve better than what Washington has given them.”

Rex Lampke

I feel that advertising from her side lost that race for her. if she had concentrated on her record and left the garbage alone she would of won. I also hope Chris is a great representative or he will be gone next time.

Nov 7, 2012, 10:32am Permalink
John Roach

If you're from WNY, probably the results that will hurt us the most was not Obama/Romney or Collins?Hochul, but that the downstate Democrats may have won control of the NY State Senate. That would give the downstate area total control of the state government, and we lose.

Nov 7, 2012, 11:55am Permalink
Dave Meyer

Thank you Howard....Fred keeps beating that drum, but I guess his mind is made up and he doesn't want to be confused with the facts.

Fred....check her record. Phil Ricci posted a link in the earlier thread.

Nov 7, 2012, 1:18pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

The goal was to paint the 27th into the red column, and the goal was met. For those with red paint brushes in hand- hope you're satisfied with the Erie County color scheme. From my perspective (neither blue or red), district voters enforced a giant leap backward to the dark ages of Paxon, Reynolds and the other jackass. To borrow my Mom's pet phrase, we cut off our noses to spite our face. Trading in a hardworking representative for a hack is not progress. Why WOULD local Republicans bend-over after EC screwed Bellavia?

Nov 7, 2012, 2:36pm Permalink
John Roach

The goal was to protect themselves and not just for this race, but for the next ten years when they do it again. When they divided this up, the Dems made very sure the Congressional 25th and 26th stayed Blue. The Republicans got the red 27th. The Democrats got a 2 for 1 sale. And since they are the majority in the state, they got a good deal.

Nov 7, 2012, 2:26pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

I don't see how any third party could rise up, without a total societal or economic breakdown first, I am talking something 2-3 times the magnitude of 2008.

The two parties are too ingrained and too well financed, and no matter what anyone says, money drives politics and conversely elections.

I would love a third party option that was viable, but the current structure is near inpenatrable.

Nov 7, 2012, 2:42pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

The only way a third party will ever become a force is if it starts at the grassroots -- a group of like minded people in a local community banding together under a single banner, winning school board seats, city council and village and town board seats, slowly building an apparatus.

Organization is critically important to any party's success and that begins at the local level, and third party's always tend to be overly ambitious, running for congressional and presidential seats.

You've gotta crawl before you can walk. It might be a multi-generational effort, but it would eventually dislodge the current power structure.

Nov 7, 2012, 2:50pm Permalink
John Roach

CM,
No problem. The surprise is that so many people think this was just for the 27th, or for that matter, something new. It happens in NY every 10 years.

Nov 7, 2012, 2:54pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Of course, different times, but the anti-mason party evolved into the Republican party with a president in the White House in one generation.

Nov 7, 2012, 3:59pm Permalink
Jeff Allen

I think third party progress can happen faster in the age of social media. It is incredible how fast information can be disseminated using social media. It is a tool many third party supporters are comfortable with. If someone has something brewing, count me in.

Nov 7, 2012, 7:46pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

The trouble with that premise Jeff is that as fast as you can put out a tweet or post, a counter tweet or post could be thrown back at it.

Foxnews.com shut down thier social site linked blogs because for every post there was a barrage of waiting opperatives with a rapid response attack it became impossible to have productive conversations.

Howard is right, third parties tend to reach too far and kill themselves in the process, the only way is grassroots and local and it is multi generational, short of revolution that is.

Nov 7, 2012, 7:53pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Not all social media communication is broadly public. The ability for like-minded people to quickly communicate and recruit has never been greater. The internet will help, even a local effort, move more quickly. The Internet is the great disruptor to how things have always been done.

Nov 7, 2012, 9:39pm Permalink

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