Failing to be involved makes us - LOSERS

                             LOSER
     The Opinion Expressed Belongs to Me, Tom Sobczak, Sr.

Daily, I read, in the media, about the actions of our Federal, State and Local Government.
I become frustrated and upset by the apparent stupidity occurring at all levels.  I think about
what I would do, what I should do and I do nothing.  I am making myself a loser.  The
comments which follow use examples from my local community.  Unfortunately the actions
I document are repeated in hundreds of communities, same game just different names.

As a nation, we have come to accept politics, taxes, and cheating as the American way.
Our forefathers wrote a Constitution where public minded citizens would take a few years
sabbatical from their careers and work at governing.  The term politician didn't exist back
then.  Today we deal with individuals who make a career from government.  Worse when
they lose an election, they become consultants and advisors telling their replacements and
the general population what we should believe.  The shame of it all is that the majority of
people, capable of deciding for themselves, believe the misinformation that pours forth.
We are becoming a nation of sheep.  We allow ourselves to be losers.

Al Gore, former senator and vice president has become a prophet of doom selling the
concept of global warming.  Mr. Gore doesn't follow the precepts he preaches.  He
excludes himself by saying that he purchases carbon equivalents that more than make up
for his misuse of the environment.  He does not practice that which he preaches at us.  If
you believe him, you deserve to be a loser.  As an aside, he is not a bad man, only one on
an ego trip.

George Bush, our current President, believed bad advice.  His ego will not let him admit
his errors.  We complain and his poll numbers drop, unfortunately the number of young
people killed as a result of his errors continues to rise.    On the same level, the promises
of Mr. Reed and Mrs. Palosi were never realized.   Yet, we continue to vote for false
promises and than ask why we are losers.

Mr. Bush, via his Attorney General, fired US Attorneys.  It was his prerogative to do so.
Immediately Senior New York US Senator, Mr. Schumer began a vendetta to have US
Attorney General Gonzales removed.  This action is Mr. Schumer's right and might be a
responsibility of his office, BUT, on an equal basis, Mr. Schumer's wife headed the New
York City Transportation Department.  Under her watch a Ferry boat crashed into a pier
on Staten Island, NY.  Innocent people were injured and some died.  Why has Mr.
Schumer failed to use the same logic he applies to the Attorney General to have her
removed?  Could it be that the rules for family and political party are different?  I never
complain though I watched.  That makes me a loser.

We have a junior Senator from New York, who ran for a higher elected office.  Did you see
her in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, or on u-tube, etc.?  She collects her salary
even though she is practicing truancy from her job of representing you and me.  I wonder,
if my boss would have given me time off, with pay, to pursue a better job.  I wonder if Mrs.
Clinton ever thought to take a sabbatical without pay.  It's our tax money she is accepting,
yet no one complains.  When elected officials say that they have staff doing the job, I
wonder why we need the official.  Wouldn't paying only for the staff be cheaper?

The same could be said for "one issue" congressional representatives.  On Long Island,
NY, Carolyn "gun control" McCarthy or Peter "Homeland" King, typify the one issue
proponents.  These are honest people who signed on to help govern our nation.  Currently
they spend most of their time cementing their popularity with the voters in order to keep
their jobs.  They attempt to serve two mistresses.  They have evolved into politicians.
Politicians make government a career.   Did you ever notice how constituents kiss up to
politicians.  We, the losers, keep them in power.  They should be kissing our tuckus' but
unfortunately it is vice vera.

Another example of the abuse, by way of cronies, comes from our former US Senator and
Presiding Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead, Alphonse D'Amato.  He had an enormous
house constructed at Point Lookout on Long Island.  Where you or I would have been
rejected, his variance sailed through.  His political connections garner special treatment.
Think about this largess the next time you are fined for a broken sidewalk or rejected for
a building extension variance.  Yet, we keep voting for the party in power, that makes no
sense.  Are we content to be losers?

We see the effects of politics souring government.  Mr. Eliot Spitzer was a fantastic
Attorney General.  He promised us the world as Governor of New York State.  He was
amazing, distancing himself from Alan Hevesi, the soiled Comptroller from his party.  He
reminded me of Ed Koch who had his arm about Donald Manis, at Don's pre-suicide
inauguration and praised him as the next Mayor of New York City.  Three weeks later Ed
called Don a crook.  Now  Eliot is Customer number 9 busily buying sex.  So goes politics.

But I digress, Eliot had a dispute with the State Senate Leader Joe Bruno.  It appears that
Eliot was used to getting his way.  His assistants misused the public trust and the offices
of the State Police.  They were caught.  Eliot used the political tactic of plausible deniability
(remember Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heros   "I know nothing, I see nothing.")  The system
did not punish the offenders.  They did the dirty deed and got a slap on the wrist.  The story
is still unfolding but, think about it, the majority of us voted for Eliot.  We voters are  losers
because no matter what happens, Eliot remains rich, protected by his families' money.  We
taxpayers pay for the bureaucracy his failure created, at least four individual investigations.
Think about it, we do nothing, not even complain as we get screwed.

Moving on, our elected officials waste our county resources and we smile and say "that's
nice."  The Hon. Thomas Gulotta, Nassau County Executive, connived with his political
cronies and gave away the County Medical Center.  In his message to the NYS Senate he
stated the hospital, always a money losing proposition, would be profitable when operated
by a Public Benefit Corporation.  Believe that and I have a bridge to sell you.  The Medical
Center still costs County taxpayers millions in taxes annually.  But wait, his replacement,
Hon. Thomas Suozzi, gave the County Geriatric Home (the A Holly Patterson Home) to the
same Public Benefit Corporation so it can add to the loses.   Again, no one complains.

We are now in the position where under a new state plan that no one approved, the 899
bed geriatric facility will be destroyed because it is old and a modern 300 bed facility will
replace it.  No one seems to understand that the people of Nassau County lose 500 beds.
I requested that Hon. Kate Murray, current Presiding Supervisor of the Town of
Hempstead, take a position to protect her Town's Citizens.  Katie is in hiding, she never
replied.  She can't afford to rock the boat, it's election time.  Keep on voting for the wrong
people, we can afford high taxes.  A final thought, when they sell the AHP property, the
taxpayer will not see the money generated by the sale.  It goes to the Public Benefit
Corporation.  Do you see, it is costly to be a loser.

Many County residents work in New York City.  Mayor Bloomberg wanted to penalize us
for that privilege.  Charging to drive below 86th Street has a ripple effect.  He says use
mass transit.  Unfortunately recent rains proved that the bureaucracy of mass transit is
such that it will fail.  I guess when you have Bloomie's billions you can neglect basics.  You
can afford to pay someone else to sell your dirty deeds.  In two years current term limits
guarantee Bloomie will be gone.  But, you will still be commuting and bearing the brunt of
poor planning.  If you think parking at your local commuter station is bad today, what
should you expect if the load doubles. 

NYC discriminates against the Disabled who live outside the boundaries of NYC.  Our
State issued Handicapped permits are not accepted in NYC.  They are a state inside a
state.  You must apply at the NYC Department of Transportation in Long Island City, NY.
When you arrive you are told that unless you live in or operate a business in NYC you are
not eligible.  If you park in an authorized handicapped slot, even with your NYS issued
placard, you are ticketed $105 for the experience.  I make it my business to tell restaurants
and shops that I once frequented why they lost my business.  Thanks to New York City
special interests, I shop and eat outside city limits.

It is hard to decide what to examine next.  Tom Suozzi, Nassau County Executive, must
come up with some idea so he has a legacy after his term.  His first attempt to spend
taxpayer money is the so-called Hempstead Hub.  The people in the Town of Hempstead
are going to bear the cost of public utilities and roads because the planned county
improvement are in their town.  The winning developer wasn't the best bidder, yet again,
no one complained.  Was he a good contributor to a reelection fund?  Think of the effect
on the people of the neighboring communities of Garden City when an unused railroad
spur becomes an hourly pass through or  the community of Carle Place when a connecting
track and a main line expansion divides their community in half.  What is interesting is that
as grandiose plans develop, no one speaks out.  We murmur to ourselves and no one
hears us.  Hear the whisper, "loser, loser, loser....."

Mr. Suozzi is considering combining some County Departments into a super Department.
Guess what, all existing Commissioners stay in their job and an expensive super chief
would be placed on top.  Did you ever wonder whether someone's relative from the party
in power needs the job?  The taxpayer will pay the salaries involved for the chief and
his/her staff allowing us to continue to be losers.

Normal citizens have trouble understanding big numbers.  We can put our hands about the
cost of a gallon of milk or a gallon of gasoline but when politicians talk millions we tend to
back off and let them have their way.  Nassau County Legislator Scannell wanted the
Nunley's Carousel (a child's ride) to be located in the parking lot near the Baldwin Historical
Museum.  He was quoted in the media as saying he would obtain one million dollars from
the County coffers.  I was amazed, no one realized that he was picking our pocket.  That
money had to come from our taxes.  I believe that most readers never think about who is
footing the bill.  It is for this reason, we behave like sheep.  Our bleat sounds like "loser."

The same comment can be applied to economic development (revitalization).  Tony
Santino Supervisor - Town of Hempstead, has the best of intentions yet his ideas cost
taxpayers money.  In the capitalistic economic system it is up to the individual entrepreneur
to conceive and fund his plans or so I thought.  Today, developers have become
dependent of government to provide the largess for expansion.  Taxpayers never recoup
our investment in development.  When taxpayers look at economic development or so-
called revitalization, they find the same cast of characters holding their hand out for tax
money.  I personally disagree with the taking of property from one owner to give it to
another when the taxes are paid current.   Unless we speak out, someday it might be our
houses or businesses that are taken using taxpayer money and no one will care.
 
Some of you may be old enough to remember the debacle that was Main Street, Freeport,
NY.  The street was closed from Sunrise Highway to Merrick Road and a pedestrian
shopping walk was constructed.  Contrary to the plan, the neighborhood died.  Businesses
failed to the point that shoppers feared to walk in this desolate area.  It required fifteen
years after the street reopened to traffic to get back to the way things were before
development.  Dozens of businesses failed, hundreds lost their jobs and we all became
casualties to development.  Our failure to involve ourselves in community insures the fact
of our being losers.

We become losers when the judicial branch takes it upon themselves to make rather than
interpret the law.  A man named Bacon ran an interesting scam on the citizens of Nassau
and Suffolk Counties.  He advertised that he was available to do odd jobs, cement work,
painting, etc.  He always required an advance for materials.  People paid $500 to $1000
in advance and  Mr. Bacon absconded.  The money he stole above $500 caused him to
commit a felony.  He was caught and tried in Suffolk County.  A liberal Judge Jaffe allowed
a deal whereby he would pay back that which was stolen.  Mr. Bacon absconded again.
When he was caught, he owed several new people as well as the original complainants.
The good Judge Jaffe realized the Mr. Bacon would never pay so she sentenced him to
fifteen days in the County Jail in lieu of payment of thousands.  Mr. Bacon did his time and
according to a Nassau County ADA continues to do his crime.  The judge has rewarded
the guilty and punished us all.  Could you vote for her at next election?  She is an example
of the party in power expecting us to be contented losers.

What can we, you and I, do regain control of our destiny?  First and foremost do not be
afraid to have and voice your opinion about those things that affect you.  Most people hang
back seemingly ashamed to have and voice an opinion.  Remember, no matter what you
have to say, it is your right and responsibility as a citizen to voice your opinion.  You can't
be heard if you do not speak out. 

We must organize so people with like opinions can create a power base.  You must be
willing to contribute your time in support of your opinions.  Senior Citizens should join the
Senior Club in their community.  Others join the PTA, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, etc.  Attend
meetings and participate in any and all discussions affecting community and way of life.
If you fail to tell your friends and peers how you feel about any topic, you are doing yourself
and everyone in the community a disservice.  Remember that your participation begins at
the local (neighborhood) level.  Large organizations, such as the AARP, have bigger fish
to fry.  In many cases you will be left along the way.  In a smaller group you can better
express your feelings.  This smaller group can form a constituency of the like minded.

Constituency is a wonderful word.  It eludes power.  Let's look at an example: There are
approximately 188,000 Senior Citizens (above age 55) who own their homes in Nassau
County.   For the record 117,000 are 65 years of age or older.  Imagine these Seniors
coming together to form a fuel oil buying group.  The buying power would certainly lower
fuel and maintenance costs.  This would keep money in our pocket.  Why does this money
saving activity not exist?  Think about it.  Our self interest keeps us separated and at the
whim of those who are organized.   It would be nice if county government became involved
to help its taxpayers.  Possibly Mr. Suozzi could direct his Commissioner of Senior Affairs
to help his constituents organize.  He would certainly have a well remembered legacy.

Our lives have been about involving us in someone else's constituency.  That person
garners the benefit while we, who hold the real power, kiss up.  It is time to rethink the way
we live.  I'm a disabled Senior Citizen.  I have the time and experience to help develop the
fuel oil buying group.  It could grow into a dozen other venues all designed to save us, as
a constituency, money.

Think of it.  Do you want to reduce your taxes?  You need to vote as a block for people who
will do your will.  The same politicians may stay in power BUT with a difference.  They will
be working for us or they will be unemployed.

My name is Tom Sobczak.  I have opinions and ideas.  You need not agree with me but
join me to make our way of life better.  Voice your opinion.  It is both your right and your
responsibility.