They are building pieces on site. The crane comes Wednesday. Then there will be a brief pause for the opening of gun season. Wiring should happen immediately thereafter. It's nice that the weather has cooperated thus far.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Broadband Tower, Continued
They are building pieces on site. The crane comes Wednesday. Then there will be a brief pause for the opening of gun season. Wiring should happen immediately thereafter. It's nice that the weather has cooperated thus far.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
A Cautionary Tale for the National GOP
Living in Dryden features Michael Rider's amazing visual on the Dryden Supervisor election, all the more amazing when we recall where we stood just a few years ago.
Although the demographics of the town have changed somewhat to lean further blue than before, I also think (without one iota of hard evidence) that the town's Republican base has separated somewhat from its current leadership and direction, just as nationally, moderate Republicans have moved quietly away from their party's leadership and direction. The Tea Party, for example, does not at all represent the very middle-of-the-road Republicans who populated Dryden's town board and school board for years. Dryden's village board is 100 percent Republican, but none of those folks reminds me of Eric Cantor or Michele Bachmann.
Dryden has always had a fringe presence in its Republican population that is church-driven and deeply ideological. Some of those folks have made their way onto the school board, but they have never, so far, dominated policy or direction. Some of them have made their way onto the Republican committee in town, but their politics seem, if results mean anything at all, not to resonate with the general population.
I suspect that at the local level, the sort of gridlock we see in Washington would simply not be tolerated. If roads don't get plowed and teachers don't get paid, people show up, angry, at the next town or school meeting. The Tea Party may want less government, but at the town and school level, what would that actually look like? It's not an argument that worked well in Dryden in 2011.
Although the demographics of the town have changed somewhat to lean further blue than before, I also think (without one iota of hard evidence) that the town's Republican base has separated somewhat from its current leadership and direction, just as nationally, moderate Republicans have moved quietly away from their party's leadership and direction. The Tea Party, for example, does not at all represent the very middle-of-the-road Republicans who populated Dryden's town board and school board for years. Dryden's village board is 100 percent Republican, but none of those folks reminds me of Eric Cantor or Michele Bachmann.
Dryden has always had a fringe presence in its Republican population that is church-driven and deeply ideological. Some of those folks have made their way onto the school board, but they have never, so far, dominated policy or direction. Some of them have made their way onto the Republican committee in town, but their politics seem, if results mean anything at all, not to resonate with the general population.
I suspect that at the local level, the sort of gridlock we see in Washington would simply not be tolerated. If roads don't get plowed and teachers don't get paid, people show up, angry, at the next town or school meeting. The Tea Party may want less government, but at the town and school level, what would that actually look like? It's not an argument that worked well in Dryden in 2011.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Winners: Opponents of Fracking?
It was true in Dryden and Caroline, and this article mentions other areas of the state where the election was a referendum on the topic of hydrofracking. It is definitely true that in Dryden, voters crossed party lines to cast their votes for the Keep the Ban slate, although it will take some delving into numbers to figure out how many did so (and how many just stayed home).
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Fracking and Psy Ops
Thanks to Kris for sending along this piece on gas drilling companies' use of counterinsurgency techniques in small rural communities. Judging by our overwhelming victory last night, it's working here about as well as it has in Afghanistan.
To be honest, I would have been quite content sitting on the sidelines on this issue--until Anschutz sued my town. My reaction is perhaps similar to that of most uncommitted locals in South Asia and the Middle East--piss me off, threaten my community, and no matter what my politics might have been, I'll come after you.
To be honest, I would have been quite content sitting on the sidelines on this issue--until Anschutz sued my town. My reaction is perhaps similar to that of most uncommitted locals in South Asia and the Middle East--piss me off, threaten my community, and no matter what my politics might have been, I'll come after you.
A Decisive Win
Across the board, anti-fracking candidates won in Tompkins County. Read about our race here.
And Ithaca ends up with a largely new Common Council and its youngest mayor ever.
And Ithaca ends up with a largely new Common Council and its youngest mayor ever.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
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