Archive: News

Chair Irene Stein presided over the Tompkins County Democratic Committee's 21st Annual 'Meet The Candidates' barbecue in Stewart Park Saturday.  Democrats from around the county filled the large pavilion to hear U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, hear a letter from Congressman Michael Arcuri read, and speeches by New York Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, and Tompkins County District Attorney Gwen Wilkinson.  Lansing Town Board candidate James Mason was on hand to meet with fellow Democrats.

Hinchey's speech concentrated on health care reform and responsible oil and natural gas drilling.  Hinchey said the United States has been surpassed by a number of countries on health care.


"We have a very good health care system in this county," he said.  "We have good doctors, we have good hospitals.  We have good education.  We have creative initiatives upgrading the quality of health care.  But the unfortunate aspect is that not everyone has health insurance, so not everyone gets health care.  Those are millions and millions of people."

Hinchey blamed the media both directly and indirectly for the trouble getting health care reform passed.  He said he was trying to correct the 'vicious thing that was done by the Reagan administration to eliminate openness and objectivity in the context of the information distribution system of our country.'  He likened the media to that of Spain and Germany's during the 1930s, which led to fascism and Nazism.

"They understood right away that all they had to do was dominate the radio system, and put out anything they wanted to, and nothing that they didn't want to.  That would enable them to control the governments of their countries.  And that's what they did.  And that's what we have going on in this country right now."

He charged that conservative media have so swayed the American people that even Democrats fear to vote for a single payer system because they worry they will not be reelected if they do.

"There are so many people in the Congress who are afraid to endorse single-payer because they are afraid that the people in the district that they represent have been dominated intellectually by the falsification of information on Fox, Limbaugh, and a whole host of others," Hinchey said. 

He noted there are not enough votes to get single payer insurance, but there might be enough to get the public option.

"The public option is a critically important aspect of this initiative, because all of the people who are not able to obtain health insurance would be eligible for health insurance under the public option," he said.  "The public option would make health insurance available for all of the people who may lose their health insurance."

Hinchey blamed the Bush administration for the lack of accountability of drilling companies that inject liquids into the Earth as part of the process of extracting  oil and natural gas.

"We need to drill for oil and natural gas, but when you do those kinds of things you need to do it responsibly.  You need to do it in a way that is not going to damage anyone else."

Hinchey indicated his support for Obama, but blamed his advisors for policies he takes issue with.

"I think in some cases he's not getting the best advice," he said.  "And in some cases he might be taking that advice.  That's part of the problem that has to be dealt with."


Hinchey and the other speakers were received enthusiastically by the crowd.  Five Lansing-specific seats will be filled in this November's election.  Republican Mike Sigler is being challenged by Democrat Pat Pryor for his County Legislature seat representing the Town of Lansing.  The Village of Lansing is represented by Dooley Kiefer, who is running unopposed.  Democrats James Mason and Kathy Miller will face off against Republicans Robert Cree and Doug McEver to fill two seats being vacated by Bud Shattuck and Matt Besemer.  Town Justice William Burin runs unopposed.

----
v5i39