Ignore party bosses
The way I remember “back in the day,” it was an honor and privilege to be a member of a political committee. You helped pick the candidate that reflected your values and you worked hard to elect their choice. Now let’s fast forward to today.
My personal observation is if one is not corrupt or dishonest, you are treated as an outcast because you just don’t fit the bill. These political committees are nothing more than good old boys clubs who are led by individuals who live in the dark ages and should have been put out to pasture a long time ago. Political bosses convince their committee to believe their chosen candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties are the most qualified for the seat they are aspiring to. It helps, too, if they have deep pockets to finance their own campaign. Truth is, the committees are broke and the candidates are forced to promote themselves on a wing and prayer to get elected.
In races where one party dominates the field, it is even more foolish to allow the party bosses (good old boys) to place unknowns on ballots, just for the sake of filling the slots. All too often, they stifle the process by placing an insider party faithful with little chance of success rather than opening it up to one of the faithfuls. Regarding nominations, I feel it is also unfair for a room full of committee people to decide the fate of candidates. Positive or negative personal relations between members often get in the way of picking the best person for the job, as is the case with the current race for mayor in the City of Kingston. I would almost recommend abandoning the convention process and just offer the primary. It is the voter who should have that right to decide who should lead and represent their constituency. Some town committees actually rely on a primary to select the candidates who will represent their communities. This is far better than the party bosses (good old boys) having a chokehold on the electoral process.
Further, party bosses also control whether the area will succeed in economic recovery through the selection process. Unfortunately, rebounding will continue to be stagnated because the good old boys do not want economic growth for fear they will lose control, power and the stronghold they have maintained in this area for far too long. The mayoral candidates can tout their vision and plan for the future all they want. It is all rhetoric because they will concede to the party bosses (good old boys) and deals will be made behind closed doors. If not, they will fail in their attempt to win their election. You may as well elect the party boss to the seat because they will control the candidate. It’s as simple as that.
It would serve the party bosses right if each voter would not support the mayoral candidates of the two major parties because it will be business as usual. It is obvious they don’t have the qualifications to run the city. The bosses will be calling the shots and still be in control.
Unless there is a massive cleanup of the unethical activity and ties in the community, it will be impossible to win a local election on a platform of transparency and ethics in government. One must have political ties and connections to the power groups that influence everyone or anything of relevance. Like it or not, that’s why I don’t recognize the party leaders and what they stand for.
Joseph DiFalco
Former City of Kingston Republican committeeman
What kind of god?
What kind of homosexual-hating god does Pastor Johann Christoph Arnold worship? Is it the same god that allows the recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey to be disposed of while millions starve in Ethiopia? Or a golden calf, (or a calf sculpted of ground turkey) or Thor or Zeus or the angry little war god Yahweh who was most appeased by the smoke from burning flesh as documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Pastor Arnold’s ideas come from a time when the Earth was thought to be the center of the universe, the sun revolved around the earth, and the invocation against “spilling seed” was to bolster the number of warriors who could defend the tribe against invaders.
If you want to believe in the magical world of the child, fine, but don’t make trouble for everyone else, or Santa will put coal in your stocking.
And while I’m on the subject, perhaps the pastor would like to explain why religious difference, throughout history and to this day, has been at the root of slaughter in the name of god. I think it is because of the intolerance of people like the “pastor.”
Bill Campion
Palm Coast, Fla.
Join the family! 
