Recently, the newspaper headlines reveal that religion has become an issue in the race for the U.S. Senator from New York. The issue is whether or not the ten commandments should be posted in the public schools of the country. The Republican candidate, NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, says yes and the Democratic candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, says no. Thus, there is a clear and decisive difference in the positions of the two major political parties.
I have been arguing for sometime that the 2000 elections should be based on the different positions of the two parties. Republican Mayor Giuliani proves that he is a Conservative. In addition to this issue he has embraced vouchers for the public school system. His dispute with the Brooklyn Museum is also indicative of the Conservative Agenda.
Hillary Rodham Clinton has been on the other side of all three issues. The people elected Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan to the Senate for four terms. The voters now have to decide if they want to continue his progressive stance on important issues or elect Mayor Giuliani who has switched from a liberal Republican to a Conservative.
The Ten Commandments should not be posted in Public Schools because this would be a clear violation of the establishment clause of the constitution. The Catholic, Jewish and Protestant versions of the commandments differ from each religion. Which version would be used? How would the needs of all religions be served? The increase of Asian and Mid Eastern immigrants has brought more religion into the U.S.A. How would these religions be served?
No one should be obligated to observe any religion other than his own. It is imperative that the Public Schools adhere to the principles of separation of church and state as promulgated by our founding fathers, Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison.
February 21, 2000
February 14, 2000
Alpine Slope Remains Slippery
Joerg Haider is the leader of the Ultra Right Wing Patriot Party in Austria. His family were ardent Nazi's during Adolf Hitler's 12 year rule in Germany. He praised the Waffen S.S.., who were responsible for the massacre of the Jews of the Warsaw ghetto. He praised Nazi Germany's employment policies that saw the death of so many Jews in the slave labor camps of the Nazi's.
Haider's party secured 27% of the 1999 Austrian vote. On that basis, his party, with its strong anti-immigration stance, is now part and parcel of the Austrian government. Shades of the past. Hitler came to power the same way. Von asked him to form a government.
The rest is history. The fact that the century ended on such a low note is proof positive that Nazi philosophy still has its adherents.
Haider's party secured 27% of the 1999 Austrian vote. On that basis, his party, with its strong anti-immigration stance, is now part and parcel of the Austrian government. Shades of the past. Hitler came to power the same way. Von asked him to form a government.
The rest is history. The fact that the century ended on such a low note is proof positive that Nazi philosophy still has its adherents.
February 7, 2000
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The New York State election law should be amended so that each presidential candidate in a primary who secures 15,000 signatures statewide will be entitled to have his delegates on the ballot in each of the 31 Congressional Districts in the state.
As it now stands, the law requires candidates to secure signatures in all 31 Congressional Districts. This calls for party organization or well-heeled candidates like Steve Forbes.
I believe that the system should be changed so that the sole consideration should be the number of signatures, not the address of the signer.
Just look at the Republican primary where Senator John McCain, the principal challenge to party favorite Governor George W. Bush, cannot be on the ballot statewide because the present rules favor party favorites and discourage challengers. Legitimate candidates, such as Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, are being shut out as well.
Ballot access is the democratic way. Anything less deprives voters of the right to pick their candidates.
As it now stands, the law requires candidates to secure signatures in all 31 Congressional Districts. This calls for party organization or well-heeled candidates like Steve Forbes.
I believe that the system should be changed so that the sole consideration should be the number of signatures, not the address of the signer.
Just look at the Republican primary where Senator John McCain, the principal challenge to party favorite Governor George W. Bush, cannot be on the ballot statewide because the present rules favor party favorites and discourage challengers. Legitimate candidates, such as Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, are being shut out as well.
Ballot access is the democratic way. Anything less deprives voters of the right to pick their candidates.
February 1, 2000
Crew Cut for All Schoolboys
If New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is elected in November, 2000 to the U.S. Senate from New York, he will take office in January, 2001. He will then go from being the CEO and Chairman of the Board of the world's premier city to one of 100, and low man on the totem pole.
How would he handle this situation? A clue to the answer was revealed in the events surrounding the recent dismissal of Rudy Crew, the Chancellor of the New York City public school system by the Board of Education and vote for a temporary replacement by the same Board of Education on January 10, 2000.
For years, the Mayor has always emphasized his desire to have greater control over education as Mayor. He has the right to appoint three of the seven members of the Board of Education or 43%. Thus all that he needs at any time is one out of the other four members of the Board to have control.
When Crew was appointed, this Mayor had his choice ratified by the Board. They worked well together until the Mayor decided to have vouchers in the public schools. This would divert taxpayer money to be used for parochial school education, which to many people is clear violation of the constitutional principle of separation of church and state under the First Amendment to the constitution.
Crew broke with the Mayor and from that point on the relationship between the two men foundered until the three Mayoral appointees and one of the other four members refused to renew Crew's contract which expires in June, 2000. The Mayor applauded that decision by the Board of Education. Now the same Board hired a man who was opposed by the Mayor. The Board rejected the choice favored by the Mayor.
The Mayor immediately reacted by saying the same thing he has been saying for six years. He should have greater control over the public school system. The voters of New York State should consider his penchant for approving actions when he wins and disapproving actions when he loses. The Senate does not work that way. Will Giuliani's temper be so evident as Senator as it is as Mayor?
How would he handle this situation? A clue to the answer was revealed in the events surrounding the recent dismissal of Rudy Crew, the Chancellor of the New York City public school system by the Board of Education and vote for a temporary replacement by the same Board of Education on January 10, 2000.
For years, the Mayor has always emphasized his desire to have greater control over education as Mayor. He has the right to appoint three of the seven members of the Board of Education or 43%. Thus all that he needs at any time is one out of the other four members of the Board to have control.
When Crew was appointed, this Mayor had his choice ratified by the Board. They worked well together until the Mayor decided to have vouchers in the public schools. This would divert taxpayer money to be used for parochial school education, which to many people is clear violation of the constitutional principle of separation of church and state under the First Amendment to the constitution.
Crew broke with the Mayor and from that point on the relationship between the two men foundered until the three Mayoral appointees and one of the other four members refused to renew Crew's contract which expires in June, 2000. The Mayor applauded that decision by the Board of Education. Now the same Board hired a man who was opposed by the Mayor. The Board rejected the choice favored by the Mayor.
The Mayor immediately reacted by saying the same thing he has been saying for six years. He should have greater control over the public school system. The voters of New York State should consider his penchant for approving actions when he wins and disapproving actions when he loses. The Senate does not work that way. Will Giuliani's temper be so evident as Senator as it is as Mayor?
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