Just Vote

I just voted in the Election Primary this morning in the Town Hall on Hillside Avenue. There were no other voters there when I arrived. There were five people per table or "booth" to administer the voters. There's a new book to sign in, but still no way to verify I am who I say I am. That is a bigger issue to me than hanging chads, eye recognition and so on.

After signing in, one of the attendants said rather loudly, that I could not wear the t-shirt I had on in there. I intentionally wore it to see if someone would protest or just let it go. I offered to take it off.

Well, she wouldn't let it go. "Are you a democrat?" I asked politely. She turned away. Then she turned back and said again, "You can't wear that shirt in here." "Why not?" I asked. "Because you can't," was her clever retort. "It's political campaigning which is not allowed by law," said a second woman. "Are you also a democrat?" I asked her only to receive the parental/teacher stare we've all gotten when we were suspect of doing something wrong. "That doesn't matter," she responded, "you just can't wear it here." I told them that I am not a candidate in this primary so it shouldn't matter." To which I received folded arms by both and a "Hrrummp!" grunt from one. I was hoping they would harp on this discussion to see if MY first amendment rights would be violated. We didn't get that far. A male poll worker intervened and said the shirt appeared to be from an older campaign and is not a violation. Ooh, he must be a republican...

It always seems to be okay to invoke some irrelevant point when trying to stop a republican from saying or doing something. Those same people seem to continuously allow a democrat to "skate" when the shoe is on their foot. It's a sad state of affairs. Many have seemed to lose their moral compass from the smallest of issues to the largest. If the arguments are so weak or shallow that you must deflect from the real issue by masking with another, perhaps you should take an honest look at the logic. It's time to change from this tired model that served our multiracial president so well in Chicago but has no place in Westchester, New York, or America.

Back to what I hoped would be casting my vote. I had to take a marker, tied to a corrugated plastic table and mark off a rather large sheet of paper with my candidate choices to feed into the machine. I take issue with this as it ultimately removes my privacy of the act of voting for all to see as I walked across the floor to the automatic scanner, where I was instructed to feed my ballot. Everyone could see my votes if they were really interested. The other issues are the costs surrounding the process: the scanners need electricity to run, the lever-type machines did not; the large printed paper ballot must cost a fortune a) because anything governmentally purchased is usually overpaid for; and b) it was on a relatively high grade and weight of paper; required markers to actually cast your vote and finally,  had a cash register type roll of paper to record each ballot cast. I was next required to feed the paper ballot into the scanner. I was told after the scanner took the page, that it keeps the ballots so if a recount were required, the count would be accurate. Wow, now I'm voting for recounts. How ridiculous.

Do some homework and study the candidates. Don't just study their party allegiance, but read about, talk to and engage them. Don't try to shout them down or shut them up. Hear what they offer and then try engaging them in a discussion if you disagree. Vote honestly based on what you've discussed with them. Maybe that means crossing party lines. Maybe it even means foregoing one of your beliefs to support another. This year, make you vote a good vote, not just a cursory one because a party faithful coerced you into voting the party line. Regardless, please just vote.

Thomas Bock is the endorsed candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties for the 92nd Assembly District seat. He can be reached at info@Bock2010. Visit his website at www.Bock2010.com or his blog at www.electtombock.blogspot.com. You can contribute to his campaign through his website and Pay Pal, 

or by sending a check or money order to 

Elect Tom Bock, PO Box 1098, 405 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY 10607.

Ground Zero Mosque

As the debate continues over whether or not to allow the mosque at Ground Zero, it’s interesting to hear the reasons both pro and con. As an intelligent person, I agree that the pro-mosque supporters are correct that they have the right to build. I also feel that everyone who wants to build on their own property should be able to within the confines of their zoning and ordinance requirements. But having the right to do something and doing what's right are two completely different things.

As a 9-11 responder, however, I have a much different point of view. I’m being told to tolerate another religion and to be more tolerant of their feelings. But if I’m supposed to be more sensitive, why aren't these Muslims being tolerant and sensitive to my and other responders and victim’s desires? 9-11 was a bigger attack and trauma upon Americans than Pearl Harbor.

Examples have been given that it would not be illegal for Japan to erect a massive Shinto shrine near Pearl Harbor. Being a compassionate and understanding people, they have chosen not to. Why? Because they were sensitive to the feeling of area people and America in general. Similarly, when the Catholic Church was planning to build a center for nuns near the site of a former concentration camp in Poland, the Pope intervened. He didn’t tout the church’s “right” to build, but rather repected the painful feelings of the residents. And at no point did he try to denigrate these feelings.

There is no question that the Muslims involved here are not representative of all Muslims in America. Arguments have been made about hallowed ground, Ground Zero participation – the wheel assembly of one of the jets crashed into this building. These same arguments have been eagerly dismissed by others. Apparently, we are witnessing a moral decline of our values in America. And, having our President weigh in on such an obviously local issue, has highlighted that he, as well as others, is not the cause of our downward spiral, but rather the culmination of it.

I would ask the Muslim proponents of the Mosque to do the right thing and seek a different location for their facility. No one is arguing their legal rights. While this may be construed as a Sharia victory, to build a mosque on the land of the conquered enemy, I prefer to think that the congregation and their leaders will opt for another location. In fact, I would hope that other Muslims outside of their congregation would push for this as well.

Thomas Bock is the endorsed candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties for the 92nd Assembly District seat. He can be reached at info@Bock2010. Visit his website at www.Bock2010.com or his blog at www.electtombock.blogspot.com. You can contribute to his campaign through his website and Pay Pal, 

or by sending a check or money order to 

Elect Tom Bock, PO Box 1098, 405 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY 10607.

Constitutional Convention - Let's Not Do It

In theory, a Constitutional Amendment is a great idea whose time is past due. In reality, however, the bastardization, partisanship and corruption of the process we currently face will make it impossible to get good, "clean", unencumbered representatives and the well-intentioned change we desire. It just won't work (& I do want it to). I'll explain.

In order for a constitutional convention or constitutional change to take place, the requisite representatives would need to be ELECTED. This requires campaigning. Campaigning is typically reliant upon money and exposure. I know this all too well as I am currently going through this as a candidate for the NYS Assembly (feel free to donate). There are no campaign finance laws that I'm aware of, anywhere in the US, to control the spending for this type of campaign. Consequently, special interest groups, corporations, current politicians, criminals, ex-cons, your wacko neighbor, etc., are able to run, spending unlimited amounts of money toward a campaign. And, anything goes, such as lying, incorrect information, and personal denigration and insults without recourse.  

Based on the pathetic responses we see at every election, the "wrong" person could get elected for this historic event, based on the campaign spending and exposure a candidate gets. As an example of how bad things are, 700+ or so people voted my last school budget election (Not bad, huh? Well, there are over 10,000 eligible voters!). It's no wonder our schools taxes are the biggest chunk of our tax bills. BTW, this lack of campaign finance control applies to the local, state and federal levels of a constitutional convention with no proposals for a change seeking regulation. Once these people are elected, there is no way to oversight of them as they create changes. Or, more importantly, as they vote for changes that should be in the best interest of all of us all, as they are not going to be up for reelection.

The city of Yonkers has cleaned house with term limits and while it's true you can also lose good people, we are all suffering with the alternative. I'd rather lose a few good people than having to suffer with most of the people we keep getting stuck with. NYC Mayor Bloomberg also proved the point by "buying" a third term in a normally term-limited two-year term.

Our constitutions are good, solid, time-endured documents that are not living documents. When people say appointments for judgeships don't really matter to us, they don't. At least, they don't until the balance is upset. As we are slowly witnessing, many of the same liberal judges are legislating from the bench, ignoring the constitution. It is the same social engineering from the bench that we see with a one-party democratic-party driven system; and the republicans have not proven to be much better but at least offer hope and change - heh, where have I heard that before?

There is more to it than what I've laid out here, but this touches on the highlights of some of the negative possibilities. Since there is no way to control the campaigning and outcome of the election and the decisions made by those elected, there is really only one viable recourse: vote in our regular elections. More importantly, vote the incumbents, professional politicians out of office and support term limits.

We don't need a constitutional convention to change the status quo into something most people desire: a better government with less spending, less taxes, less bureaucracy, less waste and real representation, not social engineering. If everyone they know told five people, or even more, about good candidates and why they should vote for them, we'd be in a better place. Of course, it's also reliant on their getting out to vote.

It really is simple: Vote!

Thomas Bock is the endorsed candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties for the 92nd Assembly District seat. He can be reached at info@Bock2010. Visit his website at www.Bock2010.com or his blog at www.electtombock.blogspot.com. You can contribute to his campaign through his website and Pay Pal, 

or by sending a check or money order to 

Elect Tom Bock, PO Box 1098, 405 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY 10607.

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative: Cap and Tax

Did you know New York already has “Cap & Trade” aka Cap and Tax? It is called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – or RGGI. How did this get by most of us, slipping under the radar? Even though “Cap & Trade” has been stalled at the federal level, the RGGI scheme has been up and running for two years right here. This “Cap & Trade” program has already cost ratepayers across New York and nine other Northeastern states over $660 MILLION! As your Assemblyman for the 92nd District, I will work to eliminate this additional taxing scheme and look to develop incentives for everyone to use less energy and more green energy products without further taxes.

This “Cap & Trade” energy tax will cost New Yorkers more jobs and continue to cause energy prices to skyrocket. This is just what we need, higher energy prices. The states are now the battleground for “Cap & Trade”. If we don’t stop it now it will spread to other states across the country, some of which are already poised to adopt their own regional “Cap & Trade” programs, and our country’s already battered economy will be severely damaged for years to come.

You can help to fight this in New York City on September 8 – the date of the next secretive RGGI auction. The RGGI "Cap and Trade scheme operates in secret - a clandestine operation where you and I are told we have no right to know who is trading. Nor do we know how much the RGGI bureaucrats are making on the backs of taxpayers. This is ridiculous! That’s why we need to fight this “Cap & Trade” scam now.

There is an opportunity to send a message to the RGGI bureaucrats and the rest of the nation that we will not stand for a job-killing “Cap & Trade” energy tax! Join the Protest for New York’s Cap & Trade Program - WHEN: Wednesday, September 8 at 11:00am 
WHERE: RGGI Offices, 90 Church St., New York City.

New Jersey has already started a revolt and you can read about it by going here:

http://nonjcapandtrade.com/?page_id=23

Thomas Bock is the endorsed candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties for the 92nd Assembly District seat. He can be reached at info@Bock2010. Visit his website at www.Bock2010.com or his blog at www.electtombock.blogspot.com. You can contribute to his campaign through his website and Pay Pal 

or by sending a check or money order to 

Elect Tom Bock, PO Box 1098, 405 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY 10607.

What’s Left?

New York's Legislature and Governor saddled New Yorkers with 243 new taxes and tax increases. It's time to stop this tax insanity. And, come the first of the year, we will be getting the tail-end of the tax double-whammy when the Bush Tax Cuts expire.

You may not be aware of what is happening with the Bush Tax Cuts, but they are set to expire as of the first of the year; all of them. Many in the media have tried to paint anything and everything that former President Bush did as bad. Was paying no taxes or less taxes bad? You’d think so by their accounts. In a nutshell, if the Bush Tax Cuts expire, everyone’s taxes will be increased by approximately 10%. It’s not going to matter that much for the wealthy. However, people who currently are in the lowest tax bracket, and/or pay no taxes, will now be paying at least 10% in taxes. This includes students, part-time workers and lower-skilled workers.

President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid say they want to renew the Bush tax cuts, but only partially. Some leading economists say their plan is a sham and may cause a serious recession or even a depression. Three leading Senate Democrats are breaking from Obama's plan and have called for a full and complete renewal of the Bush tax cuts. Finally, some legislators have stopped drinking the KoolAid. Pelosi and Reid plan a congressional vote as early as September on the Bush tax cuts. I’m not holding my breath for them to do the right thing based on what I’ve seen from them so far.

The Bush tax cuts can be renewed, but millions of Americans must have their voices heard by the major media and most importantly, Congress. Let your voice be heard. Let’s preserve the Bush Tax Cuts.

Thomas Bock is the endorsed candidate of the Republican and Conservative parties for the 92nd Assembly District seat. He can be reached at info@Bock2010. Visit his website at www.Bock2010.com or his blog at www.electtombock.blogspot.com. You can contribute to his campaign through his website and Pay Pal 

or by sending a check or money order to 

Elect Tom Bock, PO Box 1098, 405 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY 10607.