Can we can expect some actual violence this election....

In the lead up to the midterms, the most repeated word to describe the constituency is angry. People are angry about Health Care reform, entitlements, do nothing politicians and do too much politicians. Some feel powerless and are genuinely frustrated with all of what goes on in Washington. But I believe their numbers are far fewer than media has represented. In truth the largest part of the voting age public is actually apathetic to who is claiming to be in charge and who looks forward to being in charge. The squabbles for political points, gotchas, and pandering have the majority of Americans flatly disinterested.
If we just look at those who are interested we find a few factions...Party Loyalists, Civic Duty voters, genuine (small i) independents, the first (well second) timers, and the Activists...those that are very impassioned about their vote, and their views. The super liberals, especially those upset with arguably the most liberal President ever elected, will grudgingly vote this midterm, and there is no doubt that Tea Partiers and super conservatives will be out en masse, so where will the violence come from?
There are individuals that have been so stirred by the rhetoric and whose values are already on such shaky civic ground that this election is likely to push them over the edge. The 3-second loop of the Black Panthers intimidating voters...in a majority Black district (not that it matters) will be replicated from the opposite side of the color spectrum this election day...and quite frankly, they probably wont be as nice. There are already small stories cropping up around the country about citizens organizing to confront voters at the polls and (illegally) demand identification. The ever-present spectre of voter fraud will rear its ugly head once more with tall tales of busloads of voters going from poll to poll to cast multiple votes throughout multiple counties (who has time for that?). At some point in time during the day, whether due to a broken machine, an untrustworthy poll attendant, misinterpretation, misrepresentation, or misunderstanding...violence may happen.
But in Richmond County we can relax, we know it won't happen here, not in the only county in the nation to experience election night violence on the evening of an historic election... right?

The New Political Strategies

Lie, Avoid, Deny, Attack the character of the accuser, and Dismiss. These are the key word to Tea Party/Republican’s campaign strategy going into the mid-term elections. In years past, any candidate would give his/her right arm for national presence and the opportunity to present their views on the national stage. How did we arrive at candidates running from cameras and refusing interviews? How did we arrive at bigots coming within a stone’s throw of major state office? How did we arrive at otherwise reasonable people willing to follow certifiably nutty candidates?
The press will tell you that the constituency is angered, incensed, and not going to take it anymore. They are so mad they are willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces…and candidates KNOW IT! So rather than present a level measured view to how to correct the issues of the day using either right or left wing principles, we are instead talking about witchcraft. We are talking about a candidate that wants to wean his own mother off of Social Security and reduce her Medicare benefits. We are considering candidates that would force a woman to have the child of a rapist or an family member in cases of incest. People proclaiming to want to change the fiscal responsibility in Washington, are themselves fiscally irresponsible. People that claim to represent the best in American values are enjoying the company of prostitutes, Brazilian lovers, and rented boys. People who decide how government will spend our taxes don’t pay their own. The press keeps saying people are angry…you ask the man on the street, he says he has heard that people are angry…people are angry, people are angry…if you say it often enough, and repeat it every news cycle, it becomes thee standard. If you tell people to go to a meeting and shout down the opposition-because they are angry…well you see the results. This isn’t political discourse, its Junior High School schoolyard shenanigans… barely worthy of mention. But just as sex sells, so does anger and reporters continue to look for the hottest buttons to draw the reader/viewer without regard for the fallout.
The other emotion about to determine who drives the car is fear. We are trying to scare common folks with exotic tales of madrassas, Kenyans, birth certificates, Black Liberation Theology – which most people can’t even define, death panels, draconian gun control, government collusion in 9/11, government takeover of your very ability to breathe, the death of marriage, international vendettas as cause for war, un-American presidents, and lying presidents. Up until now, the right has had complete control over the fear button… but that’s about to change.
The only chance Democrats will have this mid-season is to take control of the fear button and press it hard until November 2nd. Without debating the merits of using fear to incite the constituency, there simply is no other way. Poll after poll shows that the electorate is not satisfied with the first two years of Obama’s administration…wow, what have we come to when a president that has arguably accomplished more in two years than any other, is summarily dismissed as having done too much, not having done enough, over shot the mark, under shot the mark and done nothing, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!
Some Democrats, and more importantly the Independents that voted for change in 2008, are unaware or apathetic to what is about to happen during the midterms. The sea change of the congress will have one, and only one effect on governance – There will e NO governance. In the past, when one side wanted a program or a tax cut or whatever… they would negotiate the merits of their idea while providing some benefit to the other side, that’s over. The negotiation would continue until most settled on a result acceptable to both parties… I think they call it compromise (haven’t seen any of that since the brother took the reins), that’s over now. Well if it didn’t happen before in the 60 or no Senate, you can bet your last dollar that it will never happen now- THAT is something to be feared. America cannot afford a stalemated government, we can’t afford a purely liberal government and we can’t afford a purely conservative government. What has worked, and what will work best for ALL Americans is a balanced approach…social services AND tax cuts, individual liberty AND freedom of expression, a strong Military AND a solid Education system. I don’t know when this cycle of extremes will end, but until it does, or until politicians learn to act sensibly, rather than appealing to their base in the interest of keeping their jobs, the stalemate will continue and the ONLY people that will suffer, is the American people, the American ideal, and many American Dreams.

...except win the Nobel Peace Prize!

Less than a week after Saturday Night Live satirically spoofed the president's record of accomplishment, painting a laughable picture of a zero sum total, it appears there is one accomplishment no one expected;

Why is everyone so upset? He hasn't done anything yet.

This is funny enough to share although admittedly tragic if it continues...

45,000 Die Yearly for a lack of health care....

that's one every 12 minutes...

read the following abstract from the Harvard Study:

Objectives. A 1993 study found a 25% higher risk of death among uninsured compared with privately insured adults. We analyzed the relationship between uninsurance and death with more recent data.

Methods. We conducted a survival analysis with data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We analyzed participants aged 17 to 64 years to determine whether uninsurance at the time of interview predicted death.

Results. Among all participants, 3.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]=2.5%, 3.7%) died. The hazard ratio for mortality among the uninsured compared with the insured, with adjustment for age and gender only, was 1.80 (95% CI=1.44, 2.26). After additional adjustment for race/ethnicity, income, education, self- and physician-rated health status, body mass index, leisure exercise, smoking, and regular alcohol use, the uninsured were more likely to die (hazard ratio=1.40; 95% CI=1.06, 1.84) than those with insurance.

Conclusions. Uninsurance is associated with mortality. The strength of that association appears similar to that from a study that evaluated data from the mid-1980s, despite changes in medical therapeutics and the demography of the uninsured since that time.

Health Insurance and Mortality in US Adults

Andrew P. Wilper 1*, Steffie Woolhandler 2, Karen E. Lasser 2, Danny McCormick 2, David H. Bor 2, David U. Himmelstein 2

1 University of Washington School of Medicine
2 Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School

We are literally locked in a life and death struggle... people without adequate health care cannot afford to live...literally.

These invisible numbers are our neighbors, our former classmates, our friends, and relatives... one day....maybe even ourselves. One every 12 minutes. My question is simple...to the right; not who will pay, not government fear mongering, not anti-Obama rhetoric, not liberal vs. conservative...I am asking a simple question...a human question...and here it is:

Is it okay for people to die in this country simply for a lack of adequate health care?

An Open letter to Congressman Michael McMahon

I would like to begin by thanking you for having the courage to hold the town hall meeting. I’m relatively sure it met your expectations. The purpose of this letter is to let you know where I stand, unlike many of those that attended last night’s town hall, I voted for you. I voted for you as my Congressman, and I voted for you as my councilman. I will be voting for you again in 200, and my vote is NOT conditional, short of a major moral disaster.

I am a Staten Islander. I have lived on the North Shore my entire life. I have personally been on EVERY side of this issue. As the son of a single parent, my mother went on welfare for a short period. When she got work, and joined the union, our health care got better too. When she changed jobs, and went to work with a less powerful union, we were practically no better off than when she was on welfare. I joined the service, and enjoyed the best health care our country has to offer (probably even better than the care you now receive). When I returned from the service, I went without any insurance for a considerable amount of time. Luckily, I was still healthy, and short of a simple bloody nose that wouldn’t stop, I didn’t need emergency health care. I ran my own business for 5 years with 6 employees…providing zero benefits. I worked as a consultant, where there were no benefits, even as I started a family. I now work for a company where I started out in the union, so I have seen that side, with the constant bargaining that ALWAYS results in increased costs, and fewer benefits. I am now a part of management, so I see the other side of the fence. I say all of this to let you know that I am familiar with EVERY SIDE of the issue you now face. I have kept up with most of the issues regarding the proposed health care legislation, and I have come to a conclusion.

I support health care reform. I support reform that includes a public option (knowing that I will help foot that bill). I support future reasonable tort reform. I support a plan that is deficit neutral. I support a plan that does NOT adversely affect the current care our seniors are receiving. I support a plan that may be PURCHASED by illegal aliens, similar to the way it is now. I support a plan that mandates coverage (however, with fines & without the threat of prison). I support a plan that covers every American. I support a plan that removes stipulations regarding pre-existing conditions.

And I hope you do too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I look forward to your affirmative vote for Health Care reform.

One of God's greatest gifts...

Ladies and Gentleman; one of God's greatest gifts bestowed upon man is the ability to think for himself. Please use the gift He gave you. Of late, I have heard just about every conceivable twist of the truth with regard to our government, their intentions for us, and the fear that is pervading what little racial/ethnic progress we have made over the years. If you have a stance on Health Care reform, taxation, or the current administration in power, by all means, voice YOUR opinion, stand on your soapbox and shout to the heavens. By all means, write your elected officials and let them know what YOUR position is. By all means, send money to organizations that support your views and have the means to spread YOUR opinion. BUT, it detracts from the value of your position when you include with your opinion extraneous, unecessary messages of hate and dissention. It is a pure fact that Health Care reform, for example, is going to be extremely expensive. That is a valid argument against reform. HOWEVER when the person who feels that way is displaying a swastika or shouting down informed debate, no one hears the valid message. It pains me when some of my "intelligent" friends use word for word conservative talking points or the latest scare rumor in their debate. There is sooo much that is both wrong and right with Health Care reform that the plans can be thoughtfully debated for days. Think for yourself, read what you can find, read the bills, but after you read, form YOUR opinion and be prepared to defend it.

How does the Religious "Right" contend with Hypocrisy

Many conservatives are ready and willing to invoke "their" god when it comes to matters of political discourse. Abortion, School Prayer, and vouchers (yes they relate here), bring out the love of god in a conservative faster than you can blink. But, just try mentioning immigration, and social programs that help the needy, and they suddenly develop spiritual amnesia. The God that I know, says to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. The God I know says to treat our neighbors as we would ourselves. Is it not the same God (god)? Why when challenged with what they profess to believe do they suddenly throw up their hands? Is it guilt? Is it shame? I think we all kniow that is not the case. Lastly, the God I know asks that He be served in spirit and in truth...and there is something to be said for His abjorration of lukewarm servants.

Limbaugh Blames Obama for Sanford's Affair

Oh you did read that correctly. In what can only be labeled weird but true, Rush Limbaugh took time on his radio show to lay the blame for Mark Sanford's Argentinian affair. Here is how it was covered by Keith Olbermann;



Now the first candidate to wrap a large part of his campaign and subsequent administration around "hope" is actually trying to destroy hope? Get real Rush, you are becoming less and less relavent and starting more and more to sound like a buffoon. The only thing hopeless in America is you.

I don't get, why they don't get it.

They didn't get it in 2006, they certainly didn't get it in 2008, and they still just don't get it. The American people want more from their leadership than lip service and ideology to a fault. They want plans, alternatives, and in the end; results! Its really not too much to ask for.

For whatever stubborn reason the conservative/republican party continues to this day to offer more of the same. Less than a hour after Obama completed his successfully informative news conference, one of the potential psuedo leaders of the Republican opposition puts out the call to his fellow republicans to oppose Obama if you don't agree.

"We are now in the position of being the loyal opposition," Jindal said at a Republican congressional fundraising dinner that only by coincidence fell on the same night as Obama's news conference. "The right question to ask is not if we want the president to fail or succeed, but whether we want America to succeed."..."the time for talking about the past is over," Jindal said




Well I'm not a politician, but how can you ever get anything done like that? Whatever happened to compromise? Whatever happened to offering alternative plans? It is hard to believe that they still don't get it, and by the way, they wont get it in 2012 either.

footnote: Adding insult to injury, Mr. Jindal, after the media entertained a short-lived debate about Obama's laughing during his 60 minutes interview, made a joking reference to his previous speech, and torture at GITMO...do these guys ever want to win?

'Fundamentaly sound' - exposed

There has been much ado about those two words of late, but before people go off cocked (or half-cocked), it is of the utmost importance that we review the context in which these statements were made. The words were used basically three times, first-during the presidential campaign by John McCain, second this past week by President Barack Obama, and most recently by economic adviser Christina Romer on Meet the Press. Lets break down all three so we can all be clear about what was said, apparently using this same phrase.

As Senator McCain was campaigning, during one of his famous town-hall meetings, in an attempt to diminish the value of the imploding economy, he stated that the "fundamentals of the economy are strong". Taken at face value, in the context of his speech, it is clear that he meant the basic principles that support our economy are in good shape. That statement of course, is not entirely true. While there very well may have been some portions (such as the resolve of the American people, the willfullness of the American worker, or the indominable American spirit) that were ok, the basic fundamentals, that is those blocks that are (were) on the bottom were crumbling at best.

President Obama used the same words, but in a slightly different context. His statement came in the form of an If/Then statement, specifically IF we pay attention to those underlying building blocks that support our economy that are currently strong, THEN "we'll get through this"...clearly, not the same statement. Obama's statement is conditional.

Now, Christina Romer - "The fundamentals are sound in the sense that the American workers are sound, we have a good capital stock, we have good technology," she said. "We know that - that temporarily we're in a mess, right? We've seen huge job loss, we've seen very large falls in GDP. So certainly in the short run we're in a - in a bad situation." She clearly laid out and explained her answer as she made the statement, not as some post furor damage control. AND she used at least one of the same concepts McCain used when he did try to clean up the egg he laid.

In truth, these two words used together in a sentence have become taboo, at best they are capable of giving anyone a false sense that things just aren't that bad. At worst, they show how detatched the utterer may be from the crux of the issue at hand. Either way, the three statements are NOT the same.

Our Borough President

just got body-checked by the NY Daily News


It appears as though he has been acting as a one-man stimulus package for some pricey friends. See - http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/15/2009-03-15_staten_island_borough_president_james_mo.html

Now I don't personally have the investigative power to raise the question, but the first thing I would look at is his end-run around competitive bidding...and why. $70,000 to one firm, in one year, for photography?!?! Correction, for Information Technology and video equipment (I hope it was at least a purchse, and if it was, where is it now?)

I don't deny that Staten Island is very lacking in the tourism department, and that the Island could use some promotion. However, most of the promotion is self-promotion. These photos are not going to tourist centers or information kiosks, they are being passed out at his events, events where there are likely very few tourists.

It is this type of shady dealings that highlight the need for reforms and transparency at every level of government. By the time these issues are brought to light, the money is long spent, and the memory of just how things went down dims. I have seen some factions on the blogs calling for the elimination of this position altogether, and this behavior backs up that desire. So the question I put to my fellow Islanders is simple...What do we need a Borough President for?

Florida Fiasco moves north to Staten Island?

There are far too many variables that come into play with paper ballots. They leave way too much room for corruption and disenfranchisement. What is the backup plan? What if they run out of ballots in “certain” places? How will they be transported and who will do the physical counting? Hanging chads, pregnant chads, write overs, stray marks….my head is spinning as I FORESEE visions of Florida. Staten Island is about to make national news again, not for election night violence this time…..

That was my statement, when I discovered we would be using paper ballots, now here is my personal experience.

I worked the night shift Monday, so I went to the polls as I returned from the city. As I approached the table, a middle-aged African American woman had just placed her ballot in the box, and had a broad smile on her face. That smile turned to fear as she read a poster of the proper instructions for filling out the ballot. She turned to the worker and stated, I put a circle around the candidate, thats what you told me to do, but it says here to fill in the box. The worker replied that it would be “ok”, and that her vote will be counted. She asked if she could have it back, or do it over, but the poll worker insisted it would be ok. As visions of High school days, and military days, where filling in scan forms was a recurring event, I remembered how many times people had to ask for another one. Just because they couldn’t seem to follow simple instructions. At that time, it was my thought that the voter goofed, and to be honest, was about to get what she deserved. I voted, properly of course, and went on about my day, supporting the candidate I just cast a vote for. I called my wife to tell her the story, and to remind her to fill out the ballot properly for whoever she was going to vote for, as if I didn’t know (wink), she laughed at me of course…she thinks she is smarter than I am. As the day progressed, I accompanied her to vote, somebody had to stay with the kids, in the car. She came out with THAT look on her face. She was mad as…well you know. She told me the same poll worker gave her the SAME INSTRUCTION, and it was now some 5 hours later, and countless voters (ok maybe not countless) have passed through this same table with this same worker and the same faulty information. My wife admonished the woman immediately. She insisted that she tell people the correct information, and that it was important for people to vote correctly. From my perspective, it is impossible to know whether those ballots were counted or not, but for a ONE DAY event, uyou would think that the BOE would give them a script of what to say, and that the workers wouldn’t make up their own rules as they go along.

Why the BOE Simply Can't be Trusted!

Bear with me as I lay out the time line....all will become apparent shortly. First the paper ballots, in an excerpt from the Advance, political writer Tom Wrobleski, posted the following as part of a news story;

BOE general counsel Steven Richman said that the ballots will be secured in locked boxes during voting.

here is the link: http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/123548131973930.xml&coll=1


















Now I'm no rocket scientist, but not only are these boxes NOT locked, they are totally unsecure, masking tape and folded tops leads me to wondering, with all that already has, and still possibly can go wrong, why such a shoddy system?

The Road to recovery

Do they think we’ve forgot?

Republicans of late have been breaking their necks to let everyone know what a terrible thing it is to spend the people’s money. They pretend to be worried about our standing in the world and our vulnerability to terror attacks. They are slowly remembering words like standards, patriotism, and values. If we lived in the forest for the last decade, one might be easily led to think that these have always been the good guys. We were there, and we remember.

We remember the Democrats being pressured into voting for the war. They believed the intelligence that the President allowed to be published. It painted an evil picture, and some Democrats were duped.

We remember the seemingly endless search for WMDs that never materialized. Cutaway views of portable chemical manufacturing trucks. Then the sorry explanation that while the entire country was locked down that Saddam somehow managed to sneak them out.

We remember saying no to bills that the President and his in control henchman pushed through anyway.

We remember begging and not understanding what the difficulty was to outfit a Humvee with armor, only to find out later that the Humvee should not have been sent in the first place.

We remember the promise of a quick war that would instantly break the resolve of the enemy, that the people would greet us as liberators.

We remember reflections on internment camps (GITMO), young inexperienced soldiers left unsupervised to torture and humiliate prisoners. (Abu Ghrabe)

We remember a lackadaisical attitude as thousands languished and died in New Orleans.

We remember how Oil contracts in Iraq were resolved before the effects of Katrina are fixed.

We remember how the opportunities to regulate the banking industry came and went.

We remember how you misled the country, how you let Bin Laden go, how you wasted this country’s resources.

We remember how you shredded the constitution, habeas corpus, and invaded the privacy of American citizens.

We remember, but here is what we will do about it; we forgive you, now lets work together. Work together because what is at stake today is so much more important than what has happened in the past.

$1,000,000 Challenge

Its relatively simple. Gather all the ingredients necessary to bake a cake, mix the batter and pour into a pan. Bake accordingly...and now the challenge...extract the two eggs you used to make the cake.

This impossibility is significant with regard to the upcoming election. On February 25th, campaign offices will close, consoling words will be passed around, and congratulatory/concession phone calls will be made. But throughout this process, during this cycle, feelings have been hurt, trusts have been torn, relationships have been damaged, households have been split (politically)...eggs have been broken, and there is no way possible to put the egg back in the shell.

Now in an ideal world, these transgressions would be carelessly forgiven as a part of the political process and things will return to the way they were, but we don't live in an ideal world. We live in a world where people have short memories, where bitterness is held on to longer than grandma's luggage, where payback is a...well you know. But the losers will not be the candidates that didn't make the cut, the losers will be the programs associated with their names. You might think that people would put high quality programs ahead of petty differences, but expect to see that programs associated with the losing side to suffer as a result of campaign passion.

My second challenge carries no prize. If you are the elected, forgive and move on beginning February 25th. Be the bigger person, show that you are more than the names you were called on a blog, or the person who was maligned during a forum. Actually there is a prize here as well. It is honor, a word seldom used anymore in the civilian world, and a word long overdue for greater use on Staten Island

Keith Olbermann gives synopsis of the Bush years

8 years in 8 minutes...

Staten Island Advance

Staten Islander collects 2nd batch of signatures for Council race.

Rev. Tony Baker filed his petitions under the "Prepared to Lead, Ready to Serve" party.For Staten Island's Rev. Tony Baker, the devil is in the details.

Last week his campaign filed the threshold number of petition signatures to get him on the ballot in the Feb. 24 North Shore City Council special election.

Since it's a non-partisan race, the independent nominating petitions must include a made-up party name and logo. They got the name part down OK - "Prepared to Lead, Ready to Serve" - but forgot about the pesky logo, Rev. Baker acknowledged today. It was to have been the Liberty Bell.

Bottom line: He could have been bounced from the ballot despite having filed 1,796 petition signatures - 1,464 are needed - in advance of Thursday's midnight filing deadline.

While Rev. Baker said he was not officially notified of the problem by the Board of Elections, and an elections spokeswoman couldn't be reached today, his supporters hit the streets again over the last 48 hours to collect a second batch of petitions totaling 1,877 signatures, this time with his chosen Liberty Bell designation.

Better safe than sorry, said Rev. Baker, pastor of St. Philip's Baptist Church, Port Richmond.

"I have the support of almost 4,000 people on my petitions," said Rev. Baker. "Even if the Board of Elections wants to throw the others out, and that's up to them, I am on the ballot. If they want to disenfranchise almost 1,800 people who signed the first petitions, that is up to them."

Meanwhile, Tom Curitore of St. George said he filed in excess of the threshold number of signatures under the banner of the "North Shore First." That could not be independently confirmed with the board.

Curitore, a former borough Department of Transportation commissioner, joins Ken Mitchell, John Tabacco and Rev. Baker.

-- Reported by Judy L. Randall

How did he get here from there?

Tony Baker’s quest for the North Shore City council seat is a natural extension of not only his religious beliefs, but his passion for community as well. Since coming to the Island, he has been an advocate for fairness and a voice for the voiceless. His 20 years of military experience (Sergeant, 1st Class US Army), 30 years of marriage (of course to one woman), 29 years of fatherhood, 12 years as Pastor of St. Phillips, and 8 years teaching in Port Richmond High School, represent just the tip of the man who is Tony Baker. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he is certainly a man of action, far more substance than flash.

Not long after meeting him some five years ago, my initial impression proved true; he is a man who believes in what he says. Who does what he says he will do, and is a living example of what a man today should be. I have seen him stand up for the rights of others, put his own needs aside to help someone, and deal firmly and fairly with those at odds. His leadership has inspired others to do more.

Tony Baker has been a supporter of the existing Staten Island Democratic hierarchy, he supported them personally, as well as giving them all the opportunity to address the congregation with their views, and their plans. These include Matt Titone, C. Virginia Fields, Mike McMahon, Steve Harrison, Diane Savino, and even a surprise visit by Hillary Clinton. As supportive as he has been, when it came time to replace the outgoing Councilman, a man he considered his friend, he was asked not to run. Luckily that did not dissuade him. With the support of some of the democratic party, he has forged ahead, He was the first to put up a website (www.baker09.com) even before McMahon won the election, the first to officially announce his candidacy….but this isn’t a race of just firsts. This will be a race of who can get their supporters to the polls on February 24th (the Farmer’s Almanac says snowy, then turning milder for that week). Tony has enlisted the support of a variety of people from many walks, professionals, retirees, homemakers, some congregants, young and old, but all dedicated to sending Tony to the city council to be their voice.

Tony has been integral in bringing together Hispanic immigrants and African-Americans in the Port Richmond area to initiate a dialogue that continues today. That dialogue has reduced racial insensitivity and violence in the area. He helped ensure that residents of the former Markham Gardens get the right to return to the newly built homes that have replaced the public housing. As a member of the Board of Richmond University Medical Center, he has unique insight into the health care needs of Staten Island, a fight he vows to win. Tony Baker has worked closely with the District Attorney on anti-crime initiatives including most recently the most successful gun buy-back program New York City has ever had. These are just a small sample of his extensive accomplishments.

I support Tony Baker, not because of his race, not because of his religious beliefs, but because I believe he is truly prepared to lead and ready to serve. Staten Island’s North Shore is ready for change, I have lived on the North Shore my entire life in six different
neighborhoods. I have seen many changes in my 44 years, but I anxiously await the next change to take place. Elect Tony Baker for City Council 49th District.