Step It UP! Who’s a Leader?
Today, lots of our local leaders addressed a rally held in Tutelo Park in the Town of Ithaca. It was a part of the National Day of Climate Action– an event that over 70 Members of Congress and 7 presidential candidates attended in various locations around the US. Rallies were held in every state in the union, and, in our area, there were also rallies on the Cornell campus, at SUNY Cortland, and at Syracuse University.
At the event in Tutelo Park, there was a theme related to the history of the place– Laura Johnson Kelly, the Town of Ithaca Historian, started the event off by sharing the example that the Haudenosaunee Peoples set in welcoming the Tutelo people into their league of nations, to live beside them in peace, when they had been displaced from their traditional lands by the European settlers.
The next speaker was Ian Grey, a high school student from Lehman Alternative Community School who had just recently returned from the Bioneers conference, where he heard author Bill McKibben speak– Bill is the inspiration behind Step It UP! The next speaker was Elan Shapiro, Program Co-chair of Sustainable Tompkins. Then, Herb Engman, expected to be elected (running unoppposed) Town Supervisor in the Town of Ithaca. He was followed by Ithaca Town Councilman Will Burbank. The next speaker was Ulysses Town Board candidate Liz Thomas. She spoke very knowledgeably about how important it is to maintain farming in our rural NYS towns, as climate change causes more arable land to become too dry to farm. I never knew that Liz was such an accomplished public speaker!
The view from the City of Ithaca was next– Alderperson Michelle Berry addressed the crowd. She was followed by County Legislators Pam Mackesay and Nathan Shinagawa.
Caroline Town Supervisor Don Barber, and Energy Independent Caroline member (and Town Board Candidate) Stephen Nicholson told us about all of the interesting and practical things the Town of Caroline is doing to conserve energy and convert to 100% wind energy for electric power. While they were speaking, Village of Trumansburg resident Jules Burgevin leaned over toward me and told me he thought that Ulysses might well emulate some of what Caroline had been able to accomplish with their energy plan.
After another very well-informed youth speaker– Patrick Hunter, a Senior at Newfield High School– Pat Pryor read a statement from Congressman Michael Arcuri (on-line here: http://events.stepitup2007.org/november/reports/2094). Next we heard from Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson, followed by Dan Lamb, Field Representative for Congressman Maurice Hinchey. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton gave us the view from Albany, and the event ended with Lehman Alternative School student Meredith Riley reading a speech originally given by a 12-year-old girl, Severin Suzuki, in 1992. The event was very inspiring– see pictures and links to articles in the press on the event at: http://events.stepitup2007.org/november/reports/2094
Krys,
Do you know what concrete actions our new Representative in Congress has taken on the issue of climate change?
yes– but, am in a hurry right now…. but, because you asked, and because it is right here on my hard drive, I’ll just copy his statement– apologies to people who don’t want to see long things in the comments!
U.S. Rep. Michael A. Arcuri (NY-24)
Step It Up 2007
Ithaca and Cortland, New York
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Friends, unfortunately previous engagements prevent me from joining you in person today. I want to thank each of you for your work organizing citizens to speak out on important issues facing our nation. Citizen’s groups are crucial to maintaining our democracy. I would especially like to thank all the members of Step It Up for their dedication to protecting the environment. By gathering here today, you are showing your commitment to making our community, our state, our country and our planet a safer, stronger and cleaner place to live.
We only have one Earth, and our children’s future depends on how well we preserve and protect it. My position on global warming is clear – it’s real, it’s happening, and we need to do something about it. For far too long, global warming and investments in alternative energy have only been viewed as long-term issues. That type of thinking neglects the tangible short-term benefits to investing now in alternative energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The potential economic impact, right here in Upstate New York, from investment in alternative energy is very real. I am proud to talk to you today about the concrete steps this Congress has taken to invest in an alternative energy future that will grow our economy, enhance our national security, and leave our air and water clean for generations to come.
As your elected federal representative in Congress, I am accountable for not only my words, but my actions too. Since taking office, I have maintained my commitment to addressing global warming and truly investing in alternative energy sources.
Earlier this year, I gathered business leaders, scientific experts, and citizens together to begin a process to make Upstate New York a major alternative energy center. In February, I held an alternative energy roundtable in Lansing with area experts and community members to collect local ideas on alternative and renewable energy programs that would benefit Upstate New York both economically and environmentally.
In Washington, I have voted for and supported legislation specifically designed to increase the research, production, and implementation of alternative energy sources.
Within the first 100 hours of my first term in Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, which would repeal $14 billion in subsidies given to big oil and gas companies and invest those funds in clean, renewable energy research and development. The U.S House of Representatives also passed the Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act (H.R. 547) to make alternative fuels like cellulosic ethanol more affordable and accessible. I have also co-sponsored the Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590), which would freeze greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 and gradually reduce emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Scientists tell us that these targets will keep global temperatures below the danger point.
In August, the House passed the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 3221), to create national initiatives for alternative energy production and increased energy efficiency. I also supported an amendment, which was added to H.R. 3221, to establish a national renewable portfolio standard, requiring retail sellers of electricity to get at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Adopting rigorous standards such as these is necessary if we are to find new and alternative ways to heat our homes, generate electricity and move away from polluting power plants.
This Congress has already passed legislation lowering energy costs for consumers by more than $300 billion through 2030, with landmark efficiency reforms for homes, appliances, and industry. We have created tax incentives for Hybrids, not Hummers, and taken steps to reduce dangerous heat-trapping gases that contribute to global warming, require the federal government to become carbon-neutral by 2050, and the Capitol to be carbon-neutral by the end of 2008.
Closer to home, I am proud to represent an area of the country that is truly ahead of the curve in private development and use of alternative energies like wind and solar power. Access to biofuel sources, our local scientific and technological community, and proximity to major metropolitan centers make Upstate perfectly poised to become a leader in alternative energy. I have worked in Washington for innovative government partnerships to create “green” jobs right where we need them by supporting legislation to invest in worker training programs and development programs to transition local workers to a new “green collar” economy.
Alternative energy production projects, like the biodesel fuel plant in Cortland County and the soon-to-be-built cellulosic ethanol plant in Rome, benefit the environment and provide a boost to the local economy. Construction and the daily workings of plants such as these create jobs and strengthen economic development – at the same time making our air and water cleaner for the next generation and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. There are many other examples of local companies, many in partnership with our outstanding colleges and Universities, who are turning our region into a national leader in alternative energy technology.
If we are to achieve wide-scale use of cellulosic ethanol, we have to provide additional opportunities to industry and agricultural producers to enable them to participate in this new biofuels industry. This is why I voted for the fiscal year 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill and fought to include $251 million for the Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Research and Development program and $7 billion for the Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program to help facilitate the construction of facilities to produce cellulosic ethanol from biomass. It is also why I support an expanded Renewable Fuels Standard in the energy bill that will foster the continued development of cellulosic ethanol production.
These initiatives would allow for the construction of additional cellulosic ethanol and biofuels production facilities throughout Upstate New York and the entire nation. While this is good for the Upstate economy, it also insures that our grandchildren can experience the amazing natural beauty we are so lucky to have up here in Update New York.
In closing, I would like to commend you again for your efforts to bring people together and shape the national dialogue about global warming and investment in a new energy future. Thank you all for your dedication and action. You are literally standing up for what you believe in. I encourage you to continue to educate your neighbors, friends and family so that together we can all work toward this common goal. In Washington, Congressman Hinchey and I will do our part and work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to move forward towards a new energy future.
I appreciate that, Krys.
I’d also appreciate you, as a member of our local Democratic Committe, keeping us up to date on this issue.
It’s the number one issue of our times, I think, and time is definitely not on our side. Things are quickly getting out of hand, and decisive, comprehensive action is going to have to take place in the next year or two… in the hopes that that will be enough.
Well, Jonathan, I do my best to work as hard as I humanly can. This week, I have been helping to organize pollwatchers, as well as organizing the local Step It UP! event, and helping to make the organizational integrity of the Ulysses and Tompkins County Democratic Committee function smoothly to incorporate the work of many active citizens in the democratic process. While others around me have been ensuring their own comfortable retirements, or making some spare cash to pay for their new boats…
As a grandmotherly type who has served in this kind of capacity over a couple of decades now, I notice some generational changes that kind of concern me. As I said during the Step It UP! event on Saturday as a part of an introduction for a speaker, DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT. Keeping up to date on issues is, actually, a citizen– and a JOURNALIST– responsibility. Did you, as a citizen journalist, call your Congressman’s office to get a copy of his statement, or send a rep to the event to give a more nuanced and informative report than the Ithaca Journal did? Or, did you tell me that, having shown some initiative to keep democracy alive in our town, I was thereby responsible for ALL initiative on these things?
More and more people, in our town, and, I think, across the country, are becoming accustomed to expecting “service” rather than digging in and pitching in to get the word out and the work done– or showing individual initiative. Ben Franklin and Tom Jefferson would not recognize the “subjects” who pass for today’s “citizens”.
I respectfully decline responsibility for keeping you and other readers informed on your Congressman’s activity. He has a paid press secretary for that purpose, and you, by dint of sponsoring this blog, are a member of the 4th estate– the essential part of a democratic society that keeps the citizenry informed. I’ll do my job as a member of the Ulysses Democratic Committee to bring our community free and fair elections, with a choice of candidates who are able to articulate local and statewide issues (do you know yet which NYS judicial candidate you are voting for?). I will not also consider myself responsible for doing the job of the press, too. I understand that we have some real gaps in terms of good work from local newspapers and other media. But, that does not make it an additional burden for people who have been willing to serve, at no pay and little thanks, on local political committees. They have duties that are spelled out in law– and informing the public about what their public servants are doing once in office just is not part of that responsibility.
CALL or WRITE your elected representatives, ask them what they are doing. They would love to tell you. Please, please do not tell some of the few hardworking volunteers for democratic process that they are not working hard enough if you don’t have the news you are interested in arriving in your inbox in a timely manner. Sometimes, you just have to get a little active yourself, or settle for the best government that the monied interests can buy.
OH– and don’t forget to cast an informed ballot at the polls tomorrow.
[...] You can read the full story here [...]
I’ll be voting tomorrow.
I do think that Democratic activists like yourself do a disservice to your work when you expect people like me to come scrambling after information. I’m not a journalist, and Finding Ulysses is not a professional blog. It’s not a money-making device for me, and it’s really supposed to be something that others participate in as much as me. I’ve got 2.5 actual jobs to keep my family going, and am not a Democrat, much less a member of the local Democratic Committee.
You won’t be the first Democratic Party official from around here to decline to get information to me, and then complain that I’m not getting information out for you. Just think about whether that makes sense.
I’ve found that Arcuri’s people have been, from the start, just plain lousy at media outreach.
I’ll get the information out as I am able, but relying on one person isn’t a good way to get such a big project done.
ummm…. Jonathan… do you think that people might be more willing to contribute if, when they did, you didn’t hand them huge assignments beyond their responsibilities, and then trash them, and everybody else in their committee, including the Congressman?
This was a bruising encounter, indeed. Keep treating your contributors this way, and I am sure you will be writing the blog all alone.
I didn’t hand you a huge assignment, Krys. I offered you an opportunity.
You gave yourself a huge assignment when you signed up to be a member of the local Democratic Party Committee. That’s a position that comes with responsibility to the people in the area. You’re supposed to be their representative in the Party, and to help facilitate communication of elected officials to constituents.
I thought I was pointing out a way for you to do your job as a Democratic Committee member in regards to a subject that you obviously care about.
I’m really confused that you wrote here about the importance of stepping up and being a leader on global warming, but then declared that it’s just too much for you to, as a Democratic Committee member, update voters on what our Democratic Representative in Congress is actually doing.
Are you stepping down?
You want to talk about bruising encounters? Maybe you want to ask around the Democratic Committee about a few bruising encounters I’ve had with some local Democratic elected officials. I remember one time, for example, when I got screamed at on the phone by a local elected Democrat for writing things that in fact were never written, and for not writing things that I was never asked to write.
There are a very small number of local Democrats who seem interested in working with me to get information out to the public. Others seem to have your attitude, that it’s up to me to come begging for scraps.
On an operational level, that’s not an effective approach. It’s not how things work in businesses that work, or in organizations that work. PR involves reaching out, not just waiting for people to come to you if they have questions.
Right now, the Democratic Party in general is in dire need of effective PR. Congress, under their leadership, has an approval rating of 14 percent.
You’ve got a first term congressman, and you’re responsible for helping to get him re-elected. That’s a responsibility you took on voluntarily. Arcuri is vulnerable.
Blasting a non-Democrat, non-journalist, volunteer like myself for not calling Arcuri’s office to get the information that he ought to be working to get out himself is not an effective form of outreach, Krys.
Liz Thomas and Dave Kerness have been open and helpful in giving me information, and others on the Democratic Committee have done a good job encouraging me to get in touch with them. That’s an approach that works.
I’ll say this: The actions of the Democratic Congress so far have nothing more than piddling around the edges of the crisis. We elected them to take strong action, not to have greenhouse gas emissions cut eventually, 43 years from now.
Jonathan– I did not “sign up” to be a member of the local Democratic Committee, I went door to door in my neighborhood, District 4, and asked my neighbors to sign a petition for me to hold that post– that is how the law allows a person to hold the post. They did sign, because, from a couple of decades of experience, they know that I know the job and do it well. Several of them thanked me for my long service in that capacity (unpaid, of course). I have heard no complaints about my work on the Committee from anyone in my neighborhood– even my Republican neighbors seem to appreciate my civic-mindedness– and I surely don’t owe you, who as I understand it are not even enrolled in any party, and don’t live in my district, the right to manipulate my time and energy as you see fit.
Your conception of the duties of a party committeeperson are inaccurate– or, I should say, your own ideas and not the law. If you would like to verify that I know and perform well the duties of a committee member, please call the County Democratic Committee Chair, Irene Stein. Neither she nor I are responsible for keeping you informed on issues, or keeping you from getting into shouting matches on the phone with elected officials.
I’m very pleased that you approve of our winning candidates– I chaired the Recruitment Committee and worked very hard to make sure that we had good people running who could both win and do a good job. Maybe it is too much to ask you to thank me for doing that, or for grassroots organizing around global climate change… but, could you at least stop picking on me? I do more work for my community than almost anybody I know. Please don’t make me a target because of that.
Pop quiz: who are the Republican and Democratic Committepeople who represent YOUR district?
Pop quiz, Krys: Have I been a Democratic Party Committee member before?
As with any job, Krys, there’s a big difference between the explicit responsibilities of the position, and what’s really called on to do the job right.
It certainly is up to the Democratic voters to decide whether you’re doing a good job, or if they want to bother to sponsor somebody to replace you. I will say that, as a former Democrat and current independent, Democrats tend to take a lot of things for granted.
Krys, I’m not trying to manipulate your time and energy. I don’t have the power to do that. I made a suggestion to you. I didn’t issue you an order, or make a demand, but you came back and slammed me and declared that it’s somehow my job to do PR for Michael Arcuri.
Who’s picking?