Finding Ulysses

Our Representative in Congress, Mike Arcuri, voted yesterday in favor of extending the Patriot Act without reforming it one bit.

People in Ulysses who are concerned about coming drilling for natural gas in our town should take note: The Environmental Protection Agency has just started a tipline about illegal and generally suspicious activities taking place in association with drilling of the Marcellus Shale.
If you see anything, you can call 877-919-4372 or email eyesondrilling@epa.gov .

They’re selling hot chocolate, at a dollar per cup, with the proceeds to benefit earthquake victims in Haiti.

At a holiday party hosted at the headquarters of a lobbying firm, political action committees were asked to pay $5,000 to Congressman Arcuri, though organizations seeking a lesser level of political influence could pay a mere $1,000 for a “PAC Memento”.

Yesterday, Mike Arcuri voted for H.R. 4154, a bill which gives a tax cut of 18 percent, but applies exclusively to the extremely wealthy.

Health care and financial issues make up the bulk of Scott Noren’s political agenda, though he does express his opinion on a few other issues as well. Noren believes in limited gun control legislation, supports the right of state governments to ban same-sex marriage, is pro-choice, and is concerned about illegal immingration.

When I hear people demand that trucks filled with garbage coming through Ulysses on the way to Seneca Meadows be re-routed along some other road, I can’t help but cringe at their narrow vision of the issue. As long as we in the Town of Ulysses are making garbage, we’re part of the problem we’re complaining about.

Many political leaders from around the world spoke today about the Seneca Falls Convention, showing respect not just for the historical efforts that make Seneca Falls special, but also honoring the place of equality that women deserve in our society. Congressman Arcuri was not among them. Michael Arcuri had nothing to say about the Seneca Falls Convention.

Are you okay with Mike Arcuri’s opposition to health care reform? Are you okay with the way he’s helping the Republicans agitate against health care reform? If you’re a registered Democrat here in the town of Ulysses, how do you reconcile being a Democrat with your Democratic U.S. Representative aligning himself with a group of pro-Republican politicians?

Will the Ulysses Democrats communicate the concerns of constituents here in our community to Congressman Arcuri, or do they simply regard it as their job to represent Arcuri’s interests to people here?