Democracy came to an end in New York City today, with the "Quinn 29" voting without a referendum to extend term limits. And New York City Council member Tony Avella got it right: the 29 members who voted--against the will of the city's voters--to extend term limits for New York City elected officials to three terms from two should be voted out of office. I will make my list, and then vigorously campaign against all of these unethical twits. My little vote can only go so far, so I will have to be creative, won't I! I think I may make that deadbeat Robert Jackson my pet project, for having the unmitigated gall to say: “Let’s have a backbone" (and not back down, presumably). He deserves a job stamping out license plates. No wonder he's hanging onto this one for dear life.
Thank you to the 22 council members who voted "no" to this subversive measure, including Jessica Lappin. Well done.
The billionaire mayor thinks we will forget all about it. Never will I forget this betrayal. And another thing: it stands to cost the city in so many ways. Starting with lifetime retiree health insurance that would cost the city up to $12,600 a year per council member, for any one who serves a third term. Which will amount to millions of dollars over the coming decades. Kind of stupid, isn't it?
Did you know: Tony Avella (D-Queens) introduced the measure to ban horse-drawn carriages; Council Speaker Christine Quinn has blocked it, along with every other piece of animal-friendly legislation that been introduced during her shameful tenure; virtually all council members line up behind Quinn, fearing retribution. No, the City Council is not a legislative body. Far from it. All back-room deals.
Showing posts with label Jessica Lappin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jessica Lappin. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
How Many Horses Have to Die?
No secret that I have had some fun at the expense of Council Member Jessica Lappin, who I'm told is responding to all constituents who have asked her to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages (Intro. 658/2007). She was endorsed for election in 2005 by the League of Humane Voters-NYC, and the following year she endorsed a humane education program. She also co-sponsored Tony Avella's important pets in housing bill.
I do hold out hope for Jessica Lappin on this matter. Let's face it, the political machinery of the NYC carriage industry is a truly scary thing. If you are new to this issue, trust me when I tell you that many in the carriage industry are abusive to the point that I fear them. However, in 2008 we have to look forward, not backward to the 19th century. The facts are incontrovertible: the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City is inherently inhumane and cannot be made safer. How many horses have to die?
New York is one of the world's great cities. It is time to ban this inhumane industry.
Why a full ban? Learn more
Sign the petition to ban horse-drawn carriages in NYC
New York residents (5 boroughs): Ask your elected Council Member to support Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages -- Find Your Council Member This is important! Constituents' opinions matter.
New York residents: Call the mayor's office at 311 and voice your support of Intro. 658
Non-New Yorkers: Tell the mayor's office that you don't want to visit New York until horse-drawn carriages are banned.
Email the mayor's office
Call the mayor's office at: 212-NEW-YORK (outside NYC)
Write the mayor:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
I do hold out hope for Jessica Lappin on this matter. Let's face it, the political machinery of the NYC carriage industry is a truly scary thing. If you are new to this issue, trust me when I tell you that many in the carriage industry are abusive to the point that I fear them. However, in 2008 we have to look forward, not backward to the 19th century. The facts are incontrovertible: the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City is inherently inhumane and cannot be made safer. How many horses have to die?
New York is one of the world's great cities. It is time to ban this inhumane industry.
Why a full ban? Learn more
Sign the petition to ban horse-drawn carriages in NYC
New York residents (5 boroughs): Ask your elected Council Member to support Intro. 658, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages -- Find Your Council Member This is important! Constituents' opinions matter.
New York residents: Call the mayor's office at 311 and voice your support of Intro. 658
Non-New Yorkers: Tell the mayor's office that you don't want to visit New York until horse-drawn carriages are banned.
Email the mayor's office
Call the mayor's office at: 212-NEW-YORK (outside NYC)
Write the mayor:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
Monday, February 25, 2008
Grow a Conscience, Jessica Lappin
I really wanted to like City Council Member Jessica Lappin. What a savvy move to host a mini "Upper Green Side" sustainability conference on February 25. Yep, that's the Upper East Side, soon to become a methane-producing landfill and veritable asthma factory. The panelists were only a bit self-promotional and had some good information (we have to do much better with our paper recycling, and that includes the roll at the center of your paper towels!)
Q&A: This is where the deer got caught in the headlights. After the panelists had given their individual spiels, the stammering and stuttering began. What to do if you break a mercury-filled compact fluorescent light bulb? DON'T VACUUM IT! Open a window and run for the hills! Then come back, throw a wet cloth over the mess, gather it up, put it into a sealable plastic bag, and throw it in the freezer for the next 20 years until we figure it out! Oh, and maybe sue Al Gore. Chuckles all around. No one had much sensible information in the Q&A. This is where it came off the tracks.
The unflappable Ms. Lappin got a bit flustered herself when asked about Intro. 658, Tony Avella's bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. "Um...I think the horses ...uh...should be treated better...ahh...but I absolutely ...ummm...don't support a ban. Horse-drawn carriages are such a...ummm...big part of the city." Or some such. She also misled the audience by saying that she had replied to everyone who had contacted her in support of Intro. 658. Now, I would not question the truthfulness of a council member, but maybe her recollection is not clear. A few in the crowd piped up and asked WHY she doesn't support a ban, and said that the conditions can't be made safe for the horses. Right on cue, she neatly ended the line of questioning and moved on to the more pressing matter of how best to recycle an oily pizza box.
The facts are incontrovertible: The horse-drawn carriage trade in New York City is inherently inhumane, which is why the proposed ban (Intro. 658) is supported by numerous organizations of every bent: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, Friends of Animals, and so many others. I might point that the ASPCA and HSUS did not always support a full ban, until the evidence could no longer be ignored, in 2007.
Despite what I saw at the sustainability summit, I do hold out hope for Jessica Lappin. I once thought the same way she did about horse-drawn carriages. In fact, it's a very popular sentiment--the most common one that I encounter when I do my outreach work. The cure for sitting on the fence is information--and it is readily available. It is wrong to make an uniformed decision, and the information costs you nothing.
My impression of Ms. Lappin is that she is very young--perhaps not fully formed as a human being yet. (Yes, you read correctly). When she grows up, I hope she has the courage of her convictions and can distinguish herself and differentiate herself from those in power, the ones who control the budget lines. In politics, you can't please everyone. Those who earn my respect have integrity and courage to do the right thing--even in the face of opposition.
I spoke a few weeks ago with her legislative director. I was told that Ms. Lappin definitely favors "more accountability, not less" in the carriage trade. That being the case, and if Ms. Lappin reviews the facts, there is no way she can support anything less than an outright ban. The worst thing would be to support the complete lack of accountability that the trade is lobbying for in the form of "independent oversight." At a huge cost to the taxpayers, no less.
Q&A: This is where the deer got caught in the headlights. After the panelists had given their individual spiels, the stammering and stuttering began. What to do if you break a mercury-filled compact fluorescent light bulb? DON'T VACUUM IT! Open a window and run for the hills! Then come back, throw a wet cloth over the mess, gather it up, put it into a sealable plastic bag, and throw it in the freezer for the next 20 years until we figure it out! Oh, and maybe sue Al Gore. Chuckles all around. No one had much sensible information in the Q&A. This is where it came off the tracks.
The unflappable Ms. Lappin got a bit flustered herself when asked about Intro. 658, Tony Avella's bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. "Um...I think the horses ...uh...should be treated better...ahh...but I absolutely ...ummm...don't support a ban. Horse-drawn carriages are such a...ummm...big part of the city." Or some such. She also misled the audience by saying that she had replied to everyone who had contacted her in support of Intro. 658. Now, I would not question the truthfulness of a council member, but maybe her recollection is not clear. A few in the crowd piped up and asked WHY she doesn't support a ban, and said that the conditions can't be made safe for the horses. Right on cue, she neatly ended the line of questioning and moved on to the more pressing matter of how best to recycle an oily pizza box.
The facts are incontrovertible: The horse-drawn carriage trade in New York City is inherently inhumane, which is why the proposed ban (Intro. 658) is supported by numerous organizations of every bent: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, Friends of Animals, and so many others. I might point that the ASPCA and HSUS did not always support a full ban, until the evidence could no longer be ignored, in 2007.
Despite what I saw at the sustainability summit, I do hold out hope for Jessica Lappin. I once thought the same way she did about horse-drawn carriages. In fact, it's a very popular sentiment--the most common one that I encounter when I do my outreach work. The cure for sitting on the fence is information--and it is readily available. It is wrong to make an uniformed decision, and the information costs you nothing.
My impression of Ms. Lappin is that she is very young--perhaps not fully formed as a human being yet. (Yes, you read correctly). When she grows up, I hope she has the courage of her convictions and can distinguish herself and differentiate herself from those in power, the ones who control the budget lines. In politics, you can't please everyone. Those who earn my respect have integrity and courage to do the right thing--even in the face of opposition.
I spoke a few weeks ago with her legislative director. I was told that Ms. Lappin definitely favors "more accountability, not less" in the carriage trade. That being the case, and if Ms. Lappin reviews the facts, there is no way she can support anything less than an outright ban. The worst thing would be to support the complete lack of accountability that the trade is lobbying for in the form of "independent oversight." At a huge cost to the taxpayers, no less.
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