It was beginning to rain fairly hard and some late
arrivals were wearing rain gear to cover up. Was it the rain or the
shame of attending this closed Weiner event? .....Weiner has $5 million to spend and not even a
piece of strudel?... Why is Weiner, who bills himself as the champion of the middle class
favoring these hedge-fund backed organizations?
Will Weiner tweet me a pic of a piece of strudel in his underwear?
This event occurred last Friday, May24th and was written on May 28th for The Wave:
http://m.rockawave.com/news/2013-05-31/Columnists/School_Scope.html
“Anthony Weiner attends a Rockaway Community
meeting on Beach 139th Street, May 24, 6:45. Press: Open for photo spray
only,” was listed in an online bulletin. I decided to drop by, not as a
columnist from The Wave (Weiner was said to be ducking the press), but
as a community member and retired teacher interested in hearing what
Weiner had to say on education-related issues. It was raining when I
arrived at the home of Sylvan and Rose Klein, both of whom I was meeting
for the first time. A large “Anthony Weiner for Mayor” sign stretched
across the front window. The living room was filled with people waiting
for Weiner, who was running an hour late.
This did not look like a
community meeting but a “meet and greet,” aimed at garnering support for
Weiner.
Within 10 minutes of my arrival, I was asked to leave by Klein
because “you write for The Wave.” I said I was not covering the story
for The Wave but was there for what was billed as a “community” meeting
(I live a few blocks away). I do not get paid by The Wave - hear that
Kevin - and am not working press. I have no idea what a “photo spray”
is. But even with my connection to The Wave, given Weiner’s strong
connections to Rockaway’s paper, one would hope for some basic courtesy
from Klein like, “Please don’t write about this.” In fact I told Klein I
wouldn’t be writing about the event. He didn’t want to hear it. “I’m
asking you to leave,” he said pointedly, his voice rising, officially
entering him into the book of “not nice,” especially since I didn’t even
get a piece of fruit. Weiner has $5 million to spend and not even a
piece of strudel?
Waiting outside – the real press: Newsday, the Columbia Spectator, a
big truck from NBC Channel 4, a reporter from the NY Post who said, “I
cover crime - homicides.” Made sense to me, since Weiner committed
homicide on his career. But in the fantasy world of politics, anyone can
be resurrected. It was beginning to rain fairly hard and some late
arrivals were wearing rain gear to cover up. Was it the rain or the
shame of attending this closed Weiner event? I went home to dry off and
eat.
Governor Cuomo said “it would be a shame” if Weiner became Mayor with
one report saying, “Cuomo and other leading Democrats are more than a
little uncomfortable with the idea of Weiner actively campaigning for
one of the country's highest-profile positions. A Times story about
Weiner's wife, the longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin, says Bill
and Hillary Clinton are particularly unhappy with it too. Weiner's old
boss, Chuck Schumer, acts as if he wishes the whole campaign would just
go away.”
I supported Anthony Weiner as our Congressman, especially as the lone
voice calling for single-payer (Medicare for all) health care system. I
was disturbed over the fundamental lack of judgment accompanied by a
pathetic cover up in the big scandal but look at candidates based on
where they stand in the education wars. I lean to Liu and de Blasio due
to their pushback against the privatization of public education and the
blatant anti-unionism.
Figuring out Weiner on ed is a project. How about
this headline? “Weiner Says If Teachers Want Raises, They Must Concede
On Health Care Costs.” Bloomberg denies teachers the 4% pattern raise
given to other unions and this is Weiner’s response?
Weiner supports the co-location of charter schools with enormous
wealth as they compete for resources with public schools. The day before
Weiner’s Rockaway visit, Democracy Prep charter rented out the Central
Park Zoo for a fundraiser honoring Joel Klein, the patron saint of
rapacious charter schools. Protesting were a small group of poor adult
ed students whose struggles to complete high school were being impacted
by Democracy Prep being handed precious space in their building.
Eva Markowitz’s Success Charters raised $7 million in one night at
their “gala” and spends millions plastering the streets with advertising
to lure kids out of public schools which don’t have galas or money to
advertise. They’re lucky to have paper. While PCB lights explode in
public school spaces, Success replaces their lights, enforcing a
separate, unequal climate that has been termed “educational apartheid.”
Why is Weiner, who bills himself as the champion of the middle class
favoring these hedge-fund backed organizations? A good question to ask
both Weiner (if we ever get the chance) and Sylvan Klein, an educator
who should be concerned over supporting a candidate so willing to help
wealthy privatizers pull the plug on public education.
Norm blogs at ednotesonline.org.
=======
While I'm on The Wave, here is an editorial by our new editor (since Sandy) Kevin Boyle, who slashes Cuomo in comparison to Christie. Frankly if forced to make a choice between them in any vote, both my wife and I go hands down for Christie -- I'm sure Mike Schirtzer, my favorite (and only) Republican in MORE is cheering.
Governor Slow-Mo
We look at Governor Christie visiting one beach town after another
in New Jersey and we start to wonder about our governor. Where is
Andrew?
Christie goes and sees with his own eyes – not only the destruction but the repair and rehabilitation. Again, where’s Andrew?
Christie is seen in ad campaigns which boasts New Jersey as Stronger
than the Storm. Cuomo is running an ad campaign, too. It’s called New
York State Open For Business. He’s using federal relief money and
promoting areas untouched by the storm.
Christie promotes business and resiliency. Cuomo says maybe we should
let Mother Nature have her way, tell those people to move on.
We’re not comparing records of the two governors beyond their
connection to people affected by the storm. On that score, Christie far
outshines our governor.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Cuomo told residents of Breezy Point that
in a year’s time the place would be back better and stronger than ever.
Two months later he was saying about coastal communities: “At one
point, you have to say maybe Mother Nature doesn’t want you here. Maybe
she’s trying to tell you something.” He hasn’t been back to Breezy
since.
We’re checking the news accounts. As far as we can tell, the last
time he came to Rockaway was November 21st. Less than two weeks later he
reinstated the tolls on the Rockaway bridges. Volunteers and displaced
people had to pay full tolls. What was that about, Governor? What was
the rush?
This week, Governor Christie got another visit from President Obama –
it looked like a bipartisan effort to get things done. Maybe Cuomo and
our Mayor should try it. Or has the governor just conceded power to
Mayor Bloomberg? Is Cuomo just a coat holder for the mayor?
Some relief money is being split: half for the city, half for the
rest of the State. Does that mean Cuomo is free of responsibility to
city dwellers affected by Sandy? Of course not.
Maybe he’ll come when the A Train resumes service. Will he get off
the train long enough for a good look at Rockaway? We doubt it.
Cuomo’s grandfather used to own a building on Beach 116th Street
(coincidentally it’s vacant now). Curiously, he’s skipped over the
mid-peninsula, instead making stops in Breezy and Far Rockaway after the
Storm. Did Andrew get roughed up on the beach when he was a kid? What
gives with his total disregard – or is it contempt -- for Rockaway?
Most curiously, he announced this week – seven months after Sandy --
appointments to positions focusing on New York's storm recovery efforts.
Seven months? Well, here’s something equally troubling. This team is
also supposed to address issues stemming from Hurricane Irene and
Tropical Storm Lee.
That’s a governor in slow motion. If he’s hiring people now to help
with Tropical Storm Lee we should be grateful it’s only seven months
since Sandy.
Politicians don’t have to be seen to be effective; but sometimes they should be seen.
Where’s Andrew?
