SAY NO TO 50% TOLL INCREASES! CALL THE GOVERNOR!

The Port Authority of Ny & NJ is proposing a 50% toll hike on the Staten Island bridges to New Jersey. ANY rate hike is completely unacceptable. Staten Island is burdened with enough tolls and fees just to go to work.

Please CALL THE GOVERNORS OFFICE! Remind Gov. Cuomo of his promise of NO NEW FEES or TAXES!

Tell him to VETO the Port Authorities plan and that the PA needs to be audited and INVESTIGATED for the crony capitalism and sweetheart deals!

You can contact the governor by clicking HERE.
But PLEASE call his office, a phone call is more powerful than an email: (518) 474-8390

Tell his office:

1. NO TOLL RAISE! NONE AT ALL! We are ALREADY paying too much!

2. AUDIT and INVESTIGATE the fraud, crony capitalism, sweetheart deals and conflicts of interest at the Port Authority! Specifically the PA’s relationship with Goldman Sachs and Silverstein properties.

3. VETO ANY PLAN the PA proposes to raise tolls on Staten Islanders.

Then CALL your state Representatives and tell them to introduce legislation to AUDIT and INVESTIGATE the fraud, crony capitalism, sweetheart deals and conflicts of interest at the Port Authority! Specifically the PA’s relationship with Goldman Sachs and Silverstein properties.

State Senate:

Diane Savino: http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/diane-j-savino/contact

Andrew Lanza: http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/andrew-j-lanza

State Assembly:

Michael Cusick: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Michael-Cusick/

Matthew Titone: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=061&sh=contact

Nicole Malliotakis: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Nicole-Malliotakis/contact/

Lou Tobacco: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=062

SPREAD THE WORD!

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Open Letters To Rep. Michael Grimm

8/3/2011

Dear Representative Grimm,

 I am writing to express my dismay over your vote for the Debt Bill. We held a rally at your office tonight and many people showed up in the pouring rain to express these thoughts. Several of the names you would recognize as they worked on your campaign.

Rather than raising the debt limit, Congress should recognize the federal government has reached debt saturation and therefore stop incurring new debt!   Federal revenues for 2012 likely will amount to about $2.2 trillion, an amount roughly equal to the 2004 federal budget.  To balance the 2012 budget, Congress simply needs to adopt 2004 spending levels. All this bill does is cut spending that Congress had INTENDED to spend. It does not cut what we are currently spending.

It is arguable that your constituents are split between raising the ceiling and not raising the ceiling. My opinion is that the debt ceiling vote was largely symbolic as the U.S has been monetizing our debt for some time which in effect is default.

No matter how you feel about the debt ceiling and whether it should be raised, all Americans should agree that the idea of a “super congress” is not only unconstitutional, but un-American. The idea that a tiny elite rule the majority is the anti-thesis of Republican Democracy.

How you can justify voting for debt bill WITH the super congress legislation attached while claiming to honor your oath to the Constitution is beyond me. Turning over the power of the purse to an elite committee that will not even have any opposing viewpoints represented leaves me speechless. The Weekly Standard reported that "Three Republican Senate sources tell TWS that senators who vote against the deal will be ineligible to serve on the so-called “super committee” ."

You have surrendered your Constitutional authority to represent the people of NY13 over to a group of 12 Congress people who NY13 DID NOT ELECT. This is a clear and direct violation of your oath.

We also want you to co-sponsor Ron Paul’s H.R.2768 to cancel the 1.6 Trillion dollar illegitimate debt to the Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Reserve purchases Treasury debt by printing money out of thin air. This is a debt that the government owes itself and it is causing an inflationary increase in the money supply.

As your constituent I am telling you I want you to have the courage to stand up to the party leadership of both parties in both houses and introduce legislation that repeals the super congress portion of the debt bill (at least). If you do this we will support you and work for your re-election. If you do not we will work to ensure you are a one term Congressman.

Go back to Congress and blame your constituents tell the party leadership that we are demanding that you repeal the “super congress”, and cancel the 1.6T debt or the GOP will risk losing district 13’s seat. Tell them that the super congress is tyranny. It is dictatorship by committee and the American people will not tolerate it.

Remember, you are our employee. Staten Island elected you (by a VERY narrow margin) to REPRESENT us in Congress, not to RULE over us. If and when your constituents ask you to do something outside of your Constitutional authority, then you should lead. It is then your job to make the people of NY13 understand the Constitution, and offer Constitutional alternatives to solve our challenges.

In Liberty,

Danny Panzella
Staten Island Tea Party Patriots

Republicans, Democrats & Indies Unite To Protest “Super Congress”

Press Release
8/3/2011

The Super Congress Legislation Creates a Wider Divide Between The American People and their Democratic Voice.

Staten Island NY, August 3, 2011: Staten Islanders from all political leanings are gathering in front of Congressman Michael Grimm’s office at 265 New Dorp Lane from 5pm to 7pm on Wed Aug. 3rd. Several tea party as well as other groups will be represented to let the Congressman know that his vote for the “super congress” is unacceptable.

The "super congress" is composed of members of both chambers and both parties and is granted extraordinary new powers. Under the plan introduced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and his counterpart Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that was signed into law by President Obama yesterday, legislation to lift the debt ceiling has been accompanied by the creation of a 12-member panel made up of 12 lawmakers - six from each chamber and six from each party.

Legislation approved by the Super Congress will then be fast-tracked through both chambers. It will be immune from amendment and lawmakers would only be able to register an up or down vote, eliminating the ability to filibuster.

With the weight of both leaderships behind it, anything originated by the super congress would have a strong chance of moving through the little congress and quickly becoming law. A super congress would be less accountable, and would make it easier to strip the public of its democratic voice. Super congress legislation establishes a new level of unaccountable government, and has stripped elected representatives of the right to amend legislation or filibuster, which are powers given to Congress by the Constitution. The power of super congress will not be limited to the debt situation.

The Congress has shifted power from themselves into the hands of a “committee of thirteen” which will now originate revenue bills; the President is the deciding 13th member. This comes as no surprise; two weeks ago, Mitch McConnell suggested the House turn over the “power of the purse” to Obama under the guise of shifting political blame for the economy onto the White House.

Super Congress had the full bi-partisan support of the leadership of both houses. The legislation was introduced by Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid, and supported by Speaker John Boehner. Rep. Michael Grimm of Staten Island & Brooklyn voted yes to this unprecedented transfer of power.

Presidential Candidate Ron Paul said the super congress will  “ disenfranchise the majority of Congress by denying them the chance for meaningful participation in the crucial areas of entitlement and tax reform.  It cedes power to draft legislation to a special commission, hand-picked by the House and Senate leadership. This provision is an excellent way to keep spending decisions out of the reach of members who are not on board with the leadership's agenda.”

“Why is it that every time the two parties compromise, "we the people" lose more of our liberty?” said Danny Panzella, the tea party activist who organized the rally.

He went on to say “no matter how you feel about the debt ceiling and whether it should be raised, all Americans should agree that the idea of a “super congress” is not only unconstitutional, but un-American. The idea that a tiny elite rule the majority is the anti-thesis of Republican Democracy.”

“This is not a left vs. right issue. This legislation affects all Americans and our rights regardless of our party affiliation or political leanings. They have taken away power from our elected representatives, and by ultimately from we the people.” said Tina Sabella Downer.

This super congress will not even have room for opposing viewpoints other than the establishment Republicans vs. the Democrats. In an even more disturbing twist, The Weekly Standard reported that "Three Republican Senate sources tell TWS that senators who vote against the deal will be ineligible to serve on the so-called “supercommittee” for deficit reduction that the legislation creates." (http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/fiscal-conservatives-barred-supercommittee_581921.html )

The groups are coming together to demand that Rep. Grimm introduce legislation repealing AT LEAST the super congress portion of the debt bill. “The debt ceiling vote was largely symbolic as the U.S has been monetizing our debt for some time which in effect is default. Will our Representative have the courage to stand against the leadership of both houses? With his constituents demanding that he do it, and committing to keep him in office as long as he obeys, the people will have their way. This is why we all need to be actively engaged in keeping our representatives accountable.” said Mr. Panzella.