Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Troy's influence on RPI election

THE APPROACH
For years, decades even, Troy has tried to get Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students into the city to spend some time and, more importantly, spend some money.
For as long, students and the college itself resisted every effort, preferring to stay on the hill and look down The Approach as if it were a nose at the lowly “townies” below. The residents of Troy, not known to overlook a slight, looked back up The Approach at the “rich, spoiled kids” who thought they were too good to rub elbows with those who chose “Troylet” as their home rather than a pit stop enroute to bigger and better things – even the moon. It’s a vicious cycle.
But all amour has a chink, and all rules have exceptions. RPI, directly or indirectly, invested millions into the old Best Western and the Proctors Theater and Chasan buildings. And Trojans have an indescribable yet indisputable endearing quality about them – which is why I spent more awake time in the Collar City than any other place on earth for more than 15 years – and more students are slowly starting to hang out downtown.
The latest incident though is perhaps the most clear cut example of the RPI student body assimilating itself into Collar City ways.
 According to The Rensselaer Polytechnic, the campus newspaper, five members of student government were caught on tape ripping down signs advocating for changes to the Rensselaer Union Constitution that were on the ballot as a referendum. In all, according to the newspaper, some 1,000 signs were ripped down campus wide.
I won’t go into what the Constitutional changes were but safe to say they were controversial enough within the RPI cocoon to motivate those in favor of the changes to start ripping down posters against them. In the end, the university Judicial Board ruled the five candidates involved cannot hold elected or appointed positions and must complete 15 hours of community service. Furthermore, according to The Poly, “all election results for Constitution amendments and alumni vice president, secretary, and treasurer are null and void.”
Obviously, Troy is wearing off on RPI and I’m not just talking about the most recent voter fraud scandal that saw eight indictments and three trials. Messing around with elections goes back to at least 1893 and Bat Shea, a story turned into a book by Troy author Jack Casey that includes ballot stuffing and murder. While I don’t think anyone has committed murder over an election since, I know there have been variations of ballot stuffing, outright forgeries and even dead people voting by absentee – which isn’t that far from the truth but illegal just the same.
JACKSON
However, unlike Bat Shea or the most recent scandal, most of those committing the infractions don’t get caught because they don’t actually break the letter of the law – they’re just bent to fill a particular need. Taking over parties by electing committee members, running shadow candidates and yes even filling out fake absentees are all legal provided they are done within certain parameters.      
Maybe President Shirley Ann Jackson would serve the student body well to have Troy political operatives like Bob Mirch, Tom Connolly, Mark Streb, Tom Mathews, Bill McInerney, John Sweeney, Rich Crist, Steve Bogess, Ed McDonough, Bill Powers or Tom Wade participate in her next Colloquy instead of someone like Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. They may not have the nationwide stature of a Scalia, but they can teach the political neophytes on the hill some practical lessons on how to mess with an election the proper way – or at least not get in too much trouble if the envelope is pushed a bit too far.    
 
 
 

30 comments:

  1. Oh, I think RPI learned long ago to take a page from the Troy playbook. At least the Republican one. Let's take a look:

    RPI administration under Shirley Jackson is larded with hugely overpaid self-aggrandizing hacks who sit around all day laughing at the people who pay the jacked up tuition rates that fund their sloth.

    Rensselaer County Government under Kathy Jimino is larded with hugely overpaid political hacks who sit around all day laughing at the residents who pay the jacked up taxes that fund their do-nothing jobs.

    Sounds like a match to me.

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  2. Will the city release dunnes newest email fiasco?

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    1. Yeah, no kidding! Where are the emails, Jim??

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  3. Both Party's are totally unscrupulous in the attitudes towards the Tax payers here in Troy.
    I am appalled how these appointment's keep getting worse and worse and more and more political hacks keep getting in line to destroy Troy and keep us going back farther and farther back into the stone age.
    There meddling into every s one business and mucking up governmental processes is just par for the course.
    Also they all exaggerate and stretch the truth till is stinks of buffalo chips.

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  4. Because of RPIs location in Troy it is somewhat ironic but just because someone goes to college and gets an education has no bearing on their moral character or lack of. Over the last 10 years Troy has a group of RPI grads, adjunct teachers and employees who have proven to be lying thieves. They happen to be tight with this administration who gives them taxpayer dollars, new illegal sidewalks and jobs on the planning board. They use the money they steal to make videos' portraying TPD as KKK and labeling Troy as the new Watts in LA. Nothing new in this story.

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  5. X Junkies Making Decisions on Troy Business Peoples Lives.
    Crack heads abound in the THA.
    Crooked Lawyers helping Both Repubs and Dems Administrations in land grabs from family's who have paid there taxes for 50 years.
    False Newspaper Reports of every thing is just so great here in Troy.
    Taxes 45% on the people who are in there Golden years if they get behind on there taxes.
    How about Lou who is an Accountant looking into how much some of these Old Family's in Troy have paid in the past and not just go in for the Juggler when they get into trouble.

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    Replies
    1. Changing VIN #s is a felony Robert. Families who think they are above the laws tend to have problems.

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    2. why the big worry about tha ??

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  6. I'm sure you could have found something more intriguing to write about than an RPI student election. RPI is its own little world and if they could I'm sure would build a Great Wall and have a moat surrounding it. *yawn*

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  7. Jim Franco: This story is a pleasant diversion from the inflammatory political drama that usually appears on this blog.
    While the analogy aligning RPI and Troy as similar political entities is a bit stretched, it hopefully will give your readers a brief reprieve from the hate mongers who love to anonymously (and spinelessly) comment on this blog.
    Good job Jim Franco.

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    Replies
    1. And here you are, negatively commenting and calling people names. Anonymously.

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    2. This comes from an anonymous and spineless commenter, oh the irony!

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  8. Jim, the list of speakers that you suggest for Shirley are a real fun bunch. Coincidently I doubt that anyone on the list could get into RPI as a student!

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    1. Hey I know two guys that could get in RPI, Russ Reeves and Rodney Wiltshire, both engineers, and I know at least one attended RPI. That's probably why the political hacks are hacking away at them, they are smart educated professionals!

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  9. Replies
    1. Sometimes the truth hurts, but regardless it is the truth.

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  10. And Lou says. Vito you did a great job. Now respect councilman bob

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  11. Word out of city hall there was a dust-up between Councilman Galuski and sleeper mayoral candidate Kevin Vandenburgh. Things got so heated between the two heavyweights that Lou's hack Morris the cat peeked around the corner only to scurry back to his office. Heard things ended on a good note as they split 36 wings and two pizzas with the works at the Red Front. Good food can always bridge the political divide!

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  12. Epitome of a self loathed Today is Harry's day. You had 8 years to make it your day and now that the city is finally in a upswing you and your cronies want to point sticks and assume something must be wrong. No FBI. No lawyers. Just a farce created by a man who couldn't accomplish in 8 years what has transpired in the past 3. Get over it

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    1. On another note the city can move foward without the holdup known as reeves

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    2. Hmmmmm. Ill defer to Reeves expertise in this case rather than Dunnes phoney resume or Kreshnicks bs. Lou can't be this stupid

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    3. @2:52 how pathetic, a man who has morals and safety in mind instead of fat pockets. This sickens me we've lost one of the good ones in this mess. Disgusting!

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    4. Dunne says now he has a bs in engineering. Kreshnick has a as in forestry. He is also east greenbush resident and dead head. Dire wolf

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    5. Easy DONE, I would check that out, sounds like convenient BS. Or is it "Just about Done"

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  13. Sheeran wins in the last round. Celebrating at all troy. Free drinks for everyone including the engineer

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    Replies
    1. Will kreshnick join him?

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    2. Sheeran wins over Russ Reeves? Engineering degree and a licensed engineer gets beat by a Bon Jovi groupie with a GED. Welcome to Troy.

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