Responses to Donald Trump's Remarks on Infrastructure
On Tuesday, August 15th, 2017, Donald Trump stood in the lobby of Trump Tower and answered questions from the press in what will be remembered for a long time as the most bizarre, offensive, and divisive remarks ever given by a sitting President of the United States. Although the controversial points of this "speech" centered around President Trump attempting to construct a false equivalency between peaceful protesters and white supremacists, the title of the Q&A session is officially known as "Remarks by President Trump on Infrastructure." In this blog entry, we are posting some statements from our 2017 Democratic candidates in reaction to the President's remarks.
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"I was saddened, disgusted, and downright terrified by the hate and ignorance on display in Charlottesville, VA this weekend. Everyone in this country has both a civic duty and a moral obligation to stand up and speak out in the face of unadulterated bigotry—in the face of evil people who assault the values of equality and tolerance that have buttressed this nation for over two-hundred years. The President of the United States has that duty and obligation above all others. I had the very brief privilege of interning for President Obama in the White House Counsel’s Office after I graduated from law school. President Obama was absolutely correct when he tweeted that “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” That sentiment stands in stark contrast to what we heard today from President Trump. Simply put, there are not two sides to an argument when one side is carrying swatsikas. Our elected leaders at all levels, from the President to the most local official, have a duty to speak out against those who preach hate and those who give them cover. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Heather Heyer, the families of the two Virginia State Police officers who died, the other victims of the domestic terrorist attacks in Charlottesville, and anyone in this country who still suffers at the hands of such intolerance."
-- Jack Harrington, Democratic Candidate for Brookhaven Town Supervisor
"When you wonder if national politics ever affect local events, think of the innocent people fighting against white nationalists coming to their community and a President who doesn't condemn the ensuing violence. Today and every day I stand with anyone and everyone who fights against hatred."
-- Cindy Morris, Democratic Candidate for Brookhaven Town Clerk
"A young woman has died on American streets at the hands of a Nazi, and when pressed on the issue some of our leaders have decided to equivocate and to distract us with talk of statues and history. When confronted with this news - that a white supremacist rally has ended with a white supremacist murdering someone - the response should never be to say "there is blame on both sides" and that a group of white nationalists contained "very fine people." I urge everyone, wherever they may fall on the political spectrum, to look inside of themselves and realize that on this issue these people are wrong. A good leader should not further the divides in our nation by emboldening racists and bigots. I hold out hope for an America led boldly with of love, patience, introspection, and understanding. I believe it is the duty of all of our leaders to demonstrate such character, and I look forward to their statements condemning hate and violence."
-- Mike Goodman, Democratic Candidate for Brookhaven Town 2nd Council District
"When our elected representatives fail to uphold their oath to support and defend the Constitution and all it represents, then it becomes time for us to vigorously work to ensure that these individuals no longer hold elected office."
-- Lisa Di Santo, Democratic Candidate for Brookhaven Town 5th Council District
"At times like this when there is so much tension over the latest terrorist murder in Charlottesville, true leadership, at all levels, rises to the occasion. The ongoing rants of those supporting racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy are an affront to Americans. These acts and words are not just the rants of some fringe groups but represent the feelings of too many people. We need leadership that will step up and call out those who would look to divide our country and deny rights to American citizens. Rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Many Americans have died fighting for our freedoms and it is an affront to them to see the lack of backbone by many of the elected's. Those in office, at every level, who have not stood up show that they really aren't that offended by the actions of these groups and it is politically more comfortable for them to stand by and do nothing. Maybe that is what they do best."
-- Art Turkington, Democratic Candidate for Brookhaven Town 6th Council District
Jack Harrington Releases Bold Ethics Plan for Brookhaven Town
Jack Harrington, Democratic candidate for Brookhaven Town Supervisor, released a bold ethics plan to clean up Brookhaven Town.Jack knows that there is a real cost to corruption. Every dollar that goes to an ill-gotten contract is a dollar increase in your taxes, a dollar taken away from our schools, and a dollar taken away from vital services to our seniors.As the next Town Supervisor, Jack's plan will:- Enact term limits for elected officials; - Create an online contracting and vendor database, so every resident can see how their tax dollars are being spent; - Enhance Contracting Disclosure Law;- Strengthen the Board of Ethics; and - Create an independent Inspector General to investigate Town contracts and root out corruption. But let's face it, campaigns cost money and Jack is taking on a well-oiled political machine that has been running for 30 years. Can Jack count on you for a grassroots donation of $25, $50, or even $75 so he can take his campaign directly to the people of Brookhaven? With your support, Jack will be able to deliver real reform in Brookhaven. Onward, Andrew BrockwellCampaign ManagerHarrington for Supervisor
Tim Sini Speaks at Brookhaven Dems HQ
Due to an influx of new BTDC members since the beginning of the year, the monthly Brookhaven Democratic Town Committee meeting was split between Monday, July 24th and Wednesday, July 26th and featured guest speaker Tim Sini, Suffolk County Police Commissioner. Sini is currently running as the Democratic candidate for Suffolk County District Attorney and has the backing of the Suffolk County Benevolent Association, The Superior Officers Association, and the Suffolk County Police Conference for that position. Newsday ran a special report earlier this year where Sini discussed the progress he has made since joining the SCPD, as well as some of the challenges he faced coming in. Both meetings featured lengthy question and answer sessions where Sini addressed topics ranging from the opioid crisis, to gang violence, to his ideas on how to foster more transparency in law enforcement institutions. For more information on Tim and his positions on the issues, visit the Tim Sini for District Attorney website.
Jack Harrington, Attorney & Navy Reservist, To Run for Brookhaven Town Supervisor
For Immediate Release: May 18, 2017
Contact: Andrew Brockwell, 631-830-5440
Jack Harrington, Attorney and Navy Reservist, To Run for Brookhaven Town Supervisor
Stony Brook, NY – Local attorney, community leader, and U.S Navy Reserve officer, Jack Harrington, has launched a campaign committee to run for Brookhaven Town Supervisor.
Born and raised in Brookhaven Town, Harrington chairs of the International Regulatory and Compliance practice group at Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP in Ronkonkoma. Prior to joining Campolo, he was a Senior Associate at WilmerHale, LLP and served as an adjunct professor in the MBA program at Stony Brook University. Harrington has advised companies of all sizes, from small local businesses to Fortune 100 corporations. Harrington previously worked in the national security sector and serves as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Earlier in his career, he interned on the Senate Homeland Security Committee and in the White House Counsel’s Office.
Harrington noted that “I returned to Brookhaven years ago to raise a family, and I want my two-year-old son to be as proud as I am to have been born and raised in this community. We face several challenges in the years ahead and local government needs strong, principled, and effective leadership to ensure that we protect the middle class, preserve our environment, and bring high-paying jobs back to Brookhaven. Government exists to promote the interests of its residents; we must come together to build sustainable and vibrant communities where our young graduates can afford to set down roots. Brookhaven Town can and must do more to make government more accountable, more transparent, and a help—not a hindrance—to our small businesses and residents.”
Harrington is proud to have the support of local elected officials, including Suffolk County Legislators Rob Calarco, Kara Hahn, and Sarah Anker, and Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright. According to Calarco, “Jack is a proud product of this community. The son of a Three Village public school teacher, I know that Jack will serve the interests of all residents and work tirelessly every day to build a Town poised to seize the opportunities of the future.”
Since 2008, Harrington has been a Truman National Security Fellow. He co-founded the Linda Ross-Harrington Foundation, a local education non-profit and was recently named by the Long Island Business News as one of its “40 under 40.” Harrington attended Miller Place schools. He graduated with honors from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and received his M.A. in International Security from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Harrington earned his law degree from Yale where he was Editor-in-Chief of Yale Journal of International law. He lives in Stony Brook with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Jack Jr., and attends St. James Episcopal Church where he served as a member of the Church Vestry.
You Know What To Do!
Lee Zeldin's Patchogue office is (631) 289-1097. The vote on Trumpcare is expected to be held tomorrow.
Words of Wisdom from Rev. William Barber
Watch... Listen...
Brain Food from The Atlantic
Once in a while, I like to share an article or information that I think you might enjoy. Today it's an article from The Atlantic - How Democrats Killed Their Populist Soul.
The Democratic Party has a big tent. Yet over the years, we have lost touch with many people who the popular media labels as "working class whites."
Just last week, I was reading an article in which the author was addressing the need for Democrats to organize by going door-to-door in neighborhoods by talking to voters. Activists, the article stated, should "think of it as having deep Terry Gross conversations." Boy, did the underlying class bias of that sentence make my hair stand on end!
The article addresses the historical roots of those kind of assumptions. It's my hope that it broadens the way we think about our party and what we stand for. It's long but the intent is to encourage further discussion.
There are no easy answers to reshaping our party. There are no bumper sticker solutions or pithy posts on social media. And we shouldn't think that someone from Washington is going to provide those answers. It doesn't matter who the chairman of the DNC is or who staffs the offices of the DCCC.
We have to provide the answers.
Since we already know who we are against, it is now our responsibility to define what we stand for.
Check out the article here <- link opens in a new window
Lee Zeldin's Live on Facebook Tonight
UPDATE: An archive of Lee Zeldin's Facebook Live session can be found at the link listed below for those constituents interested to know which questions he chose to answer and also which ones (by their glaring absence) he probably avoided.----Here's an opportunity to ask Lee Zeldin why he voted to get rid of healthcare, to gut labor laws, and to line the pockets of the 1% even more!From Zeldin:
Tonight, at 7:30 PM, I will host my first Facebook Live session from Washington, D.C. on my Facebook page at Facebook.Com/RepLeeZeldin. During the Facebook Live session, I will provide an update from our nation's Capitol on my work in Congress and answer questions from constituents from the comfort of your own homes. NY-1 constituents can comment throughout the Facebook Live session and ask a question at any point. If you are interested in participating, please go to my Facebook page tonight at 7:30 PM. If you’re unable to participate, and would still like to submit a question, please submit one here.
I look forward to answering your questions!
That's Lee, always hiding!
Open Positions at Ronkonkoma and Seasonal Parks
From time to time, the BTDC is notified about private and government positions open in the area. We will be adding these listings to a special area of our website in the near future after we re-organize some things, but for now we're posting them here in case anyone is interested in applying. For any of these positions, you can follow instructions in the listings, or use the "Contact Us" button at the top of the page to get in touch, and we'll respond with more information. Maintenance Assistant - Ronkonkoma (two vacancies) - PDF Download
Seasonal Parks Positions - Excel Spreadsheet Download