 Click Here to have Richard speak to your group. Click Here to join Richard's mailing list. Click Here to send an email to the Republican Party supporting Richard.   A government website, www.recovery.gov, reveals the "stimulus" money spent so far, from the bill our representative voted for. Here are the projects that were supposed to create jobs in our District: $11,150,000 awarded to a Colorado company for a project in Port Jefferson. $286,000 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Patchogue. $69,067 awarded to a Rhode Island company for a project in Shirley. $414,250 awarded to a Syracuse company for a projectin Holtsville. $485,560 awarded to a Syracuse company for a project in Shirley. $133,351 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Shirley. $49,723 awarded to a Massachusetts company for a project in Patchogue. $1,196,484 awarded to a South Carolina company for a project in Calverton. $997,273 awarded to an Illinois company for a project in Shinnecock. Since I first posted these awards, recovery.gov has changed the organization of the website, providing far less detail. Some of the awards listed above have miraculously disappeared from the site altogether. Luckily, I saved and posted screenshots before they took the information down. Please CLICK HERE to see screenshots of the awards as they were displayed on the old recovery.gov.  Dangerous Declassifying The incumbent administration has declassified information pertaining to the interrogation of terrorist prisoners. In doing so, they expose the techniques used and other scenario details, which could seriously degrade our ability to obtain information in the future. At the very least, declassifying this material prepares future detainees for what their experience with our intelligence gatherers might be like. I, for one, am outraged at the flagrant disregard for the safety of the American people displayed by the incumbent administration. The protection of Americans is the duty and honor of every Federal official, not just the military. I call on Congress to show it's extreme displeasure with such capricious declassification, initially with a resolution, followed by more binding measures. Do We Need ANOTHER Government Health Plan? We're often given the impression that there's nowhere to turn for people without health insurance, yet New York State lists no less than 25 public health insurance programs whose availability is based on one's individual situation. See for yourself on their website http://www.health.state.ny.us/health_care/ Also, New York State's booklet, "Consumer Guide to Health Insurers" describes "Insurance Options for Uninsured New Yorkers" on page 41. Click Here for Richard's take on health care.  Raising taxes will create jobs; Making oil more expensive will change the weather; There are 47 million U.S. citizens without health insurance; Borrowing money from China will end the recession; Solar electricity is dependable; Pressuring Israel will change Hamas and Hezzbolah; Exposing CIA files makes us safer; Awards to out-of-state companies stimulate our local economy; Government health insurance will save money; Saying "Please" will stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program... Then you're just the voter the incumbent is wishing for! But, if you know better, then you're just the person to help defeat him! Please feel free to send your questions, comments, and advice to richard(at)shouldirun.com Thanks! Rich |
 Why a Nobody, Who Never Held Office, Should Run for Congress What a Good Rep Can Do for Commercial Fishing in Our District Not long ago, I noticed an aquaintance of mine going through a pile of forms as we both waited for our kids in the park. She usually brought a book to read, so I became curious and asked if she was some kind of bookkeeper. She told me they were forms that her husband, a commercial fisherman, needed to complete for the government. Then she told me why she and her husband were discouraging their son from going into the family profession, even hoping he'd hate it. It seems the government was making sure that there is little future for commercial fishing on Long Island. I did some research. Commercial fishing on Long Island, specifically in the First Congressional District is a time honored, valuable industry, benefiting not only the people involved directly in catching the fish, but all of the other related industries that provide jobs and income to our area. Right now, because of fishing limits imposed to prevent over-fishing, the industry is challenged on two fronts. First, an inefficient State rule limits the daily catch, instead of counting up the weekly catch. This means that the boats are forced to go out each day to fish to the limit, using lots more fuel, time, and personnel, while a weekly limit might only take a day or two fill, saving the industry a fortune. The daily rule is a State matter and I would urge our State Government to take action to fix this as soon as possible. The second front, however, is a Federal matter that should be addressed in the House and Senate. The Federal Government sets the limits with something called catch ratios. The ratios determine how much the fleets from each state are permitted to catch. The catch ratios are extremly unfair to the New York fleet and boats from neighboring states often come to the waters off our shores, hauling in many more fish than our boats are permitted to catch. The catch ratios must be re-negotiated in order to save our industry. This needs to be a top priority for the Congressional Representative who is supposed to represent the interests of our local industries. It's just another example of how smart planning starts with an existing strength and, without spending a dime, a little action can bring added prosperity to our District. Help Offer a Real Alternative... Please send an email to the Suffolk County Republican Committee to express your support for Richard Blumenthal as they consider who will be the candidate in the 2010 congressional election. Click here to send your email. Or, if you a use a web-based email like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL, please send an email expressing your support for Richard Blumenthal to office@suffolkrepublicans.com Thanks so much for your help! Richard © 2009 Richard Blumenthal |
