Arcuri's flip flop

[lioneljoe]

Interesting take from Larry on the impact on Arcuir's health care vote flip flop. www.gothamcitynews.com/?p=612

I have to ask Larry... are you in favor of the Obamacare health bill? Personally, I feel I am over taxed right now. I just paid 12,000 in federal income taxes and that doesn't include state and local property taxes, medicare, Social Security, ect. Just how much more should my share of the tax burden I should take on? It's so frustrating, thatI fantasize about quitting my job at the Rome Lab and just living off my Army retirement. I mean, what's the point of working hard to try to get ahead if I just hand more and more of it over to the government? All I see from Obamacare is another opportunity for the government to redistribute the fruits of my hard work to those who “need it”. What happens when people like me either decide to leave this area or quite working so hard and join those who stand with their hand out? Who is the government going to tax then?

[Swimmy]

Well, according to larry, I "don't have a frigging clue."

It is about time arcuri followed the majority of his constituents rather than party lines like larry would have him do!

[stoney]

Hell, Larry didn't like him when Arcuri DID vote for the healthcare bill the 1st time around. Except he did support him 2 years ago but not anymore.

Talk about flip-flopping...

[Clipper]

Nobody has ever encouraged or backed Larry anymore than I have Swimmy, but I have to admit that I think his political ambitions have over ran his principles is his scramble to find his place in local politics.

I loved the fact that he kept the board of legislators on their toes and disrupted some of the "good old boy" crap that was going on there. Somewhere between then and now, he seems to have lost that focus and is struggling to find the direction that will salvage his career in politics.

I am disappointed in the direction that his career is taking and in some of the strange shit that he posts on the social networks. He is rapidly losing one of his greatest fans with his rants against people like yourself that had in the past supported him on issues of importance.

I knew that he would find resistance in his re-election bid, but I was really surprised that the election went to Hendrick's, who was a do nothing legislator in his first term. I really doubted that the people of his district would put him back in office. I wonder what it cost the party, to silence the turmoil that Larry brought about in exposing some of the garbage that went on within both parties.

I found Larry to be an ambitious and charismatic young man that was truly dedicated to a cause. Unfortunately, one lost election has sent him off in a panicky whirlwind that is rapidly diminishing my support for him. Some of the crap that is posted on FB and his blog are not doing his cause any good. I don't know if he were on a ballot today if I would vote for him, and just a few days ago I was encouraging him to launch a primary campaign. I am disappointed to see that he could abandon his persona that was all about doing the bidding of his constituents, and is backing the party line on the healthcare issue which flies in the face of that bidding.

He is standing behind the party doing just exactly what he was so against in the board rooms of the county legislature, except in this case it is on a much larger stage and with much more serious consequences. Pushing stuff through with underhanded and desperate means, closed door meetings, behind the scenes dealings, and by calling in, and passing out favors in payment for votes.

I guess I would simply like to see the "old larry" calm down and take a good look at where he is going. It is not a pretty picture that I see in his political future. His language alone on FB would turn off the average voter if they read it. I think his best bet would be to sit back, chill, and step out carefully and stay the hell off the social networks with the rants and fence jumping. He attacks Arcuri for doing just what he condoned in himself, and that is voting in favor of what is desired by the voters in the district.
Personally I have only now gained a small amount of respect for Arcuri. I was never impressed with the man. He seems to finally be growing a set of cayunes.

[stoney]

I've never read his Facebook & have no interest in doing so. But is he slamming Swimmy or something?

[Clipper]

Let's just say there is some "heated exchanges" between the two of them, and I favor Swimmy's stand as opposed to the way Larry has responded. Don't get me wrong. I like Larry, but I think he is taking a wrong road and will pay for it politically, and in lost friends and supporters. If it were on here, I may have very well locked the thread yesterday when it got personal and nasty. I guess that is an advantage to FB. One can let it all hang out without interference or moderation.

[stoney]

I sent you a PM, Clip, because I just had to say this!!!

[Swimmy]

Clipper, at one time I was square in his corner of support. But when he suddenly fell silent on the Oneida Indian Nation issues after I pointed out the many fallacies in his commentary, with support to back it up, I lost all respect for him. I have no sympathy for his losing his re-election when he could not even be bothered to properly educate himself on the issue of the Oneidas. Instead, he chose to quote uce rhetoric that has been dispelled for years!

Then to tell me I don't have a clue because he does not like being called what he as become: a blind partisan politician. Well, let's just say, I'm glad he lost. And to think I felt bad that he did, at one time. I told him several times that I would support him for a run at county executive, but not anymore, not for a follower.

[Clipper]

I was disappointed when Larry Jr "cut and run" from here the minute that we all didn't agree with him, and support his opinion. When the discussion got heated, he deleted his account. I thought he had more balls than that. I sent him a email and told him so. I thought that we had supported and respected him here on the forum, and to just up and leave, was to me, a kick in the teeth of those of us who supported him and cheered him on.

Then in reading his blogs and Facebook postings, I have grown to wonder where the hell it is all going. He has lost all direction. He went against the party line as a legislator, flying in the face of the old guard and party leaders. When the party abandoned him and insured that he was not re-elected, he seems to have decided to be a "straight down the line" partisan democrat. A straight, party line, Democrat, and yet supports Hanna against Arcuri? Hmm. Needs to make up his mind I think.

The ironic thing is that I never cared for Arcuri because I always thought that he only voted as he was pressured to vote by party leaders in congress. NOW he is stepping to the plate and voting the way his constituents want for a change, and LARRY has gone the other way, spouting the party line rhetoric and attacking Arcuri. Go figure.

If you still read this forum Larry, go back to the old Larry and get your head out of your ass. Sucking up to party leaders is too little too late. You chose to challenge and oppose the old guard, both Republican AND Democrat while you were in office, and now you are confused and hurt because you have alienated the party. If you want to back Hanna and diss Arcuri, do so as an Independent. It doesn't work when you try to do it and still hint at being a loyal Democrat.

I would only suggest sitting back, getting a non political job, chilling for a few years, and only then, after a sabbatical from politics, maybe take a run at a local office. I honestly feel badly for the young man. Maybe go back and finish college and get a degree. I am sad that his political career came off the launch pad like a vanguard rocket, only to go down range, crash and burn after one term in office.

I am really confused. I read his blogs about supporting Hanna for congress, and yet he professes to be an Obama loving Democrat. Isn't a Dempcrat. sucking up to a Republican, Independent and Conservative candidate, in hopes of redefining his own political career and garnering the support of Hanna, kind of like showing up at the Airport with a train ticket???

[stoney]

I said a lot of the same things ages ago on here, & everybody jumped on my ass. But I can understand you want to give someone the benefit of the doubt, I suppose.

[Clipper]

Some of us could remember the history from the "other" forum Stoney, LOL. I know there was no love lost there by either party, hahaha. Benefit of the doubt is exactly what it is. I like Larry, but I think he has taken a wrong turn and I am simply disappointed in the direction that he has chosen to go. That doesn't make me right. It is simply my opinion. I would like nothing better than for him to prove me wrong and be successful and grounded once more. It simply doesn't seem right to me, for him to abandon a whole group of people that supported him, cheered him on, and defended him against those that opposed him. That is sad. I may be the only one that is somewhat insulted by the lack of consideration he showed his "friends" here at the corner, but I doubt it.

[stoney]

Au contrare, mon frare (apologies to the French): This has zero to do with the old Utica board. This is just my opinion based on what I have seen for a loo-o-oo-ong time now.

Maybe it has to do with me being a Social Worker & dealing with people for years, or maybe I'm just too cynical. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt, too, thinking maybe someone was feeding me crap. Christ, I can't get anymore objective than I am but I still keep coming up with the same conclusion that I did ages ago which makes me believe I was right all along.

[Swimmy]

I think you were. I noticed that he often disappeared from here when he was asked difficult questions he did not want to answer or deal with. And his constant derogatory remarks about Republicans without acknowledging that his precious Democrats are also at fault for the county's troubles lead me to believe he was not the independent thinker he tried so hard to swindle us into believing.

[stoney]

He left the board after I pointed out that he contributed to Arcuri's campaign in 2008. He acknowledged that he did (& also contributed to Distito's campaign) & then deleted himself. I have no idea why, but think you are right.

[stoney]

Mar 20, 2010 7:10:38 GMT -5 lioneljoe said:

Interesting take from Larry on the impact on Arcuir's health care vote flip flop. www.gothamcitynews.com/?p=612

I have to ask Larry... are you in favor of the Obamacare health bill? Personally, I feel I am over taxed right now. I just paid 12,000 in federal income taxes and that doesn't include state and local property taxes, medicare, Social Security, ect. Just how much more should my share of the tax burden I should take on? It's so frustrating, thatI fantasize about quitting my job at the Rome Lab and just living off my Army retirement. I mean, what's the point of working hard to try to get ahead if I just hand more and more of it over to the government? All I see from Obamacare is another opportunity for the government to redistribute the fruits of my hard work to those who “need it”. What happens when people like me either decide to leave this area or quite working so hard and join those who stand with their hand out? Who is the government going to tax then?

Lioneljoe, from what I understand only individuals who make more that $200,000 per year will see a tax increase.