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It
has been said by Will Rogers that "We don't belong to an organized
political party, we're Democrats." And later, another great Democrat
said, "If the Democratic Party was in France, it would be five
parties."Maybe these men were right, but we believe that this is our
great strength - our ability to hold a variety of opinions on a topic
without being exclusionary or divisive.We are indeed a great tent where
people with many varying views can come together and exchange ideas and
work toward the common goal of caring for people by providing GOOD
GOVERNMENT. We respect each others differences, and celebrate the
variety of life experiences which have helped to create the dazzling
mosaic that is the Democratic Party. Individually, we may not have it
all, but TOGETHER we have the keys to successful governing. We hope
that this website will provide an interesting introduction to our Party
and that through it you may be intrigued enough to perhaps join us at
our monthly meetings or on the Campaign Trail OR BOTH.
Mary
Collins, Chair
| New York State Board of Elections Updates Website |
The
New York State Board of Elections has a new, user friendly website. It
is a one-stop destination for anything you need to know about the
election process in an easy to navigate format. Individuals can
look up their voter registration to find their polling place,
what ED, AD, SD they belong in, and their party affiliation (hopefully
Democrat). Not registered to vote? You can download the form needed and
follow the information given to qualify. You can also apply for a
military or absentee ballot online. Potential candidates will
find information to comply with election law and get on the
ballot. Past election results, enrollment stats, important dates
and more can also be found here. Point your browser to www.elections.state.ny.us and have a look.
note:
The SBOE has released the Official 2008 Political Calendar. To download your copy, please click here (pdf).
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| An open letter from
Congressman Steve Israel |
Dear Friend,
In less than one year, television stations across the country will be making
a monumental switch from analog to digital television service. If you are a
cable or satellite user, you will not be affected by
this transition. However, if you are among the 70 million households who do not
subscribe to these services, you will most likely need a converter box in order
to use your television. One telltale sign that you may be affected is if you
receive your television signal over-the-air, using a traditional rooftop
antenna, or one with “rabbit ears.” If this is the case, you need to purchase a
"digital to analog converter box" by February 17, 2009. Two $40 coupons are
available to every household in order to help offset the cost of these
converters.
To obtain your coupons, please call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009) or go to
www.dtv2009.gov.
I also recommend that you check out the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website
at http://energycommerce.house.gov/digitalTV/index.shtml
for a step-by-step guide on hooking up your converter box.
While this transition may cause a slight headache- there is a positive side.
Digital television will mean more channels, in addition to an enhanced image and
improved sound quality. Some of the channels that are currently used by analog
television stations will now be freed up for wireless service, and improved
public safety communications- a key recommendation of the 9/11 commission.
Please be sure to notify family, friends, and neighbors who may be affected
by this transition. I urge you not to wait until next year to make the change.
Welcome February 19, 2009, as a milestone in broadcasting history, instead of
spending the day scrambling to fix your TV.
Sincerely,
Steve Israel
Member of Congress
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