Rant time

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060607/1046457.asp

I'm currently in Bethelehem, PA taking part in a German transcription seminar. I wanted to write about the incredible scenery here in the Lehigh valley, but decided to hold off on that in favor of a rant.

You see, today I went online to read the front page of the Buffalo News. Although I no longer live there, Buffalo is still my home, and I like to keep abreast of what's going on back there. That was when I read the article linked above, about an ongoing political dispute in my home town of Amherst involving the Town Supervisor Satish Mohan and the town board, who appear hell bent on doing everything to deep six Mohan.

So, now its rant time. Local politics is never pretty, and often involves petty disputes, political machines and obscene amounts of corruption. Sadly, Amherst is no exception. Mohan was elected on the republican ticket, but is far removed from the republican party machine. As a result, politicians on both sides of the spectrum have stonewalled his every attempt at reform, preferring to line their own pockets, and preserve their own patronage networks rather than do what is best for the people of Amherst.

Unsurprisingly the article highlights Councilmen Dan Ward and Bill Kindell as two of Mohan's most outspoken critics. Ward and Kindell are both careerist political hacks who are more concerned for their own survivial and the preservation of their own patronage networks than they are with doing what is right for Amherst. Mohan highlighted the lack of accountability with the use of town automobiles. Kindel blew this off as barely a dent in the town's almost $5 million dollar budget shortfall. He fails to see though that it is just this line of reasoning, blatant disregard for responsiblity, that has led Amherst to the position it is. Maybe gas prices do not amount to that much, but attempting to account for town auto usage indicates that our elected officials are responsible and accountable.

Both Kindel and Ward claim that Amherst is not suffering from a budget shortfall, and that unless concrete proof is provided, action should not be taken. I however think they are all to happy to ride the cash cow for all its worth, and then once the town really hits dire straits, both will resign their positions and either slip into obscurity, or secure some other political patronage job. They made the problem, but it will be the people of Amherst who need to clean it up.

Therefore, to the oh-so large number of people who read my blog and can vote in Amherst elections, I urge you to take a stand, back Mohan and vote out the political hacks Ward and Kindel. They have proved they are not worthy of the public's trust.