We know a certain local blogger and would be Journalist fancies himself a "King Maker." But shouldn't he get his facts straight? He has bent over backwards to help 4th string candidate Bill Schmidt become mayor of Peekskill, but he doesn't even know Schmidt's position on immigration. He happily attacks Gov. Spitzer for wanting to issue a Drivers License to illegal immigrant. Ignoring the fact that providing them with a photo ID would make it easier for police to identify dangerous individual and act accordingly. His candidate Bill Schmidt would go much further and offer them much, much more. This is an excerpt from the March 7th, 2006 issue of Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usimmi074653228mar07,0,7870205.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-print
Bill Schmidt, a councilman from Peekskill, feared the guest-worker program would create a tier of second-class citizens. "If there is a labor shortage in the United States that can't be filled by American citizens and we want to bring people from other countries to fill that void, why wouldn't you want to do it in such a way as that they would ultimately become citizens so they fully integrate with our country's values and lifestyle?" Sounds like someone who supports immigration to us. Similarly, prior to his running for mayor Mr. Schmidt supported Jan Peek House.
Mr. Schmidt, for what do you stand? Do you only hate immigrants and homeless veterans now that you are running for mayor? Do you have one ounce of integrity in your body? Is there anything that might jump start your conscious and cause you to shut down your hate machine and win or lose this election based on the merits of your record and ideas?
The short answer is no, and it's just one more reason that Bill Schmidt is running at break neck speed away from his record and courting the Libertarians and Independents of Peekskill First.
Now that Schmidt has been abandoned by his republican base he has been forced to cozy up to the nouveau riche, we got ours, to hell with yours, newcomers of Peekskill First. These people are easily frightened. A scratch to their artsy, liberal, compassionate veneer reveals their insecurity, distrust and contempt for anyone different, less fortunate or browner than them. Yes, yes, we know, you have a hispanic and an african american member. We bet you brag about knowing them at cocktail parties.
What their over producted and factually flawed 7 page mailer does not tell the citizen of Peekskill is that all but three of these would be erudites live within three blocks of each other on Nelson Ave. in their giant Queen Anne Victorians. They don't care about the rest of us. One of their founding members, Barbara LoPrete even admits, "Sure, progress in Peekskill is slow." But is she willing to bid farewell to a council majority that has constantly shortchanged the majority of Peekskillians, NO! Lemmings like continuity, even if it means taking the entire city over a cliff with them.
