Howie Hawkins is best choice for governor

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Rochester City Newspaper
by Thomas R. Janowski
October 19, 2010 

How often does the general public in New York State hear a candidate for elected office speak intelligently about the problems facing us and the solutions to correct them? Often, a candidate like Carl Paladino hides behind insane ideas and outrageous behavior to distract from the true issues, while a candidate like Andrew Cuomo hides behind his frontrunner status to dodge questions and avoid offering specific plans for solving our problems.

I am one of so many voters who are fed up. I am fed up with Democrats, Republicans, incumbents, and the game of politics everyone seems to play. But when I stop and examine the issues important to me - and this year it is hydrofracking - the path becomes clear.

There is another candidate for governor of New York. If you want to use your vote to send a strong and clear message that you are fed up, you can cast a vote for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and you will be voting for the best candidate running.

Hydrofracking and the NY gubernatorial race

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Democrat and Chronicle
Thomas R. Janowski
September 19, 2010

Something so twisted is going on in the minds of voters these days. Hope and change and hope for change have altered the thinking of even the most progressive and liberal among us—and not in a good way.

The “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore” anger of the Bush years has been replaced by the “I've sipped the Kool-Aid” and everything Obama and the Democrats are doing is just fine with me. In New York State this year, that mentality will have extremely serious consequences.

The issue is hydrofracking—and money and corporate interests. Hydrofracking is the process in which water, sand and a host of chemicals are blasted into the ground to break up shale that is trapping natural gas. It sounds relatively safe until one realizes the type of chemicals used. In the past it was benzene and more recently it has been diesel fuel. If those chemicals are spilled on a city street, a HAZMAT team is called to clean it up. So how can this process be safe?

This is where the race for governor in New York State comes into play. The heir apparent, Andrew Cuomo, simply says we need to wait for an EPA study to be completed before we will know whether hydrofracking in New York can be done safely or not. Those of us totally opposed to fracking are accused of hysteria and a rush to judgment.

Are we going to trust the EPA and Andrew Cuomo to do what is truly right for the environment of New York? We already know we cannot trust corporate America—think Love Canal. I have no doubt that hydrofracking will be found safe. After all, we already know that nuclear energy is safe, right? We know that coal mining is safe, right? We know drilling for oil is safe, right?

Just like it is supposedly “Andrew Cuomo's time” to be governor, it may be New York's time to pay dearly for energy. After all, we've all benefited from the destruction of parts of West Virginia so we can enjoy some coal-generated power, right? We've sat by and watched the Gulf of Mexico's environment be destroyed after years of enjoying its oil. So it must be New York's time to destroy its environment for the good of others, right? If Sarah Palin is willing to sacrifice Alaska, we should be willing to sacrifice New York, right?

Natural gas may be one of the cleanest fuels currently available, but are we really going to give into the idea that the dirty process of extracting it is OK? Are we really that desperate for energy that we would rather destroy rivers and streams in New York instead of using conservation policies? Are we going to allow corporate America and their political enablers to put hydrofracking ahead of solar and wind power? Is that the direction we are willing to go at this time?

Americans talk a good game. Sometimes with Democrats their game is all talk and there is no real action. The political process is a game in which be believe we take a step forward when we elect someone, but then, sadly, realize we have often taken several steps back. It's a sad game and yet, so many are willing to play it.

There is a candidate for governor who is against hydrofracking—Green Party's Howie Hawkins. If you can vote for Andrew Cuomo with a clear conscience, then you should do that. If hydrofracking happens in New York State, I will blame YOU—the voter—because you do have the power and you repeatedly fail to use it wisely.

Hawkins can bring us a green New Deal

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Syracuse Post-Standard
September 3, 2010

To the Editor:

With national unemployment levels at between nine and 10 percent, we are in need of jobs. A green stimulus would create more jobs than our endeavors to further subsidize and exploit fossil fuels.

Studies have shown that retrofitting buildings, expanding mass transit, constructing smart energy grids and expanding wind-solar-biofuels would create 17 jobs per $1 million investment. Fossil fuels will create five jobs per $1 million investment. We would create roughly three times as many jobs with a green stimulus.

I will be paying attention to candidates who are in favor of a green New Deal in November.

Gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins of the New York Green Party is on top of this issue and is my choice.

Neal Pritchard
Corning