Lighthouse v. Wigwam

After receiving recognition and approval by the Federal government the

Shinnecock Indians are shopping around for a location upon which to build a casino.

I usually don’t like to join the ‘nimby’ crowd because they are usually driven by hypocritical standards but this is one time I must give in.  But I am doing so not for mere personal reasons.

For a decade or so Nassau Coliseum and their tenant hockey team has been a blight on the area.  Neither has gone through a badly needed make-over in years.

But a sort of knight in somewhat self-serving armor recently appeared on the scene.  Charles Wang, the suffering owner of the Islanders offered a wonderful and viable solution to the problem.  He proposed the transformation of the decaying land that makes up the coliseum and its environs into a Mecca showplace to be known as “The Lighthouse.”

Admittedly his original plans were for a lager than life mini-city that could also turn the already busy Meadowbrook/Hempstead Turnpike into a traffic nightmare.

But with proper planning the benefits of the Lighthouse would far outweigh the drawbacks.
The number of jobs a project of this magnitude would produce in this terribly depressed market could make it worthwhile on its own.

But for some reason the local edition of the Nations ‘Party of No’ currently controlled by the ubiquitous Kate Murray has blocked every attempt to break ground.  Citing reason after ridiculous reason the Hempstead Town Supervisor and her wrecking crew have effectively turned the once great vision of a towering achievement into a farcical monumental inferno.

Now enter the Shinnecock tribe from the far east, of Long Island that is.  Their number one choice of location for a casino that will benefit the tribe and most likely any politician who smokes a peace pipe with them is, you guessed it, the Nassau Coliseum.

In one fell swoop it all becomes clear.  All the protestations about traffic concerns and bringing the area down goes out the wigwam and the true stinking greed of the politicians involved stands before us naked and unabashed.

Does anyone feel a casino will be good for traffic flow?

Does anyone feel the surrounding area will be beautified by its addition?

Does anyone know what it looks like two blocks off the boardwalk of Atlantic City?

Does anyone think Hempstead, and by that I mean the residents who pay taxes not the politicians, will see a dime of benefit from the casino business?

And I would have reservations about the future health of the businesses around the casino.  May I suggest they don’t request increases on their deliveries of cigarettes, liquor or any commodity for that matter.

Two very different goals are being pursued.  The Indian casino will become a Shinnecock Nation destination and Mr. Wang and company will be looking for places to build up in Kansas City.  In the end both will score big.  And in the end we will be shut out.

If you live in the Hempstead area expect to see an increase in mailers sporting the smiling chubby face of Kate Murray touting all the good things she is doing.

Well at least she and her ilk are supporting the local post office albeit with our tax dollars.

Crime Doesn't Pay

That is what we’ve been told all our lives. The reason is simply that when caught the criminal loses more than he gained in the first place.

That appears to be true for the most part. Even the so-called greatest Ponzi schemer of our time, Bernard Madoff is most likely going to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

But what about the criminals that do not get caught? Are they doomed to a Dostoyevsky like life of fear? Will they forever be looking over their shoulder unable to enjoy their ill-gotten gains?

I guess we will never know the answer to that since by definition they have not been caught.

But a small group of quasi criminals have found a novel way to steal from all of us and not be brought to justice. They live out in the open in every community across America. We see their faces in the papers and on television every day. They are our elected officials.

With the economy in the proverbial toilet a worker lucky enough to still have a job knows that if he does not live up to expectations he will be fired. But our politicians have been asleep at the switch for quite a while now and they reward themselves with raises!

Last week a Nassau County Republican, Mr. Peter Schmitt of Massapequa, who had run on a ticket of fiscal responsibility and cutbacks agreed to cut back his self approved 47% raise amidst public outrage.

But he is not alone in his belief that he was elected to do anything he pleases. It was revealed that just about every politician across Long Island has their finger in our pockets for jobs not well done!

With self raises of anywhere from 5% to a whopping 10½% politicians from both sides of the political aisle are raping us every day. Where shall this money come from? Since our elected officials produce no product their only source of income is the tax table.

Not one week goes by without those annoying self promoting fliers arriving in my mailbox from a Kate Murray or a Donald Clavin. These mailers telling me how wonderful these politicians are cost money – OUR MONEY - MY MONEY!

I am certain anyone who wishes to look into their own local government will find much of the same going on. Politics is known as "the art of the possible." All politicians realize the possibilities inherent in the system and almost all of them pad their pockets as a result.

With warnings of budget deficits and necessary rollbacks of services how can we allow these people who have clearly not done a good job to receive raises? And just as importantly how can they justify taking them?

I guess my original premise was wrong. Crime does pay. After all, to paraphrase Richard Nixon it's not against the law if it's committed by the law makers!