Jack Davis’ “Crazy of the Day”
The Buffalo News has its profile of alleged Democrat Jack Davis up today, and boy, oh, boy - is it ever a doozy. Let’s summarize.
1. Farmers should bus black inner city youth out to the country to pick the fruit and veg and tend the animals.
“We have a huge unemployment problem with black youth in our cities,” Davis told the Tonawanda News recently. “Put them on buses, take them out there [to the farms] and pay them a decent wage; they will work.”
That elicited this response:
Henry L. Taylor, head of the Center for Urban Studies at the University at Buffalo, said: “I’m not so much offended by it as I recognize it as a very dangerous kind of suggestion that seeks to turn back the clock by creating a neo-peonage system.”
2. Illegal aliens are to the US what Quebecers are to Canada.
Reducing the number of illegal immigrants is key to protecting American culture from the divisiveness that has beset Canada, Davis said.
“Canada’s had a problem with its French-speaking people. That country’s almost split up,” Davis said. “Something like that could occur here.”
Not really. Quebec is among the last vestiges of New France (Louisiana, parts of the Maritimes, and St Pierre & Miquelon) being the other major non-Caribbean remains of that empire). Quebec’s francophones are natives of that area, and have retained their distinct culture for centuries, even when shunted to second-class citizen status; a status that is partly to blame for francophone talk of secession - something which hasn’t ever happened. In any event, it’s a facile and disingenuous comparison.
3. Davis wants to return to what he calls the pre-1930 funding of the federal government - no income tax, and an almost complete dependence on import tariffs. Gee, what happened in late 1929, again? Can someone help me out?
4. Davis wants to make Bush’s tax cuts permanent - the ones that disproportionately go to the wealthiest Americans, don’t do very much at all for the middle classes - the ones really smarting from higher costs of just about everything.
5. This is among my favorite quotes. With about 40+ million people not insured for health care, and even more with bad or inadequate coverage for catastrophic ailments, Jack Davis says:
Davis dismissed health care as among the “side issues” that he hasn’t focused on in the campaign
When asked whether he prefers Obama’s or McCain’s health plan, Davis replied, “I don’t know. We’ll see what works out in Congress.”
6. Davis things solar and wind energy are too expensive and unreliable, and instead calls for more drilling for oil, especially in Alaska, and for more nuclear power.
7. Humans have not contributed to global warming.
8. On the issue of the bribes to the wives of the chairmen of the Monroe and Erie County Independence Parties, Davis does what Davis always does for his political failures - he blames his campaign staff.
In Davis’ view, the hiring of the two politically wired wives was “an investment like I’ve invested in other things, to get elected,” Davis said.
But he also concedes it was a mistake. Asked if it was a staff decision or if he knew about it beforehand, Davis said: “It was a staff decision. I knew it. Sometimes you should know to not listen to your staff. Sometimes you live to regret not saying no.”
Trying to pay off a cop to get out of an infraction is also an “investment” in no jail time, I guess. Paying off a politician for a political favor is just another “investment”.
All in all, Davis shows just how out-of-touch he is with the problems facing America, and particularly its middle class. This profile underscores why he won’t debate his opponents. It has nothing to do with phony “pledges”; it has to do with the fact that Jack Davis is a Bush Republican who, whenever he opens his mouth, says very, very stupid and silly things.
Bucksmack Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:03 am
1. Should American blacks be excluded from an entire industry because of something that happened over a century ago? He’s right, there is a serious problem with unemployment among black urban youth… and if Davis were to have his way, farmers are going to have an even greater shortage of labor. Why not provide assistance in connection labor supply with labor demand?
3. The money supply expanded too rapidly, inflating stock and commodity prices (wohoo! roaring twenties!) to unsustainable levels (omg this sounds familiar!) and eventually the whole system came crashing down. Is that the answer you were looking for?
4. The overall tax burden still falls on the shoulders of the rich. Tax cuts don’t GIVE anything to taxpayers, they just take away less. What’s your point?
5. This issue shouldn’t even be discussed by people running for federal office.. this is not a federal issue. Maybe you all have a more up-to-date version of the constitution, but mine does not contain anything about health care in the list of enumerated powers. Again, silly me, I am probably looking at an old issue.
6. Why not open up drilling and let the market decide what the ‘cheapest’ options are? We can do that and still allow for reasonable environmental regulations, right?
Bucksmack Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:05 am
By the way.. you are a partisan political hack. Fuck you
Jim Allen Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Being a “Bush Republican” doesn’t make Jack Davis say stupid things; being a stupid, bigoted jerk does. He’s pathetic!
steve Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Because Davis is a monumental asshat doesn’t automatically disqualify everything he says. Solar and wind ARE too expensive and unreliable today, when compared to other long-standing generation technologies, making them only minor pieces of our overall energy puzzle. In fact, about the only thing that makes either remotely competitive is government subsidies. Remove the subsidy, and nobody builds a windmill.
More nuclear power (or “nucular” for those so inclined) would be at least as viable an option if the same government that so readily subsidizes other forms of generation would, once and for all, follow through on its promises to develop one fixed set of regulations for plant construction, operation and waste handling, rather than continually moving the bar.
@Bucksmack — “partisan political hack” Isn’t that redundant?
Byron Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Thanks, Bucksmack. Very illuminating.
Greg Says:September 4th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I see no problem with 1
it helps with an unemployment issue and it allows the farms to use citizens for labor
he didn’t say bus them out there to work for free as slaves
I think welfare recipients should have do something similar in exchange for their monthly gov’t handout
Haterade Says:September 4th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Oh my GOD ! I’m sure Davis probably wants those poor, downtrodden black youth to sit in the BACK of the bus too ! Imagine - the NERVE of him to suggest that they might be able to help with the alleged labor shortage in the agricultural industry. What a racist. It’s like slavery all over again !
Gimme a break.
mike hudson Says:September 4th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
wait, who’s a partisan political hack?!
RaChaCha Says:September 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Saw this in the B News today - OMG, it’s no wonder that his handlers have kept him out of the debates, if this is what comes out of his mouth.
The scariest thing is that he could have won 2 years ago.
I pray that my fine representative, Louise Slaughter, will never have to contemplate having this guy as a colleague.
mike Says:September 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
burke, how else we gonna keep up with China? We need slave’s or aleast more company stores/walmarts.
John Says:September 4th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Wow. Jack Davis thinks poor inner city=black. Not the case at all. If only he’d left out the word “black”, it would have sounded like a pretty good idea. But the way he said it, he sounds like just another condescending cracker jerk.
Is Hank telling him what to say, by any chance?
hudson likes drinky drink Says:September 4th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
buttsmack - i’m guessing you’re a republican… just like Davis.
if we use american citizens as opposed to labor visa’d immagrants, don’t forget we have to pay state minimum wage - driving food prices up so high no one could afford to eat.
by the way did Davis ever ask these “inner city youth” - who he assumes are black - if they wanted a job on the farms? if the idea was great (but isn’t) would it even work?
The Wizard Says:September 4th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Can’t wait til Tuesday! The day Davis and Hudson run off into the clouds as losers!!
mike hudson Says:September 4th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
what a low for my beloved democratic party. we now let jackoff’s writing under fake names to slander the reputations of actual democrats. pundit, you might think this is a great step foreward, citizen journalism and all. good luck with it.
Becky Says:September 4th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
In the olden days farmers used to send buses to the city to pick up those interested in working in agricultural areas. Not a new idea at all.
uppidty biotch Says:September 4th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
how well did that work out becky?
Davis wants to go back to the 1920’s… a time he’s more comfortable with in his youth.
hudson - does that mean you’re leaving us - or are you going to be a lying hypocrite like kryzan?
Byron Says:September 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Remember, only True Democrats think health care is a side issue!
Queen Carlotta Says:September 4th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
It was exciting to see former Congressman John LaFalce step up and speak out for Alice - the REAL Democrat in the race.
mike hudson Says:September 4th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
wanted to send a shout out to pundit/alan, who is an honorable man regardless of the fact that many of his posters are scum. last night, right before i went to bed, some phony-named piece of shit wrote in to say — on the behalf of john powers — that i was guilty of a felony crime relating to an imagined association i have with the jack davis campaign and that they would post evidence here at 10 a.m. today.
i haven’t been guilty of any felony crimes lately and know that no such evidence could possibly exist. so i called the bastard on it and he/she (but i think he) disappeared under a different name.
so — in general — this is the caliber of people who are supporting john powers, barack obama etc. here. phony cowards with big mouths until they get called on it.
then, i’d imagine, they retreat to mom’s cupboard looking for the cap’n crunch.
mike hudson Says:September 4th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
john lafalce is also a great man, carlotta. we worked together on several things. if you see him, please pass along my regards.
The Wizard Says:September 4th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Carlotta- The REAL Democrat….who gave $250 to Tom Reynolds and $1,000 to Pataki and defended corporate polluters!! Man, what a real Dem. she is.
Byron Says:September 4th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Uh - wasn’t Powers actually a registered Republican at one point?
Becky Says:September 4th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
@ubiotech - I had to remember where I read about it - “Coming of Age in Buffalo” by William Graebner:
“the war brought youth from the margins of a Depression-era economy into central roles as producers and consumers. 16 & 17 year olds, too young for military service, went to work…Several hundred members of the Butler=Mitchell Boys Club signed up to spend the summer of 1943 harvesting for area farmers while living at a Fresh Air Mission camp at Angola…”
There’s various references in the book, but the the main idea was two-fold: help the families, help the farmers.
I’m also aware that nobody cares, but there it is. That said, mentioning black youth as opposed to mere employment opportunities does make it sound a tad elitist. Maybe the “yutes” can work at Jack’s business.
Becky Says:September 4th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Hey Wizard - ever have a job that sort of dictated who you would donate to? Public records and all. Thought not. Also, lawyers working within someone else’s firm more or less represent who the boss tells them to, within their capabilities. She must have been highly thought of, as Hooker would have been a big client. Maybe Alice learned some interesting things in the process too.
uppidty biotch Says:September 4th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
hey becky - if she’ll make “business accomodations” and can’t stand up to a boss how will she stand up in congress? where everyone’s boss is the president? what if McCain wins, will she make business accomodations then?
Alice is just like Davis - she says she’ll “stay above the negative” then offers nothing but negative.
Alice = FAIL
Becky Says:September 4th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Politics = “Business Accommodations”
The Wizard Says:September 4th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Becky,
You have got to be kidding me. Thats the best you could come up with? That Alice was pressured into donating and couldn’t stand up to her MALE boss? lol. Some Congresswoman she would be!
Jon Splett Says:September 5th, 2008 at 1:39 am
So when Jon Powers was in the army, he stood up to leadership and said the war was stupid right?
If you can’t stand up to your boss when you’re holding a gun invading a country, how are you going to stand up to congress?
Becky Says:September 5th, 2008 at 4:58 am
The Real World sucks sometimes, Wizard…Also, in reality I didn’t write “male boss”.
Good one, Splett.
hank Says:September 5th, 2008 at 5:07 am
If you ever get a chance to rent the A&E special on Louisiana’s Angola Prison, the title is “THE FARM”, you’ll see an interesting interview with one of the inmates.
The inmate is 19 years old, black, and doing life without parole for homicide comitted in New Orleans. It’s his first day in population and he’s on a farm crew harvesting Onions.
The reporter asks him “Is this hard work compared to what you did before you came to Prison”
Inmate: “I don’t know, I never worked before today” Besides selling crack in New Orleans anyway.
Forget the “Black” —Just say “inner city poor”. If you can send these kids out to farms for weeks of backbreaking physical labor, they get paid and can go BUY something in a store instead of stealing it or robbing someone else for the money, I don’t see how it’s a loser.
Fresh Air and Hard work never killed anyone. I’ve got farmers all around me in their 90’s while the obituaries routinely show people dying in their late 40’s- early 50’s.
And young kids find out just what the hell a hard day’s work is. Just might give them the idea to stop fucking off and go to school and get an education so they don’t have to do that kind of work–yeah, that’s a bad thing too.
As for Powers not telling the Army he thought the war was stupid, Well even if you feel that way, you can’t say anything. You volunteered, and took an oath to obey orders. That means when they say “time to go”, all you say is “Where to, Sir?” and you go and do what they tell you to do.
I disagreed strongly with Reagan about Lebanon. Not because MY ass was the one on the line, I just didn’t see where we had an interest in the struggle. The Jews as a people have been fighting with the Arabs since the Bible was written, and the USA wasn’t going to stop it. We lost over 300 good young Marines and Soldiers over there in the 80’s, and it accomplished nothing. But when it’s time to go, you say Yes Sir and you go.
I’m now Powers fan, but I am a realist.
uppidty biotch Says:September 5th, 2008 at 6:54 am
you’re going to compare military service in a foreign country - where they jail your for insubordination in a military prison - to saying sorry boss I can’t give a few hundred bucks to your buddy after we just defending the company responsible for love canal? Why didn’t Alice stand up and say - hey these fine citizens of love canal aren’t hysterical hooker chemical did the wrong thing —
oh wait no she decided to be the “reverse Erin Brochovick”
with that logic no wonder you’re voting for davis/kryzan.
Loved Davis’ reason for no endorsements today in the buffalo news:
“Jack’s running an independent campaign right now, and we haven’t sought endorsements yet,” said Joy Langley, his campaign spokesperson.
That’s bullshit - he asked all 7 counties to endorse him. I’m in the UAW union and he asked for our endorsement too.
alice's resturant Says:September 5th, 2008 at 7:01 am
Love the photos on Alice’s webpage showing her major press release of lafalce’s endorsement — no one showed up!
even the guy who endorsed her (a fellow lawyer) praised Powers, and her lovely press release in the Buffalo news shows how much more support Powers has - including CURRENT members of congress, the 7 counties, and higher up’s from the military who did stand out against the war.
kryzan’s been slamming Powers for getting endorsements from members of congress - and then turns around and waves an endorsement from a member of congress! what a complete bitch.
splett - what did you want Powers to do shoot his boss? you’re obviously retarded.
mike hudson Says:September 5th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
if davis and kryzan are so bad, why is powers going to lose?
hudson likes drinky drink Says:September 5th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
hudson -
someone asked if Powers wins will you put a big “I was wrong Powers Won” or soemthing along those lines on your blog will you?
mike hudson Says:September 5th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
i don’t have a blog, asshole.
In other news, the National Organization for Women just endorsed Alice Kryzan.
Amherst, NY – Today, the National Organization for Women Political Action Committee announced its endorsement of Alice Kryzan, Democratic candidate for the 26th Congressional
District.
Kim Gandy, Chair of the National Organization for Women PAC, highlighted Alice’s tremendous work on behalf of women;
“Alice has been working to break barriers and advocate for women her whole life. Alice will be a champion for women when she goes to Congress and we look forward to working with her to improve the lives of women and families.”