In an attempt to tap into the irrational, but very real sense of frustration over this area’s continued decline, Mr. Esmonde seeks to attribute the draconian, austerity being imposed upon the community, not to the corrupt power structure of which the Buffalo News is an integral component, but to the community’s unarticulated desire, not just for lower taxes, but for a Republican economic and social agenda, as well.

Cuts to social services and police protection in this worldview might be painful for some, but they are somehow “correct.” The only thing that is certainly correct here is the assumption that the pain will be felt disproportionately by the poor.

Perhaps Esmonde is correct in his “rightness” that we, as a society, no longer believe in the concept of social justice. We no longer really care about the most vulnerable members of our society. We simply and self-righteously blame them for the very condition under which they suffer. We don’t seem to care about the human rights abuses committed in the name of our country, because we are, after all, a nation at war with the concept of terror.

Perhaps a revolution is, indeed, under way. If so, it is a revolution in which the mainly white middle class of our society actively supports an agenda that is not in its best interest. Dismantling the social safety net is not in the interest of the middle class because in terms of social mobility, it is more likely that a middle class person will experience some sort of financial privation in their lifetimes as opposed to having to worry about the accounting problems associated with being in the top one percent tax bracket of wealthiest Americans.

Even if the proposed Erie County sales tax increase had been passed to avert this crisis, it was a flat tax. Flat taxes have a more harmful effect on the poor, than on the wealthy. On the national stage, the push to privatize social security holds far more risk for the poor. The risks of allowing basic governmental services to lapse and putting social security into the stock market are radical, not conservative. Revolutionary consciousness does indeed tend to be radical, and this revolution is nothing if it is not radical.

The new political economy championed by Pataki is an unprecedented expansion of gambling, statewide, a radical program, indeed. We’ve been programmed into thinking of the new Republican hegemony as being inextricably bound to the Christian right, and yet what could be more blatantly anti-Christian that targeting the poor and weak of society in such a deliberate fashion?

Every revolution needs its Murat, and this revolution has no shortage in the propaganda department. If we look at the career of Donn Esmonde, we see that he pretty consistently supports the Pro-Pataki bias of his editors. From the Rigases to the billion dollar Superzoo, Esmonde has been proven to be way off base on many important issues but he is never held accountable, nor does he seem to take responsibility for the effect his words have on others.

He attacks unions and yet benefits from the protection of one himself. Like Murat, Esmonde is a true believer in the revolution. He seems to cares only for the intensity of emotional fervor, while remaining oblivious to the negative impacts of his smug, almost sadistic satisfaction with the firing of so many County workers. Does it ever occur to him that many of these workers are, in fact well qualified and competent? Does he realize that many of them will vote with their feet, leave Western New York and take their middle class incomes and children with them? Apparently not.

Esmonde’s article came out in the very same issue of The Buffalo News that featured a report on Joel Giambra’s decision to give a green light to the controversial Bass Pro deal. Even Esmonde was able to recognize that Bass Pro was a bad deal for the city. Of course, that was last year and the pressure is really mounting on Pataki to “get things done.”

So as Esmonde celebrates the suffering of Erie County, we read in the same paper, in the same issue, about how much money the County really has available to spend on things like the Bass Pro fishing store. In light of Sharon Lindsted’s article on Bass Pro, Esmonde’s arguments in favor of austerity have an appalling similarity to the coloration of Murat in his tub. Ghastly whiteness and dumb gloating, indeed.

We decided to splice quotes from both stories together with our own commentary on what it all means.

Lindstedt: “Though he will sign the memorandum of understanding, Giambra said, he is still not completely comfortable with the $66 million in federal, state and local government funding that will go into the Bass Pro project.”

Alt: Translation - He’s not sure if taxpayers will realize that developers are still feasting at the public trough.

Esmonde: “The denial of $108 million forced politicians to fast.”

Alt: Oh, really? And who would be the Bobby Sands of this group be? Certainly not Giambra or Pataki.

Esmonde: With this week's coming avalanche of cuts, the excesses of county government will end. We see what thrift has inspired, and it is inspiring.

Lindstedt: "I'm holding my nose a bit over the public subsidy, but we couldn't bring this project to our community without significant incentives."

Alt: This thrift is inspiring, indeed. It inspired Pataki and his pal Charlie Gargano to take another dump on Western New York. This time the steaming pile of feces includes a silver bullet. All taxpayers have to do is follow the example of our fearless County Executive, hold our noses, bend over, and jam the silver bullet up our rectums. How’s that for inspiration? Feeling inspired? Think of it as a suppository to cure our stagnant economy.

Esmonde: “County government never again will load up on extras, pad payrolls, confuse wants with needs or mistake perks for basics. The red-budget folks were right. These people would change only if they were forced to.”

Alt Translation: Red-budget folks = Newt Gingrich Republicans. Newt Gingrich Republicans hail from places like suburban Atlanta, where folks might want lower taxes, but realize that it’s more important to have a government supported bait and tackle super store. The difference is that Georgia enjoys a surplus in federal tax support, over and above what they pay in federal taxes. We, here in the blue state of New York, ship off a surplus of our tax dollars to the red states, but hey, how bout that Daytona 500 last week/Shoot, we gonna learn a thing or two from that good ol’ boy, Jeff Gordon.

Lindstedt: "At this point, we still don't know where our credit rating will stand, but we've identified some alternative financing strategies that will allow us to honor our commitment," Giambra said.

Alt Translation: Borrow, borrow, borrow. Democrats tax and spend. Republicans “identify alternative financing strategies.” Ninety-five percent of the State of New York’s debt comes from the unaccountable shadow governments that are known as “public authorities.” What authorities do best is borrow money, float bonds and generate debt. In layman’s terms you might think of the average authority as your ex – on shopping steroids.

Every now and again people like Alan Hevesi or Eliot Spitzer talk about reforming the authorities, but guess what? They don’t call them authorities for nothing! They are in charge. The system benefits too many rich and powerful individuals to be changed. Celebrate all of the tax revolts you want to, Mr. Esmonde. At the end of the day the authorities will continue to “identify alternative financing strategies,” and tax and spend, as they deem fit.

Esmonde: “The lard-ridden Legislature gave up the $2.7 million it doled out to favored causes.”

Lindstedt: “If the county's credit rating makes it too costly to borrow the $14 million, which will be repaid via future sales tax revenues, Giambra said, he will tap into the county's share of the national tobacco settlement.”

Alt: Great news! The Legislature is cutting over two million dollars! That means the County can borrow and spend fourteen million dollars! Did we mention that Western New Yorkers appear to be in need of some remedial math classes? Or maybe it’s like rewarding yourself with a new outfit of clothes because you narrowly avoided getting your gas and electricity cut off. Never mind that some of these “favored causes” Mr. Esmonde mentions actually include programs that directly benefit the Legislators’ constituencies, listen to the inner Homer in your head and start chanting, “Mmmmm, Fish Store!”

Esmonde: “It took a starvation diet to bring them to the table. They need to serve themselves the pain before they pass it along.”

Alt: “Mmmm, Fish Store!”

Lindstedt: "This is money we can use for capital expenditures, so it's a solid backup if a bond sale is not feasible," he (Giambra) said. "We have millions left in that fund, and this would be an appropriate use."

Esmonde: “The sales-tax failure was as much about politicians disagreeing over pork and patronage as heeding a tax-weary public's cry. Whatever the reason, reform was served. The all-you-can-eat buffet was taken away. A government in trouble will deliver the pink slips that are routine in the real world.”

Alt: “Mmmm, Fish Store!”

This “government in trouble” will also continue to deliver buckets of cash to developers committed to “saving Buffalo” and good ol’ boy hucksters like Bass Pro. The fund for political players? Oh! That fund? "We have millions left in that fund, and this would be an appropriate use."

Never mind that Industrial Development money for retail operations was illegal (and for good reason) just a few years ago. That fund? Oh, we’ve got tons of money in that fund! The tobacco settlement money was, in no way related to health care issues. Not at all! That would be soooo inappropriate! That money was set aside to save Buffalo!

Lindstedt: The county has about $80 million from the tobacco settlement. Previous uses of that fund have included construction of the new public safety campus, library renovations and Erie Community College projects.

Alt: Well, there you have it! Eighty million dollars just waiting to be spent for “appropriate uses,” like the public safety campus. Would that be the public safety campus that we’re going to put into mothballs before it even opens because the County is in such dire economic condition? Well, yes, but that’s because we haven’t “privatized it for peanuts.” Not yet, anyway. Besides does government really need to be in the public safety “business” anyway? I mean, isn’t that inappropriate? I’ve gone pretty far in Sim City with no Fire or Police protection. Sure, there’s some chaos with whole sections of the City burning down and people running around killing each other, but doesn’t that fall under the philosophy of “creative destruction?” The sooner we start running things like a business, the better.

Esmonde: At some point, something has to give. We can't go forever without county parks. We'll see how much of the Sheriff's Department and district attorney's office we will miss. But this was the only way to excise the excess: Strip it down, then patch and fill.

Alt: Ironic that we’re considering boycotting Parks, even temporarily because after all, those public authorities that are drowning the State in red ink? They were created to pay for the Parks Department of the Emperor himself, Robert Moses. Speaking out against Mr. Moses, was like saying you wanted children to rot in their tenement buildings. Things really have changed because these days, all we’re saying is that kids can play in the backyard and watch TV, for the time being. It’s all part of “the revolution.”

Since District Attorney Frank Clark has refused to investigate corrupt politicians like Tony Masiello, we won’t miss the cuts in his office. The petty criminals he likes to go after can be turned loose so we can start playing Sim City. “Excise the excess!” Vote them all off the island! “Strip it down… patch and fill!” Wait. Did Esmonde say strip? Why can’t the County finance a strip club? After all, it’s retail! Sounds appropriate to me! We should have tons of money lying around in that fund!

Linstedt: "The county has always been a part of the team that negotiated this historic deal for downtown Buffalo," (Bass Pro spokeman Ron )Jury said. "Now with the final signature in place, we can take the next step with Bass Pro company officials to develop a project plan and continue moving this project forward."

Esmonde: “They're not talking about how much they want, but how little they need. Many folks thought they never would see the day. Congratulations, you made it.”

Alt: This calls for champagne, don’t you think? Legislators are talking about how little they need and the Bass Pro officials are talking about how little they need, too. All they’re looking for is $66 million. Is that all? Are you kidding? That’s all we have to pay for the biggest taxpayer supported fish store in the world? Wow! What a bargain! I like how Mr. Jury doesn’t include himself when talking about Bass Pro officials. How unselfish! What a team player.

Linstedt: "I've had a chance to review the MOU and believe we will be able to live up to our role despite the fiscal issues we're currently facing," Giambra said Tuesday.

Alt: He must be talking about the Memorandum of Understanding that the Buffalo Common Council was forbidden to see. We’re all forbidden to see the MOU, apparently. Does it include the right of Bass Pro to bring in a Native American Casino, I wonder? That would be just like their Fish Store/casino in Las Vegas, wouldn’t it? What happens behind the closed doors of State government in Albanyand in the Rath Building, stays there. Just like Vegas, see? Finally, we’re running things like a business, baby!

Esmonde: The pension bill for an army of retirees keeps growing; the over-generous public health program called Medicaid is draining counties. None of what happens this week changes that. But it helps a bit, it feels even better, and it may be the start of something big.

Alt: Great! Here we are ready to party down and Esmonde reminds us of all of these freakin' old people. Donn! You’re killing our buzz, and harshing our mellow, buddy. But you’re right, Medicaid is overgenerous. So is health care. Let’s just end it. No more health care for anybody. Privatize Social Security and screw the damn old people, alright! Vote them off the island, already! Let’s be like the Eskimos and force them all out on to the ice boom, blow it up and watch those bastards go over the Falls. Yeah!!! Let’s do it for the revolution! Wait. Just thought of something. I’m getting kind of old myself. Damn it! Of course, cutting social security won’t effect me it’ll hurt the young people. It’ll hurt all those red budget kids who support the war in Iraq, but refuse to enlist. Great! Okay we’re all good.

Esmonde: …it may be the start of something big.

Alt: Just like that swinging old number by Steve Allen. Twenty-three skidoo, kiddo! By John McMahon
It was the whiteness of the whale that above all things appalled me…That ghastly whiteness it is which imparts such an abhorrent mildness, even more loathsome than terrific, to the dumb gloating of their aspect. –Herman Melville, Moby Dick.

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