A “distinction without a difference” is certainly a good way to describe the diverse political orientations of governments that oppress and harm the people. Government in Tompkins County is a dictatorship: whether it’s fascist, socialist, progressive, or colonialist is of little importance to those who suffer at its dictates.
Cornell’s position of leadership in the Centrality of New York seems to add an overlay of patrician pronouncement to their policy making rhetoric. Their arguments, instead of offering evidence, always assume that the very thing they’re trying to prove is true; and they simply repeat their conclusions.
Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan – “Listening to Community Voices”:
“A total of 915 responses were received either on-line or via written survey. A large number of written surveys were received as part of an outreach effort to Participation in Government classes at Ithaca High School, Lansing High School, Newfield High School, and New Roots Charter School.”
“Another major public outreach effort was made in the spring of 2014 to receive input on the draft principles and policies for the Comprehensive Plan. Over 70 individuals attended the public meetings and additional comments were received via mail and email.”
Public Comments:
“Efforts to acquaint citizens with this plan which will, by design, touch each and every resident of Tompkins County are pitiful to non-existent. There were 4 meetings attended by a total of 70 individuals out of a Tompkins County population of 101,570.”
“In a survey to critique the TC Plan conducted in the fall of 2013 there were 915 responses of .9% of the county population. Of these, a large number [more than 25%] were from Participation in Government classes in four local high schools. The session with Planning Department officials I attended earlier this month in the TC Library also seemed poorly attended. This is a laughable attempt at having an informed electorate.”
County response:
“Listening to Community Voices describes the considerable efforts to involve the public at three separate stages in preparing the Comprehensive Plan.”
The County’s beliefs are always correct, their policies are always beneficial, and their involvement of the public is always sufficient — and they never change anything.
While most governments are vulnerable to public opinion and wary of public outcry – Cornell’s crony conglomerate has no fear of anyone “upsetting their applecart”: a world-class influencer in the middle of an unimportant rural electorate – and the land grant seat of America’s Agricultural overlords – with the “in-their-pocket” representation of 30,000 uncaring students – implemented by a lock-step legislature that accedes to every word and hint.
It’s a government whose professed social beliefs are only of importance to academic quibblers; not to the rural poor they rob and repress.
Cornell, Ithaca College, and Tompkins County’s corporations and institutions are locked together in a public love-embrace [and a private share out] of policy making, and policy profiting – a Fountain of Eternal Use: spilling into a privatization of public trust. Ithaca is an oasis in the desert of New York’s rural poverty — a gated community for members only.
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Chesterton wrote: “One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.” While the poor rural families of Tompkins County live in the shadow of an Ivy League colossus of power and influence – Cornell bends down to gather the little people at their feet; and fit them into a design that is pleasing in their sight.
“A cat can look at a king” – but it had better not spit: I received my preliminary tax assessment two days ago – my “taxable assessment” went up 87%. Government departments operate seamlessly in rural Tompkins County – like a plastic bag over your head.
