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<v Speaker 1>Hudson River Radio dot com. It beats listening to nothing.

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<v Speaker 2>It's right through my goodness, it's Frank being Frank. Fright.

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<v Speaker 2>We're the only way to.

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<v Speaker 3>Be is Frank.

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<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to being Frank. We're the only

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<v Speaker 2>way to be, is Frank. I'm your host, Franklebona, and

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<v Speaker 2>i'd like to thank you for joining us on what

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<v Speaker 2>we like to call the Intelligent Conversation podcast, where no

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<v Speaker 2>conversation is out of bounds and all points of view

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<v Speaker 2>are welcome. Listeners are familiar with our routine. We record

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<v Speaker 2>life to tape, and I give you the date so

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<v Speaker 2>you have some context and relevance. It's the IDEs of October.

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<v Speaker 2>That is October fifteenth, according to the search Legal Clarity website.

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<v Speaker 2>A democracy is a system of government where power is

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<v Speaker 2>vested in the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.

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<v Speaker 2>This form of governance relies on active citizen involvement to

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<v Speaker 2>ensure its vitality and responsiveness. Without this engagement, the principles

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<v Speaker 2>of self governance and popular sovereignty cannot be fully realized.

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<v Speaker 2>End quote. The meaning is clear and is emphasized most

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<v Speaker 2>emphatically within these three words. Active citizen involvement. Of course,

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<v Speaker 2>this means that people must exercise their sacred right to vote.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's more than that. It means participation in the

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<v Speaker 2>entire process, and that includes those of us willing to

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<v Speaker 2>run for elected office. Without real choice and elections, we

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<v Speaker 2>are in danger of losing a government that truly reflects

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<v Speaker 2>the divers interests of its population, and there are far

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<v Speaker 2>too many uncontested elections in our area. That's why I

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<v Speaker 2>felt it was very important to introduce my guest to

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<v Speaker 2>our audience. He is undertaking the very difficult task to

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<v Speaker 2>run as an independent for Rockland County Executive against a

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<v Speaker 2>well entrenched incumbent Republican at day. Mike Parrietty is a

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<v Speaker 2>longtime resident of Rockland County and attended Suffol High School,

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<v Speaker 2>where he was an Eagle scout and four time Rockland

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<v Speaker 2>County wrestling champion. He went on to graduate from the

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<v Speaker 2>United States Military Academy at West Point, where he was

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<v Speaker 2>the captain of their NCAA wrestling team. After West Point,

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<v Speaker 2>Mike served as an infantry platoon leader, company executive officer,

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<v Speaker 2>and acting commander in the tenth Mountain Division. He was

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<v Speaker 2>an airborne ranger and rose to the rank of captain.

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<v Speaker 2>Following his military service, Michael earned a master's degree from

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<v Speaker 2>Penn State University and had a successful career in the

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<v Speaker 2>biotech and pharmaceutical industries for more than twenty years. Mike

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<v Speaker 2>has been deeply involved in the local affairs and politics

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<v Speaker 2>of Rockland as a citizen advocate. He has run for

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<v Speaker 2>a local office several times and was one of the

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<v Speaker 2>original organizers of Preserve Ramapo and Preserve Rockland, grass roots

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<v Speaker 2>movements that challenged the political machine. While fighting over development,

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<v Speaker 2>corruption and misappropriation. Mike has been a strong voice for

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<v Speaker 2>fair representation and voting rights, filing several pro say legal

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<v Speaker 2>actions on those grounds. He fought a protracted but successful

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<v Speaker 2>court battle to force a referendum on the ward system

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<v Speaker 2>in Ramapo, and later filed a challenge to the recent

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<v Speaker 2>reapportment plan for the Rockland County Legislature, which he took

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<v Speaker 2>all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Parietti

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<v Speaker 2>recently resigned from the Rockland County Planning Board after more

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<v Speaker 2>than ten years of service, where he consistently voted against

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<v Speaker 2>overdevelopment and applications that did not adhere closely to the

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<v Speaker 2>zoning codes. Michael Paietti.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome, Welcome, Frank, thank you very much for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>I really appreciate this opportunity to speak to the voters.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I think it's important, and forgive me for stumbling through,

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<v Speaker 2>but I I wanted to get in most of your bio.

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<v Speaker 2>I open trunk ate them. But it was important to

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<v Speaker 2>get all of your background because it is diverse and

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of things within that I think we

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<v Speaker 2>can break down and help us to understand you and

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<v Speaker 2>your campaign. But first, let's talk about Mike Perietty. You

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<v Speaker 2>mentioned you went to Suffer High School. Tell us about

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<v Speaker 2>growing up in Rockland, a little bit about your family

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<v Speaker 2>and how it influenced and still influences your life.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you know, growing up in Rockland was actually, looking

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<v Speaker 1>back on it, kind of idyllic.

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<v Speaker 4>Now, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm from a large family. So my mother had seven

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<v Speaker 1>boys in a row and then Wow and his seven

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<v Speaker 1>son died as an infant. But then she had two

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<v Speaker 1>girls after that. So we grew up with eight siblings

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<v Speaker 1>and kind of a raucous household and we live up.

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<v Speaker 1>I was born and raised on the north end of

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<v Speaker 1>Spook Rock Road, which is where I live now actually,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's a really nice spot. You know, we're near

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<v Speaker 1>the mountains, near the Mahwa River. There's a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>wood lots and suff atas, so that was really nice.

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<v Speaker 1>He used to hike through all the local areas in

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<v Speaker 1>paused to fish in the rivers and the lakes and everything,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, I'll always remember that as an idyllic time.

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<v Speaker 1>And the interesting thing about it back then was that

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<v Speaker 1>we had the population here was roughly it was you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the first but it was roughly fifty to fifty Reform

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<v Speaker 1>secular Jewish and then Catholic Protestant denominations. But we all

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<v Speaker 1>lived in the same neighborhoods. We all rode the bus

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<v Speaker 1>to school together, we went to the city. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we had the same we're in the same classrooms, who

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<v Speaker 1>compete on the same sporting teams, and we did everything together.

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<v Speaker 1>We had to shared culture, and you know, back then

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<v Speaker 1>there really I don't really remember any kind of an

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<v Speaker 1>issue with anti Semitism or anything like that, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>so we had a really idyllic, harmonious community and growing up.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'll always remember that My great grandfather was came

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<v Speaker 1>over here from Italy in the late eighteen nineties and

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<v Speaker 1>he set up shopping in Nayak. He was a brick

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<v Speaker 1>layer and he had he had a large family and

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<v Speaker 1>they had large families, and so the Parieti clan has

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<v Speaker 1>been in Rockham for you know, over one hundred years,

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<v Speaker 1>and I remember we would go to Nayak and visit

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<v Speaker 1>the you know, the members of the family and the

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<v Speaker 1>old family locations and thingf like that. So always remember

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<v Speaker 1>that too.

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<v Speaker 4>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>My grandfather was quite a character. He was and they

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<v Speaker 1>called him Fats Paraetti. He was the guy with the

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<v Speaker 1>call him Fats. And he was a volunteer firefighter for

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<v Speaker 1>fifty years at the Chelsea Firehouse in Nayak. And my

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<v Speaker 1>father was also a volunteer firefighter for over fifty years.

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<v Speaker 1>So anyway, Yeah, it was a very it was a

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<v Speaker 1>great upbringing and am very idyllic and I remember it

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<v Speaker 1>very fondly.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Michael, with that comes to suggestion that it's changed. Well,

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<v Speaker 2>you talked about idyllic mixed there was not as as animosity.

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<v Speaker 2>Has it changed, if so, when and in what way?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's a good question. Definitely has changed, no question

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<v Speaker 1>about it. And as for when it's hard to say.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know, I mean the you know what I

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<v Speaker 1>got involved about over twenty years ago when it sort

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<v Speaker 1>of started to come to my attention that there was

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<v Speaker 1>some potent political issues brewing. And I heard about a

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<v Speaker 1>meeting at My father came home from the virus one

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<v Speaker 1>night and he said, he said, hey, I heard there's

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<v Speaker 1>a big meeting going on in Raynple town Hall, so

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<v Speaker 1>maybe go check it. Ust I hadn't been out there,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess since they'd be I was a kid. So

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to go out there, and I went out

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<v Speaker 1>and I started to meet people. I got involved, and

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<v Speaker 1>you know the issue was that the ultra Orthodox or

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<v Speaker 1>has Citic community, whatever you want to call their number,

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<v Speaker 1>their population growth rate was, had been expanding rapidly, and

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<v Speaker 1>they had become they were evolving into a very potent

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<v Speaker 1>political force. And now I mean to the credit, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they'd organized themselves very effectively.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, called the block for people that from this area.

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<v Speaker 2>That's kind of the common euphemism, the.

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<v Speaker 1>Block, right, the block vote. Sometimes people don't understand exactly

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<v Speaker 1>what it is. And as stually, what was happening was

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<v Speaker 1>that they were, you know, we were dividing ourselves along

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<v Speaker 1>Republican and Democrat lines, and they were simply picking aside

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<v Speaker 1>and conquering us, right. In other words, they can decide

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<v Speaker 1>they can this this block vote they have they vote

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<v Speaker 1>at the at the direction of their leaders, so they

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<v Speaker 1>can move that vote from one party to the other

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<v Speaker 1>very easily. They can change the outcome of election easily,

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<v Speaker 1>and so you know it. The evolution of that was

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<v Speaker 1>that both parties were basically pandering to that vote to

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<v Speaker 1>try and get and ignoring the needs of everybody else.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what started to dawn on us. And that's when

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<v Speaker 1>I think it really started to change and they started

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<v Speaker 1>to really exert their political muscle, which was right around

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<v Speaker 1>like the turn of the century, right around two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and we realized we had an issue because they started

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<v Speaker 1>to push higher density zoning and when we went out

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<v Speaker 1>to try to say, hey, maybe we don't want to

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<v Speaker 1>do this, they just ignored us and pushed it through anyway.

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<v Speaker 1>You know. So, yeah, it has changed, and I think

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<v Speaker 1>it's become more contentious and it's been become more divisive,

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<v Speaker 1>right because you know, their political needs are very different

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<v Speaker 1>from our are in everybody else a secular community, I suppose,

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<v Speaker 1>and so it becomes we you know, we're pitted against

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<v Speaker 1>them and they're pitted against us, and it becomes very contentious.

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<v Speaker 5>So that's how it's changed. And you know, that's how

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<v Speaker 5>that's what got me involved. We talk about that obviously

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<v Speaker 5>more detail. It's a big part of the conversation because

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<v Speaker 5>it's a big part of what's happening here in Rockland County.

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<v Speaker 5>But also, you know a couple of little things to

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<v Speaker 5>know more about Michael Perietty. Also, you were an outstanding wrestler, okay,

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<v Speaker 5>and and and people who know wrestlers have been involved

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<v Speaker 5>with it.

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<v Speaker 2>My brother did. I did not, but I have many

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<v Speaker 2>friends who were. And there's a particular mindset if you

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<v Speaker 2>know wrestling and you know wrestlers. Can you kind of

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<v Speaker 2>describe that and is that kind of an ethos if

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<v Speaker 2>you will, that you take with you, especially as I said,

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<v Speaker 2>fourth four time county champion and nanc double a wrestler,

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<v Speaker 2>captain of your West Point wrestling team. You know, there

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot to that that's between the lines. Can

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<v Speaker 2>you kind of fill that in? Why is that important

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<v Speaker 2>in your life?

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<v Speaker 1>That's a great you know, it's such a deep question,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, because I I kind of really my brother

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<v Speaker 1>joined the wrestling team, you know, like I think it

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<v Speaker 1>was junior high school and I kind of got dragged

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<v Speaker 1>into wrestling in elementary school. And it is one of

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<v Speaker 1>these things that over many years that it must have

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<v Speaker 1>some kind of an effect on your your your your

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know, your your your mindset or your you're

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<v Speaker 1>just your whole psyche, you know, because are different. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean because it's such a tough sport. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's you know, it's so much. It's so demanding,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, because it's like, you know, you have to

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<v Speaker 1>lose weight and then wait right, which is very intense,

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<v Speaker 1>and then and then you have the workouts are intense,

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<v Speaker 1>and then the the the actual competition is very intense

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<v Speaker 1>because it's one on one and it's two people, two

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<v Speaker 1>wills battling each other, see who will who will prevail,

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<v Speaker 1>who will give in before the other, And you know,

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<v Speaker 1>it is it's a very intense thing. And I I

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<v Speaker 1>you kind of become somehow, I don't know, addicted to

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<v Speaker 1>it or you're caught up in it. Because when I

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<v Speaker 1>that helped me get into the Military Academy of West Point,

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<v Speaker 1>and when I was there, it was so difficult to

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<v Speaker 1>keep it up because there you have very intensive academic requirements,

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<v Speaker 1>and you have other extracricter and military requirements, and on

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<v Speaker 1>top of all of that, you have this wrestling, the

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<v Speaker 1>weight loss, the travel, all the stressful things that go

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<v Speaker 1>along with the competition. And I think is I was

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<v Speaker 1>not on a wrestling scholarship. Nobody is at the academy.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody's on no scholarship. Technically, I didn't have to keep

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<v Speaker 1>doing it. I could have quit, you know, but I never.

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<v Speaker 1>I just couldn't bring myself to do it. And I

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<v Speaker 1>did it all four years and I ended up being

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<v Speaker 1>the captain of the team. And there's no question, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>when I look back years later, I think of how

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<v Speaker 1>I got involved in this and how I just kept

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<v Speaker 1>doing it, you know, I always you know, when I

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<v Speaker 1>first got involved this, I went to this meeting. They

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<v Speaker 1>were having a They were talking about a organizing a

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<v Speaker 1>petition drive to force a referendum on award system in Roundpope.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what it is that the town board is

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<v Speaker 1>elected at large by default. But that was playing right

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<v Speaker 1>into the hands of the block right because they they

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<v Speaker 1>then they would elect the whole town board in the

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<v Speaker 1>super bars and have complete control under state, well, you

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<v Speaker 1>can have a referendum to try to change it to

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<v Speaker 1>a ward system where different parts of the town have

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<v Speaker 1>their own representative. That way we would have had some

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<v Speaker 1>representation on the board. And so I just got involved

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<v Speaker 1>in that, and I thought it was going to be

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<v Speaker 1>a fun democratic exercise. And we turned our petitions in

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<v Speaker 1>and the town just they just held on to them

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<v Speaker 1>and held on to them. They just held on to

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<v Speaker 1>them too.

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<v Speaker 2>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>The idea was to get this referendum on the next

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<v Speaker 1>local election right, and they just held it. It was

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<v Speaker 1>too late to do that. Then they threw them out.

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<v Speaker 1>They said they were no good. And you know, so

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<v Speaker 1>we kept doing this like three years in a row,

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<v Speaker 1>and I sort of took the lead after the first

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<v Speaker 1>one and I wondered, like, why did I keep doing it?

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<v Speaker 1>We kept We put it in again, they throw it out.

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<v Speaker 1>We put it in another time, they threw it out,

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<v Speaker 1>and then it wasn't ttil years later. I got dragged

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<v Speaker 1>into court on something else and we got sort of

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<v Speaker 1>cheated by a judge, and mean this other guy challenged it.

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<v Speaker 1>We appealed it pro se the pel division, and to

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<v Speaker 1>our shock, we won and the case was sent back

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<v Speaker 1>to the judges. We won, and so I was like, wow,

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<v Speaker 1>you know we can win this. So I said, we're

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<v Speaker 1>going to put the petition back and again, and when

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<v Speaker 1>they throw it out, we're going to take into court.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, the town throws it out, we're going to

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<v Speaker 1>take them to court and fight it out for as

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<v Speaker 1>long as tax. And that's what we did, and what

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<v Speaker 1>we went through was just unbelievable. I can't even tell you.

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<v Speaker 2>Please.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'm just saying that. It just I looked back

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<v Speaker 1>and go why did I keep grinding? Why did I

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<v Speaker 1>keep going at it? And I definitely one day it

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<v Speaker 1>hit me, Wow, this has something to do with all

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<v Speaker 1>the wrestling that I did.

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<v Speaker 2>Does that stick to it? As I will not be defeated?

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<v Speaker 2>Nature that it's necessary to compete in that sport. I've

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<v Speaker 2>been around it enough to know. I thought it was

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<v Speaker 2>important for people to understand that another thing to another

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<v Speaker 2>strong commitment.

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<v Speaker 4>Uh.

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<v Speaker 2>Not easy and certainly not easy to get into, not

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<v Speaker 2>easy to complete a military career at West Point? What

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<v Speaker 2>influenced your decision? What called your decision to go there?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I mean, I don't know. I was always

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<v Speaker 1>a big military history buff and uh and and I

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<v Speaker 1>like to hike and camp and stuff like that, and

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<v Speaker 1>I kind of thought it would be a very interesting

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<v Speaker 1>path to take, you know, to go to the military academy.

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<v Speaker 1>I felt like I was up to the riggers that

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<v Speaker 1>it required in terms of, you know, it certainly physically

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<v Speaker 1>fit enough, and I was, uh, I had, I think,

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<v Speaker 1>a disciplined mindset, so I thought I could deal with that.

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<v Speaker 1>And then I just thought I also thought it was

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<v Speaker 1>very interesting upon graduation, you know, to become a platoon

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<v Speaker 1>leader in in in the in the military, and I was,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, in the combat arms, and so I just

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<v Speaker 1>thought it would be it would be a more interesting

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<v Speaker 1>path than just going to regular college. I think that's

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<v Speaker 1>kind of why I did.

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<v Speaker 2>It and didn't fulfill those expectations. Was it what you expected?

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<v Speaker 3>Not?

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<v Speaker 1>Not entirely. I mean, you know, it's always hard to

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<v Speaker 1>you know. I'd say that the academy was was pretty tough,

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<v Speaker 1>particularly with the wrestling involved. I kept wrestling, and but

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00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.759
<v Speaker 1>it was very tough going through the academy, and I'm

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes I don't think I was a real good fit

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<v Speaker 1>for it. Looking back at it, I'm very intellectually curious,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I have so many different interests and there

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<v Speaker 1>they have a pretty strict set curriculum that you pretty

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00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.279
<v Speaker 1>much have to stick to, at least they did back then.

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<v Speaker 1>It's it's evolved in change, So that was probably something

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<v Speaker 1>Looking back, maybe it wasn't a great fit for me,

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<v Speaker 1>But I have to say getting out in the in

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<v Speaker 1>the actual army and within in the tenth Mountain Division,

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<v Speaker 1>that was really awesome. That was a really amazing experience,

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<v Speaker 1>dealing with the different soldiers and the different missions we

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<v Speaker 1>went on and and it was really that was really

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<v Speaker 1>that really did live up to expectations that.

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<v Speaker 2>And that was my next question, Michael, So talk a

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00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:58.679
<v Speaker 2>little bit about your military experience and from those experiences again,

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<v Speaker 2>how it brought you to the next level of developed

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<v Speaker 2>and we're kind of we're kind of built a Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>What what did you take from from those experiences that

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<v Speaker 2>are most important to you today?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you know, one of the things I did I enjoyed.

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<v Speaker 1>I was in the infantry, and which is one of

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<v Speaker 1>the tougher branches, you know, and I and I went

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<v Speaker 1>to I went to the basic Infantry Officers course, I

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<v Speaker 1>went to the airborne training, but I also went to

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<v Speaker 1>a ranger school, which is a very intensive leadership course

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<v Speaker 1>where they basically take you out for you know, over

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<v Speaker 1>two months and essentially without a break. They put you

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<v Speaker 1>through a very intensive course of you know, where you're

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<v Speaker 1>facing intense you know, martships and adversity. You don't get

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<v Speaker 1>you don't get to eat very much, you don't get

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<v Speaker 1>to sleep very much, and they're freezing you. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I went through in the winter. You know, I went

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00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.279
<v Speaker 1>through from January to March without any break or any

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00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:00.279
<v Speaker 1>kind and it's was just a real war of atrition.

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<v Speaker 1>So many people dropped out because it's so intense, and

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<v Speaker 1>they're trying to push you to your breaking point and

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00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:11.720
<v Speaker 1>teach you to continue to function and operate and think

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00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:16.000
<v Speaker 1>and lead even when you're stressed to the max from

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00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:17.680
<v Speaker 1>four or five different directions at once.

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<v Speaker 4>And you know I did.

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<v Speaker 1>I did not breathe through it. It was tough for me.

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<v Speaker 1>I had to struggle to get through it and pass it,

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<v Speaker 1>but I did. And I think that too is also

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<v Speaker 1>in a sort of an extension, the whole wrestling thing

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<v Speaker 1>and the whole mentality of you know, sticking with it

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00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.400
<v Speaker 1>and pushing driving on with the mission in spite of

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00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:41.960
<v Speaker 1>obstacles or adversity, so that was a big thing. From

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<v Speaker 1>there I went, you know, I ended up ultimately in

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<v Speaker 1>the tenth Mountain Division, which was a combat deployable light

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<v Speaker 1>infantry division, and that was intense. You know, we were

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<v Speaker 1>not an elite it's I was not in the ranger battalions,

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<v Speaker 1>which is those are batons that are filled with their

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<v Speaker 1>staff with the elite, elite soldiers at every level. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>I was in tenth mat Division, and in that thing,

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<v Speaker 1>we had lots of great soldiers, but we you know,

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes we had personnel issues where we weren't full strength,

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<v Speaker 1>or we didn't have people that had all the training

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<v Speaker 1>they were supposed to have and things like that, and

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<v Speaker 1>so that was you know, learning how to deal with that,

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<v Speaker 1>deal with the personnel issues, and deal with all the

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<v Speaker 1>different kinds of people because it's very diverse. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>we had people from you know, very every culture and

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<v Speaker 1>ethnicity and trying to you know, learn to work together because,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, to go out and do a military operation,

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<v Speaker 1>particularly in combaty, you know, there are so many elements.

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<v Speaker 1>There's terrain, there's weather, there's logistics, and all these things

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<v Speaker 1>combined to make doing any operation complicated and tricky. And

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<v Speaker 1>so it was a really good experience and for even

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<v Speaker 1>how to work with other people and accomplish the mission

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<v Speaker 1>despite adversity. Again, so that was a great experience, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, following that, you know, the thing about it was,

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<v Speaker 1>I was in from nine, graduated in nineteen eighty four,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was in until nineteen eighty nine, and in

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen eighty nine, the Berlin Wall came down. The whole world,

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<v Speaker 1>the power structure of the world was completely realigned or somewhat,

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00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:11.960
<v Speaker 1>and the army was downsizing, and you know, there's just

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<v Speaker 1>this feeling I had this certain time for me to

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<v Speaker 1>move on, you know, and although I was torn because

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<v Speaker 1>I really did enjoy many the aspects of the military,

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to you know, leave the military. I'd done

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00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:26.000
<v Speaker 1>my five year commitment. I fulfilled that, and so then

383
00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:29.400
<v Speaker 1>I went out and I ended up getting involved in

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<v Speaker 1>the biotech or the pharmaceutical industry, which I did for

385
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<v Speaker 1>you know, nearly twenty years, and I was, you know,

386
00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:42.119
<v Speaker 1>along the way, I got a Masters of Biotechnology from

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00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.599
<v Speaker 1>Penn State University, and that was just to me. That

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00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.519
<v Speaker 1>was another great experience because then I was working in

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<v Speaker 1>a different kind of an organization with different kinds of people.

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00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.640
<v Speaker 1>You know, in the military you kind of interact with

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00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:56.599
<v Speaker 1>people in a much different way than you do in

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00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:00.839
<v Speaker 1>like a corporation, you know, so there was definitely a

393
00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:03.920
<v Speaker 1>learning curve me to reinvent myself a bit and adjust

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00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:08.039
<v Speaker 1>and figure out how to be successful in that environment.

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<v Speaker 1>And so I think that was another just another part

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<v Speaker 1>of the progression in my development.

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<v Speaker 2>You know. Do you find and it's interesting, all these

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<v Speaker 2>great challenges and we talk about more that you've had,

399
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:25.000
<v Speaker 2>is there a common thread that you find You mentioned,

400
00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:28.680
<v Speaker 2>you know, different organizations kind of run differently. Is there

401
00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:30.880
<v Speaker 2>any kind of common thread that we can look for

402
00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.359
<v Speaker 2>that kind of binds them all together.

403
00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:37.680
<v Speaker 1>Well, I think the one thing I'll say is in

404
00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:40.160
<v Speaker 1>most things I did in life, and probably with most people,

405
00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:44.039
<v Speaker 1>it's very similar. Whenever you're trying to accomplish something, there's

406
00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.200
<v Speaker 1>going to be there's going to be problems, there's going

407
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:48.400
<v Speaker 1>to be obstacles, things are not going to be ideal,

408
00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:52.599
<v Speaker 1>and you have to learn to persevere in spite of that.

409
00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:54.640
<v Speaker 1>You know, you can't go and you can't say, Okay,

410
00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:56.839
<v Speaker 1>you know, I'm going to pack up myself and go

411
00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:59.359
<v Speaker 1>home now because I'm done. This is not this is

412
00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:03.039
<v Speaker 1>not run as smoothly as it should. It's not running perfectly.

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00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:05.359
<v Speaker 1>There's conflicts among people. I'm done, I'm quit. You know,

414
00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:09.759
<v Speaker 1>you can't do that. You have to learn to deal

415
00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:11.839
<v Speaker 1>with whatever has come up as best as possible, but

416
00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:15.559
<v Speaker 1>continue to push towards the objective. And I think that's

417
00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:18.880
<v Speaker 1>kind of the common thread, and it's you know, and.

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00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:22.839
<v Speaker 2>I think that's perfect segue into why you're at it again.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's not an easy path. We mentioned and again

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<v Speaker 2>this is a Rockland based program right as a stony point,

421
00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:32.279
<v Speaker 2>although we stream actually literally all over the world and

422
00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:35.519
<v Speaker 2>all politics as local as they say. But you know

423
00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:40.480
<v Speaker 2>you're running as an independent. You didn't get the Democratic

424
00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:45.440
<v Speaker 2>nod against a very well entrenched and fairly well liked

425
00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:51.680
<v Speaker 2>incumbent or Republican at day. So talk about the challenges

426
00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:54.559
<v Speaker 2>that you have running kind of on your own, running

427
00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:58.160
<v Speaker 2>as a dependent independent against it kind of as I said,

428
00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:01.799
<v Speaker 2>well oiled or well entrenched Maen, that is the Republican

429
00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:05.000
<v Speaker 2>party here in Rockland County. What are your challenges and

430
00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:07.279
<v Speaker 2>how do you intend to meet them? Right?

431
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:09.720
<v Speaker 1>Well, you know, just real quick, Ed days running for

432
00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:11.920
<v Speaker 1>a fourth four year term after he said he would

433
00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:12.400
<v Speaker 1>only run.

434
00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:12.759
<v Speaker 2>For two.

435
00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:15.240
<v Speaker 1>And then he said, oh, I think I want to

436
00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:16.640
<v Speaker 1>I need to run for a third term because I

437
00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:19.240
<v Speaker 1>want to be in a position to veto the redistricting

438
00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:22.400
<v Speaker 1>plan of the county Legislature. It's done unfairly. But then

439
00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:24.920
<v Speaker 1>when he got reelected, he did the exact opposite, and

440
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:28.680
<v Speaker 1>he signed off on a just a shameful gerrymander of

441
00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:33.079
<v Speaker 1>the county Legislature, which essentially it was drawn so that,

442
00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:35.920
<v Speaker 1>you know, the leaders of the bloc community would have

443
00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.880
<v Speaker 1>the maximum amount of political power possible at the expense

444
00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:41.519
<v Speaker 1>of many of the communities of interest. And that really

445
00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:44.000
<v Speaker 1>upset me, you know, And now he wants to run

446
00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:46.240
<v Speaker 1>for a fourth term. I had no intention of running

447
00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.400
<v Speaker 1>for county executive because I thought, for sure, you know,

448
00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.599
<v Speaker 1>if the guys he's running for his fourth term after

449
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.440
<v Speaker 1>saying run for two, that they would certainly challenge him,

450
00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:56.039
<v Speaker 1>because there's plenty of you know, good Democrats in the

451
00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:59.480
<v Speaker 1>prime of their political lives here in Rock County. They

452
00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:02.759
<v Speaker 1>could have run asen But I think what happened was

453
00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.920
<v Speaker 1>when he signed that registricting plan, they said, ed, if

454
00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:08.079
<v Speaker 1>you signed the plan, we'll make sure you don't have

455
00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:11.240
<v Speaker 1>an opponent in the next election. See because a lot

456
00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:12.920
<v Speaker 1>of times these parties the gout these deals like that.

457
00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:16.000
<v Speaker 1>You know, as a county, why we rarely have contested

458
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:19.759
<v Speaker 1>elections for a sure pa or you know, so I

459
00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:22.279
<v Speaker 1>think that's what happened. I had no intention of running

460
00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.759
<v Speaker 1>until I saw that he was going to run on

461
00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:26.000
<v Speaker 1>a poet. You know, there was one guy who tried

462
00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:27.720
<v Speaker 1>to get on the Democratic line on his own. He

463
00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:30.559
<v Speaker 1>was a maver or, he was an outsider, but you know,

464
00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:32.400
<v Speaker 1>it was a very difficult thing. He couldn't get the

465
00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:35.000
<v Speaker 1>signatures for a whole bunch of reasons, and so he

466
00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.720
<v Speaker 1>didn't get on the belt. And I was actually I

467
00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.039
<v Speaker 1>was helping him a bet. I was trying to get

468
00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:40.640
<v Speaker 1>in some signatures. But the thing is, so when when

469
00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:42.440
<v Speaker 1>it became a parent that they would run on a post,

470
00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.279
<v Speaker 1>we had about a week to think it over before

471
00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:47.720
<v Speaker 1>the independent petitioning period began, right so that the innepetu

472
00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:50.720
<v Speaker 1>bea begins after the regular and we decided. You know,

473
00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.680
<v Speaker 1>I asked around to see if anybody else wanted to

474
00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:54.160
<v Speaker 1>do it. Nobody wanted to do it, and I said,

475
00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.519
<v Speaker 1>you know what, this is an opportunity we can't pass up.

476
00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.559
<v Speaker 1>Because you see, the thing is this, This is giving

477
00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.799
<v Speaker 1>voters a real choice. It's not just a choice, it's

478
00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:06.640
<v Speaker 1>a real choice because it's a choice between you know,

479
00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:12.119
<v Speaker 1>big party politics as usual, big money politics, and the

480
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:16.880
<v Speaker 1>exact opposite of that, which is honest, fair, efficient government

481
00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:19.519
<v Speaker 1>that is free from any conflict adventures, which what's in

482
00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:23.000
<v Speaker 1>the best public interest. And so that leads to one

483
00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:25.279
<v Speaker 1>of my biggest challenges but also one of my biggest strengths,

484
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:25.960
<v Speaker 1>and that's funding.

485
00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:28.039
<v Speaker 2>Right, it's just going to bring that up. We got

486
00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:31.319
<v Speaker 2>to talk the reality of politics. You got to talk money.

487
00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:32.200
<v Speaker 2>How are you funded?

488
00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:32.960
<v Speaker 1>Funding?

489
00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:36.599
<v Speaker 2>How do you get money? You have to do campaign ads, travel,

490
00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.519
<v Speaker 2>all that stuff.

491
00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:40.759
<v Speaker 1>Well, it's very difficult. I mean, look ed, Day's got

492
00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:44.640
<v Speaker 1>nine hundred dollars in his campaign account, and if you

493
00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:47.559
<v Speaker 1>read through the list of donors, it reads like a

494
00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:51.000
<v Speaker 1>recipe for disaster. I mean it is one commercial entity

495
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:59.839
<v Speaker 1>after another. You know, you've got developers, builders, banks, retail interests, unions,

496
00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.839
<v Speaker 1>data centers, every political action committee, is every strikeing and

497
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.559
<v Speaker 1>all of these entities have some sort of business or

498
00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:10.880
<v Speaker 1>interest in Rocklin County. And so you know he's got

499
00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:15.240
<v Speaker 1>I don't know how policy decisions are made behind closed

500
00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:19.160
<v Speaker 1>Jordans administration. There's so many strings attached and conflicts of interests.

501
00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:22.200
<v Speaker 1>And on top of that, he also got the block vote.

502
00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:25.279
<v Speaker 1>Like ed Day got elected without the block vote, right,

503
00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:27.279
<v Speaker 1>we helped him get elected without the block vote industry.

504
00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:30.599
<v Speaker 1>Now he's you know, decided it was more convenient him

505
00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.000
<v Speaker 1>to go over to the block So he's getting the

506
00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:35.519
<v Speaker 1>block vote, and we know what that means. They're going

507
00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:38.079
<v Speaker 1>to have tremendous leverage over him in his in his administration.

508
00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:40.960
<v Speaker 1>So he's got the block vote issue, he's got all

509
00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:43.680
<v Speaker 1>of this big money pouring in, he's got all these

510
00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:46.599
<v Speaker 1>strings attested. So I don't I don't have that problem.

511
00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:48.960
<v Speaker 1>I have never in all I've had several runs for

512
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.960
<v Speaker 1>office previously, I have never taken a donation from anyone

513
00:25:52.119 --> 00:25:55.119
<v Speaker 1>other than a private individual. I'm not doing it this time,

514
00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:55.759
<v Speaker 1>and I never will.

515
00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:59.640
<v Speaker 2>No packs, no, no nothing interest groups ever.

516
00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:02.119
<v Speaker 1>Right, I mean, those groups probably would never have donated

517
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:04.279
<v Speaker 1>to me because I've always been about good government and

518
00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:07.160
<v Speaker 1>you know, what's in the doing, what's in the best

519
00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:09.759
<v Speaker 1>interest in the public. But and so that's that's what

520
00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:11.880
<v Speaker 1>I'm doing this time. And people I have had some

521
00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:13.799
<v Speaker 1>pressure from people, Oh Mike, you got to go call

522
00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:15.839
<v Speaker 1>these donors and get all this, you know, And I

523
00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:18.160
<v Speaker 1>just said, I just felt inside I had an internal

524
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:21.119
<v Speaker 1>competency and know what, that's that's not me. That's not

525
00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:23.039
<v Speaker 1>what I want to do. And I think, you know,

526
00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:26.279
<v Speaker 1>it's to the contrary, it's it is a strength in

527
00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:29.279
<v Speaker 1>some ways because people know that I'm not I'm going

528
00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:31.440
<v Speaker 1>to try to do to the best of my ability

529
00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:35.160
<v Speaker 1>what is in the best public interest, without any any

530
00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:37.720
<v Speaker 1>leverage from any group trying to make me do the

531
00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:41.279
<v Speaker 1>wrong thing. Right now, the thing is we have I

532
00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:44.519
<v Speaker 1>have We have had fund people coming and fund our campaign.

533
00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:46.400
<v Speaker 1>You know, we have private individuals that I give it

534
00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:50.319
<v Speaker 1>just enough money to run a good campaign. One of

535
00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:52.039
<v Speaker 1>the big things that I have going for me is

536
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:57.759
<v Speaker 1>the I have There are some social media platforms or

537
00:26:57.880 --> 00:27:00.799
<v Speaker 1>pay you know, Facebook pages and websites that are strongly

538
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:05.359
<v Speaker 1>behind me, and they have a strong following because of

539
00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:07.279
<v Speaker 1>the fact that these are groups that will talk about

540
00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:10.880
<v Speaker 1>things that your mainstream media will not talk about. And

541
00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:15.279
<v Speaker 1>so the point is on that alone, I've got and

542
00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:18.920
<v Speaker 1>they should be nervous about that alone, because we've got

543
00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:21.839
<v Speaker 1>I've got broad reach through that, and I also have

544
00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:24.839
<v Speaker 1>fairly decent name recognition for all the things that I've

545
00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:28.440
<v Speaker 1>done over the past twenty years. You know, I'm always surprised,

546
00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:31.160
<v Speaker 1>How'll be campaign is somewhere and people come say, hey, Mike,

547
00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:32.759
<v Speaker 1>you got my vote. No, I'll be who are you?

548
00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:35.319
<v Speaker 1>I just know you if I'm reading about in the

549
00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:39.640
<v Speaker 1>papers or on the on Facebook and stuff. So that's

550
00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:43.319
<v Speaker 1>what's what is powering my campaign is a grassroots effort,

551
00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:47.559
<v Speaker 1>a real grassroots effort, because people know in this election

552
00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:50.519
<v Speaker 1>that there is a real choice and it's a rare

553
00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:53.559
<v Speaker 1>opportunity that will probably never come again for a county.

554
00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:55.119
<v Speaker 1>I mean, this may be our last chance to really

555
00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:58.599
<v Speaker 1>elect someone who's nearly entirely free from any conflict of

556
00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:02.200
<v Speaker 1>interest and would do everything in their power to bring

557
00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:02.960
<v Speaker 1>it back big government.

558
00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:07.519
<v Speaker 2>So, Michael, what do you see as the key issues

559
00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:10.920
<v Speaker 2>facing this county Rockland County. Give me even three, four

560
00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:14.759
<v Speaker 2>or five of the most important issues and things that

561
00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:16.880
<v Speaker 2>you would address as soon as you were in office.

562
00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:20.720
<v Speaker 1>Okay. I mean one of the big issues is over development,

563
00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:25.759
<v Speaker 1>and then there's illegal housing. There's also fair housing and

564
00:28:25.880 --> 00:28:29.799
<v Speaker 1>affordable housing. We also need to look at making sure

565
00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:34.519
<v Speaker 1>we promote small businesses and the economy and smart industry

566
00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:37.960
<v Speaker 1>and there's also corruption, right, and I think you know,

567
00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:40.720
<v Speaker 1>if you look at corruption, I mean everything flows from that.

568
00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:41.160
<v Speaker 2>Right.

569
00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:44.400
<v Speaker 1>If I can get in, I will build an administration.

570
00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:46.920
<v Speaker 1>I will surround myself with the very best people I

571
00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:49.880
<v Speaker 1>can sign. And I'm at my core, I'm a very

572
00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:56.359
<v Speaker 1>open minded, approachable, collaborative person that I'm also I also

573
00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:59.319
<v Speaker 1>have a record being proactive. I will boil down the

574
00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:02.319
<v Speaker 1>problem to it core elements and say what's the most

575
00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:04.519
<v Speaker 1>impactful thing we can do to try to address the situation,

576
00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:06.839
<v Speaker 1>and go out and try to do it. And so

577
00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:11.000
<v Speaker 1>that's how I will govern. And so I would take

578
00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:13.160
<v Speaker 1>on all these issues like over developments. Let's go back

579
00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:16.079
<v Speaker 1>to that's a very tough issue, right because it's a

580
00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:19.880
<v Speaker 1>home rule state, and so local municipalities they they're empowered

581
00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:24.799
<v Speaker 1>to make their own zoning and code enforcement generally, So

582
00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:28.519
<v Speaker 1>how do you prevent them from building too much? Which

583
00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:30.480
<v Speaker 1>is what is really going on, particularly in the town

584
00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:33.519
<v Speaker 1>of Raupo and Spring Value. They are you see in

585
00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:36.559
<v Speaker 1>those towns, the developers and the builders and some of

586
00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:39.759
<v Speaker 1>the slowboards, they've got tremendous political leverage over the elected

587
00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:43.119
<v Speaker 1>officials and the judges and everything. The judges are elected

588
00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:48.039
<v Speaker 1>to and so there's no real political incentive to stop what,

589
00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:49.599
<v Speaker 1>you know, prevent them from doing what they want to do,

590
00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:52.799
<v Speaker 1>which is build high density housing because, let's face it,

591
00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:57.000
<v Speaker 1>the ultra orthodox the block community they're growing, they have

592
00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:59.079
<v Speaker 1>a very high population growth rate, and they need to

593
00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:02.559
<v Speaker 1>house those right. They want housing for those people, which

594
00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:06.160
<v Speaker 1>give them it ultimately gives them more and more political power. Right,

595
00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.599
<v Speaker 1>So so how do you what do you do about

596
00:30:08.599 --> 00:30:11.640
<v Speaker 1>that very difficult issue? In Spring Valley, the county was

597
00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:14.759
<v Speaker 1>able to show that they were not doing proper code enforcement,

598
00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.240
<v Speaker 1>so the state stepped in, and now the county is

599
00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:21.359
<v Speaker 1>supposedly doing code enforcement for villages Ring Valley. Right, that's

600
00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:24.559
<v Speaker 1>not true. They don't have the authority over Ramapo. I

601
00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:25.160
<v Speaker 1>would say this.

602
00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.119
<v Speaker 4>I know.

603
00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:28.559
<v Speaker 1>I was on the county planning board for ten years, Okay,

604
00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:30.799
<v Speaker 1>so I have seen the things that come across our desk,

605
00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:33.720
<v Speaker 1>that came across our desk, and how some of them

606
00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:37.880
<v Speaker 1>were completely out of whack with what the zoning code

607
00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:42.640
<v Speaker 1>or you know allow, and they just would we would

608
00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:45.440
<v Speaker 1>routinely vote them down unanimously. They would go to the

609
00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:47.839
<v Speaker 1>local board, which would override us, and then they would

610
00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:51.400
<v Speaker 1>build them anyway. Now, I know my training for the

611
00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:55.240
<v Speaker 1>Planning Board, I heard them say that if a town

612
00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:59.319
<v Speaker 1>shows a gross lack of planning and zoning code enforcement,

613
00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:02.039
<v Speaker 1>they're there is a legal remedy to try to bring

614
00:31:02.119 --> 00:31:06.279
<v Speaker 1>them into you know, in line. And I you know,

615
00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:08.599
<v Speaker 1>as a county executive, I would try to establish a

616
00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:13.079
<v Speaker 1>legal unit within the county attorney's officer, maybe within the

617
00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:17.119
<v Speaker 1>county executives that would focus on these issues directly, and

618
00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:22.039
<v Speaker 1>we would have explore every legal avenue available to us.

619
00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:26.519
<v Speaker 2>Michael, that brings up a good point here within this

620
00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:29.440
<v Speaker 2>and even if you got to kind of tiptoe around,

621
00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:34.079
<v Speaker 2>because the spectra of anti Semitism is surrounds this issue

622
00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:37.680
<v Speaker 2>and is often brought off often as a cudgel have

623
00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:40.319
<v Speaker 2>to hit you over the head with. Certainly, how would

624
00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:43.799
<v Speaker 2>you how do you deal with that and separate the

625
00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:50.200
<v Speaker 2>issues of housing, development, religion, et cetera. And again because

626
00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:55.759
<v Speaker 2>even whether way we're talking it's we're treading lightly here

627
00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:59.519
<v Speaker 2>or a very important, very real issue.

628
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:01.960
<v Speaker 4>How do we do well?

629
00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:03.559
<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think we have to talk about it, right,

630
00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:06.720
<v Speaker 1>you see, that's one of the things I think block leaders.

631
00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:09.160
<v Speaker 1>They want to create an atmosphere where people are afraid

632
00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:12.039
<v Speaker 1>to talk about it, because if people aren't talking about

633
00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:14.319
<v Speaker 1>what's going on, they can keep on doing what they're

634
00:32:14.359 --> 00:32:19.200
<v Speaker 1>doing right, regardless of the negative impact they may have

635
00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:22.720
<v Speaker 1>on the environment or the infrastructure. So we need to

636
00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:24.599
<v Speaker 1>talk about it, and we need to try to have civil,

637
00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:27.400
<v Speaker 1>open discussions about it. You know what I've said to

638
00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:30.279
<v Speaker 1>the town board, now that you know the block is in,

639
00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:32.799
<v Speaker 1>you know, the complete control of route. I've said, look,

640
00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:36.440
<v Speaker 1>this is your town. Now, okay, you're in control. Do

641
00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:37.960
<v Speaker 1>you want to destroy your own town?

642
00:32:38.119 --> 00:32:38.279
<v Speaker 2>You know?

643
00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:42.279
<v Speaker 1>Don't you want to preserve some of it for future generations,

644
00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:45.160
<v Speaker 1>for your own generations? You know? That's I think we

645
00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:47.519
<v Speaker 1>need to We need to try to get them to

646
00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:49.640
<v Speaker 1>open up their minds and say, hey, you know, what

647
00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:53.160
<v Speaker 1>are we really doing here? And I you know, I

648
00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:56.720
<v Speaker 1>think you know I've I have been talking about it

649
00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:58.519
<v Speaker 1>for twenty years, and I have been accused of all

650
00:32:58.599 --> 00:33:01.359
<v Speaker 1>sorts of things. But I always try to the conversation civil,

651
00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:04.480
<v Speaker 1>and I always that's one thing I always try to

652
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:08.599
<v Speaker 1>put myself in the shoes of the people I'm I

653
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:11.359
<v Speaker 1>may be at odds with or people on different ends

654
00:33:11.400 --> 00:33:14.119
<v Speaker 1>of the political spectrum. You know, we all come from

655
00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:16.599
<v Speaker 1>different places and we believe the things we believe for

656
00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.400
<v Speaker 1>different reasons, right, so we need to try to find

657
00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:22.960
<v Speaker 1>some kind of common ground and move forward. So we

658
00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:24.319
<v Speaker 1>need to talk about it. Well, we need to do

659
00:33:24.359 --> 00:33:26.319
<v Speaker 1>it in a civil, constructive manner.

660
00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:30.960
<v Speaker 2>And that's why we call this program intelligent Conversation. I'm

661
00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:35.279
<v Speaker 2>glad you're having one with us. You know, again we

662
00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:37.720
<v Speaker 2>talked to all politics is local, and this is a

663
00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:43.920
<v Speaker 2>local election Rockland County, but federal things also affect us,

664
00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:47.880
<v Speaker 2>particularly now with this tremendous amount of budget cuts. It's

665
00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:50.759
<v Speaker 2>trickling down and it affects the county greatly. For example,

666
00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:54.279
<v Speaker 2>one of my good friends, Diane Saratori, the executive director

667
00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:58.519
<v Speaker 2>of People to People, is terrified, for lack of a

668
00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:00.720
<v Speaker 2>better word, and how are they going to get food

669
00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:04.640
<v Speaker 2>to feed hungry people here in our own backyards. How

670
00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:09.920
<v Speaker 2>locally kenneb County government take on the federal government to

671
00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:13.119
<v Speaker 2>get the funds that are needed to support our people.

672
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.039
<v Speaker 2>What would you do?

673
00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:17.159
<v Speaker 1>That's a very tough question. It's a very difficult issue

674
00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:20.360
<v Speaker 1>that's going to definitely impact us sooner rather than later.

675
00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:23.679
<v Speaker 1>I think, first of all, we can't just sit back

676
00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:27.239
<v Speaker 1>and wait for Washington to come to our rescue. We

677
00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:30.079
<v Speaker 1>need to be proactive, We need to collaborate, we need

678
00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.480
<v Speaker 1>to communicate, and we need to try to build strong

679
00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:39.320
<v Speaker 1>relationships and alliances with state agencies and departments so hopefully

680
00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:43.719
<v Speaker 1>in the interim they can help fill the back the shortfall,

681
00:34:45.559 --> 00:34:48.760
<v Speaker 1>you know it is. It's definitely a tough issue. I

682
00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:51.480
<v Speaker 1>don't have an easy answer for it, because we've got

683
00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:53.599
<v Speaker 1>to find somewhere to get the funding. If it's not

684
00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:55.800
<v Speaker 1>going to come from Washington, can we get it from

685
00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:58.480
<v Speaker 1>the state. Can we be also more efficient? Can we

686
00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:02.159
<v Speaker 1>manage our affairs as efficient as possible so that we

687
00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:06.440
<v Speaker 1>we uh, you know, harbor our resources so that we

688
00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:09.079
<v Speaker 1>can get through this tough period. That's another thing we

689
00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:09.760
<v Speaker 1>need to look at.

690
00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:12.639
<v Speaker 2>Michael, I talk a little bit more of get your

691
00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:16.000
<v Speaker 2>thoughts on some national regional issues, as I said, because

692
00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:19.599
<v Speaker 2>they will affect us. Take a quick break, Okay, when

693
00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:21.880
<v Speaker 2>we come back to talk about that. My very special

694
00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:26.320
<v Speaker 2>guest is Michael Parietti. He's an independent candidate for a

695
00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:30.519
<v Speaker 2>Rockland County executive and we're having some great intelligent conversation.

696
00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:33.960
<v Speaker 2>This is being Frank. I'm your host, Frank Lebono, and

697
00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:37.079
<v Speaker 2>we're back with more right after these brief commercial messages.

698
00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:39.239
<v Speaker 2>Please don't go anywhere yet, this is an important one.

699
00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:46.719
<v Speaker 1>Hudson River Radio dot com. This is Hudson River Radio

700
00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:47.440
<v Speaker 1>dot com.

701
00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:53.920
<v Speaker 4>Hudson River Radio dot com.

702
00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:59.960
<v Speaker 1>This is Hudson River Radio.

703
00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:09.519
<v Speaker 2>Welcome back to Being Frank, the intelligent conversation podcast. Thanks

704
00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.320
<v Speaker 2>for sticking with us. I'm your host, FRANKL. Bono and

705
00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:17.079
<v Speaker 2>as always, our engineer is the mailman Richter. He always

706
00:36:17.159 --> 00:36:22.239
<v Speaker 2>delivers a special guest is Rockland County Independent candidate for

707
00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:26.599
<v Speaker 2>a County Executive, Mister Michael Parietti. You know, we bring

708
00:36:26.679 --> 00:36:29.320
<v Speaker 2>our audience a fresh topic just about every week and

709
00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:33.880
<v Speaker 2>stream from Hudson River Radio located in beautiful and historic

710
00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:36.840
<v Speaker 2>Stony Point, New York. But you can catch Being Frank

711
00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:42.440
<v Speaker 2>anywhere you get your favorite podcasts, That includes Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio,

712
00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.599
<v Speaker 2>and all the rest. And because every Being Frank is archived,

713
00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:49.239
<v Speaker 2>you can listen to any of our programs anytime you like.

714
00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:51.679
<v Speaker 2>You can find a link to Being Frank on the

715
00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:55.960
<v Speaker 2>Hudson River Radio Facebook page or at our website Hudson

716
00:36:56.039 --> 00:37:00.400
<v Speaker 2>Riverradio dot com. Find my icon, click on it and

717
00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:04.360
<v Speaker 2>you're there. Right back to our conversation with the independent

718
00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:09.119
<v Speaker 2>candidate for Rockland County Executive Mister Michael Parietti. Michael, I

719
00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:11.679
<v Speaker 2>appreciate your candor for the first half of our program.

720
00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:14.519
<v Speaker 2>Let's continue with that right now, in the midst of

721
00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:18.239
<v Speaker 2>a shutdown. As of this taping looms is maybe the

722
00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:21.760
<v Speaker 2>longest ever. What's your take on it? And if you

723
00:37:22.039 --> 00:37:25.880
<v Speaker 2>were in Congress or had the ability to change things,

724
00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:27.599
<v Speaker 2>what would you do to end this?

725
00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:31.519
<v Speaker 1>Well, I mean it's yeah, it's a very serious issue

726
00:37:31.559 --> 00:37:34.239
<v Speaker 1>that's go only getting worse and worse, which every passing day.

727
00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:36.760
<v Speaker 1>And what I would do if I could, is I

728
00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:39.400
<v Speaker 1>try to get both sides to get together and talk

729
00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:41.760
<v Speaker 1>about it and come up with some kind of resolution.

730
00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:45.639
<v Speaker 1>But that's kind of idealistic, I think at this point,

731
00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:50.639
<v Speaker 1>because it seems that neither side is willing to do

732
00:37:50.760 --> 00:37:53.519
<v Speaker 1>what they need to do to end the shutdown. And

733
00:37:53.559 --> 00:37:55.159
<v Speaker 1>I think this kind of goes back to sort of

734
00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:58.440
<v Speaker 1>the whole rationale behind my campaign. You know, I think

735
00:37:59.320 --> 00:38:02.039
<v Speaker 1>we're getting so polarized that the two parties are going

736
00:38:02.119 --> 00:38:06.440
<v Speaker 1>farther and farther apart, and I think people are afraid

737
00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:08.840
<v Speaker 1>to break ranks. You know, even if let's say you're

738
00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:12.679
<v Speaker 1>a moderate Democrat or or any any Republican or Democrat

739
00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:15.440
<v Speaker 1>that wants to try to forward some kind of a

740
00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:20.840
<v Speaker 1>resolution to this. You are sort of prevent you're pressured,

741
00:38:21.880 --> 00:38:24.480
<v Speaker 1>you're prevented from doing that because they don't want you

742
00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:28.159
<v Speaker 1>to break ranks. And I think particularly in Congress, who

743
00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:30.840
<v Speaker 1>have this problem where the in order to get elected

744
00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:32.519
<v Speaker 1>for Congress, as we said before, you need to raise

745
00:38:32.559 --> 00:38:35.880
<v Speaker 1>these inorderate amounts of money. And I've funny, I've talked

746
00:38:35.880 --> 00:38:38.440
<v Speaker 1>to most of the congressional candidates that are running for

747
00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:41.360
<v Speaker 1>the upcoming election. I've met them on the campaign trail,

748
00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:43.719
<v Speaker 1>and they all talk to me about the pressure to

749
00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:46.239
<v Speaker 1>raise money and they have to be on the phone

750
00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:49.119
<v Speaker 1>constantly raising money. And you know, but the funny thing

751
00:38:49.159 --> 00:38:51.239
<v Speaker 1>about is most of this money, the vast majority, comes

752
00:38:51.239 --> 00:38:53.719
<v Speaker 1>from outside the district. It comes from across the whole country.

753
00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:56.599
<v Speaker 1>So you have these donor networks that are plumping the

754
00:38:56.679 --> 00:38:59.519
<v Speaker 1>money in and they're not necessarily concerned about what's good

755
00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:02.400
<v Speaker 1>for local people, you know, they're you know so, And

756
00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:05.440
<v Speaker 1>I think that is sort of polarizing both sides of

757
00:39:05.480 --> 00:39:07.719
<v Speaker 1>the equation. Like and often the media will say, well,

758
00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:10.239
<v Speaker 1>this candidate has raised more money than the other candidates

759
00:39:10.280 --> 00:39:13.239
<v Speaker 1>so there are more viable candidate. But that's sort of

760
00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:16.119
<v Speaker 1>the reality is almost the inverse. The more money they've raised,

761
00:39:16.159 --> 00:39:18.840
<v Speaker 1>the less connected they are, and the more outside money

762
00:39:18.840 --> 00:39:20.679
<v Speaker 1>they've raised, the less if there are two people from

763
00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:24.239
<v Speaker 1>the district. And so I think that that's why I

764
00:39:24.320 --> 00:39:29.679
<v Speaker 1>think my candidacy is such a unique opportunity to try

765
00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:32.639
<v Speaker 1>and forge a new path to this country. Let's start somewhere.

766
00:39:32.719 --> 00:39:32.960
<v Speaker 2>We can.

767
00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:36.960
<v Speaker 1>You can, you don't have to, you know, I'm willing

768
00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:38.920
<v Speaker 1>to sit down with anybody from anywhere in the political

769
00:39:38.920 --> 00:39:43.679
<v Speaker 1>spectrum and entertain ideas from the right and the left

770
00:39:43.719 --> 00:39:46.000
<v Speaker 1>to come up with solutions to the most pressing issues.

771
00:39:45.719 --> 00:39:46.000
<v Speaker 4>That we have.

772
00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:48.639
<v Speaker 1>You have to be free to do that, and I

773
00:39:49.079 --> 00:39:51.559
<v Speaker 1>fear that it's gotten to the point where the most

774
00:39:51.639 --> 00:39:56.199
<v Speaker 1>congressional representatives are not free to do that. So, I mean,

775
00:39:56.280 --> 00:39:58.199
<v Speaker 1>it's it's a tough issue. What would I do to

776
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:02.039
<v Speaker 1>end the shutdown? I don't know. I would try to

777
00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:05.440
<v Speaker 1>get people to come together to decide collectively to end it.

778
00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:08.119
<v Speaker 2>Well, you know, I want to expand on that little Michael.

779
00:40:08.119 --> 00:40:09.280
<v Speaker 2>We have a little bit of time, and I'd like

780
00:40:09.320 --> 00:40:12.400
<v Speaker 2>to expand on it. You mentioned the freedom to speak

781
00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:16.480
<v Speaker 2>your mind, lately. I mean, that's being curtailed. It's it's

782
00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:20.440
<v Speaker 2>obvious definitely of the administration and the president if you

783
00:40:20.519 --> 00:40:23.639
<v Speaker 2>speak against him. I even worry about this program every

784
00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:27.280
<v Speaker 2>once in a while because we invite all points of view,

785
00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:29.639
<v Speaker 2>and some of them are very contrary to what the

786
00:40:30.039 --> 00:40:34.199
<v Speaker 2>current administration is proposing. And I know that makes us vulnerable,

787
00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:37.079
<v Speaker 2>and it makes me somewhat nervous, for lack of a

788
00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:40.719
<v Speaker 2>better word, I address that a little bit. How do

789
00:40:41.320 --> 00:40:45.960
<v Speaker 2>we maintain our freedom against the fort Again, I want

790
00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:49.440
<v Speaker 2>to be overly dramatic, but really, what's becoming the forces

791
00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:50.119
<v Speaker 2>of oppression?

792
00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:52.719
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I know it's a scary thing. I mean, and

793
00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:54.719
<v Speaker 1>I felt that for years in Ramapo, you know, with

794
00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:58.400
<v Speaker 1>the horble issue, and you know, you know one thing

795
00:40:58.679 --> 00:41:02.719
<v Speaker 1>in the last one they did their redistrict the county legislature.

796
00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:07.840
<v Speaker 1>It was a total gerrymander, and I challenged it. One

797
00:41:07.880 --> 00:41:10.280
<v Speaker 1>of the issues was they wouldn't let us speak at

798
00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:12.280
<v Speaker 1>the public hearing. Here was a it was a ten

799
00:41:12.400 --> 00:41:15.639
<v Speaker 1>year it was a mandatory public hearing on a ten

800
00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:20.199
<v Speaker 1>year redistricting plan, and they would not allow people to

801
00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:24.599
<v Speaker 1>speak at the public hearing, and they allowed their own

802
00:41:24.639 --> 00:41:27.000
<v Speaker 1>experts to speak and the members of the county of

803
00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:29.519
<v Speaker 1>the Regisa, they spoke, they talked about how great the

804
00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:32.039
<v Speaker 1>MAP was, but the people who are being disadfranchised by

805
00:41:32.079 --> 00:41:33.960
<v Speaker 1>the MAP were not allowed to speak at the public hearing,

806
00:41:34.519 --> 00:41:36.559
<v Speaker 1>which is just unbelievable. And we I appealed this, like

807
00:41:36.599 --> 00:41:38.519
<v Speaker 1>I said, on that issue, all the way to the

808
00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:41.639
<v Speaker 1>US Sucremey Court. So yeah, it's it's a definite issue.

809
00:41:41.719 --> 00:41:44.280
<v Speaker 1>How do we have to keep fighting. We cannot lay

810
00:41:44.360 --> 00:41:46.960
<v Speaker 1>down on this. We need to keep fighting for our

811
00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:50.199
<v Speaker 1>right to free speech and our right to dissent and

812
00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:54.000
<v Speaker 1>our right to assemble. And that's that's the best tool

813
00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:57.519
<v Speaker 1>we have to try and move our country forward and

814
00:41:57.639 --> 00:41:59.960
<v Speaker 1>to move it in the right direction. So we got

815
00:42:00.039 --> 00:42:00.599
<v Speaker 1>to keep fighting.

816
00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:03.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I want to talk a little bit about our

817
00:42:03.079 --> 00:42:06.719
<v Speaker 2>political parties, but in particular Democrats, which seem these days

818
00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:09.400
<v Speaker 2>to be somewhat in disarray, or there's certainly at least

819
00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:13.039
<v Speaker 2>two camps, the Chuck Schumer's of the world, the more

820
00:42:13.079 --> 00:42:16.920
<v Speaker 2>traditional conservative, and then the Mamdani's and the aocs of

821
00:42:17.000 --> 00:42:20.440
<v Speaker 2>the world, considered progressive moments to the point of socialism.

822
00:42:21.960 --> 00:42:26.079
<v Speaker 2>Your thoughts are that where should we be going? Are

823
00:42:26.199 --> 00:42:30.719
<v Speaker 2>we should we stay the course according to Schumer's way,

824
00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:34.239
<v Speaker 2>or should we shake the pod if you will, with

825
00:42:34.400 --> 00:42:37.639
<v Speaker 2>the stir the pod forgive me like the aocs of

826
00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:39.719
<v Speaker 2>the world do what are your what are your feelings?

827
00:42:40.119 --> 00:42:41.840
<v Speaker 1>Well, I definitely think we need to stir the pot

828
00:42:41.960 --> 00:42:43.679
<v Speaker 1>to a certain extent, but of course we don't want

829
00:42:43.719 --> 00:42:45.079
<v Speaker 1>to drift too far to the left either. I mean,

830
00:42:45.280 --> 00:42:48.079
<v Speaker 1>in order to win an election, right, either party has

831
00:42:48.119 --> 00:42:50.039
<v Speaker 1>to get fifty you know, generally speaking, I think at

832
00:42:50.039 --> 00:42:52.920
<v Speaker 1>about fifty one percent of the vote right, So you

833
00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:56.320
<v Speaker 1>need to win over the middle. You need to have moderates.

834
00:42:56.360 --> 00:42:59.039
<v Speaker 1>So I think we should borrow good ideas from all

835
00:42:59.079 --> 00:43:01.920
<v Speaker 1>points on the political spectrum and and use those ideas

836
00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:05.440
<v Speaker 1>to build our platform and to attract voters so we

837
00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:10.239
<v Speaker 1>can win elections and go forward. So, you know, I

838
00:43:10.440 --> 00:43:15.519
<v Speaker 1>think it's about being open minded and approachable and being

839
00:43:15.559 --> 00:43:18.239
<v Speaker 1>willing to work with people from from every point of

840
00:43:18.280 --> 00:43:20.159
<v Speaker 1>the polical spectrum to get things done.

841
00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:23.559
<v Speaker 2>So that's sort of my answer to that. Okay, Well,

842
00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:26.599
<v Speaker 2>one final question Michael too. It's one I feel like

843
00:43:26.679 --> 00:43:31.440
<v Speaker 2>I have to ask that political violence has seeped into

844
00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:36.800
<v Speaker 2>our conversation. We've seen it in Minnesota. We saw it

845
00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:40.719
<v Speaker 2>in uh, Charlie Kirk we we we just we've seen

846
00:43:40.760 --> 00:43:45.000
<v Speaker 2>it just recently with the Governor Shapiro in Pennsylvania, shocking

847
00:43:45.159 --> 00:43:51.039
<v Speaker 2>video of that man. And does it concern you as

848
00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:55.719
<v Speaker 2>a politician, the fact that now it kind of makes

849
00:43:55.719 --> 00:43:57.679
<v Speaker 2>you more vulnerable than you've ever been before.

850
00:43:57.880 --> 00:44:01.559
<v Speaker 1>Your thoughts, Yeah, absolutely does concern me. It does concern me.

851
00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:04.320
<v Speaker 1>I will say that over the twenty plus years I've

852
00:44:04.320 --> 00:44:07.559
<v Speaker 1>been doing this, in the last several years, I've noticed

853
00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:12.639
<v Speaker 1>a sort of a turn towards more confrontation.

854
00:44:14.119 --> 00:44:14.280
<v Speaker 4>You know.

855
00:44:14.320 --> 00:44:15.840
<v Speaker 1>I used to knock on a lot of doors, talk

856
00:44:15.840 --> 00:44:18.320
<v Speaker 1>to a lot of people, and I, you know, fast

857
00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:20.880
<v Speaker 1>jority people are very nice. But but just in the

858
00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:24.199
<v Speaker 1>last two years I have run into some very hostile

859
00:44:24.320 --> 00:44:26.280
<v Speaker 1>people knocking on the door. And it's it makes you

860
00:44:26.280 --> 00:44:28.599
<v Speaker 1>a little gun shy, right, So I do worry about it.

861
00:44:28.599 --> 00:44:30.239
<v Speaker 1>I do worry about it. And you know, I think

862
00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:33.199
<v Speaker 1>it's it is important for us to try to choose

863
00:44:33.480 --> 00:44:36.159
<v Speaker 1>our words carefully and to try to you know, tone

864
00:44:36.280 --> 00:44:39.320
<v Speaker 1>is everything. Try to have a conciliatory tone, even with

865
00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:44.760
<v Speaker 1>people that you're at odds with politically. But yeah, it's

866
00:44:44.920 --> 00:44:47.599
<v Speaker 1>it's I have to say, I do I do worry

867
00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:51.679
<v Speaker 1>for myself and others, you know, and it is said

868
00:44:51.760 --> 00:44:56.239
<v Speaker 1>that we can't communicate more in a civil fashion without

869
00:44:56.400 --> 00:44:57.599
<v Speaker 1>fear of escalation.

870
00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:01.679
<v Speaker 2>Michael, I'm going to give you a chance to plug

871
00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:04.880
<v Speaker 2>some websites you mentioned where people can find out more

872
00:45:04.920 --> 00:45:09.800
<v Speaker 2>about you and your platform and campaign. But before that,

873
00:45:09.840 --> 00:45:12.800
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to give you an opportunity just flat out

874
00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:17.360
<v Speaker 2>why should people vote for you over the incumbenty a day?

875
00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:20.239
<v Speaker 2>What should people see in you that should give them

876
00:45:20.320 --> 00:45:22.679
<v Speaker 2>confidence that you can roam this county and run it well.

877
00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:25.599
<v Speaker 1>Well, Like I said, I think this is a real

878
00:45:25.719 --> 00:45:27.800
<v Speaker 1>choice in the selection. It's a rare opportunity that's not

879
00:45:27.840 --> 00:45:30.679
<v Speaker 1>going to come again. So ed Day's going to get

880
00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:32.719
<v Speaker 1>the block vote. He's got nine hundred thousand dollars in

881
00:45:32.719 --> 00:45:35.320
<v Speaker 1>his campaign account from all these different special interests that

882
00:45:35.840 --> 00:45:37.880
<v Speaker 1>wants something that's not necessarily in the best interest in

883
00:45:37.880 --> 00:45:40.800
<v Speaker 1>the county. I have none of that. I will be

884
00:45:41.039 --> 00:45:44.599
<v Speaker 1>free to do what I think is the most effective

885
00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:47.800
<v Speaker 1>solution to any of the problems that we face this.

886
00:45:48.159 --> 00:45:49.960
<v Speaker 1>I will sit down and talk with anyone to try

887
00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:51.840
<v Speaker 1>to come up with the best answers to our problems.

888
00:45:52.679 --> 00:45:56.880
<v Speaker 1>I have a life's worth of work experience in many

889
00:45:57.000 --> 00:46:00.360
<v Speaker 1>different area. I've been in many different organizations with so

890
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:03.159
<v Speaker 1>many people from so many different walks of life, solving

891
00:46:03.239 --> 00:46:07.199
<v Speaker 1>problems from academia to the military, to corporate America to

892
00:46:07.360 --> 00:46:10.519
<v Speaker 1>small business and now on the local level. I have

893
00:46:10.679 --> 00:46:13.880
<v Speaker 1>been involved in so many efforts I couldn't even it

894
00:46:13.920 --> 00:46:16.679
<v Speaker 1>would take me for every caateg all the different initiatives

895
00:46:16.719 --> 00:46:19.519
<v Speaker 1>I've been involved in to try and forge good government

896
00:46:19.559 --> 00:46:22.559
<v Speaker 1>and fair representation here. And I have ten years on

897
00:46:22.599 --> 00:46:24.719
<v Speaker 1>the rocken Aunty Planning Board. I have a deep understanding

898
00:46:24.760 --> 00:46:29.000
<v Speaker 1>of the problems that we face. So I think it's

899
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:32.599
<v Speaker 1>time for new leadership. Eddea has had three terms and

900
00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:35.880
<v Speaker 1>he I think the time has come for him to go,

901
00:46:36.159 --> 00:46:41.159
<v Speaker 1>and we need new leadership. We need new ideas, and

902
00:46:41.840 --> 00:46:45.360
<v Speaker 1>I feel that I will bring the energy and the

903
00:46:45.719 --> 00:46:48.440
<v Speaker 1>heightened sense of urgency that we need. We don't Rothen

904
00:46:48.559 --> 00:46:50.400
<v Speaker 1>is on the brink right now with all the problems

905
00:46:50.440 --> 00:46:53.679
<v Speaker 1>we face. We don't have four years to sit around

906
00:46:53.760 --> 00:46:57.480
<v Speaker 1>waiting for ed Day to move on. Well, he enjoys

907
00:46:57.559 --> 00:46:59.360
<v Speaker 1>the perkose of power, which is what I think he's

908
00:46:59.400 --> 00:47:02.280
<v Speaker 1>really the main reason I feel he's running free election.

909
00:47:02.599 --> 00:47:05.320
<v Speaker 1>We need to get to work on these problems immediately,

910
00:47:05.960 --> 00:47:08.079
<v Speaker 1>and I will do that. I will bring that to

911
00:47:08.360 --> 00:47:15.239
<v Speaker 1>to Brockon County. So that's that's my pitch. I care

912
00:47:15.320 --> 00:47:18.679
<v Speaker 1>deeply county. My great grandfather came here in the eighteen nineties.

913
00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:22.679
<v Speaker 1>I was born and raised here. Rockland is an amazing place.

914
00:47:23.159 --> 00:47:25.079
<v Speaker 1>We need to do everything we can do to keep

915
00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:26.760
<v Speaker 1>it viable and keep it on the right track.

916
00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:30.039
<v Speaker 2>Could have viewsed you on our last show, Michael, about

917
00:47:30.079 --> 00:47:33.760
<v Speaker 2>Italian American history, all Italians all the time. I had

918
00:47:33.760 --> 00:47:39.039
<v Speaker 2>two Italian scholars with myself and we talked about Italian

919
00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:42.960
<v Speaker 2>Americans that up. Yeah, look that one up. I think

920
00:47:43.000 --> 00:47:49.440
<v Speaker 2>you'll enjoy it. Richter was the only outsider. But anyway, Michael,

921
00:47:49.480 --> 00:47:51.599
<v Speaker 2>how people want to know more about you? Give me

922
00:47:51.679 --> 00:47:53.639
<v Speaker 2>some websites? How can they get in touch with you?

923
00:47:54.239 --> 00:47:56.920
<v Speaker 2>Do you have a website? You mentioned certain social media

924
00:47:57.000 --> 00:47:59.480
<v Speaker 2>outlets that are featuring you. Tell us about them.

925
00:48:00.280 --> 00:48:04.039
<v Speaker 1>Well, my website is Mike FORO Rockland dot org and

926
00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:07.559
<v Speaker 1>that's Mike with the numeral for so Mike FORO Rockland

927
00:48:07.599 --> 00:48:10.760
<v Speaker 1>dot org. That has my platform and my bio and

928
00:48:11.320 --> 00:48:14.400
<v Speaker 1>a lot of information about me in my campaign. We

929
00:48:14.519 --> 00:48:19.239
<v Speaker 1>also have a Facebook page page Mike Perry Eddie for Rockland.

930
00:48:19.280 --> 00:48:22.440
<v Speaker 1>That's my Facebook page, and we have an Instagram account

931
00:48:22.480 --> 00:48:25.000
<v Speaker 1>with the same name, Mike Perry Eddie for Rockland, and

932
00:48:25.119 --> 00:48:27.599
<v Speaker 1>so those that you can get all the information you

933
00:48:27.679 --> 00:48:30.159
<v Speaker 1>need from me there. You can contact me there. And

934
00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:34.119
<v Speaker 1>I think this might This is truly a grassroots effort

935
00:48:34.199 --> 00:48:36.239
<v Speaker 1>my campaign, no question about it. That's the way I'll

936
00:48:36.280 --> 00:48:38.480
<v Speaker 1>win through a grassroots efort. So I would say to everybody,

937
00:48:39.039 --> 00:48:42.480
<v Speaker 1>if you support me, if you believe in the things

938
00:48:42.599 --> 00:48:44.000
<v Speaker 1>that I believe in, and you want to move the

939
00:48:44.039 --> 00:48:48.199
<v Speaker 1>county forward, please try to share the You can go

940
00:48:48.239 --> 00:48:50.159
<v Speaker 1>to our Facebook page, you can share our posts, you

941
00:48:50.239 --> 00:48:52.800
<v Speaker 1>can share information about my account. We've got the sample

942
00:48:52.880 --> 00:48:57.320
<v Speaker 1>ballot up there. I'm running on the independent party line.

943
00:48:57.880 --> 00:49:00.800
<v Speaker 1>It's called the Good GOV line. Is row E on

944
00:49:00.880 --> 00:49:02.679
<v Speaker 1>the ballot. I'm easy to find on the ballot. I'm

945
00:49:02.719 --> 00:49:05.559
<v Speaker 1>just the fifth row down. There's only two candidates on

946
00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:07.280
<v Speaker 1>the ballot. This is a two way race.

947
00:49:07.719 --> 00:49:07.840
<v Speaker 4>You know.

948
00:49:08.039 --> 00:49:10.639
<v Speaker 1>I've run as an independent before in a three way race,

949
00:49:11.079 --> 00:49:12.840
<v Speaker 1>and that's hard to win because each side is afraid

950
00:49:12.840 --> 00:49:14.039
<v Speaker 1>to vote for you even if they want to, because

951
00:49:14.039 --> 00:49:15.679
<v Speaker 1>they can help the other side. We don't have that

952
00:49:15.800 --> 00:49:19.199
<v Speaker 1>problem two way race, head to head contest between myself

953
00:49:19.239 --> 00:49:22.239
<v Speaker 1>and a Day, a stark choice for people and a

954
00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:26.039
<v Speaker 1>rare opportunity for voters. So I encourage everybody please spread

955
00:49:26.039 --> 00:49:27.960
<v Speaker 1>the word. Talk to your friends, talk to your family,

956
00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:33.079
<v Speaker 1>share our posts either through email, forward our emails or

957
00:49:33.280 --> 00:49:36.480
<v Speaker 1>Facebook posts, and let's get the word out and get

958
00:49:36.519 --> 00:49:37.079
<v Speaker 1>the vote out.

959
00:49:38.320 --> 00:49:40.519
<v Speaker 2>One last tough question, Can you win?

960
00:49:41.599 --> 00:49:45.760
<v Speaker 1>Absolutely positively, I can definitely win this race, and that

961
00:49:45.960 --> 00:49:48.800
<v Speaker 1>Day I think is very nervous, and he should be

962
00:49:48.920 --> 00:49:51.960
<v Speaker 1>nervous because the reason I say that is, like I said,

963
00:49:52.039 --> 00:49:54.480
<v Speaker 1>this is not your average election where you have two

964
00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:58.199
<v Speaker 1>candidates that may be hampered or hindered by the same

965
00:49:58.599 --> 00:50:02.880
<v Speaker 1>special interests callowing out. And we have a real choice

966
00:50:02.960 --> 00:50:07.519
<v Speaker 1>here between big money, big party politics as usual, business

967
00:50:07.519 --> 00:50:11.880
<v Speaker 1>as usual, and the complete opposite of that, which is honest, fair,

968
00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:16.159
<v Speaker 1>efficient government, free for any special interests or conflict of interest.

969
00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:19.199
<v Speaker 1>And I think people are hungry for that. Wherever I go,

970
00:50:19.599 --> 00:50:22.480
<v Speaker 1>I run into so many people saying, Mike were behind you,

971
00:50:23.199 --> 00:50:26.079
<v Speaker 1>you got my vote. And I think, I really think

972
00:50:26.320 --> 00:50:33.119
<v Speaker 1>that that word is spreading virally and widely, and I

973
00:50:33.320 --> 00:50:37.320
<v Speaker 1>definitely think I can win this. So I say to you,

974
00:50:37.559 --> 00:50:38.960
<v Speaker 1>we can all win it. I can't win it. We

975
00:50:39.079 --> 00:50:41.559
<v Speaker 1>can all win it together. So be a part of it.

976
00:50:42.199 --> 00:50:46.000
<v Speaker 1>Don't miss don't miss out on it. Get get out

977
00:50:46.039 --> 00:50:47.679
<v Speaker 1>and vote and get your people at the vote.

978
00:50:48.599 --> 00:50:54.000
<v Speaker 2>Michael Periety, dependent candidate for Rockland County Executives, Thank you

979
00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:57.480
<v Speaker 2>for being frank and with all that intelligent conversation. Really

980
00:50:57.519 --> 00:50:59.159
<v Speaker 2>appreciate you, candidate. That was terrific.

981
00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:02.079
<v Speaker 1>All right, thank you, Frank. Really appreciate it. What's great?

982
00:51:02.119 --> 00:51:05.360
<v Speaker 2>I enjoyed it great. Of course, we offer special thanks

983
00:51:05.400 --> 00:51:07.239
<v Speaker 2>to our listeners who take time to give us a

984
00:51:07.320 --> 00:51:10.519
<v Speaker 2>voice in their lives. Remember you offer fresh topic just

985
00:51:10.599 --> 00:51:14.199
<v Speaker 2>about every week and catch us wherever and whenever you

986
00:51:14.320 --> 00:51:19.199
<v Speaker 2>get your favorite podcasts that includes Apples, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and

987
00:51:19.480 --> 00:51:22.000
<v Speaker 2>all the others. Check us out on the Hudson River

988
00:51:22.199 --> 00:51:26.400
<v Speaker 2>Radio Facebook page. Leave us a comment two, and we'd

989
00:51:26.519 --> 00:51:30.400
<v Speaker 2>like you to consider sharing being Frank with others. It's

990
00:51:30.480 --> 00:51:33.159
<v Speaker 2>easy to do. As always, I leave you with two

991
00:51:33.320 --> 00:51:38.639
<v Speaker 2>last little extras. One slogan that's appropriate for our conversation,

992
00:51:38.800 --> 00:51:43.159
<v Speaker 2>and some great original music. The slogan comes from John C. Calhoun.

993
00:51:43.519 --> 00:51:45.440
<v Speaker 2>That was a surprise when I looked this one up,

994
00:51:45.480 --> 00:51:48.599
<v Speaker 2>and he said the very essence of A free government

995
00:51:48.760 --> 00:51:53.840
<v Speaker 2>consists in considering offices as public trusts bestowed for the

996
00:51:53.960 --> 00:51:57.440
<v Speaker 2>good of the country and not for the benefit of

997
00:51:57.519 --> 00:52:01.519
<v Speaker 2>an individual or party. Says it all right there, folks.

998
00:52:01.840 --> 00:52:03.800
<v Speaker 2>I'll write some great original music from one of my

999
00:52:03.960 --> 00:52:07.320
<v Speaker 2>former colleagues, Chris Wall and his band wreck Wall. It's

1000
00:52:07.360 --> 00:52:10.480
<v Speaker 2>a great tune and his music is available on band camp.

1001
00:52:11.000 --> 00:52:13.880
<v Speaker 2>For our engineer the mail Man, mister Neil rich Or.

1002
00:52:13.960 --> 00:52:16.199
<v Speaker 2>I'm your host, Frank Lobono, and we hope to have

1003
00:52:16.320 --> 00:52:18.320
<v Speaker 2>you join us on the next being Frank where the

1004
00:52:18.400 --> 00:52:58.039
<v Speaker 2>only way to be is Frank. Thanks everyone, Sanzi.

1005
00:53:02.199 --> 00:53:12.239
<v Speaker 6>Nothen ning up word say can the spy that can't

1006
00:53:12.360 --> 00:53:13.760
<v Speaker 6>stand leave?

1007
00:53:13.880 --> 00:53:13.920
<v Speaker 2>You?

1008
00:53:18.239 --> 00:53:27.679
<v Speaker 7>Give me one your reason to remain? Okay, Joss fay

1009
00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:30.000
<v Speaker 7>a way to pay.

1010
00:53:31.480 --> 00:53:45.880
<v Speaker 3>On ship away? They just tell ay, give way.

1011
00:53:51.440 --> 00:53:52.920
<v Speaker 2>I can't think so.

1012
00:53:54.760 --> 00:53:55.519
<v Speaker 4>I did not.

1013
00:53:56.039 --> 00:53:57.559
<v Speaker 7>I feed you in.

1014
00:54:02.239 --> 00:54:12.079
<v Speaker 6>Racing for not empty d I know it feels like

1015
00:54:12.440 --> 00:54:21.000
<v Speaker 6>get solenty. I call the good one's.

1016
00:54:20.679 --> 00:54:29.840
<v Speaker 3>Willing to wait. I could chas pay out way into place,

1017
00:54:31.519 --> 00:54:36.639
<v Speaker 3>lots away, con chance time away.

1018
00:54:51.559 --> 00:54:52.920
<v Speaker 4>I don't think so.

1019
00:55:26.440 --> 00:55:29.239
<v Speaker 7>The Concha aspect the way how.

1020
00:55:29.280 --> 00:55:29.760
<v Speaker 2>To try it.

1021
00:55:31.880 --> 00:55:56.599
<v Speaker 3>Sways like the Tisch way. The Concha as space away

1022
00:55:57.000 --> 00:56:03.719
<v Speaker 3>not to try its time.

1023
00:56:25.440 --> 00:56:39.199
<v Speaker 4>Thanks Hudson River Radio dot com, m