Term Limits Hearings Bring Out Fierce Opinions

A better quality version of the above video has been posted. "Rachel Trachtenburg Goes to City Hall." It's in the video response section of the first video.

Here is the link

Re: Rachel Trachtenburg Goes to City Hall 10/16/08 *Better Quality*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA8MfxYaprs&watch_response

Rachel is home schooled and was fortunate enough to be able to take a field trip to city hall. She and her mom waited for about five long hours before she was invited to speak. I personally think she's very brave. Thank goodness there are young people interested in politics who have the courage to speak out. We all know many voting aged adults who pay less attention and are less informed than Rachel. I guess it's easier to anonymously post a criticism to a blog than to actually participate in our worthwhile but neglected official system.

Ok, this is irritating. Once again, what does her being 14 have anything to do with this? Rachel related an actual account of her family being priced out of the E. Village and moving to Brooklyn. She clearly and articulately gave actual sources and financial figures in terms of Bloomberg's donations and campaign spending. She was funny, too in talking about Bloomberg's raising taxes: "Any monkey can raise taxes. No offense to monkeys..."

Saying her age only adds to the impact of Rachel's statement and positions her as a young person choosing to be an active and informed member of her community. There are many impressionable fourteen year old girls out there getting plenty of disinformation as to how they should act and who should their role models should be. (Shudder.)

Why are we not encouraging her? This was important thing she did.

I know the sound quality on this bad, but Rachel didn't even mention her band, right?! Gothamist linked to her band! How exactly is she famewhoreing for her family band??? Plus they play anti-folk songs @ places like The Bowery Poetry Club for godsakes, on $ 3 open mic nights!

You're right felixthecat, we as a whole are dumb as wood.

please don't vote for council member Michael McMahon who is running for congress for 13th (Staten Island/Brooklyn). He voted for the highest property tax and congestion pricing for Mayor Bloomberg and he will vote to overturn the will of the people on term limits. Vote for Bob Straniere

that 14 year old girl has more sense that a lot of people who don't even know who their council person is and their council person involvement in the slush fund. No wonder the Mayor and city council have no problem taking away our votes. We as a whole are dumb as wood. People actually support the overturn of the will of the people when people have died for our rights to vote. People were killed for registering women and people of color to vote. Shame on Quinn and Bloomberg and Seabrook and Valllone and all the others for selling us out.

She's famewhoring for the family band, not making a genuine statement. In 4 years when can vote, she can have her say.

Yeah, what does it matter what this 14 yo says? And what's up with that table?

Of course Rachel's opinion matters! And it doesn't matter that she's 14. Who cares?

Rachel is active, intelligent, very informed, and involved in her community! She's exposed to lots of community activists, charitiable people/events, politically savy people, etc. via her family's band!

I started to get involved w/politics, activism, etc. @ her age, and I was isolated, had no internet and not much parental solidarity. Young people have a lot greater potential and opportunites today when it comes to educating themselves and staying active and involved. Plus they're generally smarter these days! Do not sell Rachel and other young people short. That's a huge mistake!

Rachel, don't listen to these cranky people who are not actively OUT there, but instead commenting on here! You have been around long enough and have had w/many first hand experiences that make you PERFECTLY qualified to comment!

Keep going strong! You are an important voice and talent!

-La Leone-

P.S. Rachel, I'm a regular Gothamist reader, but you know me from my small collaged artwork that you own. :)

The democrat machine's mouth is watering. They figure if term limits stay they're in. Then it's back to full time corruption.

she probably went there after school, the pro bloomberg panel spoke first and these citizens only got to speak after hours of waiting.

Rachel Trachtenburg was one of many speakers--she spoke about her family being priced out of the East Village and I think it's good for kids to get involved with political discourse and civic matters at an early age.

I agree with felixthecat.

not only the doe fund but some public art fund was there. more people needs to see what this council is doing, the insults and bickering are amazing.

looks like money is still at the back door and rooms of city hall.

Since when does what a 14-year-old says have any merit whatsoever? Are we seriously having to go to the thumbsucker set for political discourse? Because that's just sad.

no but seriously - who cares about a 14 year old? she was what, 7 when Bloomberg got elected? why is her opinion, out of all the people there, highlighted?

Council member Domenic M. Recchia Jr. Is a slimeball. Council member Robert Jackon was filing his nail.

I noted that there were some workers for the Doe Fund, ex-offenders, who spoke favorably for overturning the will of the people and putting it in the hands of the city council. It looks like there were some people "paid" to testify in favor of Mayor Bloomberg/ deputy Mayor Quinn. Also Vallone Jr. really wants to vote to extend term limits. Inez Dickens looks like she made up her minds to overturn the will of the people. Council Member Miguel Maritinez who supports overturning the people's should be arrested. He funded hundreds of thousands of dollars to a non-profit org that his sisters served on. We can't trust the council members, many of them were involved in the slush funds and funneling money to non-existent org. Also council member gave money to orgs to campaign on their behalf. those that spoke in favor of Bloomberg and Quinn were part of non-profit orgs that benefited from the budget allocations. Also ex-offenders employed by Doe Fund spoke in favor for Bloomberg. Smell fishy to me.

Well, if a 14 year old objects, then I'm sold. Shouldn't she be in school?