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Letter to the Editor: Altschuler Op-Ed Is 'Chaos Campaigning'

John Bouvier responds to congressional candidate's op-ed on Obama's contraception insurance rule for Catholic organizations.

I recently became aware of an op-ed submitted By Mr. Randy Altschuler, aka “Outsourcer.”

I say submitted because it is unclear if he is the one who actually wrote it. But, no matter, it is one of those pieces that so perfectly reflects the current Republican strategy: Vague and random chaos campaigning.

It seems that Randy has now added an attack on women to his agenda. In his op-ed, he claims that President Obama has forced Catholic organizations to cover contraception costs for their employees. Where have you been Randy? Did you miss the press conference? Did you not understand what was said? Do you need a translator? And you have the nerve to call President Obama and our great Congressman Bishop hyper-partisan and openly attack them, as if somehow their clear and concise understanding of the issues at stake are a misstatement of the actual legislation? You must think that the voters are just plain dumb. Your attempt to discredit Congressman Bishop is more than transparent, it is the worst type of politics. So let me set the record straight:

  1. This Legislation does NOT force Catholic organizations to pay for contraceptive costs though insurance.
  2. 99% of women and 98% of Catholic women admit to the use of birth control.
  3. While religious nonprofits must still provide health insurance, coverage of contraceptives would be offered only to employees who ask for it. However, the charities would not have to pay for it.

So, I ask you again, Mr. Altschuler, what’s the issue? If you choose to align yourself with the Republican three-ring circus, who can only create controversy in an effort to gain an edge in their battle for nomination, then, I guess, you are simply a puppet of a failing GOP strategy. Perhaps you have forgotten that former Republican governor of New York, George Pataki, guaranteed contraceptive coverage to ALL New York women in 2002 and no Republican said a thing about it then — were you even in New York?

Take heed, women of New York, the next step is that Randy will want to repeal no-cost contraceptive coverage in New York. Randy, your real agenda is to repeal any legislation supported by President Obama. Seniors now get free preventative care through Medicare — are you saying they don’t deserve that after a lifetime of work? People who are stricken by catastrophic illness now know that their illness will not bankrupt their families. It must be nice to have a bank account big enough not to have to worry about things like that.

By the way, what is your tax rate?

John Bouvier
Westhampton

SCOTT February 18, 2012 at 08:36 pm
Who is going to pay at the end us voters and leave Religion out of politics, our nation is in a decline and seems no one wants to talk about the real issues on how to get this nation rolling again.
Gramps Pupany February 18, 2012 at 08:46 pm
Scott, yer a smart young feller. Yer folks taught ya right. Aint no room in politics for religion less yer all praying together. Obama riversed the Bush law that made the Church give out contrceptives. That's the right thing to do. Stay out of their business, less you need a funeral or a weddin.
The Beav February 18, 2012 at 08:51 pm
We're with gramps! Obama did the right thing for the church and got out of their way. Bush pushed us Cathlics around like he owned the church or something. Probly that Chaney fella working behind his back. Watch out. He can't shoot good neither.
David D'Agostino February 18, 2012 at 09:04 pm
Spot on, Mr Bouvier!
Frog Morton February 18, 2012 at 09:17 pm
To quote from the Post: Altschuler "never denies any claim about the political consultant who found him a disctrict to run in.....He is an absolute master at generating a perception......He showed that at Office Tiger when he and Joe created the "perception" of a large sophisticated enterprise by working the press and conferences and so on.....In reality it was a very "low budget second rate" operation.....Randy's biggest weakness is that fact that he is really "not a visionary" or a decision maker. He will finnagle, follow the power base and "do whatever it takes to get elected" and boot strap up the ladder." Sounds like Nixon.
There's your 2012 Republican candidate for Congress. I wouldn't vote for Altschuler if he promised a chicken in every pot! God help Long Island!!
Nurse Ratchet February 18, 2012 at 09:25 pm
Altschuler sold Tiger Office for $250 million. Here's what Wikipedia said about him after an interview: "Altschuler has claimed OfficeTiger is not a traditional outsourcing company, but rather one whose overseas employees "enhance the services and jobs that Americans are doing here domestically." Later in the interview, he contends, "You want the professionals here doing different kinds of things than he or she is doing today. Office Tiger allows them to take some of the more traditional tasks and outsource that offshore." [5] However, later in the same interview, Altschuler admitted some companies use OfficeTiger to "cut costs and save money by shipping jobs off shore." Thanks for nothing, Randy!
Meadow Lane February 18, 2012 at 09:51 pm
You left out the best part: "OfficeTiger expanded to 29 offices and 42 client locations across nine countries and employed 4,000 people in India, 4,000 in Europe, 1,000 in Sri Lanka, 750 in the United States, and 300 in the Philippines." (Source: Wikipedia)
East End Farmer February 18, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Thank you President Obama for reversing the Bush Doctorine that inteferred with church business. Everyone makes choices in life. Yours was good. Bless you
Postman Sharp February 18, 2012 at 10:45 pm
With Altschuler lying to us now, he'll have no trouble lying from Washington. It's a shame he isn't honest. I think the Post said it best; "He will finnagle, follow the power base and do whatever it takes to get elected". I can't support Altschuler. Not now, not ever. Bishop's done a good job through this Bush debacle. Look at the hand Bush dealt Congress. What a mess. God, go with him please, and guide him wisely.
robkoz February 19, 2012 at 04:55 am
Got to laugh at bias editorials like this. There is nothing "great" about socialist Bishop. His voting record clearly indicates that he is a follower, not a leader. A guy that has flip-flopped more times than a fish out of water. A guy that likes to give your hard earned money way to those who abuse the hard working taxpayers of this country. Tim Bishop one of the reasons why the dependent class has increased exponentially on Long Island at the expense of the taxpayers.
Granted you got one thing against Altschuler, he outsourced. But what's more upsetting than his outsourcing is the liberals hypocrisy against outsourcing. Remember this next time you go shopping at Target or Wallmart for those low-low prices you all love so much. Don't forget that Bishop only won the election by a few short hundred votes. If Bishop wasn't bought and paid for by civil right activists and the unions the guy would have been long gone. It's obvious that Tim Bishop didn't get the message that hard working law abiding New Yorkers are sick and tired of getting their money stolen from them and given to those that either disobey and disrespect the laws of this country and those that have no intentions on becoming productive members of society.
Meadow Lane February 19, 2012 at 02:51 pm
Everyone knows that robkoz is a teenage operative for the Altschuler campaign, so please excuse his immature ranting, labels and name calling of our honorable Congressman Bishop. These are inciteful words drawn from a play book of Republican cliches.
Altschuler put $250 million in his pocket from a business that sold American jobs to Pakistan (they're the country that hid Bin Laden?). Now he wants to use this money to buy a seat in Congress. Robkoz can't hide this fact, so he calls Bishop names. Here's a piece of a commentary from the Post: Altschuler "never denies any claim about the political consultant who found him a disctrict to run in.....He is an absolute master at generating a perception......He showed that at Office Tiger when he and Joe created the "perception" of a large sophisticated enterprise by working the press and conferences and so on.....In reality it was a very "low budget second rate" operation.....Randy's biggest weakness is that fact that he is really "not a visionary" or a decision maker. He will finnagle, follow the power base and "do whatever it takes to get elected". Altschuler is just another social climber without a vision for any American other than himself and his rich buddies.
George February 19, 2012 at 03:43 pm
It's a lot easier to be against something than for something. In the first instance you do not actually have to accomplish anything, except to tear down what someone else has done!
George Lynch February 19, 2012 at 08:09 pm
One could almost believe that Randy Altschuler has been secretly recruited by the Democrats. After all, what he's saying is so directly opposed to what most people think and do, it's hugely damaging to himself and Republicans generally, and hugely helpful to Tim Bishop and Democrats generally. I think he's gone over.
robkoz February 19, 2012 at 08:26 pm
Meadow lane just can't handle the facts about Bishop so much he has to insult me behind a computer. Cowards usually do that. Besides Meadow, you haven't disputed anything I said about Bishop. People just can't deal with the truth so they resort to insults.
Meadow Lane February 19, 2012 at 09:52 pm
This Meadow Lane girl has know Congressman Bishop since he was Chancellor for Long Island University. I don't get my info fed to my by political bosses, campaign managers, babysitters.
George February 19, 2012 at 10:23 pm
You could not be more right!
Fish Proudheart February 20, 2012 at 01:15 am
I'm a fisherman and small business owner. Bishop knows our plight and helps us. Altschuler doesn't. It's that simple.
LI can't survive with a rich wanna-be-Congressman. We have a fragile economy that Altshuler knows nothing about. I'm happy to vote for Bishop. Nobody's perfect, but Altshuler is too much a risk. I can't afford to risk any of my business giving somebody a chance to see if he works or doesn't. Bishop works and works hard, coming to our community regular to talk. I like that. He takes the good with the bad. That's not easy but he keeps coming back to help. That takes a big man and a tough man. I sometimes pity him, but that lasts about a minute. Hear Bishop speak. He's concerned and keeps fighting for us.
Fred 'n Freeda February 20, 2012 at 01:19 am
We heard Bishop speak at our library. He says it like it is. I liked that. We're voting for Bishop this year. He earned it.
The Beav February 20, 2012 at 01:23 am
I heard him talk on cable TV from a library. Knows his stuff. Honest and forthright. Bishop has my vote, too, an my wife's.
highhatsize February 20, 2012 at 01:59 am
I think that you are all being very mean to Randy. That's probably the reason that he spent virtually no time (or money) out here in the last election. THIS time, I think that we should all encourage him to come out and meet us. He could, for instance, sponsor a 4th of July free barbecue and music festival at Gabreski Airport as a "Meet and Greet". I know that I for one would view him so much more favorably if he spent some of that $$200M he made from outsourcing in my neighborhood.
Postman Sharp February 20, 2012 at 02:21 am
Damn you, HatSize, why didn't I think of that? Would a Lobster Fest be asking too much of Altschuler and the RNC?
Frog Morton February 20, 2012 at 02:23 am
"HATSIZE FOR CONGRESS"...I can hear the congregants at Gabreski murmur the words between every buttery bite.
Fred 'n Freeda February 20, 2012 at 02:29 am
Mr. Hatsize makes a good point. Nothing warms my heart like a barbecue or my shorts like some good baked beans. Fred's mother had a near crippling recipe. I'll bring enough for 500 if nobody "sqweeks". How's that for old fashioned kindness?
Meadow Lane February 20, 2012 at 02:32 am
Ha, ha! You're all very funny. Altschuler wouldn't know a Long Island lobster from a summer flounder!
George February 20, 2012 at 01:06 pm
I would like to know, just for the fun of it, who were the "informed" voters who cast their ballot for Altschuler last time. Oh, it does not matter, they voted for him because he was not Bishop. They would have cast their ballot even for me, and they do not know even my name!
Chico Little February 20, 2012 at 09:23 pm
Whatever you think of the outsourcer, this piece is poorly written and edited. You needed to slow down and think for a moment, or maybe have a professional writer proof your work. Right off the top, you screw up the lede. What you want to say is "submitted UNDER THE NAME OF" Randy Outsourcer if you're charging he didn't write it. Then there are little things like you need a comma after "been" in the sentence: "Where have you been[,] Randy?" The funny thing is Mr. Altschuler could help you with this, since his business in India began offering to proof-read things like this for Americans.
Basic journalistic rules also require you to reveal you're a member of the Board of Trustees. Don't be ashamed of it. It lends weight to your argument. While you did get some things wrong about the specific legislation, the comments about Altschuler as an individual are spot-on.
Chico Little February 20, 2012 at 09:30 pm
"Meadow lane just can't handle the facts about Bishop so much he has to insult me behind a computer."
Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you hiding behind a meaningless web name that's just a bunch of random letters. Why don't you put your real name, there? David D'Agostino is brave enough to do it.
Joyce Flynn February 20, 2012 at 09:30 pm
I'd like to add my voice to John Bouvier's informative letter. It saddens me that the nasty campaign season has begun with Randy's Op-Ed piece trying to denigrate Congressman Tim Bishop. Mr. Bishop has a history of bi-partisanship and his continued reelection to office provides sufficient evidence that this is the case. He gets things done for his constituents and cares about our well-being and the health of our country. Other than wanting to take away women's hard-earned rights and chanting the anti-big government mantra, Randy has not provided any compelling platform that would convince an intelligent voter that he is a substantial candidate. Tim Bishop has consistently proven he's the man for the job and I am extremely proud of and grateful for his ceaseless efforts in our behalf.
--
Chico Little February 20, 2012 at 09:32 pm
Again, a journalistic point of order: "Wikipedia" is not a "source." If you want to cite something there, make sure you go to the footnote and verify that source. I'm sure in this case they're right about Altschuler, but, it's a dangerous thing to get into the habit of doing because anyone can edit or post things on Wikipedia. For example, Mr. Altschuler routinely edits his entry to scrub out the truth and add in fanciful claims.
Chico Little February 20, 2012 at 10:03 pm
If we're going to boost Bishop and rip Altschuler -- as much of a doofus as he is -- it's important we not do the same kinds of things and rip his intelligence (or lack there of) and exaggerate about things like taking away our rights. Altschuler has made ceaseless efforts in his own right, Joyce. It just happens to have been on behalf of India and lining his own pockets.

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