IMPEACHING THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND WHO CAN LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?

THAT AND MORE NEXT ON "IVORY TOWER."

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO "IVORY TOWER."

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

ON THE PANEL TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE NEWS ARE TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PHIL KLINKNER FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, KRISTI ANDERSON FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, AND LUKE PERRY FROM UTICA COLLEGE.

WELL, THE JURORS ARE SWORN IN IN THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

IT BEGINS IN EARNEST IN ABOUT 10 DAYS, AND WHILE A FEW BOLD REPUBLICANS SAY HE SHOULD BE CONVICTED, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS SENATORS VOTED THIS WEEK THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE A TRIAL FOR AN OFFICIAL WHO IS NO LONGER IN OFFICE.

ONE SURVEY RECENTLY SHOWED THAT AMONG REPUBLICAN VOTERS, DONALD TRUMP'S POPULARITY HAS RISEN SINCE THE INSURRECTION.

SO PHIL, MIEF HEIST HEIST KRISTI, WHO IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY?

>> THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS HAVING TROUBLE RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD ARGUE THEY'RE NOT HAVING TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO DISTINGUISH RIGHT FROM WRONG.

MITCH McCONNELL AND KEVIN McCARTHY SEEM TO BE SAYING THAT YES, DONALD TRUMP INCITED THE RIOTERS AND McCONNELL EVEN LEFT HIMSELF OPEN TO THINKING ABOUT IMPEACHMENT BUT NOW THEY HAVE SNAPPED BACK, TO USE LUKE'S TERM FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, TO TRUMP SUPPORTERS.

AND THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IMPEACHMENT.

I GUESS I DON'T-- I'M NOT SORRY FOR THEM BUT THEY'RE REALLY CONFLICTED.

THEY KNOW THAT TRUMP HAS DONE THIS AND HAS TRIED TO THREATEN OUR DEMOCRACY, I WOULD ARGUE, BUT THEY WANT TO BE RE-ELECTED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A RABID BASE OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHO WILL PROBABLY CALL THEM AND THREATEN THEM IF THEY, CERTAINLY IF THEY ORDER TO CONFLICT TO CONVICT TRUMP OR IF THEY EVEN SAY THEY'RE OKAY WITH THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL GOING FORWARD.

AT THE SAME TIME, McCONNELL, IN PARTICULAR, IS A REPUBLICAN TO THE BONE AND WANTS TO PRESERVE THE TRADITIONAL BUSINESS-ORIENTED REPUBLICAN PARTY AND HE SEES AND THEY SEE PEOPLE LEAVING THE PARTY, DROPPING THEIR REGISTRATIONS AND SO ON.

SO THEY'RE CONFLICTED, TO SAY THE VERY LEAST.

>> ONE THING WE LEARNED THIS WEEK IS THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM GEORGIA IS NOT THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND HER TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY BENT IS NOT WHAT MOST REPUBLICANS WANT TO BE FOR, NOR DO THEY THINK IS IT GOING TO BENEFIT THEM IN THE FUTURE.

SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS VOTED THE WAY THEY DID ON AN EASY WAY OUT.

I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING IF I WAS IN THEIR POSITION.

HOW COULD I NOT DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN A THORN IN MY ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME IF I'M A REPUBLICAN SENATOR.

ARGUE HE IS OUT OF OFFICE, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A IMPEACHMENT, DELAYING IT BEFORE IT BEGINS IS TRUMPING UP TRUMP'S RELEVANCY.

THEY LOOKED TO CARTER THE WAY THEY LOOKED TO BUSH AFTER HE LOST.

I EXPECT IN A MONTH OR TWO, TRUMP WILL BE LESS RELEVANT THAN HE IS NOW AND WE'LL SEE IF REPUBLICANS MOVE MORE IN THE DIRECTION WE EXPECT IN THE TRADITIONAL PATH.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ROUND AND ROUND ON THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND I THINK YOU ARE WRONG.

IT'S A PARTY OF TRUMP AND IT'S THE PARTY OF GOMER AND GREEN.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OVER THE LAST DECADES, YOU CAN EVEN ARGUE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, HAS MOVED CONSISTENTLY IN THIS DIRECTION.

AND EVEN AFTER, YOU KNOW, THREE WEEKS AFTER AN INSURRECTION INCITED BY DONALD TRUMP, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS RUSHING BACK INTO THE FOLD WITH HIM.

AND THIS IDEA THAT SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS HAVE CREATED THIS BY IMPEACHING HIM IS RIDICULOUS.

TRUMP IS THE LEADER OF THIS PARTY AND RIGHT NOW HE IS THE LEADING CONTENDER FOR THE G.O.P.

NOMINATION IN 2024.

AND NO OTHER REPUBLICAN HAS THE STANDING OR THE SAVVY OR THE SUPPORT TO TAKE HIM ON AT THIS POINT.

AND THEY'VE ALL COME CRAWLING BACK TO HIM AND THIS IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

THEY SEEM EMBOLDENED TO PLACES LIKE WYOMING TO CHALLENGE HER VOTE FOR IMPEACHMENT.

THIS IS WHERE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THIS.

>> TARA, DO YOU THINK TRUMP HAS THAT MUCH POWER?

>> IT SEEMS THAT HE DOES, YOU KNOW, HIS POLL RATINGS ARE CONTINUING TO GO UP EVEN AFTER BOTH, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITOL RIOTS AND ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THAT POINTS TO HIM.

AND I THINK HE ALSO HAS THE FEAR FACTOR.

HE HAS BEEN FLOATING OUT THERE AND OTHERS WHO SUPPORT HIM HAVE BEEN FLOATING OUT THERE THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS DEVELOPING HIS OWN PATRIOTS PARTY.

AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, FOR A REPUBLICAN PARTY AS KRISTI HAS SAID, HAS SEEN ITS AMERICAN DECLINING, THEIR REAL FEAR IS THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE IF THEY DON'T SUPPORT TRUMP.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THE DEVIL THAT YOU KNOW AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS DOING.

>> I THINK PART OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE IS THAT LIBERALS ARE BURYING THE LEAD.

WE ARE GOING TO MOST LIKELY HAVE A MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE VOTE TO IMPEACH DONALD TRUMP AN HISTORIC SECOND TIME AND A MAJORITY IN THE SENATE VOTE TO CONVICT HIM.

NOW IT PROBABLY WON'T REACH THE TWO-THIRDS THRESHOLD BUT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE RANGE IS 5-10 AS REPUBLICAN LEADERS HAD SAID, AFTER THE RECENT VOTE.

THAT'S HISTORIC.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

WE HAD A SMALL SAMPLE FOR IMPEACHMENT BUT USUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE THE PRESIDENT, IN THIS CASE, FORMER PRESIDENT'S PARTY VOTE IN SUCH LARGE NUMBERS TO IMPEACH HIP.

SO SURE, TRUMP IS NOT GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THE WAY LIBERALS WANT BUT WE OVERLOOK THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR PARTY POLITICS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

>> THE POLITICAL SCIENTISTS AND HISTORIANS WILL TAKE NOTE OF THE HISTORIC FACT BUT TRUMP WILL GO OUT AND HOLD A RALLY CLAIMING THAT HE HAS BEEN TOTALLY VINDICATED AND ACQUITTED LIKE HE DID IN THE PREVIOUS IMPEACHMENT AND THE FACT THAT THEY DIDN'T GET RID OF HIM, THAT THEY DIDN'T IMPEACH HIM, HE WILL TAKE AS A VICTORY AND HIS SUPPORTERS WILL SEE AS A VICTORY.

>> AND HE WILL CONTINUE RAISING MONEY AND CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE HE WANTS TO RE-ELECT AND THAT ARE ON HIS SIDE IN THIS THING.

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE RIGHT, LUKE, AND ALL THE REST OF US TO BE WRONG, BUT I FEAR THAT YOU ARE NOT.

>> LUKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RAND PAUL AND THIS ARGUMENT THAT THE TRIAL WASN'T EVEN CONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONVICT SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT IN OFFICE?

>> THERE HAS BEEN A PRECEDENT FOR HOLDING TRIALS RELATED TO IMPEACHMENT FOR OFFICIALS AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT OFFICE.

WE HAVEN'T ENCOUNTERED THAT WITH THE PRESIDENCY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF THE THEORETICAL POSSIBILITY.

I LOOK AT IT AS A POLITICAL MOVE.

PAUL WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE A STATEMENT BECAUSE HE CERTAINLY IS ON THE PRO-TRUMP FACTION AND HE WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE PUT THEIR NAME NEXT TO THEIR VOTE AND CREATE PRESSURE TO BUILD THIS NARRATIVE THAT HE IS OUT OF OFFICE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WE SHOULD MOVE ON AND THIS IS PARTISAN.

SO TO ME IT'S MORE A POLITICAL MANEUVER THAN SOUND CONSTITUTIONAL REASONING.

>> TARA, THERE IS ANY CHANCE THAT IF HE DOESN'T GET CONVICTED THAT THE SENATE OR MAYBE THE HOUSE CAN, TOO, WOULD CENSURE HIM?

>> I THINK THERE MIGHT BE MORE SUPPORT FOR CENSURING HIM.

PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT IS BEING RUN INTO BY SENATORS CANE AND COLLINS WHO ARE PROMOTING THIS IDEA SO IT'S BIPARTISAN, IS THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS AREN'T WILLING TO SUPPORT JUST A CENSURE AS OPPOSED TO THE IMPEACHMENT BECAUSE THEY WANT THOSE 10 REPUBLICANS TO SAY PUBLICLY THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT CENSURE UP FRONT SO THEY WANT SOME GUARANTEES THAT, IF THEY BACK OFF IMPEACHMENT OR IF THERE IS NO CONVICTION FOR TRUMP, THAT THOSE 10 REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE WILLING TO STAND UP.

I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS BANNED FROM COMMUNICATING ON 14 DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AFTER THE INSURRECTION.

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED CAN LET FACEBOOK'S BOARD KNOW IF THEY THINK IT WAS RIGHT.

THEY ARE CENSURING SPEECH OF MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

LUKE, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS AND THAT YOU FIGHT SPEECH YOU DON'T LIKE WITH MORE SPEECH?

>> I'M ALL FOR THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE UNFETTERED FREEDOM OF SPEECH WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE PRIVATE CORPORATION.

I CAN'T GO DOWN TO MY LOCAL GROCERY STORE AND EXPECT TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND SAY WHATEVER I WANT ABOUT WHOMEVER I WANT IN THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE CORPORATION.

AND MY SPEECH CAN BE LIMITED.

WE TEND TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT SOCIAL MEDIA CORPORATIONS CREATED A PLATFORM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMPANY THAT PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO PARTICIPATE IN.

IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT'S REGULATED DON'T PATRONIZE THAT COMPANY.

AND YOU KNOW, I'M UNTREEINGED BY FACEBOOK'S EFFORT TO COME UP WITH A NEW SELF GOVERNANCE MODEL BUT WHEN I JUMPED INTO THE BYLAWS, THE FIRST SENTENCE WAS PRIORITIZING FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I THINK PUBLIC SAFETY AND PRODUCING GOOD INFORMATION AND PROTECTING DEMOCRACY, THOSE SHOULD BE THE VALUES THAT ARE PURSUED HERE SO I'M SKEPTICAL THIS NEW SELF REGULATION MODEL IS GOING TO DO MUCH.

>> WELL, WE TRIED OUT THIS MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT DIDN'T WORK, THIS IDEA THAT SOMEHOW THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS, THE GOOD IDEAS WILL WIN, THE BAD IDEALS WILL LOSE.

WE'VE' HAD THIS EXPERIMENT FOR A DECADE AND THE PROBLEM IS THE BAD IDEALS ARE WINNING.

THE TRUTH COST YOU MONEY BUT THE LIES ARE FREE.

WE ARE NOW AWASH IN SOME OF THE WORST SOURCE OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES, OUTRIGHT LIES ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO RETHINK AT A PHILOSOPHICAL LEVEL, FREE SPEECH.

JOHN STEWART MILL COULD PUT OUT THAT ANALOGY FREE MARKET OF IDEAS IN THE 1940S BUT THE 20th CENTURY DOESN'T WORK.

THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS HAS BASICALLY TURNED INTO, YOU KNOW, ANTI-VACCINE CONSPIRACY THEORIES, ANTI-SEMITIC CONSPIRACY THEORIES, NEO-NAZIS, RACISTS AND SO ON.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THE ATTEMPT AT SELF REGULATION WHICH I AGREE IS INTERESTING, IS THAT IT GETS KICKED OFF OR THIS BOARD GETS CALLED IN WHEN FACEBOOK TAKES DOWN SOMETHING.

SO THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THE TRUMP ISSUE BUT THE ONES THEY ISSUED FINDINGS ON WERE SOME POTENTIAL HATE SPEECH AND MYANMAR.

THEY CANNOT WEIGH IN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ON THINGS THAT FACEBOOK DOESN'T TAKE DOWN.

SO THINGS THAT ARE LEFT UP THERE, HATE SPEECH OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, FALSE CLAIMS, AS PHIL SAYS, I DON'T KNOW, WHATEVER IS THE OPPOSITE THE MARKETPLACE IDEA, THE SWAMP OF BAD IDEAS, THEY HAVE NO POWER OR RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THAT OR MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT IS PUT UP FOR PEOPLE TO READ.

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIVE CASES THAT THEY JUST REVIEWED, THE TRUMP CASE IS STILL UNDER REVIEW, YOU WILL FIND THAT IN ALL BUT ONE OF THEM, THEY BASICALLY UPHELD THE SPEECH.

THE OVERSIGHT BOARD UPHELD THE SPEECH.

SO IF ANYTHING, I THINK THEY'RE REINFORCING FREEDOM OF SPEECH WITH THEIR DECISIONS AND THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE OKAY WITH AGAINST MUSLIMS AND THE ONLY THING THEY FOUND THAT WAS REALLY TRUE HATE SPEECH AND THEY THOUGHT WAS DANGEROUS WAS AN ETHNIC SLUR AGAINST SOMEONE FROM AS AZERBAIJAN.

SO BASICALLY I DON'T SEE THIS AS REALLY GETTING AT WHAT PEOPLE HOPED WOULD HAPPEN WHEN FACEBOOK ANNOUNCED THIS BOARD.

IF ANYTHING, I THINK IT PROVIDES COVER FOR ZUCKERBERG.

>> FI, WHAT IS A BETTER SOLUTION THEN?

>> I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS NEED TO BE REGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THERE IS A COMPELLING INTEREST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD CIVIL ORDER AND THEY NEED TO BE REGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY NEED TO BE BROKEN UP, ESSENTIALLY THESE GIANT PLATFORMS ARE DETERMINING SO MUCH OF DISCOURSE AND DIALOGUE.

BUT I THINK THE ANSWER IS GOVERNMENT REGULATION.

I THINK THAT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES, LIES, HATE SPEECH, HAVE BECOME A THREAT TO PUBLIC ORDER, HAVE BECOME A THREAT TO THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM AND I THINK DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEMS NEED TO STEP IN AND DEFEND THEMSELVES.

>> KRISTI, WOULD YOU REGULATE, AND IF SO, HOW?

>> I AM SYMPATHETIC TO PHIL'S POINT OF VIEW.

I THINK THE BREAKING UP IS AN INTERESTING POINT AND THEY ARE, I READ A STORY THE OTHER DAY ABOUT SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR AND THE ANTITRUST PUSH THAT MAY BE COMING.

I'M NOT SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED AS TO HOW THAT WOULD WORK OR HOW IT WOULD WORK POLITICALLY TO DO THAT BUT HOW IT WOULD WORK IN TERMS OF BREAKING UP THE COMPANIES, TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SO I GUESS I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER ABOUT HOW-- I AGREE WITH PHIL ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IN GENERAL OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND I THINK THAT, UP TO THIS POINT, I HAD BECOME CONVINCED THAT FACEBOOK'S DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER TO ALLOW THINGS TO BE PUT ON FACEBOOK OR NOT, ARE PRETTY MUCH BASED ON THE BOTTOM LINE.

WHAT GETS THEM MORE MONEY, WHICH IS, IN FACT, INSULTS AND FALSE CLAIMS AND LIES AND ATTACKS ON PEOPLE AND KIND OF OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS.

SO, AND THAT WASN'T WHAT FACEBOOK STARTED OUT AS, ACCORDING, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY AND WHAT THEY SAID AND WHAT ZUCKERBERG AND HIS FRIENDS WERE TRYING TO DO.

BUT I DON'T KNOW.

IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE POSSIBLE FOR FACEBOOK OR THESE PLATFORMS TO MAKE A ZILLION GAZILLION DOLLARS AND ALSO PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN NOT HAVING THREATS AND LIES AND STUFF ONLINE.

>> WELL, IT IS A STICKY WICKET AND WE WILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COMES UP WITH AS FAR AS POSSIBLE REGULATION.

LET ME MOVE US TO OUR THIRD TOPIC.

WE HAVE SEEN TWO INSTANCES IN SYRACUSE IN THE LAST YEAR IN WHICH NON-PROFITERS WANTED TO LOCATE A CARE HOME IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BUT HAD TO DROP THE PLANS AFTER MANY NEIGHBORS RESISTED.

ONE WOULD HAVE HELPED PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING OFF DRUGS.

ANOTHER WAS FOR PERSONS WHO DIDN'T HAVE HOMES.

ACHED THIS IS AN ISSUE NOT JUST IN SYRACUSE BUT MANY COMMUNITIES.

TARA, WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS SO MUCH OPPOSITION?

>> PART OF IT IS THE ISSUE OF THE UNKNOWN.

THE TERM CARE HOME IS A VERY BROAD TERM FOR ANY TIME YOU HAVE A HOME IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE NOT RELATED AND AT LEAST THREE OF THE PEOPLE NEED 24-HOUR SUPERVISION AND CARE.

AND SO PEOPLE ARE AFRAID.

THEY'RE AFRAID OF, YOU KNOW, ARE THESE PEOPLE DRUG ADDICTS, RECOVERING DRUG ADDICTS, DO THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?

WHAT WILL IT MEAN FOR MY CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE OUT PLAYING, ET CETERA.

SO ONE IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

ANOTHER IS PROPERTY VALUES.

THERE IS ALWAYS A BIG CONCERN THAT THESE HOMES WON'T BE MAINTAINED WELL AND BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE SORT OF OUTSIDE RUNNING AROUND, YOUR PROPERTY VALUE WILL GO DOWN.

AND THE THIRD IS THE ESTHETICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S GENERALLY THE THREE BIG FEARS.

>> PHIL, WHAT IS YOUR CONCERNS AND THE ISSUES?

>> I THINK WHAT WERE MENTIONED ARE TRUE AND THE OTHER ASPECT WE HAVE TO INTRODUCE HERE IS RACISM; THAT OFTEN RECIPIENTS OR THE PEOPLE CARED FOR IN THESE HOMES ARE NON-WHITES AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MOVING THEM OFTEN INTO PREDOMINANTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WITH SO MANY FACTORS IN AMERICAN LIFE, SADLY, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE RACISM REARS ITS UGLY HEAD.

>> KRISTI, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ZONING BOARD, PLANNING COMMISSION, COUNCIL, WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THEY SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAKING THESE DECISIONS?

>> WELL, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

AND AS SOMEBODY WHO IS ON A LOCAL TOWN BOARD AND DEALS WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING ISSUES THAT COME UP, IN A VERY DIFFERENT COP TEXT THAN HERE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE FINAL DECISIONS MADE BY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

THAT'S JUST NOT A GOOD IDEA.

I MEAN WHAT A MUNICIPALITY NEEDS IS VERY CLEARLY SPECIFIED RULES FOR THE TYPE OF STRUCTURES AND WHAT THEY NEED AND HOW MUCH SPACE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, IN THE ZONING LAWS.

AND TO PUSH IT BACK TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHO ARE SUBJECT TO PRESSURE BY THEIR CONSTITUENTS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

SO I'M GLAD THEY DIDN'T DO THAT.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE POINT WAS MADE BY THE PERSON WHO WROTE-- ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE AGAINST THIS, THAT CONGREGATE LIVING SPACES, APARTMENTS, STUDENT APARTMENTS, ROOMING HOUSES AND SO ON, ARE ALLOWED IN LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

THESE THINGS ARE THE SAME-- IN TERMS OF THE ZONING RULES, IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT THESE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME SORTS OF STRUCTURES AND SERVING THE SAME KIND OF FUNCTION.

SO THE PUSHBACK AGAINST THIS-- THEY NEED TO ENFORCE THE ZONING REGULATIONS THAT EXIST.

IF THESE THINGS ARE BEING BUILT AND PLANNED ACCORDING TO THE ZONING RULES THAT EXIST, THEN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE THERE.

AND THAT'S THE ISSUE.

I THINK.

I WOULD NOTE THAT SYRACUSE IS IN THE MIDST OF THIS WHOLE BIG DEVELOPMENT OF A WHOLE NEW ZONING LAW, THE REZONE SYRACUSE.

AND ONE HOPES THAT THEY WILL TAKE SOME OF THESE CONFLICTS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THEY'RE COMING UP WITH THIS NEW ZONING LAWS.

>> I EMPATHIZE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY NON-PROFITS, SERVED ON RELATED BOARDS.

IT'S A THANKLESS JOB THAT USUALLY DOESN'T PAY WELL BUT PROVIDES VITAL SERVICES IN OUR SYSTEM OF FEDERALISM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE LEADING ONE OF THOSE NON-PROFITS, YOU ARE FACING A SITUATION WHERE YOU KNOW FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION AND EXPERTISE THAT HAVING THESE TYPES OF HOMES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND BATTLING DRUG ADDICTION AND SO ON IS VITAL TO SERVING THAT COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S GOING TO BE AN UPHILL BATTLE TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE ON THE BLOCK TO BE ON BOARD WITH THAT.

AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE NON-PROFIT LEADERS ARE ETHICAL AND TRY TO BUILD CONSENSUS AND IT'S NOT EASY BUT SOMETIMES THEY ALSO STRATEGICALLY DO THINGS TO TRY TO LIMIT PUBLIC DEBATE AND COME IN WITH AN OMINOUS SURPRISE BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT STUFF.

SO I EMPATHIZE WITH THEM AND THERE IS NO EASY SOLUTION.

AND CERTAINLY GIVING ELECTED OFFICIALS THE POWER TO MAKE THE DETERMINATIONS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

>> TARA, QUICKLY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS HOW TO BUILD SUPPORT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT A NON-PROFIT COULD DO?

>> ONE NON-PROFIT-- I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS FROM.

ONE THING THEY DID WAS WHEN THEY WANTED TO MOVE A HOME FOR BATTERED WOMEN INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID WAS THEY WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY, BASICALLY LITERALLY DOOR TO DOOR, TALKING TO PEOPLE, EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, EXPLAINING THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THESE WOMEN, IT WAS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A PERMANENT RESIDENCE; THAT THIS WAS A TRANSITIONAL RESIDENCE.

EXPLAINING TO THEM, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM SORT OF STEP BY STEP, WHO DO YOU CONTACT IF THERE IS ANY PROBLEM.

WE WILL BE RIGHT HERE.

WE WILL DEAL WITH IT.

AND SO REALLY TRYING TO GET COMMUNITY BUY-IN AHEAD OF TIME.

THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, REALLY SAID TO THE RESIDENTS THAT THIS IS A PRIVILEGE.

SO SUPPORT IT, TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER, BASICALLY.

>> WELL, IT IS TIME TO LEAVE THAT AND GO TO THE GRADEBOOK AND SO TARA, WE ARE GOING TO START OUT WITH YOU AND YOUR F, PLEASE.

>> MY F GOES TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AFTER SEVEN DECADES OF TAIWAN BEING INDEPENDENT IN REALITY, IF NOT LEGALLY, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO SEE TAIWAN AS A BREAKAWAY PROVINCE RATHER THAN AS A SOVEREIGN STATE.

SUNS 2016 WHEN PRO-INDEPENDENT FEMALE PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED, CHINA HAS LITERALLY RAMPED UP BOTH ITS SUBVERSION OF TAIWAN ECONOMIC SUBVERSION OF TAIWAN AND ITS MILITARY EFFORTS TO TRY TO SCARE TAIWAN INTO REUNIFYING WITH CHINA.

AND I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT IT IS WHEN A WOMAN BECAME PRESIDENT THAT THEY REALLY RAMPED UP THESE EFFORTS.

>> AND PHIL, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO BILLIONAIRE INVESTOR LEON COOPERMAN COMMENTING ON THE GAME STOP STOCK.

PEOPLE SITTING AT HOME GETTING THEIR CHECKS FROM THE GOVERNMENT TRADING FOR NO COMMISSIONS AND INTEREST RATES.

I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO TAKE A POSITION ON GAME STOP STOCK BUT THIS CRITICISM IS RICH FROM A MAN WHO RECENTLY PAID A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR FINE TO THE FCC FOR VIOLATING INSIDER TRADING RULES.

>> OKAY.

AND KRISTI.

>> I'M GIVING AN F TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUMPING THE LINE FOR COVID VACCINES WHETHER THEY'RE NEW ENGLAND HOSPITAL BOARD MEMBERS OR HOLLYWOOD SHOW BUSINESS EXECUTIVES TRYING TO BRIBE DOCTORS OR FLYING THEIR PRIVATE JETS TO PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET VEENS VACCINES.

GIVEN THAT THE RULES ARE SET UP TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE, THIS IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING THOUGH UNFORTUNATELY NOT SURPRISING.

>> IT IS SAD.

BUT LUKE, WHO ELSE GETS AN F?

>> MY F GOES TO GOVERNOR CUOMO FOR YESTERDAY'S FINDINGS BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT NEW YORK MAY HAVE UNDERCOUNTED COVID DEATHS FROM NURSING HOMES BY AS MUCH AS 50%.

WE NEED THE BEST DATA POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE SERIOUS PROBLEM.

>> AND As TARA.

>> MY A GOES TO SICILY TYSON, P ACTRESS AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT TRESS BEST KNOWN FOR SOUNDER, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF Ms. JANE PITMAN AND ROOTS.

HER WORK WASE EPITOMIZED BY A SPECIAL SORT OF GRACE AND TALENT AND THE FACT THAT SHE MADE IT HER BUSINESS THAT SHE WOULD NEVER TAKE A ROLE THAT WOULD DEMEAN HERSELF AS A WOMAN OR AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

FOR MY GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN, IF YOU WANTED TO SEE A PROGRAM WHERE YOU SAW AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN SHOWING GRACE, STYLE AND CLASS, YOU WATCHED A MOVIE WITH SICELY TYSON IN IT.

SHE PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY.

>> QUITE A WOMAN.

P. >> PHIL, HOW ABOUT YOUR A.

>> TO.

AND SUPER BOWL OFFICIALS FOR INVITING AMANDA GORMAN TO SPEAK AT THE SUPER BOWL.

SHE WAS A STAND OUT AT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ANYTHING THAT GIVES MORE EXPOSURE TO POETRY IS A GOOD THING.

>> KRISTI, YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO BRIX'S BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO REPLACE ANDREW JACKSON WITH ABOLITIONIST AND ACTIST HARRIET TUBMAN ON THE $20 BILL.

IT WAS BLOCKED AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT AND APPROPRIATE CHANGE UNDER WAY.

>> AND LUKE.

>> MY A GOES TO COVID VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION IN MY HOMONEED COUNTY, OUR DRIVE-THRU SITE FOR THE ELDERLY IS COMMENDABLE WHILE THE STATE'S MASS VACCINATION SITE HAS BEEN STEADY AND EFFECTIVE PARTICULARLY COMPARED TO NEIGHBORING STATES WHO HAVE HAD WORSE EXPERIENCES.

DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY BUT THIS IS ENCOURAGING.

>> AND I WANT TO THANK LAWRENCE WILLIAMS FOR WRITING US.

HE SAID I'M TERRIFIED THE COUNTRY I LOVE MAY NOT LONG SURVIVE AND HE ENCOURAGES US.

HE SAID EVERY TRUE PATRIOT MUST SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE REPUBLICANS WHO HOLD FAITH TO THEIR OFFICE AND WANT TO HOLD TRUMP ACCOUNTABLE F. IF YOU WANT TO WRITE US, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT THESE TOPICS AND OTHER TOPICS.

IF YOU MISS THE SHOW ANY FRIDAY NIGHT, YOU CAN ALWAYS WATCH IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.

THANKS AND GOOD NIGHT.

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