6
The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Opinion & Viewpoints COMMENTARY Bravo, Nutley PD, for saving woman, 75, from $40K scam
F
or the last few months, I’ve been hooked on watching Youtube videos of people who toy with phone scammers. I started by watching a character who calls himself Pierogi, under the show titled “Scammer Payback” and then found, perhaps, the most noted scammer scammer anywhere, Kitboga. For years, these two, and countless others, have created tremendously funny, yet alarming, content as they spend hours on end portraying characters — from a California Valley Girl to elderly ladies called “Vivian Rogers” and “Anita Napp” among other monikers. Their purpose — identify the scammers, many of whom are based in India, and waste as much of their time as they possibly can — because by wasting their time, knowing there won’t be a scam, these evil people can’t go after others, who are legitimately unsuspecting of their intent. Some of the scammers are downright nasty and tell lies designed to scare the heck out of the victims. In one instance I watched, the scammer told the “elderly lady” that if she didn’t give him $10,000in Target gift cards, he’d shoot her husband. And that’s not even the worst of it. Check out these Youtube videos if you get a chance ... you won’t be disappointed. And this is what leads to today’s commentary. Recently, the Nutley Police Department was able to interrupt a scam-in-progress when a Clifton woman, 75, went to her bank, in Nutley, and showed the teller a note that said she needed police help because someone on the phone was keeping her “held hostage.” The caller demanded she transfer money to his bank — even gave her the account details. The first transfer would have been $50 to ensure it all worked. After that, it would have been $40,000. Because the woman and the bank took action and got the authorities involved, the woman was saved from losing an exorbitant amount of cash. Far too often, conversely, people send the cash, or gift cards, to the scammers — and by the time they speak up, it’s too late. This brave woman must be commended and the same for the Nutley PD for intervening forthwith and saving yet another resident from being a hopeless victim. Folks, talk to your elderly family, friends and neighbors and warn them about these kinds of scams. They happen way too often, unnecessarily. Don’t let your loved one be the next victim. Please! — CANESSA
OP-ED Rogers misses mark on term limits By Paul L. LaClair
I
Kearny
n his latest Op-Ed, on term limits (April 6, 2022), Steven Rogers completely misses the mark. The reason our politics are corrupt is that elected officials are being bribed by wealthy special interests. That is why proposals that enjoy overwhelming popular support are not being enacted, and why our laws more and more favor the rich. It has nothing to do with how long elected officials serve. States and localities have tried term limits. They have made absolutely no difference. Their governments are still as corrupt as ever. What a surprise. They are still relying on big money to get elected. Then they reward their benefactors by blocking laws that would benefit the people, and enacting laws that benefit the rich. For example, we have two sets of bankruptcy laws: one for the rich and one for the poor. That has nothing to do with term limits. Support for green technologies: the oil industry has been blocking legislation for years. Thank them for your gas prices. Consider any issue you like, you will see the same dynamic. To put it more bluntly, our elected officials are being paid off by monied interests. This is now constitutionally protected, because the right wingers who control our government installed “Justices” on the Supreme Court who made “corporations are people” a Constitutional rule of law. When I was in law school, lawyers understood corporate personhood was a legal fiction designed to afford equal treatment to corporations in business dealings, not in political
In Memoriam Mary A. Tortoreti 1942-2016
Lisa M. Feorenzo lisa@theobserver.com Co-owner/Advertising Dir.
representation. Our bedrock principle had always been “one person, one vote;” now, thanks to so-called “conservatives,” it is “one dollar, one vote.” So much for strict construction and original intent. Term limits only make the problem worse. Monied interests will always have a ready supply of people who are eager to do their bidding. True public servants are rare. When we find them, we should be able to keep them, for as long as we can. Term limits are fundamentally antidemocratic. Conservatives claim that they are for limited government; yet they want government to tell us who we may and may not elect to office. Think about where that leads, especially when big money controls politics. If you want to understand politics, follow the money. Yet again, Rogers tries to engraft the 18th century onto the 21st. That is like trying to fit into the suit of clothes you wore when you were 10 years old. Legislative and executive offices are full-time now. We are best served with experienced people. This is not the 18th century. The problems of our time are our own. Furthermore, if the Founders had intended for terms of office to be limited, they would have written it into the Constitution. Our problems will not be solved by ill-considered guesswork about what the Framers intended, especially when the guesses are inconsistent with what the Framers wrote. We need to respond to the challenges of our time, and get big money out of politics. Until we do that, no other political “solution” will matter.
39 Seeley Avenue n Kearny, N.J. 07032 n (201) 991-1600 Fax: (201) 991-8941 n www.theobserver.com
Tina Feorenzo Co-owner/Advertising
Robert P. Pezzolla gm@theobserver.com General Manager
Jason Bernstein Kevin A. Canessa Jr. Michelle Rybeck Kimberley Pezzolla kc@theobserver.com advertising@theobserver.com jason@theobserver.com kimpezzolla@theobserver.com Sports Writer Editor/Broadcaster Graphic Artist/Real Estate Sales/Classifieds
Newspaper Deadlines
The Observer on Social Media
n Classifieds: 3 p.m., Monday
facebook.theobserver.com
n Obituaries: 10 a.m., Monday
twitter.theobserver.com
n Display/Real Estate: noon, Thursday n Help Wanted: noon, Monday — all ads must be
sent to classified@theobserver.com.
instagram.theobserver.com youtube.theobserver.com
