All about guns, legislation and politics in New York
Chuck Schumer went pheasant hunting in Nebraska with Ben Nelson. Politico reports:
“Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) likes Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) so much that he took him hunting … Apparently the duo had a great time. Nelson is the co-chair of the Sportsman Caucus and Schumer, who has never held a shotgun, wound up bagging three pheasants.”
I expect photographs will be used in campaign mailings next year.
We have come up 108 votes short of removing a 3rd MAIG member, Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan. He won in a 3-way contest with 4068 votes to Republican challenger Rich David’s 3960 votes and independent candidate Doug Drazen’s 2040.
Chuck Schumer has begun his re-election campaign and once again he’s making a push for the Fudd vote. He’s going to be at the Garrison Fish & Game Club tomorrow promoting legislation regarding the Venison Donation program.
The NY GOP has learned nothing from their debacle in CD-23. From Capitol Confidential, “Lazio picks up another county endorsement“:
“Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio has picked up another GOP county chair endorsement, this time from Schoharie chairman Lewis Wilson. Lazio, who is the only Republican to officially announce his bid for the governor’s office, has also been endorsed by the Republican county committee chairs in Orange and Suffolk. “I am proud to endorse Rick Lazio for Governor of New York … We need someone with Rick’s unique qualifications and skills to go to Albany and get our state back on track,” Lewis said in a statement …”
We most certainly do not need another antigun RINO who has publicly stated the problem with the Republican party is that is not not enough like the Democrat party.
Shotgun tops handgun in “Elmont store clerk scares off would-be robbers with shotgun, police say“:
“A bodega worker in Elmont scared off handgun-toting bandits who were trying to rob the cashier when he whipped out a shotgun, Nassau County police said. Police say the shotgun that the worker brandished was behind the counter when the two bandits came into the Elmont Deli at about 4:15a.m. Saturday and pointed a handgun at the cashier, demanding money from him … “After he brought out the gun, they run away,” said Sias Jihan, a co-worker of the employee who had the shotgun …”
Laugh of the day from George Stephanopoulos:
“… Former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) is being urged by major Republican donors and the party apparatus in Washington to run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) in 2010. While he has not made a final decision on a Senate run, Pataki has told at least one major GOP donor in private that he is not interested in becoming a senator at the age of 64 and would rather run for president in 2012 …”
Sadly, the bar has been lower significantly for qualified presidential candidates recently.
Gov. Paterson’s Deputy Secretary for the Environment Judy Enck is moving up to the Environmental Protection Agency. She’s the one who tried shutting down the Reynolds Pheasant Farm that the R&P and CANY successfully filed suit to stop.
Now as administrator for Region 2 (which includes New York State), she will be Ed Guster’s boss. Guster is the administrator overseeing the Best Management Practices certification program for controlling lead at shooting ranges and gun clubs.
From the Times Union, “A central lesson in the 23rd“:
“For all the money that national conservative groups poured into the race for the 23rd Congressional District, their candidate lost. That is the undeniable bottom line … all that advertising and support from … a host of other outside … pro-gun groups didn’t make voters think much differently. Those groups could not persuade a majority of voters to believe in a platform that they didn’t endorse … New Yorkers as a whole … They tend to be more interested in sensible gun control than ensuring that every citizen can pack heat …”
Except the gun issue wasn’t an issue in the race. The NRA rated both Doug Hoffman and Bill Owens as “AQ” based upon their candidate questionnaires and the Brady Bunch was nowhere to be seen. Gunnies had nothing to win or lose in that race no matter who came out ahead.
Good commentary from Newsweek on the elections, “The Actual Bad Sign for Democrats from Tuesday“:
“Unlike the New York City Mayoral, or the Virginia Governor’s race, there is a really bad sign for Democrats out of the East Coast … Republicans made inroads in New York’s suburbs … Why does this matter so much? Because the New York suburbs epitomize the new Blue America. Twenty some-odd years ago … Westchester and Long Island represented the success of the Reagan Revolution. White ethnics, often Catholic, whose parents had lived in the city and voted Democratic, were turning to Republicans for lower taxes, strong national security, and traditional family values. But the New York suburbs led the way back to Democratic dominance … Pro-gun control candidates such as Rep. Carolyn McCarthy from Long Island started picked up seats in the 1990s … During the Democrats most recent identity crises, after they lost the 2004 election, NY Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a whole book about how Democrats can and should appeal to voters like the ones in the New York suburbs. He knows just how important they are: traditionally in New York politics the city votes heavily Democratic and Upstate favors Republicans. The suburbs decide elections …”
Gun control clearly wasn’t the main issue in either the NYC or Westchester races. Taxes are what killed off Andy Spano in Westchester, although WCFOA did do a members mailing prior to the election. Bloomberg paid his own way in the City, but where was New Yorkers Against Gun Violence in Westchester? Spano had been their mouthpiece for a dozen years on a bunch of issues, pistol licensing, gun shows at the Civic Center, gun bans, mandatory storage, etc. What they they do for him? Money, volunteers? He got bupkis. Spano is just another example of little real political power the antis have to move elections in the state.
Mayor Bloomberg won re-election. Gee, what a surprise. And he only had to spend $100,000,000 plus of his own money to do it too. In spite of this, all he was able to get was 50.61% of the vote. Still, a win is a win and we’re going to have to put up with him for 4 more years. The Times thinks this slim victory will diminish his political clout. I like this quote:
… “I campaigned for Bloomberg eight years ago,” said David Gibson, 60, a computer worker. “But he changed because of a strange personality shift that took place. He went from being loveable, likeable and amiable to a guy who comes out very defensive and intolerant.” …
I think he’s always been that way. It’s just become that much more apparent to people who don’t usually pay that close attention to politics. As to his antigun agenda, I don’t see how he comes out in a stronger political position because of this. I also don’t see him stopping one bit either.
Elseware, the only MAIG member we specifically targeted was Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan as being the most vulnerable. He is barely leading his two opponents by 61 votes with 39.86% of the vote to GOP challenger Rich David’s 39.25% and independent candidate Doug Drazen’s 20.88%. The absentee ballots will be looked at and a final vote count will be available on the 12th. Even if he does end up winning, he had to spend tens of thousands of his own money to do it.