Month: November 2010

Unlikely

On: By: admin

I find these to be hard to believe.

Cuomo Pledges To Use People Power:

“Democratic Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo plans to use people power to move his agenda in Albany when he takes office on Jan. 1.  Cuomo, speaking on WOR 710 AM in New York City this morning, said that in order to end what he considers to be a strangle hold of special interests on the state Legislature he will wield his voter mandate to achieve spending and tax caps this coming legislative session. …”

Kolb optimistic about Cuomo administration:

“Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, said today that he’s optimistic about a Cuomo administration …”

First off, Cuomo does not have a mandate.  He won in no small part because the the GOP did not put up a serious candidate (Lazio) against him.  After their boy lost the primary, the party “leadership” refused to get behind the winner (Paladino).

Second, as for Kolb’s optimism, I’m sure it’s the same sort of optimism I feel whenever I buy a lotto ticket.

Cuomo has been part of the Democrat political machine for decades.  He’s not about to change his style or his ambitions.   The only question is how much energy he’s going to put into pushing each of his agenda items, including microstamping.  He may  just leave that one to Eric Schneiderman.

Mayors behaving badly

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Details on White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley’s domestic abuse trial over at The Journal News site.

Bradly joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition after taking office and is still listed on their website despite the numerous charges against him.  He’s not the first member of the Bloomberg bunch to have these sort of problems either.

Poor people shouldn’t own guns

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Daily News op-ed, “New York must modify tough gun laws to make it less vulnerable to legal assault“:

“… New York’s [gun] laws have a fat target on their backs – one that gun-lobby attorneys are sure to exploit.  For one, the prices are high enough that they’re sure to be challenged as discriminatory against the poor.  Absurd?  Perhaps – but it worked in knocking down the Chicago and D.C. laws …”

Translation: We must keep the poor unwashed masses from legally owning guns.

Using their logic, why not have a financial means test for other rights, like voting?

Undecided elections

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There are a bunch of state races that are still undecided.  It appears the Senate will be controlled by the GOP 32-30.  As it stands now:

Antigun Republican Frank Padvan was replaced by antigun Democrat Tony Avella in SD-11 while the open seat in SD-38 went to Democrat David Carlucci who does not have a public record on gun issues that I’m aware of.  SD-35 and SD-37 have incumbent antigun Democrats leading.

I expect the recounts, absentee ballots, and probable lawsuits will keep the final outcome up in the air for weeks, if not months to come.  There is also the possibility that Carl Kruger and/or Ruben Diaz will caucus with the Republicans.

Paul Helmke at Brady’s NYC gala

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Reciprocity is coming

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According to Dave Kopel, pro-gunners are up by 6 in the Senate.

Since nationwide reciprocity failed the 60 vote supermajority needed to prevent a filibuster by 2 votes last year, this means that there are now enough votes in Congress to move a nationwide CCW reciprocity bill over the objections of Chuck Schumer, etc.

The blame game

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GOP “leaders” are starting to play the blame game to explain why, unlike the rest of the country, there wasn’t exactly a Republican wave in the state.

From Capitol Confidential, “Skelos: Paladino cost us statewide“:

“… [Fred] Dicker asked if Carl Paladino’s position at the top of the GOP ticket did damage to Senate races as well as other GOP losses. “He definitely hurt us,” said Skelos. ” … When you have somebody losing in, let’s say, Queens by 70-30 if not more, it hurts you.” Skelos said that Paladino could also be blamed for Harry Wilson’s loss in the Comptroller’s race …”

For all his faults, Paladino was the only statewide candidate that generated any sort of grassroots enthusiasm which is why he defeated Rick Lazio in the primary.  I actually saw Paladino’s campaign roadsigns.  I saw exactly one each for Joe DioGuardi and Jay Townsend in the same yard and none for Dan Donovan or Harry Wilson anywhere.  Whose fault is that?

George Marlin’s commentary to the Post hits the nail on the head, “Party establishment doomed NY GOP“:

“… Because the Pataki-era GOP lost its way and deliberately failed to nurture a new generation of viable candidates, state-party conventions in recent years designated three wannabes who were previously rejected by the voters and made their livings feeding off the government trough as lobbyists … Yesterday’s smattering of GOP victories had nothing to do with the party leadership. Republicans had just hit bottom — they hold so few elected offices in New York that in this Tea Party, “Don’t tread on me” political environment they were bound to win a few races …”

I would go so far as to say that the few Republican victories were in spite of party leadership.

“… To restore the party’s credibility with the voters so it can again become a viable political force in the state, Ed Cox and longtime county bosses like Nassau’s Joe Mondello should resign and turn the party over to younger, energetic people … They should also invite Tea Party activists to join the GOP’s ranks and build a base-vote-driven, grass-roots party structure …”

Including gun owners.

Election results

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Preliminary election results:

There are a bunch of races that are too close to call.  It appears the Republicans have made inroads in both houses of the state legislature, picked up a few Congressional seats, and blown all statewide contests.

NYC Legislative Report #3

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NYC Legislative Report #3 is now online.  More “carrying while intoxicated” bills introduced.

News of the day

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Despite popular demand, we will not be doing ratings and endorsements for candidates in Vermont.  That is the job of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and/or NRA.

With the handwriting on the wall, the Times acknowledges that the Senate Democrats will likely lose control after tomorrows elections.  I think Brian Foley is toast in SD-3. Fred Dicker believes that Antoine Thompson might be in trouble in SD-60, although he’s the only one I’ve seen who says that.

The WFP is clearly worried about Demcorats losing as well.  They sent out mailers telling people not to vote for their endorsed candidates in at least two races: Bill Stachowski in SD-58 and Ginny Fields in AD-5, both of whom lost their Democrat endorsements and whose seats could switch to the GOP.  Stachowski has stopped campaigning, but Ginny has continued her campaign on the Independence line.

On Andrew Cuomo’s coattails: simple, he’s got none.  He’s probably going to end up winning, but it will be due to the establishment GOP not putting any serious effort into that race.

The race for attorney general is now tied between microstamping’s man man Eric Schneiderman and Bloomberg’s puppet Dan Donovan.

Speaking of Mayor Mike, the Daily News thinks that his political capital may rise after the elections:

“… Bloomberg also sent $3,800 to another Long Islander, Democratic Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, who carried the micro-stamping bill, which passed in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The micro-stamping bill has long been stalled in the Senate, in part due to the powerful gun lobby. This caused a rift between Bloomberg and the GOP. Padavan voted “yes” this past June before the bill was pulled from the floor because of a lack of votes. The mayor gave $3,800 to a second Democrat, Assemblyman Joe Morelle of Rochester. Morelle, a Cuomo ally, was the micro-stamping bill’s most prominent upstate advocate …”

While his money does get him influence in Albany, if the Democrats lose big tomorrow as is expected, it will take a lot of the air out of the gun control agenda.