Pataki drops out

CNBC headline, “George Pataki drops out of race to be 2016 Republican presidential candidate.”

Like he was ever really running.

He was just doing the booze and schmooze routine with The Establishment to keep his speakers fees up.

Why the establishment fears Cruz

Good article at the Conservative Review, “Why the Establishment Fears Cruz More Than Trump.

This sums it up:

“…Trump is a dealmaker running a campaign as a disrupter to the status quo. Cruz is a proven disrupter to the status quo. That is a very big difference indeed. The political industrial complex believes deep down that they can negotiate with the author of The Art of the Deal; they know they will lose the levers of power with Ted Cruz.  You can see it in the voracity and frequency of their attacks. The establishment consultants and chattering class know they have the most to lose with a Cruz presidency.  What do they lose with a Cruz presidency? The very levers of power by which they enrich themselves: the Republican Party apparatus …”

New federal AWB

A new federal gun ban bill has been introduced in Congress.  Here is a link to the bill and list of local sponsors.  No surprises, although Brian Higgins is a bit of a disappointment.

NYPD disproves statement about SAFE Act

As a sort of follow-up to yesterday’s post citing a Cuomo-mouthpiece’s statement that SAFE is “working”, I wrote up a press release calling BS on it.

Waiting for an answer

Staten Island Assemblyman Joe Borelli was elected last month to the NYC City Council. On the way out he talked with The Advance:

“… His first vote was to oppose the SAFE Act, a gun regulation law that passed in the middle of the night under a “message of necessity” that bypassed usual procedure giving lawmakers three days to review bills … Borelli had sharp criticism of the governor, who worked with Democrats to push the SAFE Act through quickly.  “I think the governor is wrong on a lot of things that he does policy-wise,” Borelli said. The way the SAFE Act was passed, “It’s just wrong,” Borelli said. “It shows the way he does business, it’s just constantly a fight between personalities, it’s totally egotistical, it’s totally self-centered.”  Cuomo spokeswoman Dani Lever said, “The SAFE Act is making New York safer and saving lives.”  Borelli replied, “OK … how?” …”

Not expecting an answer given that the City’s murder rate is up from last year.

Can Gibson beat Cuomo?

It is quite early for this, but the Times Union has an article on Rep. Chris Gibson running for Governor in 2018.

Some excerpts:

“… Gibson assumes Cuomo will seek a third term, and he concedes the governor would be difficult to beat in a state where Democrats have a 2-to1 enrollment advantage …”

I don’t agree with this on several points.

First, I am not sure he is interested in another term.  There was a finality in his tone after his re-election last year.  Second, Democrats hate Cuomo.  He was re-elected because of a deal made with with Senate Republicans to undermine Rob Astorino.  Third, and this is the big one, I am not convinced Cuomo will be able to finish out his current term due to criminal probes by Preet Bharara.

“… Gibson would have obvious vulnerabilities, including little name recognition downstate … He’s also an opponent of the SAFE Act and gun control generally … Gibson vowed to take his views on guns directly at Cuomo, arguing that additional state restrictions will do nothing to make New Yorkers more safe.  “I’m willing to debate this everywhere,” Gibson said. “The knee-jerk reaction for gun control has never delivered, and it won’t deliver.”  That may play well upstate. But downstate? …”

As has been proven time and again, gun control proponents do not represent a voting constituency.  They tried hitting Astorino with it and he ignored them.

“… Cuomo would also have a huge financial advantage over a Republican challenger …”

This is true.  It remains to be seen if Chris has access to sufficient monies to run a statewide campaign.

Recognition from Assemblyman Lavine

Always nice to be recognized by a member of the legislature:

“Long Island residents have been up in arms since the attempted robbery and shooting that occurred at Roosevelt Field Mall on Tuesday afternoon. Assemblyman Charles Lavine issued a letter to County Executive Ed Mangano on his concerns following this incident … Dear County Executive Mangano … Notwithstanding the support you receive from the National Rifle Association, its Political Voting Fund, its Institute for Legislative Action and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, its official state affiliate, the Roosevelt Field shooting represents yet another instance of our national crisis in the proliferation of firearms …”

I appreciate the mention Charlie.

It’s real funny when you talk about “gun violence” given your past history of defending killers:

“… The other three men convicted of Byrne’s murder, Philip Copeland, Todd Scott and Scott Cobb, already have been sentenced to the maximum term. Both Scott and Cobb, in videotaped confessions, named McClary as the one who shot Byrne at point-blank range. Charles Lavine, McClary’s court-appointed attorney, argued that the judge should go easier on his client than the others, because McClary had no criminal record. The pre-sentencing report, Lavine said, noted that McClary’s interests were “babysitting and basketball.” …”

terrorists:

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Appellee, v. OMAR AHMAD ALI ABDEL RAHMAN, IBRAHIM A. EL-GABROWNY, EL SAYYID NOSAIR, TARIG ELHASSAN, HAMPTON-EL, AMIR ABDELGANI, FADIL ABDELGANI, VICTOR ALVAREZ, MOHAMMED SALEH and FARES KHALLAFALLA, Defendants-Appellants … COUNSEL: … Lynne Stewart … for appellant Rahman … Charles D. Levine, Forest Hills, N.Y., for appellant F. Abdelgani …”

… and those who aid and abet terrorists:

“… Radical Lawyer Lynne Stewart must serve a decade in prison – a sentence that could keep her behind bars until she turns 80. Flanked Thursday by family and supporters, Stewart, 70, quietly wiped away tears as U.S. District Judge John Koeltl handed down his decision to give her 10 years and a month for helping a blind extremist cleric relay messages to terror cohorts in Egypt …”

NBA hypocrisy and Bloomberg stupidity

Mayor Bloomberg is paying the N.B.A. to get involved with his favorite cause:

“The National Basketball Association, alarmed by the death toll from shootings across the country, is stepping directly into the polarizing debate over guns, regulation and the Second Amendment with an unusual advertising campaign in partnership with one of the nation’s most aggressive advocates of stricter limits on firearm sales.  In a move with little precedent in professional sports, the N.B.A. is putting the weight of its multibillion-dollar brand and the prestige of its star athletes behind a series of television commercials calling for an end to gun violence …”

The N.B.A. might be taken more seriously if they weren’t planning on airing an ad for the upcoming Deadpool movie at the same time:

I’m a big Deadpool fan and from the trailer it looks like it will be a big hit.

Obama meets with Bloomberg

Obama meets Da Maya:

“As his administration prepares an executive order tightening access to guns, President Barack Obama met Wednesday with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a proponent of new gun laws who has become the chief enemy of the National Rifle Association. Obama has met with a series of gun control advocates in recent weeks as his aides complete work on a potential order expected to expand background checks on gun sales by closing the so-called “gun show loophole.” …”

He’s basically admitting gun control is a dead issue in Congress. Likewise for Harry Reid:

“… “We’ve tried everything, so maybe we are to blame. Or maybe the American people are gullible to these NRA folks,” said Reid …”

Or maybe the public does not believe the crap Democrats are pushing.  Even the media can’t spin their BS as evidenced by a new poll:

“A majority of Americans oppose banning assault weapons for the first time in more than 20 years of ABC News/Washington Post polls, with the public expressing vast doubt that the authorities can prevent “lone wolf” terrorist attacks and a substantial sense that armed citizens can help. Just 45 percent in this national survey favor an assault weapons ban, down 11 percentage points from an ABC/Post poll in 2013 and down from a peak of 80 percent in 1994. Fifty-three percent oppose such a ban, the most on record …”

I don’t believe Obama can do much with an executive order.  If he could he probably would have done it before.  So why have a sit down with Bloomberg?

“… Bloomberg’s group had a mixed record in supporting candidates in the 2014 midterm elections, but the former mayor has nonetheless pledged to spend millions backing down-ballot candidates in 2016 …”

Cash is king.

This would explain Chuck Schumer’s behavior as well.

Even more self-inflicted damage

The antis are doing even more damage to themselves:

“Top New York officials demanded Sunday that the federal government share classified watch-list information on suspected terrorists so the state can block such people from buying guns legally.  Sen. Charles Schumer and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that keeping the information secret creates a dangerous “terror gap.” …”

No, what it does is deprive people of their rights without due process.  It is so bad that even antigun leftists oppose it including the ACLU and a host of others.

It is easy to understand why Cuomo is talking this up now. It diverts attention away from his Preet problems.

Schumer on the other hand is a bit of a mystery.  Chuck is far and away one of the best politicians around.  Not for his ideology, but in his knowing how the system works and his skill at manipulating the public and the media.  He has to see the opposition and know the idea is a huge stinker.  What is his angle in this?