All about guns, legislation and politics in New York
According to Assemblyman David DiPietro, there are 16 positions in the NYSP responsible for SAFE Act enforcement who answer only to the Governor and, after four years of asking, he still cannot get answer as to what exactly they do.
I know the answer: They do exactly what their boss tells them to do.
Update to my previous post, two more Democrat candidates have come forward to challenge Rob Astorino for Westchester County Executive:
Democrat disunity benefits Astorino who has to overcome the party’s enrollment advantage in the county.
When doing research on Dan Garodnick, who is considering running against de Blasio in a primary, I missed this gem he introduced to the Clown Council:
Int 1175-2016 – A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to placement of signs on all bridges and tunnels entering the City warning of the penalty for possessing a firearm.
§ 19-901 Signs regarding firearm possession. The commissioner of transportation shall post signs at each exit leading into the city, of each bridge and tunnel having only one terminus in the city, stating that the possession of any firearm by a person not licensed by the city to possess that firearm is a criminal offense that is punishable by imprisonment, as per articles 70.15 and 265 of the penal law.
I have a better idea and I know just where to put it:
The Senate just confirmed Neil Gorsuch to SCOTUS by a vote of 54-45.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally had enough of Charles Schumer’s crap and eliminated the filibuster for judicial candidates. Considering the penchant for Republicans to preemptively surrender to Democrats this is a dramatic shift and hopefully a sign of good things to come.
First, there have been repeated rumors of another SCOTUS justice retiring this year. With longer any need to pander to Democrats we may get the opportunity to get another originalist justice on the court.
Second, while the legislative filibuster remains intact, Democrats may think twice about blocking popular bills just for the sake of being obstructionists. The reciprocity bill S.446 currently has 36 sponsors and probably more than 50, but less than 60, Yes votes. If allowed to the floor it will be a huge will for gun rights.
People are fleeing the state in droves:
“… More than 1 million people moved out of the New York area to another part of the country since 2010 … The number of people leaving the region — which includes parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, the lower Hudson Valley and Long Island — in one year swelled from 187,034 in 2015 to 223,423 in 2016, while the number of international immigrants settling in the tri-state area dwindled from 181,551 to 160,324 over the same period, records show …”
The means, as of right now, the state will loose at least one, possibly two votes in the electoral college after the 2020 redistricting. It also means shifting one or two Senate seats and at least three Assembly seats closer to New York City.
That should be the end of the Republicans as a major party in the state.
Astroturf-in-training are planning on protesting Rob Astorino this weekend:
“Mamaroneck High School’s Young Democrats will be protesting at 2 p.m. Sunday outside the County Office Building, 148 Marine Ave., White Plains. Co-sponsored by WESPAC and Westchester for Change, the rally will focus on the policies of “controversial” two-term Republican County Executive Rob Astorino … Scheduled speakers at Sunday’s event include … Chuck Bell of Resist Gun Violence Westchester …”
Their protest is going to bomb. County offices are closed on the weekend so nobody will care about this.
Every year since it’s passage, a group of people, egged on by some Republican legislators, bring up defunding SAFE Act enforcement in the state budget.
While that tactic might work in Congress, New York state does not operate that way. All bills originate in the legislature except for the state budget which comes from the Governor. The legislature can make some adjustments to spending amounts, but ultimately the Governor decides how appropriated funds are spent.
It’s tiresome going over this same crap over and over. Fortunately, I no longer have to thanks to the Empire Center. See their excellent article, “Defund push misfires.”