Newsbits

Tuesday’s Newsbits:

Exploiting tragedy for political gain:

Politics:

Text book example of a political stunt

Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer, who is running for the open SD-37 seat in April’s special election, organized a protest outside Westchester GOP HQ in an attempt to intimidate the opposition.

I would have gone out there with a plate full of sno balls to hand out to all the snowflakes.

Republicans need to recognize fake astroturf stunts like this and counter-attack when confronted by them. The surest way to do that is make it clear you do not take the protestors or their issue seriously and laugh at them. Nothing upsets antigunners and “progressives” than being laughed at.

Didn’t learn from Bloomberg

The Hill reports:

“… In an email to half a dozen Republican leaders on Saturday, Florida-based real estate developer Al Hoffman Jr. decried the rash of mass shootings that has roiled the U.S. for years, and demanded that GOP politicians take action. “I will not write another check unless they all support a ban on assault weapons,” Hoffman wrote in the email, according to the Times. “Enough is enough!” …”

So what?  He raised money for the loser presidential campaigns of John McCain, Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush.  It’s not like he’s been very helpful to the Party.

Plus, Mayor Bloomberg has been trying this tactic for years.  He’s thrown tens of millions of dollars around and what has it got him?  Not much.  Money is great, but gun control has been proven to be such a turn off at the ballot box that it cannot make up for the number of lost votes that come from pushing it.  Hoffman is basically demanding the Republicans lose seats to push an unpopular agenda.

Cuomo did something

Governor Cuomo trying to score cheap political points after the Florida school shooting:

Cuomo is upset because Senator Gillibrand has more presidential buzz around her than he does.

I am the 7%

At this point it is readily apparent that Senator John DeFrancisco is going to get the GOP gubernatorial nod this fall.  He is the only one getting endorsements from the political machine.

Not everyone thinks this is a good idea:

“A prominent Republican consultant is urging GOP leaders to hold off from endorsing state Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco for governor. O’Brien Murray sent an email Tuesday to county GOP leaders saying DeFrancisco’s record in the Senate could torpedo any chance the party has of beating Gov. Cuomo in November … “Gov. Cuomo’s campaign will attack John DeFrancisco for double dipping and they will point out that Sen. DeFrancisco voted for the Cuomo budgets,” Murray wrote. “You can’t fix Albany when you are part of the problem, and voters (will) see this too.” …”

Fair enough.  So where does DeFrancisco stand with the voters?

“… Cuomo is likely helped by the fact that a whopping 93% of New Yorkers say they don’t know the names of the Republicans who are seeking the nomination to challenge the two-term incumbent Democrat in November …”

Good news for DeFrancisco then.  He doesn’t have to worry about his voting record because nobody knows who the hell he is.

Newsbits

Wednesday’s Newsbits:

Legislation:

Politics:

Elections:

Newsbits

Monday’s Newsbits:

Elections:

Politics:

Legislation:

Firearms industry:

Newsbits

Thursday’s Newsbits:

Legislation:

Politics:

Humor:

Senate Democrats announce gun control bills

The stupid, it burns:

“… Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, said incidents of gun violence in Brooklyn are a daily occurrence, “and something that is not getting better over time.” “This conference supports the Second Amendment,” he said. “We understand that there is a long tradition of hunting and shooting … but we certainly understand the morale obligation that we have as a Democratic conference to address the needs of safety.” …”

The fact that “gun violence” is a daily occurrence in Brooklyn in spite of Governor Cuomo’s so-called SAFE Act would be an indication to a normal, rational person that such policies do not work.

Of course, Parker will never admit that any more than he would acknowledge the irony of him talking about violence.

Here is the list of bills they are pushing:

  • S-3355, Enacts the “Children’s Weapon Accident Prevention Act”. Companion A-1990.
  • S-4363, Creates the “New York State Firearms Violence Research Institute.” Companion A-2977.
  • S-5808A, Enacts the “Effective Background Check Act of 2018.” Companion A-9068.
  • S-5829, Establishes certain crimes relating to the criminal possession or manufacture of an undetectable firearm, rifle, or shotgun. Companion A-914.
  • S-5922, Provides for compensation for injury or death caused by the negligent entrustment of a firearm. No Assembly companion.
  • S-6902, Relates to defining and prohibiting an accessory to accelerate the firing rate of a semiautomatic weapon. Companion A-8913.
  • S-7133, Establishes extreme risk protection orders as a court-issued order of protection prohibiting a person from purchasing, possessing or attempting to purchase or possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun. Companion A-8976B.
  • S-7605, Relates to access to foreign state records concerning previous or present mental illness of applicants for firearms license. No Assembly companion.