Define “winning”

On: By: admin

Headline from Politico, “2016 state primary results: Senate GOP among big winners“:

“One of the biggest winners in the scores of primaries in New York on Tuesday night was the state Senate’s Republican conference. In each of the three primaries for open seats that the GOP has a chance of winning, the candidates backed by party officials seem to have won …”

Big deal.  The party machine overpowered some minor opposition candidates in primaries.

“… But in the open seat that gained the most attention, the end result was the best possible result for Republicans. Marisol Alcanatara, who was heavily funded by the Independent Democratic Conference and committed to joining the breakaway conference Tuesday night, likely edged out her two competitors in the West Side and Harlem …”

This is what is passing for good news.

Alcanatara is very far Left.  Her caucusing with the IDC empowers Jeff Klein.  I believe the Republicans will once again need the IDC only this time around they will be in an even weaker position facing a more powerful Klein.  He is going to want stuff from them.

New Hillary ad featuring Richard Hanna

On: By: admin

New ad from Hillary featuring outgoing Congressman Richard Hanna:

The ad is scheduled to run in various swing-states, not locally.

R.I.P. Bill Nojay

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Assemblyman Bill Nojay committed suicide yesterday.

He was one of the loudest pro-gun voices in the legislature and will be sorely missed.

Optimism

On: By: admin

Some more reasons for optimism in the CD-22 race between Claudia Tenney, Kim Myers and Martin Babinec.  I believe Tenney is leading the group.

First, there are two biased polls, one by the DCCC and another by a Republican-leaning group, which indicate Tenney is either tied or a little ahead of Myers.

Second, a Democrat super PAC is doing a big attack ad campaign against Tenney.  If Myers were out in front they would not be doing that.

With it being a three-way race a candidate only needs a plurality of votes to win.  Tenney had some issues with local Republicans, but appears to have gotten past that.

Antis endorse Anna Throne-Holst

On: By: admin

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence has endorsed Anna Throne-Holst in her campaign against pro-gun incumbent Congressman Lee Zeldin.

I’m not expecting much to come of this except for a brief press conference that will largely be ignored by both the media and general public.

Jeff Klein rising

On: By: admin

A follow-up to my previous post:

“… [Sen. Jeffrey Klein] since the end of the legislative session has repeatedly been publicly complimentary of the Senate Independent Democratic Conference’s relationship with the Republicans and even showed up last week with Senate GOP Majority Leader John Flanagan at the state fair in Syracuse. Whether it’s a sign he has no intention striking a leadership deal with the mainline Democrats to give them the majority or whether he’s using it as a negotiating tactic to increase his conference’s power won’t likely become clear until after the November elections …”

It’s both.

Klein probably thinks as I do that the Republicans will lose at least one or two Senate seats and will have to form a governing coalition with the IDC in the upper chamber.  Doing this will give Klein more clout than he would have if he rejoined with the mainline Democrats.

Throne-Holst attacks Zeldin on guns

On: By: admin

Challenger Ann Throne-Holst tries attacking incumbent Congressman Lee Zeldin in CD-1.

I don’t think the ad is very effective.

Read the signs

On: By: admin

I have said before that I believe the Republicans will have to form a coalition with the IDC next year.  If we follow the money trail there is more evidence pointing in that direction.

First from SEIU:

“A powerful union with close ties to both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio is throwing its money behind the Republican Party’s bid to maintain control of the state Senate. Health care workers Local 1199/SEIU pumped $100,000 into the coffers of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee …”

Now from NYSUT:

“The New York State United Teachers union’s main political giving apparatus contributed $56,100 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, according to a Board of Elections filing. With the donation, NYSUT’s VOTE/COPE has contributed the maximum this cycle — $109,600 — to the main fundraising arm of the Senate Republicans as the conference seek to maintain control of the chamber this year …”

This smells of a 3-way deal between Cuomo, John Flanagan and Jeff Klein with the Governor being the decision maker.

Decriminalize it

On: By: admin

Another reason to decriminalize marijuana or, better still, get the government out of the drug control business altogether:

“A federal government ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana card holders does not violate the Second Amendment … The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applies to the nine Western states that fall under the court’s jurisdiction … It came in a lawsuit filed by S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada woman who tried to buy a firearm in 2011 after obtaining a medical marijuana card. The gun store refused, citing the federal rule on the sale of firearms to illegal drug users …”

Probably correct from a liability standpoint given federal laws in effect, but pointless from a public safety standpoint.

“… In addition, a ban on the sale of guns to marijuana and other drug users is reasonable because the use of such drugs “raises the risk of irrational or unpredictable behavior with which gun use should not be associated,” Senior District Judge Jed Rakoff said …”

We’re talking about weed here, not PCP.  People high PCP have been known to get violent.  People high on marijuana want pizza rolls.

Meanwhile in New Jersey

On: By: admin

My opinion of Governor Chris Christie just went up a little bit:

“… Christie said he wants to make New Jersey a “shall-issue” state for concealed carry firearms, where authorities who issue gun licenses grant them in most cases … [Christie] proposed eliminating the “nearly-insurmountable ‘justifiable need’ standard and requiring the issuance of a carry permit to anyone who is not legally disqualified from possessing a firearm and who can demonstrate an understanding of the safe handling of a handgun,” according to his office …”

It’s been a long time since New York passed something like this.  It is not going anywhere right now in Jersey, but hopefully it will encourage other politicians in the northeast to publicly talk about the issue.