Gun Politics New York

Democrats are having flashbacks to the gun control glory days of the early ’90s:

“Nearly 100 congressional Democrats are asking President Barack Obama to take executive action to close loopholes in a ban on the importation of military-style firearms.  In separate letters sent to the White House over the past week, a dozen Senate Democrats and 82 House Democrats urged the president to use his broad authority under the 1968 Gun Control Act to impose a stricter ban.  Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer of New York are among the Senate letter’s signatories.  Fifteen of New York’s 27 House members signed the other letter, including Reps. Louise Slaughter of Fairport, Nita Lowey of Harrison and Eliot Engel of the Bronx …”

Representatives from urban garbage dumps which have been run into the ground from decades of “progressive” policy failures including gun control, welfare, drug prohibition and wealth redistribution schemes.

“… Engel said he has lobbied unsuccessfully for the stricter ban for the past decade and urged Obama to take action beginning shortly after the president took office in 2009.  “I really am at a loss to know why the administration hasn’t implemented it,” Engel said Thursday …”

Two reasons: it is a policy failure and a stinker of a political issue.

“… White House spokesman Keith Maley had no comment …”

Which is the same as No.

“… Engel said he privately discussed the issue with Vice President Joe Biden more than a year ago when Biden was formulating the administration’s response to the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. …”

That’s like having a high-level meeting with Ronald McDonald.

“… “His last words to me were that he was all for this and this would be a great thing to do,” Engel said.  “So if there’s some reason that’s holding up the administration, I’d like to know it, because no one has told me.””

Engel isn’t that stupid.  The political landscape is looking toxic for Democrats due to the Obamacare disaster.  Bringing up gun control now would be like throwing gasoline on a fire.

Following up on yesterday’s post, only the Long Island GOP likes Cuomo:

“Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the likely Republican gubernatorial candidate, faces a tough road in GOP-dominated Nassau County, where party leaders and lawmakers have close ties to Democratic Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, political analysts say …”

By party leaders they mean Al D’Amato, Dean Skelos and Joe Mondello.

I keep harping on this because the media refuses to acknowledge it: Democrats do not like Governor Cuomo.

Exhibit A:

“A day after Albany leaders announced a budget deal, State Senator Simcha Felder, a Democrat, issued a blistering attack on Governor Cuomo and Speaker Shelly Silver for killing the ‘Education Initiative Tax Credit’ bill sponsored by Brooklyn Senators Marty Golden and Felder … As a result of his outrage, Felder is considering to not endorse Governor Cuomo in his reelection bid this fall. Felder is so furious at the Governor for killing his signature bill that he’s considering to endorse Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino for governor …”

Exhibit B:

“… Cuomo’s disposable ethics is a reason a new Siena College poll shows support slid-sliding away. He still holds a 61-21 percent lead over Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the presumptive Republican nominee. At the same time, his favorable job rating has slipped to 46 percent — and the percent backing Cuomo v. “someone else” to only 49, the lowest of his term.  Imagine. In New York, where Democrats hold a 2-1 registration edge, only a minority of voters prefers Cuomo’s re-election …”

Keep in mind Siena is notoriously biased to the left.  He’s probably 5-7 points lower than what their polls show.

Giving credit where it is due, the “Little Assassin” Rob Astorino has been doing a good job with his campaign thus far. He’s kept on message and hasn’t backed down from his position on SAFE.

It needs to be said again, Governor Cuomo has problems with Democrats:

“More than 100 state committee members of the Working Families Party participated in a hastily organized conference call last night to discuss the possibility of not endorsing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s re-election bid this fall …”

Don’t they realize Cuomo is a national leader on gun control?

“… Cuomo has deliberately staked out territory as a centrist … He has offset this approach with victories on … gun control, but that doesn’t appear to be enough to appease the liberal wing of his party …”

This shows how unpopular gun control has become of an issue for leftists, something Cuomo had to have done research on for his presidential aspirations but for whatever reason chose to ignore prior to pushing SAFE.  They may support it in principle, but the issue doesn’t have a constituency which will back up their position with money/votes at election time.

With this in mind, what has SAFE gotten for the Governor?  Despite biased polling, from the left he’s gotten nothing.  From the right, it’s a negative.