Bloomberg keeping busy

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Former Mayor Mike is keeping himself busy:

“In his first big donation as a private citizen, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave $2.5 million of his personal fortune to a superPAC that is helping Democratic Senators maintain their majority … The donation from the billionaire was made to the Senate Majority PAC … The PAC is run by former aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and was founded in 2011.  “Mike Bloomberg and Senator Reid worked closely together over the last several years on issues that matter to New Yorkers, most especially around the Sandy Aid package and gun safety measures,” ex-Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson explained of the donation …”

Cuomo on court ruling

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Where’s my wheelbarrow full of cash?

On: By: admin

Brian Donnelly writes to the Buffalo News:

As the 2013 big game season ends, I wonder how many hunters boycotted it. I did. I didn’t buy the licenses, the ammo, another game camera or anything else.

I did too.  But then I do that every year as I don’t hunt.

The big game hunters of New York State are the only successful and dependable tool Albany has to manage the deer and bear populations. The National Rifle Association, the Shooters Committee on Political Education and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association are the loudest voices in the face of the SAFE Act. Yet they didn’t call for a boycott of our big game season. Why?

Because there was no way it was going to accomplish anything even if it worked, which it wasn’t going to in the first place.  It doesn’t address the issue.

The passing of the SAFE Act created a windfall of profits for firearm and ammunition manufacturers and retailers. It increased memberships in every Second Amendment rights organization nationally and statewide. SCOPE membership is said to have doubled.

The 637,176 big game licenses sold in 2011 generated $30.2 million! That is just the “big game” segment of sales. The solidarity of small game hunters, trappers and fishermen standing together in total non-participation of this current season would have sent a shockwave of opposition to Albany – license revenue, sales tax revenue, retailers screaming bloody murder.

These “sportsmen” are already standing together in near total non-participation in the political process. Has a single “sportsmen’s” group taken issue with Governor Cuomo trying to portray himself as their best bud?  No.  Not a single member of the state legislature or statewide candidate for public office has been elected or un-elected because of the actions of “sportsmen” and they all know it.  That is the issue.

Total deer take for 2012 was 242,957, based on a statewide hunter reporting rate of 44.3 percent. Think about a quarter million deer still walking around the state now. And 100,000 or more fawns next spring. The statewide 2012 black bear harvest was 1,337 animals.

This means nothing in Albany.

That’s a protest, raising awareness in non-hunters and the anti-gun public. Clear-thinking New Yorkers know there are fat cats at the top of most organizations. The NRA has them; SCOPE and NYSRPA are growing them, too. The loudest voices really don’t want to solve the problem. It’s a simple dog-and-pony show to grow membership, increasing their revenue.

Fat cats?  I don’t get paid anything.  Where’s my wheelbarrow full of cash?

Pandering to the Fudds

On: By: admin

Gov. Cuomo is pandering to the Fudds:

“New Yorkers will soon be able to link hunting and fishing licenses to their driver’s license under a plan set to be revealed Wednesday as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address.  Under Cuomo’s plan, those who own hunting and fishing permits, a boating safety certificate or certain state park passes will be able to list them on their driver license, eliminating the need to carry multiple documents … Cuomo has been heavily criticized by gun-rights activists for the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act … But he’s a known sportsman, having made semi-regular trips to the Adirondacks to fish since taking office in 2011.  Last year, Cuomo lowered fees for annual hunting and fishing permits, tweaking the fee schedule in a budget plan approved by the Legislature.”

Shootings up in Poughkeepsie? Impossible.

On: By: admin

A week ago the Poughkeepsie Journal reported an increase of shootings in the city:

“… The highest number of shootings in at least six years meant long days for City of Poughkeepsie police detectives and tragic news for a handful of victims’ families.  Thirty-four people were shot in 33 incidents in the city this year — five of them fatally — but city police administrators remain hopeful their efforts will curb gun violence and illegal gun ownership in the city in 2014 …”

Clearly this is not possible:

“I’m writing with regard to your Dec. 30 article claiming an increase of shootings in Poughkeepise over the past year. Reporter Roberto Cruz must have made a mistake as the article is simply is not believable.

In January 2013, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the “nation’s toughest gun control law” thereby making it impossible for such events to occur. In addition, Mayor John Tkazyik has been a member of so-called Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) for years and has allowed his name to be used in numerous citizen disarmament campaigns orchestrated by MAIG at the state and federal levels. Tkazyik even accepted a personal campaign contribution from MAIG founder Michael Bloomberg.

In light of these facts, I do not see how your story could possibly be accurate.

I trust the editor will deliver suitable denunciation to Cruz for such “shoddy” reporting.”

Lawsuit appeal

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The court decision will be appealed to the 2nd Circuit.  Here is draft paperwork of the filing.

The state plans to appeal as well.

The Bloomberg Legacy

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We can now look back and refer to the Boss Tweed era as the good old days.

SLAIG starting up again

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State Legislators Against Illegal Guns is starting up again with their annual meeting on January 14.

Click on image to enlarge it.

NRA takes shot and misses

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Daily Caller is running an op-ed by Chris Cox, “Bloomberg leaves office today, protected by firearms“:

“When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves office today he will enter civilian life protected by firearms.  The same man who has spent much of his career and personal fortune trying to render good, law-abiding men and women defenseless, will now surround himself with a team of armed bodyguards … Bloomberg’s hypocrisy validates what five million NRA members and tens of millions of gun owners already know: The freedom to own and carry firearms is essential to our fundamental right of self-defense …”

On technical merit, this is absolutely correct.  Bloomberg is being hypocritical.  What nobody at NRA seems to understand is:

  1. Bloomberg does not care.
  2. Area politicians don’t care.
  3. Area media don’t care.

Silly attempted PR stunts like this accomplish nothing.  If NRA wants to be taken seriously in NYC, they have to become part of the political process just like every other (mostly leftist) interest groups does: give money to politicians, rate candidates and talk to the press about the issues.

Court ruling

On: By: admin

Much  of the SAFE Act was upheld yesterday in a decision by a Buffalo federal court judge.

As I haven’t read an English interpretation of the decision yet,  the only comment on it is this:

“Right from Day 1, I’ve been telling people that this is the first step. This is going to the Supreme Court.” – New York State Rifle and Pistol Association President Thomas King on a federal judge’s ruling that nearly all parts of New York’s strict gun laws are constitutionally sound, via The New York Times.