Identifying the problem

On: By: admin

The title of this National Journal op-ed sums up much of what is wrong with the Republican party, “Insiders: GOP Would Be Better Off With Romney for 2012“:

“Texas Gov. Rick Perry may be surging in polls of Republican primary voters, but his party’s Insiders aren’t convinced he’d be the best general election candidate. More than two-thirds of Republican Insiders say Mitt Romney has a better chance than Perry of defeating President Obama in 2012, according to this week’s National Journal Political Insiders Poll …”

You mean those same insider who have been giving the NY GOP the same bad advice for years, that what the public really wants is a milktoast, leftist/progressive RINO?  These insiders are what is wrong with both parties.  It’s high time the GOP bosses started listening to the base.

“… Democratic Insiders echoed that assessment by an even larger majority …”

Well that settles it then.  Given that these Democrat functionaries have a vested interest in keeping their guy in power doesn’t it seem just a wee bit plausible that they’re going to trash the candidate they are most afraid of?

 

So what?

On: By: admin

From Politico, “Rick Perry wakes up the left“:

“… “He is beyond what we expect from conservative Republicans on the gun issue,” said Dennis Henigan, the acting president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, who cited Perry’s support for gun rights on college campuses and said it was a sharp contrast with Romney’s “moderate” record.  Perry’s rise, he said, had already become “a strong mobilizing force” for gun control activists, whose agenda has been largely ignored by the Obama administration …”

Who cares what Denny thinks.  If the antis had the ability to organize politically, then why has Obama (who sympathizes with them) ignored their agenda?  The reality is that the Brady’s do not have the ability to affect neither the GOP nomination nor the ’12 general election.  Gun control is becoming such a stinker of an issue Paul Helmke bailed out leaving Denny in charge.  No matter how he tries to spin it, things are not looking up for the antis.

Help removing MAIG members

On: By: admin

Some good news in our efforts to purge MAIG members from office.  SEIU has endorsed challenger Maureen Walker in the race against incumbent Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young.  While I don’t believe guns were an issue for the union, anything that helps turn out voters in the primary for the opposition helps us by piggybacking on our own GOTV efforts to defeat Young in next month’s elections.  Gun owners win if Young loses.

Left turn ahead

On: By: admin

With the economy in the tank and his disapproval rating at a new high of 55%, it seems increasingly unlikely that Obama will be re-elected next year.  Newsmax interviews some pollsters in their article, “Pollsters: Modern History Shows Obama Can’t Win in 2012.”  Some excerpts:

“The economy is so dismal that President Barack Obama will have to re-write the political history books if he hopes to win re-election, political strategists say … “His campaign will have to shift the issue,”  [Matt Towery, CEO of the nonpartisan InsiderAdvantage] tells Newsmax. “They’re going to have to find a way to make unemployment and the economy not the major issue …”  Towery envisions the following options for Obama … Move hard to the left and really push the class-warfare issue …”

It’s an obvious choice and while I do think Obama will go this way, I do not think it will include gun control as part of the strategy.  Regardless of his personal opinions on the issue, gun control groups like the Bradys, NYAGV, CSGV, etc. simply do not have the ability to affect Obama’s re-election chances.  They have no money, manpower or voting constituency to bring to the table.  Pandering to them won’t get him anything, but it will piss off people who might otherwise vote Democrat.  If/when the big Left turn comes I do expect much whining from the antis like they did earlier on in his presidency when it became apparent that Obama wasn’t much interested in advancing their big ticket items including Carolyn McCarthy’s magazine prohibition bill H.R. 308.

Reality bites

On: By: admin

After generating zero buzz in Republican circles, George Pataki announced that he is not running for president in ’12.

His announcement was immediately followed by the sound of crickets chirping.

Keeping manufacturers in New York

On: By: admin

Both Brian Kolb and Tom King were on yesterday’s NRANews talking about Kolb’s proposal to keep firearm manufactures in New York using the Regional Economic Development Councils initiative that Governor Cuomo announced recently.

Here is the press release Kolb’s office sent out.

Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). A valid URL was not provided.

Maffei v. Buerkle rematch

On: By: admin

Former Congressman Dan Maffei has announced his intention to run again against the woman who defeated him, Ann Marie Buerkle.  I like this quote:

“… Some Onondaga County Democrats have said privately that they would prefer to see someone new challenge Buerkle next fall.  Maffei said he is aware of such “naysayers” and hopes to prove them wrong in the next 14 months … Maffei, who has three Ivy League degrees, said he is aware that some of his detractors say he has trouble relating to people.  “I know people, jokingly or not, say Dan Maffei is too smart or too cerebral,” he said. “I do have to work on communicating with people better.” …”

Actually, I think he’s been quite clear in communicating with his constituents.  He accepted campaign contributions from the Brady’s while Buerkle co-sponsors the CCW reciprocity bill HR-822.  If he’s so smart then why did he decide to get into bed with the antis for a measly $250 donation?  There is no way their endorsement was going to be beneficial to his re-election campaign.

Comic relief

On: By: admin

It would seem George Pataki is taking a much more serious look at running for President than I would have thought.  See PolitickerNY’s post, “Peeking at George Pataki’s Presidential Campaign Site.”

Why he’s considering jumping into the race I do not know.  My only guess is to provide comic relief during the ’12 election cycle.  That is the only explanation I can come up with as his beta website apparently contained a section called “Pataki’s Record.”  That is the last thing he would want to highlight in a campaign.

Replace Pataki with Giuliani

On: By: admin

There’s a good article (with an excellent headline) over at WNYC on why George Pataki will not be running for president, ““I really don’t know what he’s smoking”: Pataki presidential run rumors don’t add up.”  Some quotes:

“… to think, with his values, he would stand a chance in a Republican—in a right-wing Republican—primary, that is really ludicrous …”

“… Having to come to term with the labor unions, his spending record, his record on social issues, suggest it would be very hard to get nominated …”

“… I don’t remember anyone saying, ‘Pataki, remember the good old days?’” …”

Contrast that with this nonsense from Fred Dicker, “GOP big pushes Giuliani for vice prez“.  Now go back to the first article and re-read it substituting “Rudy Giuliani” for “George Pataki” and see what you get.  Same article, right?

Gun ban for Kingston?

On: By: admin

Possible proposed gun ban in Kingston?  See “Turco-Levin Calls for Ban on Rifles, Shotguns, BB Guns and then Withdraws it.“