News Copy, New York

New York Republicans Fail Again To Find Candidate For Governor: Want To Run For Governor?

Want to run for New York State Govermor?

George Marlin is being mentioned by high-ranking Conservatives.

Carl Paladino has been encouraged by Tom Golisano.

Rick Lazio was supposed to be the candidate.

And now Steve Levy has seemingly been crowned by the State GOP chairman.

I personally experienced the misadventure of Pierre Rinfret's selection in 1990 ('the horror, the horror"), working the New York GOP convention in Rye that year.

"It was said that he was chosen after 19 other potential candidates refused to run, and that his name was chosen almost at random, from some politico's rolodex."

Rinfret's nomination was presented to the public in a side lobby of the hotel, almost as if the Republicans wanted to get it over before anyone objected (or Rinfret escaped the building).

With State Republican Chairman Ed Cox now declaring Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy his candidate, Republicans throughout New York must be feeling as if their own leadership has left them behind.

Levy was a Democrat until a few days ago.  Though touted by a cross-section of Conservatives in Suffolk County, New York State Conservative Chairman Mike Long -- who has been supporting Rick Lazio -- told Daily Politics that he isn't part of this cabal:

"I believe it's insulting to me what Steve is doing - whether it's his idea of Ed Cox's - by trying to intimidate us to back off," Long said. "I initially wanted to work closely with Ed Cox. Apparently, while we were supposed to be working closely, he was out busy recruiting Steve Levy to run for governor."

Rick Lazio needs to fire Arthur Finkelstein.  If Lazio doesn't understand why, he shouldn't be running for governor.

I attended a wonderful gathering for Lazio in Eastchester, home of former State Republican Chairman Tony Colavita, but we all only had less than a day's notice from the Lazio campaign.  That's the mark of a poorly run campaign -- and is it any wonder than the State GOP chairman is searching for another candidate?

Maybe if the State GOP was spending less time talking to a Democrat, a Republican could be found to run against Andrew Cuomo.

Dan Collins of The Huffington Post called it pathetic.

"There haven't been any statewide Republican stars since George Pataki. And if George Pataki is your idea of a star ... A I said, it's pathetic.  Michael Bloomberg was/is a phony Republican. Rudy Giuliani was one for the first and better half of his political career. Mort Zuckerman, the Daily News publisher, was one for the three minutes that he contemplated running for the Senate."

Is it a repeat of 1990, where no one wants to run?  Or does this have more to do with New York State Republican Committee opting not to talk to certain candidates over others?

There are plenty of quality candidates to choose from; mayors of large and mid-sized cities, county executives, state senators, town supervisors and even a few effective members of the assembly who have the gravitas to propel a statewide ticket.

I'm not sure if Ed Cox is overwhelmed (a lot of well-intended leaders have found themselves inundated with new candidates this year), misguided or just unwilling (or unable) to make such a powerful decision as a leader.

But Mike Long has made the same mistakes, particularly with Pataki, and a treacherous number of Republican and Conservative county leaders have ruined a laundry list of multi-county legislative races for 20 years now.

Fred Dicker of the New York Post noted the irony.

Who would have thought the looming GOP primary would make Democrats in general, and Andrew "I'm still not ready to announce yet" Cuomo in particular, seem like old hat and a bore?

Gabe Pressman of NBC called it Machiavellian.

"Levy had choreographed his departure from the Democratic party efficiently. A succession of Republican county chairmen, quickly fell in line. He was endorsed by John Jay Lavalle of Suffolk County. Queens GOP chair Phil Ragusa. who had endorsed Lazio in January, switched to Levy. And so did the Bronx Republican leader, Jay Savino."

Pressman is reporting that Levy is also supported by John Faso, who ran for governor four years ago.

But why would Faso facilitate a rush to a Democrat, undoubtedly undermining his own fundraising prowess for Republicans?

I somehow doubt Faso is behind Levy, though it sadly smatters of the internal party divisiveness that plagued Jim Tedisco's run -- where the failure of rejected 20th C.D. aspirants Betty Little and Faso to support the upstate Assemblyman affected the outcome.  

Levy boasts of $4 million. Lazio had nearly $2 million on hand but Lazio now has $637,000.

Fox News called him a "new" Republican:

On social issues, Levy says he is pro-choice but is against partial birth abortion and on the topic of gay rights that he is in favor of civil unions but marriage should be between a man and a woman.  When asked about the healthcare bill, Levy said this is “not the right bill.”

Tea Party leaders met with Levy last week.  Some walked out.  Others expressed disappointment over his dodging of issues.  His failure to articulate support of Second Amendment rights also will doom him with Conservatives statewide and most of upstate New York north of White Plains.

Levy appeared finished on arrival last week.  Why is Cox risking the integrity of his leadership by floating a Republican in name only whose signature on the registration is still drying?

Enter Carl Paladino in Buffalo, who has $10 million dollars ready for a run and the backing of former Independence Party leader Tom Golisano.

Paladino could be announcing in less than two weeks.

Conservatives are meeting in Brooklyn today, debating a long list of statewide, state senate and assembly races.

One name that will be floated by Conservatives is George Marlin, a party member who doesn't need permission to cause trouble as a third party candidate.  Another will be U.S. Senate candidate Joe DioGuardi, a Republican who D.C. powerbrokers would prefer to see pushed out of the Gillibrand race in deference to Dan Senor

The difference between Conservative Chair Mike Long and Cox is that Long has a lifetime of leading (and managing) maverick independent candidates whose credentials seized statewide posts.

Love them now or hate them, Al D'Amato with his run in 1980 and Pataki with his challenge to Mario Cuomo in 1994 paved a path to victory.  Mike Long can also take credit for managing Jim Buckley's third party win as a Conservative in 1970 -- and nearly knocking Republicans in New York down to third party status with Herb London in 1990.

In other words, whatever the Chairman says this afternoon in Brooklyn should be heeded by all sides.

The Buffalo News reported Tom Palandino asking Conservatives to wait. 

 

 This man looks like he is for real.

New York's Scandals Overshadow Budget Crisis: Without Any Distractions, Are Democrats Better Off?

Going back to the column by Josh Kurtz in Congressional Quarterly Politics, the headline "Race, Politics and Troubles in New York" infers something that should not fall so hard on the shoulders of any single politician or any particular demographic group.

Why not start by mentioning New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, particularly since he now has near-dictatorial control of the budget process?

How about discussing Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, who Democrats will summon to replace a "lame duck" governor -- and whose last "great" initiative was crafting the notorious Metro-North payroll tax?

"With Paterson gone, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is almost certain to be elected governor, and the Democrats retain an even chance of keeping control of the state Senate, just before the redistricting process begins. And eight potentially vulnerable Democratic congressmen — Michael Arcuri , Timothy Bishop, John Hall , Dan Maffei , Eric Massa , Michael E. McMahon , Scott Murphy and Bill Owens — can fight through a tough cycle without the additional distraction of having to account for Paterson’s erratic behavior."

First, why make David Paterson the fall guy for over 40 years of liberal Democrats wasting tax dollars (and more than a few Rockefeller Republicans joining in)?

Second, Democrats have continued to lose elections in New York since last November and through last month's special elections.

Third, does Andrew Cuomo winning so easily ensure a statewide landslide for everyone else or a more sleepy turnout by Democrats?

Fourth, Democrats hold a narrow one vote lead in the State Senate -- with much bickering within their own caucus -- and a persuasive case could be made that Republicans could regain control by margin of 4-6 Republican lawmakers.

Finally, since when are eight vulnerable incumbent Democrats looking to head back to D.C. suddenly safer because David Paterson cried "uncle" after the "gray lady" (The New York Times( made an in-kind contribution to Andrew Cuomo's gubernatorial campaign with an overtly (and annoyingly) telegraphed "hit" piece?

Who's next?

Also, can we stop blaming the Executive Chamber for dysfunctional problems within our State legislature?

"... It’s fair to say that both Spitzer and Paterson have done incalculable harm to the cause of political reform in the state. And Cuomo, while possessing many admirable qualities, is no reformer."

Cuomo's push for locally approved consolidation, by referendum, was viewed with such enthusiasm by reformers that it earned him an acknowledgment by the New York State Conservative Party and an invite to that party's annual political action conference.

Re-reading the article a few times, not one mention of Sheldon Silver came up (or Joe Bruno).  How about the many years of incalculable harm by "three men in a room" whose machinations always started in the same place?

Is it so hard for journalists covering New York State to grasp how government works in our legislature -- or is it just easier to make the executive the fall guy?

Is it that the New York State Assembly and State Senate has been taken for granted as an elected body of lawmakers?

Maybe it is too much like Congress.

Maybe they all have to be shown the door on Election Day. 

While the article discusses black empowerment, how about empowering reformers running for the Assembly to replace nearly two generations of political lemmings encompassing every race, creed and color?

How about discussing people empowerment, participatory government, initiative and referenda, a more open (and realistic) bill creation process and a complete overhaul of the rules in New York's legislature?

Finally, how about first finding someone who can count?

Charlie Rangel Uses His Last "Get Out Of Jail Free" Card: New York Democrat Faces Removal As Committee Chair

New York Congressman Charles Rangel faces possible removal as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means committee, Politico reported.

After last week's "admonishment" by the House ethics committee, Rangel can't take the hint and resign.

The GOP resolution will call for the Manhattan lawmaker to release his tax returns.

Times Editorial:

Relieve the Chairman of His Gavel

The fat (gray) lady has sung.

The National Legal and Policy Center had photos of Rangel's tropical junket.

Go to Congress.  Get free passage to the Caribbean.  Everyone else pays cash.

Take a close look at the photos.  Charlie must forgotten to bring his glasses.

Congressional Quarterly (CQ) used the "race" word to characterize the troubles in New York.

It's unfair to generalize that Governor David Paterson, Congressman Gregory Meeks, former Congressman Floyd Flake, State Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Smith and now Chairman Rangel all have something in common -- except that they are all suspected of unethical activity.   One race has no monopoly on corruption in New York.

CQ lamented Rangel's fall from grace.

"As the drip, drip, drip of ethical questions pools as high as Rangel’s chest, it is a sad time for the congressman and his legion of admirers, at home and on Capitol Hill. Rangel may or may not retain his gavel at the Ways and Means Committee. He may or may not be able to limp to re-election this fall. But his reputation is forever damaged, his ability to be a major player in the final days of the health care overhaul debate, gone."

Self-inflicted wounds.  This has been drawn and quartered for 18 months.

Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate and liberal logician Paul Krugman found himelf all by himself on ABC's "This Week In Washington" this past Sunday -- in making the case that Rangel hasn't really done anything wrong (video and transcript comes courtesy of Newsbusters).

"I'm unhappy with this," he said. "I wish Rangel would go away, but it's, it really has no national significance."

 Of course, this is the same "genius" who is regularly unhappy that Congress hasn't spent more money and raised taxes to cure America of its recession.

As The New York Times observed, Rangel's usual strategy to berate his contemporaries and distract away from any wrongdoing points to a deeper problem. 

"The moment was characteristic of Mr. Rangel’s arrogance throughout the investigation, which continues into more serious allegations about his official behavior."

On ABC's "This Week In Washington" Roundtable, there was disgust for Rangel's lack of accountability.

The New York Post called Congressman Rangel "Charlie the coward" for passing the blame for a "quid pro quo" off to his staff. 

"... What other term is appropriate when a 79-year-old political veteran, the dean of the New York delegation and chairman of one of the most powerful panels on Capitol Hill, ducks responsibility for a pretty obvious personal ethical lapse by throwing his staff under the bus?"

The Post reported Rangel pretending to have no knowledge that corporations paid up to $50,000 for five members of the Black Congressional to attend a sun-drenched lobbying junket in a lavish Caribbean setting.

Pamela Geller of the Atlas Shrugs had more details on what the Chicago Tribune called "The Rangel Swamp" -- and had video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi trying to wish it all away.

Geller pulled no punches as she noted how rare it us when the fourth estate -- from the right to the left -- reads the riot act to a Democrat.

"It's not enough to oust a thief, a tax cheat, and racketeer from public office and all committee seats and chairs. Any public official who abuses his offices, breaks the law, and violates the public trust should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Rangel must go to jail. Ripping off the public must be punished as harshly as the law allows, to discourage thieves, pigs, scoundrels, commies from running."

The Chicago Tribune explained that it is simple enough why Rangel can't be believed.

"You would have thought the signs and materials from Citigroup, Pfizer, American Airlines, AT&T, Verizon, Macy's and IBM plastered around the 2008 conference in St. Maarten would have provided a clue that corporate money was involved. But apparently Rangel was clueless. His response to the ethics committee's admonishment? He criticized the committee and blamed his staff. "Common sense dictates that members of Congress should not be held responsible for what could be the wrongdoing or mistakes or errors of staff," he said. What a stand-up guy."

The Washington Post said the resolution to have Rangel removed as chairman of Ways and Means will fail because "most of the chamber's 254 Democrats are not yet ready to dump Rangel."

... But the number of Democratic defections could affect how Pelosi and other party leaders evaluate the controversy, which has being going on for more than 18 months. One top party aide said there was "growing unrest" among members of Congress elected in 2006 and 2008, many of whom ran on anti-corruption platforms.

The Chicago Tribune further noted the "glacial" pace his contemporaries in Congress took investigating far more serious charges:

"... His belated financial disclosure of up to $1 million in financial assets, tens of thousands of dollars in municipal bonds and up to $100,000 in rent from a New York apartment building; using his congressional letterhead to solicit money for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York; and illegally turning one of his four rent-controlled apartments in New York into a campaign office."

The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service?

Not bad for the man who desposed the last emperor of Harlem, Adam Clayton Powell.

New York State Government In Denial: Looking To California For The Next Episode

The Orange County Register provided this editorial about California entitled, State Of Government In Denial.

It could be mistaken for New York.

Do we learn from California's mistakes and fiscal misery -- or do New York State lawmakers secretly have a sado-masochistic edge about fiscal chaos?

New York is about to get worse than California.

"We're watching to see what the size of the deficit will be this spring," Democratic Assembly Speaker Karen Bass said. "Once we know what the number is, we can make more informed choices about how to fill that hole by doing the least amount of harm possible."

Keep in mind that such rhetoric is coming from California's State legislature, not New York.

It also came  after California had alreayd been slammed with a projected $19.8 billion budget shortfall, after a year of fiscal problems and a belief that their state's economy will get better.

New York's fiscal woes haven't started.

New York is already hosting a projected $20 billion plus deficit (not including off-budget public authorities), a year of warnings about pension shortfalls and no sign of the state's economy getting any better.

Want to trade state budgets?

As if New York's budget debacle could get anymore surreal, Democrats are already lobbying to push the state's fiscal year from April 1 to June -- as if that's going to make things better?

Don't forget that Governor Paterson is already articulating that New Yorkers perhaps shouldn't get their tax refunds right away ...

... The Legislative Gazette noted that a lot of special interests will be expecting their money from the next State budget, and rationalizing for all kinds of new taxes.

Ron Deutsch, executive director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, says the budget could be less damaging to the economy if the governor considered the alternatives offered by the better choice campaign.
 
"We need to remember the economic argument. By making these cuts, you're driving up the numbers of those losing jobs and hurting the services those people need," said Deutsch.

In California, there have been a lot of fiscal rainy days this past year.

"Of course, a more prudent way to approach this would be to make necessary cuts today so those relying on the money have time to adjust for tomorrow. If conditions improve, funding could be restored, or bonded debt paid down or even a rainy day reserve added for the next crisis."

Call it California's year of saying "no" but it still doesn't compare to New York's budgetary tsunami.

New York's fiscally tropical climate has been with us for nearly 50 years.  The argument could be made that New York does a slicker job of hiding its off-budget debt.  New York's lawmakers also have no shame about raising taxes.

Does the following sound like California or New York?

"The governor's proposed budget once again is based on accounting gimmicks and hoped-for billions from Washington unlikely to materialize. Meanwhile, the Legislature's unwillingness to make necessary spending cuts and political obstacles to ramming through substantial new taxes will bring lawmakers to a familiar place as summer nears. They are likely to face another multi-billion deficit and miss another constitutional deadline on June 30 for adopting a balanced budget."

Should the Legislative Correspondents Association (LCA) just hold the Orange County Register's editorial for next year's round of budget stories?

The argument for "new" taxes, such as the Metro-North Payroll Tax, for example, has mobilized small business owners and employers throughout lower New York State.

There is only a willingness on the part of most Democrats in Albany to ram through substantial new taxes this year, next year, the year after that and the years after that ...

...  New York in denial?  How about New York in delusion?

New York Schools Get Reprive From Governor: But 2009-2010 Will Now Be Worse

The Journal News blog Politics on the Hudson outlined Governor Paterson's decision to drop mid-year cuts in school aid.

“I acknowledge that your costs are rising, but I believe all levels of government must reduce spending,” Paterson’s letter to school boards and superintendents said. “This year, I have reduced state agency spending by more than 10 percent. In this unprecedented fiscal crisis, school districts, like all levels of government, will have to take a similar approach and find ways to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their operations on behalf of taxpayers.”

But will they?

Here in the sleepy suburbs of Westchester County, from my perspective in Eastchester, neither school districts nor school parents will opt to cut the school budgets with any depth.

The concepts of increasing class size, freezing teacher's salaries and applying austerity-like measures won't happen without a fight.  Variations of at least one of those three approaches will be resisted -- but 2009 might also be the year many local school budgets are defeated.  People want the services.  They don't want to pay for them.

This former member of the Blind Brook School Board, Monroe Haas, targets the procedure for teacher negotiations.

"Negotiations are the reason for union existence. School boards have limited terms. Union leadership remains constant and forever. School boards have negotiations as just one issue and therefore are never as prepared as their union counterpart. The present procedure places districts in competition with each other. Unions reach out to their fellow unions while school boards generally negotiate in a vacuum."

All it takes is one school district with a high contract and the rest follow.

The Buffalo News reported that school aid funding is set to rise 8.8 percent, or $1.9 billion, next year.  Paterson called that a number "we simply cannot afford.”

Watching how anti-climatic November 18 turned out to be, I can't imagine December 15 will be much better.  All talk and no action.