Has Anyone Suggested Limited Government?

According to AM New York, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., has introduced a bill calling for the secession of New York City from the rest of the state. For "Gotham" to become a state, the City Council, New York State Legislature, Governor Pataki, and Congress would have to approve. The purpose of this publicity stunt, evidently is to try to force Albany to address the $3.5 Billion discrepancy between the taxes New York City residents pay and the benefits and programs we receive.

However, if Councilman Vallone really wants to be consistent, then he should propose that we secede from the United States; but that would be absurd. If Gothamites truly cared about donating less tax funds to other counties, wouldn't it make more sense to elect legislators, who wish to tax and spend less?

---

Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg has restarted his campaign to force out-of-state gun dealers to abide by his standards. Having previously failed to sue the small arms industry into submission, thanks to the intervention by the Federal government , Bloomberg has now decided to target small business owners selling guns for purported transgressions.

Perhaps the mayor could make time to read the Constitution. Last time I checked under Article 1, Section 8, the Federal government, through Congress, had sole authority over interstate commerce. I don't recall any amendment allowing municipalities to use civil courts to pursue policy changes in other states.

The only good news is that New York City government is pre-occupied with grandstanding on issues for which it has no authority, rather than pursuing enforceable liberal policies to restrict our liberties and pocketbooks.

by Ron Lewenberg, Tuesday, May. 16 | Permalink