NY Young Republican Club, Inc.

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July 28, 2006

Government Incompetence for All to See

Now that the Freedom Tower has been fully built and rises magnificently out of what was once an ugly, empty, forlorn pit, it's fitting that the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. is set to close up shop. Thank goodness the LMDC officials were able to get the World Trade Center's insurers to avert further legal action and cough up all the money needed to fund the tower.

What a miracle that the agency got all the sparring parties to agree on an acceptable, affordable plan for a cost-saving memorial and museum at the site.

And how do you like the speed with which the LMDC took down and rebuilt the Deutsche Bank and Fiterman Hall?

After just five years, all that work is already done. ~ Editorial-NYPost July 28, 2005

After the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg did the most un-Republican thing by setting up a committee to build commercial towers in lower Manhattan.

Somewhere along the course of history, elected officials felt that government was better at real estate development than the private sector.

As we can see down at the World Trade Center site, the area where the LMDC didn't control has WTC Tower 7 fully constructed and open for business, while the site in control of the LMDC is still a huge pit.

With the end of the LDMC, New Yorkers have the opportunity to throw their support behind the Twin Towers II project.

Candidate, Michael A. Imperiali, who is challenging Speaker Sheldon Silver in the 64th Assembly District, has an opportunity to ask voters to vote for him if they want to see the Twin Towers return. If Mr. Imperiali upsets Speaker Silver on Election Day, it will be a clear indication that the voters are tired of buisness as usual and want to see change brought to Albany.

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 04:49 PM | Comments (3)

2006: Opportunity Knocking

The New York State Assembly has been in control by liberal Democrats (and Republicans) for at least twenty-five years.

The lower-house has not had a conservative majority since 1973 and has lost the ability to block veto-overrides in 2002.

Because voters are showing lack of interest in local campaigns and also with special interest helping incumbants win time and time again, bringing reform to Albany is becoming harder and harder.

This year, New York City voters have an opportunity to start making some changes so new life can enter Albany and a reform agenda can be a key issue in making State Government work again.

How? you might be asking?
Well, by first, voting for the challengers instead of incumbants. In other words, by voting Republican.

Here are ten races where Republicans are challenging the incumbant Democrats:

23rd AD - Stuart W. Mirsky (vs. Audrey I. Pheffer)
44th AD - Yvette Velázquez Bennett (vs. James F. Brennan) ---corrected----
64th AD - Michael A. Imperiali (vs. Sheldon Silver)
65th AD - Michael Fandal (vs. Alexander B. Pete Grannis)
67th AD - Theodore Howard (vs. Linda Rosenthal)
68th AD - Dean Loren Velasco (vs. Adam Clayton Powell, IV)
71st AD - Glenda Allen (vs. Herman D. Farrell, Jr.)
72nd AD - Martin Chicon (vs. Adriano Espaillat)
73rd AD - Robert Heim (vs. Jonathan L. Bing)
74th AD - Frank Scala (vs. Sylvia Friedman)

The one race that can bring change to Albany is the 64 AD race against Speaker Sheldon Silver. By winning the seat, the Democratic Party will be forced to choose a new Speaker and with a new Speaker, new life can breathe into the Assembly chamber.

Reform is a very important issue with voters and it would be wise for all Republican Assembly candidates to formulate a similar message on issues or unite together as a "ticket" against the same-as-usual crowd that candidates Tom Suozzi and John Faso talk so much about.

The four basic reform issues I'd like to see brought to Albany are:
1. Statewide candidates consisting of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller should be term limited to two four-year terms only.
2. The State Senate consisting of 62 members, equal to the number of Counties in the State of New York, should be representative to the counties and not by population.
3. The Senators should be elected to four-year terms instead of the current two-year terms.
4. Leadership positions and Committee chairpersons should be limited to a maximum of eight years.

Some people may want to see term limits for the Legislature as well, and part of me believes that many not be such a bad idea. Something like 5 terms for Assembly (two year terms) and 3 terms for Senate (four year terms). However, I am opposed to enacting such limitations where 80% to 90% of a legislative body could be ousted at one time. The only way to avoid such an event is to impose the limits on the next elected representative for such a district. That way, the imposed term limits will stagger the years throughout the legislative body when an official retires, win election for another office or loses to a challenger (or gets convicted of a crime, which seems to be happening more frequently).

Voters will listen to candidates running for office and consider voting for the challengers, if a case is presented against the incumbant and a reform agenda appeals to them.

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 03:13 PM | Comments (4)

July 27, 2006

NYYRC August Forum

Thursday August 10
Our Featured Speaker will be Claudia Rosett, Journalist-in-Residence, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Claudia Rosett writes on international affairs, with a focus on democratic movements and despotic regimes. She has been widely credited with breaking the Oil-for-Food scandal and other aspects of waste, abuse and corruption at the United Nations.

Currently based in New York, Ms. Rosett has reported from Asia, the former Soviet Union, Latin America and the Middle East. From 1984-2002 she was a staff writer for The Wall Street Journal, serving as a member of the Journal's editorial board in New York (1997-2002); as a reporter and then bureau chief of the Journal's Moscow Bureau (1993-1996); as editorial-page editor of The Asian Wall Street Journal, based in Hong Kong (1986-1993); and as books editor in New York (1984-1986). In 1990, for her on-site coverage of China's 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising, she won an Overseas Press Club Citation for Excellence. For her coverage of the United Nations and its Iraq Oil-for-Food program, Ms. Rosett in 2005 won both the Mightier Pen Award and the Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Opinion Journalism. Ms. Rosett holds a B.A. from Yale University , an M.A. in English Literature from Columbia University, and an M.B.A. with a specialization in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

For more information on Ms. Rosett, please check here.
__________________________________________________________________
The New York Young Republican Club will also be featuring two candidates for local office in Brooklyn:

Yvette Velazquez Bennett who is running for the 44 Assembly District.
The district encompasses Park Slope, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, and Windsor Terrace.

Viviana V. Hernandez who is running for the 18 Senate District.
The district encompasses Bed-ford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, Boerum Hill, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Red Hook and parts of Sunset Park, Park Slope and Carroll Gardens.

Where it's at!
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Place: Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen's Club
283 Lexington Ave (bet 36th & 37th St), 2nd Floor
Admission: Members - FREE, Non Members - $5, F/T Students - $2.

After-politics Socializing
Come join us afterwards for drinks to celebrate club vice president, Daniel Peterson's 35th birthday.
Our socializing will be at:
Margarita Murphy's
591 Third Avenue
Between 38th and 39th streets

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 07:15 PM | Comments (0)

July 23, 2006

Queens Democratic Boss Tom Manton Dies

Longtime Queens Democratic Party boss and major power broker Tom Manton passed away on Saturday. He was 73. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but I hear it was cancer. It was known for some time that he was sick and was not getting better.

Manton served for 15 years in the NY City Council, then 14 years in the House of Representatives, from the district currently represented by Joe Crowley and formerly by Geraldine Ferraro. For the last 20 years he was the Party Chairman in Queens, weilding power like party bosses of old.

Manton was very influential in deciding the speaker of the Council in recent years, holding his Queens delegation together with an iron fist. Unlike in Brooklyn or Manhattan, when Manton said he could deliver the votes, he meant it.

Manton was old school. His parents were Irish immigrants in the early part of the 20th century, and coming off the boat were likely greeted by someone from the Tammany Hall machine. He probably got a good taste of old-time politics growing up. He was also a cop and a Marine before later becoming a lawyer, and was a very street-smart guy. He really was the product of another era, and we likely won't see another like him again.

This kind of almost nostalgic bossism can certainly be admired on many levels. Being a strong leader and having the devoted followers to make any upstarts or holdouts think twice before crossing him. Running a tight ship is often considered a virtue.

However, in the 21st century, the idea that backroom political bosses would wheel and deal with the votes of elected officials makes many people very squeemish. Political bosses are not accountable to the people, and today we find that kind of operation anti-democratic.

Of course, we don't need to look very far back to witness this kind of behavior. Less than two months our very own NY republican leaders tried to thwart two statewide primaries and successfully scuttled one.

So, maybe the idea that old-time bossism died yesterday with Tom Manton is but wishful thinking. However, today's leaders certainly don't do it anywhere near as effectively, effortlessly or with as much class as Manton did. May he rest in peace.

Posted by Robert Hornak at 11:43 AM | Comments (1)

July 21, 2006

In Defense of Ann Coulter

In America, every person is entitled to their own opinion whether reasoned, thoughtful, accurate, or not. Writing a book about national politics is the perfect venue. A likeminded person can buy the book and enjoy it, and a person from the opposite side of the ideological spectrum can disagree and challenge. One can dislike the New York Times for their over eager "bring down the administration" mentality by not purchasing the paper or one can buy a subscription.

The Times however recently published an article that reveals (some identify as treason) a national security operation to track money funneled to America's enemies during a time of War, while political pundits and opportunist politicians criticize Ann Coulter, a well known conservative legal scholar and syndicated author, because her latest book "Godless" makes allegations (some identify as freedom of speech) of widespread fraud within academia, the main stream media, and a major political party, certainly no violation of Federal law, and indeed a protected right of every individual.

Even so, Senator Clinton of New York takes the time to publicly criticize Coulter, but does not have the courage to challenge the Times who crossed the line for real. Surely a potential presidential contender should be more concerned with national security, than launching a name calling attack on Coulter.

The four women known as the "Jersey Girls" who are at the center of the controversy over "Godless" have an equal right to free speech, which they have expressed most notably during the 2004 National Democrat convention. The point Coulter was making in "Godless" is that the Democrat Party choose poster people to advocate their political ideology that would be immune to criticism. Here, the Jersey Girls are 9/11 widows and even while they may not be experts in political philosophy, Americans are supposed to embrace their viewpoints as fact because four media savvy 9/11 widows asserted them.

Coulter contends that no one is immune to criticism, not even the Jersey Girls. Coulter uses wit, sarcasm and her usual "take no prisoners" manner to counter the points asserted by the Jersey Girls and their allies, the Democrat Party. There is nothing sadistic about it; it is journalistic style and rhetoric. Liberal journalists do it all the time without repercussion, and usually with more despisement and less facts, think Kitty Kelly and Maureen Dowd.

Meanwhile, the main stream media pick and choose several lines from one chapter in "Godless" in order to ostracize Coulter and ultimately, will if they can, censor conservative viewpoints. Notice that there is no opposition to "Godless" except for baseless attacks on Coulter's character, including an assertion of plagiarism, which was quickly rebuked. No arguments have been made to counter Coulter's strong opposition to the theory of Darwinism (four chapters dedicated to the topic). No arguments have been made to counter Coulter's account of the Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame debacle, and no arguments have been made to counter the story of the lives behind Willie Horton's victims.

Instead Coulter is accused of being "vicious" and "mean-spirited" because of several lines in one chapter of eleven as if the rest of the book's 281 pages do not exist. Time and time again, the main stream media will question the credibility of conservative thinkers, but embrace liberal thought as true and politically correct. Who becomes the watchdog for liberal thought and subsequently the target of contempt? Courageous journalists like Ann Coulter.

Posted by Raquel Walker at 08:28 PM | Comments (0)

Protest at the New York Times headquarters

Community activists and individuals gathered in solidarity to protest the New York Times, for revealing top secret defense strategies, and providing information that aids America's enemies in a time of War. At one point, more than 250 people joined together in the early evening on July 10, 2006 across the street from the Times headquarters at 43rd Street-off Broadway. The police assisted with barricades and protection, and a speakers mount was created out of a pick-up truck. The banners were large and the chants loud, we were a voice for many. The event kicked off with the Pledge of Allegiance which I gladly recited at the mound.

Rabbi Aryeh Spero, talk-show host and head of Caucus for America, kept the crowd lively with a proposal to change "Times Square" with "Giuliani Square" which became one of the widely used chants. Other speakers included, Niger Innis and Roy Innis of Congress of Racial Equality, Barry Farber, Ryan Mauro, Richard Poe, Herb London, Rafique Iscandar and notably Debra Burlingame, whose brother, Charles Burlingame, was the pilot of the doomed aircraft that flew into the Pentagon on 9/11. Unfortunately, when Ms. Burlingame spoke, the 4 or 5 hecklers in front of the Times building created so much noise, we could hardly hear her.

A couple of the protesters paraded in Osama bin Laden outfits claiming to love the New York Times, and for good reason. The Times shamelessly embark on treason, while elected officials, academia and other press praise them. The type of information the Times is sharing to America's enemies is exactly the type of information that American troops around the world would be tortured and die to protect. It goes beyond the pale that the Times, hiding behind the rights of the public, is awarded with a Pulitzer and continues to hurt America by exposing information that threatens national security and America's Armed Forces.

Times employees watched from the windows above, and writers Carl Bernstein and Paul Krugman exited the building - heads down. At the end of the day, the event was a success, but more must be done. Many thanks to Toni Rachiele for putting it all together. The rally ended with the singing of "God Bless America."

Posted by Raquel Walker at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2006

July Forum

On Thursday, July 13, John Fund addressed the New York Young Republican Club and spoke about issues such as border security and how to improve America's current situation with illegal immigrants. He also said that on the State level, we need to reform the process for Initiative and Referenda, the petitioning process and the statewide seats (such as governor and attorney general) should be limited to two terms.

(From Left to Right: Raquel Walker (Project Coordinator), John Fund (Featured Speaker), Owen Hesln (Law & Policy Committee).

Hon. Charles Millard had advice to Republicans candidates running for local office. Don't run on a "Me Too!" campaign. He recalled campaigning in 1991 with former Senator Roy Goodman where a voter asked what party he was registered to. He awkwardly told his constituent, "Well, I'm the Republican candidate, but I also am running on the Liberal Party line". When the voter walked away, Sen. Goodman pulled Millard aside and explained that if someone asks what party you're running under, if it is a registered Republican, he just wants to know that you're the Republican. If it's a Democrat or a liberal, they won't vote for you no matter what, so you might as well be who you are.

Running in Sen. Goodman's former seat is Philip Pidot. Flip, as he's most commonly referred as, addressed the club on expanding New York City's economic growth and how important it is for this city, the financial capital of the world, to start returning to friendly tax and business policies that will grow the economy and create jobs in the private sector. Flip Pidot is petitioning for an independent line he's calling, The Growth Party of New York.

(From Left to Right: Philip Pidot (26 Senate District candidate) and Paul Rodriguez (Club President)

Websites of interest that were discussed at the meeting were:
Free Republic
Lucianne
Urban Elephants

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 01:15 PM | Comments (0)

July 12, 2006

July 8 in Astoria

On Saturday, July 8, The New York Young Republican Club joined the Astoria/Frank Kenna Club in registering new voters. The series continues on July 29 (see Upcoming Events). If you'd like to join us, come on down and get new voters ready for this year's Elections.

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 10:45 PM | Comments (0)

Voter Registration Drive continues...

The New York Young Republican Club joins the Astoria / Frank Kenna Republican Club with its continuing summer voter registration drive on Saturday, July 29.

We will be at the corner of Broadway and 31st Street from 11am to 3pm, registering new voters, getting petitions signed and distributing club and candidate literature.

Please come by and support us in this most basic of grassroots activities. We can use your help, even if only for an hour. It is a very fun and rewarding experience and will help in the rebuilding of the NYGOP.

If you are coming by train, just take the N,W to the Broadway stop, and we'll be right by the station. You won't be able to miss us!! If you have any questions, call our voter registration coordinator Robert Hornak at (718) 358-2848.

Posted by Daniel Peterson at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

Assemblyman Pat Manning's Annual Baseball Night

Join the YR's as we head up to Duchess County to support one of the more distinguished members of the NY State Assembly and to enjoy some excellent minor league baseball. Assemblyman Manning fought to have Renegade Stadium built, so this event is very near and dear to his heart.

Renegades Stadium
Saturday July 15th
Game time is 7pm

$25 per person
Unlimited food and beverages

Here's the directions:
(below fold)

Train:
metro north hudson line to poughkeepsie. get off at beacon stop. cab to dutchess stadium.

Driving:
easiest is Sprain to taconic to 84 West get off at beacon exit (exit 11), go right off of exit, drive appx 1/2 mile down and the stadium is on your right.

To RSVP, for travel directions or for more information, e-mail us or call our Chairman Robert Hornak at (718) 358-2848.

Posted by Ron Lewenberg at 09:39 AM | Comments (1)

July 07, 2006

Protest The New York Times for Publishing Secrets

It's Time to STOP the New York Times!

• TWICE they've published National Security SECRETS AND HURT AMERICA IN THE WAR ON TERROR.
• It Appears they're helping the enemy in a time of war.
• THEY'VE PUT US AND OUR CHILDREN AT RISK FOR FUTURE ATTACK ... AND IT'S UP TO US TO FIGHT BACK - Fight Back before they divulge even more secrets.

Join us after work tonight to demand that The New York Times stop jeapardizing our national security!
Location: in front of the Times Building, west 43rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.
Time: July 10th, 5-7 PM

IT'S TIME TO STOP THE TIMES! FOR MORE INFORMATION email us at info@nycyr.org or call (212) 533-4940.

This protest is also Co-sponsored by Free Republic, Caucus for America, the Congress for Racial Equality, and the NYC Chapter of Protest Warrior.

Posted by Ron Lewenberg at 03:30 AM | Comments (0)

Voter Registration in Astoria, Saturday

The NY Young Republican Club will be joining the Astoria / Frank Kenna Republican Club in kicking off its summer voter registration drive on Saturday, July 8. We will be at the corner of Ditmars Ave and 31st Street from 11am to 3pm, registering new voters, getting petitions signed and distributing club and candidate literature.

Please come by and support us in this most basic of grassroots activities. We can use your help, even if only for an hour. It is a very fun and rewarding experience and will help in the rebuilding of the NYGOP.

If you are coming by train, just take the N,W to the very end, Ditmars Ave stop, and walk 1/2 block north to the corner of Ditmars. You won't be able to miss us!! If you have any questions, call our voter registration coordinator Robert Hornak at (718) 358-2848.

Posted by Ron Lewenberg at 03:25 AM | Comments (0)