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January 24, 2007
The Economy is doing Awesome! So where's all the Press?
Today, Lawrence Kudlow continues to make the only discussion on the American economy.
From the 1/24/07 New York Sun:
The fact is, jobs continue to boom. So do real incomes, productivity, and profits. Economist Michael Darda points out that real wages over the first five years of the Bush expansion are actually growing more rapidly than over the first five years of the Papa Bush/Bill Clinton boom.Meanwhile, unemployment today is only 4.5%. Federal, state, and local tax collections are soaring through the roof. Budget deficits are plunging. Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product is averaging just more than 3%. Family wealth stands at a record of slightly more than $54 trillion. Total employment is at a record 146 million.
Not for nothing, but Republicans and the entire Republican Party should be pointing this out. Americans should look at the roles of government this way: 1) The Federal Government cannot come up with a universal solution for job creation and reducing poverty. What the Federal Government can do is offer insentives for economic growth, like tax cuts, 2) since every city and every state has different economic needs, fighting poverty, reducing welfare and creating jobs needs to be done on a city and state basis. The Federal Government cannot solve all problems, but it certainly can make it easier by cutting taxes so the city and states can focus on their local problems.
Posted by Daniel Peterson at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2007
Weingarten Lies on Tenure
Is it possible that Randi Weingarten is the biggest phoney in NYC politics? That would be a tough feat, considering some of the real lunatics we have in NYC, but I think she may just win the award.
The issue of teacher tenure has been one often discussed as a major problem preventing our children from getting a good education as well as a budget problem driving the cost of the system higher every year. And, of course, any attempt to reform tenure has been met with a harsh response from Randi.
In the past, her argument, and the argument of all the defenders of tenure, has been that tenure protects teachers from the whims of politicians or administrators who may have ideological or political differences with certain things a teacher is saying in class. So the defense goes, this allows for a better education because it protects all viewpoints in the classroom.
Of course, any remotely aware person realizes that this may be an issue at the college level, but is rarely an issue in gradeschool, where the challenge is to teach basic skills and not advanced political ideas.
There is a second agrgument, that tenure protects teachers from repurcussions for political activity outside the classroom. However, in a systme with 80,000 teachers and over 300,000 total public employees (and up to 8 million potential voters), any politician who has the time to worry about what a single teacher is doing on their free time is not doing their job. Besides, the press would have a field day over any city employee fired for political reasons.
These arguments just don't hold water any longer. The public knows it, the politicians know it, and now it seems even Randi Weingarten knows it. Because she has an entirely new defense of tenure that boggled my mind.
On NY1 earlier this week she made the claim, responding to Bloomberg's desire to rid the city of this festering impediment to the firing of teachers who break the rules, or even the law, that tenure is necessary to protect teachers who go out of their way to give extra help to students.
Huh? If you don't understand that, neither did I. But never mind the validity of her argument for now, what I want to know is where did it come from. What happened to the traditional defense of teachers political views?
Has she really given up on the excuse they have been relying on for decades for this dysfunctional system? If so, if Randi and her spinmeisters have really come up with something entirely new to excuse this abberation, how are we to believe that it will not be abondoned for another equally lame excuse as soon as this one is debunked?
It seems clear the time has finally come to hold teachers accountable for their performance. Good teachers, and there are many, should be rewarded, mediocre teachers should be helped and poor teachers should be fired. The public finally gets it, some politicians are finally getting it, and soon Randi and her merry band of union organizers (historically known as thugs) will get it too.
Cross-posted on Room 8
Posted by Robert Hornak at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)
The Mayor's $1 billion Tax Cut Plan
This week, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave his "State of the City" address in Brooklyn and the one point our print media latched on to and ran with was his Tax Cuts proposal. Never mind that it turns up on page 5 on the printed form of the speech that is just under ten pages. At least, to the New York media, tax relief is numero uno, even if it's not for our Mayor.
It's good to finally see our Republican mayor mix in some conservative ideals in with his Rockefellor ways of doing business and the tax cuts he proposes is certainly a start in the right direction. If they prove effective improving the New York economy as I believe they will, it can only improve republican chances in the 2009 elections.
After informing New Yorkers that the City's Budget produced a surplus (yet again!), the may says,
"I believe that a good portion of the surplus revenues we anticipate in the current fiscal year should go back to the New Yorkers..."
It's about time. Last year, the budget produced a tremendous surplus and we saw none of it back in our pockets. It was taken for a "rain-day fund." This year, our budget produced another surplus, a little smaller, and now we deserve to get our money back? I guess I shouldn't complain. Better late than never. It's nice to see our Republican mayor sound Republican.
The mayor proposes a $1 billion tax cut that should help ease some of the pain New Yorkers pay in taxes, so let's review it.
One Billion Dollar Tax Cut
1. $750 million tax relief in Property Taxes
- An Across the Board Tax Cut by 5% for anyone and everyone who pays City Real Estate Taxes.
- A $400 property tax rebate for anyone who owns a home.
2. $250 million tax relief in three other "measures."
- Reduction of the Unincorporated Business Tax
- Targeted reductions in the General Corporate Tax
- Elimination of City sales tax on all clothes and shoes.
Tax Cuts are something all Republicans champion, but only if they are the right tax cuts. Some cuts don't really do anything but offer immediate gratification. These types don't help out the economy as much. We'll see if the mayor's proposal will continue creating budget surpluses or just give instant gratification.
I like the Mayor's proposals. I do not want to sound as if it's not a step in the right direction. It is! But I've never been a fan of the $400 rebate. I'd trade in the homeowner's rebate check for the removal of the 18.5% Real Estate tax increase we saw in 2002. Even a phased reduction of 10% this coming year and the 8.5% the following. If everyone enjoys the reductions in real estate tax, which includes utility companies and landlords who usually transfer any increase to their customers, the burden on all of us isn't felt as much.
Reducing the corporate and business taxes is something I fully support. Removing unnecessary double-taxation allows small businesses to grow and expand, hire more employees and increase wages. But the sales tax is a minimal change to our city's economy. Instead of sales tax, the mayor should reduce income taxes on city residents. Reducing city income taxes and offering ways to reinvests in the city will do more for New York than simply removing sales tax.
There's a lot to chew on with this year's budget proposal and it is a start for building campaigns for Republicans. True, there are Democrats in the City Council that are supporters of easing taxation in areas (mostly from the outer-boroughs), but many of them cannot run for re-election. And it's clear that the new crop of Democrats are becoming more and more liberal. With no clear Republican to succeed Mayor Bloomberg, it will be imperative for New Yorkers to ensure fiscal discipline in the 2010 council. By doing that, it may require electing between 8 to 15 republicans in the 51 seat body.
Posted by Daniel Peterson at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2007
Con Ed: Time to be Held Accountable for Your Negligence
On Wednesday the NYS Department of Public Service released its' report on the July 2006 power outage in Queens and what responsibility Con Ed had in the failure. To say the least, the report was scathing for Con Ed and called their failures in this incident "unacceptable."
The report goes on to say that Con Ed did not take appropriate action to "minimize the impact of the primary cable and transformer failures on the secondary system and consumers."
I could quote endlessly from the report, but instead you may just want to read it for yourself. The bottom line however is that Con Ed was grossly negligent in this situation and bears full responsibility for the duration and severity of the outage.
While there is a discussion of fines being levied against Con Ed, there is no discussion of compensation for the thousands of businesses that were essentially put out of business that week. And, as if to add insult to injury, Mayor Bloomberg is actually saying that there should be no penalty at all for Con Ed's negligence, and that any fine would just cause rates to increase for consumers.
The mayor's statement is patently untrue. While Con Ed is a for-profit company, its rates are regulated by the state and they can not just pass along the costs associated with their negligence to the consumer. Instead, the hit would be at the expense of the shareholders, who may find the loss of revenue enough to warrant the dismissal of Con Ed's management team.
This seems to be more at the heart of the mayor's false statement trying to defend his friend, Con Ed boss Kevin Burke, but that is not the real issue. The real issue is how are the thousands of businesses that were hurt by Con Ed going to be made whole.
Litigation is one way, and now that it becomes clearer every day that negligence, bad judgment and incompetence are at the heart of this catastrophe, the door is open for a legal remedy. However, it would serve everyone's interests if this were settled quickly. While $9 million is too low a fine, whatever money is eventually levied against Con Ed should be put in a business compensation fund to help all the small business owners that had to pay rent, salaries and other expenses while Con Ed took a week or longer to restore full power.
Unfortunately, too many of NYC's elected officials look at the business community as some sort of "cash cow" to be milked whenever these politicians can't manage to balance their $55 billion a year budget. Now is the time for the Mayor, Public Advocate, Borough President and Councilmembers to step up and do something in return for these people who have been the backbone of NYC's economic life.
These businesses have been hurt and deserve to be compensated. It is the only fair thing to do.
Cross-posted at Room 8
Posted by Robert Hornak at 06:09 PM | Comments (1)
January 17, 2007
Mayor Bloomberg - State of the City Address
The New York Young Republican Club would like to direct its members and visitors to the NYC.gov website where Mayor Bloomberg's 2007 State of the City speech is posted. Over the next couple of days, we hope to have some of our Leadership opine.
Posted by NYYRC at 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2007
February 8th Speakers Forum
The next New York Young Republican Club, Inc meeting will be held on Thursday, February 8, 2007.
Scheduled Speakers
John Whitehead was Deputy Secretary of State in the Reagan administration. A former Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Mr. Whitehead most recently served as Chairman of the Board for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation [LMDC] and as Chairman of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.
Tony Coles was Deputy Mayor for Planning, Education and Cultural Affairs in the Giuliani administration. Mr. Coles will likely address the Club on Mayor Giuliani's chances in the 2008 Presidential race.
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 at:
Margarita Murphy's
591 Third Avenue
Between 38th and 39th streets
Posted by NYYRC at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)
January 07, 2007
Governor Spitzer and Marriage
On January 3, Governor Spitzer gave his first State of the State address where he presented the theme, One New York. In order to begin his One New York theme, his speech begins with reform. Government and ethics and structural. Then he moves to economic revitalization and fiscal responsibility for education and medicaid.
In the end, Good Government groups were pleased and encouraged by the sounds of a Spitzer Administration. However, Gay Rights groups felt a little slighted by the lack of any reference to the marriage debate. According to the New York Sun, Spitzer hasn't forgotten about his promises to the gay community, he just needs to prioritize the state's needs first. After one year, when 2008 rolls around, it is said that Governor Spitzer will propose legalizing gay marriage.
Is a bill drafted by the governor and sent to the legislature the proper way to change a defined term that has existed for thousands of years?
The New York Young Republican Club does not support one position on the marriage debate. Our Club has members who are both gay and straight and members that are for and against changing the laws on marriage. One thing our Club members oppose is judicial activism, as in the case where the courts decide on what the legislature needs to do.
Former Club President, Thomas Stevens was a believer in the big umbrella for the Republican Party. As NYYRC President, he chartered the Stonewall Republican Club in the 1980s and got the NY Republican Party very vocal on AIDS research.
Recently, at our November Speakers Forum, Reverend Michael Faulkner of the New Horizon's Church in Harlem, spoke in defense of Traditional Marriage between a man and a woman.
In New York, the decision may be left to the State Assembly and State Senate where our elected legislature will present a bill, debate it, then vote on it. Under normal circumstances, one would feel this is the correct democratic process where those who support traditional marriage and those who support gay marriage lobby their case to elected officials. But this isn't a normal circumstance.
Redefining marriage is an issue that should be left to the People of New York State, not simply those in our Assembly or Senate. The voice of the People is the true democratic process for a case such as this. Like a dozen other states before us, New York should use the power of Initiative and Referrendum to change a defined term in the State Constitution.
If New York votes in favor of traditional marriage...
- the State Legislature will have very little to say, since it would mean keeping the current defined laws in place.
If New York votes in favor of accepting gay marriage...
- the State Legislature will have to respond to the proposal approved by the People.
Of course, ballot referendums are always tricky matters when it comes to how it is worded. Does it advocate for a full change of marriage defining it between two consenting adults? Or does it open the window for Civil Unions, but leaving the use of marriage for traditional marriage?
The bottom line though, is, implementing change on social policy isn't something that should be left to one man. It isn't right to leave changing a historically defined term and, for some, an "institution" of human culture to a mere 212 men and women representing millions of New Yorkers. The marriage debate should be taken to and voted on by the People of New York State. If Republicans in New York can support any position (the courts, the legislature, the people), Republicans should choose the people. It is for the People to make constitutional changes on social policy.
Posted by Daniel Peterson at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2007
Congratulations to the Democrats
Though politics is about views and ideas and being able to implement these views and ideas, it is also a sport. And at the end of every game, a good sportsman congratulates his or her opponent.
In 2006, the Democrats won. So congratulations. They won the boxing match. Some rounds - we win, some rounds - they win, but in the end, there will be only one winner.
With Democrats back in power down in Washington and up in Albany, New York Young Republican Club will now be able to be a vocal critic in policy initiatives. Rather than be a supportive voice of the Bush Administration or Republican Legislature, we can analyze and comment on positions taken by Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid. It won't be all about being pro-Bush or anti-Bush. The Democrats will have to take the heat for some of the decisions being made.
In Albany, our new Governor is Eliot Spitzer and our new Attorney General is Andrew Cuomo. So far, there is an allusion that on "Day One, everything changes." Governor Spitzer is focussing on how government is run in Albany. He has campaigned for reform. He is seeking transparency. He is advocating fairness and accountability.
The Club will also stand with Democrats in power if they attempt to initiate reform. Already, General Cuomo's office says it will be investigating legislative member items. We will support this endeavor.
In some way, members of the NYYRC will find the next to years more comfortable having Democrats in power. Instead of having to criticize our own party, like the short comings of the Pataki Administration and decisions made by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, we can look at what they are saying across the isle and propose alternatives. It should be fun.
So, congratulations Democrats.
Posted by NYYRC at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
January 02, 2007
Chappaquiddick Society's Year in Review
With 2006 coming to an end, RJ de Szigethy, a member of the New York Young Republican Club Board of Advisors and President of the Chappaquiddick Society would like to remind members of the Club to check out the annual Profiles in Cowardice Awards.
Posted by NYYRC at 05:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2007
4th Annual Ronald Reagan Birthday Celebration and Awards Reception
Please join us as we pay tribute to the legacy of President Ronald Reagan and honor those special individuals who have helped, in their own way, to keep the Reagan Revolution alive and thriving.
Special honorees
Rich Lowry
Editor of National Review
Hon. Bret Schundler
former Mayor of Jersey City & NJ Gubernatorial Candidate
DA Dan Donovan
District Attorney for Richmond County
Master of Ceremonies
Mr. Robert George
Editorial Board, NY Post
Women's National Republican Club
3 West 51st Street
New York, NY
Cocktails begin at 7pm, Dinner begins at 8pm. There is a complimentary beer, wine and soft drink bar included.
Members can purchase one additional ticket for a guest at the member rate.
Reagan Celebration Member Ticket 140.00
Reagan Celebration Non-Member Ticket 170.00
To pay by credit card on our secure server, please click here.
Anyone wishing to pay by check should make it out to:
PO Box 370, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163.
For addition information please email us at info@nycyr.org.
For information on our past Celebrations, you can go here and here..
Posted by NYYRC at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)