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The NY GOP and the Future

New York is in uncharted waters right now with the highest "elected" official being its Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo. Neither the current governor, nor the comptroller was elected by the People. Yes, it is true new governor David A. Paterson was elected as part of the "Spitzer ticket," but Spitzer could’ve chosen any number of people to be his "running mate" and would've won by the same 69% margin.

One can also argue that 90% of our legislative body is "unelected." Many run unopposed every two years and the ones that get a challenger are usually re-elected by a significant margin. The leaders of both Legislative bodies fit this predicament. Speaker Sheldon Silver of the Assembly and Majority Leader Joseph Bruno the Senate never face serious opposition and are re-elected by default.

Right now, a State Budget is due on April 1 and some serious work needs to be done to create a balanced budget. Proposals of tax increases are being made to cover the spending increases. Little is being done about spending cuts. Governor Paterson has some real work cut out for him. Most New Yorkers should be worried, because he comes from the liberal belief of raising taxes and fees to cover spending shortfalls. Liberals never stop to think that if you raise taxes on the highest earners, these residents may simply move across the river to avoid the tax. Also, raising taxes doesn't help in the property tax issue that burdens the upstate economy. What business wants to move into Elmira or Syracuse, Buffalo or Rochester, if the business climate is unfriendly to your business?

I personally wish Governor Paterson the best of luck and hope he takes a Governor Hugh Carey approach to fixing New York's broken economy, but I also see an opportunity here for the New York State Republican Party. Part of me hopes to see the Democratic Party to implode on liberal excesses and the voting public to turn towards fiscally conscious conservatives for State Assembly and State Senate seats.

The GOP Assembly Caucus has to pick up a bunch of seats. Ten would be nice. Just to get a little more than the necessary 50 that are required to block a veto override. It's just hard to pick ten competitive districts that will switch and vote Republican this November. Qualified candidates are required and an aggressive and strong campaign is a necessity. A 95 – 55 Assembly chamber would be help the State of New York immensely.

The GOP Senate is at risk of losing its majority, holding on by a 32 – 30 lead. What is first and foremost, is holding on to the 32 seats already held by Republicans. Then, it would require the GOP to run strong campaigns in about a dozen districts just to win eight seats and bring the majority up to a 40 – 22 lead. Having the State Republican Party pick up some seats would send a clear message to the Democratic legislatures that the People of New York are not as liberal as some of its elected officials.

So what kind of message should these Republican have in their campaigns?

Well, lower taxes and less spending should be the first message. Fiscal discipline and transparency on where tax revenue is allocated in a budget is the second issue. Also, anti-business laws need to be repealed and pro-growth policies need to be put in place. The size of government needs to be slashed and some agencies should be privatized. Regulations need to be reduced or completely obliterated. These are key points that have to resonate with voters in a way that will relate to them on an every day basis.

We have a State Comptroller elected by the Assembly, but not by the People of this State. We have a new governor who was elected on a ticket, but was never expected to assume the role of governor. Though they both hold their position due to the constitutional process, the People of this State have to realize that men and women are running this State who were not put into their position of power by the voting public. The Republican Party needs to start bringing change and reform to the process. By running credible candidates and picking up legislative seats, we will begin to bring positive change for all.

by Daniel Peterson, Tuesday, Mar. 18 | Permalink