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JANUARY (30), 2012 RSS FEED FACEBOOK TWITTER

PoliticsNY.Net: OBAMA WEEKLY INTERNET ADDRESS

POLITICAL NEWS OF CONSEQUENCE

"White House hopeful Mitt Romney widened his lead over rival Newt Gingrich to 11 percentage points in Florida, according to Reuters/Ipsos online poll results on Saturday, up from 8 points a day earlier, as he cemented his front-runner status in the Republican nomination race.

With just three days remaining before Florida's Republican primary, Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, led Gingrich, a former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, by 43 percent to 32 percent among likely voters in Florida's January 31 primary." ...

Rasmussen Daily Tracking Poll: In potential 2012 match-ups, it’s President Obama 46% and Mitt Romney 42%. However, if Newt Gingrich is his Republican opponent, the president has opened a double digit lead, 49% to 39%. ...

UPDATE: Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday he will veto the new legislative district maps proposed by the state Senate and Assembly majorities. That throws the process into likely negotiations to revise what Cuomo and good-government groups called partisan efforts to solidify the majorities' power.

"The maps are unacceptable," Cuomo said Friday after a fundraising event for the National Governors Association. "I think anyone who looks at the maps will see the political machinations. You don't have to look hard." See state screen

"This is still early and it remains to be seen what the governor is going to do. But this certainly gives us a window into what the Senate majority and Assembly minority are trying to do." GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy

"We traditionally start [designating] petitions three months before a primary. Now we're talking about as early as February and February is less than a week away. Everything moves up dramatically." Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan ...

The 45th Annual Conservative Party Political Action Conference is scheduled for this Sunday, January 29 and Monday, January 30 at the Holiday Inn, 205 Wolf Road, Albany, NY. State Chairman, Michael R. Long Carl Paladino ~ Turning Albany Upside Down—The Failures of the NY State Legislature Introduced by: Ralph C. Lorigo., Esq., Erie County Chairman. ...

BREAKING NEWS: Judge Sharpe rules on NYS Primary date.

"Not withstanding any current state law or administrative procedure to the contrary, New York shall conduct its 2012 non-presidential federal primary election on a date no later than 35 days prior to the 45-day advance deadline set by the MOVE Act for transmitting ballots to the State’s military and overseas voters, i.e., at least 80 days before the November 6, 2012 federal general election. In 2012, that date shall be June 26, 2012."

"U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe has set June 26 to become the new primary date for federal elections in New York in a long-awaited ruling handed down this afternoon. “The court fully recognizes that a permanent primary date is best left to New York, but has acted as it must to preserve federally protected voting rights,” Sharpe wrote in the decision. The court’s ruling does not impact state primary elections, which are traditionally held in mid-September."

New York stands to have three party primaries now: one for House and Senate races, another for state Assembly and Senate and one for the GOP presidential election."

In subsequent years non federal primaries shall be the 4th Tuesday of June.

Readers keep in mind NYS has not drawn news lines for Congressional races as of yet. Go figure! ...

"Cuomo said his goal was to push for what referred to as a “better product” this year and a better process in the coming years — suggesting that he would perhaps push for a Constitutional amendment that would be in place for the 2020 Census and the 2022 elections." YNN

"You can see that these maps were politically drawn and that there was a political process. This is an argument and lamentation every 10 years." ...

Sources say Erie County Chairman Lenihan will not recommend Boston Town Clerk David Shenk to the Legislature for the appointment to replace County Executive Mark Poloncarz as County Comptroller Stay tuned ...

Former State Senate candidate Dave DiPietro is making phone calls setting up a primary candidacy against Dan Burling in the new Southern Erie County based 140th Assembly District. ...



New State & Assembly lines & maps released.

ASSEMBLY 138 (Harry B. Bronson) 139 (Stephen Hawley) 140 (Daniel J. Burling) 141 (Joseph M. Giglio) 142 (Open) 143 (Dennis Gabryszak) 144 (Jane L. Corwin) 145 (John D. Ceretto) 146 (Raymond Walter) 147 (Robin Schimminger) 148 (Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes) 149 (Sean Ryan/Kevin Smardz) 150 (Andy Goodell)

SENATE 57 (Catharine Young) 59 (Patrick M. Gallivan) 60 (Mark Grisanti) 61 (Michael H. Ranzenhofer) 62 (George D. Maziarz) 63 (Timothy Kennedy)
Right click your mouse to zoom.

Niagara County Chairman Dan Rivera has resigned his post in order to spend more time pursuing private business opportunities. The Niagara County Democratic Executive Committee elected attorney Jeremy Schnurr, a Rivera ally, to serve out the rest of the current incumbent's unexpired term. Among those being mentioned as a possible challenger to Schnurr is former NYS Assembly and Senate aide and national and international political consultant Gary Parenti. ...

"Hamburg Republican Kevin Smardz looms as Western New York's most endangered member of the Assembly as district lines stemming from reapportionment began to take shape today. Several sources say Smardz, who was elected to succeed Republican Jack F. Quinn III in the Assembly in 2010, will be matched against Democrat Sean M. Ryan of Buffalo in a new "waterfront" district stretching from the West Side along the Lake Erie shore through parts of South Buffalo, Lackawanna and into Hamburg. It would result in a predominantly Democratic district that could prove daunting for Smardz." PR ...

Lets look at the back story with respect to the reported changes in Robin Schimminger's (D) Assembly District. Schimminger's District has been expanded into the City of Buffalo, Blackrock & Riverside. North Councilman Joe Golombek (D) has run in the 144th against former Asemblyman Sam Hoyt (D) in the last two cycles coming within a couple hundred votes of defeating Hoyt. Golombek was expected to primary Hoyt successor Sean Ryan & win this cycle. However, Golombek no longer lives in the 144th. He lives in Schimminger's District as a result of redistricting. No accident. Golombek will not primary the very popular Schimminger it would be waste of time. Hoyt's fingerprints all over this. ...

As we reported two weeks ago Town of Boston's David Shenk was the front runner to get the interim appointment for Erie County Comptroller. Chairman Lenihan says "the process is wide open." Lenihan addressing concerns by George Hasiotis who has interviewed for the appointment. The Legislature makes the appointment. Hasiotis, who is supposed to be a friend of Lenihan, has all but taken himself out of consideration. The hook for Lenihan, being there is an election in November, is Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo is rumored to favor war hero David Shenk. Very fluid situation! ...

Joe Illuzzi

Assemblyman Ray Walter

Lawmaker sets agenda for beginning of legislative session

Assemblyman Ray Walter (R,C,I-Amherst) recently introduced his first package of legislation with bi-partisan support, setting the agenda for the beginning of the 2012 Legislative Session. The 22 bills that Walter has signed onto cover a myriad of crucial issues in Western New York, many of them aimed at reducing the size and cost of government in order to provide tax relief for local families and businesses. The assemblyman is supporting legislation to create jobs by reducing the cost of doing business, in addition to a collection of bills that will shift the crippling burden of Medicaid to the state and off the backs of local taxpayers.

“The key to lowering taxes in our community is to make government cost less,” said Walter. “Governor Cuomo has correctly identified Medicaid as the biggest cost driver for local taxes, and I agree that it is the state’s responsibility to pay for their own, mandated programs. By reducing the size and cost of government, Western New York’s taxpayers will see the real savings that they so desperately need.”

Walter is supporting a state spending cap and has signed onto the Small Business Relief Act, which features several provisions to foster job creation and a more attractive business environment in New York. The legislation is a part of his overall effort to reduce the 49,000 pages of job-killing state regulations levied against business owners.

In addition to reducing spending and cutting taxes, Walter is advancing legislation to make our community a better, safer place to raise a family. He is continuing his push to crack down on cyber bullying – the act of prolonged harassment by way of the Internet. Walter is sponsoring legislation to clearly define cyber bullying and attach guidelines for punishment, a law he proposed during his time in the Erie County Legislature.

“We have seen the tragic result of malicious cyber bullying right here in our own community,” said Walter. “This preventable form of harassment continues to haunt our children because state law hasn’t evolved over time to address the threats presented by the Internet. We can’t sit idly by while Western New York’s children continue to suffer.”

Walter is also supporting the Volunteer Firefighter and Ambulance Worker Protection and Incentive Act. The legislation will increase not only incentives for local residents to volunteer, but also measures to protect their health and safety by expanding access to health insurance and critical communication services needed when lives are on the line.

“Our communities rely on the courage, selflessness and bravery of our volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers,” said Walter. “It is our duty to protect those that put their lives on the line to protect us. I will always be proud to stand alongside these heroic men and women and will do everything I can to help our volunteer units attract more personnel.”

Newt, the Media and Momentum

by Bill O'Reilly

If Newt Gingrich is elected president of the United States this year, he will owe it all to John King and to his former wife, Marianne.

Let's go back to the recent presidential debate in South Carolina. There stood Gingrich, gripping his podium, staring at King, the CNN debate moderator. The former Speaker of the House had to be delighted. King was doing just what Gingrich and his advisers thought he might do: He was trying to embarrass Newt by asking him about salacious stuff his bitter ex-wife told "Nightline."

"She says you asked her, sir, to enter into an open marriage," King said, and the crowd hushed. "Would you like to take some time to respond to that?"

Gingrich paused a beat. Then, with a slight sneer, he let loose: "No, but I will. I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office." Gingrich was rolling.

"And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that."

King was thrown off his game. He backpedaled. Gingrich continued to lash out. Finally, King sought a mandatory eight count: "As you noted, Mr. Speaker, this story did not come from our network (CNN)."

Forget it. Gingrich hammered him again: "John, it was repeated by your network. You chose to start the debate with it. Don't try to blame somebody else."

It was all over. Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul should have just walked off the stage. Gingrich had slayed the media dragon, and blood was on the ground. Nothing else would matter that night, and now Gingrich has a decent shot at securing the Republican nomination. Before King and Marianne, the speaker was dead in the water.

One thing is certain: Gingrich knows about anger. He well understands that many conservative Americans have had enough of being loathed by Hollywood and by the media chieftains in New York and Washington. The condescension shown to the right is undeniable. Every media survey ever taken shows that the vast majority of press and entertainment people are committed liberals. And unlike Walter Cronkite, who largely hid his leftwing ideology, today's media folks are out of the closet.

Gingrich also understands that he cannot win the Republican nomination without a populist uprising. His targeting of the media is brilliant, and now the speaker says he will go after the anti-religion crowd.

But there is one big problem: It is difficult to sustain outrage. It gets exhausting, and it can become circus-like if not used wisely. Gingrich had his moment, and he nailed it. It will be hard for him to duplicate what happened in South Carolina on a regular basis.

But everybody now knows there is a deep-seated anger among many Americans who believe they have lost their country. They are looking for a champion. If a candidate can truly fit that profile, he just might become the next president of the United States.

January 28/29, 2012

PoliticsNY.Net: POLITICAL NOTES

Marist Poll

New York Voters More Optimistic About Direction of State. For the first time in nearly a decade, a majority of the New York electorate believes the Empire State is heading in the right direction. 52% of voters share this view while 40% believe it is moving in the wrong direction. Eight percent are unsure. The last time a majority of the electorate reported the state was on track was in October 2002 when 51% shared that view. ...

Mitt Romney has jumped back ahead in the fevered Florida Republican Primary race with his support back to where it was before Newt Gingrich’s big win Saturday in South Carolina.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Wednesday night, shows Romney with 39% support to Gingrich’s 31%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum earns 12%, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with nine percent (9%). Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. ...

Illuzzi: Romney showed up Thursday night. Newt missed a number of opportunities to knock Romney out. Newt was not at the top of his game, no doubt. I believe unless Santorum does a Rick Perry & suspends his campaign Romney will win Florida & probably the nomination. This is not to write that Newt can't win Florida, however, after Thursday's performance it will be vey difficult. ...

Just four days before the nation's first big-state presidential primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney opens up a 38 - 29 percent lead over former House Speaker Newt Gingrich among Republican likely voters in Florida, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Only 6 percent are undecided, but 32 percent say they might change their mind by Tuesday. This compares to results of a January 25 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN- uh-pe-ack) University, showing Romney with 36 percent of likely primary voters to Gingrich's 34 percent. Wednesday's survey showed Gingrich ahead 40 - 34 percent among voters surveyed after the South Carolina primary." ...

"Newt Gingrich leads Mitt Romney among Republicans, but he is the weakest of the Republican candidates tested against President Obama, according to an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Thursday evening. Gingrich leads Romney 37 percent to 28 percent nationally among registered Republicans likely to vote in the primaries; Rick Santorum is in third with 18 percent, and Ron Paul is fourth with 12 percent." ...

Sources: "Newly appointed Environment & Planning Commissioner Maria Whyte clashed with a member of her new boss' executive staff this morning. At the conclusion of the Governor's speech, there was a heated argument, that included a physical shove, raised voices, and finger pointing between Poloncarz's Assistant Joe McMahon and Maria Whyte. Whyte appeared enraged with McMahon, yelling at him in public with her finger pointing in his face. Towards the end of the scuffle, she shoved him, had a few more argumentative exchanges, and stormed out of the convention center. All this occurred right in front of the press stage at the Governor's speech. Wonder what the trouble is?" ...



Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Wednesday traveled to the City of Buffalo to outline his 2012-13 Executive Budget and Reform Plan, which expands on the historic reforms enacted last year to continue building a New New York. As a result of the tough decisions and bipartisan cooperation of the past year, the State is able to close the current deficit without broad cuts, new taxes, fees or gimmicks. In addition, the Governor's Executive Budget proposes major reforms to reduce the cost of government for taxpayers, implements accountability in our schools to put students first, and puts the State in a position to leverage billions of dollars in private sector investment to grow the economy and create jobs. Full story ...

Since Gingrich's victory in the South Carolina primary, former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney has seen his 12 point lead practically vanish. In a survey of 601 Republicans who described themselves as likely voters next Tuesday in Florida, Romney was favored by 36 percent to Gingrich's 34 percent. ...

Carl Paladino says he’ll be a Newt delegate. He campaigned in New Hampshire, and now Carl Paladino says he is working help fill Newt Gingrich’s slate of delegates — starting with himself. “I’m going to be a delegate. Quite a few of our followers are going to be delegates for Newt Gingrich,” Paladino, a wealthy Buffalo real estate developer and unsuccessful 2010 gubernatorial candidate, told me by phone Monday. (Yes, you read that right, folks. Recall that Carl and I last communicated via letter.) “As you can imagine, his central staff is growing by the day. He was light for a long time, but as I understand it, they’re putting the pieces together to get ready for the big national push.” Full story ...

Re: Don't see the maps for 2012? Thanks Joe Illuzzi

Latfor response: That's because they have not been released. They should be released tomorrow (Thursday).

Sources say, "the NYS Senate redistricting maps will be released Wednesday."

The reformers are asking why not reduce the size of the Senate from 62 to 61 seats rather than 62 to 63 as will be the case. The answer is when population increases the State Constitution does not allow for a reduction in the number of seats, while the document does have language allowing for the addition to 63.

NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION

Article III

Section 4

“The ratio for apportioning senators shall always be obtained by dividing the number of inhabitants, excluding aliens, by fifty, and the senate shall always be composed of fifty members, except that if any county having three or more senators at the time of any apportionment shall be entitled on such ratio to an additional senator or senators, such additional senator or senators shall be given to such county in addition to the fifty senators, and the whole number of senators shall be increased to that extent.”

After the 2000 Census, Suffolk and Richmond Counties, which are considered jointly since they were one county when this section of the Constitution was written, were entitled to a combined 4 senators.

Following the 2010 Census, no county lost enough population to reduce the number of senators they were entitled to, while Suffolk and Richmond Counties grew to the extent that they are now entitled to 5 senators.

The additional Senator that Suffolk and Richmond Counties are entitled to is required by the New York State Constitution to be added to the existing number of Senators, increasing the number to 63. ###

Joe Illuzzi

Obama Opts For Small-Ball Demagoguery
By Charles Krauthammer

Once upon a time, small ball was not Barack Obama's game. Tuesday, it was the essence of his State of the Union address. The visionary of 2008 — purveyor of hope and change, healer of the earth, tamer of the rising seas — offered an hour of little things:

Tax-code tweaks to encourage this or that kind of behavior (manufacturing being the flavor of the day).

Little watchdog agencies to round up Wall Street miscreants and Chinese DVD pirates.

Even a presidential demand "that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18." Under penalty of what? Jail? The self-proclaimed transformer of America is now playing truant officer?

It sounded like the Clinton years with their presidentially proclaimed initiatives on midnight basketball and school uniforms. These are the marks of a shrunken presidency, thoroughly flummoxed by high unemployment, economic stagnation, crushing debt — and a glaring absence of ideas.

Of course, this being Obama, there was a reach for grandeur. Hope and change are long gone. It's now equality and fairness. That certainly is a large idea. Lenin and Mao went pretty far with it. As did Clement Attlee and his social-democratic counterparts in postwar Europe.

Where does Obama take it? Back to the decade-old Democratic obsession with the Bush tax cuts, the crusade for a tax hike of all of 4.6 points for 2% of households — 10 years of which wouldn't cover the cost of Obama's 2009 stimulus alone.

Which is why Obama introduced a shiny new twist — the Buffett Rule, a minimum 30% rate for millionaires. Sounds novel. But it's a tired replay of the alternative minimum tax, originally created in 1969 to bring to heel all of 155 underpaying fat cats. Following the fate of other such do-goodism, the AMT then metastasized into a $40 billion monster that today entraps millions of middle-class taxpayers.

There isn't even a pretense that the Buffett Rule will do anything for economic growth or job creation (other than provide lucrative work for the sharp tax lawyers who will be gaming the new system for the very same rich). Which should not surprise.

Back in 2008, Obama was asked if he would still support raising the capital-gains tax rate (the intended effect of the Buffett Rule) if this would decrease government revenues. Obama said yes. In the name of fairness.

This is redistribution for its own sake — the cost be damned. It took Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels about 30 seconds of his State of the Union rebuttal to demolish that idea.

To get the rich to contribute more, explained Daniels, you don't raise tax rates. This ultimately retards economic growth for all. You (a) eliminate loopholes from which the rich benefit disproportionately (tax reform) and (b) means-test entitlements so that the benefits go to those most in need.

Tax reform and entitlement reform are the really big ideas. The first produces social equity plus economic efficiency; the second produces social equity plus debt reduction. And yet these are precisely what Obama has for three years steadfastly refused to address. He prefers the easy demagoguery of "tax the rich."

After all, what's he got? Can't run on his record. Barely even mentioned ObamaCare or the stimulus, his major legislative achievements, on Tuesday night. Too unpopular.

His platform is fairness, wrapped around a plethora of little things, one mini-industrial policy after another — the conceit nicely encapsulated by his proclamation that "I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or to Germany." As if he can command these industries into existence. As if Washington funding a thousand Solyndras will make solar economically viable.

Soviet central planners mandated quotas for steel production, regardless of demand. Obama's industrial policy is a bit more subtle. Tax breaks for manufacturing — but double tax breaks for high-tech manufacturing, which for some reason is considered more virtuous, despite the fact that high tech is less likely to create blue-collar jobs.

Its main job creation will be for legions of lawyers and linguists testifying before some new adjudicating bureaucracy that the Acme Umbrella Factory meets their exquisitely drawn criteria for "high tech."

What Obama offered the nation Tuesday night was a pudding without a theme: a jumble of disconnected initiatives, a gaggle of intrusive new agencies and a whole new generation of loopholes to further corrupt a tax code that screams out for reform.

If the Republicans can't beat that in November, they should try another line of work.

Last week

Keith Bryan Senator Pat Gallivan         AJ Baynes

PoliticsNY.Net: Political Notes

WROTB has elected a new Chairman & Vice Chairman. Chairman WROTB Richard Bianchi Monroe County, Vice Chairman Tom Wamp Livingston County Congratulations to both gentlemen. ...

Former Senator Fred Thompson, who attended the SC debate Thursday with Tom Golisano, Gov. Edgar & Steve Pigeon, endorsed Newt Gingrich for President. ...

Sources quote Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan as saying the appointment for County Comptroller is wide open. No decision has been made. The most prominent names we are hearing are Dan Ward, Dave Rutecki & David Shenk. To be redundant: Who ever the County Legislature appoints has to win in November. ...

Sources say the Congressman Higgins' team is very concerned the short window, March 20th, to the special election for the 145th Assembly seat favors Common Councilman Mickey Kearns, the reason name recognition. Kearns has Paladino resources to bank his run as well. ...

Speaking of Paladino, sources say, that he is quoted as saying if the GOP has a hard time finding a candidate that can run & beat Higgins he will run himself. ###

Joe Illuzzi

Erie County Legislature Chairperson Betty Jean Grant

“I am very pleased that Governor Cuomo is placing a great emphasis on Buffalo and Western New York in his budget message and his actions,” Erie County Legislature Chairperson Betty Jean Grant (D-Buffalo) said. “We are pleased that the governor believes that the second-largest city in New York State should receive some deserved attention to go forward in the 21st Century, turning the page to a new chapter of success, prosperity and achievement.”

“It is especially uplifting that Governor Cuomo is seeking reforms as well as increased funding in public education. Everyone deserves the opportunity to earn a quality, affordable education,” Chairperson Grant continued. “Increasing this opportunity, as well as improving the accountability of teachers and administrators, are key avenues to helping our students become intelligent, achieving citizens.”

“His $1 billion commitment in economic development is not only a great opportunity to Buffalo and Erie County, it shows that he is committed to Buffalo’s economic health,” Legislator Grant concluded. “The members of the Erie County Legislature and I are excited to be working with Governor Cuomo as partners in creating a better today and tomorrow for Erie County, and look forward to better times and great accomplishments.”

RE-ELECT OBAMA: VOTE NEWT!

by Ann Coulter

To talk with Gingrich supporters is to enter a world where words have no meaning. They denounce Mitt Romney as a candidate being pushed on them by "the Establishment" -- with "the Establishment" defined as anyone who supports Romney or doesn't support Newt.

Gingrich may have spent his entire life in Washington and be so much of an insider that, as Jon Stewart says, "when Washington gets its prostate checked, it tickles [Newt]," but he is deemed the rebellious outsider challenging "the Establishment" -- because, again, "the Establishment" is anyone who opposes Newt.

This is the sort of circular reasoning one normally associates with Democrats, people whom small-town pharmacists refer to as "drug seekers" and Ron Paul supporters.

Newtons claim Romney is a "moderate," and Gingrich the true conservative -- a feat that can be accomplished only by refusing to believe anything Romney says ... and also refusing to believe anything Gingrich says.

-- Romney's one great "flip-flop" is on abortion. (I thought the reason we argued with people about abortion was to try to get them to "flip-flop" on this issue. Sometimes it works!)

Nearly two decades ago, when Romney was trying to defeat champion desecrator of life Sen. Teddy Kennedy, he sought to remove abortion as a campaign issue by declaring that he, too, supported Roe v. Wade.

(Nonetheless, Kennedy ran a campaign commercial against him featuring a Mormon woman complaining that Romney, as a Mormon elder, had pressured her not to have an abortion, but to give the child up for adoption. Are you getting the idea that Massachusetts is different from the rest of America, readers?)

Romney changed his mind on abortion -- not when it was politically advantageous, but when it mattered. As governor of liberal, pro-choice Massachusetts, he vetoed an embryonic stem cell bill and "worked closely" with Massachusetts Citizens for Life. The president of MCL recently issued a statement saying that, "since being elected governor, Mitt Romney has had a consistent commitment to the culture of life."

He didn't defend his changed position by saying he was a "historian," or denounce people who raised the switch as "fundamentally" dishonest asking "absurd" questions, or go back and forth and back and forth. He just said he changed his mind.

Meanwhile, Gingrich, who has run for office only in a small, majority Republican, undoubtedly pro-life congressional district, lobbied President Bush to support embryonic stem cell research.

-- Romney is now the only remaining candidate for president who opposes amnesty for illegals. (Ever since President Bush's amnesty plan cratered on the shoals of public opposition, no Republican will ever use the word "amnesty," despite wanting to keep illegals here -- just as Democrats refuse to say "abortion," while supporting every manner of destroying human life.)

Romney supports E-Verify and a fence on the border. As governor he promoted English immersion programs for immigrants, signed an agreement with the federal government allowing state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws, and opposed efforts to give illegal immigrants in-state tuition or driver's licenses.

At the same time, Romney says he'd like to staple a green card to the diploma of every immigrant here on a student visa who gets a higher degree in math or science.

Gingrich supports importing a slave labor force from Mexico under a "guest worker" program and wants to create government "citizen review boards" to grant amnesty on a case-by-case basis (i.e. all at once) to illegal aliens.

-- Romney supports entitlement reform along the lines of the Paul Ryan plan, as he has said plainly, but without histrionics, in the debates.

Just last year, Gingrich went on "Meet the Press" and called Ryan's plan -- supported by nearly every House Republican -- "right-wing social engineering."

He apologized for those remarks, then took back his apology, still later doubled down, calling the Ryan plan "suicide," and now -- currently, but it could change any minute -- Gingrich supports Ryan's entitlement reform efforts.

-- As for crony capitalism, Romney made all his money in the private sector by his own diligence and talent -- even giving away all the money he inherited from his parents. He's never lived in Washington or traded on access to government officials.

Meanwhile, without the federal government, Gingrich would be penniless. He has been in Washington since the '70s, first as a congressman, then becoming a rich man on the basis of having been a congressman.

Most egregiously, he took $1.6 million to shill for Freddie Mac, one of the two institutions directly responsible for the housing crash that caused the financial collapse. (Or one of three, if you consider Barney Frank an institution.)

If the tea party stands for anything, it stands in absolute opposition to government insiders shoring up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at the very time those institutions were blowing up the economy.

-- Romney could not be more forceful in saying he will issue a 50-state waiver to Obamacare his first day in office and then seek its formal repeal. Whether you like a state-wide insurance mandate or not, it's a world of difference when the federal government does it. Conservatives, having read the Constitution, ought to understand this.

It was on account of the difference between state and federal powers that the Supreme Court overturned the federal Violence Against Women Act. The court was not endorsing rape, but reminding us that states make laws about rape, not Congress.

To act as if Obamacare is the same thing as "Romneycare" is just a word game, on the order of acting like a "gun" has the same properties as a "gunny sack," or "fire" is the same thing as a "firefly."

Romney supported the idea of other states doing something along the lines of his health care bill, but always opposed insurance mandates from the federal government (just as I oppose the federal government issuing general laws about rape, but support state laws against rape.)

For those of you who still think Romneycare is the worst possible sin a Republican candidate could commit -- even worse than taking money from Freddie Mac as it destroyed the economy -- that doesn't help Gingrich: He supported Romneycare.

(While we're on the subject, the nation's leading conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, helped draft Romneycare. Indeed, Bob Moffit, Heritage's senior fellow on health care issues, can be seen in the picture of the bill-signing ceremony, standing proudly behind Romney.)

But Gingrich did more than support Romneycare. As former senator Rick Santorum has pointed out, Gingrich supported a FEDERAL individual mandate to purchase health insurance from 1993 until five minutes ago -- i.e., at least until a "Meet the Press" appearance just last May.

Asked by Maria Bartiromo in the CNBC debate last November to explain what he would do to fix health care, Newt attacked the question as "absurd" and said he would need a "several-hour period" to answer it.

In a world where words have meaning, Mitt Romney is not the "moderate" in this race. He is the most conservative candidate still standing, with the possible exception of Rick Santorum, who is bad on illegal immigration. (Santorum voted in the Senate against even the voluntary use of E-Verify by employers, which means he doesn't want to do anything about illegal immigration at all.)

Romney is "moderate" only in demeanor -- which is just another word game. His positions are more conservative than Gingrich's, but he doesn't scare people like Gingrich does. Ronald Reagan and Jesse Helms were moderate in demeanor, too. No one would call them political moderates.

Romney is the most electable candidate not only because it will be nearly impossible for the media to demonize this self-made Mormon square, devoted to his wife and church, but precisely because he is the most conservative candidate.

Conservatism is an electable quality. Hotheaded arrogance is neither conservative nor attractive to voters.

Western Regional Off-Track Betting

"Board of Directors supports Enhanced Gaming at New York Racetracks”

On Thursday, January 19, 2012 The Board of Directors of Western Regional Off-Track Betting voted to unalterably support a resolution on a constitutional amendment to legalize casino gaming at the 9 Racetrack Casinos in New York State that are already licensed for video gaming including Batavia Downs Casino. The 17 municipal “stockholders” that represent the 15 counties of Western New York and the Cities of Buffalo and Rochester stated that Batavia Downs Casino has proven to be a successful business partner with New York State and have already provided gaming to New York State residents in a socially responsible and economically sensible manner.

“WROTB and Batavia Downs Casino have contributed over 107 million dollars to New York State education through the NY Lottery with an additional 213 million distributed back to the 15 counties and 2 cities of Buffalo and Rochester,” said Michael Kane, President and CEO for Batavia Downs Casino. “We look forward to the possibilities of full casino gaming here at Batavia Downs Casino and the full economic benefits it can provide to taxpayers of New York.”

Full casino gaming approved at Batavia Downs Casino would translate into a $92 million capital investment in the facility and will result in the creation of over 450 construction/casino jobs at an output of over $17 million.

Batavia Downs Casino is owned and operated by Western Regional Off-Track Betting, a public benefit corporation. Municipalities that own Batavia Downs Casino include: City of Buffalo, Cattaraugus County, Cayuga County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, Genesee County, Livingston County, Monroe County, Niagara County, Orleans County, Oswego County, City of Rochester, Schuyler County, Seneca County, Steuben County, Wayne County, and Wyoming County. The facility is also home to Batavia Downs Racetrack, America’s Oldest Lighted Harness Racetrack. Batavia Downs Casino is located less than one mile from Thruway Exit 48 and is open daily from 8AM-4AM.

PoliticsNY.Net: Political Notes

State of the Union

The Bully Populist: By keeping the lowest profile of his presidency, President Obama has enjoyed a relatively successful political season. Since the end of last summer’s debt ceiling battle, his approval ratings have gradually ticked up, the economy has improved modestly and his potential rivals for the presidency have bloodied one another in ways that make him look more appealing by comparison.

Unfortunately, the president can’t run for re-election by staying out of sight. (Although if the Republicans actually nominate Newt Gingrich, he might be sorely tempted.) Thus the significance of Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, which doubled as Obama’s re-entrance into the political fray. See local screen ###

Never let the see you sweat Brian!

"U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins made his way to Albany to meet with Assembly Democratic officials who are partly in charge of drawing new congressional district lines to account for population shifts seen in the 2010 Census. New York will lose two congressional seats this time around. Of course, when it comes to redistricting in Albany, silence is best.

"Whatever Mr. Higgins says," responded Assemblyman Jack McEneny, an Albany Democrat, when asked if he had met with Higgins today. McEneny is co-chairman of a joint Assembly and Senate panel drawing up new district lines for state lawmakers -– that plan is due out this week -– and members of Congress. (Republican members of Congress look to the

Republican-led Senate to look out for their interests, while Democratic members are reaching out to the Democratic-controlled Assembly to protect their political futures.)" PR ...

"One week ago, Mitt Romney amassed a record 23-point lead in the national Gallup tracking polls. But in the latest poll released Monday, the former Massachusetts governor’s advantage has evaporated to a single percentage point among Republican-leaning registered voters, as the former House speaker has surged yet again after falling hard in late December. Romney now stands at 29 percent to Gingrich’s 28 percent, a difference that is within the poll’s margin of error. Less than two weeks ago, Mitt Romney had a 22-point lead in Florida, but that’s ancient history in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Following his big win in South Carolina on Saturday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now is on top in Florida by nine." ...

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Sunday evening, finds Gingrich earning 41% of the vote with Romney in second at 32%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum runs third with 11%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul attracts support from eight percent (8%). Nine percent (9%) remain undecided. Full story ...

The weight given to teacher evaluations by Cuomo & Bloomberg is a non sequitur. Just like in Buffalo its all aout the parent (s). Apparently, Cuomo & Bloomberg are to pre occupied with homo sexual marriage & abortion rights to realize this basic fact of life. ...

Cuomo the pro homosexual marriage governor in his first year. Now in his second he wants to be pro death governor via abortion. Hopefully, the Catholic Church, soon to be Cardinal Dolan, will be far more proactive early in this debate. More importantly Skelos cannot cave on this issue, by far it transends the homo sexual marriage bill.

"Gov. Andrew Cuomo has renewed his promise to push pro-choice reproductive health legislation. The state bill would guarantee that a woman can have an abortion in New York state if her pregnancy poses a risk to her health. The bill would move abortion regulations from the Penal Code into the health code and establish a fundamental right for women to use or refuse contraception." Full story

"Tens of thousands of abortion opponents — including at least 400 from the Buffalo area — gathered in the capital this morning for the 39th annual March for Life.
Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo kicked off activities for the local contingent at a morning Mass at the Washington Plaza Hotel.

He stressed that persistence is key for those fighting the long battle to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision declaring a constitutional right to abortion.

"This is a very important witness to the community and to the world," Kmiec said of the March for Life. "We are not going away until some grand day" when Roe is overturned." PR ...

Illuzzi: Look Newt, with all the baggage, represents the NEO "MAN UP" of America.

Ever since the 60's America has been on this path that has led to the feminization our country.

The result the breakdown of our liberty, our economy, our geo military respect/position around the world.

Of course all prefaced by the breakdown in our value of human life, the breakdown of the traditional family.

Newt is calling on us to be reborn to the what the fathers intended when they penned the Constitution. Its called true grit - Newt has it like him or not. ###

Joe Illuzzi

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan

Advances Medicaid Reform and Mandate Relief Bill Through Social Services Committee

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R,C,I – 59^th District) announced that legislation (S.5889C / A.8644A) he authored to structurally reform the cost administration of New York State’s Medicaid system passed the Senate Social Services Committee with unanimous support today. Gallivan’s bill -- the subject of much attention in the Capital and across the state -- incrementally transfers the local share of Medicaid traditionally paid by county governments to the state over the course eight years.

“County governments are being soaked by unfunded mandates imposed on them by the state, resulting in New York's families and businesses paying the nation’s highest local taxes,” said Gallivan. “This bill provides both immediate and long-term relief from Medicaid’s mandated burden and gives local governments the flexibility to live within the property tax cap, ultimately reduce property taxes, and allow them to continue providing vital local services to seniors, veterans, the disabled, and many others.”

In Wyoming, Livingston, and Ontario Counties, Medicaid costs consume about 35 percent of total property tax revenues, while in Erie County, Medicaid consumes a staggering 94 percent of property tax collections.

To date, a bipartisan group of 83 Senators and Assemblymen have co-sponsored this legislation.

Erie County Legislature’s Minority Caucus

The Caucus Governor’s visit as opportunity to push for State takeover of Medicaid costs

Erie County stands to save $200 million annually

News that New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be making a budget presentation in Buffalo on January 25 has prompted members of the Erie County Legislature’s Minority Caucus to use this opportunity to advocate for the state takeover of all Medicaid costs, alleviating Erie County taxpayers of more than $200 million annually.

The Governor’s visit comes just one day before the Legislature will act upon a resolution, sponsored by the Minority Caucus, asking the Governor to impose a plan in which New York State would assume the entire cost of the Medicaid program. The Minority Caucus submitted the resolution (attached), “Supporting New York State Assumption of the Local Share of Medicaid,” for the Thursday, Jan. 26 session and anticipates unanimous support from their colleagues in the Majority Caucus. In his 2013 budget announcement, the Governor released the details of a proposal calling for the state takeover of Medicaid growth, but local representatives do not feel it resolves the real problem associated with excessive costs.

“This is an opportunity for the county legislators to send a strong message directly to the Governor, detailing our reasons for supporting the state takeover of Medicaid costs and as a result provide mandate relief to the counties,” said Legislator Lynne Dixon. “While the partial takeover will certainly help the county taxpayers, it doesn’t go far enough. The cost of Medicaid for Erie County has already skyrocketed to $201 million and accounts for 90 percent of the annual tax levy. That would go unchanged in the Governor’s proposal and does little to change the issues we currently deal with when preparing our annual budget.”

The high cost of Medicaid in Erie County is attributed, in part, to the fact that the state offers non-mandated services to Medicaid subscribers. There are several examples of the state opting to provide non-mandated services that must be paid for by the counties. The Minority Caucus’s resolution highlights a few of those examples. The resolution states:

“… in New York State, children under one and pregnant women with family income under 200% of the poverty level are eligible for Medicaid, whereas the federal eligibility cut-off is 133% of the poverty level. New York State also provides optional services not required for participation in the federal Medicaid program, including prescription drugs, dental care, eyeglasses and vision care, home health services, case management and rehabilitation.”

Legislator Edward A. Rath, III questioned the Governor’s proposal, which would reduce the 3 percent annual increase in county contribution to Medicaid to zero by 2015.

“I am hoping to hear an explanation from the Governor as to why the state is unwilling to take over all Medicaid costs. Erie County and all 62 counties across New York are required to pay for services that the state chooses to provide. Since the state chooses to provide non-mandated services, then it would only be reasonable that they be paid for through the state. I believe each county should be granted the opportunity to determine which non-mandated services they provide. Without that authorization, the next logical option is making the state responsible for paying for Medicaid,” said Legislator Rath.

Legislator Joseph C. Lorigo was eager to sign on as a cosponsor, saying this is an issue he hopes to see resolved in his first term as a county official.

“When such a large percentage of our budget goes directly to Medicaid costs, there has to be something gravely wrong with the system. Relieving the county of overwhelming Medicaid costs is something the County Legislature must continue to advocate strongly for. I urge the governor to reconsider his proposal during the budget process and take a good, hard look at what Medicaid costs are doing to counties across the state and resubmit a plan that will truly benefit the counties,” said Legislator Lorigo.

Legislators Dixon, Lorigo and Rath will be in attendance at the Governor’s budget presentation at the Convention Center and hope to learn more about the Governor’s budgetary proposals for 2013 and beyond. The Legislators will also be following the results of the Governor’s Mandate Relief Council, which will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The Minority Caucus hopes their request will be considered for full Medicaid takeover in the continuing discussions between the Governor and his Relief Council.

For additional information, or to speak with members of the Minority Caucus, please contact Jessica O’Neil at 858-8808 or 572-3552.

Senator Michael Ranzenhofer

Bill, which closes loophole for court evaders, passes State Senate

Senator Ranzenhofer’s legislation, closing a loophole in State law that does not allow courts to penalize persons when they fail to comply with the court, has passed the State Senate Monday.

Senate Bill No. 3188 grants courts the authority to suspend a driver license – in cases of underage possession of alcohol and unlawful possession of marijuana – when a person fails to appear before the court or comply with the sentence of the court.

Under current law, if a person, who has been charged with these particular violations, does not comply with a judge’s sentencing or fails to appear before a court, a judge does not have an enforcement mechanism to compel compliance, and a judge cannot issue a warrant since jail time is not a possible sentence.

“The law, as it is written now, does not grant judges the necessary tools for certain violations to ensure persons complete the court’s sentence. As a result, the law encourages a lack of respect for the courts and undermines the ability of justices to strongly discourage underage drinking and marijuana possession,” said Ranzenhofer. “The ability for judges to suspend a person’s driver license will put real teeth into the law.”

An alarming number of people, in cases of possession of marijuana or underage possession of alcohol, disregard the sentence of the court by failing to pay the fine, complete an alcohol awareness program or community service. In one local court, out of 96 arrests for underage alcohol possession, six persons had failed to appear, one person has not paid his fine, two are still pending pre-trial and 35 or 30 percent have not completed their court ordered alcohol awareness program.

Senator Ranzenhofer introduced the legislation in the State Senate at the requests of Town Judges. Justices from the Towns of Alabama, Alexander, Bergen, Bethany, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pavilion have written to Senator Ranzenhofer in support of this legislation. Assemblyman Robin Schimminger has introduced the bill in the State Assembly.

Tom Golisano: Sale of the Century

UPDATE: Dodgers receive more than 10 opening bids for the team. Those submitting bids include Magic Johnson, Mark Cuban, Peter O'Malley and Joe Torre. Sources say that St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has explored whether to bid. Potential bidders have until the end of the month to sumit an offer. ...

Who's who in bidding process

By the time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw throws the first pitch of the Dodgers season April 5, the cloud of uncertainty that has lingered over the team for more than two years should finally have passed.

Frank McCourt, no longer fighting to retain control of the Dodgers, has agreed to select his successor as the team's owner by the first week in April. The Dodgers are expected to command a record price for a major league club, and the sale process begins in earnest Monday.

What happens Monday?

Opening bids are due. The deadline is a soft one, meaning a well-capitalized prospective buyer would not necessarily be rejected for submitting a bid after Monday. Blackstone Advisory Partners, the investment bank handling the sale for McCourt, is prepared to receive about 20 bids.

What happens from there?

The bids are not binding. However, in addition to a proposed purchase price, the bid should outline how the ownership group would be structured and how the purchase price would be financed. Blackstone will use all that information to decide which bidders will continue in the process.

If McCourt has the final say on the new owner, what role does Major League Baseball play in the process?

MLB has agreed to approve up to 10 bidders. Yet Blackstone is unlikely to clear even that many bidders for MLB consideration, given the time needed for the league to investigate the structure and financing of each potential ownership group. To cover the costs of the investigation, MLB will charge $25,000 to each bidder cleared by Blackstone.

If MLB rejects a prospective bidder cleared by Blackstone, does McCourt have any recourse?

Yes. He can appeal to the mediator who brokered his settlement with MLB.

Do the other MLB owners have a say?

Yes. They can approve or reject any bidder that passes the MLB investigation. However, once the league informs Blackstone of which prospective buyers have been approved by MLB owners, McCourt conducts the final round of bidding and determines the winner. If the winning bidder's final offer is dramatically higher than the initial offer, MLB reserves the right to review the financing.

Does this all come down to a traditional auction?

Not in public, and probably not in the same room. The Texas Rangers were auctioned in a dramatic evening in bankruptcy court. The Dodgers will be sold behind closed doors, and Blackstone might well solicit finalists to increase their offers by fax or email, without inviting them to look each other in the eyes as they bid.

When will this happen?

There is no set date, but the calendar suggests the end of March. McCourt has agreed to select the winning bidder by April 1 and disclose the winner to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court by April 6.

The high bid wins, right?

McCourt has agreed to accept "the highest and best bid." By way of example, McCourt bid higher than Arte Moreno did to buy the Angelsin 2003, but the Walt Disney Co. selected Moreno because he could write a check, so Disney could get its money faster.

How much money does McCourt need to break even?

That could be a billion-dollar question. In a court filing last week, the Dodgers listed $573 million in debt. McCourt has the option to sell or keep the Dodger Stadium parking lots, but the McCourt entity that owns them carries debt of about $70 million. McCourt's divorce settlement obligates him to pay his ex-wife $131 million and pay off an $18-million mortgage. He owes $30 million to Fox, to repay a personal loan.

In addition, his attorneys have estimated the tax liability from the sale of the team at "between $80 million and $200 million." By using the higher number and including the parking lot debt, his total obligations would reach $1.02 billion.

So how might McCourt make out financially?

Just fine, thank you. He and his advisors think the Dodgers could sell for at least $1.5 billion.

LA TIMES

Kaleida: New Ambulatory Care Center & Hospital

Progress continues on the physician-led plan to build a new ambulatory care center, to include an ambulatory surgery center, and a new hospital on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC).

Recent developments include:

The architect selection process is being finalized and will result in selecting a firm with significant experience in designing children’s hospitals throughout the U.S. This extensive national search has been physician-led with prioritization on firms with experience in pediatrics and OB/GYN healthcare.

Interviews with physicians and operational leadership to determine the size of the new hospital, the ambulatory care building and location of services within each have occurred. This will result in a first draft of a report on program plans for further review and then final decisions on the buildings lay-out and design.

The SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process continues for the new hospital with the formal acceptance of the filing by the City of Buffalo Planning Board, the lead agency. We are currently in the public comment period in which the Planning Board accepts any inquiries related to this project from the community.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that it has received the Brownfield Cleanup Program application for the property on the east side of Main between High and Goodrich streets, and it will take public comments on the application until February 3, 2012. The Ambulatory Surgery Center’s proposed location is a Brownfield site due to contamination from a petroleum leak that occurred at a gas station previously located on the corner of Main and High streets.

About the projects: Expanded services at Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, along with continued trends of more patients receiving care in an ambulatory setting, were major factors considered by the Physician-led Steering Committee (more than 50 physicians involved) while reviewing previous campus plans (Hodge Avenue) and developing its proposal for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Center location.

Ciminelli Real Estate (the developer) is proposing to build approximately 500,000 sq. feet of environmentally friendly medical office space (including underground parking), 85,000 sq. feet of which will be Kaleida Health space and the ambulatory care center. The ambulatory care center will serve children and adults.

Planning is also underway to build the new hospital on the BNMC. The Physician-led Steering Committee is now working with Sg2, an internationally known health care analytics organization, to forecast the Western New York market and future trends of pediatric and women’s care.

The hospital’s Physician-led Steering Committee is comprised of more than four dozen physicians, representing a broad section of the community, including University and private practice.

A vision and mission for the ambulatory care center and new hospital has been established by the physician-led steering committee to provide direction for facility projections using market and other data. These statements are available online at www.wchob.org/bnmc.

PoliticsNY.Net: MONDAY'S POLITICAL INTERNET NEWS

Top stories

REUTERS: Romney to right tax "mistake" after primary loss. Humbled by a stunning loss in South Carolina, Mitt Romney said on Sunday he would release this week the tax returns demanded by rivals as he bids to regain the upper hand in the volatile Republican presidential race. See national screen

CNN: State of the Union to offer a 'blueprint' for the economy. President Obama's third State of the Union address is scheduled for Tuesday night. President Barack Obama will lay out a "blueprint for an economy that's built to last" in Tuesday's State of the Union address -- the third of his presidency. That blueprint will focus on manufacturing, energy, education and middle-class values, according to a video released on the Obama's campaign website and Democratic sources who have been briefed on the address. See national screen

NY TIMES: As Closed-Door Redistricting Drags On, Incumbents’ Edge Only Grows. Howard Leib has had to delay decisions about a possible campaign for the State Senate because he does not know what district his house will be in. Howard Leib, a 53-year-old entertainment lawyer, is considering a run for the New York State Senate this year. Even at a time when many states have faced controversy and litigation over redrawing political lines, New York stands out. It is one of the last states in the nation to move forward with the decennial redistricting process, creating an enormous advantage for the already advantaged incumbents in Congress and the State Legislature. See state screen

BUFFALO NEWS: WNY stuck in middle as legislators redraw districts. GOP, Democrats are trying to shift lines in their favor, and Grisanti's seat is keyFor Senate Republicans trying to retain their narrow majority, the coming days will reveal their secret elixir. Republicans in control of the Senate and Democrats who run the Assembly are due to reveal as soon as today how they have redrawn state legislative districts as part of the redistricting process driven by population shifts from the 2010 U.S. Census.In the Assembly, the exercise is about how Democrats will try to bolster their already overwhelming majority. In the Senate, Republicans will want to hold onto or improve their 32-30 edge in a state that has become more Democratic over the years. Full story

TIMES UNION: State Senate GOP sitting on huge cash edge. Campaign committee holds 5-to-1 advantage over Dems. As Republicans and Democrats gear up for a battle royal to control the state Senate, the GOP has amassed a cash advantage of nearly 5 to 1, proving the benefits of incumbency as they push to hold their bare majority in the chamber. The latest round of campaign fundraising disclosures filed with the state Board of Elections show the Senate Republican Campaign Committee had $4,914,003.82 in its coffers, compared with $305,556.71 controlled by Democrats. The New York Public Research Interest Group combined those central campaign committees with the accounts of individual candidates, subtracted debt, and pegged the GOP edge at $15,041,583.91 to $3,226,155.62. See state screen

NY DAILY NEWS: Pols to profit from casinos? No dice, says Gov. Cuomo. Exclusive: Language in budget proposal would forbid lawmakers from having hand in gaming companies. Elected officials, government employees and political party types would be barred from owning any stake, including stock, in licensed gaming companies. There is one group that definitely won’t be cashing in on Gov. Cuomo's push to legalize casino gambling in New York — politicians. See state screen

NY POST: Shel: We’ll raise our game – then our pay. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is endorsing a pay hike for state lawmakers this year, but he conceded legislators must end their reputation for dysfunction in order to earn one. Silver, touching on what many politicians see as a third rail of state politics — especially during tough economic times for constituents and the state’s coffers — said it was unfair that lawmakers, along with statewide elected officials and top state commissioners, haven’t had a salary increase since 1999. “More and more members are full-time members of the Legislature, and it’s significant that their salaries haven’t kept pace with inflation for the last 13 years,’’ Silver told The Post. See state screen

NY POST: Giants win NFC Championship on OT field goal, setting up Super Bowl rematch vs. Patriots On the road. In the NFC Championship Game. In overtime. The Patriots, already in, awaiting the winner. Harsh weather affecting every move. A draining, physical battle. A field goal to win it. It was all so eerily familiar. Full story

STAR GAZETTE: Silver sparks debate over minimum wage increase Business groups fight proposal. A reignited push to increase New York's minimum wage is already being met with resistance from business groups who say a raise could mean fewer jobs for state residents. Both Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg support increasing the wage rate, which currently stands at $7.25 an hour. Their support has sparked intense debate among advocacy groups. Full story

DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE: Paterno death will have limited effect on sex abuse case. Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was not expected to be a major witness in the child sex abuse case against Jerry Sandusky, but state prosecutors had intended to offer Paterno's testimony in the prosecution of two former university administrators charged with perjury related to the sex scandal. Full story

POST STANDARD: Analysis shows New York state is making progress in complying with national health care law. Albany — New York state has made substantial progress in complying with the national health care law, which would extend coverage to the uninsured by 2014. An analysis by The Associated Press shows 13 states have adopted a plan to comply with the law. New York is among 17 states making headway. States must have their plans ready for federal approval by Jan. 1, 2013, or risk having federal oversight of their health care. Full story

RECORD ONLINE: Elementary and secondary education is the subject of the first joint legislative budget hearing. Education officials and representatives of school organizations from across the state will address the Senate and Assembly fiscal committees at 10 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building near the Capitol. It's the first of 13 hearings on the $132.5 billion budget proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week. Cuomo's overall budget proposal would increase state spending by 2 percent - much of it involving 4-percent spending hikes for school aid and Medicaid agreed to last year with legislative leaders. Cuomo's proposal would withhold increases in state aid to school districts that fail to enact tougher evaluations for teachers and principals. Hearings can be viewed live on the Senate and Assembly websites. Entire post ###

Political Notes

After a bruising clash in South Carolina, Republican presidential frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will take their battle to a bigger stage when the campaign moves to Florida on Sunday.

Gingrich, a former U.S. House of Representatives speaker, thrashed Romney in the South Carolina primary on Saturday, suggesting the race for their party's nomination and the right to face President Barack Obama in November may last months more.

The largest of the early voting states by far, Florida presents logistical and financial challenges that appear to give an advantage to Romney's well funded campaign machine. See national screen ...

Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican primary, capping off a remarkable comeback for his presidential bid that reshapes the trajectory of the battle for the GOP nomination.

Based on early exit polls, NBC News projects Gingrich as the winner of the primary, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will finish second. ...

A new poll released as South Carolinians are voting in their Republican primary shows Newt Gingrich's week-long surge taking him past Mitt Romney into a substantial lead among likely voters in the Palmetto State.

The American Research Group poll, conducted Thursday and Friday, shows Gingrich leading Romney by a 40%-26% margin. ARG's last poll, released Thursday, showed a virtual tie with Gingrich at 33% and Romney at 32%.

That finding complements final results from the automated survey conducted over three nights by the Democratic Party firm Public Policy Polling, which shows Gingrich leading Romney 37 to 28 percent, followed by Santorum (16 percent) and Paul (14 percent). PPP noted that in the interviews it conducted on Friday evening, Gingrich led by a 40 to 26 percent margin -- exactly the same margin found by the ARG poll. ...

"Is Newt Gingrich about to get a major boost with the endorsement of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani? There is nothing official yet, but all the signs are there that “America’s Mayor” is ready to throw his considerable clout behind the former House speaker just in time for the vital Jan. 31 Florida primary. And if he does, it could provide a huge boost for Gingrich, who is running nearly 20 points behind Mitt Romney in the Sunshine State." ...

"Rochester-native and New York expatriate Tom Golisano said fellow rich man Mitt Romney could have handled the question about his tax returns better in the second to last debate before the South Carolina primary is held on Saturday.

Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, Golisano, a billionaire businessman who self-funded his own campaign for governor in 2002, said Romney’s admitting to paying a lower tax rate than most was being poorly explained.

“I don’t think he handled it as well as he could have,” said Golisano, the founder of Paychex. “You’re right, I think he could have anticipated the question. I don’t think the gentleman has anything to be embarrassed about or ashamed of even though his taxation rate is 15 percent.”

Golisano is down in South Carolina in part to promote his movement to replace the electoral college with a national popular vote. ...

Sen. Patrick Gallivan told me (Liz) on CapTon last night that he has no plan to drop his push for a full state takeover of the local share of Medicaid just because Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered counties half a loaf in his budget proposal. Gallivan said he expects his bill, which has bipartisan support and some 70 co-sponsors, will be approved by members of the Social Services Committee (which he chairs) next week.

“The budget’s not done yet. The governor introduced it; it’s a starting point for discussion. We, of course, will work to provide some more immediate relief rather than waiting until the second quarter for counties of 2013, and a greater amount, a quicker takeover of the increase of the local share – a freeze.”

Readers we finally received a clear explanation of what putting $1B on the table really means & its almost unbelieveable. Cuomo in reality put $200M in incentives on table for five years. NO CASH! Not only did he put strings on these recycled incentives he says the company involved have to match these tax & power breaks 5-1 in CASH. The TRUTH is these kind of breaks have been on the table for years. The real difference is companies could get these same incentives for 2 or 3 to 1 or in matching funds depending on the number of jobs the company puts on the table; which as a rule is exaggerated. I am frankly shocked that a straight shooter like Cuomo could be so disingenuous. This is absolute bovine manure at its political worst.

Just because Cuomo says he will put $1B in recycled incentives on the table does not mean in any way, shape or form we can surrender our commitment to SMALL businesses, esp. in Buffalo. ...

Sources say, "Boston Town Clerk & Iraq war veteran David Shenk is the front runner to replace Poloncarz as Erie County Comptroller." Still a very fluid situation. ...

UPDATE: 90% of the West Seneca Democratic Committee did not attend the Endorsement Meeting Thursday night at the Iron Workers Hall in West Seneca for the Special Election in the 145th Assembly District. PoliticsNY.Net has been told that a rift has developed between Chairman Danny McParlane, and West Seneca Supervisor Sheila Meegan who is supporting Fahey. Sources say, "McParlane wanted the politicos who attended the meeting to realize that Meegan doesn't have the power she thought she had in the West Seneca Democratic Committee." ...

Breaking News First: The Erie County GOP is authorizing (Wilson Pakula) Common Councilman Mickey Kearns (D) in the race for the 145th Assembly seat vacated by Buffalo Comptroller Mark Schroeder. Kearns has both the GOP & IP lines. This sets up a very interesting race between Chris Fahey (D/C/WFP) & Kearns (R/I).

“Mickey is a Democrat, but he has shown time and again that he will stand up and do what’s right for the area. The fact that his party did not stand with him shows he’s not taking marching orders from downtown headquarters. GOP leaders like Kearns’ style of “fighting for transparency and reform. Those things play well here." GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy

"Langworthy emphasized he did not require a promise from the new candidate to organize with the GOP if he wins, saying there is no “finality” to this special election. He pointed out that reapportionment may even eliminate the district before the November general election." PR

“Rank-and-file Democrats don’t like that practice. I’m confident that Chris Fahey will beat Mickey by a good margin.” Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan

“This isn’t about the Democratic Party or the Republican Party, this is about the democratic process. That’s why the Independence Party offered me their line.” Mickey Kearns. ...

         Governor Jim Edgar

Charleston, South Carolina: Spoke to former Erie County Chairman Steve Pigeon this afternoon.

He is attending the debate in South Carolina with Tom Golisano, former Senator Fred Thompson & former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar.

Golisano & Pigeon are there with no partisan agenda talking about the Popular Vote initiative. Pigeon said that they will be running commercials during the debate tonight.

I had the great honor of talking with Governor Edgar.

Governor Edgar is co chairman of Popular Vote.

He mentioned the electric atmosphere pre debate.

Who he is supporting?

Governor Edgar said, I have no horse in the race. The race is still very fluid. He expects the "Florida primary" to be the decisive race in the GOP primary season.

I asked about Gingrich's ex wife ABC interview tonight?

The Governor said, the interview. was "not relevant".

Not that there is not a code of conduct but we have heard this all before for the most part, paraphrasing.

All four gentlemen are looking forward to a a spirited debate tonight. ...

Rick Perry has suspended his campaign & endorsed Newt Gingrich. ...

Golisano expected to bid for Dodgers: "Opening bids for the Dodgers are due Monday, although prospective bid groups are expected to consider mergers before and after that day." ###

Joe Illuzzi

“GM has put the American auto industry and its world-class workers in Western New York back where they belong: in first place. GM has a proud and rich heritage – and an even brighter future – in Western New York. Friday’s news is a testament to the many hundreds of New Yorkers who work at GM’s Tonawanda, Rochester, and Lockport plants. It’s also proof positive that the President’s decision to rescue the auto-industry was just what the doctor ordered for our economy. These family-supporting jobs pump life into the local economy and are essential to our economic resurgence. It’s a proud day for the Empire State and the entire country to have GM once again on top in auto sales across the globe.”

– U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer

The One Percent Blues

by Bill O'Reilly

Growing up in Levittown out on Long Island, I remember my father buying pants through the mail. This seemed strange to me. There was a Robert Hall clothing store nearby and it had pants all over the place. But my dad said he could buy two pairs for the price of one from some guy in South Dakota. One problem: the pants never fit.

My father didn't much care. He saved some money which he put in the bank, affording me an opportunity to go to private schools.

My parents never wanted to be rich and did not resent those who were, although my dad did not like Joseph Kennedy. He called JFK's father a bootlegger. The truth is, we O'Reillys did not even know any rich people. They lived in Garden City, about five miles away.

Today, I am a rich guy, a one-percenter. I can buy all the pants I want. My late father could not even fathom how much money I make. I have trouble processing that as well.

But I never worked for cash. I always wanted to do something interesting and actually walked away from a high-paying TV job back in the 1990s to attend Harvard, where I secured a Master's Degree in Public Administration. There were tons of rich folks at Harvard. I did not resent them.

Today, the Occupy Wall Street crew and many progressive Americans believe that I am a greedhead, even though they have no idea what I do with my money. Just the fact that I have it gives them license to brand me as a dreadful "one-percenter."

The reason that I have prospered monetarily is that I put freedom to good use. I worked hard, got a great education, paid my dues in journalism, and finally hit it big. America gave me the freedom to do all those things. In the past, my achievements might have been celebrated. Not today. Now, more than a few folks say I am not paying my fair share to ensure the security of my fellow citizens.

According to the IRS, the 1.4 million households that comprise the "one percenters" (that is, taking in $350,000 a year or more) pay 37% of the nation's income tax. That's a big number, is it not? And the New York Times reports that the one percenters contributed about 30% of all charitable donations in 2007. Another big number.

So I've decided that those demanding more of my money for "social justice" are really attacking freedom. In this country, it is not wrong to prosper. You should not be demeaned for "having."

President Obama will be doing the nation a huge disservice if he bases his upcoming campaign on class warfare, because that's really an assault on individual freedom. Yes, we are all Americans, and we should all be in it together. But that doesn't mean the government can guarantee individual outcomes. In a free society, it can't.

PoliticsNY.Net: Political Notes

Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn says Rick Santorum is the winner of the Iowa Caucus. This afternoon, Strawn went on WHO Radio in Iowa and announced there should be no “ambiguity,” that Santorum is, in fact, the winner. "Certified results show Rick Santorum leading or won by 34 votes,” Strawn told Jan Mickelson, noting that he needed to apologize to Santorum for any misunderstanding. ...

"Empire State Development Corporation President and CEO Kenneth Adams came to western New York Thursday, to spell out the terms of the governor’s budget proposal. Adams clarified what he calls a “misreading of the budget,” by some when it comes to retaining the Buffalo Bills, in western New York. “In terms of retaining the Bills, no, that is not in the budget. It’s not in the billion dollars of economic aid announced for Buffalo. The answer is that Governor Cuomo is committed to keeping the Bills here...” said Adams." PR Adams said Cuomo will deal with the Bills funding at a later time. ...

Judge Sharpe is expected to rule on NYS primary dates within the next few days.

“This is a win-win for everyone. Republicans can eliminate the Hinchey seat. Democrats can eliminate the Turner seat,” said one New York-based Democratic operative. “Everyone can go home."

"Senate Majority Leader Dean Skleos reiterated the GOP’s desire for an August primary (we’re still waiting for Judge Gary Sharpe’s decision on when the federal primary will be held, setting up the possbility of three primaries if a compromised can’t be reached). Democrats want a June primary, citing that most voters are away from home in August. “Can you imagine the chaos that’s going to exist in the last five weeks of session if you have primaries going on in New York City? Shelly won’t be able to get a quorum."

Concurrently, Senate Majority Leader Skelos is promising State maps next week. “I think next week we will be able to release the maps and we’ll all have fun looking at them” Oh! Skelos promises that the new 63rd seat will not be on LI, his home turf. ...

Some idiot called a local talk show Wednesday afternoon & said County Legislator Chairman Grant already spent the $1B in Cuomo incentives by offering Buffalo School students a free college education. NOT TRUE. Grant & everyone else except the talk host & the idiot that called to embarass her knows that money is coming from a private foundation. On The same show the host said he didn't understand what the FCC involvement in the blackout debate is. Unbelieveable! The FCC has to sign off either way, DUH. So much for show prep.

We do agree with the host when he says the NYS must maintain funding for Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Roswell Park & its world wide reputation is a very important part of the master plan to develop the Buffalo Medical Corridor. ...

One of the lib blogs is reporting that former Lackawanna Mayor Norm Polanski has a job with HUD. Not true. The same blog reported former County Legislator Christine Bove (D) was viable candidate for the 145th Assembly nomination. Only in her own mind. Not true. ...

"Buffalo posted one of the world's strongest records for income growth during the past two years, according to a new study by the Brookings Institution. The average income of Buffalo-area residents increased by 3.9 percent between 2010 and 2011, dwarfing the U.S. growth rate of 0.9 percent. The corresponding difference of 3.0 percentage points was the fourth-best margin registered by any of 200 major metropolitan areas around the world." ...

Congressman Brian Higgins (D) is getting on the bandwagon to ask the FCC lift the NFL blackout rule. Higgins sent a letter to the FCC this week and spoke on the House floor about lifting the ban. The blackout rule denies fans who have invested their time, consumer spending and local tax dollars in the Bills from being able to watch their team play," said Congressman Higgins. ...

NYS Independence Party, Frank MacKay Chairman, has endorsed Buffalo Common Councilman Mickey Kearns for the 145th Assembly seat. This turns the race upside down. The reason GOP Chair Nick Langworthy can authorize Kearns giving him two lines; that decision will be made Thursday night. Or he can run his own candidate & hope the Democrats split the vote. Its clear that real problems remain with the NYS IP & Democratic Chair Len Lenihan, not to mention the Higgins team. ...

"Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said there is no reason a plan to amend the constitution to permit more casino gambling in New York has to be taken up before budget talks are resolved -- theoretically by the end of March."

I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the Legislature would not take up the issue until after the budget is place.

Let me mention one thing: I believe Cuomo has a very good budget proposal on the table. Best I've seen in the 16 years I have been in this business. However, during his budget message Cuomo took the time to explain the Genting proposal for a new convention center in Queens, more specifically at Aqueduct race track.

The reason he was unclear about who was paying for the project. He left the impression it would be a combination of State & private money. According to what he said Tuesday Genting is paying the entire $4B.

SIDEBAR: My mother grew up down the street from Aqueduct in Ozone Park.

Anyway, we still do not know how much of the $1B he has pledged in upstate incentives is cash?

Cuomo needs to clarify that issue as well.

Oh & by the way if Rochester comes up with a major project with a private sector investment of 5-1 it is crazy to think the Feds & State will not load the project up front with a HUGE incentive package. So our friends in Monroe County & GLOW need to get over it & get to work ...

The captain of the Costa Concordia, a ship that ran aground and capsized last week off a Tuscan island, was very-very quick to get off boat & grab a cab home. The last time I saw anything like that behavior was over the weekend in the movie "CONTRABAND" ... that captain was smuggling cocaine. One can only wonder. ...



Chris Fahey was endorsed by the Erie County Democratic Committee Tuesday night for the 145th Assembly District seat vacated by City Comptroller Mark Schroeder. Fahey, highly qualified & a just a great guy, has worked with Congressman Higgins for years. GOP Chair Nick Langwrthy promises a race. ...

The highly respected Justice Tracy Bannister found in favor of the defendants. Meaning Lenihan & the County Executive Committee will make the endorsement for the 145th Assembly. ...

Readers with respect to the endorsement for the 145th Assembly seat there is a significant back story. No doubt the issue of who will make these endorsements has been a point of contention for years. There have been threats of a lawsuit for years. The reason why this issue has gotten the attention it has this time is the Erie County Chair. The proponents of this lawsuit for the most part support a change on the 2nd floor of the Ellicott Square building, democratic headquarters. The opponents for the most part support Lenihan, as does PoliticsNY.Net, as long as Lenihan wants the job. Of course there are those who want a clear ruling from the courts going forward. We'll see. ...

The Buffalo News Bob McCarthy is reporting that GOP Chair Nick Langworthy has had conversations  with Kearns, no word yet from Kearns. Langworthy promises a challenge in the 145th in any event. ...

Justice Tracy Bannister is hearing this case Tuesday at noon. There are reports that Norm Polanski is still in the race. Not true. These same reports have Chrisitne Bove being a dark horse. Not true. ...

"Joe, a Democratic Committeeman represented by Peter Reese esq., in the 145th Assembly District has sued Chairman Lenihan in Court Friday. The EC Dem Committee was issued a Show Cause Order due to the way Lenihan is conducting the Endorsement Process which is apparently against the County Committee's By laws and NYS Election Law". The district committees believe they should make the endorsements not the County Executive Committee. ...

Looks like Higgins staffer Chris Fahey will get the endorsement to run for the 145th Assembly seat on March 20th. Still fluid but looks like Fahey has it. He is a great guy & will qualified. Lenihan & the County Executive Committee wil meet tonight to interview & endorse a candidate. The local Democratic committee will covene Thursday to endorse a candidate. The IP & Conservatives are expected to go along. The Conservatives endorsing Fahey Monday, this according to County Chairman Raplh Lorigo. The NYS IP Committee is waiting to see what the Democrats do. Former County Legislator Christine Bove called around but most folks blew her off. Councilman Kearns as usual mismanaged his efforts to get the endorsement. I should mention there will be interviews Tuesday I believe. However, this is a just an attempt by the Democrats to appear even handed; there could be a primary in September. ...

Polanski is out. Looks like he might get the HUD job. No one really knows who Lenihan favors in this race Fahey or Councilman Kearns. Kearns has support no question about that. No doubt the Mayor would like to see Kearns in that position. Fahey, if he lives in the City, could get the appointment to replace Kearns; that should give the Mayor a veto proof majority. We'll see ...

"Joe, Chairman Lenihan (D) has until the 19th to file a Certificate of Nomination for Schroeder's vacant 145th Assembly seat (BOE Schedule). Therefore, he only has 8 days to pick a candidate. I'm hearing that former Lackawanna mayor Norm Polanski is out of the mix. At this point it is either Buffalo Councilman South's Mickey Kearns or Higgins Congressional aide Chris Fahey."

I read on one of the blogs that the local IP will endorse for the seat Thursday? Yes, the 145th District is within Erie County. However, the State IP Committee, Frank MacKay Chairman, according to the rules, will make the endorsement. This is not to say MacKay will not go along with the local Committee. Whereas, local Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo & his committee will make the endorsement. I really do not know if GOP Chairman Langworthy intends to run anyone in that District because of the huge Democrat plurality. ...

Cuomo calls Special Election March 20, 2012. Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, a Buffalo Democrat, left the 145th AD unrepresented when he became the city comptroller on Jan. 1. ...

Joe Illuzzi

The GOP Suicide March

by Charles Krauthammer

“Are you better off today than you were $4 trillion ago?”

— former presidential candidate Rick Perry

It’s the campaign line of the year, and while the author won’t be carrying it into the general election, the eventual nominee will.

The charge is straightforward: President Obama’s reckless spending has dangerously increased the national debt while leaving unemployment high and the economy stagnant. Concurrently, he has vastly increased the scope and reach of government with new entitlements and oppressive regulation, with higher taxes to come (to offset the unprecedented spending).

In 2010, that narrative carried the Republicans to historic electoral success. Through most of 2011, it dominated Washington discourse. The air was filled with debt talk: ceilings, supercommittees, Simpson-Bowles.

What’s the incumbent to do? He admits current conditions are bad. He knows that his major legislative initiatives — Obamacare, the near-trillion-dollar stimulus, (the rejected) cap-and-trade — are unpopular. If you can’t run on stewardship or policy, how do you win reelection?

Create an entirely new narrative. Push an entirely new issue. Change the subject from your record and your ideology, from massive debt and overreaching government, to fairness and inequality. Make the election a referendum on which party really cares about you, which party will stand up to the greedy rich who have pillaged the 99 percent and robbed the middle class of hope.

This charge, too, is straightforward: The Republicans serve as the protectors and enablers of the plutocrats, the exploiters who have profited while America suffers. They put party over nation, fat cat donors over people, political power over everything.

It’s all rather uncomplicated, capturing nicely the Manichaean core of the Occupy movement — blame the rich, then soak them. But the real beauty of this strategy is its adaptability. While its first target was the do-nothing, protect-the-rich Congress, it is perfectly tailored to fit the liabilities of Republican front-runner Mitt Romney — plutocrat, capitalist, 1 percenter.

Obama rolled out this class-war counter-narrative in his Dec. 6 “Teddy Roosevelt” speech and hasn’t governed a day since. Every action, every proposal, every “we can’t wait” circumvention of the Constitution — such as recess appointments when the Senate is not in recess — is designed to fit this reelection narrative.

Hence: Where does Obama ostentatiously introduce the recess-appointed head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? At a rally in swing-state Ohio, a stage prop for the president to declare himself tribune of the little guy, scourge of the big banks and their soulless Republican guardians.

For the first few weeks, the class-envy gambit had some effect, bumping Obama’s numbers slightly. But the story was still lagging, suffering in part from its association with an Occupy rabble that had widely worn out its welcome.

Then came the twist. Then came the most remarkable political surprise since the 2010 midterm: The struggling Democratic class-war narrative is suddenly given life and legitimacy by . . . Republicans! Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry make the case that private equity as practiced by Romney’s Bain Capital is nothing more than vulture capitalism looting companies and sucking them dry while casually destroying the lives of workers.

Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO nods approvingly. Michael Moore wonders aloud whether Gingrich has stolen his staff. The assault on Bain/Romney instantly turns Obama’s class-war campaign from partisan attack into universal complaint.

Suddenly Romney’s wealth, practices and taxes take center stage. And why not? If leading Republicans are denouncing rapacious capitalism that enriches the 1 percent while impoverishing everyone else, should this not be the paramount issue in a campaign occurring at a time of economic distress?

Now, economic inequality is an important issue, but the idea that it is the cause of America’s current economic troubles is absurd. Yet, in a stroke, the Republicans have succeeded in turning a Democratic talking point — a last-ditch attempt to salvage reelection by distracting from their record — into a central focus of the nation’s political discourse.

How quickly has the zeitgeist changed? Wednesday, the Republican House reconvened to reject Obama’s planned $1.2 trillion debt-ceiling increase. (Lacking Senate concurrence, the debt ceiling will be raised nonetheless.) Barely noticed. All eyes are on South Carolina and Romney’s taxes.

This is no mainstream media conspiracy. This is the GOP maneuvering itself right onto Obama terrain.

The president is a very smart man. But if he wins in November, that won’t be the reason. It will be luck. He could not have chosen more self-destructive adversaries.

BALD EAGLES REUNITED IN WNY (REALLY)

An absolute must read & watch

WGRZ CHANNEL #2

Wendi Pencille has operated the Bless The Beast Wildlife Center for almost 25 years and in that quarter century she had never taken in an injured bald eagle, that is until this past May.

She received a call about a bald eagle down about a block from her home.

She's had plenty of calls reporting eagles hurt, but they always had turned out to be hawks. So she and her son Noah went out to check this one out, taking along a small pet carrier.

When Wendi got there, sure enough, it was a female bald eagle that had apparently hit a power line. She picked it up and brought it back to her car, and the pet carrier that was far too small for the 10lb. bird. She placed the eagle on the front seat and drove carefully. Full story with video ###

ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF BUFFALO, NY

THE ATLANTIC: The Surprising Architectural Legacy of Buffalo, New York. I've been thinking about Buffalo, New York lately. Part of it is that the National Trust is holding (and promoting the heck out of) its next annual preservation conference there. And another part is that my friend Barbara Campagna, a preservationist and green architect of some significance, just set up shop there. Barbara believes that "reusing what we have buildings, landscapes, communities is the best way to make the biggest impact in controlling climate change," and I couldn't agree more. (BTW, go here for a nice personal essay about Barbara's evolution as an architect.) Full story ###

Joe Illuzzi

BUFFALO SCHOOLS: ITS WHITE & BLACK!

by Joseph J. Illuzzi

I published this column eleven years ago. There have been some marginal improvements in the District. However, my thinking has evolved to the degree where there is NO doubt in my mind that this crisis cannot be resolved unless there is direct INTERVENTION in the lives of these children from conception, prenatal care. The idea its Williams fault or the Board of Ed or both is just stupid. While there is shared blame, the failure of parents too parent is the real issue; this is a multi generational crisis.

Imagine being born into a family of relative stability, middle class, having the extras, home, car, etc., then all of the sudden it all disappears for one reason or another. You realize you simply are not prepared for the socio-economic shock of moving into an arena of such great upheval & uncertainty!

Bethlehem Steel, et al., began downsizing, eventually closing its doors. The resulting well paying manufacturing jobs for the most part simply became a chapter in the history and folklore of both Buffalo & Erie County.

Now if you are white & living in Erie County in the 60¡¦s and 70¡¦s, you probably did not have to deal with these kind of issues. But if you're Black (minorities) and lived in Buffalo & Erie County, you most certainly were/are confronted with these issues.

Blacks in great numbers began to realize something was wrong ... they lacked the skills, as a result of not having the appropriate educational background, to move fluidly from an environment of relative stability, finding other employment, too one of instability & uncertainty, unemployment.

Blacks found themselves in the social and economic abyss, no money, no job, no prospects a real conundrum.

Concurrently, whites seemed to be moving into other areas of employment with little or no difficulty.

Whites for the most part were able to maintain their middle class standard of living.

The reasons: While both Black and whites were working at Bethlehem Steel, et al., times were good.

There existed "economies of scale" in both the white and Black areas of the City. No one was paying attention because everyone had a job. Blacks realized in a very short period of time, after things changed, there was one unique difference, among many differences, between them and their white counterparts, schools!

The schools in the Masten, Fillmore, and Ellicott Districts, were in no way equivalent to the schools in the Delaware, North, South, and Lovejoy Districts. The teachers in the classrooms seemed not to be the equivalent or as focused as those in the white districts. The school buildings in the Black Districts always were in a state of disrepair. The manor in which supplies, e.g. text books, were distributed seemed to favor the white districts, thus the great revelation. There was a great divide between the Black and white experience in the classrooms of the Buffalo School District.

Blacks, in great numbers, in fact were/are an uneducated, underclass, in Buffalo & Erie County.

Not only not educated on the same level as whites but regulated to specific geographical areas of the City with little ability to move up and out, especially in the 50's and 60's. Blacks certainly did not move to Amherst or Cheektowaga. As a matter of fact there were signs put up, "No N..... Allowed".

This racist behavior led to the great social upheaval in the late 60's, rioting in the streets etc. I know because a round or two went thru my bedroom window at East Ferry & Fillmore next to Colson's gas station. However, while Blacks around the country seemed, on the surface, to become more socio-economically mobile, in Buffalo & Erie County Black circumstances remained stagnant.

Blacks remained an uneducated, underclass.

Here it is 2011 Buffalo & Erie County remain one of the poorest, most segregated Cities & Counties in the Nation. 25% of Black males graduate.

Now the result of all this is many Blacks in the city were/are unemployed. The most troubling ramification, of many, the lot of a Black child was and remains severely impeded, esp in our our schools.

Not only because of the upheaval in the home, but the political climate, and the failure of the Black leadership during this era as well.

White Democratic politicians found race an avenue for election and reelection in Buffalo, esp. by separating the races, i.e. separate & unequal. Some referred to the behavior as, "polarizing the City along racial lines", esp. under the 16 years of the Griffin administration.

The political problem was exacerbated because Black leaders told their constituents to vote one way, democratic. The reason Black leaders told their constituents to vote one way? Black leaders found they also could be elected and reelected as well on that line, number one. Number two: Get wealthy pimping all of the poverty programs of the late 60¡¦s - 70¡¦s & early 80's. Actually, this kind of thing goes on too this very day.

The result: Grassroot Blacks remain to this day an underclass in Buffalo & Erie County.

Unless things change dramatically in our attitudes, the body politic, esp. the classroom; the Black experience in Buffalo & Erie County would not and did not change.

Albeit, there are obvious marginal improvements in the lives of some Blacks in the City/County.

This is to say: Things are changing but the results of decades of socio-economic disparity remain the same for many, if not most, Blacks living in Buffalo & Erie County.

There remains a plethora of very serious issues in the Buffalo School District. Also, it goes without saying with teachers in the classroom via discipline and student performance, the drop out & graduation rates.

Part of the lingering problem is during the 60s, 70s, and 80s most teachers in the classroom were middle class, white, and female, not trained to deal with children with such horrible discipline problems.

(Dr. Williams is right the system was not set up to teach poor Black children & immigrants.)

Problems became much worse as a result of changing dynamics in the home, i.e. single unemployed parents, drugs, crime, and the resulting violence, not to mention teen pregnancy and infant mortality.

The ramifications from this behavior, in the aggregate, found its way into the classroom. To this very day the denial of the reality of these issues by media, many of our private sector and political leaders is also a problem that weighs heavily on our ability to redress these issues.

The fact is 26% of the adult population, Blacks and Hispanics (70%) for the most part, in Buffalo do not have high school diplomas. The illiteracy numbers among all minorities, immigrants, in the City is very troubling. Unless we deal with this phenomenon, things will never change.

Just stop and think! Ask yourself why taxes are so high in NYS & Erie County? The answer is quite simple because we are paying for our sins of the past, reparations? Not as a result of slavery; but our benign neglect of a race of people, esp. children in Buffalo & Erie County, over the last decades. Thus our welfare costs, e.g., Medicaid. The cost to taxpayers for public safety, the resulting cost to build and maintain prisons. Every cent we pay in taxes one way or another, except for the obvious, e.g. the infirmed, elderly, goes to the Masten, Fillmore, Niagara, and Ellicott Districts for one entitlement or another.

So, What if the Bible Really Is True? Part I

by David Limbaugh

I'd like to challenge you to consider that the "good news" we celebrate during the Christmas season really is true.

You may choose to believe the Bible is merely a book of fables with nice moral lessons, but there is more abundant and accurate manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other book from antiquity. Moreover, the number of witnesses to Christ's life, death and resurrection, as well as the nature of their testimony, is strong evidence of the reliability of the scriptural accounts, as are the corroborating secular testimony and archeological evidence.

In fact, the New Testament writers had every temporal motive to deny the resurrection occurred. Why would they fabricate and stand by a story that would lead to their being beaten, tortured and murdered?

So next time you read your Bible, consider that you're reading the inspired word of God and that Jesus really did say and do what the Bible reports, beginning with His claims about His own divinity:

He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you will also know My Father. ... The one who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:6-8). He also said, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58). Here, Jesus claimed not only to have pre-existed Abraham but also that His pre-existence was eternal, as would have been the case had He said, "I was." More significantly, "I AM" was a name for God. He further identified himself as the God of the Old Testament, when proclaiming, "I am the light of the world" (Psalm 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation") and "I am the good shepherd." (Psalm 23:1 says, "The Lord is my shepherd.") When responding to the high priest as to His deity, Jesus said, "I am and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:62).

Jesus also fulfilled Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah: He was born of a virgin, in Bethlehem, in the line of Abraham and David; He was rejected by His own people; His hands, feet and side were pierced, but no bones were broken; and He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Jesus claimed to have authority to forgive sins. He told the paralyzed man, "But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." He said He was the judge of mankind (John 5:25-29).

Jesus claimed honor that is only due God (Isaiah 42:8), when He said, "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began" (John 17:1) and "Honor the Son, even as they honor the Father" (John 5:23). Jesus invited prayer in His name: "And I will do whatever you ask in my name" (John 14:13). He accepted worship (Matthew 8:2, 14:33, 15:25, 20:20, 28:17), though the Old Testament clearly forbids the worship of anyone but God (Exodus 20:1-4; Deuteronomy 5:6-9). Even the angels refused to be worshipped (Revelation 22:8, 9).

Jesus said He would give us things that only God can give. "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it" (John 5:21).

Jesus told us not just to follow His teaching but also to follow Him (Matthew 10:38).

Jesus performed many miracles, the greatest being His resurrection, which He predicted (John 2:19, 21) and was attested to by all four Gospel writers and, among others, by Paul, who said Jesus was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses, most of whom were still alive and could have contradicted him if untrue (1 Corinthians 15:4).

His Apostles also claimed that He was God: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God" (John 1:1); Jesus was the "first and the last" (Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13); and, "For unto us, a child is born ... and his name will be called 'Wonderful, counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Matthew 1:23).

Jesus, who claimed and proved to be God, affirmed the divine authority of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-18) and promised that the Holy Spirit would inspire the New Testament revelations (John 14:26, 16:13). New Testament writers also attested that all Scripture is inspired of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

Once we conclude the Bible is the word of God, we will delight in the Scriptures (Psalm 119:92) and, as one writer put it, acquire "that great sense that we are living in the sphere of eternal security."

Eternal security, indeed, for Christ died so that by repenting and trusting in Him, we could live. Now that's the true meaning of Christmas and the best news of all.

So, What if the Bible Really Is True? Part II

by David Limbaugh

If I had to single out one thing that played the greatest role in initially convincing me of the Bible's authenticity and the truth of Christianity, I'd choose the Old Testament prophecies, especially those concerning the Messiah. The specificity of some of the individual prophecies is powerfully probative, but the odds against so many of them being fulfilled in the person of Christ by coincidence are utterly breathtaking.
In about 700 B.C., the Prophet Isaiah specifically named the king (Cyrus) who would rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, some 114 years before Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it and some 150 years before Persia conquered the Babylonians and its king (Cyrus) issued the decree to rebuild the Temple. Josh McDowell summarized it this way: "Thus Isaiah predicted that a man named Cyrus, who would not be born for about 100 years, would give the command to rebuild the temple which was still standing in Isaiah's day and would not be destroyed for more than 100 years."
Biblical scholar J. Barton Payne cited 574 Old Testament verses containing messianic prophecies, and countless others have listed and explained them, but my favorite compilation is by McDowell, who highlights some 60 of them as unmistakable predictions. Let me give you just a sampling with the humble suggestion that you read and contemplate these verses yourselves.
The Messiah would: reconcile men to God at painful cost to Himself; come from the seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15); be a Semite (Genesis 9:26); descend through Abraham (Genesis 22:18), Isaac (Genesis 21:12) and Jacob Numbers 24:17) and be from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10); be a prophet, like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15), a priest (Psalm 110:4), the judge (Isaiah 33:22) and king (Psalm 2:6); descend from Jesse's line (Isaiah 11:1) and David's line and be eternal king (2 Samuel 7:13); be God, the Father's Son (Psalm 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:14); ransom men and restore their righteousness (Job 17:3); exist before time began and be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and young children would be killed (Jeremiah 31:15); be given gifts (Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 60:6); be called Lord (Psalm 110:1); be "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14); be anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2, 42:1); have zeal for His Father's house and reproach those who would violate it (Psalm 69:9); be announced in advance (Isaiah 40:3);
begin his ministry in Galilee; heal the blind, deaf, dumb and lame (Isaiah 35:5,6); teach in parables (Psalm 78:2); enter the Temple (Malachi 3:1); enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9); be a stumbling block to the Jews (Psalm 118:22, 8:14); be a light to the gentiles (Isaiah 60:3); be resurrected (Psalm 16:10); ascend (Psalm 68:18) and sit at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1); be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:19) and sold for 30 pieces of silver, which he would throw into the Temple and which would be given for the potter's field (Zechariah 11:12-13); be struck, causing his disciples to scatter (Zechariah 13:7), which Christ affirmed and repeated (Matthew 26:31); be falsely accused (Psalm 35:11); stand silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7); be wounded and bruised for people's sins (Isaiah 53:5), smitten and spit upon (Isaiah 50:6) and mocked (Psalm 22:7); be crucified with thieves and plead for those killing him (Isaiah 53:12); be thirsty (Psalm 69:21); ask God why He
had forsaken Him (Psalm 22:1); commit His spirit to God (Psalm 31:5); and be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9). Darkness would fall over the land (Amos 8:9); His hands, feet (Psalm 22:16) and side (Zechariah 12:10) would be pierced, but none of His bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20); His own people would reject Him (Isaiah 53:3) and hate Him without cause (Psalm 69:4); His friends would witness His ordeal from afar (Psalm 38:11); and people would cast lots for his clothing (Psalm 22:18).
McDowell notes that the Old Testament was completed in about 450 B.C., but if you won't accept that, you can verify that the Septuagint (Greek translation) was begun during the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.), which means the Hebrew version had to have been completed at least 250 years before Christ was born.
He also notes that while it's true that Jesus could have arranged to fulfill some of these prophecies, He could not have orchestrated the place, time and manner of His birth, that He would be betrayed, the manner of His death, people's reactions to His crucifixion, the piercings and the burial. The statistical odds that any man might have fulfilled all eight of those prophecies, let alone 61 (or 574) of them, are 1 in 10 to the 17th power.
If you're not yet amazed, study Daniel 9:24-27, which many believe predicts, to the precise year, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Who do you say that He is?

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