Robert F. Kennedy Jr has endorsed the woman who holds the same Senate seat his father did four decades ago.
Kennedy endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for President, saying she "has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming."
Kennedy lauded Clinton's record as Senator and the way she won over New Yorkers since her controversial run for Senate seven years ago.
Say what you want about us, but we New Yorkers know when a person is using our pain for his personal gain, and we know how to "thank" him.
Welcome home Mayor Giuliani, not go back to Iowa.
The Department of Transportation has agreed to release $354 million to support Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan, says DOT Secretary Mary Peters. The money will only be allocated to New York City assuming
Bloomberg's plan, which would charge cars $8 and trucks $21 to enter Manhattan south of 86th Street on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m, has strong opposition from State Assemblyman and State Senators from the outer boroughs and near suburbs, where many upper middle class workers commute to Manhattan via car instead of subway, bus or commuter rail.
Opposition is strong in many parts of the city that does not have direct access to Manhattan via public transportation, such as Bergen Beach and Dyker Heights in Brooklyn, Glendale and Whitestone, Queens and Throggs Neck, Bronx where many commuters to Manhattan commute via car.
Here's a look on how the region's representatives voted on Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007:
NEW YORK CITY:
Ackerman (D)- Aye
Clarke (D)- Did Not Vote, but supported the bill
Crowley (D)- Aye
Engel (D)- Aye
Fossella (R)- Nay
Maloney (D)- Aye
Nadler (D)- Aye
Rangel (D)- Aye
Serrano (D)- Aye
Velasquez (D)- Aye
Weiner (D)- Aye
LONG ISLAND:
Bishop (D)- Aye
Israel (D)- Aye
King (R)- Nay
McCarthy (D)- Aye
HUDSON VALLEY:
Gillibrand (D)- Aye
Hall (D)- Aye
Lowrey (D)- Aye
Hinchey (D)- Aye
UPSTATE NEW YORK:
Arcuri (D)- Aye
Higgins (D)- Aye
Kuhl (R)- Nay
McHugh (R)- Nay
McNulty (D)- Aye
Reynolds (R)- Nay
Slaughter (D)- Aye
Walsh (R)- Nay
NEW JERSEY:
Andrews (D)- Aye
Ferguson (R)- Aye
Frelinghuysen (R)- Nay
Garrett (R)- Nay
Holt (D)- Aye
LoBiondo (R)- Aye
Pallone (D)- Aye
Pascrell (D)- Aye
Payne (D)- Aye
Rothman (D)- Aye
Saxton (R)- Nay
Sires (D)- Aye
Smith (R)- Nay
CONNECTICUT:
Courtney (D)- Aye
DeLauro (D)- Aye
Larson (D)- Aye
Chris Murphy (D)- Aye
Shays (R)- Aye
By a vote of 81-65, the New York State Assembly became the third state legislative body in the US to vote to legalize same sex marriage. Last year, both houses of the California legislature endorsed same-sex marriage, but the bill was vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The bill got some bipartisan support. Four Republicans, two men from the Hudson Valley and two women from the Adirondacks, voted for the bill;
Mike Spano (R-Yonkers), Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie), Teresa Sayward (R-Essex County) and Dede Scozzafava (R-Gouveneur) all voted aye.
21 Democrats and 1 Independent voted nay, breaking with party line; Peter Abbate (D-Brooklyn), Daniel Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent), Joan Christensen (D-Syracuse), Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village), Bill Colton (D-Brooklyn), Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Brooklyn), Francine DelMonte (D-Niagara Falls), Ruben Diaz Jr. (D-Bronx), Dennis Gabryszak (D-Cheektowaga), Sandra Galef (D-Peekskill), David Gantt (D-Rochester), Diane Gordon (D-Brooklyn), Timothy Gordon (I-Delmar), Auriela Greene (D-Bronx), Carl Heastie (D-Bronx), Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), William Magee (D-Nelson), Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth), N. Nick Perry (D-Brooklyn), Annette Robinson (D-Brooklyn), Robin Schimminger (D-Kenmore), Anthony Seminerio (D-Richmond Hill).
State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselear) has already said the bill will be dead on arrival to the Senate, so it'll almost certainly will not reach Governor Spitzer's desk this session.
Spitzer would sign it if it did. It would make New York the second state to legalize gay marriage after Massachusetts and the first to do it legislatively.
The last Conservative Republican to represent New York in the US Senate has made a surprise endorsement for President.
Former Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-New York) is NOT endorsing Rudy Giuliani, but rather former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. In a statement, D'Amato says;
"Voters are tired of the rhetoric and are thirsting for leadership, Fred Thompson is the kind of candidate our party can unify behind and support wholeheartedly."
with 53 cosponsers, 52 Democrats and one lone Republican.
The bill is being introduced by Daniel O'Donnell (D-Morningside Heights)
The co-sponsers;
Marc Alessi (D-Mastic), Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona), Michael Benedetto (D-Pelham Bay), Jonathan Bing (D-Upper East Side), William Boyland, Jr. (D-Brownsville) Adam Bradley (D-White Plains), James Brennan (D-Park Slope), Richard Brodsky (D-Greenburgh), Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston), Vivian Cook (D-South Jamaica), Luis Diaz (D-University Heights), Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Riverdale), Patricia Eddington (D-Medford), Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), Herman D. Farrell, Jr. (D-Washington Heights), Ginny Fields (D-Oakdale), Deborah Glick (D-Greenwich Village), Richard Gottfried (D-Chelsea), Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo), Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern), Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene), Susan John (D-Rochester), Brian Kavanagh (D-Turtle Bay), Ivan Lafayette (D-Jackson Heights), Rory Lancman (D-Flushing), George Latimer (D-Rye), Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), Barbara Lifton (D-Ithaca), Vito Lopez (D-Bushwick), Donna Lupardo (D-Binghamton), John McEneny (D-Albany), Joan Millman (D-Brooklyn Heights), Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood), Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park), Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights), J. Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), Phil Ramos (D-Central Islip), Jose Rivera (D-Kingsbridge), Naomi Rivera (D-Morris Park), Linda Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side), Teresa Sayward (R-Plattsburgh), Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck), Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), Matthew Titone (D-Staten Island), Darryl Towns (D-East New York), Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), Mark Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), Keith L.T. Wright (D-Harlem), Ellen Young (D-Flushing), Kenneth Zebrowski, Jr (D-New City).
Did you notice the lone Republican? It's Teresa Sayward, from way up in the Adirondacks. Most of the sponsers are New York City Democrats, representing all five boroughs. Three of the four Nassau County Democrats are co-sponsers, as are all six Suffolk County Democrats, five of the six Westchester Democrats and both Rockland County Democrats.
At least eight more Assembly members have endorsed gay marriage, including Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie), Aileen Gunther (D-Sullivan County), Audrey Pfeffer (D-Rockaway Beach), Nettie Mayersohn (D-Kew Gardens Hills), Ann Margaret Carrozza (D-Bayside), David Koon (D-East Rochester), Janele Hyer-Spencer (D-Staten Island), and Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria).
Hat tip; the Agenda
are in Miami, Florida and here in New York City.
Makes sense, since most of drivers in the former originally come from the latter.
Yes, I am a rude New York driver, don't like it, don't bring you car here.
Back home in New York City, the current mayor beats the former mayor in a matchup according to recent Daily News poll of New York City residents.
The more popular Bloomberg beats Rudy Giuliani 46%-29% among New York City voters.
According to the poll, Bloomberg does best against two groups who aren't normally seen as agreeing with each other; The African-American community (64%-30%) and the richest New Yorkers (61%-31%)
Also, New Yorkers see Bloomberg as the better mayor by 56%-29% margin.
Really, this shouldn't be a big shock.
The powerful Governor of New York endorses the power Senator from New York for President.
Clinton has the support of nearly every elected Democrat in New York State, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Representatives Tim Bishop, Steve Israel, Gregory Meeks, Gary Ackerman, Joseph Crowley, Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velasquez, Carolyn Maloney, Eliot Engel, Nita Lowrey, John Hall, Kirsten Gillibrand, Maurice Hinchey, Mike Arcuri, and Brian Higgins, and numerous state and local Democrats.
One Democrat from New York not endorsing Clinton, State Senator Bill Perkins (D-Harlem) who holds Lt. Governor David Paterson's old State Senate seat, has endorsed Barack Obama.
UPDATE: Hillary received the endorsement of another new Democratic governor, Martin O'Malley (D-Maryland).
You would think if you were the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the state that hasn't voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 22 years, the state party would be 100% behind you, right?
Wrong
Rudy Giuliani doesn't seem to have the support of Joseph Mondello, Chairman of the New York State Republican Committee (and the guy who led the Nassau County Republicans off a cliff), at least not yet. Mondello has put the brakes on Empire State GOP politicians from supporting Giuliani. As such, no Republican in the state legislature has endorsed the former New York City mayor.
Meanwhile Hillary Rodham Clinton has gotten support from nearly EVERY elected Democrat in New York State. The Arizona Republican Party has thrown it's support 100% behind Giuliani's chief rival John McCain.
Caveat: Joseph Mondello is a close confidant of former Senator Al D'Amato (R-New York) stemming from their days on top of the Nassau County Republican machine.
D'Amato and Giuliani, not really friends.
After over 80 years and five false starts, it looks like the Second Avenue Subway is finally going to happen.
If you live in New York, or ever been to New York, or ever once taken the Lexington Avenue Subway between 7 and 10am, or between 4 and 8pm, then you know another east side subway line is DESPERATELY needed. Today marks the beginning of that realization...hopefully.
The Second Avenue Subway is not a new thing, it was first supposed to be built in 1925, then three times later, most recently in 1975, but always ended up on the chopping block. Today, the city hopes a fifth time is a charm, but I wouldn't rush to get your MetroCard, the first phase isn't expected to be completed until 2013, with the entire line set for an opening date of 2020 at the earliest.
I'm just shy of 24, and I can tell you I hope to ride the Second Avenue Subway before I die. That should give you an idea of my faith in this project.
Governor Eliot Spitzer assumed office in January with something very few new governors had ever had before...a sweeping mandate.
Having won nearly 70% of the vote in the general election, and carrying every Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly district, Spitzer took office with an enormous amount of political capital to spend, and he wasn't afraid to spend it.
Spitzer faced the state legislature head on, working with them to overhaul workers' compensation, keeping sexual predators off the streets, and promote ethics in Albany. He got a budget passed, only 11 hours late.
Governor Spitzer hasn't feared defeat however, he took them on, and it's debatable if he should've, concerning the election of a new State Comptroller. He lost that battle with the legislature, who, to the Governor's chegrin, elected Long Island Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli to the position over other candidates listed by a committe set up by the Governor. He caved to the state legislature on hospital spending and school spending, but was successfull in doing what former Democratic Governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo failed to do in the 1970's and 80's, funnel more education money into the poorer schools.
Spitzer's approval rating has taken a beating in his first 100 days. Partially as a result of those commercials aired to attack the Governor's cuts in Medicaid; one such commercial shows an eldery lady threatening to give up and die if Spitzer cuts her Medicaid. Any Governor would see his or her popularity plummet when they are "killing old ladies." Approval ratings don't mean much in the first few months, especially when one won his seat with 70% of the vote. Spitzer's political limits are being realized.
Is it the beginning of the end for Rudy Giuliani? As if lagging behind Mitt Romney in fundraising isn't enough, two new polls show him fighting in New Hampshire.
A CNN poll has Giuliani and McCain tied 29%-29% in the New Hampshire Primary with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 17%. While, a Zogby Telephone poll as Romney tied with McCain at 25% a piece and Giuliani lagging third at 19%.
Meanwhile, a new Quinnipiac Poll shows Giuliani losing his HOME STATE to...well...almost everybody. He trails Senator Clinton in New York 50%-42%, trails former Senator John Edwards 47%-43% and ties Obama 44%-44%. The former Mayor of New York City and once considered the only Republican capable of winning statewide in the uber-blue state can't even hit 45% in the polls against any Democrat. Giuliani runs strong elsewhere, but Republican hopes that New York will go red in 2008 for the first time in almost a quarter century are probably dashed right now.
All other Republicans lose New York miserably. Clinton blows Mitt Romney out of the water in New York 61%-26%. Clinton has a 68% approval rating in New York, near the percentage she won reelection by last November. President Bush, meanwhile, has a mere 26% approval rating.
Interesting Note: 1/3 of all New York Republicans are essentially Democrats, approving of Clinton while disapproving of Bush.
Is this REALLY shocking news?
This is the main reason why I vehemently opposed moving the state's primary to February 5th. It's a foregone conclusion who will win the primaries in New York, even if their leads nationally do falter.
An interesting note is that America's Mayor is trailing the Carpetbagger by 12 points statewide in the general election. What's amazing is that in 2000 Giuliani was seen as the only Republican who can easily beat Clinton for Danny Moynihan's Senate seat...now, he can't even beat her in a national election in New York.
Just an indication of how blue the Empire State has become.
Also interesting; Governor Spitzer's popularity appears to be tumbling. That's what happens when you put elderly women in TV commercials blaming the governor for their endless suffering and lost will to live.
I live a mere three miles from the runways of Kennedy Airport in New York. From my bedroom window, looking south, I can see planes landing. When fog and rain come in off the ocean, these landing planes are rerouted about 750 feet over my house.
Twice this winter I have live through snow/sleet storms that have only caused minor disruptions in my life, but only 20,000 feet away, have caused mass chaos.
I've never had the opportunity of flying out of New York in the winter, more or less in a snowstorm. I have only traveled by air between April and October. Even so, I am shocked that at an airport we thought had perfected a snow emergency, (I have lived through more snowstorms that I'd like to remember while being so close to JFK) people could be stuck on planes on the runway for 9 hours TWICE in one winter.
It seems the problems have to do with lack of open gates at the terminals. Has anyone thought of figuring out a way to deplane passengers in another part of the airport when this occurs? Perhaps there should be a hangar or some sort of emergency disembarkation point for passengers stuck on planes to get off so they don't sit on planes for 9 or 10 hours?
Or maybe the amount of air traffic is overwhelming JFK already...why is the TWA terminal still closed then?
In his first major investigation as Attorney General of New York, Andrew Cuomo says he's discovered something shocking; Colleges are getting kickbacks and benefits from six loan providers his office is investigating.
“There is an unholy alliance between banks and institutions of higher education that may often not be in the students’ best interest,” Cuomo said. “The financial arrangements between lenders and these schools are filled with the potential for conflicts of interest. In some cases they may break the law.”
According to Cuomo, investigators found:
-Lenders pay kickbacks to schools based on a percentage of the loans directed to the lenders.
-Lenders foot the bills for all-expense-paid trips for financial aid officers to posh resorts and exotic locations. They also provide schools with other benefits like computer systems and put representatives from schools on their advisory boards to curry favor.
-Loan companies set up funds and credit lines for schools to use in exchange for putting the lenders on their preferred lender lists and offer large payments to schools to drop out of the direct federal loan program so that the lenders get more business.
Is the New York Republican Party even relevant anymore?
A question that needs to be asked. We all know that the New York GOP is reeling. The party last all four major statewide races in landslides in 2006 (even won where the Democrat was sinking in scandal). They lost three House seats and nearly lost three more. They lost three State Assembly seats, where they were already a super minority, and lost a State Senate seat in Westchester. They narrowly kept a Queen State Senate seat where Republican Serphin Maltese, in office since 1986, won by a mere 783 votes (and that with the Democratic party in the area endorsing him.) The icing on the cake of death was this month's special election on Long Island for a State Senate seat where a Democrat won a Republican's seat.
Can it get any worse for the New York GOP? Well, they still control the State Senate, by a narrow margin. Two more seats will tie the chamber 31-31 with Democratic Lieutennant Governor David Paterson breaking the tie, effectively giving control to the Democrats. The Republicans don't hold much else, and they hold New York City's Mayoral Seat pretty much in name only.
Why is the New York GOP in such disrepair? Well, I can trace the downfall back about 17 years. Through the Reagan years, Rockefeller Republicans (the socially liberal, fiscally conservative former Democrats who kept Nelson Rockefeller in the Governor's chair for 14 years) dominated the New York landscape. In the 1970's, they kept Jacob Javitz in power, and later Al D'Amato. They elected Malcolm Wilson and kept 1982 GOP candidate Lewis Lehrman within striking distance of being Governor. They kept New York's House seats on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley in GOP control through the 1980's. Then came 1990.
The 1990 New York Gubernatorial Race was the beginning of the downfall. Democrat Mario Cuomo was up for reelection. He was still fairly popular, but after eight years, his popularity was beginning to fade. With crime at it's peak in New York City and with white flight bringing down Albany, Rochester and Buffalo, law and order issues became prevalent. Cuomo, an opponent of the death penalty, was considered soft on crime to many New Yorkers, however his stance on social issues and on economic issues were favorable with New Yorkers. Seeing a chance to defeat him, the GOP nominated a candidate who can win over New York's liberal voters, but also satisfy their desire for tough leadership on crime and drugs. They nominated Pierre Rinfret (almost at random after 19 other people said no), and made him the "crime and punishment" candidate.
Only one problem...social and economic conservatives HATED him. Rinfret (pronounced rin-FRAY). The Montreal-born, Queens raised economist had been an advisor to Democratic presidents Kennedy and Johnson, was pro-choice and supported gay rights. In New York politics, the minor parties (such as the Conservative, Right-to-Life, Liberal, Independence and Working Families parties) can choose to either nominate on their line a major party candidate, which is usually the case, or nominate someone on their own. Democrats usually vie for the left-leaning Liberal and Working Families party nods to increase their vote numbers (and in 1990 Cuomo received those nominations), while the Republicans usually chase after the Conservative and Right-to-Life party nominations, while the Independence party can sometimes be the nomination that throws the election one way or the other (specifically in close elections).
Well Rinfret did not get the Conservative or Right-t0-Life nominations. The Conservative Party in New York had been strong before, having elected a US Senator, James Buckley, on their ticket in 1970. (Buckley lost in 1976 when he ran as a Republican.) The Conservatives nominated Brooklyn-bred Herbert London on their line, while the Right-to-Life party nominated Louis Wein. This led to a three way race among voters on the right (who weren't the majority as is ).
Cuomo won 53% of the vote, which clinched him the election either way, but Rinfret, the Republican, won 21%, while London took 20%. London's Conservatives nearly overtook the Republican candidate. This essentially and legally would've reduced the Republican party to a third party in New York, with the Conservatives being the main opposition. The Republican party had been damaged.
Over the next few years, in an effort to prevent a split like 1990, the GOP began nominating candidates favorable to the Conservatives. This didnt play well in liberal-leaning New York. Although it was successful with George Pataki (who probably would've lost reelection in 2002 if not for Tom Golisano btw), it cost them numerous state legislature seats, Congressional seats, nearly ousted Al D'amato in 1992 and finally did oust him in 1998.
Today, 17 years after the 1990 Republican Civil War, the New York GOP has been reduced to essentially the 1990 New York Conservative party (with a few GOP holdovers). What was the New York GOP has seemingly become Democratic-leaning independents, willing to vote for only certain Republicans (aka Pataki and Giuliani.) The rightward shift of the Republican party in social issues and economic both out of necessity and to fit in nationally, has reduced the number of staunch Republicans in the state. While Republicans still hold a dominating force in name only, especially in the suburbs, these Republicans are really swing voters who have been leaning Democratic over the years. The four Democratic statewide victories of 69%, 67%, 60% and 58% in 2006 show that these Republican voters are no longer 100% loyal to their party.
New York Republicans are disappearing...and fast.
Just how Democratic has New York State become?
So Democratic that it is willing to vote for a Democrat who adopted the Empire State as her home state vs. a home grown New Yorker.
50%-40% is only a 10-point margin though, and if Hillary only beats Rudy by 10%, that's not good. (by contrast, Al Gore carried New York by 21% in 2000 and Kerry won by 18% in 2004). A 10% margin pretty much means Hillary wins the city, Westchester, Albany, Buffalo, and maybe Rochester. She looses Long Island, the Hudson Valley and probably Syracuse (and the rest of the state).
Still, the GOP's hopes that a New York Republican on the ticket would win them the Empire State for the first time since 1984 are probably dashed. You could imagine how Romney does here...and McCain is, as I have said, dead in the water at this point.
On the heels of the recent Special Election for State Senate in northwestern Nassau County, there are numerous other special elections that will occur in the near future to look out for. Some dates have been set, others have not.
1.) New York State Assembly- District 16
-The seat of now-State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Located in Northwestern Nassau County (entirely in the 7th State Senate district, where the last special election was held), it includes Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington, Plandome, Roslyn, North Hills, East Hills, Manhasset Hills, parts of New Hyde Park, Mineola and Albertson. Leans Democratic. Special Election date to be set.
2.) New York State Assembly- District 61
-The seat of the late Assemblyman John Lavelle. A Democrat, Lavelle passed away in late January, leaving the seat vacant. The district includes a hugh swath of Northern Staten Island, including Port Richmond, St George, Tompkinsville, Castleton Corners, Westerleigh and Arlington. District is competitive, but leans Democratic. Special Election date still to be set.
3.) New York State Assembly- District 65
-The seat of former Assemblyman Alexander B. Pete Grannis, a Democrat. Governor Spitzer appointed Grannis to be Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation in his cabinet. The district is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and includes most of the island between 59th St and 96 St, from Lexington Ave to the East River and Roosevelt Island. Grannis has held the seat for over 30 years. It was competitive back then, but may be overwhelmingly Democratic today. Special Election yet to be set.
4.) New York City Council District 40
-The seat of now Democratic Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. District is located mainly in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Is heavily Democratic. Special Election to be held February 20th
5.) New York City Council District 51
-The seat of now Republican State Senator Andrew Lanza. District is located in Southern Staten Island and includes the neighorhoods of Tottenville, Huguenot, Annadale, and Rossville. It is the city's most Republican seat. Special Election to be held February 20th. The only announced candidate in Republican State Assemblyman Vincent Ignizio
If Ignizio wins the Council race, there will be ANOTHER special election...so stay tuned
