Mitt Romney:
How bad does this guy have to feel? Has there ever been a front runner for a Presidential nomination so disliked by his party? Victor Davis Hanson called him the "Castor Oil Candidate" since most of his "supporters" are planning to hold their noses and swallow when it comes time to vote for him. I guess I'm one of them. I will probably vote for him, but I'm not going to like it.
Herman Cain:
Enough already! At this point, I can't listen to the guy anymore. He is starting to make Bill Clinton look like a priest.
Sandra Doorley:
So much for that tradition of non-partisanship in the District Attorney's office. Its great that she didn't even wait until her regular term started up to drop the axe on GOP ADAs. Look, she's entitled to have a loyal staff of her choosing. I just wish the Democrat & Chronicle could report the news in town with a semblance of fairness.
Democrat & Chronicle:
Speaking of the D&C, I wonder how long it will be until Sandy Frankel gets a job in Albany, and, when she does, will the D&C run a periodic column titled "What are Bob and Sandy Doing"?
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
It Wasn't His Night
On further review, my concern regarding a lack of East Side GOP support for Gino Nitti in the Monroe County Court race appears to have been unfounded.
A close look at the numbers shows mostly minor differences in the vote on the GOP line on both sides of the Genesee. There appears to have been no basis for my concerns.
It simply looks like there weren't enough votes in the GOP suburbs to overcome the big Democrat majority for Randall in the City and Brighton. I guess Monroe County voters just wanted to hedge their bets. They went big for Maggie and the GOP Legislature candidates but shied away from Nitti and Taylor.
Given my erroneous snap judgment, I surrender my "political scientist" license.
A close look at the numbers shows mostly minor differences in the vote on the GOP line on both sides of the Genesee. There appears to have been no basis for my concerns.
It simply looks like there weren't enough votes in the GOP suburbs to overcome the big Democrat majority for Randall in the City and Brighton. I guess Monroe County voters just wanted to hedge their bets. They went big for Maggie and the GOP Legislature candidates but shied away from Nitti and Taylor.
Given my erroneous snap judgment, I surrender my "political scientist" license.
Hanson: Fat Lady Hasn't Sung Yet For USA
Victor Davis Hanson has always been one of my favorite columnists. I think its partly because he is an historian and he is able to view current issues in light of historical perspectives.
In this essay from the National Review Online, Hanson reminds us that things have looked bad for America before but we have always pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and held our place in the forefront of nations. He notes that we have serious problems today and that many commentators see China as our inevitable successor. But he also points out, that at other times of economic trouble, those same pundits thought that Germany or the Soviets or Japan or the EU would supplant the US. He also calls out our many strengths as a nation.
Here are two paragraphs:
"We forget sometimes that there are a host of small, vulnerable nations that apparently still assume that the United States, alone, can and will come to their aid. Without America, it is hard to see how Israel can survive, or that Kurdistan would ever have become autonomous, or that bankrupt and vulnerable Greece will have independence of action in a tough neighborhood, or that Taiwan will continue as we have known it. No one is talking about the defense of Europe as it implodes — apparently on the supposition that NATO is de facto American and will continue to protect the continent from outside threats and discourage historical tensions from within. The truth is that in the decades ahead, weak and vulnerable states will look to the U.S. military as never before.
A billion adolescents worldwide are growing up with Apple iPhones, iPods, and iPads; with Facebook accounts, Amazon online ordering, Google searches, and Walmart discount purchasing. These are not Russian, French, Chinese, or Japanese companies, but American inventions that uniquely appeal to the human desire for economy, ease of use, wide choice, informality, and transparency. No other country could have invented them — or the next generation to come. The idea of a Chinese-invented Google is a paradox, a Russian Facebook a joke, a Japanese-inspired Walmart impossible."
This is VDH at his best. He's telling that its too soon to throw in the towel. Its worth taking the time to read it all. Trust me, you'll feel a little better about our prospects.
In this essay from the National Review Online, Hanson reminds us that things have looked bad for America before but we have always pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and held our place in the forefront of nations. He notes that we have serious problems today and that many commentators see China as our inevitable successor. But he also points out, that at other times of economic trouble, those same pundits thought that Germany or the Soviets or Japan or the EU would supplant the US. He also calls out our many strengths as a nation.
Here are two paragraphs:
"We forget sometimes that there are a host of small, vulnerable nations that apparently still assume that the United States, alone, can and will come to their aid. Without America, it is hard to see how Israel can survive, or that Kurdistan would ever have become autonomous, or that bankrupt and vulnerable Greece will have independence of action in a tough neighborhood, or that Taiwan will continue as we have known it. No one is talking about the defense of Europe as it implodes — apparently on the supposition that NATO is de facto American and will continue to protect the continent from outside threats and discourage historical tensions from within. The truth is that in the decades ahead, weak and vulnerable states will look to the U.S. military as never before.
A billion adolescents worldwide are growing up with Apple iPhones, iPods, and iPads; with Facebook accounts, Amazon online ordering, Google searches, and Walmart discount purchasing. These are not Russian, French, Chinese, or Japanese companies, but American inventions that uniquely appeal to the human desire for economy, ease of use, wide choice, informality, and transparency. No other country could have invented them — or the next generation to come. The idea of a Chinese-invented Google is a paradox, a Russian Facebook a joke, a Japanese-inspired Walmart impossible."
This is VDH at his best. He's telling that its too soon to throw in the towel. Its worth taking the time to read it all. Trust me, you'll feel a little better about our prospects.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Did Nitti Suffer From "East Side/West Side" GOP Divide?
I have to wonder if Gino Nitti's County Court race crashed on the rocks of the East Side/West Side split among Monroe County Republicans.
I haven't really looked close enough at the numbers in the canvas, but a quick look at the results in Pittsford, Perinton, Penfield and Mendon seem to show that Nitti under-performed other GOP candidates (including Bill Taylor) in those Towns. I won't fully jump the gun until I can thoroughly look at the canvas, but Nitti would not be the first County-wide candidate from the West Side to get a cool reception from East Side Republicans.
I'll be back after the week-end with a more definitive review.
I haven't really looked close enough at the numbers in the canvas, but a quick look at the results in Pittsford, Perinton, Penfield and Mendon seem to show that Nitti under-performed other GOP candidates (including Bill Taylor) in those Towns. I won't fully jump the gun until I can thoroughly look at the canvas, but Nitti would not be the first County-wide candidate from the West Side to get a cool reception from East Side Republicans.
I'll be back after the week-end with a more definitive review.
Swan Song For Swanton
I saw Sue Swanton as I picked up the vote tally at Hidden Valley on Election Night. Sue was working as a Democratic Party election inspector/site chair.
This was Sue's last election in Gates. She bought her family home in Rush and she will be moving shortly.
Sue was a three time candidate for Gates Supervisor and long-time Gates Democratic Party leader. In fact, Sue resurrected the Democratic party in Gates and turned it into a formidable organization. In 2007, she came within a small number of votes of unseating GOP legend Ralph Esposito.
I have been involved in Gates politics for 30 years and Gates GOP leader for 20. I have seen a number of Democratic party leaders and candidates over those years. Sue was head and shoulders above the rest. I did not agree with her on many issues and we exchanged a few cross words now and then, but Sue did make the Democrats a party to reckon with.
I wish her well in her new endeavors, but I won't miss her as a political opponent. On the other hand, the Gates Democratic party already misses her.
This was Sue's last election in Gates. She bought her family home in Rush and she will be moving shortly.
Sue was a three time candidate for Gates Supervisor and long-time Gates Democratic Party leader. In fact, Sue resurrected the Democratic party in Gates and turned it into a formidable organization. In 2007, she came within a small number of votes of unseating GOP legend Ralph Esposito.
I have been involved in Gates politics for 30 years and Gates GOP leader for 20. I have seen a number of Democratic party leaders and candidates over those years. Sue was head and shoulders above the rest. I did not agree with her on many issues and we exchanged a few cross words now and then, but Sue did make the Democrats a party to reckon with.
I wish her well in her new endeavors, but I won't miss her as a political opponent. On the other hand, the Gates Democratic party already misses her.
Muscato v. McIntee
One of the most interesting facets of this year's Gates' election was the "interplay" bewteen Democrat candidates Frank Muscato and Mark McIntee. Muscato is the current Democrat leader and previously unsuccessful candidate for the County Legislature. McIntee was the lone Democrat on the Town Board.
I was quite surprised when Muscato announced that he would be running for a Town Board seat. I assumed that even the most optimistic person realized that Chris Diponzio was a mortal lock to win re-election and that neither Muscato nor McIntee could beat him. As such, Muscato had to believe he could beat McIntee, otherwise, there was no point in running.
Even if Muscato wasn't aiming to unseat McIntee, his candidacy did hurt him. I know that a certain number of people think its a good idea to vote for one Democrat and one Republican in a Town Board race. If McIntee was the only Democrat running, he would have received all of those votes. With Frank in the race, those votes were split up, lowering Mark's possible best result.
Further, Muscato's being in the race led to McIntee running the wrong campaign. If he ran alone, Mark could have claimed that as the Democrat "watchdog" on the Board, he kept the GOP in line. He could have tried to take credit for many of the good results garnered by the Town Board, like tax cuts, budget surplusses, economic development and the new Library. (In actual fact, Mark was a pretty toothless watchdog, voting with the GOP majority well over 90% of the time; but it would have been a good campaign posture).
Instead, as Muscato's running mate, McIntee was reduced to making arcane arguments regarding the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Public Safety Building, the execution of the Library lease, and the hiring of ...gasp!... a Republican!... as Deputy Town Clerk. That negative campaign went absolutely nowhere and contributed to the nearly 2 to 1 thrashing the Dems took at the polls.
When Frank Muscato announced his candidacy, I asked Mark why Frank didn't like him. Mark scoffed at the question. Given the way things turned out, maybe Mark ought to be asking that question himself.
I was quite surprised when Muscato announced that he would be running for a Town Board seat. I assumed that even the most optimistic person realized that Chris Diponzio was a mortal lock to win re-election and that neither Muscato nor McIntee could beat him. As such, Muscato had to believe he could beat McIntee, otherwise, there was no point in running.
Even if Muscato wasn't aiming to unseat McIntee, his candidacy did hurt him. I know that a certain number of people think its a good idea to vote for one Democrat and one Republican in a Town Board race. If McIntee was the only Democrat running, he would have received all of those votes. With Frank in the race, those votes were split up, lowering Mark's possible best result.
Further, Muscato's being in the race led to McIntee running the wrong campaign. If he ran alone, Mark could have claimed that as the Democrat "watchdog" on the Board, he kept the GOP in line. He could have tried to take credit for many of the good results garnered by the Town Board, like tax cuts, budget surplusses, economic development and the new Library. (In actual fact, Mark was a pretty toothless watchdog, voting with the GOP majority well over 90% of the time; but it would have been a good campaign posture).
Instead, as Muscato's running mate, McIntee was reduced to making arcane arguments regarding the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Public Safety Building, the execution of the Library lease, and the hiring of ...gasp!... a Republican!... as Deputy Town Clerk. That negative campaign went absolutely nowhere and contributed to the nearly 2 to 1 thrashing the Dems took at the polls.
When Frank Muscato announced his candidacy, I asked Mark why Frank didn't like him. Mark scoffed at the question. Given the way things turned out, maybe Mark ought to be asking that question himself.
Gates: GOP Wins, Dems Whine
The Gates GOP candidates were all easy winners in Tuesday's election; meanwhile the Democrat losers could only whine about their defeat.
Mark Assini and Chris DiPonzio were re-elected to second terms as Supervisor and Town Board member, respectively. Dick Warner and Sam Valleriani were elected in first time runs for Town Board and Town Justice. Steve Tucciarello won a third term in the County Legislature's 4th District and Tony Micciche knocked out Democrat incumbent Steven "the Artiste" Eckel in the 26th.
DiPonzio and Warner bested Democrats Mark McIntee and Frank Muscato for their Town Board seats. McIntee and Muscato were both quoted in the Gates-Chili Post as lamenting the loss of "checks and balances" in Town government and failure of turnout by voters.
The Democrat's problems with the voters were amply displayed by their lame and self-absorbed whining. The people of Gates spoke (rather decisively, at that). The Assini administration is leading them in the right direction. The Democrat's campaign effort at denigrating the accomplishments of Assini and the Town government never gained the slightest traction. The only people concerned with the "process" instead of the results were Messrs. McIntee and Muscato.
Maybe the Democrats should stop talking, stop posturing and start listening to the voices of Gates residents.
Mark Assini and Chris DiPonzio were re-elected to second terms as Supervisor and Town Board member, respectively. Dick Warner and Sam Valleriani were elected in first time runs for Town Board and Town Justice. Steve Tucciarello won a third term in the County Legislature's 4th District and Tony Micciche knocked out Democrat incumbent Steven "the Artiste" Eckel in the 26th.
DiPonzio and Warner bested Democrats Mark McIntee and Frank Muscato for their Town Board seats. McIntee and Muscato were both quoted in the Gates-Chili Post as lamenting the loss of "checks and balances" in Town government and failure of turnout by voters.
The Democrat's problems with the voters were amply displayed by their lame and self-absorbed whining. The people of Gates spoke (rather decisively, at that). The Assini administration is leading them in the right direction. The Democrat's campaign effort at denigrating the accomplishments of Assini and the Town government never gained the slightest traction. The only people concerned with the "process" instead of the results were Messrs. McIntee and Muscato.
Maybe the Democrats should stop talking, stop posturing and start listening to the voices of Gates residents.
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