Mondellosaurus
Here is another reason the dinosaur, New York State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello must step down.
It’s 5:00pm and I am checking my e-mail while watching my local news station (WRGB Ch6 Albany). Fred Dicker -the NY Post Capitol Editor and WRGB’s political consultant is on air discussing with Liz Bishop Carolyn Kennedy’s decision to back out of the US Senate race after she learned that Gov. Patterson is going to pick Gillibrand to replace Hillary Clinton.
As I was dancing with glee in response to the news about Kennedy (although not about Gillibrand), I get this e-mail statement from State Chair Joe Mondello bashing the State Democrats for their support for Carolyn Kennedy.
You have to feel sorry for Governor David Paterson. It seems everyone who is anyone in the Democratic Party has an opinion about the appointment that only he is empowered to make to replace Hillary Clinton in the United States Senate.
The majority of those who have weighed in on this critical choice are betting that Paterson can be bullied, cajoled, flattered, threatened and out-maneuvered to make Caroline Kennedy New York’s next junior Senator. But as her political credentials are inspected New Yorkers are discovering she hasn’t voted in any number of elections, has yet to reveal her financial background, has the disquieting habit of presenting her ideas in half-sentences peppered with “you know,” and has hardly ever contributed to even New York Democrats. In short, her primary credential seems to be her family’s history and the media’s frenzied interest in the next chapter of the Camelot saga.
In other words, it’s Democratic politics as usual. Entitlement. If anyone else dared presume that lineage alone entitled one to one of New York’s seats in the U.S. Senate they would be roundly greeted by a well-deserved Bronx cheer. Even Hillary Clinton sought a Senate seat with far more impressive credentials, and she had to be told the Yankees play in the Bronx.
There remains an underlying principle of the Democratic Party that punishes those who work hard and succeed on their own merits. Work hard and the Democrats ensure you will be taxed from the moment you rise until the day you are dead. Just look at the latest Paterson budget with its blizzard of more than one hundred new user fees and extra taxes placed on everything from Ipods and taxi rides to movies and beer. If it moves, tax it. If a recession blasted New Yorker gets enjoyment from something, tax it double. It may be the most regressive tax plan in the state’s history. No wonder it’s a Democratic document.
Merit, hard work, commitment, professionalism, self-initiative, all the forces that have defined this nation’s strength, are irrelevant as the Democrats seek to position Caroline Kennedy as Mrs. Clinton’s heir apparent. She may be privately gracious, but those who seek to launch Caroline Kennedy’s political career are only confirming what the working people of New York are beginning to recognize: the Democrats will victimize personal success, as evidenced by an avalanche of new taxes or by ignoring the genuine political professionals whose hard work in the political vineyards gives them a real claim to a seat in the U.S. Senate — and anoint a name. Political pundits keep chiding, “When will the New York Republicans define themselves?” In the wake of this double shot of
Democratic political arrogance, the answer is quite simple. We are the party that stands for the working Joe and Joan where personal success and hard work mean something. Where your last dime isn’t taken as a tax and where your family name is about what you accomplished – not your father, or your uncles or your cousins. It’s about a political party where personal responsibility is rewarded, not punished or victimized or taxed. That still means something in this country and it is the Republican platform that will be left standing long after this latest mess is cleaned up and disposed of. Will Caroline inherit a seat in the U.S. Senate? Only if the Democrats stay true to their principles.
HELLO JOE! YOUR A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT!
Joe, I have to agree with some of your criticisms about the Democratic Party, but your message is a little late. She’s already out of the race, and they have already proved your words wrong. It nice to see you have finally gotten the balls to speak out. Unfortunately you have already lost every statewide office as well as a 70 -year Republican reign of the State Senate.
ONCE AGAIN YOUR A LITTLE LATE!
Finally, some good news for New York’s taxpayers. You can read it for yourself here.Gov. David Patterson withdrew his recommended “new fees”in the state budget. I bet it has a lot to do with how poorly he is doing in the polls. What do you think?
It’s really frustrating to watch the business as usual that is going on in the Republican Party. 
On a slightly different note, Niagara County GOP Chair Henry Wojtaszek has been making the rounds and speaking to various republican groups throughout the different counties. People close to Henry say as the State GOP’s Upstate rep, he’s trying to rebuild and unify the county GOPs from the ground up. When asked if he is looking to challenge Mondello for the chairmanship, they deny that that is his intentions, but they also did not rule it out. You can see Henry at a Rensselaer County GOP function in February. More details to come.
I was sitting at by my computer last night toying around on the Internet when the thought about how Governor Patterson’s proposed taxes would affect my daily life. Working in and out of politics for years I have come to the understanding that: although highly intelligent, the average New York voter probably does not truly understand or should I say appreciate how the governor’s proposals would affect their daily life.
