Chairman’s Note
I want to first start this week’s wrap up by thanking doctors, nurses, EMT’S, medical professionals, first responders, truck drivers, grocery stores, pharmacies, and everyone else across New York State who has been on the front lines of this fight. I am eternally grateful for your perseverance. We are all, in one way or another, touched by this epidemic. My thoughts and prayers are with our great state.
Coronavirus and What It Means for Candidates
We are living through unprecedented times. Schools have been suspended, businesses across the state have been forced to close, and the Governor has ordered 100% of the non-essential workforce to remain at home in order to help “flatten the curve”, further preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Politically, it has disrupted our calendar, as well as the petition period, which was cut 16 days short. The good news is, the Conservative Party, and county leaders, did everything they needed to do to ensure the party runs a full slate of candidates for federal, state, and local offices. We are excited about our candidates statewide and want to reaffirm our commitment to them, and you, that once we have beaten the virus, we will be doing everything we can to help them get elected.
Discussions to postpone the April 28th Democratic primary to a date in June are ongoing as Board of Election Commissioners statewide are encouraging the Governor to act fast on pushing back the date.
“We have election workers who don’t want to work. We have polling places who don’t want us to be there. We have this stay at home order that we don’t know when that’s going to be lifted,” Onondaga BOE Democratic Deputy Commissioner Dustin Czarny said.
De Blasio Sputters as Trump, Cuomo Shine
In the midst of a public health crisis in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio has once again proven his detractors right, he is not up to the job. At a time when the city needs a steady, calming voice to lead the way, the Mayor has fallen short and left NYC residents scrambling to President Trump and Governor Cuomo for answers.
The Mayor continues his attempt to lay blame at the feet of the President, but a recent NY Post article confirms what we already knew, de Blasio himself botched the city’s response to the Coronavirus epidemic from the very beginning, waiting until March 6 to begin ordering the essential supplies needed to fight the virus. Now, according to the article, his administration is in disarray, and not sure where to go.
There are a series of blunders the Mayor wishes he could have back, including this March 2 tweet, “Since I’m encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, I thought I would offer some suggestions” de Blasio says, before going on to suggest going to the theatre to see a movie.
Meanwhile, President Trump and Governor Cuomo dominate the headlines. 60% of American’s approve of the President’s response to the health crisis, while Governor Cuomo is being touted as a potential Vice President pick of Joe Biden. Some going as far to suggest that the Governor should be the Democrats nominee for President this November. The President and Governor have often praised each other for their work on behalf of New Yorker’s, while both contradicting and minimizing the Mayor. I guess we can credit de Blasio with one thing; he has managed to bring President Trump and Governor Cuomo into thinking he is in over his head.
We are grateful for the excellent coordination that is being shown between the President and Governor. Their combined efforts are likely saving lives, and will hopefully shorten the duration of the virus. The Mayor, however, has been a miserable failure with his daily hysterical rantings, lack of leadership, and desire to politicize the crisis whenever he gets the chance.
Crisis and the Economy
This crisis has presented a complicated scenario in which the economy cannot be allowed to crash, but cannot be allowed to operate as usual in the interest of Americans and their safety. That, alone, can have long term consequences that could compete with the dangers of the Coronavirus.
A much-needed boost was provided when the United States Senate and House passed the CARES Act, a relief bill – headed to the President for his signature – that will provide Americans, small businesses and large corporations who have been hurt, at no fault of their own, with much needed relief. The package includes $1,200 for Americans who make $75,000 or less, $2,400 per married couple, and $500 per child.
While I am no fan of the entire bill, which Democrats used as a slush fund for many other non-Coronavirus related items, I do realize there is a significant need to provide aid for the millions of Americans who have, and will continue, to lose their jobs.
The President has voiced his interest in re-opening many aspects of the economy on April 12 in areas that have not been greatly affected by the virus, but insists he will do so at the advice and consultation of White House Coronavirus task force experts, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx, and others.
New York Times Tries to Spread Panic About Ventilators, Gets Epically Fact-Checked
Dr. Birx: Coronavirus Data Doesn’t Match The Doomsday Media Predictions
NY Times Front Page: Trump Cynically ‘Rewriting History’ to Save His Reelection
Coronavirus stimulus checks will come within three weeks, Mnuchin says
Pelosi hints at what Dems could include in next coronavirus bill
Billionaire Who Helped Rehab Jeffrey Epstein’s Image Drops $1.5 Million to Boost Biden.