The Daily Signal writes about the Clive Bundy Nevada land rights case and explains why Americans are right to fear government.  It is a good analysis of the overreach of government agencies, that fortunately ended without violence and all charges being dropped.  What should be added to this article, is a simple fact: the federal judge, Gloria Navarro, ruled on the law.  What would the results have been if the case came before an activist judge who interprets the law to make their case?  Kudos to Judge Gloria Navarro, who, incidentally, was appointed by Barack Obama. 

Bad news for Governor Andrew Cuomo:   NEW YORK IS UNLIKELY TO DEFEAT THE NEW FEDERAL TAX LAW IN COURT

Mayor de Blasio always shirks responsibility, always has a way to deflect blame, but, on NYCHA’s lack of heat, there is no excuse.  He has been Mayor for 4 years and has a responsibility, as does any landlord, to make certain that essential needs are accommodated.

Here is another millstone for Mayor de Blasio’s neck:  JHS80.  A school he says is improving, while teachers beg for help. 

The Supreme Court will rule on Janus v. AFSCME by the end of June and the ruling could have an enormous effect on politics in New York State.  The Empire Center explains the importance of this case here .  Watch this case, it could really change New York’s politics. 

The Daily Signal has an article on another problem,  the spending of union dues,  and encourages Congress to pass the Employee Rights Act . 

This will be another interesting case, should the US Supreme Court choose to hear it.   

You know a reporter/blogger can be trusted when they admit they have been wrong.  Larry Horist’s is one of a rare few who, not only admits he was wrong, but has written a column, Glad to be wrong: the story of Open Books.

Did Admiral Mike Rogers save the US from a massive constitutional crisis?  Read this.   Be grateful our Founding Fathers had an instinctive distrust for government and gave control of the new country to the citizens of the Republic. 

Guy Benson opines on the latest tax reform catastrophe…quite unlike Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s predictions.

More good news: EPA set to reduce staff 50% in Trump’s first term.  

The AP is reporting that President Trump suggests 2-phase immigration deal for ‘Dreamer.   

Our featured luncheon speaker, Corey Lewandowski, appeared on Fox News Sunday yesterday, to discuss the “complete fabrication” of the tell-all book, Fire, and Fury.  Mr. Lewandowski was an integral part of the Trump Campaign, while Michael Wolf was not.  Come and hear Mr. Lewandowski  at our 51st Annual CPPAC.  Click here for our registration form and if you are one of the first 100 responders, you will receive a copy of Let Trump be Trump, the honest, accurate NY Times best selling book, signed by co-authors, Corey Lewandowski, and David Bossie.

In case you missed this on Saturday, it is an excellent analysis of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s  proposal to study the feasibility of “a major shift” of New York’s state tax burden from individuals (who will be losing federal deductions) to businesses (which will be keeping them), via a new statewide payroll tax on employers.  Today’s NY Post follows up with and editorial:  Cuomo’s desperate bid to avoid the truth about New York taxes.   The editorial also reminds him of the wise words he once declared, “New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation.”

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis had this to say in Saturday’s Staten Island Advance:  Tax bill hurts New York? Look to Albany, not Washington, governor. Assemblywoman Malliotakis is also scheduled to address our 51st Annual Conference in the Radisson Hotel Albany.  Don’t forget to register for our event.   

Larry Kudlow writes in the NY Sun:  Bannon Down, Market Up Signals the Resurgence Of Real American Populism.  

A Chicago Tribune editorial has some sage advice for big-spending politicians. 

This is a disgraceful decision by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lynn Kotler.  How will she respond if Timothy Wood falls asleep again and passengers die as they did in 2003?  Her term is up in 2019, if she runs again, will people remember how special interest outweighed common sense?

A lot of money that should be put to better use.

This is NOT how you drain the swamp, nor is it good policy. 

Law Enforcement Backs Sessions’s Ending of Hands-Off Approach to Marijuana. 

Robert Knight opines on the Unmasking the folly of ‘emperors.’

Ethics is missing in many liberal psychiatrists, and that is a dangerous precedent.

 

It’s a new year, but some things never change: global warming hysteria is still pervasive, the Democrats continue to become more radical, Albany is still rife with corruption and socialized health care still doesn’t work. 

Through it all, you can count on the Conservative Party to deliver good ideas and great speakers at our 51st Annual Conservative Party Political Action Conference (CPPAC), which we’re hosting this year on January 28-29. Here are the details – I hope to see you there!

No surprise here: Hillary Clinton is still crooked. Fortunately, the Trump Administration seems very determined to get to the bottom of all the Clinton Inc. corruption.

I think holding Hillary accountable would be a great New Year’s resolution for the Trump White House, but there are many other possibilities – from getting health care right and continuing to spark economic growth to defanging the United Nations, defunding Planned Parenthood and detecting voter fraud.

What do you think should be President Trump’s TOP New Year’s Resolution? That’s question #1 in our first Weekly Poll of 2018. 

Meanwhile the great American ideal of E Pluribus Unum – “Out of Many, One” – is being hijacked by Andrew Cuomo to push his left-wing agenda and his personal political ambitions. 

What do you think is the TRUE meaning of these words? That’s the second question in our new Weekly Poll. 

Cuomo is the focus of our third Weekly Poll question as well: We know he wants the White House, but what’s the MAIN reason you would never vote for Andrew Cuomo for President? 

I look forward to your responses and to sharing my weekly insights with you throughout 2018. Happy New Year, and have a great weekend!

Anyone who was listening to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State yesterday, had the same reaction as the NY Post did:  Cuomo’s State of the State was all about 2020.    

It was interesting to listen to Gov. Cuomo say how vulnerable Penn Station is and how he wants to restructure and rebuild it … when the subway system is failing their riders daily. 

It was interesting to listen to Gov. Cuomo say that no taxpayer funds should be used to pay for any public official’s sexual harassment or misconduct and that that no state or local government enter into a secret nondisclosure agreement, knowing full well that, Gov. Cuomo’s appointee, former Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (who was reprimanded for having an affair with an intern while in the Assembly)  had to leave his position at the Empire State Development Corp. due to his wanting to continue a romantic relationship that a woman wanted to end.  Ah yes, once caught, feign indignation! 

It was interesting to listen to Gov. Cuomo call for spending a several progressive ideas, for example, increasing the current 5.9 cents per meal to 25 cents per meal for any school district that purchases at least 30% of its ingredients from New York farms, requiring breakfast after the bell, expand pre-kindergarten for 3 and 4-year-olds, while he acknowledged a $4 billion deficit and a loss of $2 billion in federal aid. 

Those are just a few of the interesting items in the State of the State.  For more on the State of the State, click here for the Governor’s release. 

Chris Churchill opines in the Times Union on the Governor’s speech.  Mr. Churchill’s humor takes some of the sting out of the Governor’s speech.  

Here is what Matt Vespa thinks of Governor Cuomo’s plan file a lawsuit against the GOP tax plan. 

The Auburnpub.com had some sage advice for the Governor, albeit, he didn’t listen.   

We will know more  about the Governor’s plans when the budget is released in two weeks. 

The Manhattan Institute takes Mayor de Blasio to task on his spending. 

Rich Lowry opines in the NY Post:  President Trump is only telling the truth about MS-13.

From the Cato Institute:  Fraud ‘unavoidable’ in gov’t-run healthcare.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, read this:  Apocalypse Now: Even More US Businesses Awarding Bonuses, Raising Wages, Expanding Due to Tax Reform. 

Communism and Millennials. 

One day late (again, my apologies) Wednesday’s with Walter E. Williams. 

Happy New Year.

Welcome to 2018 – a year that will be politics on steroids as New York and the Nation decide if our Founding Fathers had the right solution for individual freedom to survive.   New York will elect a US Senator, Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller, Attorney General, 27 Members of Congress, 63 State Senators, 150 State Assembly Members and countless local officials.  The coming elections depend on your participation and knowledge of what the candidates stand for and what they hope to accomplish, if elected.   Our Founding Fathers called for limited government; hardly what elected officials call for now.  Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State, tomorrow, will call for programs that encourage dependency on government.  The question becomes, who pays the bill for government’s generosity?  Since government is not a corporation that sells a product and only has taxpayers to fund it, you, the hard-working individual is forced to pay for government largess.   The decision is yours to make on November 6, 2018.

Harry Wilson will not run for governor.  (See related NY Post and NY Daily News articles with Chairman Long quotes.)  We are an organization that understands and champions the bonds of family, we appreciate his decision.  Running for office is an arduous undertaking under any circumstance, even more so when you are raising young children.  His obligation to his family came first, and that is why, if he does run for office someday, his commitment will be for all the right reasons. 

Below are some articles of interest you may have missed over the holidays:

Cuomo’s latest ‘economic development’ fiasco.

How Con Ed customers will pay for Cuomo’s no-pipe(line) dreams.

And you thought NY’s $420M giveaway to movie moguls was bad?

For New York businesses, expect more pain in 2018.

A New Year’s challenge for New York’s governor.

How much will it cost to build NY State Fair Expo Center?

How Obama manipulated sensitive secret intelligence for political gain. 

Embattled FBI admits it can’t verify dossier claims of Russia, Trump campaign collusion.

Cutting Through the Media’s Falsehoods About ‘Dreamers.’

Trump’s Strong Start on Policy.

The Difference Between How Conservatives, Liberals Define Patriotism.

On a very sad note we have lost a tireless voice for life.   J. J. Hanson, passed away on Saturday, December 30, 2017.  J. J. Hanson was a former Marine who suffered from brain cancer and became a vocal opponent of physician-assisted suicide, man devoted to the importance of life.   We had the privilege of hearing him address our 49th CPPAC.  J. J. Hanson was a man everyone would be proud to call a friend.  Rest in Peace, Mr. Hanson.  Semper Fi.

Today’s NY Post editorial has good advice for New Yorkers:  Watch your wallet, NY: Cuomo wants to ‘restructure’ taxes.

Nicole Gelinas also has good advice for her readers:  Beware of the media inflating the bitcoin bubble. 

George J. Marlin opines about our NY Governor Cuomo Versus the Trump Tax Cuts. 

Trump Reverses the Obama Doctrine on Iran.

Trump to Iran: US Is Watching.  

China covertly offering North Korea missiles, aid to halt nuclear program.  

Here Are The 18 States That Could Learn A Brutal Lesson In Minimum Wage Hikes.

President Trump is closing out a good month that caps what has been a phenomenal first year of his administration – though this is something the media refuses to report. 

Here is a list of the Trump Administration’s many accomplishments for 2017 – what would you say is the President’s biggest success story this year? That’s the first question in our new Weekly Poll. 

And as the President and conservatives in Congress offer the country a nice Christmas present in the form of tax relief, let’s think ahead a bit: What do you think is the best “gift” President Trump and Congress could give taxpayers in 2018? That’s the second question in our new Weekly Poll, and there are plenty of important issues for our elected officials to tackle.

With Nancy Pelosi leading the way, Democrats deserve a lump of coal for their unhinged response to the Trump tax cuts. Why are they so panicked? Rush Limbaugh has a theory that I agree with – basically, the left are terrified that tax cuts will actually strengthen the country.

In truth, nearly every household will receive a tax cut, and taxpayers will start seeing the benefits almost immediately. So when you see the media’s endless stories about how unpopular tax cuts are with the American people, remember these two words: Fake News.

Meanwhile the media’s silence is deafening when it comes to truly outrageous collusion between a U.S. president and a corrupt foreign entity – namely, President Obama’s pandering to Hezbollah to get his Iran deal passed. 

The United Nations’ behavior is scandalous as well, but fortunately America no longer takes this sort of hatred lying down.

Meanwhile Bill de Blasio is dreaming of a government takeover of the New York media; Hillary Clinton is seen as a Grinch by more and more Americans; visions of high taxes dance in Andrew Cuomo’s head this Christmas; all Kirsten Gillibrand wants for Christmas is to have her cake and eat it too; and oh what fun it is to watch Chuck Schumer beg for attention. 

Who do you think ranks highest on Santa’s “NOT NICE” list for 2017? That’s the third and final question in our new Weekly Poll. 

We’ll see you again in the new year – until then, the Conservative Party wishes you and your family  a very Merry Christmas and many blessings for 2018.
 

All the Trump Tax Bill needs now is his signature.  The naysayers were besides themselves, not  even capable of giving President Trump a “let’s hope this plan works.”  People like Senator Schumer, before voting and during the vote, did his best to shame the GOP and misrepresent the bill to Americans.    However, some who did not support Donald J. Trump’s run, have given the man credit for doing what is best for all of America.  The NY Sun gives President Trump a thumbs up; Jim Geraghty, in his Morning Jolt, gives Americans the Armageddon Updates;   Howard Kurtz says that sound you hear is “ice cracking around the media narrative surrounding President Trump,”  and Rich Lowry who writes in National Review, Give Trump Credit Where It’s Due. 

President Donald J Trump:  Kudos on a good year, may your best year lie ahead for America.

One of President Trump’s shinning stars:  Haley Hammers the UN: America Doesn’t Pay for the Privilege of Being Disrespected.

The NY Post says you can save a bundle on your taxes if you do this.  However, before you do, please check with the experts, since Fortune indicated that this loop hole was closed.  See paragraph 3 in the article. 

City schools’ chancellor Carmen Fariña is expected to announce her retirement.  Unfortunately, even under a new school chancellor, things will most likely remain the same as Mayor de Blasio has an iron grip on the chancellor due to his relationship with the teacher’s union.

This may be the most outlandish statement from Mayor de Blasio he has had the audacity to say out loud.  He certainly let his true socialistic bordering on communistic beliefs be truthfully displayed.  What dictator wouldn’t want the press to be under his control?   

A Judge gives Melissa Mark-Viverito a final slapdown.

There is only one way to change this:  NYC’s highest earners would be better off in Florida under new tax bill.  Cut spending and lower New York’s taxes!  Eliminate the job killing regulations and taxes.  Reduce the unfunded mandates on local governments.  Are you listening Governor Cuomo and all the Members of the Legislature?

There are ways to accomplish the “impossible,” as Robert P. Astorino points out in his Op-Ed in the NY Post.

This, however, will only continue to push people out of New York State. Does the Governor ever learn from his mistakes?   Here is another huge mistake by Governor Cuomo and one that he hopes to saddle NY tax payers with even more debt.  This wasteful spending must end. 

Another not-well-thought-out idea Governor Cuomo plans to try and sell New Yorkers. 

With all of Governor Cuomo’s progressive  ideas being put forward one has to ask:  Is this Governor Cuomo’s  goal?

The NY Post opines on the Governor’s pointless MTA blame game. 

Uber pretends to be altruistic while in reality they would stand to gain monetarily. 

Really, Mr. Giambra?  See what Chairman Long has to say about his possible candidacy here. 

One day late:  Wednesday’s with Walter E. Williams.  

Four years ago,, Governor Andrew Cuomo persuaded former Governor Pataki to co-chair his tax-cutting commission along with SUNY chairman Carl McCall, the former state comptroller.  Gov. Cuomo said appointing Pataki shows the panel will take in to account diverse view points and work in a bi-partisan partisan manner, unlike President Obama and Congress who had just let the federal government shut down.  Cuomo wanted the commission to come up with recommendations to reduce New York’s sky- high property tax burden and lower businesses taxes. Four years later New York still has sky high property and business taxes, but now, Governor Cuomo says it would be “preferable” to shut down the federal government if Congress passes the tax overhaul legislation.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo had four years to rectify the sky-high property and business taxes; but, now he is skewering the federal government for doing what he failed to accomplish.  The last thing Governor Cuomo wants to do in an election year is to cut spending which he acknowledges is what will have to be done, “If this tax bill actually gets passed,” Cuomo said, “it’s going to make the need to reduce property taxes even more urgent.”   The NYS Budget negotiations will be very attention-grabbing this year.

Guy Benson had this to say about the tax bill proposal:  Analysis: With Final Passage Likely, Tax Reform Delivers Conservative Policy Victories and Dishonest Liberal Hysteria.  And this:  Analysis from Left-Leaning Tax Policy Center: Actually, 80 Percent of Americans Get a Tax Cut Under GOP Plan.

Today the House, tonight the Senate.   Here is the Fox News report on the House Passage of the Tax Bill.  What the Tax Cut and Jobs Act Bill means to you.   (Photo Credit:  NBC News)

Jonathan S. Tobin opines in today’s NY Post:  Now, this is presidential obstruction.  

The Bangladeshi would-be bomber — a walking ad for Trump’s immigration policies.  

Trump’s national security strategy emphasizes economic prosperity and border protection.  Former Sen. Joe Lieberman had this to say:  America First, Trump’s Right.  Read this short (2 minute read) from the White House.  

Al Franken’s ability to ‘un-resign’ may be possible.

Charles Hurt:  Obama produced sinister miniseries for Democrats.  

With count complete, feds can start eliminating billions of dollars in wasted property.   (How did we ever become owners of these places in the first place?)

Many New Yorkers and others considered Governor Mario Cuomo an eloquent speaker.  The Huffington Post called Mario Cuomo one of the greatest orators in American History.  Governor Andrew Cuomo has been trying to emulate him all his life; he does not even come close.  Last week’s response  to an established Albany reporter may have damaged his quixotic national quest to accomplish what his father did not crave.  Yesterday, Governor Andrew Cuomo called the President’s tax bill “economic civil war.”  This from the man who proudly pits different regions in New York State against one another to be awarded coveted economic grants (that normally do not produce the promised results.)  Eloquent, hardly.  Political hyperbole, absolutely. 

The NY Post editorial opined that Governor Andrew Cuomo (and others who fall back on Bill Clinton’s prowess for fundraising) have a Bill Clinton problem.     

The projected NYS Budget deficit, currently estimated at $4.4 B, indicates that this will be a difficult year for all the special interest lobbyists who are always whining they need more money.  The cupboard is bare bones bare; be prepared for cuts not handouts, despite the promises being aired for political gain.  This idea would put even more small business out of business, creating an atmosphere where no one is working – or paying taxes — a catch-22 situation. 

The Citizens’ Budget Commission has a few questions for the Governor regarding the upcoming budget.  One thing I have not come across yet is, with interest rates slowly climbing, how much more will that cost taxpayers and how can New Yorkers possibly incur more debt. 

The Daily Signal is reporting that arrests of MS-13 Members, Associates are up 83% Under Trump.  This is great news.  Here is what President Trump said, “To any member of MS-13 listening, I have a message for you: We will find you. We will arrest you. We will jail you. We will throw you the hell out of the country,” speaking at the graduation ceremony for the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Here is Governor Andrew Cuomo’s response to the M-13:  Let’s use $15 M of taxpayer’s money to enroll at-risk youth in social and educational programs.  Seriously, Governor?  Do you really think social and educational programs are going to stop this? 

As we noted last week, empathy does not produce good policy. 

Another hypocrite the left leaning media love and fail to fully expose.  

But sometimes some pf the left leaning media due their best to expose the evil that needs to be exposed

This week the hunt for Trump/Russia connections continued to look more and more like a partisan witch hunt. It’s a sad day when Americans have to wonder if it was their FBI, not any foreign government, meddling in the country’s presidential election. 

It is hard to tell what’s the most alarming part of this saga – the incompetence, the corruption, or the FBI’s obvious pro-Clinton bias in 2016. Is it time to investigate the investigators? 

How would you describe your views on the FBI after this Trump investigation debacle? And how much have you lost trust in the FBI? Those are the first two questions in our new Weekly Poll. 

The Russia investigation is just one example of the left’s crusade against President Trump – here is another to remember for the liberals’ next batch of accusations against him.

This horrifying video foreshadows what’s to come in New York if “assisted suicide” is allowed to fully take hold. Do we really want Andrew Cuomo calculating how much each of us is worth?

As more signs point to a Trump economic recovery, will the GOP finally get tax relief over the finish line? Betsy McCaughey sees a lot to like but plenty of missed opportunities too. “The GOP tax bill gets an A for business tax reform,” she notes. “But it gets an ‘incomplete’ for failing to simplify the mind-numbing agony of filing taxes as an individual.”

This week the left had yet another meltdown – I’ve lost count of how many they’ve had since Tuesday, November 8 – this time over the end of so-called “Net Neutrality.” Here is what that means for the Internet (hint: It’s not the end of the world).

Speaking of our Weekly Poll, the Conservative Party had a scare this week when our online survey was suddenly out of commission for a while. The problem was resolved, but I wondered – who could have been responsible? Was the Alabama election Moore than we could handle? Was it the media’s favorite villain, Donald Trump?  Was Hillary trying to keep things quiet? Was our poll just not good enough for Marco Rubio?

I’ve rounded up the usual (and some unusual) suspects; vote on your favorite culprit in our third and final Weekly Poll question. Have fun with it – and have a great weekend!

Yesterday, one of the NY Post editorials headlines read, “Time to stop dodging the press, Gov. Cuomo.”   I’m fairly certain that Governor Cuomo wishes he had dodged the press yesterday as he inability to hide his contempt for being questioned became the news of the day.  When longtime Albany journalist, Karen DeWitt asked what his administration could do differently regarding the wave of sexual harassment allegations, Governor Cuomo admonished Ms. DeWitt.   Gov. Andrew Cuomo  said it was a societal issue and never answered the question directly, despite the fact that one of his appointees, former state economic development official Sam Hoyt, who resigned recently amid an investigation of a complaint about a relationship with a former state employee.  Mr. Hoyt, while in the Assembly was barred from participating in the Assembly internship and student mentoring program in 2008 after engaging in a relationship with an intern beginning in 2003.  (Photo credit:  AP)

Bombshell report from Comptroller DiNapoli:  State debt is debt is projected to reach $63.7 billion by the end of the fiscal year.  Comptroller DiNapoli on Thursday re-upped a series of borrowing reform proposals, including requiring voter approval of all borrowing, a proposal the Conservative Party has had in its platform for many years.  In fact, most of his propositions have been long held proposals called for in our Legislative Platform. 

More bad news for taxpayers:  Unfunded Liabilities of State Public Pensions Top $6 Trillion in 2017…New York state among the five worst. 

Notwithstanding the budget gloom hovering over New York State, Governor Andrew “Hunger Games” Cuomo continued to hand out economic development awards as he has since 2011.  Unfortunately, the return is sluggish at best…a waste of taxpayers’ money at worst.  Time for taxpayers to speak up and end this colossal waste of our money. 

This text, sent on August 15, 2016   – “I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy’s office that there’s no way he gets elected — but I’m afraid we can’t take that risk. It’s like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you’re 40…,” set off quite the firestorm.  Bryon York writes about it in the Washington Examiner and Ben Shapiro writes about it in the Daily Wire.  Is it the text that may wound the special investigation beyond repair?  When Peter Strzok appears before Congress – if he does –will we be told what he meant or will he plead the fifth?  One thing is certain, special prosecutor Mueller, by filling his team with political activists(albeit, he did fire some) he has set himself up to tarnish his own  once sterling reputation. 

David Keen opines on what happens when Trump associates won’t “co-operate.”