I take no pleasure in seeing the Spitzer family suffer greatly as they surely are right now. But I take no pity on Spitzer himself. He is an egomaniacal socialist whose policies will ruin this state. His actions have revealed an incredible arrogance, indicating he believed himself untouchable. Oh how the mighty have fallen!

A quick review: Spitzer tried to grant illegal aliens driver’s licenses so they could more easily vote (Democrat). He’s trying to tax Internet purchases by New Yorkers–the only people in the country for which this would be the case. He’s trying to shut down nuclear plants that provide 25% of New York City’s electricity. He wants to extend health care coverage to the middle class–socializing health care in New York. He presides over the largest Medicaid budget in the 50 states–and wants to expand it more. The man’s socialist insanity knows no bounds.

If he resigns tonight–good riddance. I know nothing about the Lieutenant Governor, David Paterson, but I doubt he can do worse than Spitzer. The official website says he is blind, he was the first African American to serve as the minority leader of the New York State Senate, and is an adjunct professor at Columbia University. I have a feeling we’ll be getting to know a lot more about Mr. Paterson in the coming days.

The point of this post is not to “pile on” Spitzer or rejoice in his undoing–as fun as that may be. The purpose is to point out how liberals are reacting to the story. Here’s a typical reaction, and not at all unsurprising, posted on the Daily Kos website (a well-known bastion of far-left discourse):

At $5500/hour, the Emperor’s Club prostitutes cost Spitzer approximately the same as Rudy’s security detail cost the taxpayers of NYC every time that Rudy went to the Hamptons on a tryst with Judy.

Isn’t that sad and pathetic? Liberals are so predictable. As predictable as children. How many times have you heard this very line of defense from the mouth of a child? You catch a child red-handed doing something wrong, and the first thing from their mouth is, “But my brother/sister/friend/enemy has done the same thing–or something worse!” They quickly try to shift the blame to someone else. Come on Kos. This kindergarten response is unworthy of the superior brainpower of the left, don’t you think?

So dear reader, as you watch and listen to the mainstream media (MSM) cover this story over the next few days, see how many times this leftist kindergarten-like defense is offered to excuse the inexcusable. Liberals. So predictable.

UPDATE–March 11: No resignation last night…the watching and waiting continues. In the meantime, for examples of Spitzer’s mafia Don-like behavior, see Michelle Malkin’s post which contains an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal recounting just some of his abuses of power (scroll to the bottom of the post).

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, Spitzer prostitution, David Paterson, New York State

From Wednesday’s Press & Sun-Bulletin:

Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Thursday his 2008-09 budget plan next week will include $37 million to expand subsidized health care for about 70,000 more children because the federal government has failed to cover them.

The expansion would mean that a family of four making up to $82,000 a year would be eligible to enroll their children to receive discounted premiums on a sliding scale. A family with an $82,000-a-year income would pay about $1,400 a year in premiums for their children’s health coverage, said state Health Commissioner Richard Daines.

Gov. Spitzer wants to grab my tax money and give it to my neighbors. I like my neighbors, but where I come from this is called stealing. It is immoral and unjust for New York to stick the gun of state to my head and force me to pay for health care for my neighbors. They need to pay their own health care just as I do. (Note to all New Yorkers: Health insurance and health care is NOT a right.) My neighbors need to prioritize their spending and decide what’s important and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for themselves. We don’t need nanny Eliot telling us what we do and do not need!

New York already spends a mind-blowing $45 BILLION on Medicaid! That’s $2,316 for every man, woman and child in this state to fund health care for Medicaid recipients. And now Spizter wants to spend more??? Where is the public outcry? Why do New Yorkers let this insanity continue?

Here’s what New York needs to do:

• Immediately repeal “Timothy’s Law” that forces insurance companies to pay for mental health coverage and costs the average family an extra $1,464 per year in premiums.
• Cap Medicaid spending at $1,000 per person in the state (as a good place to start), which is still more than what California and Texas pay.
• Immediately cap all school, property and state income taxes for the next five years.
• Dump any pathetic pork spending like this plan to extend health coverage “for the children”–which is nothing more than a veiled attempt to buy votes.

New York needs immediate corrective action to prevent it from slipping below the waterline. Sooner or later taxpayers will start leaving this state in huge numbers (it’s already large numbers) because the tax burden is too great and the state will collapse under the load of freeloaders and welfare recipients. I love this state. Please stop this socialist, nanny state madness!

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, New York budget, socialzed medicine, universal health care, middle-class health care, for the children

At the Governor’s “State of Upstate” speech on Wednesday, Spitzer’s answer to “revitalizing” the upstate region of New York–which is everything west of the Hudson River–is to throw around bucketfuls of taxpayer money. According to the Press & Sun-Bulletin:

Much of Spitzer’s speech, delivered in Buffalo, focused on revitalizing upstate New York as a whole, including a $350 million “regional blueprint fund,” part of a $1 billion initiative he introduced in Albany last week in the traditional State of the State address. He said the fund would:

• Commit $100 million to housing and community development, and $50 million to agriculture.
• Help prepare business sites for development, and clean contaminated “brownfields.”
• Create a $10 million venture-capital fund and bolster a small-business loan program.
• Improve marketing of the state in Canada and other nations.

Spitzer is also proposing to raid the New York State lottery, which exists to “help fund education”–so he can…help education. Huh? That’s right. He wants to “borrow” $4 BILLION from the Lottery. He’ll set up a nice little fund (i.e. invest the money) so it will, presumably, throw off some $200 million in cash each year to be shared around the state’s 64 universities and colleges. All sorts of ’skimming’ opportunities with that one, eh?

In speaking about The Don’s performance, Broome County Economic Development Director Darcy Fauci said, “This shows that New York state is fully committed. The governor is not blowing smoke.” I beg to differ Ms. Fauci. The only thing Spitzer is committed to doing is bankrupting every last taxpayer in the state.

What does New York need?

Less welfare.
Less Medicaid.
Less public funding of everything.
Less regulation.
Less taxes.
Less socialism.

You know what? As a baby step, I’d settle for an immediate freeze on school, property and state income taxes! Just stop raising taxes right now–and keep it that way for the next five years. And take away one or two options from the Cadillac Medicaid program. But then, I have big dreams, don’t I?

Oh, and there’s one more thing we need less of…Eliot Spitzer. But we’ll have to wait until the next election to make that adjustment.

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, New York State taxes, New York state spending, government spending, high taxes, state of upstate

The New York state ethics investigator probing the Spitzer administration is getting a $15,000 raise after less than a year on the job.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno says the raise for Public Integrity Commission Executive Director Herbert Teitelbaum to $155,000 is troubling. The commission is investigating whether top Spitzer aides misused state police to compile records of Bruno’s use of state aircraft.

A Spitzer spokesman says the raise was handled by the Division of Budget to avoid an appearance of a conflict.

Cool. Investigate the gov, get a $15K payoff. Only in New York.

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, Herbert Teitelbaum, ethics probe, Public Integrity Commission, New York State

Here’s the opening lines from a story in today’s Press & Sun-Bulletin:

Gov. Eliot Spitzer declined to say Monday whether his upcoming state budget proposal would include a higher education panel’s sweeping recommendations, including a $3 billion university-research fund and providing tuition-free SUNY schooling to underprivileged students who meet the academic standards.

In fairness, the story says Spitzer has not yet decided whether he will adopt the panel’s recommendations as part of his budget, to be released on January 23.

A few more bits of information from the article:

The $3 billion research program would set up an Empire State Innovation Fund that would provide money to the best projects at public and private universities in physical science, bioscience, engineering and medicine.

The “Million Dollar Promise” program would pay tuition and unmet expenses for high school graduates in high-poverty areas and who meet the standards to attend a community college or a four-year State University of New York or City University of New York. Participating independent colleges would provide those students with special financial assistance.

I’m tired of paying my money so other people’s kids can go to college for FREE. Really tired of it. I’m middle class, and my kids don’t qualify for big-time financial assistance. I have to pay for it. Frankly, that’s what every family needs to do–pay their own way. But what about those poor kids from the inner cities, you nasty brute (you ask)? It’s called private charity. It’s called the work ethic. It’s called self-determination. Are you telling me they are being held down/back on purpose? That there are people who actively try to keep “the poor in their place”? That if I am not forced to open my pocket and give them money, they can’t get an education? Nonsense.

A quick history lesson. Our Founding Fathers recognized we have, issued from God (not from evolution and certainly not from other men), a few basic, inherent rights that cannot be taken away. Among them are: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence, 1776). What they gave us, our legacy, is a “chance” to be successful. They did not give us a “guaranteed outcome.” They did not give us an “equal outcome”–as in everyone should have the same end result. We are only given an opportunity, and it is up to each of us individually how much, or how little, we do with that opportunity.

Yes, some are born into abject poverty. Contrary to popular belief on the left, conservatives are not content to let people live in squalor. We want to see poverty eliminated as much as they. However, the difference between right and left in how to eliminate poverty is a chasm. Conservatives want to see people rise above their circumstances using their own determination and initiative. Sometimes it requires charity, a “hand out” if you will. But it should not last long. Ultimately, people must take responsibility for their own actions. And this is where liberalism disagrees. Liberals believe that the hard work and initiative of some–those they believe that have somehow received material blessings in a misbegotten fashion–should be forcibly taken by the state and redistributed to those “less fortunate.” Let me ask, how is this compassionate? How does this benefit those who are “underpriviledged”? How is it moral or just or fair to take money from some citizens and give it to others? Answer: It’s not.

It is only if you are willing to take responsibility for yourself and your own actions, and stop being a victim (of the left) that you will rise above your circumstances. Conservatives will be there all along the way to encourage you and help you. If you continue to take handouts from the left your entire life, you become co-dependent on them for your existence, which is just where they want you. It empowers them, makes them feel good about themselves, and ultimately gives them political control over your life.

Wake up! Better yourself! And get off the “financial heroin” being peddled by the left.

Technorati Tags: education, Eliot Spitzer, Empire State Innovation Fund, Million Dollar Promise, redistribution of wealth, taxes

“Voters are continuing to lose faith in their Governor,” said Steven Greenberg, Siena New York Poll spokesman. “Today, a majority of voters have an unfavorable view of Spitzer. More than two-thirds give him a negative job performance rating. More voters think he’s doing a ‘poor’ job than think he’s doing an ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ job combined. Even 61 percent of Democrats view his job performance negatively.”

Spitzer’s rating is 36 percent favorable, 51 percent unfavorable (down from 41-46 percent in November and 64-22 percent in June). New York City voters rate him favorably by a 45-40 percent margin, while upstate voters rate him unfavorably by a 26-62 percent margin. His job performance rating is 27 percent positive, 70 percent negative (down from 33-64 percent in November and 55-37 percent in June).

“A majority of voters, 56 percent, are not prepared to re-elect the Governor,” Greenberg said. “Only one in three Democrats is prepared to re-elect him, while 42 percent prefer ‘someone else.’ Nearly half of New York City voters, 57 percent of downstate suburban voters, and nearly two-thirds of upstate voters prefer ‘someone else.’ He’s dug himself a deep hole and so far has not been able to find a ladder.”

Also part of the findings:

New Yorkers overwhelmingly want the Governor and Legislature to address deficits by cutting spending (82 percent) rather than increasing taxes (13 percent), including two-thirds of Democrats.  If taxes are increased, more than half (53 percent) would prefer business tax increases over income (10 percent) or sales (27 percent) taxes. Two-thirds of voters would prefer to see cuts made in infrastructure expenses rather than education (eight percent) or health (10 percent).

“The voters’ clear message to Albany: do not increase our taxes. They would strongly prefer spending cuts, preferably not in health or education,” Greenberg said. “And by a margin of 67 to 28 percent, voters are opposed to legislators giving themselves a pay raise. Not surprisingly, more than three-quarters of voters support Governor Spitzer’s decision to withdraw his license proposal.”

Why has Eliot Spitzer fallen so far so fast in the polls? I can think of at least three good reasons:

1. Troopergate - Spitzer used New York State Troopers to track the use of state aircraft by a political opponent (Joe Bruno, Senate Majority Leader), with the intent to smear him. This one may still lead to criminal indictments.

2. Illegal Drivers’ Licenses - Spitzer tried to ram through granting drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants in a pathetically veiled attempt to boost the Democrat Party by a few hundred thousand new voters.

3. Internet Taxes - This one disappeared almost as fast as it was announced. Spitzer was planning to tax New Yorkers’ Internet purchases and he almost did it. But the bad publicity was too much and he withdrew it.

Spitzer’s own mafia-like bullying and off-the-chart arrogance are his undoing. He has no one to blame but himself.

Technorati Tags: New York State, Eliot Spitzer, Siena New York Poll, Siena Research Institute, Troopergate, Illegal Drivers’ Licenses, Internet Taxes

Wrong. Again. Spitzer has knack for that. Here are the facts as delivered via a New York Sun article from December 4th… Indian Point is composed of two reactors built in the early 1970s. The facility is located just outside of Poughkeepsie on the Hudson River, about 35 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Some 20 million people live or work within 50 miles of the plant. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has apparently made it one of his aims to get the plant closed, possibly eyeing a challenge to Spitzer in 2010, using this issue to get himself noticed. But now Spitzer has jumped on the bandwagon and supports closing it too. Messrs. Spitzer and Cuomo’s stated opposition is because the plant is too old, not safe, and an easy target for terrorists.

After 9/11, I think we can all be concerned about any facility that could be co-opted and used against us, including (and perhaps particularly) nuclear facilities. People should be concerned about such possibilities–nothing wrong with that. And nuclear facilities sure better be safe for those that live near them. No argument from me on that either. But is Indian Point really unsafe and unprotected?

The owner of Indian Point, Entergy (who bought it only six years ago), has invested “hundreds of millions of dollars” in safety improvements in the plant. There is a National Guard base located within one mile of the plant. It’s strictly regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and various State agencies, complete with evacuation plans, contingency plans, and a beefed up security force in the aftermath of 9/11. By all accounts, the plant is safe and produces on the order of 2,000 megawatts of electricity. In fact, it provides New York City and Downstate with an estimated 25% of its electricity!

Entergy has filed for a 20-year extension on their license to operate the plant. Spitzer and Cuomo have filed a petition with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to request it not be reauthorized. And where, pray tell, will Downstate find a new source for 25% of its electricity needs should Indian Point close? Why Upstate, of course! Let’s just run a big ole power line across those ignorant farmers’ back yards in Upstate and they’ll never know the difference! I’m being just a bit sarcastic, but I believe such is the essence of conversations going on in Albany right now.

Indian Point’s licenses for its two reactors expire in 2013 and 2015. Enter the New York Regional Interconnect power line–a 200 mile high voltage line that will run from Oneida County in Upstate to Orange County in Downstate (running through Broome County), without economically benefiting the very people whose land will be taken by eminent domain to make it possible. The NYRI power line is due to come online in 2011, if they can manage to ram it through (construction is supposed to start in 2008). It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots.

What do you think? Have I turned into a conspiracy nutjob? Or maybe a soothsayer? Leave me a comment!

Technorati Tags: Indian Point Energy Center, Eliot Spitzer, Andrew Cuomo, nuclear energy, New York Regional Interconnect

New Yorkers going Christmas shopping online at Amazon.com will find an 8.375% surprise at the virtual cash register, courtesy of Governor Spitzer, who is moving aggressively to collect Internet sales taxes that have gone widely unenforced.

Under a new policy, major electronic retailers, such as Amazon.com, will be required to collect sales tax on all purchases from New York. The policy, based on a novel legal theory, could hasten the end of the Internet’s era as a duty-free marketplace if other states follow New York’s lead. With the policy, New York immediately took the lead among states that are seeking to tax online commerce.

My reading is this: A “novel legal theory” means Spitzer has found yet another way to skirt the law, or bend it to his own liking. Sales tax on Internet purchases is a complicated matter, but the short story is that most of the time businesses have not had to collect it, and for those states that impose it, it is up to the customer to voluntarily pay the tax. As we all know, voluntary and taxes don’t usually go together. So “The Don” has now figured out out to get his cut.

Merry Christmas from your favorite governor!

UPDATE - LATE BREAKING NEWS

Spitzer has pulled back and reversed his decision! Great news for all New Yorkers. See The New York Sun article here. A big hat tip to Roger Thornhill, editor and writer of The Catskill Commentator, for making me aware of it.

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, internet sales tax

With a new poll showing his popularity plummeting, Gov. Eliot Spitzer today will drop his controversial policy to allow illegal immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses, a Spitzer spokeswoman confirmed late Tuesday.

The retreat comes as Spitzer will meet this morning in Washington D.C. with New York’s congressional delegation to lay out the reasons for his decision, according to congressional aides Tuesday night. Spitzer spokeswoman Christine Anderson confirmed the Democratic governor will withdraw the plan.

I can lay out the reasons for his decision right here: If he didn’t back down, his political career was over! Not only that, this fiasco was threatening to bring down Hillary with it. There’s no mystery in that. The REAL reason for the meeting today will be to try and figure out which lie to tell that will be the most palatable to the public!

As I wrote previously, this policy was not about lower auto insurance costs and “bringing people out of the shadows,” it was purely and simply a vote grab. Easier drivers’ licenses make it easier to register and vote. Spitzer wanted to stack the Democrat voter roles with hundreds of thousands of new voters to ensure Democrat dominance in New York for a generation. Which makes me wonder…are the Dems that scared of loosing their power? Do they know something about a potential swing in power that we don’t know? Hmmm. Makes one wonder, doesn’t it?

It seems that the 72% of New Yorkers who opposed this dishonesty on the part of Spitzer have created a “toxic environment” for leftists like the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). The article also states:

The New York Immigration Coalition expressed disappointment in the governor’s expected announcement.

“Governor Spitzer tried to do the right thing,” the group said in a statement. “The policy would’ve brought people out of shadows and made New York a safer place. But political opportunists were extremely successful in using the issue as red meat and creating a toxic environment that obscured the real benefits of the policy.”

Poor babies. Go and try to pedal your socialism somewhere else. We don’t want it here in the Empire State. By the way, take a look at the About Us page on the NYIC website. Paragraph five boasts how they have registered 235,000 new voters. Surely even a die-hard Democrat can connect the dots!

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Eliot Spitzer, illegal immigration, illegal drivers’ licenses, New York Immigration Coalition

Spitzer is also promoting former Newsday capitol bureau chief Errol Cockfield Jr. to press secretary. Cockfield left the Long Island newspaper this year to be the spokesman for the Empire State Development Corp., part of state government. He will be paid $150,000.

From the newsroom (where no doubt he was taking his cue from “The Don” Spitzer) to a political patronage job at the ESDC and finally to Spitzer shill. Fait accompli.

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, Errol Cockfield, Empire State Development Corp