GOP Expected to Take Control of NY Senate

Newsmax ^ | 11/5/2010 | David A. Patten

[SeattleBruce]

New York Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, is conceding that Republicans "probably" have won control of the New York state Senate, which GOP leaders say has important implications for the long-term balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

No official winner has been named in three senate races in the Empire State. Republicans lead in two of those outstanding contests.

New York Republicans, including the current minority leader, Sen. Dean G. Skelos, have said they expect to take over the Legislative gavel in the next session.

According to a Friday report in the New York Post, Paterson told WOR 710-AM: "It is probable that Senator Skelos is right, that he will be the majority leader in 2011."

Republicans must win two of the three outstanding races to take outright control of the state senate. If they win only one of the contests, they would still wield negotiating power because the New York senate would then be deadlocked 31 to 31.

[SeattleBruce]

'which GOP leaders say has important implications for the long-term balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.'

Another victory from Tuesday?

[MSF BU]

Is this adequate to kill homosexual marriage?

[goldstategop]

Both NY and CO would have split statehouses and that gives the GOP a seat at the redistricting table. And with Dem incoming governors, it keeps the Democrats from completely zeroing the GOP out of the picture altogether.

[SunkenCiv]

'Saturday Night Live' mocks Governor Paterson's blindness, past drug use by Stephanie Gaskell Sunday, December 14th 2008

Saturday Night Live pushed the envelope last night with... Fred Armisen as Paterson during a segment on "Weekend Update." ...Armisen, as Paterson, says he has three criteria: economic experience, upstate influence and someone with a disability who is completely unprepared for the job - just like him. "I want to choose a senator not from the glitzy coke parties of Manhattan but rather from the shabbier coke circles of upstate new york," he said. "I'm tired of all these fancy, two-eyed smart alecs from the big city running the whole show. It's time we get someone from Utica, Syracuse or Schnectady - towns where people have something a little off about him. I mean, they don't have to be blind," he said. "I just need someone with like a gamey arm or maybe the giant gums with the tiny teeth. Let's get one of those in the Senate." The fake Paterson points out that he only became governor because of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's prostition scandal. "Whoever is appointed senator must - like me - be caught totally off guard and be comically unprepared to take office," he said. "Come on, I'm a blind man who loves cocaine who was suddenly appointed governor of New York. My life is an actual plot from a Richard Pryor movie."

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ACTUAL HEADLINE:

Paterson In A Blind Rage Over 'SNL' Skit

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Governor Paterson proposes 'Obesity Tax,' a tax on non-diet sodas
by Glenn Blain and Kenneth Lovett
with Edgar Sandoval and Erica Pearson
Daily News Albany Bureau
Sunday, December 14th 2008

Gov. Paterson, as part of a $121 billion budget to be unveiled Tuesday, will propose an "obesity tax" of about 15% on nondiet drinks. This means a Diet Coke might sell for a $1 - even as the same size bottle of its calorie-rich alter ego would go for $1.15. Paterson's budget also calls for a 3% cut in education spending, a $620-a-year tuition hike at SUNY and a $600 increase at CUNY - and about $3.5 billion in health care cuts, a source said. The Democratic governor will not call for a broad-based income tax boost, but he will push to restore the sales tax on clothing and footwear... State employees again will be asked to forgo their 3% raises next year and defer five days' pay until they leave their jobs, the source said. In all, Paterson will propose about $9 billion in cuts, $4 billion in new taxes and fees, and $1.5 billion in nonrecurring revenue, a second source said. The so-called obesity tax would generate an estimated $404 million a year. Milk, juice, diet soda and bottled water would be exempt from the tax... Public health advocates welcomed news of the tax, saying it would help the fight against childhood obesity. "Raising the price of this liquid candy will put children and teens on a path to a healthier diet," said Elie Ward of the American Academy of Pediatrics of New York State.

[and now, the buried lead:] The Paterson administration also announced steps yesterday to expand the state's social services net, including a 30% increase in welfare payments over three years starting January 2010, increased money for food banks and expanded access to the state's Family Health Plus program. Paterson also hopes to make it easier for people to enroll in Medicaid by eliminating face-to-face interviews and fingerprinting requirements.

[Jemian]

Hey! This is good news. There is hope for NYS. Tuesday isn’t as glum for y’all as was previously thought. (Not as great as what we did here in Alabama but y’all had farther to come)

Good on ya’!

[VADoc1980]

Homosexual marriage already failed in the Senate by 8 votes or so when it was Democrat controlled.

[VADoc1980]

Unfortunately a quarter of our Senate Reps are RINOs.

[VADoc1980]

Unfortunately a quarter of our Senate Reps are RINOs.

[Jemian]

It’s a start though. It’s a start.

[Alberta's Child]

That’s a good piece of information there. One of the dirty little secrets about New York State politics is that a lot of powerful Democratic leaders are Hispanics from the New York City area who don’t take too kindly to homosexual marriage.

[VADoc1980]

Exactly. Their primary concern is welfare for their districts. Conservative on social issues, liberal when it comes to spending taxpayer money on freeloaders. They’re certainly useful idiots on some issues though, like this one.

[Chode]

we replaced that faggot massa, who had to resign, with another Republican...

that POS massa was the first RAT from my district in my lifetime... never again.

[MSF BU]

It looks as thought the NY Sodomy Lobby is not quite as powerful as one would think!

[VADoc1980]

No, the minority coalitions will happily vote against gay marriage. Just don't touch their welfare... or you're a racist. Yep.

They're not our friends. Sure they may vote the right way when it comes to gay marriage but they love the idea of paying moms who have never held a job in their lives to pop out five kids and sit on her butt all day. THEN, if we're really really lucky, four of the five kids will end up in Attica or Sing Sing or one of our other fine Upstate correctional institutions. But I'm being racist again. Sorry about that. ;)

[VADoc1980]

Don’t get me wrong. I’m completely against gay marriage. But I also oppose black/hispanic non-marriage, the idea that it’s okay to have kids out of wedlock by three different fathers and expect the government to pay for it. That is JUST as immoral as homosexual marriage, and just as detrimental to society. I’m not going to lie, that’s why it bugs me a bit to see these people coming out opposed to gay marriage. Am I grateful that they’re voting against it? Yeah. But what’s that saying about those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones? At least people here in rural Upstate NY have solid foundations on our houses and a rational basis to criticize gay marriage.

[lysie]

Thanks for the ping.

[Salvation]

If the Republicans can do this in New York State — then they can do it here too!

[Anti-Hillary]

Same EXACT thing happened in Oregon. We picked up 3 senate seats making it 15-15 and picked up 6 house seats to make it 30-30. Thank GOD because the lib-tards here brought out a retread and reelected John Kitzhaber to a 3rd (not consecutive) term. ACK!!!

[Anti-Hillary]

Same EXACT thing happened in Oregon. We picked up 3 senate seats making it 15-15 and picked up 6 house seats to make it 30-30. Thank GOD because the lib-tards here brought out a retread and reelected John Kitzhaber to a 3rd (not consecutive) term. ACK!!!

[metmom]

Good news indeed.