Posted on 04/05/2009 5:50:04 AM PDT by Scanian
Much of the Hudson River Valley, in all its magnificence, lies in New York's 20th Congressional District. So does Saratoga Springs and its renowned racetrack, as do a host of small towns that should make this district quintessential Republican territory.
For two decades, the district was represented by conservative stalwart Gerald Soloman, whose vote often topped 70 percent. His Republican successor should have had the seat for life, but a series of bizarre personal incidents enabled centrist Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand to take the seat narrowly in 2006.
Earlier this year, Mrs. Gillibrand was appointed to Hillary Rodham Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, and the special election to be held in the midst of the Washington/Albany spend-and-tax orgy would figure to have fueled a return of the 20th District to the safe Republican column.
It didn't - and while the Democrat's tiny lead with 6,000 absentee ballots to be counted makes the race too close to call, there are some obvious lessons Republicans had better learn if they hope to make 2010 a year of return to political viability.
"Bleed Us Dry" screamed the cover of the New York Post, which circulates widely in the district, on the day its voters went to the polls for the special election this week. "How tax hikes hit New Yorkers."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I think this is an excellent analysis. Opposition to current tax and spend policy, combined with recent dem tax and earmarks scandals, is the winning ticket in 2010.
>>>>> Opposition to current tax and spend policy, combined with recent dem tax and earmarks scandals, is the winning ticket in 2010. <<<<<<
Personally I no longer care about a winning ticket for any Congressional ditrict in America.
I care about a political party that maintains an enduring and core belief about taxes, government, and the Constitution.
>> Opposition to current tax and spend policy, combined with recent dem tax and earmarks scandals, is the winning ticket in 2010.
The GOP will never have credibility until they strongly disavow the global warmism religion and ABANDON WITH PREJUDICE this stupid greenhouse gas scam. But shifting government over to “green” subsidies means corporate welfare — and Republicans are all over corporate welfare like ducks on a hatch of junebugs.
In other words, they’re not in favor of small, cheap government — they’re in favor of huge, free-spending government. It’s just that their priorities are different.
I dream of the utter destruction of both major parties. Both are corrupt to the bone.
bump
I agree. There's not time to wait for them to catch on. My first inclination is to stick their nose in the pile of bipartisan poop they've dropped and whack them with a rolled up newspaper (while you can still find one). Now is not the time to worry about being 'nice'. I don't want ugliness, democrats have that market cornored anyway. What I want is some directed passion about the fundamental issues and how that are connected to our founding documents.
Then again, the powers that be in the GOP may well be in on the whole deal.
I don't know about that. Sounds a bit conspiratorial to me, but I'll say it is something that needs to be brought out in the open. I would ask them a 'no win' question like this: "Are you guys in on this too or just asleep at the switch?".
this party that has a “core belief about taxes, government and the Constitution” is largely a subset of the GOP.
“this party” isn’t large enough to completely dominate the GOP. If Pence, Cantor, etc. and the caucus they lead are not conservative enough for ya, I wonder who it is that you have recently helped get elected.
The fact that Snowe and Collins and others have an R after their name is just an indication that the conservative faction of the GOP is not as strong as some wish. Move to Maine and elect a conservative the House. Both House seats are available for the taking if someone can create a large enough following. (Or you can just run a Constitution candidate and lose 72% to 28% if that makes you happy.)
I'd call that a serious and fundamental showstopping problem.
Don't you?
If lower taxes, smaller government, and the United States Constitution are merely "a subset" of interest to the GOP, then why in the hell do you support the GOP?
That sounds completely nutty.
2010 is NOT the last chance. The second amendment is the LAST chance. The founders made a revolt against an unjust government a part of the process.
But even before THAT, there’s the constitutional convention process which can overturn a lot.
So work hard at every process available and use every lawful means to try and restore the limited constitutional government of the founders.
Endorsements tell a lot about a candidate, and here are Jim Tedisco’s:
http://www.jimtedisco.com/endorsements/organizations/
Gillibrand is no centrist, she is a disingenuous politician and a lefty.
When Kirsten Gillibrand was a congresswoman in a pretty conservative district, she voted against the bailout, so wouldn’t you think she would vote against the Obama/Pelosi PORKulus?
Nope, she’s under Schumer’s thumb.
When she was a congresswoman in this conservative district, she did what she had to do to win, except for abortion. She received a 100% rating from NARAL.
“I think this is an excellent analysis.”
Not really, it’s only a tiny part of the story.
Just because the conservative Solomon won years ago, doesn’t mean the district is as conservative as it once was. Obama won in the 20th district by thousands of votes.
While Scott Murphy rubber stamped the Porkulus bill, Tedisco didn’t give his opinion about the Porkulus, until he read it, and then he said a loud NO! Murphy even used that NO! in his campaign ads, probably because he knows the district voted for Obama by 2-3%.
Here’s some of what the Wash. Times’ writer left out about Jim Tedisco:
LIFE!
I will never forget when I attended a pro-life function where the late Rep. Henry Hyde was the principal guest speaker, and there was Jim Tedisco also standing up for the unborn.
2nd AMENDMENT!
‘“Jim Tedisco has been a true friend to hunters and gun owners, as he understands the crucial importance of safeguarding the right to bear arms. His voting record and vocal, public support for the Second Amendment have been clear, consistent and genuinely appreciated by gun owners and our association,” said Tom King president of the state Rifle and Pistol Association.’
excerpt http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/10938/tedisco-bags-gun-rights-endorsement
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!
“Tedisco, who received national press attention when he fought then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer over licenses for illegal immigrants, “
snip http://www.jimtedisco.com/exclusive-saratoga-republicans-choose-tedisco/
Another case where Tedisco fought hard about something very important to conservatives. NO DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS!
The GP hasn't cared about candidates of either stripe in recent years. Unless we wake them up somehow they will blow 2010 with me-too-but-less-ism like the current alternative budget proposal.
I think he’s wrong. Dems won the seat in 2008 with 62% and Obama carried it with 68%. Before his 100 days is up the dems are at 50%. It is a sign that the tide has turned.
i don’t “support the GOP”. I support selected candidates who are running on the Republican line. I judge each race and candidate on the merits.
Should we not support Toomey in PA because of Snowe in ME?
Obama had a 5% margin over McCain ... 52% to 47%.
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