California

Tomorrow is the New York State Republican Primary.  We go to the polls to choose our candidates who will go up against the Democrats in November.  This is an important election and an important turning point for our country.  New York is a deep blue state and the Republican party seems to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution.  The candidates that they often put forth are more likely to make Republicans throw up their hands and stay home on election day than turn out and vote. 

We have seen the hope and change of the Obama administration and it scares the hell out of many Americans.  The change we need is to turn out the “go along to get along” crowd and put in true reformers.  At Tea Party meetings I encounter more and more New York conservatives who say they are tired of hiding their beliefs.  They used to keep their political views to themselves because they feared repercussions from their employers, their customers, their schools, but they are tired of it.  They tell me they are coming out of the closet.

We need to embrace this view.  It may mean we lose some races like the special election in New York’s 23^rd Congressional district, where the Republican bosses picked Dede Scozzafava, who after falling behind Doug Hoffman, the Conservative candidate, in the polls, dropped out and endorsed the Democrat.  It is time to stand and be counted.  Liberty’s Life Line makes the following endorsements.

New York’s First Congressional District

In New York’s First Congressional District, Liberty’s Life Line endorses Randy Altschuler. Randy came out early and often to challenge incumbent Congressman Tim Bishop and Speaker Nancy Pelosi on their reckless spending.  He has articulated a conservative view on the major issues that we face and he is a free market conservative.  Christopher Cox has a number of positions that are similar to Randy Altschuler, but instead of focusing on explaining how he would govern and why he is the better candidate, he chose the low road to attack his fellow Republicans in a mudslinging campaign that angered numerous voters.  Mr. Cox also promotes a protectionist point of view,  rather than a free market point of view and he seems confused about what the job of Congressman entails.  In one of his ads he talks about putting Suffolk County taxpayers first.  If he were running for County Executive, that would be fine, but a Congressman cannot put his constituents ahead of any other taxpayers.  Federal tax laws should affect all Americans equally, and where they don’t they should be changed so that they do. 

George Demos’ campaign is verging on the desperate.  His positions on his web site are little more than platitudes and he has chosen to make the centerpiece of his campaign social issues that are not what the majority of the voters are concerned about right now.  We are heading toward a debt crisis, and Mr. Demos oddly chose to run on an issue that will let the incumbent change the subject from the economy.

New York Senate versus Kirsten Gillibrand

Liberty’s Life Line endorses David Malpass for United States Senate for the seat currently held by Kirsten Gillibrand.  Mr. Malpass has more experience at the federal level having worked in the Reagan administration.  He also understands that New York has, for years, paid more money in taxes to Washington than New York has gotten back in government money.  Yet every year Sentators Schumer and Gillibrand vote for more spending and more programs that New Yorkers will fund and others will reap the rewards.  Mr. Malpass understands that the answer is not to fight for a bigger share of the pie for New York, but to shrink the pie and eliminate unnecessary programs and spending.  Mr. Blakeman has relied more on imagery in his campaign and attacks on Mr. Malpass rather than focusing on how he would govern and therefore be the best choice for the Senate. Mr. DioGuardi seems to advocate the same old ways of doing business.  For example, he advocates “Paygo” which was the tool Democrats invented to force tax increases as new programs were added to the economy and which the Wall Street Journal described as “kind of budget gimmick that gives gimmickry a bad name.”  We need straight forward shrinking of government not better tools to monitor how badly it is being done.

New York Senate versus Chuck Schumer

Liberty’s Life Line endorses Jay Townsend for United States Senator for the seat currently held by Chuck Schumer.  Both Mr. Townsend and Mr. Gary Berntsen have strong national security views, are for tax reduction and reduced spending.  Mr. Townsend’s positions seem to be more thoroughly developed.  For example, he is for the repeal of ObamaCare and in its place he supports some common sense methods to reduce the cost of delivering health care without spending $1 trillion.  Mr. Berntsen doesn’t address health care on his website.  Mr. Townsend also has pledged to ban all earmarks, which are basically the way incumbents bribe their constituents to send them back to Washington.  Replacing Chuck Schumer will be a tough challenge so we need to put forth the best candidate we can.

New York State Governor

Liberty’s Life Line endorses Rick Lazio for governor.  Although Carl Paladino has captured the anti-incumbent energy and had energized people to come out and support him, Rick Lazio has a concrete plan on how he would attack the issues.  New York State government is so broken, Life Line could see that an outsider like Mr. Paladino could just be hamstrung and stalled by a legislature that is vehemently opposed to him.  Think Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, who came in on a re-call election to turn things around but ended up being the one turned around.  Mr. Paladino, as a CEO, is coming from an environment where he calls the shots, in Albany he will have to work with the legislature to get things done and it will take him a little while to figure out what buttons to push.  Mr. Lazio has legislative experience as a Congressman, and has thought through his plan in sufficient detail that it might actually work.  Mr. Paladino has moved the debate which is a major victory and if he loses the primary Life Line hopes he will support Mr. Lazio.  Likewise, if he should prevail, we all must get behind him to defeat Mr. Cuomo in November.