The Mental Recession

Albany County Executive Calls Corner Markets, 'Haji Stores'

2012-02-25T09:44:00.003-05:00

During a press conference on Thursday held by Chuck Schumer regarding the dangers of synthetic marijuana, Albany County Executive, Democrat Dan McCoy, referred to small businesses in the area as "haji stores".

"In Albany County, it's starting to be a problem and if you go into any of these little stores — these little haji stores you want to call them, or whatever you want to say they are — you do find this stuff on the shelves."

While the term "haji" can be harmless, meaning one who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca, it has also taken on a negative connotation in recent years. The Urban Dictionary defines it as...

n. offensive slang; disparaging term for arabs, especially those of Islamic faith.

Honestly, there isn't much to make out of this situation other than to point out that had this been said by a Republican, the press and his or her opponent would have had a field day portraying them as an Islamophobic racist. As it is, the Albany Times Union ran an article on Friday which was telling in two ways:

The people interviewed for the piece, who are of Middle Eastern descent, have no idea why he used the term "haji", but at the same time are unsure whether or not they should be offended.
They didn't bother to label McCoy as a Democrat.

To his credit, McCoy quickly acknowledged the terminology as possibly being offensive, taking to Twitter to state:

"I mispoke (sic) in my attempt to portray the dangers of synthetic marijuana. I used a "slang" term inadvertently when I meant (to) say Bodega" ... "If my accidental use of that term offended anyone I sincerely apologize."

No need to worry Mr. McCoy, you're a Democrat. You can get away with such comments, it will not be your 'Macaca Moment'. Actually, perhaps this can be a springboard to a better career in politics.

After all, it was vice-President Joe Biden, who once stated, "You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking."

Or maybe you can start pulling out actual Indian accents at your speeches. Like this one, again by Joe Biden, when describing a call center:

Weekend Recession: (Video) Announcer's Stool Collapses During Basketball Broadcast

2012-02-24T18:05:00.000-05:00

Weekend college basketball? Check.

Big time rivalry game? Check.

Stool made out of toothpicks and duct tape?

Check.

From Yard Barker:

Last weekend, the CBS Sports Network was covering an Atlantic-10 men's college basketball game between Xavier and Dayton. For the game, they sent the team of Steve Wolf and play-by-play announcer James Bates. As they started the telecast, Bates is seen notably shifting in his stool which gives way during the live broadcast.

CBS couldn't afford a real chair for the man?

Have a great weekend all!

Former Dem City Clerk Admits to Forging Ballots, And Then Some

2012-02-24T16:32:00.001-05:00

Last week, the voter fraud case in Troy, New York saw embarrassing testimony from a current member of the city Council, Kevin McGrath, who relayed fears of running for public office because of his history of substance abuse, and "the fact that he is a convicted felon". More shameful was McGrath's willingness to make light of his felony conviction, stating that he "didn't make much of a profit", a comment that prompted an apology from the judge presiding over the case.

Yesterday brought testimony from the former city clerk who allegedly spearheaded the operation, William McInerney. The Democrat admitted his own guilt in the forgery case, while implicating others as well. McInerney testified to preying on people living in public housing saying, "I went to the projects to see if voters would sign the applications and if not I'd forge them." McInerney officially pled guilty to forgery back in August.

The admission prompted the former mayor of Troy, Republican Harry Tutunjian, to post a scathing statement on Facebook.

I sat in on the voter fraud trial today. I was disgusted to hear the former city clerk admit that he has been forging and voting absentee ballots since at least 2007. What is more disturbing is that he admitted that other council members also forged and voted ballots. They all knew what they were doing. So what did they do when they got caught? They blamed Bob Mirch, they blamed me, and they blamed everyone else.

This gang of admitted and accused criminals made the last two years of my term very difficult. They accused me and members of my administration of criminal acts, bullying, thuggery, you name it. I am not ashamed to say I feel a certain sense of satisfaction in hearing they actually did far worse than what they accused me of. It is a shame that the people of Troy were represented by true criminals that stole the votes of unsuspecting residents for many years.

Bear in mind that eight members of the Democrat party have been indicted, charged, or implicated in the voter fraud scandal. The reference to Mirch coincides with statements from the Democrats in which they tried to collaborate with the Working Families Party to draft a press release which blamed the voter fraud on the former Republican Public Works Commissioner.

Little could Tutunjian have known how prescient his statement would be. "They actually did far worse" played out in an incredible way during today's courtroom drama. Defense attorney Brian Premo at one point suggested that McInerney could have been charged with several hundred felonies, despite having pled to only one. McInerney was sentenced to 90 days in a Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department work program to avoid jail time.

Several hundred felonies in exchange for testimony and a 90 day slap on the wrist?

Adding insult to injury, McInerney also testified about a drunk driving conviction, had to answer questions about a sexual harassment claim which led to his termination at a job with the New York State Legislature, and having an order of protection issued for stalking his ex-wife.

From the Times Union:

William McInerney, the former city clerk who spearheaded a scheme to steal votes and cooperated with the prosecution of two other Troy Democrats accused of ballot fraud, admitted he was accused of stalking women.

"An old girlfriend stated something along the lines of that," McInerney said during questioning by Brian Premo, who represents Edward McDonough, one of the two men on trial for allegedly forging ballots in the 2009 Working Families Party primary.

Premo also asked McInerney about an allegation that he stalked his ex-wife. McInerney admitted an order of protection was filed for the alleged stalking.

In regards to the sexual harassment incident, the Union also reported that:

Premo questioned him about his termination from a job at the state Assembly. Premo suggested McInerny lost the job because he accused a female co-worker of getting a job because she performed a sex act on their boss. Premo noted when a gay male co-worker objected to his remark, McInerny told the man he was upset because the man wasn't involved with the boss.

It is quite the cast of characters that were running the city of Troy between 2007 and 2011.

Meet Wendy Long, Vying to Replace New York's Most Liberal Senator

2012-02-24T12:15:00.001-05:00

What's the antidote for the nation's most liberal senator? Perhaps it's conservative candidate and Republican lawyer, Wendy Long.

Via Capitol Confidential:

Wendy Long, a Manhattan lawyer who has served as chief counsel to the right-leaning Judicial Confirmation Network, circulated a letter late last week to Republican county leaders signaling her intention to run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Long officially announced her intent last night at the Manhattan GOP's annual Lincoln Day Dinner.

New York Republicans will choose between Long, and Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, the other active declared candidate, on March 16th.

According to Capital New York, Long stated that she "was seeking to replace Gillibrand in order to return the country to its roots of limited constitutional government."

And she attacked Gillibrand as "our former moderate upstate congresswoman" who entered a "political witness protection program" upon being appointed to the Senate, and "emerged as the most doctrinaire liberal in the Senate.

"Senator Gillibrand has been a compliant 'yes' vote for the liberal orthodoxy in Washington," she said. "That is, unless she's complaining that the orthodoxy isn't far left enough."

Gillibrand should never be accused of moderation, having voted along party lines at a rate of 97%. Long concurs, labeling Gillibrand as an 'extremist'.

So what makes Long a better option for her district? She said...

"I'm basically running on the economy and jobs and the skyrocketing national debt and the failure of Gillibrand and other members of the liberal establishment to get the budget under control," she said of her campaign platform.

She also mentioned the Keystone Pipeline, and the "heavy hand" of government regulation.

In her letter to Republican county leaders, obtained by the Times Union, she writes:

“I am the most effective advocate to take the fight to Gillibrand on behalf of all of us New York Republicans and Conservatives,” Long writes. “I look forward to calling on the many friends that I have made in my work in politics and the law at the highest levels, both in New York and nationwide, for their support in my campaign. I have signed on the best talent in the country to run my campaign. I understand the monumental task of running against a Democratic incumbent in the state of New York. We will have to run fast and fight hard, but we can win. We need to use new messages and new strategies to win New Yorkers who are used to voting “D” over to our side.”

John Brodigan at the Right Hook, offered his thoughts on Long last week:

"I’m not sure about any business/economic background she has, but she seems to have a strong legal mind, is media savvy, and (angers) the left with her support for the confirmations of Roberts and Alito, and opposition to Sotomayor."

Kirsten Gillibrand Named 'Most Liberal Senator'

2012-02-23T14:37:00.001-05:00

It was just a few weeks ago that New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, was criticizing 'partisan gridlock in Washington'.

A report in early February - when Gillibrand announced a visit to the capital district - read:

Gillibrand’s plan for future economic growth includes building new transportation infrastructure, investing in manufacturing, encouraging research and development, and ending the partisan gridlock in Washington.

We were quick to point out that being non-partisan to Gillibrand involves voting along party lines nearly 100% of the time.

And when she says partisan gridlock, she is absolutely not referring to her voting record... which consists of party-line votes at a rate of nearly 97%. Only Republicans cause gridlock.

Now however, it is official - Gillibrand has been handed the title of one of the most partisan senators in the country. She has been named 'Most Liberal Senator'.

From the National Journal:

"The issue that has brought Gillibrand the most attention by far is her call for repeal of the 17-year-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring openly gay military service members. She introduced legislation in July 2009. In National Journal's 2010 survey, she was tied with fellow Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York as the 10th most liberal member of the Senate."

The New York Daily News added:

The Republican party today teed off on Gillibrand for, among other things, changing her tune after having portrayed herself as a "gun-toting centrist" when first appointed by then-Gov. David Paterson to replace now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

She "makes Chuck Schumer look like Bill Buckley," NYSGOP Chairman Ed Cox says.

"Our junior senator has veered so far off the mainstream path to curry favor with left-wing Washington leaders that the average New Yorker can hardly recognize her anymore. Ms. Gillibrand's candidacy has been a bait and switch: She ran as Calamity Jane but governs like Jane Fonda."

Congratulations Senator Gillibrand, and good luck New York.

VIDEO - Gas Prices Rise 10 Cents During Live News Broadcast

2012-02-23T10:55:00.002-05:00

Before

Gas prices have been sky-rocketing as of late, but this is a little ridiculous...

Via ABC News:

The headlines of major newspapers and TV networks this week have been dominated by rising gas prices.

Drivers across the country have shared their stories on the cost - with many already paying more than $4 a gallon at the pump. There have even been reports of gas prices rising at a rate of 10 to 15 cents in a matter of hours.

After

...

The swiftness at which those gas prices continue to climb was crystal clear Wednesday night during the broadcast of ABC News’ “World News with Diane Sawyer.”

As ABC News’ Cecilia Vega introduced her piece on high gas prices, the sign at the downtown Los Angeles gas station behind her showed the price of regular gas at $4.99 a gallon. However when the piece concluded nearly two minutes later the price of regular gas had jumped 10 cents to $5.09 a gallon.

Watch the video below:

video platform video management video solutions video player

Police Fail to Respond to 911 Call Because They Were 'Too Busy With Occupy March'

2012-02-23T07:45:00.001-05:00

Well at least the caller wasn't hurt ... no wait, what?

Occupy Oakland is at it again, and this time they took away police department resources from having the ability to respond to a 911 call about an intruder. The result - a 67-year-old man was beaten to death in front of his wife.

Via the Daily Mail:

A 67-year-old man who called police about an intruder on his property was beaten to death in front of his wife 13 minutes later because authorities were too busy with Occupy Oakland to respond to the request...

Peter Cukor initially called a non-emergency number, where an officer offered to check on the situation, only to be told they had higher priority issues, namely Occupy. The man then tried going to the local fire station.

The 67-year-old then walked to a nearby fire station for help but no one was there. It was upon his return he was confronted by the intruder.

Shortly after, Mr Cukor's wife heard him shouting for help and called 911 after seeing the suspect hitting her husband again and again over the head with a ceramic plant pot.

He was later pronounced dead in hospital. He leaves behind his wife and two sons.

Photo: Daily Mail

Live Coverage of the Republican Debate

2012-02-22T19:37:00.000-05:00

If you're tired of the same ol' establishment media coverage of the Republican debates, we're offering a live stream of coverage provided by All Patriots Media, sponsored by the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity. The debate coverage will be hosted by Tony Katz and Stephen Kruiser.

Did Romney Just Commit Political Suicide?

2012-02-22T16:07:00.001-05:00

Mitt Romney spoke in Arizona today and somehow had his speech taken over by a Bizzaro Romney - essentially selling his tax plan by calling on the "top 1%" to "pay their fair share".

Apparently Romney's been smoking the same thing they indulge in down at Occupy Wall Street. Playing the class warfare card and actually invoking the rhetoric of the President and the handout-loving Occupiers?

Does this mark the death knell for a man seeking the GOP nomination with a base of voters who are already wary of his flip-flopping, Massachusetts liberal ways? By demonstrating and reiterating that he is the most liberal member of the pack?

Via Buzzfeed:

Mitt Romney embraced the language of the Occupy movement in order to sell his tax policy today, saying he wants to maintain the current progressivity in the tax code, while lowering rates for all.

"I am going to lower rates across the board for all Americans by 20%. And in order to limit any impact on the deficit, because I do not want to add to the deficit, and also in order to make sure we continue to have progressivity as we've had in the past in our code, I'm going to limit the deductions and exemptions particularly for high income folks. And by the way, I want to make sure you understand that, for middle income families, the deductibility of home mortgage interest and charitable contributions will continue. But for high income folks, we are going to cut back on that, so we make sure the top 1% pay their fair share or more."

Romney also appropriated the term "fairness" to sell his plan, taking a page from President Barack Obama's playbook.

Invoking the playbook of the most economically inept President of our time is not exactly a way to endear yourself to conservatives, Mitt. Even the establishment Republicans had to roll their eyes whilst their 'inevitable' candidate spoke in Obamanomics.

Obama Press Secretary Flat-Out Lies About Keystone Pipeline

2012-02-22T09:53:00.001-05:00

Maggie over at Thurber's Thoughts has a fantastic piece on what she originally calls a spin job by the administration. But hearing Jay Carney tell the American people that President Obama did not reject the Keystone pipeline isn't spin.

It's, as she concludes, an out-and-out lie.

This is an administration so arrogant that they actually believe they can look directly into the camera and lie to the American people. They are banking on you not knowing any better. And if you're not offended or outraged no matter your view on the Keystone pipeline project itself, then you have relegated yourself to a life of government servitude, an acceptance of administration lies, a repeat of the epic mistake our country made in 2008 - or your just too damn lazy to care anymore.

Thurber's Thoughts:

I suppose that the job of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is to spin the actions of President Barack Obama in a favorable light. But out and out lies, unchecked by the media, are beyond what Americans should expect - especially with an economic project as critical as the Keystone Oil Pipeline.

Real Clear Politics reports that in yesterday's press briefing, Carney was spinning away:

White House press secretary Jay Carney first says Republicans "forced" President Obama to deny the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. Later in his press briefing, Carney says Obama didn't turn down the pipeline.

"In terms of Keystone, as you all know, the history here is pretty clear. And the fact is because Republicans decided to play political with Keystone, their action essentially forced the administration to deny the permit process because they insisted on a time frame in which it was impossible to completely approve the pipeline," Carney said when asked about the pipeline by ABC News' Jake Tapper.

As Maggie points out, the pipeline has been under consideration for three years. It isn't a new project that just snuck up on the President. The deadline imposed by Republicans was something that Obama actually forced, having dragged his feet for so long.

And when Carney whines about not having enough time to review - during that three year span the project was approved by 10 government agencies already, including the environment-bound EPA!

Please go read the piece here...

Unions Behaving Badly: Registering Inmates to Vote, Spending Dues at Strip Clubs

2012-02-21T10:37:00.002-05:00

The Albany Times Union has broken a story involving correction officers in Rensselaer county trying to unseat the incumbent Republican sheriff, Jack Mahar, through unsavory means. The crux of the story involves getting inmates to register or change their enrollment to the Conservative Party, giving the Democrat challenger, Gary Gordon, an edge in the general election. Gordon ended up capturing the Conservative line by a narrow margin, but losing the general election to Mahar.

Reports show a labor union leader for the corrections officers, Kevin Rogers, allegedly dropping off 140 voter registration forms that enrolled people in the Conservative Party, of which four have been confirmed to be inmates.

Via the Times Union:

Correction officers at Rensselaer County Jail pushed to register inmates to vote in last fall's primary and general election as part of an effort to unseat Sheriff Jack Mahar.

State and federal law enforcement agencies have launched broad investigations into the activities of the correction officers, including whether their initiative to garner inmates' votes violated state or federal laws. The probes are part of a broader investigation that began when a group of correction officers accused their labor leaders of fraud and looting union dues for personal use.

The Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney's office are involved in the investigation, according to two people briefed on the matter. The investigations follow years of documented civil rights violations inside the county correctional facility, including systemic beatings of prisoners, strip-search policies that were declared unconstitutional by a federal court and sexual assaults of inmates.

Representatives for the U.S. Attorney's office and the state attorney general declined comment.

While inmates exercising their right to vote is not illegal - it is rare according to Republican election's commissioner, Larry Bugbee - having the corrections officers solicit them or help them register, is.

Gordon, to his credit, voiced unease at the prospect of taking such actions.

"There came a point in time during my campaign that I became aware of a drive to get Conservative voters, to get people to register," Gordon said. "Shortly after that there was discussion to talk to inmates, to get inmates to register, and I put a stop to that. ... I don't even know who was in the room when we were discussing it. Piche or Rogers may have been there. The decision was made not to solicit inmates."

These latest allegations against the officer's union - Sheriffs Employees Association of Rensselaer County (SEARCO) - stem from another investigation which alleges that Mark A. Piche and Rogers, president and vice-president of the union respectively, used tens of thousands of dollars in employee dues to hold parties at strip clubs, bars, and to make donations to political campaigns.

Two weeks ago, the Times Union reported:

The former leaders of a Rensselaer County jail officers union spent tens of thousands of dollars in union money for outings at top-scale restaurants, strip clubs, bars and to make contributions to political campaigns and organizations in which they had a personal interest.

Apparently, the union leaders covered up their transgressions by refusing to reveal their itemized expenditures, instead leaving over $14,000 worth of transactions with the vague label of 'donation', and another untraceable $8,000 in ATM withdrawals. Banking records obtained by the Times Union however, show some questionable transactions made using the union debit card.

On Jan. 3, 2008, the records show, the union's debit card was used to pay for a $1,611.75 tab at Angelo's 677 Prime, an upscale Albany steakhouse. The same day, records show the union's debit card was used for $52.85 in purchases from Troy Food Mart; $81.83 at a Troy diner; $55 at an Asian-style restaurant; and a withdrawal of $103.50 from an ATM at a topless dance club, Double Vision, in Halfmoon.

Two weeks earlier, on Dec. 21, 2007, the debit card was used for a $62 purchase at Valenti's Pub in Troy and also for two withdrawals totaling $344 from the same topless bar in Halfmoon. On other occasions, the card was used to pay for multi-hundred-dollar tabs at area bars and restaurants.

They also used their debit card to either donate or purchase tickets to events made by a local professional boxing promotion to the tune of nearly $2,000, over $2,000 in donations for a youth baseball team, and a whopping $20,000 in restaurant and bar tabs at Piche's family owned restaurant.

Piche and Gordon were topics of conversation in a very heated election between Mahar and Gordon last year, as they tried to get the Democrat candidate to fix tickets in exchange for their endorsement.

During last year's campaign, audiotapes of recorded telephone conversations between union officials, including Piche, and Gordon, the Rensselaer County district attorney's investigator who challenged Mahar for the job, were released by the sheriff's department. The tapes revealed union members apparently pressuring Gordon to help fix traffic tickets for their relatives in exchange for their endorsement and work on his campaign.

Gordon flat-out denies any role in the alleged scheme, and the taped conversations offer no proof to the contrary. But while Gordon's role may have only been as pawn to the union whim, the union corruption can not be ignored.

These findings also come on the heels of a major voter fraud case in upstate New York, where absentee ballots were allegedly forged by Democrat operatives in an attempt to secure the Working Families Party line in the elections.

Perhaps it's about time we acknowledge upstate New York as a contender for the most politically corrupt area in the nation. Chicago would be proud.

Please read the reports here and here...

Flashback (Video): Obama WANTS Higher Gas Prices

2012-02-21T07:58:00.001-05:00

Just a friendly reminder when you're shelling out $4/gallon today, and probably $5/gallon during the summer - This is what President Obama wanted. He wanted a gradual increase in gas prices, and he has been successful. This statement was made in 2008.

So next time the President blames somebody for taking money out of your paycheck, remember that his policies are one of the biggest reasons that despite payroll tax cuts, the administrations fundamental changes in standard of living are making this country poorer.

Meanwhile, Rick Santorum is making the obvious rather clear. Via UPI:

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was in Ohio Monday alleging Obama's "radical environmentalist policies" helped push gasoline prices to near record highs and threatened to derail the economic recovery.

There's a "lack of real scientific evidence" about global warming, Santorum asserted. "Phony studies" on climate change are not "not climate science but political science."

Santorum said Obama's disapproval of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline system from Canada to the Gulf Coast, and alleged White House foreign-policy mismanagement in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, were also pushing oil prices upward.

This will be a huge political issue when the election rolls around. It is one of the most tangible economic killers to the average American. When it turns your stomach to go to the gas station nearly every other day, remember - this is what Obama wanted.

Poll Results: Rick Santorum Most Reflects Your Values

2012-02-20T08:42:00.000-05:00

We asked readers which of the Presidential candidates most reflects their own values, and the results were split - every candidate received votes in the poll. That said, Rick Santorum led the way as the candidate that emulated the values that our readers hold most dear. Santorum was followed by Newt Gingrich, President Obama, and Ron Paul, while Mitt Romney came in dead last. Here are the results:

Which candidate for President most reflects your values as a voter?

Rick Santorum - 33%

Newt Gingrich - 25%

Barack Obama - 18%

Ron Paul - 14%

Mitt Romney - 7%

UPDATE (Video): ESPN Uses Unbelievably Racist Lin Headline

2012-02-19T12:33:00.002-05:00

On Friday, the Knicks lost their first game since 'Linsanity' started to engulf the city of New York. Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American sensation, has spawned a winning streak and a craze that transcended basketball, leading to a plethora of 'Lin' themed headlines in the big city. So when newspapers such as the New York Post ran a story after the Knicks first loss in eight games, it was no surprise to see phrases such as "Linning Streak Over" and "the clock struck midnight on Linderella".

What was surprising however, was ESPN's attempt to make a play on words after the loss:

Chink in the Armor

Who in the holy hell thought this was a good idea in the first place?

From the New York Post:

ESPN used a shockingly racist headline "Chink in the Armor" for the Knicks' loss Friday night, along with a picture of Jeremy Lin, who is an Asian-American. The headline was eventually removed, and ESPN issued an apology late this morning.

"Last night, ESPN.com’s mobile web site posted an offensive headline referencing Jeremy Lin at 2:30 am ET. The headline was removed at 3:05 am ET. We are conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again. We regret and apologize for this mistake."

UPDATE:

Even more unbelievable than the offensive headline? One of ESPN's announcers used the same phrase in analyzing Lin's gameplay:

"He's handled everything very well as you said, unflappable. But if there's a chink in the armor where can Lin improve?"

I'm more prone to giving the commentator a pass, as the phrase 'chink in the armor' has been used countless times in sports analysis. But the headline seems a bit more pre-meditated.

Your thoughts?

Governor Cuomo Accused of 'Overreaching' Power Grab

2012-02-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

Governor Cuomo seems to be following the path blazed by his colleague in the White House, riding a wave of popularity that he incorrectly perceives as a mandate to consolidate more power in his own hands. And even Democrats are wary of these dangerous actions...

Via the New York Times:

In his proposed budget for next year, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has inserted language that would allow him to move money between state agencies without legislative approval.

He has included a clause that would allow him to give out some contracts without the customary review of the state comptroller. And he added another provision that some budget experts fear could expand his authority to borrow money for construction projects.

Riding high after a string of successes during his first year in office, Mr. Cuomo is now taking an expansive, and expanding, view of the role of governor, in the name of reining in the state’s sprawling bureaucracy.

But even some of Mr. Cuomo’s fellow Democrats are raising questions about what they view as a power grab. And suddenly a staple of civics class — the notion of checks and balances between different branches of government — is the talk of the Capitol.

One fellow Democrat calls it an overreach:

“I think many of us, including myself, feel that there is overreaching proceeding down the path by our new governor, and that it is ultimately not healthy for there to be excessive power in the executive branch, even though he’s popular,” said Assemblyman James F. Brennan, a Democrat of Brooklyn.

This of course comes on the heels of another power grab yielded by the Governor, in which the entire New York State Inspector General's Office was granted the authority to snoop into the tax returns of not only the state employee workforce, but anyone they deem to be relevant to an investigation. At the time, this level of investigative power was being labeled 'unprecedented', something even the State Attorney General has not been granted.

Cuomo brushed off any questions regarding this consolidation of powers in the executive branch as "basic competence". But another Democrat Assemblyman claims it will undo years of efforts to improve government accountability.

Richard L. Brodsky, a former Democratic assemblyman who wrote legislation to improve accountability of the state’s public authorities, said the provision would undo safeguards that lawmakers had put in place with some difficulty.

“It goes to the heart of the reform efforts that took six years, three governors and two attorneys general to get done, and it’s extremely important,” Mr. Brodsky said.

Read the rest...

VIDEO: Say Bob Beckel, What's the Past Tense of Tweet?

2012-02-17T20:08:00.000-05:00

What's the past tense of tweet?

Well, apparently if you're Bob Beckel it's a word that Bill Maher likes to use when describing women that are more successful than he'll ever be.

Beckel left the cast and crew of The Five in near tears when he let loose a phrase he certainly didn't mean to, in discussing the matter of Pat Buchanan and his suspension from MSNBC.

"The black dude got suspended from CNN for saying something on Tweeter or twitter, whatever he calls it, twats, twits.... I'm sorry".

Never mind the fact that had the man sitting directly to his left, Eric Bolling, ever started a sentence with the words 'The Black Dude', liberals would have immediately called for his firing. Beckel will slide on that, no doubt.

The crew tried their best to save the segment, but Beckel couldn't quite recover.

Watch below:

Occupy Albany Announces Second Event Supporting Convicted Cop Killer

2012-02-17T16:29:00.001-05:00

For the second time in two weeks, the Occupy Albany movement has announced an event in which they will voice support and heap praise upon a man serving time for murder. The group somehow manages to completely gloss over their crimes by referring to the men as ‘political prisoners’. They clearly see some sort of parallel between themselves, their perceived struggle against government, and the political platforms of such men.

Frightening indeed.

If a priest murders somebody, they are a murderer, not a religious prisoner. If a doctor murders somebody, they are a murderer, not a medicinal prisoner. And now, Jalil Muntaqim was not convicted for his political beliefs, he was convicted of murder.

Only zealots in the Occupy movement can turn such a heinous individual into some sort of freedom-fighting icon.

Today the announcement was made:

The Radical Caucus of Occupy Albany and the New York State Prisoner Justice Network will be demonstrating in solidarity with political prisoner Jalil Muntaqim, currently sentenced to six months in the SHU (Segregated Housing Unit) at Attica Prison. We will use the People's Mic for a call and response of our demands to an end of mass incarceration, over-sentencing to the SHU, and specifically to bring attention to Jalil's case.

Jalil’s case involves an arrest on May 21, 1971, when he and two others were arrested for the killings of two New York City police officers. In 1974, Muntaqim (also known as Anthony Bottom) was convicted on two counts of first degree murder and received a prison sentence of 25 years to life. More recently, he also pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit voluntary manslaughter in connection with the 1971 slaying of a San Francisco police officer.

In a letter to the State Division of Parole in 2002, Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged parole for Muntaqim to be denied. The New York Times wrote:

Mr. Bloomberg, responding to a request by Diane Piagentini, Officer Piagentini's widow, wrote, ''Anthony Bottom's crime is unforgivable, and its consequences will remain forever'' with the families of the police officers, ''as well as the men and women of the New York City Police Department.''

''Because he so callously stole these officers' lives,'' the mayor added, ''Bottom should serve the maximum sentence without parole.''

In a book on ‘imprisoned intellectuals’, Muntaqim is described as follows:

While a member of the Black Panther Party, Muntaqim held beliefs which paralleled those of the underground faction, as opposed to the mainstream party, which focused on organizing, communicating with nationwide affiliates and other revolutionary groups to form positive political and social relations. In contrast, the underground party was focused on radical means of obtaining equality. Its members served as experts in military strategy and were “the essential armed wing of the above-ground political apparatus.”

So the ‘radical’ faction of the Occupy Albany movement is holding a demonstration in solidarity with a man focused on ‘radical means of obtaining equality’? Comforting.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Occupy has expressed solidarity and support for a cop-killing extremist. They recently announced an event in March called, The Weather Underground Meets Occupy Wall Street. The event will be held March 3rd, and is co-sponsored by The Sanctuary For Independent Media and the Albany Social Justice Center. It is described as, "A book event and multi-generational dialog to celebrate U.S. political prisoner David Gilbert's new memoir, "Love and Struggle."

Gilbert is currently serving time, like Jalil Muntaqim, in the Auburn Correctional Facility and is described as "an American radical leftist organizer and activist." He was imprisoned for his role in the Brinks Robbery of 1981, a botched effort that led to the murder of four people, including a security guard and two police officers.

Justifying the killing of seven lives total by referring to the murders as ‘political prisoners’?

How Occupy of them.

Occupy, this is who your leaders are siding with. This is who they wish to be associated with. This is who they are supporting, who they fight for, who they emulate.

Whatever our differences Occupy, it's time you took your movement back from these radicals. Before it's too late.

VIDEO: Joy Behar Compares Law Requiring Ultrasound to the Taliban

2012-02-16T20:41:00.002-05:00

Covering something that comes out of Joy Behar's mouth makes one feel a little dirty. Analyzing Behar is like analyzing a Kardashian, only Behar isn't that smart. If science could somehow harness energy from the brainwaves that come out of this dolt's head, we might be able to light a small birthday candle.

But trudge through the muck we must, to deliver such wisdom unto the masses...

Via NewsBusters:

The shrill, extremist comments coming from the co-hosts on The View continued, Thursday. Liberal comedienne Joy Behar trashed Virginia for passing abortion restrictions, saying the new law makes the state like "the Taliban."

Behar highlighted legislation requiring women, in some cases, to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion, decrying the move as "invasive." She then hyperbolically shrieked, "It's like, what are we? What is this, the Taliban now? What are we, in Afghanistan? Where are we exactly in this country?"

No Joy, the law would be like the Taliban if the law required the baby to be trained from birth to one day serve as a suicide bomber, while the mother herself was aborted via a machete to the head.

Behar added, it's "so frickin' intrusive to a woman's body."

Imagine how frickin' intrusive it is for the baby.

Does The First Amendment Protect Bloggers Too?

2012-02-16T19:39:00.003-05:00

A court ruling last December would seem to indicate that no, bloggers are not privy to the same legal protections afforded so-called real journalists.

Via the Washington Examiner:

This past December, federal judge Marco Hernandez of Oregon issued a ruling in the libel trial of Obsidian Finance Group v. Cox that has dangerous First Amendment implications.

Hernandez ruled that blogger Crystal Cox was not entitled to the same protection under media shield laws that other members of the press enjoy. This ruling made it easy for a jury to find her guilty of libel. That result threatens the First Amendment rights of all citizen-journalists.

I would argue that the work being performed by bloggers can sometimes be far superior and more timely than that being manufactured by the main stream media. From my personal experience, every time that I have come across something for the first time on an outlet like MSNBC or CNN, and commence researching, that topic has already been widely covered in the blogosphere.

But we're not debating quality of work here. We're debating basic First Amendment rights.

In a terrific op-ed by Jason Stverak, a strong case to apply those rights to bloggers is made:

"... why is this issue so complicated? Bloggers, like all citizens of the United States, have First Amendment rights. Has the definition of a journalist changed? Or has perception and therefore legal definition simply not adjusted to modern technology?"

He adds that:

The public now relies on citizen-journalists to perform an invaluable service to our democracy -- serving as government watchdogs.

Media shield laws must be revised to make clear that bloggers and all citizen-journalists deserve the same protection as the city hall beat-writer at the local newspaper.

If you believe that bloggers should be included in a state’s shield laws and granted Freedom of the Press rights, then please sign the petition at Protect Your Voice.

And please read the rest of the op-ed about bloggers and First Amendment rights here...

(VIDEO) Daily Kos Founder - Nobody Cares if Occupiers "Rape People"

2012-02-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

Olbermann and his current liberal friends in the media seem to really be pushing this narrative that rapes at Occupy encampments across the country didn't happen. Saying something didn't happen until you believe it, simply indicates some sort of psychotic issue in your own mind. It doesn't erase the facts.

Daily Kos founder, Markos Moulitsas, made this statement on Olbermann's show (h/t Weasel Zippers):

“They [Occupiers] can be as filthy and they can rape people — if you want to make stuff up — but the fact is nobody really cares about it because that message isn’t about the messenger, it’s not about who’s delivering a message, but it’s about the message itself which really resonates at a very core emotional level with people who are suffering in this economy.”

First, the only people making things up are Olbermann and Moulitsas, denying these things happened. You can't stare at a blue sky and try to tell everyone around you that it's green.

Second, I would imagine those who were victims of the rapes do actually care, along with anyone who has a conscience.

A few months ago I wrote a piece which included a list of transgressions at the Occupy camps, which was labeled 'Lust'. Remember, this is actually a short list.

Lust

Lust is generally considered to constitute an uncontrollable range of sexual thoughts or desires. The Occupiers seem to have an overabundance of this at their protests:

A 24-year-old convicted sex offender having sex with a 14-year-old at Occupy Dallas.
Rapes and instances of groping in New York’s Zuccotti Park.
One rape victim was alleged to have been a deaf man.
A female protester raped at Occupy Philadelphia.
Women Only sleeping quarters had to be erected at the New York encampment.
A permit was yanked in Madison, Wisconsin, due to public masturbation.
A Los Angeles protester arrested for masturbating in front of children.

Despite this actually being a short list of incidences, the Occupy group in Baltimore issued a memo openly discouraging those victims of such attacks from reporting to the police. In essence, what happens at Occupy events, stays at Occupy events.

No Markos, the rapes are real, and everyone should care.

Allen West: Democratic Handouts a Form of Slavery

2012-02-15T22:49:00.001-05:00

As usual, West needs no further commentary. The man is a perpetual machine of wisdom.

Via The Hill:

Freshman Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) on Wednesday evening praised the Republican Party for consistently fighting for individual freedom over the last 150 years, and criticized Democrats for pursuing "handouts" to the less fortunate that he said are a modern form of slavery.

"Our party firmly believes in the safety net," West said in a late Wednesday floor speech. "We reject the idea of the safety net becoming a hammock."

"For this reason, the Republican value of minimizing government dependence is particularly beneficial to the poorest among us," he continued. "Conversely, the Democratic appetite for ever-increasing redistributionary handouts is in fact the most insidious form of slavery remaining in the world today, and it does not promote economic freedom."

West recounted the history of the Republican Party by noting that it played a major role in several key moments in which it fought for greater freedoms for African Americans. "The Republican Party has always been the party of freedom," he said.

Among other events, he noted that Republican President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and the GOP pushed the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution that ended slavery, provided equal protection under the law, and gave blacks the right to vote.

He added that a Republican Congress passed the law establishing the Buffalo Soldiers, and that GOP President Ulysses Grant signed the first major civil rights act into law in 1875.

Democrat Councilman Jokes About His Felony Drug Conviction

2012-02-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

Kevin McGrath, who currently sits on the Troy City Council, testified yesterday at the upstate New York voter fraud trial, that he was concerned about running for public office because of his history of substance abuse, and 'the fact that he is a convicted felon'.

These days it seems, McGrath is far less concerned about public perception, at one point cracking a joke about his lack of drug-peddling business savvy - a comment that forced him to apologize to the judge.

During his testimony, McGrath stated that he was not convicted of distributing 220 lbs. of pot, but rather, he was involved with less than 10 lbs, or 100 kg. Which led him to deadpan this joke - "I wasn't too good. Didn't make much of a profit." The comment prompted an apology for Judge Pulver. Apparently, making light of a serious crime doesn't sit well in Pulver's courtroom.

McGrath's joke prompted a tweet from the former Mayor of Troy, Harry Tutunjian, who is attending the trial as an observer.

So now a current city councilman can joke about not having made a profit selling drugs? He plead guilty to a federal felony #ballotfraud -- Harry4Troy (@Harry4Troy)

Indeed, McGrath did plead guilty to a federal felony. On a blog called Talespin, Record reporter Jim Franco explains:

Well, now we know about the mysterious arrests that have been the subject of a sporadic, if not intense, whisper campaign about Kevin McGrath, D-District 1.

On the stand yesterday, McGrath said he was convicted on federal charges of conspiring to sell pot some 14 years ago. Initially it was said in court there was 100 kilograms involved but today he said it was more like 10 pounds. He also had a criminal mischief conviction thrown in and two drinking related convictions.

Of course, there are those, on both sides of the aisle, who are asking the rhetorical question of how is he fit he is fit to serve on the Council?

It should be noted that McGrath wasn't simply making a joke about something that happened 14 years ago. On January 31st, Thomas Dickinson testified that "he used to drink and drive and do drugs with McGrath" less than two years ago.

Of course, this entire trial has some wondering how exactly McGrath was able to avoid being charged with new felonies, like his counterparts Ed McDonough and Michael LoPorto, who face a combined one hundred-plus charges in the voter fraud scandal. In a June op-ed, former Democrat Party Chairman, Frank LaPosta, wrote:

Troy City Councilman Kevin McGrath, D-District 1, got the deal of a lifetime revealed in a recently disclosed cooperation agreement with the special prosecutor in the Troy voter fraud investigation. This agreement allows McGrath to avoid criminal prosecution for any wrongdoing on his part in the voter fraud scandal...

The people of District 1 and the city of Troy have a right to know why McGrath was given such favorable treatment to avoid criminal prosecution for acts he may have committed as part of the voter fraud scandal. These acts are very similar to what two individuals did who were in turn indicted by the same grand jury for multiple felony counts of alleged fraud and forgery. McGrath himself benefitted from the voter fraud in 2009 which allowed him to secure the Working Families party line on the ballot.

Details of the immunity agreement came out during yesterday's testimony when McGrath admitted on the stand that he has gotten favorable treatment, meaning no prison time, for several alleged crimes, including a felony drug conviction.

It should be noted that LaPosta, who was Chairman at the time of the voter fraud scandal, faced no investigation and has maintained that all of this happened on his watch, but unbeknownst to him. One tends to believe his story, as LaPosta had to switch parties over the scandal, eventually running against - and losing - to Kevin McGrath in the Council race. After the fraud, LaPosta was forced out by his own party, for the crime of speaking out against fellow Democrats who had been involved in the voter fraud.

In regards to the favorable agreement which McGrath was privy to, there may be some holes...

The Record reports this morning:

Just as things got underway Wednesday in the trial of two Democrats suspected of being involved in the 2009 Working Families Party ballot fraud scheme, attorney Brian Premo dropped a small bit of information that sent the court into recess.

Premo began reading off several voter registration cards and absentee ballot applications to Councilman Kevin McGrath, D-District 1, during his cross-examination that were collected by McGrath for the several primaries he was involved in on different party lines. By the end of it, he asked what was done with them and McGrath responded he had given them to Board of Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough, Premo’s client who along with former Councilman Michael LoPorto stands charged with more than 100 felonies...

“I believe there are approximately 20 of those applications with documentation of voter registration forms that are forgeries,” Premo said. “There are several that are not even close and 20 that are questionable.”

It was then asked whether McGrath’s cooperation agreement with Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, covers the Independence and the Conservative parties and or if it is constricted to just the Working Families Party.

If the agreement only pertains to the WFP, and Premo is able to prove that McGrath's forgery attempts crossed into the Independent and Conservative lines, then he may yet face charges.

Santorum Takes 12 Point Lead Over Romney in National Poll

2012-02-15T13:32:00.001-05:00

The plot thickens...

Via Rasmussen Reports:

Follow the bouncing ball. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has now bounced to a 12-point lead over Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters finds Santorum with 39% support to the former Massachusetts governor’s 27%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich follows from a distance with 15% of the vote, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with 10%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate in the race, and six percent (6%) are undecided.

Just over a week ago, it was Romney leading the pack with 34% after his win in the Florida Primary, followed by Gingrich 27%, Santorum 18% and Paul 11%. But then last week Santorum swept GOP caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota and a non-binding primary in Missouri as Gingrich continues to stumble in the race to be the conservative alternative to Romney.

I'm still trying to figure out how Romney won the CPAC straw poll this weekend. He is 'severely' behind Gingrich in conservative values, who in turn ranks behind Santorum.

Student Petitions to Reinstate Pledge of Allegiance, Wins

2012-02-15T10:48:00.001-05:00

Some hope for our future, but expect the ACLU to file a lawsuit any minute now.

Times Union:

About a year ago, Hannah VanWie was watching a segment on the news about the Vietnam War and talking with her grandmother.

Her grandmother told her about some of the criticism aimed at troops coming back from war.

The topic evolved into patriotism.

"I told my nanny we don't even say the pledge in the morning at school," Hannah said.

The 16-year-old Clarksville resident and Bethlehem Central High School student said she wanted to do something about bringing back the Pledge of Allegiance. But she wasn't sure what, so her grandmother suggested starting a petition.

So Hannah typed up her petition, and hundreds of other students joined her efforts.

A few weeks later, more than 400 of Hannah's classmates had signed the petition. She sat down with the school's principal during the spring semester, and school officials agreed to reinstate the daily recitation in September.

Why was the practice of reciting the Pledge abandoned in the first place?

Hannah said Principal Charles Abba told her the reason the practice was discontinued at the high school had something to do with the phrase "one nation under God" in the pledge.

Of course...

Nice work Hannah!

Photo: Times Union

State Inspectors Target Child's Lunch, Replace It With Government Approved Meal

2012-02-15T09:46:00.001-05:00

This is beyond the pale, and had to be shared here. If you're a parent and you're not outraged by this, then check yourself.

Let's Move! ... Your lunch to the garbage, while we force-feed you things we determine to be good for you...

Via The Civitas Institute:

A mother in Hoke County complains her daughter was forced to eat a school lunch because a government inspector determined her home-made lunch did not meet nutrition requirements. In fact, all of the students in the NC Pre-K program classroom at West Hoke Elementary School in Raeford had to accept a school lunch in addition to their lunches brought from home.

NC Pre-K (before this year known as More at Four) is a state-funded education program designed to “enhance school readiness” for four year-olds.

The mother, who doesn’t wish to be identified at this time, says she made her daughter a lunch that contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips. A state inspector assessing the pre-K program at the school said the girl also needed a vegetable, so the inspector ordered a full school lunch tray for her. While the four-year-old was still allowed to eat her home lunch, the girl was forced to take a helping of chicken nuggets, milk, a fruit and a vegetable to supplement her sack lunch.

And this pretty much sums it up right here...

The mother, who lives in Fayetteville, sent a statement to state Rep. G.L. Pridgen (R-Robeson) detailing her complaint. Pridgen says he was shocked to hear it. Pridgen has since learned this is a nationwide practice based on federal guidelines.

An assistant to Pridgen says the girl’s grandmother was also upset and asked, “This isn’t China, is it?”

Not yet, but you can see it from here.

Read the rest, especially if you're a parent...