Week in Review 1/16-1/20

Monday 1/16
Gov. Pataki has signed a new law to provide greater oversight and tighter regulation of state authorities that handle billions of dollars in public money for state purposes like maintaining the Thruway and running mass transit in New York City.

Under the state Office for the Aging is reviewing a program that will provide cash payments to people willing to assist their elderly neighbors during their free time. The services would be made available through a state Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program, which is expected to serve 51,000 seniors this year. A similar program is already available under Medicaid, mostly for the disabled.

Sen. Schumer has found a tax he opposes - the 3% federal excise tax tacked onto every cell phone bill. Sen. Schumer is demanding the Internal Revenue Service return the collected tax to the consumer. A federal appeals court in Washington DC ruled the tax is illegal because it applies to calls that are measured by distance. Cell phone calls are measured by time. Two other courts with jurisdiction over seven states have voided the tax.

Tuesday 1/17
Sen Hillary Clinton likened the House of Representatives to being run like a “plantation.” Unlike Trent Lott, Sen. Clinton is a democrat and will likely get away with her rhetoric. Republican challenger, John Spencer, has called on the senator to apologize for the divisive comment. Sen. Clinton, though, thinks she’s above it all and has done no such thing.

Gov. Pataki proposes legislation to tighten financial aid regulations for commercial colleges in the state in an effort to guard against giving grants to students who aren’t academically qualified. If implemented, the plan could reduce state spending on its largest student financial aid program by hundreds of millions of dollars. 2006 Budget.

Wednesday 1/18
What a week for Gov. Pataki. He will finish is long tenure as New York Governor aggressively proposing tax cuts and pro-growth legislation to encourage new startup businesses in the state. The governor proposed a $110 billion budget that is filled with goodies. Unfortunately, it proposes spending that is greater than the rate of inflation.

The L train becomes the city’s first computer controlled train as the MTA tests fully automated trains (except for a motorman) during off hours. New York City is the last major city to use the antiquated “Automatic Block Signals” system, which dates back to the New York system’s inception (1904).

Thursday 1/19
There’s an arcane law on the books known as the Blaine Law. The current state constitution includes this 19th Century anti-catholic law and it is often used to hinder school choice legislation whenever parochial schools are involved. Gov. George Pataki has proposed a school plan that would include tuition tax credits to parents who choose to send their kids to a nonpublic school. The Blaine Law would prevent the catholic school option. The issue of giving parents school choice will be on the forefront of the gubernatorial race this year. Conservatives advocate that government should not hinder options for parents and that it is the parent’s decision, not governments, to decide which school would best accommodate their child. Liberals wish to block school options for parents because they believe parents shouldn’t be making the decisions, government should. With government making decisions, liberals have to advocate the “Establishment Clause” which is simply bunk.

County Executive Tom Suozzi has set up his exploratory committee for governor and will now tour the state so he can get a feel of his gubernatorial chances. Democrats are furious because King Eliot should not be challenged in his right to be anointed. Republicans are happy, not because they intend on drafting a Wilson-Pakula for Suozzi, but hope a contested race on the Democrats side should and could damage Spitzer’s reputation. Regardless of which party we tend to support, incumbo-crats, regardless of political affiliation, need to be axed. Party hacks of both parties have depleted the resources in our state. We used to have 43 electoral votes (2 US senators and 41 representatives) two censuses ago and now we have 31 electoral votes. This means we are losing our residents because we drive away business with high taxes and unfriendly regulations for business.

Councilman Charles Barron (D) is at it again. He was at a council meeting sitting next to a statue of Thomas Jefferson. He objected, calling one of our founding fathers a “slave holding pedophile.” Councilman Oddo (R) responded by rolling his eyes and sighing.

The New York Yankees and New York Mets are one step closer to breaking ground on stadium construction. I’m just looking forward to when pitchers and catchers report at the start of February.

Friday 1/20
It appears democrats will vote “no” on Judge Samuel Alito and his confirmation will be along party lines. Though we live in a Federated Constitutional Republic, where decision beyond the constitution should be left to the states, democrats still feel states should have very few rights. Where euthanasia and capital punishment are state issues, abortion is not. Strange, I know. Though democrats would gain the upper hand on a state level with elections if abortion returned to the state level, they are reluctant to support a judge who could potentially do them the favor. If they truly believe “mainstream” America favors a “woman’s right to terminate life,” why do they continue to fight the issue by saying lies to the American people?

Osama Bin Laden wants to be our friend. Cheney, Biden, Schumer and many politicians regardless of party, gave the finger to the mastermind behind 9/11. One can only home Vice President Dick Cheney would make a statement that would be along the lines of his lovely remark in the Senate chambers some time ago. Though the following may appear sexist, sexism is still seen throughout other cultures. If we could be politically incorrect for a moment here’s a wonderful slap in the face of terrorists:

“The American People have one thing to say to Osama Bin Laden and the terrorists who kill innocent civilians. We’re sorry you lack sufficient manhood to please women. We understand that you cowardly hide behind burkas, draping your image like the muslim women of your culture, because your reproductive parts are almost women-like. A real man would have the courage to show his face and be a man during wartime. Our liberal society has surgeons that can complete your desire to become true women, so if you want a truce, we can help you. We also treat our women equally, so you would not lose any of your rights as a woman.”