An Anniversary Story

The purpose of my blog is to focus on political issues primarily facing the Lower East Side and then the Metropolitan area. Of course there is the occasional "opinion" I grab and repost here, but for the most part, personal and work-related stories are not things I generally intend to blog about.

Today, though, I was told a story that was so touching, I feel the need to repeat it.

My job partially deals with a particular type of senior care when it comes to residential management. On a daily basis, I speak to a number of senior citizens and answer questions that relate to what I do and try to make their living situations more accomodating in these expesive times. Today, a woman I will call Alice, told me a story that shows us the power of love.

Alice, who is a pretty good looking mid-70 year old, first stepped into the picture back in the Fall of 2004. She and her husband, Harold, have been having tough times financially and when she learned of the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption Program, she came in to apply.

Harold has been sick. He had spent many months in the hospital and it wasn't looking pretty good for him. Alice, who doesn't have a High School diploma, had to get a part-time job to help out after Harold was layed off from work and through tough times, they had to sell many personal possessions to cover expenses. When Harold got sick, it made matters worse.

Now, with both of them out of work and only collecting social security, Alice heard about SCRIE and wisely chose to get her rent frozen, so she could help pay hospital bills and monthly expenses without worrying about rent chipping at their income.

In January 2005, Alice and Harold were approved for the SCRIE Program and they were very grateful for all my help and assistance.

In September 2005, Harold passed away, just before their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Alice informed me of her husband's passing, a man I never met, and I explained what she needs to do with renewal leases and when her SCRIE comes up for renewal in the summer of 2006.

Today, Alice came in asking for me to assist her in an appeal to get her SCRIE determination reduced. She may or may not get it, but because her social security benefits was decreasing by almost $400, she is hoping to get a reduction in her SCRIE benefits, because the new amount would return her to some hard times.

When we sat down to go over her appeal, she was her usual nervous self with mixed emotions of sadness and gratefullness. Suddenly, she brightened up and she sticks out her hand and shows me this nice wedding band on her ring finger.

"Harold got me this for our 50th Anniversary," she tells me. Almost in tears, she adds, "I just got it the other day from his nurse at the hospital. It's only $36, but it's from Harold."

The story:
While in the hospital, he noticed his nurse had a similar wedding band on her finger and he asked if she was married. She told him she wasn't and that she got the ring from a catalog. Harold asked her if she could show him the catalog, because he would like to get his wife a new wedding band, because their 50th Anniversary was coming up and she didn't have one. He picked out a ring and the nurse ordered it for him, but it was on back-order and it would take some time before they would be able to deliver it.

Sadly Harold passed away never able to give the ring he purchased his wife for their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

A couple weeks ago, a package came in to the hospital and the nurse who ordered it realized that it was the ring her patient had ordered for his wife months before. She found Alice's phone number and gave her a call to let her know of the gift her husband purchased only briefly before he passed away.

Alice now wears the ring with love and memories of a man she dearly misses. It may not be worth a lot in money, but it is worth more than anything to her right now. I told her she was fortunate to have someone who loved her so much and that she was able to have all those year's together. Some people never get what she had.

Targeting areas in Manhattan

The two hardest boroughs for the Republican Party to penetrate are the Bronx and Manhattan. For some reason, I feel the chances in the Bronx are better than the central island of this consolidated city, mainly because the outer-boroughs have suburban havens, and suburbs usually breed more conservative-minded individuals.

But this is not to say that Manhattan should be ignored by the GOP. There are over 97,000 registered republicans in New York County and candidates should run for office representing these residents. The New York County Committee is attempting to activate district clubs in all twelve districts and this is certainly a good start to expand the party base and win votes even from voters not registered republican.

Because of redistricting, the State Senate districts are a lot hard for Republicans. For a long time, Roy Goodman (R) held the district along the east side of the island. When he finally retired from his position, a democrat won the seat, the borders were redrawn, and now, it would be extremely difficult to win back the seat, even if a lot of money was put into it.

However, there are three Assembly Districts and three City Council districts that should have candidates for every election cycle. These are districts that have had Republican officials in the past and could be a beginning to return republican ideals to Manhattan.

The 73rd AD is along the East Side of Manhattan and home to the Rockefeller/Lindsay Republican establishment. A true conservative Republican would probably not do well in any of these districts, but a fiscal conservative/social moderate can certainly crack the democratic machine on the island. Using the last three big elections (as I did with my Bronx post), the 73 appears to take a very centrist position for their elected officials.


Pataki '02 - 54.27%
Bush '04 - 29.56%
Bloomberg '05 - 85.15%


Mayor Bloomberg clearly won overwelmingly and surprisingly, George Pataki almost reached 55% in 2002. Bush's numbers were certainly low, but the 73 had the highest percentage for the President out of all 12 ADs.

The 65th AD is along the Upper East Side and a base where many registered Republicans reside. Bloomberg scored over 80% of the vote and Pataki won the district by falling just shy of 50%.

The 64th AD is the third district the Republican Party needs to field a candidate in for every electin cycle. The numbers may tell you that it wouldn't be worth trying, because the average percentage of the three big elections is around 41%.


Pataki '02 - 43.89%
Bush '04 - 21.7%
Bloomberg '05 - 60.1%


It's true that these percentages don't ring a potential for victory, but what could change this impression would be to tell you who holds the seat. Sheldon Silver is the Assemblyman for the 64. The Republican Party could certainly make strides up in Albany by knocking out Silver. You may argue that even if the Assembly Speaker loses his seat, the lower house will still be in control of the Democrats. True. But it won't be in Sheldon Silver's hands. The Democrats will have to select a new Speaker. That could be someone who is more reform minded and someone who comes across as fiscally responsible.

For City Council, the districts for Republicans are 2 CD, 4 CD & 5 CD. All three run along the East Side from Alphabet City up to Yorkville.

All throughout Manhattan, the Republican Party should run candidates, even though their chances of winning are slim. With the County organization making sure an active district club mobilizes party members, this can only increase the base and bring more of a balance to Manhattan politics. Unfortunately, not every district has a club and some that do don't have an active club.

Here are your Manhattan Clubs:

New Amsterdam Republican Club - 64 AD
(This club was once very active holding regular meetings and supporting candidates down in lower Manhattan.
With a change of leadership, it has not held regular meetings for some time.
If you live in the 64 AD and would like to get this club going again, email: contact@nycrepublican.org.)

Knickerbocker Republican club - 65 AD
This club does meet regularly at member's homes, but could use a perminent location.
The problem with locations is they cost money. If you live in the 65, these are the folks to contact first.

West Side Republican Club - 67 AD
There is also a Riverside Republican Club, but the West Side Parker Club is the one that is active.
The West Side Club is one of the few clubs that holds two meetings a month.

The Fighting 69th Republican Club - 69 AD
The 69 recently organized and has taken off with much success. The few bushels of Republicans in the district are pretty active. They now meet regularly.

Harlem Republican Club - 70 AD
The Harlem GOP has been around for some time now and consists of many members who are very active in the district.

Lionel Hampton Republican Club - 71 AD
This club has been around for a while, but has simply not been active on a regular basis.
This year, LHRC has made a commitment to begin organizing and expanding its membership.
Visit their website and shoot them an email to learn more.

The Metropolitan Republican Club - 73 AD
The largest Republian Club in Manhattan at the moment. It also houses the county committee.
The Met Club is usually the place that holds meetings and events on a regular basis. New Yorkers from all throughout the borough come to the Met Club for socials and working with district leaders.

Vince Albano Republican Club - 74 AD
The Albano Club reactivated last October and has held a monthly meeting consistantly since then.
The club covers Gramercy, PCV/ST, East Village and more along the East Side. It is certainly looking for new members and many district residents looking to get involved in the county committee and helping with campaigns.
To reach the Albano Club, contact albanoclub@gmail.com

The Theodore Roosevelt Republican Club - 75 AD
The TR Group started after the 2001 city elections and became a highly active club up through 2005.
This year, it has slowed down a bit, so maybe it's time for some new blood to reenergize its membership.
If you live in 75, know that you have a place to go.


Right now, there are no clubs in the 66 AD, 68 AD and 72 AD. If you happen to live in these districts and are interested in helping the New York County Committee form a club for those residents who are left out, email contact@nycrepublican.org

If in two years, we have active clubs in all twelve ADs and are buzzing with local activism, then who needs my point of focussing in simply 3 districts. We will have enough foot soldiers to get the Republican message out throughout the entire borough.

Building the Bronx GOP

I've been doing a little bit of research for republican party building in New York City. I want to publish some of my research, in the hopes that perhaps republican leaders from the specific areas I mention learn that they have the potential in strengthening the Republican Party on a grassroots level against the mighty democratic machine.

I started with Bronx County, because after reviewing registered republican totals for each of the five boroughs, I thought it would be a quick and easy process for our northern most city member.

Right now, the Bronx GOP has one legitimate candidate running for State Senate. In the 34th SD, Joseph J. Savino is attempting to "take back" the seat once held by prominent republican leader, Guy Velella. The 34th SD is comprised of large sections of the 80, 81 & 82 ADs, which are the only three Assembly districts where the GOP has a fighting chance. Fielding Assembly candidates to run simultaneously with Savino's Senate race should greatly increase the interest for the republican base in the northern Bronx. Are there even candidates for the Assembly?

I'm not too familiar with the Republican Party up in the Bronx, but I certainly hope they aren't a one-man show. If Savino wins the seat, I can only hope that he will work with his republican base and develop prospective candidates for the Assembly and City Council for 2008 and 2009 respectively. The first thing the county committee should do is designate district clubs in the three Assembly districts, 80, 81, 82. It is these three ADs where the GOP has a chance.

Why do I say there is hope in these three Assembly Districts? Because Republicans can and have won in these ADs. Mayor Mike Bloomber won all three Assembly Districts in his reelection bid in 2005.


AD - Percent
80 - 53.86%
81 - 62.40%
82 - 57.07%


I understand Mayor Bloomberg isn't necessarily considered a Republican among most fiscally conservative individuals. However, the most conservative voters in the Bronx come from these three Assembly Districts. In 2002, George Pataki's percentages for these districts was in the the mid to upper 40s and in the 80 AD, his 47.46% was a winning total (if just barely).

When it comes to President George Bush's numbers in 2004, he received 26% to 31% in these districts. All other Bronx districts weren't higher than 15%.

These are helpful and hopeful numbers for republicans to start building a base of support through republican clubs. Regular meetings and organization help the party grow and reach more and more voters come to a decision to vote republican.

When it comes to a City Council race, the 13th CD is pretty much the only one that appears attainable for 2009. The 11th CD is worth running a good candidate as well, but it doesn't appear that the 11th has the odds the 13th has. The Republican Party should represent each borough with at least one elected official for council, assembly and senate, so the council seat should be the 13th.

In 2005, Phil Foglia ran a spirited campaign for 13 CD and received 35.6% of the vote. The republican party should not give up on this seat and hopefully they will have someone groomed for 2009.

Recently, a republican club started in City Island. There next meeting will be May 10th. If you live near City Island and are a registered republican, please join them and help them start a new base of support for Republicans in the Bronx.

Connecting with the East Village

The East Village has its own website and it is appropriately called, East-Village.com.

I've visited the site on occasion and noticed it contains many resources that are particular to the East Village and Alphabet City. It's a great source of information for anyone who lives in the historic area or for someone who likes to visit. Get your fix on East Village businesses such as an East Village music store, East Village hair salons, East village hobby stores, East Village bars or lounges, East Village thrift shops, East Village pet stores, laundry mats and coffee shops and East Village hotels and if you are getting the opinion that I'm listing all of these things to attract internet searches, I have no comment on that. ;)

Apart from the site being very busy looking, I think it should definitely be a site for every East Village resident to check in on occasion. I also recommend signing up to its newsletter and perhaps even signing into the site.

If you're an East Village Republican or East Village Reformer, you should connect with your neighborhood. Many users to the site are small business owners and local activists. It is important to stay in touch with what your neighbors are thinking and feeling. I just signed up today and though I may not simply dive into another site with blogging and commenting, I want to see what the make-up of villagers are politically.

Shut Up! It's OUR Speech that's free!

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

More than 25,000 evangelical Christian youth landed Friday in San Francisco for a two-day rally at AT&T Park against "the virtue terrorism" of popular culture, and they were greeted by an official city condemnation and a clutch of protesters who said their event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally." . . .

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, . . . told counterprotesters at City Hall on Friday that while such fundamentalists may be small in number, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco." . . .

Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city."

The Chronicle's editorialists do recognize this display of small-mindedness for what it is, but you still have to wonder how "America's most tolerant and progressive" city can elect people who so totally fail to grasp the concept.

From Opinion Journal's Best of the Web - Today

The GOP ticket isn't looking that bad

This isn't an endorsement. It's just something for everyone to consider and take a look at who the GOP has to offer for the statewide races this November.

John Faso for Governor

Today the Legislature is passing a tax, spend and borrow plan that will lead to very large out year deficits. Their budget not only dramatically increases spending, but provides no reform of the two areas with the largest spending growth – Medicaid and education.

The reason New York has the highest state and local tax burden in the nation is that our Legislature consistently spends and borrows more than citizens can afford.

While spending increases and apathy toward reform have become customary for the Legislature, the lack of a response from Eliot Spitzer is most revealing. He has not raised more than a whisper in protest with his allies in the state Assembly. The Sheriff of Wall Street is mute on State Street.

Jeanine Pirro for Attorney General

[Jeanine Pirro will] be pushing the MySpace.com issue with Hudson Falls Central Schools Superintendent Mark Doody. The district recently warned parents of the dangers associated with ”social networking” sites and blocked them - including MySpace.com - from the school network.

Follow-up: MySpace complies.

J. Christoper Callaghan for Comptroller

He's been in government accounting for 35 years, the last nine as Saratoga County treasurer. Now he's pursuing the state's top accounting job, the elected office of state comptroller. He announced March 8 he won't run for re-election, but will instead seek the Republican nomination to oppose Alan G. Hevesi, the Democratic incumbent.

Callaghan also has met with state Conservative Party leaders and is pursuing that party's endorsement.

He's derided some of Hevesi's policies as "gimmickry" that could push state taxes higher; Hevesi, a Queens resident who would be seeking his second term in November, has so far refused comment on Callaghan's candidacy.

As Saratoga County treasurer, Callaghan has been part of the team behind one of the most financially successful counties in the state, a county with a budget consistently in the black, and which has general held tax rates steady or cut them for 20 years.

John Spencer for US Senate

John Spencer, the leading Republican and Conservative Party Executive Committee endorsed candidate to face Senator Clinton, blasted the ACLU-backed “Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act,” introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D, NY-14).

"This bill is a blatant attack to--once again--smear the good work of America’s vital alternatives-to-abortion network of crisis pregnancy clinics which provide a ‘true choice’ for women and girls in unexpected pregnancies,” said Spencer at a press conference hosted by numerous mothers helped by the EMC FrontLine Pregnancy Centers today.

“Having been adopted myself, I have always supported this organization and similar ones like it that help provide a real choice to pregnant women seeking counsel. Only those who see strictly through the prism of pure politics could oppose those seeking to choose life,” added Spencer.

According to today’s New York Sun, Nat Hentoff, a former member of the ALCU’s board, was quoted as saying “My God, what about the First Amendment?” when told of the ACLU’s support for the bill.

Also according to the Sun Mr. Hentoff also called the ACLU's endorsement of the legislation “a really extraordinary mistake.”