Room Eight | Category | News and Opinion

Multiple Choice

Gatemouth | September 6, 2008

The nomination by the Republicans of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for the Vice Presidency has thrust in America’s face the uncomfortable question of abortion. It is not a matter that we handle well.

As I’ve pointed out before, most Americans, including a substantial number of unyielding "pro-choicers", are basically ambivalent about abortion. While many "pro-choicers" openly question the sincerity of politicians who, in Bill Clinton’s words, say that they want to make abortion “Safe, Legal and Rare”, "SL&R" is clearly what most Americans desire.

Many Americans really don’t know what they would do when confronted with the question of carrying a child with Down’s Syndrome to term. What they do know is (1) it is a choice they never want to have to make, and paradoxically, (2) if they are ever in the situation, they want to be able to make a choice. They may even be willing to extend that choice to women not in an economic position to pay for an abortion themselves (some out of common decency, and some because they’ve calculated it would be cheaper in the long-run).

Vindication

Gatemouth | September 6, 2008

I sometime wonder why I go on.

Virtually anytime I utter a thought, every last word I write is condemned as either machine-generated lies or the ravings of a lunatic, and usually both.

And yet, there are times when the news brings reports of vindication. Take Steve Harrison’s on-line Town Hall held on August 11th.

Pedro: You donated money to the conservative party. they fly in counter the idelas you push today. care to explain?

Steve Harrison: Between May and October 2002, I attended one fundraiser for each of Vito Fossella, John Faso for Comptroller and the Conservative Party because I was attempting to build multi-party support for my anticipated, non-partisan City Council Special Election race in Feburary 2003.

Conversely, I have given thousands of dollar to Democrats, before, during and after that time."

Governor Paterson Passed the First Test

Larry Littlefield | September 6, 2008

Governor Paterson vetoed the bill that would have prevented public employee retiree benefits from being diminished as a result of collective bargaining agreements. Since pensions (with inflation adjustments) are absolutely guaranteed, that is the only way current and younger employees can make older generations of public employees, who traded rich benefits for themselves for lower pay and benefits for those coming after, give something back. The prohibition would have been in place for the period of time we are in a fiscal crisis.

Perhaps New York's "I've got mine jack, and I'll be getting more before you get anything" public employee unions might decide to make universal health care a bit more of a priority as a result. The veto was a part of a package of 49 bills, many of which are pension sweeteners as usual. The list is here. The Governor didn't give any reasons. If you need one, read this and this.

How Would You Ask (and Answer) “The” Question?

Larry Littlefield | September 6, 2008

The data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the 2007 version of which is rolling out over the next month, is a good news/bad news thing. The good news is that for areas such as all of New York City or Brooklyn, we get data on a wide range of social and economic population characteristics every year, rather than just once a decade as part of the census. The bad news is that the long form of the census, which had been sent to one-in-six households every decade, has been eliminated, and while the Bureau has promised ACS data for small areas such as census tracts (based on averaging a whole bunch of years together), I have yet to see it. The small number of questions on the “short form,” which was and is sent to everyone every ten years, is now all we are assured of knowing about ourselves with a high level of geographic detail. So what are the questions deemed important enough to ask everyone? Administrative questions to compile the number of people in a housing unit, whether the housing unit is owned or rented, the age and sex or each person, the relationship of each person to the person filling out the form, and one other thing. Race and Hispanic Origin, according to “the requirements of standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget in 1997 (Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity).”

Robonic Stooges (AKA Brian Sargeant)

Gatemouth | September 6, 2008

Tonight I got my robo-call from Mayor Bloomberg asking me to vote for Dan Squadron for State Senate, and had to admit it sounded slightly more animated than the Mayor live and in-person attempting to be spontaneous.

I recently put forth the theory that Mayor Bloomberg’s endorsement of Squadron against incumbent Marty Connor did not stem from some amorphous desire to reform Albany–a ridiculous proposition given the Mayor’s quite obvious desire to maintain the status quo of Albany power arrangements, especially maintaining the Senate’s morally corrupt anti-city Republican Majority.

Tuesday’s Primaries: Some Endorsements, Predictions & Some Stone Cold Political Gossip, For All You Political Crackheads/LOL

Rock Hackshaw | September 5, 2008

Let’s start with a couple congressional races first. In the 13th Congressional (Staten Island/ Brooklyn) I am going to endorse Steve Harrison. I feel strongly that he is much more progressive a candidate than NYC councilman Michael McMahon; the current climate calls for one. Plus, I feel that McMahon will vote to prolong the Iraq War, and that’s the last thing we need from a member of the New York City delegation (or any delegation for that matter). I could only hope that the winner of this primary moves on to win this seat from the currently repugnant Republicans in November. Given Vito Fossella’s recent fall from grace, it should be easy pickings for Dems here. Truth be told: I expect McMahon to win this primary; but I can’t endorse him over Harrison.

A Little Piece of “Pussy” Highlights The Double Standard of Justice In This Country

Rock Hackshaw | September 5, 2008

I know that some of my fans on these here blogs will take umbrage with my choice of words for the title of this piece; let me apologize in advance. It is not meant to disrespect anyone. It is simply meant to highlight in plain and unambiguous language (at least on the streets of the hoods I peregrinate), a problem that not too many want to touch; an issue that few seem to care about: the double standard of justice that permeates the courts of this land. It is meant to shock a few more complacent people into reading this and commenting. Bon apetit!

Let me preface this column by saying that I am in no way condoning or exonerating anyone in this article, especially those whose womanizing ways have caused pain to others; worse yet those who were married during their escapades. Their questionable proclivities must be condemned by me and others; and rightly so. The damage(s) caused by the actions of many in this column, have long lasting effects on families, friends, relatives, and also society at large.

Bombshell: Simcha Felder is not a Doghouse Democrat–Kendall Stewart Refuses to Commit

Gatemouth | September 5, 2008

Many political observers are of the belief that, for New Yorkers, the main battle in this year’s election is not the presidency (in the choice of whom we will play virtually no role), but control of our State Senate.

And the question for many in that election is not merely whether the Democrats will elect a majority at the polls.

For Democrats, the presumptive results of this year’s State Senate elections seem clear; to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin: “A Majority…if you can keep it.”

Already, two Democratic State Senator, Ruben Diaz and Carl Kruger, have refused to commit their votes to whoever is chosen to be put up for Senate Majority Leader by the Senate’s Democratic Conference; Kruger even accepted a leadership position from the Senate Republicans. At least one incoming member, Hiram Montserate, has, in the past, played footsie with former Senate Republican Leader Joe Bruno, and another possible Senate Democratic Candidate, former State Senator Pedro Espada, has caucused with the Republicans in the past (while his primary opponent, incumbent Efrain Gonzalez, used to be known as Al D’Amato’s favorite Albany Democrat).

Organized Crime

Gatemouth | September 4, 2008

“On the other hand, you have a resume from a gifted man with an Ivy League education. He worked as a community organizer. What? He worked — I said — I said, OK, OK, maybe this is the first problem on the resume.

He worked as a community organizer. He immersed himself in Chicago machine politics.”–Rudy Giuliani–9/3/08

“… I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involved.

I guess — I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities“.–Sarah Palin–9/3/08

Ms. Rocky Raccoon and Her Consiglieri

Gatemouth | September 4, 2008

I apologize for tonight's focus on Rudy, but every time I ponder the thought of Mike Huckabee not taking a shower, or consider the intellectual labor of deconstructing Ms. Rocky Raccoon's impersonation of the Senior Class Chair trying to declare a cultural Jihad, I get a bit woozy.

It's nearly impossible to caricature a caricature.

Much more pleasurable to poke fun at the patent insincerity of the Cigar-bar hopping/former roomate of two gay men/Big Apple Mayor trying to look sincere making an issue of Godlessness and cultural elitism (he's much better at riling up the Jews, with a false accusation that Obama had drawn a moral equivalnct between Israelis and Palestinians–betcha his party won't be repeating that one in Dearborn).