Spitzer Quotes Bruno: "We cannot survive without LLC money."

this will really piss ol' joe off: (4.00 / 1)

spitzer:

"I will be traveling the state to say to voters in every Senate district, 'We must do better,'" he said.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 13:48:35 PM UTC

As I Was Saying Last Night (4.00 / 4)

At least, before I wandered off into some tangent and never came back to my original point.  What we, as progressive reform Democrats and whichever politicians will stand with us (we're looking at you, Gov. Spitzer, Minority Leader Smith and Co-Chair Dave Pollack!) must do is the equivalent of what was done in the 2006 Congressional elections:  make each and every State Senate election in a GOP-held district a referendum on the NYS Republican Party leadership of Joe Bruno.

Ensure that the voters in those districts fully understand that no matter how much they think they actually like their Republican senator (or the heir apparent), that vote would in fact deny them any real direct representation in Albany.

Make certain they know that their Republican senator really exists solely to endorse the leadership role of Bruno and those who would stand in the way of open and accountable government.

Our best shot at sweeping side this stagnant muck lies in expanding each senate election beyond the boundaries of the district.  This must be a statewide coordinated effort on all our parts.

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by: The Maven @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 17:46:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

agreed. (4.00 / 1)

and if there is any silver lining in watching this CFR proposal go down in flames, it's that bruno is making this sort of strategy all the more viable every time he opens his mouth.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 18:31:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I don't know (0.00 / 0)

I think the '06 elections were a referendum on Iraq.

Either way, there's no chance Bruno is as well known as Bush.

The proposed reforms might be good, but the jury's still out on what kind of campaign issue this will be.

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by: SteveWFP @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 20:24:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

which is why i think we need (0.00 / 0)

to make it one. i honestly don't think it would be that difficult. it's not that hard an issue to understand.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 03:05:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm more skeptical (0.00 / 0)

It took 6 years for Iraq to become a losing issue. And it's not like this is a new issue. But you could be right.

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by: SteveWFP @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 22:20:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yeah, (4.00 / 1)

an FBI Investigation is pretty straight-forward. Democrats should make Republicans address Joe Bruno's dealings and whether or not they stand with him; it'll place R's between a rock and a hard place.

Peter King writes me Nasty Letters.

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by: tzfoley @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 07:05:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Different issue (0.00 / 0)

but same problem, will people have heard of it? The Foley scandal hurt some of the NY Rs in '06, but it wasn't a magic bullet. Not saying you're wrong, just saying it's not a slam dunk.

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by: SteveWFP @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 22:21:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's funny to hear politicians (4.00 / 2)

complain about politics.  I mean, politics are their job, right?

Maybe he's complaining that someone else is doing a job like his, only doing it better and making him look bad.

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by: simonstl @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 14:07:15 PM UTC

indeed. (4.00 / 2)

though, credit where credit is due and all. i think joe was telling the truth about that LLC money. they really can't survive without it.

gotta suck to be the captain of a sinking ship though.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 14:18:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A captain of a sinking ship (0.00 / 0)

wouldn't just stand there and whine.

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by: nupstateny @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 00:03:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Spitzer and LLC $$ (0.00 / 0)

He is right, but come on folks...double standard here. From the Anti-republican paper (NYT):

Republicans have chafed at the comments because the governor used L.L.C.'s to raise substantial amounts of money, more than $3 million over four years, according to analysis by Common Cause New York, a group that supports the governor's proposal to ban such donations. In the Legislature, Senate Republicans have led the way in accepting such donations; the Senate Republican Campaign Committee raised nearly $580,000 last year from such companies.

I like his idea, but Johnson is chosen w/o any public "primary", he goes back to the behind the doors dealing for the budget and gets back into the pork game, and lastly, he benefits from LLCs, but then says you can't. Sort of reminds me of Clinton saying no more life time protection for presidents after they leave office...well for all presidents starting AFTER Clinton.

Hi Lipris ;)

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by: SaveNY @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 11:34:01 AM UTC

It's called unilaterally disarming (0.00 / 0)

Kinda hard to do.

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by: Roatti @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 16:09:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Now see... (0.00 / 0)

I heard an excellent point on WAMC this morning that a bill that limited the amount of money that a campaigner could accept in campaign contributions or mandated public financing, but still allowed politicians to opt out of public financing altogether, favors the election of rich people who can use their own money to campaign.  It'll be hard to find a perfect campaign finance reform that will actually succeed in making elections REAL elections and not just a choice between 2 evils, neither of whom have any intention of voting against the majority leader in their respective house of government.

I think Bruno is rightfully squirming in his chair.  He of course doesn't need the LLC donations to keep his seat, but he needs for LLCs to be able to donate to republicans or he is certain to lose his majority in the senate.

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by: reinmoose @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 13:31:29 PM UTC