From the NY Observer:Eyebrows are being raised in Queens Democratic circles today after word went out that Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. was honored last night for a "leadership award" by the Queens Conservative Party.
Vallone is exploring a run for the Queens borough presidency or the district attorney after he is term-limited out in 2013.
"Why would he do that? This borough is 80 percent Democratic," said one borough pol.
Not the biggest Vallone fan but I find it kind of funny how "Democratic" now apparently means "flaming liberal" to the borough's party. There are people known as conservative Democrats. The fact that there are conservative council members representing parts of Queens that have registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans 4-1 should be a clue to the party that they need to embrace philosophies other than that of the far left.
50 comments:
You have the right scent but are barking up the wrong tree.
The blame for this situation can be laid at the feet of types like that mound of blubber limbaugh and all the other extreme right wing charlatans.
They have gotten rich by polarizing and dumbing down all political discourse.
We now have a situation where the politics of the Country are more at-odds then ever before.
Three decades of "Democrat: bad -Republican: good" Talibanism has made both moderates and critical thinkers nearly vanish.
Look at what passes for conservative "thinkers' Palin-Trump etc.
Jokes by any reasoning metric.
Thankfully, the audience for these shows is now dying off, but the damage will take years to recover from.
you can not have bad republicans in nys if a republican never is elected. 4 dems to 1 gop registered electorate in nyc.
you can not save a political party with those you elect like manes,leffler,freidman,mcglauglin,seminerio,hevesi,etc ,etc. the chickens have come home to roost.
Oh I see. So an idiot Democrat insisting that Democrats be liberal is the fault of Rush Limbaugh, who exercises his free speech rights and has a popular radio program. Thanks for clarifying.
I have a deep suspicion that a lot of "liberal" Democrats are wearing a mask merely to get votes.
Take the Staviskys as a prime example.
They've done the math and quickly realized long ago that a lot of ex-patriot Bronx liberal Jews who moved to Queens in the mid 1950s...to escape Puerto Rican and "Negro" minorites taking over their neighborhoods... were their meal ticket.
So they pandered to that group for decades to consolidate their political power.
Now Toby Ann sits in her slothful repose up in Albany doing as little as possible until she collects her pension.
This brand of closet conservative Democrats actually hate people of color.
Most Jews do. Most Asians do. Nobody seems to like the "Blacks" but the "Blacks". Tsk, tsk, tsk.
But when the "Blacks" criticize Jewish slum lords, who's the first to rail against the "Blacks"...people like the Stavisky camp.
Remember that Queens college "Black" professor incident?
H-m-m-m-m.
The "Stavs" know that keeping the "schvartzas" ("Blacks") out of the downtown Flushing area is what their Jews really want.
"Keep them far away from Mitchell Gardens and Linden Hil", have been their credo for years (though unspoken in public).
Imagine...some of these racist Jews themselves...might have been the victims of extreme racism in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany.
Both Leonard and Toby have successfully used Jewish "Black" xenophobia to get votes.
Keep the "dark folk" confined to the Bland Houses.
The hold that so called "liberal" Democrats upon the borough is crumbling.
Now Toby is trying to get votes from Asian immigrants to replace her dying Jewish supporters.
It won't work. She's too old herself and time is not on her side.
Asians know that this phony liberal dislikes them as much as the "schvartzas".
The Democratic machine has used Asians only to displace "Blacks" in Flushing.
i.e.
Democratic "liberal" (a Stavsky man) Assemblyman Mort Hillman, 1986:
"Thank God for the Asians. we don't want Flushing to become south Jamaica"....BLACK!
The Democratic Machine in Queens is liberal in name, conservative in substance.
They pander to gays, minorities, seniors without the spirit of openness and certainly without a trace of the traditional 'good government' that traditionally was the providence of liberals.
Hence the gap between their outward pious and inward souls that has spawned the word 'to tweed' - placing it right up there with that other term that Crappy has on his front page describing urban clubhouse politics - 'honest graft.'
They are in politics to make money, to disenfranchise opposition, to marginalize dissenting opinion, to alienate the voting public, to pass offices on the the relative and well-connected, to develop communities to maximize the wealth and power of a small group of cohorts, while those that are supposed to benefit from open liberal government - the immigrants, seniors, youth and others have to deal with broken and overwhelmed services, eroding workplace conditions and hollowed out unions, substandard overpriced housing - and a government increasingly out of touch and self serving and undemocratic - in short, all those things that traditional liberal-reforming-good government Democrats fought against.
In short, the Democratic Party in Queens is cut from the same cloth as the old Democratic Party from the days of the Jim Crow south.
See? Now that's why we all read Queens Crap. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
Yes, George, but there is an old saying in politics:
Good Government? One Hit Wonders.
They serve one term because the tick off everyone and things go down the tubes fairly quickly.
As bad as the current system is, its the best one around.
As bad as the current system is, its the best one around.
When was the last time you removed your head from your ass and saw reality??? Troll much?
"I have a deep suspicion that a lot of "liberal" Democrats are wearing a mask merely to get votes... They've done the math and quickly realized long ago that a lot of ex-patriot Bronx liberal Jews who moved to Queens in the mid 1950s... they pandered to that group for decades to consolidate their political power."
One need only look at a map of the 9th Congressional District for proof. Just the facts ma'am...
the notion that Vallone could be BP is utterly hilarious. His brother came in 2nd with 20 percent of the vote in the only other district, other than Maspeth, where he would get any votes. He would come in last in a County wide race.
1) He will not get any votes in the Jewish part of the borough cause of the Conservative partys anti abortion positions.
2) He will get no black votes cause of the Conservative Partys positions on the death penalty.
3) He will get no womens votes cause of the Conservative Partys position on womens issues.
4) He never had a chance to begin with, but now he gave his opponents all they need with these press stories to do TV commercials.
Maybe Vallone is not running in a DEMOCRATIC primary ? Cause his father came in third in Queens when he ran for Mayor, and he was loved and had been city wide leader for 20 years AND ran for Governor. Junior is on another planet.
Conservative candidate won in 3 districts in 2009 where voter turnout tends to be high. Your analysis doesn't hold water.
1) He will not get any votes in the Jewish part of the borough cause of the Conservative partys anti abortion positions.
I didn't realize Jews came out to vote en masse because of abortion. The BP has nothing to do with abortion.
2) He will get no black votes cause of the Conservative Partys positions on the death penalty.
The BP has nothing to do with the death penalty.
3) He will get no womens votes cause of the Conservative Partys position on womens issues.
See point #1
4) He never had a chance to begin with, but now he gave his opponents all they need with these press stories to do TV commercials.
When have you last seen commercials for BP? Seriously, what planet are you on?
Which 3 districts did candidates in 2009 win ?
19, 20 and 31
Oh my god. I think the person meant Koo, Halloran and Ulrich. Unfortunately, just like the thought process that drove him to accept the award from the Conservative Party, he is so sadly wrong here.
1. Those races were General elections, not Democratic primaries. He can't be that oblivious.
2. Those districts are some of the lowest turnout districts in the City! Let alone Queens. Flushing ? Wow.
No, I think you miss the point completely.
In a general election, the Dems outnumber the GOP 4-1. Yet each of those districts voted for a conservative GOP candidate.
Wow. If that's your analysis, you're in real trouble. Those are General elections. republicans vote in those, they aren't allowed to vote in Democratic primaries. Wow. Wow.
Oh okay Crappy you explained the persons point.
Yes, I am well aware that Republicans do not vote in Democratic primaries. But Dem primary voters also vote in general elections and they lost to Republican candidates.
So the BP race is going to hinge on a candidate's position on abortion and the death penalty? OMFG how dumb can you be? The BP race will hinge on who talks tough and is the biggest cheerleader for the borough. Vallone may have a shot because I can't imagine Comrie being the frontrunner for any reason other than he's black. He's a horrible speaker, and his main concern is Happy Meals. Give me a break.
Except of course when you add up the people who are conservative democrats, and vote with a conservative bent, in districts where there are never democratic primaries, that elect conservatives, you realize if you add up all of those they equal one Forest Hills district or one Southeast Queens district. Conservatives have never won primaries or General elections in Queens and never will.
Crapper, the Jews and blacks MAY not vote for him because IF the BP's office was heavily involved in abortion and death penalty issues, Vallone MIGHT vote anti-liberal.
It's all Platonic philosophy.
Okay, you seem to miss the point. Most voters are conservative when it comes to issues like crime, quality of life, etc. Being a registered conservative has nothing to do with it. And the BP race will be won on issues like that.
Vallone has been making the rounds of civic groups and has been received warmly. He seems to know how to connect with the everyday voter.
Comrie? Holy crap what a disaster.
Yeah all those Women care more about "queens" than abortion. Good luck. Do you think anyone knows what the borough presidents do ?
Hate to break the news to you, but most women in Queens are not concerned with abortion as a voting issue in a city election. They are a lot smarter than you give them credit for and realize a council member or boro prez has pretty much nothing to do with abortion.
Time to pull your head out of your ass.
Women are not interested in abortion as an issue ? Wow, I guess it is in the genes. Goodnight.
I guess you missed the part that said "in a city election".
Time to get Hooked on Phonics.
Really ? City elections ? I would like you to name one, just one, anti choice candidate who has won for city elections ? In the last ten years. Leave out staten island. All the borough presidents, the mayors, the comptrollers, the attorney generals, the governors, the public advocates. One out of hundreds who have won their seat. In the last ten or twenty years. The Green Party candidate got TWENTY PERCENT against Vallone in Astoria when he ran for reelection.
The Green Party got 20% against Vallone on the abortion issue? I must have missed that.
Why would we leave out Staten Island? Is that not part of the City of New York?
Why are you including governor and attorney general in the equation when the commenter said city election?
Why do you act like these people got elected because of their position on abortion and not because they ran unopposed, which is the real reason they're in office?
See comment #5: "The Democratic Machine in Queens is liberal in name, conservative in substance."
Thank you.
Look I'm not arguing that being conservative is wrong, I am simply saying it is a death blow in a democratic primary, especially in queens. Yes, there are two or three pockets that it is ok in a primary, but even there, if it's used against you it will cost you votes. Most importantly, those two or three districts, by the very nature that they are conservative, mean they are lower performing in democratic primaries, cause even amongst the democrats they tend to vote in general elections looking for more conservative candidates, they take up a very small share of the voters who vote queens wide in a primary. Literally, there are more votes cast in Leroy council council district than in vallones,, hallorans, upturns COMBINED. And so we are clear, the folks voting in hallorans democratic primary and Don't forget even in this three districts the ones who vote in the primaries are the more liberal democrats.
Queens Crapper said...
Oh I see. So an idiot Democrat insisting that Democrats be liberal is the fault of Rush Limbaugh, who exercises his free speech rights and has a popular radio program. Thanks for clarifying
Then you might as well read this:
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2009/05/05/average-age-of-fox-news-viewer-is-65/
BTW: That median has risen 1.4 years since that article.
That audience is dying.
The problem is that since the Reagan era these dumb talk shows have so polarized the two parties and demonized "liberals" as un-American that both camps have reacted by going to extremes.
Republican's have never been so reactionary and Democrats, on the whole never so liberal.
Thanks to years of incompetence and two stupid wars, we now have crucial economic issues and with this polarization I don't know how anything will be accomplished.
I did not realize how conservative peter vallone is. i always liked the father. i have been voteing since 1960 and the queens dems turned into a laughingstock. they make jimmy carter look like barry goldwater.the only dem i voted for in the last 20 years was tony seminerio. i did donate money to forcina in that bayside race even though he had no chance only because i met him and he seems not to be a socialist nut like the rest of them. vote republican and conservative. even if your vote dont count. i also like that ulrich kid i hope he goes places.
The Democratic party is the party of government employees and the beneficiaries of city, state, and federal direct transfer payments. And Queens is so dominated by these demographics that it would be impossible for a Republican to be elected who wanted to enact Republican policies like lowering taxes - incomes in Queens are so low that the voters don't care about tax rates for people making over $200K, or real estate taxes. In short, the Queens and most of the rest of the city, are people riding in the wagon and not pulling the wagon - and that's democracy for you.
When we consider the Borough President's meager political clout, my vote will be based on:
1. Will the next BP protesct the NYS Pavilion and Civic Virtue statue from further decay?
2. Will the next BP allocate enough resources for historical preservation and parks expansion?
3. Will the next BP be as strong a cheerleader for Queens tourism as Marty is for Brooklyn?
If wealthy companies like GE paid taxes instead of freeloading off the middle class - we wouldn't have a problem.
The middle classes are the ones "pulling the wagons" while the wealthy sit back and enjoy the ride.
tHe borough presidents office is a waste of tax dollors. And hacks want the job because they think its. A stepping stone to mayor.
If only that great Democratic leader President Barack Obama would go after GE CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt with the same ferocity he goes after Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan.
No - wait a minute. Jeff is a friend and confidant of the President and he was appointed to head the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, to make recommendations on, among other things, corporate taxes.
did not the leftwing/progressive talk show "AIR AMERICA " and the left winger alan coombs leave the radio.
no one listened to them. leftwing government( OBAMA) still has not been able to force the audience to listen to the liberal B/S.
he seems to be targeting the dope smoking college crowd as a captured audience, now that he is prepping for his possible failed second term campaign .
his polls are poor and our income is declining rapidly ,since 2008 .
What will happen here is that a deal will be made. One of the 2 will need employment after 2013, and we can't have a competitive race in Queens.
Borough President? What about Grace Meng? Her latest "Reports to the People" newsletter touts her recent trip to Israel.
Is the public that blind? Vallone for Boro Pres as a Conservative Dem? Have these people seen what his family has done to Astoria? The beat goes on, Pete gets the Boro Presidency, his fathers hand picked person will continue in Astoria, Paulie picks up Hallorans seat and soon all of Northeast Queens will be finished.
We can agree that the BP election will be won in the Dem primary? OK - so will there be a real primary, with two or more Dem candidates of varying philosophies? Or will there be a communist style election - as usual?
when was thel ast time their was a real dem primary in queens
Former Queens B.P. Donald Manes was first named on an F.B.I. wire taping during a parking violations probe in the democrat controlled city of Chicago. he was eventually arrested.
a new book by author,David Freddoso,"GANGSTER GOVERNMENT" relates Chicago type politics in D.C. presently.
Obama came from the corrupt and dirty politics of Chicago
now that another local queens politician,Hevesi, has joined the prison gang, many local dems may chose to vote elsewhere like ,a conservative for a while till they screw up too.
The only skills a BP candidate needs is to be able to have a strong, tireless arm---so he (or she) can rubber stamp developers' plans "APPROVED" with lightning speed!
You forgot to mention and an open pocket ready receive their bribes!
Maybe a direct phone line from Wellington Chen too.
Doesn't everybody take this diminutive devil's advice?
Mariyln Bitterman apparently always does.
She seems to think the "little duke" walks on water.
Maybe she takes MORE than his counsel.
Who paid for the Bitterman's trip to Toronto?
I wonder why Vallone's a Democrat anyway, and fealty to the Machine must be the only reason. His positions are far more Republican than even conservative Democrat (yes, such an animal exists.) He's a reactionary who never hesitates to go for the most knee-jerk pandering crap, especially if he can trash Obama.
(Regardless of what you think of the President, Borough Hall is a long way from the White House.)
Post a Comment