Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Long Island's Future in the Balance
Democrats have once again won another seat on Long Island, thus adding to their grip of power over the entire state of New York. They now hold, the Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, Assembly, both Nassau & Suffolk County Legislatures, both County Executives, both US Senators and the Congressional Delegation.
What we now have is almost one party rule for the State and your local government on Long Island. Is this healthy?
This day has been coming after years of Republican domination on Long Island since the 1900s. To be honest, the Republicans have lost their way and their core values. Sure, the corruption and largess that dominates the GOP control nationally the last few years may have and still continues to spoil elections for local candidates.
But it is larger than that. For Nassau County, the Republicans have had the same leadership for over 23 years and during that time, have continued to lose election after election on the local level. Time after time, we see the same old candidates from the past, put back up for election while trying to sell they want a 'new' direction. This just won't work.
It is time for a change. It is time for young people to get involved. We need a VIABLE minority party to challenge the dominance of a vaunted Democratic majority. There needs to be new voices, fresh faces, a reform agenda.
The Democrats now control everything and they are responsible for the higher taxes, unaffordable housing and destruction of our environment by making deals with developers across the Island. With power goes responsibility. We must hold them accountable!
We just lost a State Senate seat from Long Island for the first time in the special election held in the 7th district. The district has changed, the registration now favors Democrats. The people moving out of the city have much stronger ties to the Democratic Party.
The Republicans must give them a REASON to change and consider an alternative. Maureen O'Connell was a solid candidate in an uphill battle. But without a strong reform driven agenda of lower taxes, preserving what is left of our open space and ethics in government, the elections will not be favorable.
The Democrats pulled no punches, attacking O'Connell on abortion and stem cell research, neither of which a State Senator will have much say in. But it worked. The Republicans either out fear or what I suspect was typical poor planning and conviction, did not respond in kind.
This slow deterioration for the Republicans started with the loss of the County Legislature in 1999 and has not stopped. There aren't many strongholds left on which to build a base.
It is time to scrap the old and begin anew. The sense from this objective view point is that many of the oldtimers are just holding on and will just sell their homes here, and retire to Florida when the final bell tolls. Where does that leave the young people who want to stay here? I don't think they care. They are living in the past without any promise for the future.
This isn't to say Republicans are the answer. They DESERVED to lose most of the elections in the last few after years of financial mismanagement on the County level, bloated patronage, and a total lack of ethics. However, we see the same trend with Democrats after they took power.
Benjamin Franklin once said, quoting from the past, power corrupts, absolutely. The parties in power may have switched, but the issues are the same. But without a viable alternative, the party in power only grows in corruption.
Just as the national Republican Party in 1994 put forth a Contract With America laying their reform agenda and goals, so should the local Nassau and Suffolk County Republican Parties lay out their vision for CHANGE. That starts at the top.
Those of us who are left, still want to fight. Will the leadership listen? Time will tell, and time is running out.
WELCOME!
Welcome to FreedomAlerts.blogspot.com - a blog from a former and possibly returning Bayvillian. I grew up in Bayville, but like many young Long Islanders I was 'forced' to move away in search of a career and wanting to raise a family. So off to Pennsylvania we went.
Over time, my wife and I have grown to miss the small town charm we found in Bayville. It holds a unique spot in my heart. I believe Bayville could be that special village, a jewel with the right kind of leadership. It has a great potential that has yet to be tapped. Perhaps I can lead a debate on how to brind about a true Bayville Renaissance. Who knows, but you won't know unless you try.
This blog will not just focus on Bayville. I hope to address issues affecting us nationally, regionally as well as locally.
As you can tell from the title of the blog - The Right Perspective - I am a Conservative; but what I like to call a 'Sensible Conservative'. I believe I am an American First and Conservative second. Neither party is really answering the needs of the average American. My postings will just be one man's perspective on the world around us.
I have always wanted to do something special with my life. With the birth of my daughter, I thought I no longer would be searching for answer to that question; she would be that special something I did with my life. She is in many ways. However, she is probably even more special to me than one would think. Her birth got me to re-evaluate my life -where I have been, where I am, and where I want to go. My mission has not been fulfilled. There is much more that I can do. Often I would put my point of view on things in the back seat in support of others and their success. This blog will enable me to express myself without the hinderances of the past or present. I want to make the world my daughter enters a better place. This is a good place to start. From here, who knows.
So, stop by once a week, once a month and take a read; leave a comment good or bad. With that, let me say Welcome, the Right Perspective....I won't have the answers to all the problems out there, but at least I can say I was in the game, trying to make a difference.
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