One wonders about the unmitigated gall of certain politicians. I never cease to be amazed by Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her ability to cover up and misrepresent the truth. Her most recent comment on the democrats losing NY 9 was a classic case . She claimed that it was always a tough seat for the democrats. Right, they hadn’t lost it since the 1920′s … until Obama came in!”

Today we have  Senator Chuck Schumer, defender of the downtrodden and mouthpiece number two for the president making an outrageous claim. While championing the presidents assault on ” the rich,” Senator Schumer wants a different standard  for New Yorkers who need more money to live. Of course they do Chuck! You have turned the state and the city into a place where taxes are outrageous, rents are out of control, tolls are exorbitant and the cost of living is among the highest in the country. I sympathize with the people of New York, but I have a better idea. Defeat Obama, and let’s lower taxes and stimulate job creation.

Living in the Big Apple and the state has consequences. One of them is a hypocritical windbag named Schumer.  The other is helping elect an incompetent president who is destroying this economy and fomenting class warfare.  The rest of the country wont buy your idea  Chuck. It only shows how hypocritical democrat politicians are. You want to penalize the rest of the country… Just not in your backyard. Good luck Chuck! And to my friends in New York, how about next November  rising up and getting rid of this reckless administration. You really can do it… NY 9 proved anything is possible!

Schumer: Obama’s tax-hike threshold too low for New Yorkers

My friend Paulie Pictures grew up in New York but escaped before his past caught up with him. He sent the following special mob input for the blog. Enjoy!

The recent announcement that the FBI arrested 127 reputed Mafia figures brought a number of thoughts to mind. Having grown up in New York City, the Mafia was a constant (if mostly unseen) presence.

I still remember the murder of Joey Gallo at Umberto’s Clam House in lower Manhattan. As someone said, Joey ordered clams on the half shell and got slugs instead. The scandal of the Joey Gallo incident was not the shooting itself (these things happen), but the fact that he was gunned down in front of his wife and child. This was an egregious breach of Mafia protocol and etiquette (even worse, for example than having your body dumped in a Hoboken landfill rather than buried at a construction site in Queens). One can only wonder what happened to his killers after such a faux pas. Perhaps they are also sleeping with the fishes.

Given the fact that a number of Mafia hits occurred (occur?) at Italian restaurants, one trait of New Yorkers is that they never sit with their backs to the door when they dine in an Italian restaurant. This is a corollary to the Carlo Gambino rule: never eat in an Italian restaurant that does not have bullet-proof tablecloths.

The Washington Times (unlike the Washington Post) was politically incorrect enough to include the nicknames of some of the arrested figures. I wonder how the Mafia assigns such nicknames. In the Air Force, fighter pilots receive their callsigns (nicknames) at a squadron ceremony. Some of the names are virile and macho (Turbo, Cowboy, Bronc, Boomer, etc); others are less flattering (Rags, Hooter, Bambi, etc). Does the Mafia have a similar process, or is less formal?

Some of the names probably come naturally based on work orientation. “Vinny Carwash,” for example, probably has some connection to the auto detailing industry. Others probably reflect personalities (“Crazy Joey,” for example, speaks for itself) or physique (“Fat Dennis” and “Baby Fat Larry”). Some nicknames, however, are more esoteric. How did “Tony Bagels” get his name? Does he have a fondness for the Jewish bread product? Does he target bagel stores (probably not, given the long arm of the Mossad)? Then there’s “Johnny the Whack” (my wife stated “I don’t even want to think how he got his nickname”).

If nothing else, you have to admire the Mafia for its creativity and (probably unintended) sense of humor. Among the others arrested were “Jimmy Gooch,” “Louie Ices,” “Frankie Steel,” “Baby Shacks,” “Junior Lollipops,” “Andy Mush,” and “Meatball.” I’ll leave the other blog readers try to figure out the eponymous assignment of these nicknames

 The following is a letter to Governor Paterson from my friend Bob in Florida. I think you will agree he is much better qualified than the current front runner. We’re behind you Bob!

Open letter to The Honorable Governor of New York State

 

I am a resident of the state of New York or will be very soon. The senator that I would replace had the need to hurry to residency and I will, too.

I would like to submit my application to fill the open position as US Senator from New York to replace the former junior senator from New York who has lived there for a lot less time than I did.

She lived most of her 61+ years in Illinois, Massachusetts, Arkansas and the District of Columbia.

I was born in Buffalo and have spent the majority of my life there. I presently live in Florida but can rush back to my native home in a hurry, if you will appoint me.

My spouse had a brilliant career there, not unlike the current senator who gained gravitas when her spouse was a resident of Arkansas.

Different than them, we have been true to each other and that should be considered in my application.

It is my understanding that a woman with less credentials than mine in public service has asked to be seated. Friends tell me that her personal connections are much stronger than mine but . . . I am asking for consideration as a person that has been in touch with the everyday person in the state of New York.

It is my understanding that neither this woman, her spouse nor her children have ever been educated in the public school system. In addition, she has never applied for a career position and has often not voted in local, state or national elections.

I have voted in every election since 1958, whether local, county, state or national. I have served as a congressional aide, a political chairman and the lowest-of-the-low – - – a precinct committeeman.

I went to college; raised four great kids who all went to college. In short, I am an up-by-the-bootstraps, loyal, committed American.

How about me, Governor Patterson? Yes, I see that you have people more “involved” than me . . . but don’t I deserve consideration before Mrs. Schlossberg?