The New York Island

Another video in which Libertarian and Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Warren Redlich hits primary opponents Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino for their double standards.

Current State of New York's Gubernatorial Race

With Governor David Patterson bowing out of his reelection bid, the people of New York will be guaranteed a new Governor come this November. The following is a list of current candidates under the various political parties in the state of New York.

Democratic Party

Current Attorney General Andrew Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo represents what is wrong with New York state politics. He is apart of the many political families who control the state either directly or indirectly. Cuomo's role as HUD secretary under former President Bill Clinton was one of the contributors to the housing crisis.

Andi Weiss Bartczak

Bartczak a chemist by trade and liberal activist had stated her reasoning for running is to bring actual change to Albany. In her view the New York Democratic Party has become nothing but an oligarchy and grassroots organization is subjected to party bosses. She views Cuomo as apart of that oligarchy.

Republican Party

Former Congressman Rick Lazio

Lazio had run for Senate against Hillary Clinton back in 2000. Lazio is currently trying to paint himself as the one who will bring sanity and limited government back to Albany. However his record on gun rights as a congressman, paints a different picture.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy

Originally a Blue Dog Democrat who switched to the Republican Party in order to run. Levy's cries that the Democrats have forgotten Conservative Democrats like him and the Republicans are where to be. His record on gun rights is only a few steps above Lazio.

Carl Paladino

A developer out of the Buffalo area, claiming that he is the Tea Party candidate. His campaign donations in recent elections paint a different picture. He has stated that if he doesn't get the Republican nomination he will run on the Tea Party line.

Guilderland Town Board Member Warren Redlich

Redlich who is also the nominee of the Libertarian Party will be seeking the Republican nomination via New York's electoral fusion system. Redlich claims that he is the true Tea Party candidate and doesn't have the statist baggage that Paladino, Levy and Lazio have.

Conservative Party

The Conservative Party of New York claims to be the true conservative alternative to when the Republicans nominate someone who is deemed too liberal in their eyes. The latest noise they made was back last November during the special election in New York's 23rd congressional district. It's party chairman Micheal Long has personally endorsed Rick Lazio. Long has the final say in regards to endorsements, however there are forces within the party that wish to endorse either Levy or Paladino. Redlich has stated that he has no interest in seeking their endorsement citing that the party doesn't actually believe in small government.


Green Party

The Greens bill themselves as the true liberal party when the Democrats nominate someone they believe to be “too in bed with corporations”. Howie Hawkins who co-founded the national party was nominated at their convention on May 15, 2010.

Constitution Party

This would be the first time the Paleoconservative Constitution Party fields a candidate for a New York state office. Birther and Consiparcy theorist Jan Johnson is the nominee. With New York not being a haven for statist social conservatism, ballot access is most likely to be unsuccessful.

Independence Party

Not to be confused with Constitution splinter party American Independent Party. The Independence Party of New York resembles a state version of the now defunct Reform Party. The Party has a Neolibertarian/Populist bent, which either runs their own candidate or endorses either the Democratic or Republican nominee. Currently no noise has been made in regards to who they will put on the ballot.

Personal Freedom Party

Kristen Davis

The madam that ran the escort service that Former Governor Elliot Spitzer used. Davis was also running for the Libertarian nominee but did not show up to the convention so she was not on the ballot. Her association with Republican political operative Roger Stone as campaign manager who is also responsible for elections of Former Presidents Richard Nixon and George W. Bush made party members very uneasy. Fears that Stone was only helping out Davis in order to make the LP less relevant seem to come ahead when it was discovered that Stone wanted to make a deal with Redlich in order to get Paladino the Republican nomination.

Andrew Cuomo a man of the people?

Watch this video and make your own call

Reason Interviews Anthony H. Williams Dem Candidate for Governor

Now this is a guy who should lead a state. School choice is one big step to improve education in this country.

Cuomo might have some competition

Today while doing some errands I noticed a woman that had said Bartczak for Governor and a web address on it. I didn't talk to the woman because I was in a hurry but made a mental note of the site. It appears Ms. Bartczak will be challenging Cuomo for the Democratic nomination. Her platform is the typically run of the mill Liberal Populist (anti-drug war, anti-victimless crimes, increase taxes on vices, etc) but compared to the slimy Andrew Cuomo it's not bad but I still plan on voting for Warren Redlich.

Her site is here

Carl Paladino: Just another opportunist

Well another wolf in sheep's clothing has been exposed. Tea Party Candidate for New York Governor Carl Paladino isn't the a savior he and his supporters are painting him out to be. Buffalo News had shed some light on his donations in New York elections in recent years;

Paladino has given to such Democratic stalwarts as presidential contenders Hillary Rodham Clinton, Richard Gephardt, John Kerry and Al Gore, a favorite “tea party” whipping boy. Besides $4,600 to Clinton’s presidential campaign, Paladino gave $5,100 to her Senate bankroll, and he gave Sen. Charles E. Schumer $1,000 last June.

When did Clinton, Kerry and Gore become bastions of liberty? Did I miss the memo? All three of these politicians support wealth redistribution, in addition Kerry and Clinton supported the Patriot Act and endless warmongering. I would think that a business owner like Paladino would understand that giving money to economy crushing Democrats is a bad thing. Which only means that Paladino didn't get what he wanted from Clinton, Schumer and former Governor Eliot Spitzer (who he also donated money to). So surprise when political donor doesn't get what he or she wants, they run against the politician that they donated to.

Of course a few questions remain in the light of this latest news;

1. Will the Conservative Party still endorse him?

The Conservative Party of New York bills themselves as the Conservative alternative when the Republicans nominate a candidate that is too Liberal in their eyes. Their most recent nomination was Neocon Doug Hoffman for the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional District in which he lost to 24 hour flip flopper Bill Ownes. In the past they also threw their support for gun grabber Rick Lazio (who is also running for the Republican nomination for Governor) when he was a member of the House. Will the Conservative Party be most interested in winning or principal? Only time will tell.

2. Will the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association support him?

Currently they have yet to put out a public endorsement for any of the current candidates but in an personal email exchange I had with Tom King the organizations President, he was very enthusiastic over Paladino. When I asked him why Paladino over Warren Redlich and Kristen Davis, King cited that while he has known Redlich for years, Paladino is using much of his personal money for his campaign. Of course again this was a personal exchange between me and him so things can change.

So currently if no one else steps up to the plate Warren Redlich and Kristen Davis are the only two who are fully pro-liberty candidates. Redlich is running for both Republican and Libertarian lines, while Davis is also running for the Libertarian line but will run as a Personal Freedom Party if she does not get the nomination for the LP.

Scratch Steve Levy off the Pro Liberty Column

If you follow Stonezone.com the blog of political dirty trickster Roger Stone, today he wrote about the happenings within the New York Republicans and the Governors race. His comments towards Blue Dog Democrat turn Republican Steve Levy aren't kind describe him as anti-second amendment. Now I wouldn't call Stone a liar but since Stone is currently helping Kristen Davis' campaign for Governor I had to get confirmation. I had emailed the New York State Rifle &
Pistol Association (New York's biggest second amendment organization) to see what Levy's gun record had been. According to Jacob J. Rieper, Vice President of Legislative
& Political Affairs, Levy had received an F when he served in the State Assembly and only improved somewhat as Suffolk County Executive.

Bottom line Levy is another political opportunist taking advantage of the broad anti-statist movement. He was quite crafty about it, meeting with Republican leadership to show the people that he is about state and not party, then changes his affiliation from Democrat to Republican. Levy should be nowhere near Albany, the state has had enough of gun grabbers, regardless of the outcome of the Chicago case currently going on in the Supreme Court. So currently as it stands only three candidates remain on the pro gun side Warren Redlich, Kirsten Davis (which both are fighting for the Libertarian nomination) and Tea Party candidate Carl Paladino.

New York's Pro Gun Candidate

Currently among the two major parties the selection of pro liberty candidates is pretty slim. Both Andrew Cuomo and Rick Lazio are well known gun grabbers and at this time I can't find any information on potential Democrat candidate Steve Levy in regards to gun rights. Other candidates with unknown gun rights positions include Kristen Davis who is seeking the Libertarian nomination and Carl Paladino a potential Independent candidate being drafted by a Buffalo based Tea Party group.

Don't fret fellow New Yorkers there is one candidate so far that is committed to the right to bear arms and his name is Warren Redlich. David Codrea a gun rights writer for Examiner.com has put out a simple questionnaire for gun owners to ask politicians who want their support. Redlich was kind enough to provide answers to the questionnaire and it shows that Redlich is committed to the Second Amendment for all New York citizens.

Answers to the questionnaire are here

Warren Redlich's Answers

Current State of New York's 2010 Picture

2010 is upon us and New York has a chance to clean the slate. The Governor’s Mansion and both Senate seats are up for grabs. Not only do the three seats have challenges from opposing parties but there seems to be trouble in paradise in the New York Democratic Party as well.

Chuck Schumer

Not much noise has been made from any of the opposition parties in regards to taking on New York’s top Democrat but there is a rumbling from within the party. In enter Randy Credico a comedian turn political activist. Credico comparing Schumer and the state party to Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine in New York City that ran the show from 1790 to 1960. Credico as far as I know is the only Democrat in New York to call Schumer for what he really is a Neocon in disguise. Credico’s positions range from being Anti-Patriot Act, War on Drugs to Pro-Second Amendment and Fiscal Sanity. Positions like this put him the Blue Dog category, and in my opinion possibly a Ron Paul Democrat. One has to wonder; this guy is a politician? Unofficial rumors circulating among the New York Libertarian Party is that Credico may seek the Libertarian Party and possibly Independence Party lines due to New York’s electoral fusion system.

Kristen Gillibrand

Gillibrand was never a favorite among NY Democratic leadership with her positions on guns, taxes and illegal immigration. The day Governor Paterson appointed her to the Senate the jeers began from liberal leaders contesting that she’s a Republican in disguise. Gillibrand won her election against John Sweeney in the 20^th congressional district due to her Blue Dog views. Not too long after the appointment Carolyn McCarthy became heavily speculated in challenging her but decided ultimately to drop out and support her election instead. My personal guess would because Gillibrand has voted for the debacle that is being touted as a “health care” bill.

Two Democratic challengers have stepped up to the plate though; Populist Dr Scott Noren from Ithaca and Liberal Jonathan Tasini who was one Hillary Clinton’s primary opponents in the 2006 election. A third possible challenge in the name of Harold Ford Jr a Blue Dog Democrat may come into the Democratic bag. Ford’s positions currently put him to the right of Gillibrand. Ford is currently being accused of being a carpetbagger and rightfully so. Republicans at this time do not have any official declared candidates while many speculating that Former Governor George Pataki may give it a go. Currently the Libertarian, Conservative, Green, nor Independence Parties have announced any challenges to Gillibrand.

David Paterson

After taking the reigns when Eliot Spitzer decided to have some happy time and get caught the budget crisis reared its ugly head. It seemed that early on Paterson made a turn to the right in regards to fiscal policy but even the well intentioned Paterson couldn’t overcome the schoolyard fighting that is Albany. As it stands now we were able to stay afloat after Christmas when reports came out that the state would’ve been broke by then. Due to fears from National and Local Democrats that Paterson running for a full term would end up losing the Governor’s Mansion many have urged Paterson not to run including President Obama. In addition when he appointed Gillibrand to the Senate many Democratic feathers were ruffled as well.

Currently the only speculated primary challenge Paterson may face would be Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who is also the son of Former NY Governor Mario Cuomo. On the Republican side Rick Lazio is only one who has officially entered his hat into the ring. His website doesn’t state much on the issues, fellow Libertarians have told me that he is just a male version of Clinton. Eric County Executive Chris Collins is considering a run and is believed to make his decision this month. The Libertarian Party currently has two candidates vying for the nomination Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorney Warren Redlich and DVD and Book publisher Sam Sloan. Alison Duncan who ran for Lieutenant Governor in 2006 as a Green recently lashed out at Paterson for being tied to corporate interests and doing nothing he and Eliot Spitzer campaigned for back in the 2006 election. It is unknown if she will try to run for the top spot this time around.

It’s early in the election season so anything can happen I will try to keep everyone posted on who does what in what race. Hopefully 2010 will be year New York can start cleaning up the mess that is Albany.

Albany has been spared from Giuliani for now

According to the New York Times, sources close to Giuliani say that he will not seek the Republican primary for New York Governor. While there is somethings I like about Rudy, there is plenty I disagree with him on. During the 2008 Presidental campaign Rudy's authoritarian/neoconservative streak was too much for my taste. When he implied during the debates that Ron Paul was on the side of the terrorists for his pointing out the fatal flaws in our foreign policy it was the last straw. Granted it didn't surprise me one bit since that is the typical M.O. of the neoconservatives and their supporters when you try to have a "debate" about our foreign policy. However in the same article he has not ruled out if he will run against Gillibrand for the Senate seat or not.

Some may translate this as support for Paterson and I will tell you right now it's not. Paterson as well as Schumer and Gillibrand need to go as well, granted Paterson seemed to have taken his job more seriously than the two that represent New York in the Senate. The fact that Obama and New York Democrats tried to urge him to not to run for a full term makes him look more respectable compared to some of other so-called leaders. Nevertheless Albany is broken and has been for quite a long time but replacing a liberal-moderate statist with a conservative-moderate statist is not the answer.

New York Times Article