There’s always great stakes. Win, gain. Lose? You and those with you get clubbed. That’s the way politics works. The geniuses will always tell you it’s not personal. They lie.
They say it’s not violent, even symbolically. They lie. What’s more violent than watching pols, press, consultants and hangers-on beat each other up and preen for the kill like a bunch of hyenas.
They’re now waiting, some hoping that former Erie County Clerk, US Rep, Lieutenant Governor and now Governor Kathy Hochul will fall hard.
Only a dummy would say she’s in the clear. But don’t count her out.
She comes from Western New York where the politics are a lot tougher than any down-stater thinks.
First, publicly declare war on Guns, Governor, and be the commander. Appoint and fund a Special State Firearms Prosecutor. You don’t need anyone’s approval. Just do it. Fill the office with special investigators, New York State Police. Get President Biden to assign federal agents from the FBI, Homeland Security, ATF, US Marshal Service. Tell Mayor Adams to give you NYPD detectives. Use Port Authority and MTA police officers. Create coordinated task forces in every New York City borough. Tell local district attorneys who are worried you’re reducing their power to chill. You’d be helping them.
Erase the Benjamin problem by choosing a non-politician as Lieutenant Governor. Less political hands in the game? More trust from average tax-payers. Come up with an over-all ethics program and be prepared to fight the legislature in public.
Face the facts: the Albany gang will survive even if you fail. They’re not looking out for you. With super majorities their power isn’t threatened.
You get beat? So what. They can go forward and live very nicely with a Republican governor. Big deal. The per-diems, benefits, leadership perks and nightly shrimp bowl fundraisers will not stop in your memory.
Look at the numbers. They will tell you that the Fall election is not a walk. New York City suburbs are the battleground. You can’t get killed in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties and then plan a January 2023 inaugural gala. You won’t be there. Push the winning issue whether the legislative Democrats agree with you or not. Ring the voters’ chimes. Bad news for the left: it’s probably bail reform and criminal justice as defined by the electorate. People are scared. Shootings are happening where they shouldn’t be happening. You can listen to the Nassau County Democratic leadership and you will lose…just like they’ve been doing.
Tell your people to toughen up. Hit back harder. That’ll prove you’re a fighter for average non-eggheads. You’ve got the votes of the smug.
Your first TV ad is less than inspiring, obviously the intellectual genius of your pollster. It’s unemotional cliched pap. A governor who works as hard as you? Economic issues? Exactly part of what the public will be punishing national Democrats for in November. Wrong argument from out of touch pollsters. It’s crime and disorder Governor, and a voter desire for revenge against the Legislature for bail reform.
Governor Hochul: you have guts, and are no push-over. Change the message and stand with the very angry and frightened citizenry. Do it loudly and quickly. Or else.
