In an act of tremendous arrogance, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that he would not send out this years annual $400 propety tax rebate to homeowners, even if the City Council LEGALLY compells him to.

According to the NY Post, Bloomberg said "We have no money. I think that's what you have to understand. This is not a legal issue; this is a fiscal issue."

A lawsuit was filed by City Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-SI), which has supposedly infuriated Bloomberg.

When asked how he could just ignore the City Council and not comply with legally enacted legislation Bloomber responded "Well, we issue the checks. I don't sign them personally, but we issue the checks."

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Now that this grueling campaign for the U.S. Presidency and Congress is over I cannot help but think of my young adult days when my anti-hero, Albert, of Pogo fame, said while with one benign alligator claw in the air: “We have met the enemy and it is us!”

And so it is.  Ramesh Ponnuru’s recent offering in National Review (November 17, 2008) states:  “Many of us believe that Republicans have suffered electoral defeat not because they have failed to demonstrate sufficient compassion for lower-middle-class voters but because they have failed to show how conservative policies can benefit those voters.” 

The division that was seen at first opaquely in the late 90’s and more clearly during President Bush’s term between the social and economic conservatives now is recognized as some possible deep fissure not capable of repair.  There is talk of replacing the social conservative leg of the 3 legged stool, which constitutes the Republican Party.  But with what?  And more importantly, how?

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The race between longtime Republican State Senator Frank Padavan and Democratic Councilman James Gennaro remains unresolved. A week ago, the New York Times reported that Padavan was leading by about 502 votes with 8,000 absentee ballots that needed to be counted.

Now Democrats are accusing Republicans of racism, alleging that they are trying to disqualify votes from minority districts.

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Since the recent election, a lot of ink's been spilled over whether the Republicans got what they deserved. After all, they had majorities in Congress since winning national elections in 1994, a year into the Clinton administration, and they had the presidency since 2000 when Bush v. Gore was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

But in 2006, the Republican Congressional majority finally collapsed and now, in 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain went down in flames before Democratic political shooting star Barack Obama. With the consequent enlargement of the Democratic legislative majority the tides seem finally to have turned against the GOP. The post mortems in the media from pundits and politicians on both sides have been fast and furious.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, resident liberal columnist and author of What's the Matter with Kansas? (analyzing why Americans seem receptive to a conservative message), author Thomas Frank couldn't help crowing over what he deems the conservative collapse in the aftermath of the Obama win.

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The Washington Post is reporting that Ted Stevens, the longest serving member of the U.S. Senate, and the only person to hold that seat since Alaska became a state, has lost his bid for reelection to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.

 This gives the Democrats a 58 seat majority with two more seats still up in the air. Should professional blowhard and unfunnyman Al Franken successfully steal the seat from Norm Coleman in Minnesota and if Saxby Chambliss in Georgia loses the december runoff, the democrats will have a fillibuster-proof 60 seat majority.

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It's the topic of conversation every where I go. What will Republicans stand for in the future, and how will they rebuild the Party?

Not an easy question, especially when many Republican office holders still don't quite seem to get it. Still opposing cutting government spending, even for hugely wasteful programs like healthcare and social welfare spending.

The NY Observer has written a story about the Manhattan Institute and the role it may play in helping republicans get their message together. With a laser-like focus on fiscal conservatism, they have helped republicans with their message before, helping launch Rudy Giuliani into the mayoralty of NYC with their focus on strong policing, education reform and welfare reform.

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So I finally got an email from someone at the state YR office. Seems a few people in Bronx had expressed some desire to get involved before the election. The state YR sent this email to me and all the others who expressed an interest in organizing. A few people replied all to it. So that is a good sign. Well not that they replied all but that they simply replied.

 I sent him back an email stating that I would be more than willing to take the lead since I've actually started up a club before. Starting one isn't all the difficult. Keeping it active however can be. However since the Bronx GOP is in such pathetic shape there should be plenty to do.

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As the 110th Congress nears its conclusion, inside the Beltway mag Roll Call is preparing to recognize members of both houses of Congress who defined the past two years on Capitol Hill. They've selected nominees across nine categories and have opened the voting online.  Categories include Most Valuable Player, Freshman of the Congress, Best Macaca Moment and the Squeaky Wheel Award.

http://www.rollcall.com/110thcongressawards/

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The Governor dropped his first budget shoe this summer, before the financial markets curled up into the fetal position.  This week he dropped a rather large boot, caked with mud and other unpleasant things.  Speaker Silver called it “a bold plan” without, himself, embracing boldness.  Senator Skelos, punting the ball into next year’s oblivion, declared that his conference would not consider the Governor’s proposals this special session.  Psst, Dean!  You know about “three men in a room”.  Next year you won’t be in the room!

The State’s situation is certainly dire and the Governor’s proposals must be draconian to be helpful.  Yet every outraged interest group is screaming that the proposal that adversely affects it is unfair.  To each, the adverse effect is prima facie unfairness.  However, “It’s not fair!” is a complaint, not an argument.  True “unfairness” has to offend something more than one’s expectations.