You have to wonder what Senator Charles Schumer and Democrats are afraid of if there is a primary. Why is the New York State Democratic Party establishment in a panic over former Tennessee Senator Harold Ford running against interim Senator Kristen Gillibrand? There are 24 Democratic Congresmembers, 32 State Senators, 108 State Assemblymembers along with dozens of Mayors and County Executives who could have been potential candidates. How pathetic that the only person brave enough to offer an alternative is a political carpetbagger who has been a resident for only three years. Then again, Hillary Clinton conveniently moved to Chappaqua, New York in Westchester County she became a resident in far less time before winning a Senate seat. Republicans are in worse shape going into 2010. They are still unable to find any serious challengers who can raise the millions of dollars necessary to challenge either Gillibrand or Schumer.
Just look at how career politicians continue deciding elections when vacancies occur for public office. The State Legislature under Senator Schumer’s Albany allies Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate leader Malcolm Smith offered no objections when then Lieutenant Governor David Paterson become Governor after Spitzer resigned. The legislature then selected Assembly member Thomas DiNapoli to replace State Comptroller Alan Hevisi after he resigned under scandals. Congress member Kristen Gillibrand was promoted by the legislature to Senator when Hillary Clinton resigned to become President Obama’s Secretary of State. Rather than call a special election to allow voters a choice, politicians behind closed doors decided to fill these various public offices.
Last year, Senator Schumer lobbied the White House. This resulted in President Obama calling potential 2010 Democratic Senate primary contestant — Long Island Congress member Steve Israel to drop out even before declaring his candidacy! Quickly following, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Long Island Congress member Carolyn McCarthy and Manhattan/Queens Carolyn Maloney all folded their tents. What were they promised for dropping out? Watch Schumer work hand in hand with President Obama, Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver pork barrel member item projects, favorable passage of pet legislation to special interest groups and employment opportunities in Washington for friends of Israel, Stringer, McCarthy and Maloney. In Albany, Schumer will work with Paterson, Silver and Smith to insure favorable continued gerrymandered districts after the 2010 census. This will guarantee all three Congressmembers another decade in office. Schumer’s multimillion dollar Pay for Play campaign machine continues to assist Gillibrand in her fundraising efforts.
How ironic since in the 1970′s as an outsider, Schumer had no problem challenging the establishment in open primaries which he won for the offices of State Assembly, Congress and Senator. Now Boss Schumer advocates selection by the clubhouse leadership denying voters a choice. His stereotyped hysterical fear of serious Republican opposition in the 2010 general election is a myth. The leading Republican candidates to challenge Senator Gillibrand – former GOP Governor Pataki, former Mayor Guiliani and Long Island Congressmember Peter King have all declined. Pataki has been out of office for four years. His own financial Pay for Play and campaign apparatus is long gone. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by over two million. Pataki never ran or financed serious candidates during his twelve years in office against either former Senator Clinton or Schumer. Pataki presided over the destruction of his own party resulting in the loss of numerous pubic offices. Democrats Senator Schumer with $15 million and Gillibrand $7 million have the big bucks thanks to their monopoly on special interest Pay for Play campaign donors. Republicans without candidates have nothing in the bank.
New York’s home grown 1970′s liberal Democratic reform Brooklyn State Assembly member and Congressperson has come a long way. He has morphed into Washington’s most powerful inside the beltway career Senator today.
As the late President Roosevelt would say "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself" Lighten up Senator Schumer and allow the voters rather than yourself to decide who our second Senator should be. Both you and the winner of any Democratic primary will be the odds on favorite to win the General Election against any Republicans.
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