Blog: Penner’s Pen

Penner’s Pen

Larry Penner is a concerned self described taxpayer and citizens’ civic activist who will be blogging about government, budgets, politics, economic and civil liberties issues of interest to local residents. He has been an avid letters to the editor contributor for over twelve years. His works have been periodically featured on the pages of The Queens Courier along with many other daily and weekly newspapers in Queens, the Metropolitan New York area and various magazines around the nation.

Will we ever learn from the failure of Prohibition?
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 12/13/2012 at 9:44AM

This past December 5th marked the 78th Anniversary of the repeal of the 18th Amendment. This act previously repealed outlawing the production and consumption of alcohol. Fast forward to today. The crusade against tobacco, marijuana, pornography, adult entertainment and unhealthy food still continues by both government and those who believe they know best what is [...]

‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ says the New York state Empire Development Corporation
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 12/06/2012 at 9:28AM

Has anyone noticed the recent media blitz by the Empire State Development Corporation at taxpayers expense. The commercials run in heavy rotation several times per hour on many television stations. They have a catchy beat reminiscent of Bobby McFarins “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” The costs rival major media buys from candidates running for public office. [...]

The second anniversary of the Scobee Diner’s closure
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 11/29/2012 at 12:19PM

It was a sad day for residents of Lakeville and Great Neck two years ago today when Scobee Diner in neighboring Little Neck closed their doors for the very last time Sunday night, Nov. 28, 2010. Growing up in the neighborhood during the late 1960s and early 1970s going to Scobee was part of my [...]

Will Speaker Silver and Senate Majority Leader Skelos play Santa to their members?
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 11/21/2012 at 11:16AM

Voters should be aware that after voting for their incumbent State Assemblymembers and State Senators, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate majority leader Dean Skelos are being lobbied by their members to consider voting themselves a pay hike via the back door. Just like the cowardly lion from the land of Oz, otherwise [...]

We need news from Albany
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 11/14/2012 at 10:19AM

While a majority of citizens continue to be apathetic, there are still many of us who really care about the actions and activities of both our elected officials and state government agencies. Their budgetary, legislative and regulatory actions directly impact both our individual, civil and economic liberties. There is a great burden on those few [...]

The disappearing Queens Republicans
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 11/05/2012 at 9:57AM

With the lone exception of Councilmember Eric Ulrich running against Democratic incumbent State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. in the 15th State Senate District , all other Queens Republican candidates for public office will be drowned in yet another Democratic tidal wave. Queens Republicans didn’t help themselves in 2012 by once again abandoning the field. In [...]

Speaker Silver and the Conservative Party — Perfect together
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 10/25/2012 at 9:42AM

There is more to the relationship between Democratic State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the New York State Conservative Party led by long time Chairman Michael R. Long if you dig deeper. The existing district lines for State Assembly, State Senate and Congressional representatives look like a jig saw puzzle. Every 10 years after the [...]

The declining economy and our disappearing neighborhood stores
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 10/19/2012 at 11:00AM

Living in the neighborhood since the late 1960s, I would occasionally see one or two local businesses leave. They would quickly be replaced by another. Over the past decades, I have witnessed many other changes to our neighborhood. On Northern Boulevard, our old Bowling Alley, the original Scobee Dinner, the mini-Sears Roebuck on Great Neck [...]

Robert Moses and the Barclays Center
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 10/11/2012 at 10:39AM

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to understand that if it had not been for mega builder Robert Moses along with both the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers leaving the Big Apple in 1957 for California, there may have been no Barclays Center or Brooklyn Nets. The golden era of baseball in New [...]

Will our debt destroy prosperity?
Penner's Pen Larry Penner 10/04/2012 at 9:59AM

Recent news that our national debt now exceeds $16 trillion is frightening. Don’t forget that local, town, city, county and state debt combined adds up to another $2 trillion! It is time for government to destroy its own credit cards. Let’s return to limited government accompanied by a minimal amount of confiscatory taxation to support [...]