DraftRudy.com Newsletter #5: Paterson Parties While New Yorkers Suffer; Rudy Offers the Change We Need

Toward the end of July, Mayor Giuliani said that the opportunity to help New York could definitively pull him into the race, saying "If I thought I could make a real difference in the state, really change things...then I would [run]." He continued, joking, "the only way I could get elected governor is the way I got elected mayor - things have to be so bad…" (http://www.draftrudy.com/news/309). Well, things are as bad as they have ever been. For months we have been speaking about record taxes, deficits, and unemployment rates, as well as the general dissatisfaction of the people of New York and the seeming inability of our state government to even hold itself together. Apparently, however, things can get worse.

Also towards the end of July, Gov. Paterson announced a series of additional blows to New York. In only three months, the New York budget gap has grown to $2.1-billion, pushing “the state's budget gap to $38.2 billion over the next four years, on plunging tax collections and job losses.” Much of this has to do with “Plummeting tax revenues,” including income tax collections down 35%, despite and the legislature already having increased the payments of New Yorkers to the state government, by over $8-bilion. Even the millionaire’s tax has proven ineffective at raising state revenues, due partially to the fact that millionaires are choosing to leave the state (http://www.draftrudy.com/news/307). (Yeah, no one saw that coming, right?) These aren’t just budget numbers; New Yorkers are feeling these problems and calling for reform – relief from our ineffective government.

According to Brendan Scott of the New York Post, “New Yorkers have become so disgusted with their ‘worst in the nation’ state Legislature they're willing to dump their local lawmakers to fix it, according to a new poll out [August 18, 2009].” In a recent poll 58% of New Yorkers consider the current members of the State Legislature as being “the worst” or “among the worst” in the nation. This comes after an $8-billion tax increase by the Democrats in government and a refusal to enact necessary reforms. The poll also showed “overwhelming support for spending cuts and a sweeping reform of state government…Some 65 percent of voters consider the state's budget problems ‘very serious,’ with service cuts favored over tax hikes 54 percent to 33 percent”(http://www.draftrudy.com/news/328). Now amidst this serious dissatisfaction, in this chaotic environment, crowded with crisis and crying for reform, how does our Governor spend his time?

Well, “Just hours before delivering news of soaring budget deficits and lagging revenues from the recent millionaire's tax, the party-hearty Paterson was spotted hobnobbing at a Chelsea hot spot” and other swanky nightclubs throughout the night. Even more, this isn’t an unusual occurrence, “Paterson has become a regular on the cocktail-party circuit since taking over for [] ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer” (http://www.draftrudy.com/news/307). Like Emperor Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burned, rather than facing New York’s problems, Paterson spends his time out at parties. The problem is that Gov. Paterson doesn’t care enough to fix our problems. But, Rudy does. Like he said in his interview, his intentions are to focus on New York and his decision to run will be based solely on how much good he can do and how much he could change our state. It is for this reason that we need Rudy! We need to draft him to run! Michele Petruzzelli said it well in an August 15, 2009 Letter to the Editor the editor in the Albany Times Union, when she wrote, “Mayor Giuliani should be the Republican candidate for governor in 2010. Even though I am a die-hard Democrat, I would consider voting for him. He is a true hero of our time” (http://www.draftrudy.com/news/326). Rudy’s appeal is extensive, and the state is ready for the real change that he will bring!

Let’s get out there! Let’s get organized!
 
And, let’s draft and elect Rudy Giuliani Governor of New York in 2010!

Until next time,

Your Friends at DraftRudy.com