Herr Cuomo Says “Extremist” Conservatives Aren’t Welcome in NY State
Andrew Cuomo, the New York State governor, said in a Friday morning radio interview that if extreme conservatives are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay, then they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.
New Yorkers should be outraged. Cuomo in essence has said that you are not welcome in the state, (regardless of whether you were born or planted there) if you believe in the right to life, 2nd Amendment rights, and traditional marriage. Call me wild and crazy, but I color these remarks as “extremist”! Who the heck does this man imagine himself to be? Since when does any American citizen have to believe what the Leftists believe in any state?
In a conversation with Susan Arbetter on “The Capitol Pressroom” Friday morning, Cuomo said:
You have a schism within the Republican Party. . . .They’re searching to define their soul, that’s what’s going on. Is the Republican Party in this state a moderate party or is it an extreme conservative party? That’s what they’re trying to figure out. It’s a mirror of what’s going on in Washington. The gridlock in Washington is less about Democrats and Republicans. It’s more about extreme Republicans versus moderate Republicans.
. . . You’re seeing that play out in New York. . . . The Republican Party candidates are running against the SAFE Act—it was voted for by moderate Republicans who run the Senate! Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and they’re the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.
If they’re moderate Republicans like in the Senate right now, who control the Senate—moderate Republicans have a place in their state. George Pataki was governor of this state as a moderate Republican; but not what you’re hearing from them on the far right.
Two out of every three New York State residents are Democrats. It is a state that has been in decline for decades. A 2011 report found New Yorkers are leaving at staggering rate. Over 1.6 million residents have left in the last decade alone. The New York Post’s article, NY Turns into a Flee Market (August 3, 2011) writes, “The population loss is ‘the ultimate barometer of New York’s attractiveness as a place to work, live and do business,’ said the report’s co-author, E.J. McMahon. ‘It’s the ultimate indication that we’ve been doing things wrong.’”
The article goes on to say that since 1960 NY has had a net loss of 2.5 million. While a whopping 7.3 million residents fled to other states, NY had an incursion of 4.8 million new immigrants one study found. The numbers of New York residents that have been leaving the state are between 130,000 to 160,000 a year since 1980.
Cuomo is aware of it and initially made some strides to stop the hemorrhaging. At one point he even had our admiration—briefly. He is a radical Leftist, revealed by the New York Safe Act and his extremist diatribe.
A poll taken by Siena College between January 12- 16 was released on January 20, 2014, the same day Cuomo’s extremist remarks were made. Of those who responded, 54% of New York voters responded favorably to Cuomo’s job performance, up from 44%. He was also viewed favorably by 66% of the respondents overall. The poll showed wide support for Cuomo’s progressive agenda, something New York Liberals are known to favor, primarily because the consequences of the spending programs are not included in the polling questions. Neither the sampling criteria nor the phrasing of the questions were reported.
The poll found that before Cuomo’s intolerant and extreme views were blatantly expressed, he had a 48 point lead over the two possible challengers, Donald Trump and Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.
Right-wing New Yorkers need to gather and actively engage in the campaign of a challenger. Only then will you be able to answer Herr Cuomo that you as a New Yorker will be heard.
