Weekly Wrap-Up

Many of the professional political pundits have been telling us for weeks that debates do not change voter’s opinions; I do believe it is safe to say that these pundits were wrong.  American citizens are engaged and fortunately, for all of us,  many are watching the debates and making up their own minds.  

Personally, I am eagerly looking forward to Monday nights’ debate when foreign policy is the topic.  American citizens need to know exactly what happened in Benghazi on September 11, 2012, the events that led up to the murder of four Americans on American soil, why the  Embassy in France has more protection than  our consulate  in Libya had and we need the truth now from President Obama.  American’s do not need, nor do they want a President that goes on The Daily Show to say the death of four Americans was not optimal, no matter how Jon Stewart posed the question. 

Charles Krauthammer sums it up in his weekly column.

In case you think what you are hearing  President Obama  saying this year sounds familiar, this video proves it is. 

Are you surprised that the Democratic Convention ended in debt, and the Republican Convention ended in black? 

It is obvious that Governor Romney has been able to change the minds of many people when two well know progressive/liberal newspapers endorse Mitt Romney:  The Tennessean and the Orlando Sentinel and this before the final debate on Monday.  

Speaking of debates, I hope you had the opportunity to watch our US Senate candidate, Wendy Long, in her only debate with Senator Gillibrand.  Michael J. Gaynor has an excellent analysis of Wednesday’ s debate at Skidmore, the only one Senator Gillibrand agreed to do.   Rob Ryan, Long’s campaign manager, is calling for more debates, and we could not agree more, New Yorkers deserve at the very least the same number of debates as Sen. Gillibrand granted in 2010.  There is no doubt Wendy Long won Wednesday night’s debate, which is why Senator Gillibrand is not willing to debate again.  

There have  been a lot of newspaper articles and a few editorials regarding a pay raise for the Members of the Legislature, an idea that the Conservative Party does not support.  The Buffalo  News  ran an editorial yesterday that essential says “no” to a pay raise and while we agree with that opinion, (we do not necessarily agree with  all the points raised in the  rest of the editorial),  the final sentence  caught my attention;   “… and lawmakers should not need to be bribed with a pay raise to fix it.”   Our weekly poll question would like you to let us know, is it okay to barter other bills with the incentive of a pay raise?  

Last night’s Alfred E. Smith Dinner in Manhattan with Cardinal Dolan, President Obama and Governor Romney was a welcomed relief from the intensity of the campaign.   It is beneficial to laugh, and last nights’ dinner provided quite a few.  

Have a terrific weekend!