I know this probably seems like a waste of time, but I'm not really trying to "predict" the outcome so much as trying to gauge the possible long-term effects, and to ask-why? New York should have been in play for Republicans this year, but unfortunately New York is one of those few places in the country where the state and national Democratic Party working in tandem set the agenda and control the narrative.
Because they have such a lock, they have succeeded in setting New York in the direction of the same fiscal ditch that contains the rotting carcasses of the state of California, and the city of Detroit.
Andrew Cuoma, the all-but anointed future governor of the state, at first had some potential competition from Carl Paladino. But after some criticism in the national press due mainly to him temper, he was effectively neutered, and then avoided. By the time of the so-called debates, Paladino was effectively shut up. That's too bad. It would have been must-see tv had Paladino told Cuomo "I'll take you out".
In fact, that would be one hell of a campaign slogan.
Or he could have told Cuomo "no good father would want to bring his children anywhere near you."
Does anybody doubt that this would have been all over the news, nationally, and that Paladino would have gotten more attention and, yes, support? Would that have been a bad thing? Let's face it, Carl Paladino is a perfect reflection of the way most Americans feel right now about smug, elitist bastards, like Cuomo, and for good reason.
But like I said, Paladino was effectively neutered, and the debate descended to the level of bad comedy, with the candidate that should have commanded the stage being upstaged by some vague third party candidate of the "The Rent Is Too Damn High" party, who it turned out in fact doesn't pay rent anywhere.
How did it come to this, that the Republican Party is so weak in such an important, vitally important state, which is controlled by a party and legislature that seems hell bent on ruining it? Oh sure, people will point to Giuliani, but never forget, he made his name as a DA first, and that was the horse he rode to the mayor of New York City's office. Bloomberg, never really a Republican, just came along afterward and hitched a ride on his coattails.
But Giuliani has long since lost the taste for politics. He refused to run against Hillary, and he refused to face off against Cuomo. Unfortunately, neither he nor any national Republicans saw fit to give Paladino the support he deserved, or even the benefit of their friendly advice, so far as I know.
What's worse, there are two Senate races in New York, one being a special election of sorts for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed to replace Hillary Clinton. The other one is nothing but the inevitable re-election of Chuck the Schmuck Schumer. I don't even know who's running against either one of them. I don't really care. Why should I? The national party doesn't. Had Palladino not come across for a while like an old time mob boss, thereby drawing the attention of a media starved for evidence of Tea-Party nuttiness, I wouldn't know who he was either.
The Two of Pentacles (the first card to turn up twice in this set of readings) then signifies a basic truth. If the GOP is going to be a factor in New York outside of a small handful of congressional districts, they are going to have to rebuild the state party from the ground up. And the only way they are going to do that is by funding candidates like Paladino, and giving them the resources they need to defend themselves, and further standing by them in the face of unfair assaults by an in-the-tank press, as opposed to running as far away from them as possible, which only serves to make them even more defensive because they are on their own-which looks even worse for all concerned.
Granted, Paladino isn't the kind of Republican New Yorkers are accustomed to, which is why they are so marginalized, in my opinion. It goes to prove the veracity of that old saying-give the people a choice between a liberal Democrat and a liberal Republican and most of the time they'll choose the liberal Democrat. Again, Rudy was an exception that proves the rule-a socially liberal Republican who was tough on crime while being an economic conservative.
But Rudy is now gone, and what has he left? A personal legacy that can not be passed on, because it was based on the force of his own personality, not on any kind of value or philosophy that offered anything in the way of a viable alternative to the status quo-which is what people hunger for, not just in New York, but everywhere. Hell, that's why we have a two-party system to begin with. So we have a choice. But New Yorkers have not reaped the benefits of that system for decades now. While Giuliani gave them a brief taste of that potential, for what it was worth, I wonder how much longer its going to be now before New York City once again descends into the gutter of crime and desperation that once held it in thrall for so long no one could have ever imagined it would pull its way out.
But before that happens, the state itself will probably be the first to fall into default. It's only a matter of time. It is governed by a legislature that is dominated by Democrats, and will soon be governed by a guy who was, along with Senator Gillibrand, knee-deep in the mortgage and housing fiasco that has wrecked the nation. Just watch the following video recorded during the time of Cuomos tenure as Clinton's Secretary of HUD.
Just for this reason, this guy should not be defeated, for the simple fact he should never be allowed to run for any kind of public office, or for that matter allowed anywhere near one.
And if that were not enough, this man openly bragged that, if he couldn't get a gun-control law that would pass constitutional muster, he would sue the gun makers in the courts until he bankrupted them.
He, along with the states Democratic legislature, and the state's two US Senators-one of whom, Gillibrand, was, it beards repeating, also involved in the mortgage meltdown-are all a lock to acquire or to hold their offices, for no other reason than the Republican Party can't see fit to invest in building their resume in the state of New York beyond a few token RINOs. It's unfathomable.
