Michael Gaynor
Why Wendy Long, not Bob Turner, for U.S. Senator from New York
By Michael Gaynor
Long: "You compromise on the margin of things, but you don't compromise on a fundamental principle."
Wendy Long's word is good.
Not so as to Bob Turner's word on the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
As an unsuccessful Congressional candidate in 2010 Turner signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge states: "I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."
On his second try, in September 2011, less than eight months ago, Turner became a New York Congressman.
During his second attempt to win a seat in Congress, Turner stated; "We must look at the totality of the three issues: economy, unemployment and deficit. The discussion is how we affect the economy and attack government's spending problem. For every $1 we spend, we borrow $.40 which will be paid back by future generations. Raising taxes inevitably restricts job growth, and taxes cannot reduce the deficit. I am prepared to tackle these issues." Quoted at http://raquelokyay.com/archive/2461/yes-bob-turner-for-congress/.
Either Turner didn't really mean it when he pledged not to raise taxes or a few months in Congress changed him.
Neither bodes well for New Yorkers looking for a replacement for "Senator Etch a Sketch," Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's junior senator running for a full term this year after morphing "from a moderate, fiscally responsible, guns-under-the-bed, upstate, Blue Dog Democrat into an entrenched vote for the hard Left, carrying water for big government and special interests." (www.nationalreview.com/articles/297451/wendy-s-no-long-shot-interview#)
Last Tuesday Turner said that while he voted for the latest version of the Paul Ryan budget — which includes deep cuts to socials service spending — he expects to compromise on revenue-generators.
Turner: "I'm trying to duck that specific, but we're going to have to do what has to be done. This is a very serious problem. We cannot stand on certain principles that are inflexible. Everybody's going to have to bend somewhere. The job is too big and too important." (www.capitaltonight.com/2012/05/turner-on-taxes-whatever-has-to-be-done/)
So much for pledges from Turner!
So much for learning from President George H.W. Bush's mistake in violating his own "Read my lips: no new taxes" campaign promise.
Republican Senate hopeful Wendy Long, already the New York Conservative Party's nominee, commented that she was "surprised" and "saddened" by Turner's sudden willingness to raise taxes.
Long supported Turner in 2011, and her husband contributed $500 to his expected re-election campaign just before Turner announced that he would run for Senator instead of rte-election. (www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/04/5740040/turner-raises-slowly-run-against-gillibrand-while-maragos-gives-mil)
Surely the Longs expected that Turner's word was good.
In sharp contrast, Long has a principled view on taxes and pledges and stands by her principles.
"We have to be unwavering on that," Long said in a phone interview last Tuesday afternoon. "I do not think you compromise on principle. You compromise on the margin of things, but you don't compromise on a fundamental principle." (http://raquelokyay.com/archive/2461/yes-bob-turner-for-congress/)
© Michael Gaynor
Long: "You compromise on the margin of things, but you don't compromise on a fundamental principle."
Wendy Long's word is good.
Not so as to Bob Turner's word on the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
As an unsuccessful Congressional candidate in 2010 Turner signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge against raising taxes.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge states: "I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."
On his second try, in September 2011, less than eight months ago, Turner became a New York Congressman.
During his second attempt to win a seat in Congress, Turner stated; "We must look at the totality of the three issues: economy, unemployment and deficit. The discussion is how we affect the economy and attack government's spending problem. For every $1 we spend, we borrow $.40 which will be paid back by future generations. Raising taxes inevitably restricts job growth, and taxes cannot reduce the deficit. I am prepared to tackle these issues." Quoted at http://raquelokyay.com/archive/2461/yes-bob-turner-for-congress/.
Either Turner didn't really mean it when he pledged not to raise taxes or a few months in Congress changed him.
Neither bodes well for New Yorkers looking for a replacement for "Senator Etch a Sketch," Kirsten Gillibrand, New York's junior senator running for a full term this year after morphing "from a moderate, fiscally responsible, guns-under-the-bed, upstate, Blue Dog Democrat into an entrenched vote for the hard Left, carrying water for big government and special interests." (www.nationalreview.com/articles/297451/wendy-s-no-long-shot-interview#)
Last Tuesday Turner said that while he voted for the latest version of the Paul Ryan budget — which includes deep cuts to socials service spending — he expects to compromise on revenue-generators.
Turner: "I'm trying to duck that specific, but we're going to have to do what has to be done. This is a very serious problem. We cannot stand on certain principles that are inflexible. Everybody's going to have to bend somewhere. The job is too big and too important." (www.capitaltonight.com/2012/05/turner-on-taxes-whatever-has-to-be-done/)
So much for pledges from Turner!
So much for learning from President George H.W. Bush's mistake in violating his own "Read my lips: no new taxes" campaign promise.
Republican Senate hopeful Wendy Long, already the New York Conservative Party's nominee, commented that she was "surprised" and "saddened" by Turner's sudden willingness to raise taxes.
Long supported Turner in 2011, and her husband contributed $500 to his expected re-election campaign just before Turner announced that he would run for Senator instead of rte-election. (www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/04/5740040/turner-raises-slowly-run-against-gillibrand-while-maragos-gives-mil)
Surely the Longs expected that Turner's word was good.
In sharp contrast, Long has a principled view on taxes and pledges and stands by her principles.
"We have to be unwavering on that," Long said in a phone interview last Tuesday afternoon. "I do not think you compromise on principle. You compromise on the margin of things, but you don't compromise on a fundamental principle." (http://raquelokyay.com/archive/2461/yes-bob-turner-for-congress/)
© Michael Gaynor
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