Urban Gun Violence Why it is, and what we should do!

With the commotion over urban  gun violence reaching a cresendo I belewive we need to (finally)  examine the issue to get a CORRECT picture of why it is ,and what we should do about it!!! Firstly it must be understood that Urban gun violence is far different than random gun violence and acts of domestic terror. Urban Gun violence is the product of years of cultural and social apathy  by Governmental authorities from the local level to the federal level. For decades now, the only policies and plans that have come from Government to address the Urban theatre have been to contain and control the urban community!( and to those who keep saying that stop and frisk was and is the answer, one problem wont solve another one! stop and frisk is racist plain and simple and it does more harm than good!!) And as long as the containment was viable and effective, no real concern or thought was given the violence! It's not like the 70's and 80's, when violence went out of the urban community to prey upon those outside of the community, the urban community  is now preying on itself and those in authority   are fine with that.  It is that mindset and action which has created the underculture that exists now, a culture of violence and death, a culture that worships the power of the gun!! And the simple fact is that nothing has been done to dispel that power!Violence and death has become a means to a end for far too many, used to advance, succeed, and maintain that success. Gun violence has become a primary tool to be used to make, for many youth ,that primal scream, to remind the world that I am here, and I am somebody!!! But as the damage and destruction grows from this underculture , we are wondering ,from Chi-town to NYC, what do we do? It is my belief that we must engineer a massive culture shift in America's urban theatres,  a shift away from this underculture that has been allowed to take hold! But this will only take place if political courage is had, the courage to stand up and say what has been done TO the urban community, and what needs to be done FOR the urban community!!!! Because simply put, the urban theatre is standing on the edge of a abyss here! We are raising generations steeped in violence against itself, generations who beleive in gun violence as a means to a end, as something that is part and parcel of everyday living!!! A new normal, and if we dont do what needs to be done to dispel that belief and end the culture that has spawned it, then our inner cities will be lost FOREVER!!!! So how do we engineer this cultural shift? As I said it will take political courage, it will take social action, it will take MONEY!!!America, if is is truly committed to ending the scourge of Urban violence must commit to it, and I beleive that a Massive Urban aid package is the way to do it!!! WE can and have rebuilt Nations, Its time we rebuild our urban areas!!!!!!!!! And the foundation of these areas are its people and that is where we must start! Change the culture , change the dynamic, change the thought process, but until we commit to that, commit with courage, action, and resources, we are only delaying the inevitable!!!

Mr. Cuomo returns to washington?(a political analysis)

AS all eyes turn to Gov. Cuomo's re-election bid, ( a virtual shoo -in despite all the nay saying) The speculation about his future is ramping up, and indeed the possiblities are there!!! From a cabinet position to perhaps Vice President, The name Cuomo has to be placed in consideration along with the possibility of Hillary Clinton ascending to the office of President in 2016! Andrew Cuomo, who has proven himself a loyal Clinton solider in the past would be the perfect fit in a Clinton cabinet, perhaps as a Secretary of Labor, but who is to say the washington heights that Gov Cuomo could possibly scale are limited to a cabintet position? If Hillary Clinton decides to run, she will indeed need a running mate, and as Andrew Cuomo continues to enhance his national profile, who is to say that he couldnt make a Clinton short list or a running mate? Andrew Cuomo, from his days of running his fathers administration, has been the ultimate Team player, and when he stepped forward, first in a untimely bid to reclaim his father's seat and legacy in Albany, until his ultimate victory for same  years later   proved that his story had only just begun.And having fully grasped the reins in Albany,doing much of what his father tried and could never do in Albany, we can only wonder if he will repeat the process in Washington DC?! We all know the story of Mario Cuomo and his legendary flirtation with Presidential level politics, but he never left NY , and NY was perhaps better off for it! But Andrew Cuomo is a horse of a different color! And as the run for the presidential roses gets ever closer, It is a veritable certainity that Gov Andrew Cuomo will be a major factor and increment in the presidential contention in 2016!!!!

NYS Political Snippets!!!!!

I know its been far too long, but here are a few snippets about the political realm of NYS.

While the 2014 Session was for the most part in Albany one of Chaos, one point of Order still remained, and that was The leadership and picture of same that was presented By Gov. Cuomo. Nothing of any real substance moved thru the halls of gov.  But that inaction , and ineffectuality, clearly could not be attributed to the Gov.  And as we enter the electorial season, Rob Astorino is going to be VERY hard pressed to deal with the perception of leadership that Gov Cuomo has presented statewide!

Speaking of the NYS republicans, they should be on hands and knees Begging Former Gov. Pataki to take the reins of the statewide party, Its amazing that the most successful republican in Modern NYS history remains largely untapped by a state party that is clearly fading!!!

The Dream Act's passage in NYS is not a IF, but a when!

The NYS casino initiative is a Sucess story that is only waiting to be told.

Urban Gun violence is a frontier issue that must take priority and I wouldnt be surprised if Gov. Cuomo puts it on his short list of things to do in his next term!

That's enough for now!!!

New York Stories

Was listening to Mayor Deblasio speak about his progressive agenda, and while I agree with almost all of what he is saying, I hope he realizes that the doing is going to be a lot more difficult than the saying!And that in politics ,there must be compromise in order for there to be progress!

As Far as the Horse and Carriage issue goes, while we must protect against animal cruelty, I think that this is part of the traditional ambience of NYC and we need to find a way to preserve THAT above all things in NYC!! Perhaps create a Car free zone for the carriages to operate!?

The Charter School issue is the same everywhere, we cannot continue to operate a two school system under one roof!!! It is redundant!!!!

To the critics allready polling about Mayor Deblasios Job performance, sorry he hasnt been in office long enough for his performance to be polled, lets back away from muck shall we?!!!

While there needs to be a greater focus on the homeless issue in NYC and everywhere else in America, I dont support a major crackdown on panhandlers and performance artists! Focus on keeping the trains and subways clean and safe, no more and no less!!!

And lastly, the affordable housing issue in  NYC and the gentrification issue goes hand in hand, and that is how it needs to be addressed going forward!!!

The Truth about Astorino's chances!!

So Rob Astorino is officially in the NYS race for Gov. Well the truth is that Astorino has as much of a chance of winning the Govs. race as Kim Kardashian has of winning a Oscar! Simply put, those "upstate" votes you are counting on to win sir, are not the cresting wave you would believe, but they are more akin to a swirl in a toliet bowl! Its the Fox News syndrome, the picture and presentaiton being detached from the reality! Simply put Upstaters and Upstate votes are the PROBLEM in NY, not the solution( and believe me I know, Im from Upstate NY) They(upstate) are the biggest obstacles to change and growth in NY, and that is reflected in the state of so many upstate communties!!!Gov Cuomo is a proven leadership commodity, who has crafted and earned much goodwill throught the Democratic state, and it will take far more than the rabble that you hope to galvanize, rabble who stand in the way of progress and economic and social growth for you to win this race! The ONLY chance you would have Mr. Astorino is to run as far away from them as you can, but being the clear political animal you are, I doubt you will, so enjoy the political limelight while you can, because for you the race was over before it even began!!!

NYS and Public education

With the current focus on public education in NYS, and with it being lead by the most powerful in the state and it being promoted by the PEOPLE in the state, you would hope that it would come to a positive conclusion! You would think that education would improve in NYS, you would believe that we would get a full and co-operative commitment from the bottom to the top in NYS! Yes, you would wouldn't you, but with the educational debate shaping up more and more as Cuomo Versus  Deblasio, and with the people seemingly more determined than ever to lower the bar for educational guidelines in NYS, standing against such things as the common core, it seems that once again those who are in the business of education in NYS, the Charter School industry, and the teacher unions, will be the only ones benefitting from the focus on education in NYS! If we are to TRULY succeed in changing the direction of education in NYS, giving each and every NY child a fair opportunity for educational success, then we all, from politician to everyday citizen must come to grips with the FACT, that educational success is the PRIORITY, and the GOAL!!! Not politics as usual or Buisness as usual!!! Educational success Via Public education, and the only way we will get there is TOGETHER!!!!!! And clearly, as demonstrated in Albany today, together on the issue is the last thing that we NYERS are!!!!!

The 2014 NYSABPAL conferance:the aftermath

AS this weekend in the capitol of NYS, the LARGEST political gathering in the State of NY was held, the annual NYSABPAL( NYS assoc of black, puerto rican and asian legislators) As is custom with the event much news was made! Primary of which was Gov. Cuomos proposal to offer college education for inmates in NYS prison! This idea does indeed get back to the premise that the Gov eleborated, the fact that the Dept of Corrections is supposed to be about that, Corrections, not punishment and torture, not inhumanity, and such measures as the one proposed by the Gov. will lead to that!! So It can be said that The Gov. Put a feather in his re-election cap with that one! Also it was good to see the Gov. and Big Mayor Bill Deblasio sitting together and presenting a image of unity at the conferance! 2014 is a important election year, and, if NYC and NYS are to advance their interests together, then the leaders of same must find a way to stand together! And I hope that this public appearance is a indication of their understanding!!! And while I fully subscribe to Mayor Deblasio wanting to having the right to raise city taxes as he sees fit, it can and should be done without political rancor, because lets be frank there is a lot more than Universal pre-k that new revenue like that can be put towards!!! This weekend in Albany showed a base primed and ready for 2014, and it showed leadership primed and ready as well, so lets keep the eyes on the prize NY!!!!!!!!