Senator Chuck Schumer: Extreme Secularist? – by George J. Marlin

Posted July 27, 2007 by streetcornerconservative
Categories: Religion and Politics-SCC

When insisting Cardinal Egan’s name remain in the Congressional Resolution saluting the 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of New York, Senator Charles Schumer stated “I know [Egan] and I have a great deal of respect for him.  He’s done a very, very good job in New York.”

Since Senator Schumer has been an extreme proponent of “separation of church and state,” his defense of a Roman Catholic prelate in the halls of Congress was a pleasant surprise.

But reading this week the Senator’s book Positively American dashed any hope that Schumer experienced a Damascus road conversion on the subject of religion in the public square.

There is more to his book than liberal bromides. There’s some quackery, too. Read the rest of this post »

Albany’s Wonder Boy is Rolled Again – By George J. Marlin

Posted July 22, 2007 by streetcornerconservative
Categories: NY State Finances-SCC

In the latest round of Albany back-room dealing, the Upper East Side governor was taken to the cleaners by the senator from the sticks, Joe Bruno, and Bowery assemblyman, Shelly Silver. Read the rest of this post »

Congestion Tax Bill Stalled: A Victory for the Outer Boros – By George J. Marlin

Posted July 17, 2007 by streetcornerconservative
Categories: NY State Finances-SCC

The old silver fox, Speaker Shelly, has done it again. To protect his outer boro members, he tossed the Congestion Tax Bill to the New York City Council.

By demanding passage of a home rule bill that officially requests state approval of the tax, the Speaker forces City legislators to take a public stand on the issue. Read the rest of this post »

Congestion Pricing: Just Another Tax Increase – By George J. Marlin

Posted July 16, 2007 by streetcornerconservative
Categories: NY State Finances-SCC

When I was Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a group of good-government (“goo-goos”) Manhattanites called on me at my World Trade Center office, expecting to receive my endorsement for “Peak Pricing” (a.k.a. Congestion Pricing) on the Hudson River bridge and tunnel crossings.

They couldn’t believe their ears when I dismissed their proposal and stated categorically that I would never increase taxes on commuters who must drive to work.  (A toll or user-fee is just a clinical term for a tax.) Read the rest of this post »

Christine Todd Whitman: The GOP’s Lightweight Champion – By George J. Marlin

Posted July 15, 2007 by streetcornerconservative
Categories: NY Politics-SCC

A week after former E.P.A. Director Christine Todd Whitman proved in her June 25 testimony before Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s House Judiciary Subcommittee that she’s a public policy lightweight, I received a Whitman-signed Republican Leadership Council fundraising letter that contained additional evidence of her ignorance of contemporary affairs. Read the rest of this post »