Quinn Panders To NYC Renters

Speaker Christine Quinn is as we all know running for Mayor and if hollow words were a pre-requisite then she's all ready to move uptown to Gracie Mansion. Quinn had a few words for the Rent Guidelines Board this week and she certainly sounded tough. She's in favor of a state bill that would stop increases for a year, deny landlords with city code violations from rent hikes and connect renters' financials with rent hikes. It sounds good at first, but it doesn't come close to the heart of the problem.

From The NY Sun:

The director of government affairs for the Rent Stabilization Association, Frank Ricci, said the increases announced last month are modest and do not compare to the rising costs of utilities and increases in property taxes incurred by landlords.

"It is the property taxes that have been imposed by the City Council and the mayor that are driving the rents up," Mr. Ricci said. "If she wanted to help renters, she would make sure that there would be a reduction in the tax rate."

Between 2005 and 2007, rents on unregulated apartments in Manhattan increased 16%, a Citi Habitats report found.

The Rent Guidelines Board is composed of nine members appointed by the mayor, with two members representing tenants, two representing landlords, and five representing the general public.

The former "Idiot of the Week" isn't a stranger to screwing over renters for other things. That includes rolling over for Mayor Mike and his strong advocacy for pushing long-time New Yorkers with gentrifying zoning laws for the past few years. If Quinn really wanted to help renters, she'd go at this by looking at the big picture and not focusing on gimmicks.

Rudy Has A Hillary Moment...Yankee Style

As a loyal dyed in blue Dodger fan, there are certain things I am not allowed to do, like support the Angels and certainly not the Giants (I could tell you some stories but I wouldn't want to get in trouble). So when I heard that Yankee "fan" Rudy Giuliani was rooting for the Red Sox in the World Series I was a bit taken back. It was a pretty low moment of pandering even for Rudy.

From AM New York:

BOSTON - Sounds like a baseball flip-flop. Rudy Giuliani, a lifelong New York Yankees fan, said Tuesday he's pulling for their most hated rivals, the Boston Red Sox, to win the World Series over the Colorado Rockies.

"I'm rooting for the Red Sox," the Republican presidential contender said in response to a question, sparking applause at the Boston restaurant where he was picking up a local endorsement.

"I'm an American League fan, and I go with the American League team, maybe with the exception of the Mets," he said. "Maybe that would be the one time I wouldn't because I'm loyal to New York."

First of all, Met fans have nothing to do with Yankee fans. If you watch baseball in the New York area, you would know that there is no love between the two sets of fans. Rooting for a NY team is somewhat acceptable for a politician, but going for the Red Sox is sacrosanct here.

If New York gave Hillary hell over her baseball mishap, Rudy deserves even worse.

Giuliani Is The New Flip-Flopper King

His royal highness (egotistically speaking) Mitt Romney has been officially disposed of his flip-flopping title by Rudolph Giuliani, formerly the wanna-be dictator of New York City. As Rudy's numbers keep going south, his views are magically changing to fit the electorate he is chasing. Thankfully we have articles like this one out of Boston to keep track of Rudy's ever-changing mind.

From The Boston Globe:

More than any candidate in the Republican presidential field, rival Mitt Romney has been tagged with the flip-flopper label. But Giuliani, with late shifts on civil unions and federal campaign finance laws, is a political makeover in progress.

On Aug. 6, he called his past support of the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance law a mistake, deciding after two election cycles that it does not work.

Giuliani's transformation is, in many aspects, subtler than that of Romney, who has reversed his support for abortion rights.

Giuliani often cites a states' rights rationale as the basis of his new views, though his objection to states adopting civil unions is a notable exception. What was right for his city when he was mayor might not be for other states, he says frequently to explain changing stances.

Yeah, right, sure Rudy. His flip-flopping has nothing to do with principles (since he has none), what he is following is the McCain model. Lean hard right for the base and expect them to believe you. Um, Rudy, you should see where dear old John is at now. That might not be the best track to take.

The problem is, none of the Republicans have much in the way of principles. The only one that is a true conservative or anything close to it is Mike Huckabee, and that might just be why he finished 2nd in the Iowa straw poll with little money or much of a ground game.