For those of you not so keen on Bloomberg, I thought you’d all be interested in discussing the obscene amount of money Bloomberg spent on his close call of a third term. Here are the details:

To eke out an election victory over the city’s low-key comptroller, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spent $102 million of his own fortune — or about $174 per vote — according to data released Friday, making his bid for a third term the most expensive campaign in the city’s history.

Mr. Bloomberg, the wealthiest man in New York City, shattered his own records: He poured $85 million into his campaign in 2005 (or $112 per vote) and $74 million into his first bid for office in 2001 ($99 per vote).

And the $102 million tab is likely to rise, because the mayor has not yet doled out postelection bonuses to campaign workers, which have routinely exceeded $100,000 a person in years past. That spending will not be reported until after his inauguration in January.

Mr. Bloomberg has now spent at least $261 million of his own money in the pursuit of public office, more than anyone else in the United States

Government watchdog groups criticized the nine-digit price tag for his re-election, saying it undermined a widely admired campaign finance system that Mr. Bloomberg helped install in the city. Mr. Bloomberg did not participate in the system, which rewards candidates who raise small donations with large matching money from taxpayers.

The downside for the billionaire mayor: It caps spending at $6 million in the general election.

“He has done long-term damage to the system,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Throughout the campaign, the mayor’s aides sought to project an air of inevitability, but data released on Friday revealed just how anxious they had become in the final weeks.

From Oct. 20 to Nov. 26, his campaign burned through $18.6 million, much of it on last-minute television and radio advertising.

As the mayor’s consultants and pollsters realized that a large bloc of undecided voters either favored Mr. Thompson or planned to stay home on Election Day, the campaign scrambled.

A few hours before the polls closed on Nov. 3, the campaign issued a flurry of recorded telephone calls to registered voters, in which Mr. Bloomberg requested that New Yorkers head to the polls and pull the lever for him.

At the start of the race, Mr. Bloomberg’s aides promised to run a political operation that mirrored the austere times. But that promise quickly evaporated.

The mayor’s campaign, which leased a 35,000-square-foot headquarters in Midtown Manhattan and paid a disc jockey $300 to perform as volunteers called voters, was widely expected to crush his Democratic opponent, William C. Thompson Jr., the city’s chief financial officer.

Mr. Thompson, who participated in the campaign finance system, was outspent by 14 to 1, and he struggled to attract experienced staff members and raise money.

His press releases misspelled his own name; his aides groused about their jobs on Facebook; and his media team was so short on cash that it resorted to running 15-second blink-and-you-miss-it TV commercials.

But Mr. Bloomberg’s unpopular drive to overturn the city’s term limits law, his lavish campaign and a sputtering economy soured thousands of New Yorkers on him, even though most admired his record in office.

On Election Day, their frustration erupted into public view: Mr. Bloomberg won by fewer than 5 percentage points, at a cost of about $20 million for each point.

Turnout was unusually low — 585,000 New Yorkers cast votes for him, compared with 753,089 in 2005 and 744,757 in 2001, records show.

“He didn’t seem to get very much for his money,” Mr. Russianoff said.

Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the mayor’s campaign, said that a harsh political environment helped oust incumbents in Westchester County and New Jersey.

“The reason this anti-incumbent wave stopped at the Hudson’s edge,” Mr. Wolfson said, “is because the mayor ran an effective campaign based on eight years of success.”

A free-spending ethos infused the Bloomberg campaign. The latest filing shows that staff members charged Mr. Bloomberg for expensive meals, rides home, even to retrieve a towed car.

The campaign’s union coordinator, Patrick J. Brennan, spent $520 to dine with labor leaders at Smith & Wollensky, the Midtown steakhouse.

Mark Botnick, who focused on outreach to Jewish voters, charged the campaign $223 for taxi rides. And a Republican operative, Matthew Mahoney — whose campaign wages totaled $100,000 — sought about $5,400 in reimbursements from the campaign, for items big and small. A rental car bill from Hertz exceeded $700. A burger meal at Wendy’s cost $8.36.

Some of the spending seems to have directly benefited taxpayers. A campaign worker named Andres Berry paid $185 to a tow pound in Brooklyn, presumably after he ran afoul of parking rules that, under the Bloomberg administration, are strictly enforced, even if you work for him.

Mr. Bloomberg, the wealthiest man in New York City, shattered his own records: He poured $85 million into his campaign in 2005 (or $112 per vote) and $74 million into his first bid for office in 2001 ($99 per vote).

And the $102 million tab is likely to rise, because the mayor has not yet doled out postelection bonuses to campaign workers, which have routinely exceeded $100,000 a person in years past. That spending will not be reported until after his inauguration in January.

Mr. Bloomberg has now spent at least $261 million of his own money in the pursuit of public office, more than anyone else in the United States.

Government watchdog groups criticized the nine-digit price tag for his re-election, saying it undermined a widely admired campaign finance system that Mr. Bloomberg helped install in the city. Mr. Bloomberg did not participate in the system, which rewards candidates who raise small donations with large matching money from taxpayers.

The downside for the billionaire mayor: It caps spending at $6 million in the general election.

“He has done long-term damage to the system,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Throughout the campaign, the mayor’s aides sought to project an air of inevitability, but data released on Friday revealed just how anxious they had become in the final weeks.

From Oct. 20 to Nov. 26, his campaign burned through $18.6 million, much of it on last-minute television and radio advertising.

As the mayor’s consultants and pollsters realized that a large bloc of undecided voters either favored Mr. Thompson or planned to stay home on Election Day, the campaign scrambled.

A few hours before the polls closed on Nov. 3, the campaign issued a flurry of recorded telephone calls to registered voters, in which Mr. Bloomberg requested that New Yorkers head to the polls and pull the lever for him.

At the start of the race, Mr. Bloomberg’s aides promised to run a political operation that mirrored the austere times. But that promise quickly evaporated.

The mayor’s campaign, which leased a 35,000-square-foot headquarters in Midtown Manhattan and paid a disc jockey $300 to perform as volunteers called voters, was widely expected to crush his Democratic opponent, William C. Thompson Jr., the city’s chief financial officer.

Mr. Thompson, who participated in the campaign finance system, was outspent by 14 to 1, and he struggled to attract experienced staff members and raise money.

His press releases misspelled his own name; his aides groused about their jobs on Facebook; and his media team was so short on cash that it resorted to running 15-second blink-and-you-miss-it TV commercials.

But Mr. Bloomberg’s unpopular drive to overturn the city’s term limits law, his lavish campaign and a sputtering economy soured thousands of New Yorkers on him, even though most admired his record in office.

On Election Day, their frustration erupted into public view: Mr. Bloomberg won by fewer than 5 percentage points, at a cost of about $20 million for each point.

Turnout was unusually low — 585,000 New Yorkers cast votes for him, compared with 753,089 in 2005 and 744,757 in 2001, records show.

“He didn’t seem to get very much for his money,” Mr. Russianoff said.

Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the mayor’s campaign, said that a harsh political environment helped oust incumbents in Westchester County and New Jersey.

“The reason this anti-incumbent wave stopped at the Hudson’s edge,” Mr. Wolfson said, “is because the mayor ran an effective campaign based on eight years of success.”

A free-spending ethos infused the Bloomberg campaign. The latest filing shows that staff members charged Mr. Bloomberg for expensive meals, rides home, even to retrieve a towed car.

The campaign’s union coordinator, Patrick J. Brennan, spent $520 to dine with labor leaders at Smith & Wollensky, the Midtown steakhouse.

Mark Botnick, who focused on outreach to Jewish voters, charged the campaign $223 for taxi rides. And a Republican operative, Matthew Mahoney — whose campaign wages totaled $100,000 — sought about $5,400 in reimbursements from the campaign, for items big and small. A rental car bill from Hertz exceeded $700. A burger meal at Wendy’s cost $8.36.

Some of the spending seems to have directly benefited taxpayers. A campaign worker named Andres Berry paid $185 to a tow pound in Brooklyn, presumably after he ran afoul of parking rules that, under the Bloomberg administration, are strictly enforced, even if you work for him.

Bill Thompson made an ambitious run at the Mayor’s Office in New York City. When the City Comptroller of Brooklyn said that he was running for mayor, many people thought that he was undermanned. Not only was he going against a two-time incumbent billionaire, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was also very popular within the city.

Despite all of the challenges that laid ahead of him, Thompson built a strong campaign to take on the mayor. Initially, support for William Thompson was not very high. Things changed after the people were able to hear him speak of reform within the city. Still, it was expected of Thompson to lose by a landslide.

However, as the election progressed, Bill Thompson began to pose a threat to Mayor Bloomberg. There were some polls that suggested that come Election Day, Thompson may pull the upset. It had been fifteen years of Republican leadership in New York City and the people were ready for a change.

As the day came closer, the race became tight. The race was much tighter than expected and, in the end; Bill Thompson lost a close race to Mayor Bloomberg. The fact that the race was so close has some wondering just how electable Thompson is. Now, rumors of swirling of Thompson running for a higher office in the near future.

Bloomberg launched an attack on us and our union; he attacks tenure, merit pay, seniority, ATRs. Read some excerpts here. New Action will have a fuller response after the holiday.

In case you didn’t catch this gem on the New York Times’ website, I thought I’d share it with you:

ALBANY — City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., weighing his options in the wake of a surprisingly close loss in the mayoral race, is seriously considering challenging Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in next year’s primary elections, according to people who have spoken to Mr. Thompson and his advisers.

Challenging Senator Gillibrand is one of three options being mulled by Mr. Thompson and his advisers. He is also considering a run against the state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, in the primaries, or returning to the private sector for now and running again for mayor in 2013.

With the primary 10 months away, he is expected to make a decision on any statewide bid by mid-January at the latest. Those with knowledge of the deliberations between Mr. Thompson and his advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity, because he has not yet decided which course to pursue.

That Mr. Thompson is considering a run for the United States Senate underscores the challenges Ms. Gillibrand faces in holding her seat. A number of Democratic politicians and party activists have privately urged him to consider taking her on, sensing vulnerability in her mixed poll numbers as she continues to seek her political footing since being appointed in January by Gov. David A. Paterson.

The conversations have taken place despite the White House’s having previously encouraged other potential Democratic challengers to Senator Gillibrand to stand down, a tactic that has led to second-guessing in state political circles.

Concern has been fueled by the mention of some high-profile Republicans as potential opponents of Ms. Gillibrand, including Rudolph W. Giuliani and George E. Pataki, though it is unclear whether either man is seriously considering a bid.

The names of challengers continue to circulate from all levels of the political sphere. On Tuesday, Elizabeth N. Feld, the Republican mayor of Larchmont, said she was considering a run for the United States Senate, despite falling short last year in a bid for the State Senate.

Aides to Ms. Gillibrand and Mr. Thompson declined to comment.

“I think the more the numbers keep coming out saying she’s vulnerable, the more people will try to figure out where she stands on the issues,” said Representative José E. Serrano, one of the most outspoken Democratic critics of Senator Gillibrand, referring to her shifting stance on issues like gun control.

“I think Thompson would make a great candidate,” he added. “He is a progressive voice that hasn’t moved one way or the other over the years, and people would respect that.”

Mr. Serrano also said that Mr. Thompson’s candidacy would be “a national candidacy.”

Indeed, a number of party activists said that a Senate bid by Mr. Thompson, who is black, would be elevated by the pending departure of Senator Roland W. Burris of Illinois, the only African-American currently serving in the Senate, and could help him raise money nationally.

The White House might also be hard pressed to block Mr. Thompson after having already urged Mr. Paterson, New York’s first black governor, to drop out of the 2010 race.

Mr. Thompson is also buoyed by having run such a close race against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, despite being outspent 14 to one.

“I think whatever Billy runs for, especially in the aftermath of the mayoral election, he’s a formidable candidate,” said Assemblyman Keith L. T. Wright, the new chairman of the Democratic Party in Manhattan. “I don’t know if he runs against Gillibrand, he’s never expressed that to me, but one never knows.”

But Mr. Wright also said of Senator Gillibrand: “I think whoever underestimates her does so at their peril. She’s been defying the odds most of her political life.”

Ms. Gillibrand’s strengths include her appeal upstate, particularly in her old Congressional district, which stretches from Lake Placid to the Hudson Valley. She is also known for her tenacity and fund-raising prowess.

But recent polls have suggested that she has not solidified her support in voting blocs where Democrats are traditionally strong: among black and Latino voters, as well as the elderly, female and Jewish voters.

Of the two potential races Mr. Thompson is considering for next year, taking on the state comptroller, Mr. DiNapoli, would be perceived as a safer and far lower-profile move.

Mr. DiNapoli is untested: He has yet to run a statewide race, having been appointed by the Legislature in 2007 to replace Alan G. Hevesi, who resigned after pleading guilty to a felony.

State Senator Dan Rutherford

(Chicago, IL) – November 25, 2009. Republican Candidate for Illinois State Treasurer State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) has tapped a top-flight campaign team for his 2010 statewide bid.

New York-based McLaughlin & Associates will serve as the campaign pollster and strategist, while Virginia-based Wilson Grand Communications will supply the media advisor.

McLaughlin clients have included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Paul Wilson, who has worked with Rutherford in the past, has helped spearhead communications for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a gaggle of U.S. Senators, and Governors.

To help finance the operation, Rutherford, who was elected to the Senate in 2002 after a 10-year stint in the Illinois House, has hired Illinois-based Lisa Wagner and Company to lead the fund raising efforts. Wagner has been instrumental in raising money for Mitt Romney’s well-financed but fizzled run for President, and former U.S. Speaker Denny Hastert.

“We have assembled an ‘A’ Team,” said Rutherford.

He has.

But Rutherford has long-been a one-man media whirl. He has regularly courted the traditional—but shrinking—news media while early and aggressively harnessing new social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook–currently clocking in at 3,418 fans–and courting bloggers.

Someone over 40 who gets social media. Imagine.

Rutherford, who started 2009 with $400,241 in bank, has been on a fund-raising tear across the state and faces no opponent in the GOP primary on February 2, 2010.

Next week, State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Michael Tryon help Rutherford bring in some dough by headlining a fund-raising breakfast in Crystal Lake on Thursday, December 3 at 7:30 a.m.

The early political birds will gather for a some red meat-and-eggs at the 1776 Restaurant located at 397 Virginia Street.

And also declares war on discussing policy with the UFT.

“As it turns out our lawyers now tell us after a very close reading of New York’s law, the current law does not actually stop us from using student data to evaluate teachers who are up for tenure this particular school year, because the way it was written it covers only teachers hired after July 1^st of 2008, and those are not up this year.”

“So today, I’ve directed our schools Chancellor, Joel Klein, to ensure that principals actually use student achievement data to help evaluate teachers who are up for tenure this year. It is an aggressive policy…”

The Obama White House will host their first state dinner tonight in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Set to beginning in about half an hour, it looks like it will be a blockbuster event. Details about the dinner were closely guarded until just a few hours ago, but we now know that A.R. Rahman and Jennifer Hudson are set to perform and that the star-studded guest list will enjoy a very vegetarian-friendly meal. (The Prime Minister is a vegetarian.)

Dinner guests include prominent desis such as Fareed Zakaria, Sanjay Gupta, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kalpen Modi (aka Kal Penn), Deepak Chopra, Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

The White House website will be livestreaming the dinner starting at 8:15 Eastern. I’ll be posting links to coverage of the dinner throughout the evening on Twitter.

Post your comments of tonight’s festivities below.

If you were wondering who’s going to be the GOP’s candidate for governor, City Hall News has this bit of intriguing information:

Emil Henry, Jr., a former assistant Treasury secretary under George W. Bush and executive at Lehman Brothers, has been in discussions with state Republican officials about the possibility of running for governor next year, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

Ed Cox, the state Republican chairman, has courted Henry intensively in recent weeks, hoping to recruit a wealthy and well-connected candidate who could in part self-finance a campaign against Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who Republican officials expect will be the Democratic nominee next year. Cuomo is widely believed to be plotting a primary challenge to Gov. David Paterson, and polls have shown that he would handily defeat any of the potential Republican candidates.

State Republicans say that while the talks have been preliminary, Henry has expressed quiet interest in exploring a potential gubernatorial bid. Little-known in state Republican circles, his entry into the race would certainly upend the looming 2010 elections, and prove a boon to cash-strapped Republicans who have so far struggled to attract credible candidates for statewide office.

“He’s talking to Ed Cox. He’s talking to the state people,” said a Republican operative with knowledge of the talks, who was not authorized to disclose details of private conversations.

The operative added that Henry’s wealth has proven a significant draw.

“The advantage of Emil is that he’s a self-funder,” the operative said. “Cox loves that idea.”

Henry’s interest in the race was in part what prompted Cox to aggressively lobby former Mayor Rudy Giuliani to consider running for U.S. Senate rather than governor, according to people familiar with Cox’s thinking. After assuming the post of state chair in September, Cox calculated that the party would be better off with a self-financing candidate such as Henry as a gubernatorial candidate, and set about prodding Giuliani into the race against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand instead.

A spokesperson for Cox declined to comment. Henry, now the head of New York-based private equity firm Tiger Infrastructure Partners, did not return phone calls and email messages seeking comment.

State Republican operatives close to Cox have privately suggested for several weeks that the party would benefit from recruiting a wealthy candidate who could finance his own campaign, akin to outgoing New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, who spent vast amounts of his personal fortune on a successful 2005 campaign, but was defeated in his re-election bid this year.

A person who has spoken with Henry estimated that he would be able to contribute as much as half the cost of a gubernatorial campaign from his personal fortune (observers estimate that a campaign would cost as much as $20 million), and would be able to raise the rest with the help of high-level connections on Wall Street and in Washington, D.C.

Republicans close to Henry and Cox cautioned that the one-time Hank Paulson deputy may still opt not to wage what would likely be an expensive and grueling campaign against Cuomo if the attorney general does in fact win the Democratic nomination. Cuomo is said to have already amassed a war chest of more than $16 million for a potential gubernatorial campaign.

Despite Henry’s obvious financial advantage, Republican officials acknowledged that there may be much in his past as an investment manager and Treasury official that would invite Democratic attacks. As the assistant Treasury secretary for financial institutions, for example, Henry oversaw many of the big-name Wall Street companies that engaged in reckless speculation and have since become synonymous with the financial collapse. One of his tasks at Treasury was to monitor the growth of hedge funds and so-called “derivative products,” which have largely been blamed for helping spark the downfall of the financial sector and, in turn, the national economy.

But his work did earn him at least one fan: when Henry left the Treasury department in 2007 after two years on the job, Paulson issued a statement thanking him for “reducing the regulatory burden on our nation’s financial institutions, and spearheading our efforts for preparation in the event of a financial crisis.”

***

See the rest of the story here.

The Daily Politics blog recently reported what is likely obvious to those of you that have followed Albany politics for the past few months: New Yorkers are furious with Albany.

Why does this matter? The sheer number of voters displeased with Albany and convinced that Albany needs fundamental changes in order to function properly should send a message to the Brooklyn, city and statewide GOP: get ready for a potential shakeup.

In Brooklyn and New York City, such discontent could provide an extremely favorable atmosphere for statewide office-seekers hoping to unseat many local incumbents that are part of Albany’s problems.

Here’s the story:

Today’s Marist poll reveals something that should come as no surprise, but also should strike fear in the hearts of incumbents planning to see re-election next fall:

New Yorkers are not big fans of Albany.

Seventy-one percent of those polled said major changes are necessary at the state Capitol, while 11 percent don’t believe state government can be fixed at all.

“Albany is not a good place for politicians right now,” Marist pollster Lee Miringoff said. “Voters are dissatisfied with how things are being run and want change.”Gov. David Paterson’s approval rating is still in the basement, clocking in at 20 percent. But the Legislature isn’t faring any better.

Sixteen percent of voters said they think the Senate is doing a good job, while only 13 percent approve of what’s going on in the Assembly.

New Yorkers are divided over whether they would cast a ballot in favor of their hometown lawmakers, who usually fare well in these types of polls – no matter how much their constituents are disgusted with the legislative body writ large.

Just 44 percent said they would vote for their incumbent senator, while 42 percent would support someone else. Republicans want change more than Democrats, with 51 percent of GOP voters saying they would support a challenger. Forty-seven percent of independents agree.

In the Assembly, the split on incumbents versus challengers is 44-43. Again, Republicans and independents are more likely to vote against the status quo than Democrats, with 49 percent saying they’d like to throw the bums out.

If you look to the right side of this page, you will find the new Atlas Poll.

The poll asks: “What do you think about the new Brooklyn GOP website?”

Here are your choices:

I must say, I don’t know everyone who’s reading Atlas, but there sure are a lot of you out there. We have seen days where sharp increases in hits have occurred, but this weekend was particularly impressive.

Nearly three weeks after the November elections, Atlas enjoyed a weekend of heavy web traffic, with hundreds and hundreds of viewers coming each of the past three days. The hits have been so good, we are approaching levels we’ve seen only a few times recently, most notably the day after the November elections and the day after the Brooklyn GOP County Committee Convention.

By midnight, we are on track to make this past weekend the busiest in Atlas’ short history!

The stories that grossed so many unique hits? Here they are:

Francisco D’Anconia’s piece: “With an Eye to Rebuilding The Party, Recent Events Demonstrate Eaton is No Longer Relevant in GOP Politics.”

John Galt’s piece: “Taking Advice From Atlas, Brooklyn GOP Makes Moves To Renovate Derided Website.”

Midas Mulligan’s piece: “Fledgling Brooklyn GOP Website Announces “No Prior Political or Government Experience Necessary” for Running For Office.”

***

Allow me to thank each and every one of you for visiting our site and keeping yourself informed on the happenings of the Brooklyn GOP. We do this for all of you, and your viewership and dialogue through emails and comments have been noticed and are having a powerful impact on the powers-that-be.

Remember that your best defense to Brooklyn GOP ignorance continues to be Atlas Shrugs in Brooklyn. We’re always here for you!

If you were wondering what the word view is of the Brooklyn GOP leadership regarding elections, look no further than brooklyngop.com.

Here’s what the website (a work in progress, we’re hoping) says in it’s “Want to Run for Office” section:

There will be two dozen offices voted on in Brooklyn in the 2010 General Election, and the Republican Party is about to begin a major recruitment drive to find new candidates.

Among the positions are seats in the State Assembly, State Senate, U.S. Congress, and local judgeships.

The chief qualifications for these positions are: you must be a citizen, at least 18 years of age, and enrolled as a Republican voter.

No prior political or government experience is necessary — as Republicans, we believe strongly that citizens should serve in public office for a time, then step aside to allow others to serve.

Did I read that correctly?

Now, I know being a citizen and meeting age requirements are the most important aspects of seeking political office, but what do you think of that line: “No prior political or government experience is necessary — as Republicans, we believe strongly that citizens should serve in public office for a time, then step aside to allow others to serve.”

“Step aside”…you mean like Mayor Bloomberg?

I guess not.

Hypocrisy aside, let’s hope this is merely an aspirational statement and not a cry of desperation on the part of the party.

If the latter, we have serious problems…

***

Stick with Atlas for continuing updates!

As Atlas’ own Francisco D’Anconia makes the case that Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig “The Duke” Eaton is no longer relevant in Brooklyn GOP politics, the Atlas Poll has remained consistent.

Around 94% of voters have made their voice very clear: Chairman Eaton should resign.

With nearly 300 votes accounted for, the sum of votes against Eaton are a strong indication of the discontent brewing against the incumbent Chairman in light of the disastrous elections that saw even Bay Ridge’s Bob Capano and Mayor Bloomberg lose their races in Brooklyn.

A mere sprinkling of pro-Eaton votes have been tallied so far.

The Atlas Poll will close as of this weekend, so be sure your vote is counted!

In our early months, Atlas was dedicated to reporting to you the problems with our party, how we got to where we are today, and suggestions on how to reform those problems. Then, our focus shifted as a sad state of political events and revelations unfolded during the course of the summer. It became clear that the leadership—failed Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig “The Duke” Eaton—was either ignoring serious problems in our party or was the source of them.

Next came the controversial reelection of Chairman Eaton, which seemingly divided the Brooklyn GOP. For a month, Eaton dedicated himself to Bay Ridge events and ignored the rest of our borough, in spite of having a slate of borough-wide and non-Bay Ridge candidates running.

Finally, came the horrible and tragic elections of this month, which all but shattered the Brooklyn GOP. No GOP backed candidate—not even the Mayor—won in this borough.

After these events, I believe that the following conclusion is clear: Chairman Craig ”The Duke” Eaton is no longer relevant in GOP politics.

Take some post-election examples of failure and irrelevancy that stand out in particular.

In the aftermath of the elections, the party released no press release or statement—let alone any sign—that it was still breathing. Instead, the sad, lowly minions of Eaton’s empty promise agenda skulked off into the night, as many of you predicted, I’m sure—not to be heard from again. Some were still clinging to the corpse that was the Brooklyn GOP establishment. A few did so for the sake of sorrow. Others out of disbelief. But reports coming to us make it clear that most of Eaton’s closest acolytes have distanced themselves from him and the party.

Then, take the most recent healthcare rally that Eaton organized in the shadow of the Verrazano Bridge, within walking distance of his home. With a sparse crowd of mostly party figures, the “rally” was a total disaster. And why? Because Eaton limited the invite to his mailing list and did nothing to raise the attention of those that could have made his event better. We know that he has cut people off mailing lists. We know he has turned to his small, inner circle to desperately gain media attention where such attention has only been harmful and not good. He has gained so very little from all of his scheming and conniving, and he has accomplished nothing beneficial for you or me.

Well, at least he’s learned to advertise on Urban Elephants. Oh wait, “The Editors” did that for him…

It is clear that Craig Eaton does not know a thing about running a party. We here at Atlas have attempted to educate him and bring light to the problems in the party (and I assure you that I had to do some convincing before it became clear even to my fellow Atlas colleagues that Eaton was political caveman). But unfortunately, The Duke’s actions in the past few months have demonstrated that such an education is seemingly impossible.

He has Bay Ridge-wide priorities.

We here at Atlas have borough-wide priorities.

He is still clinging to the same “with us or without us” mentality that only threatens and never grows a party.

We believe in growing and expanding the party in all parts of the borough.

He believes in holding party rallies in Bay Ridge.

We believe in holding open and public rallies on issues that matter to all Brooklynites.

***

You see, the Duke does not know how to run a kingdom. He can barely draw a crowd in his own realm. It’s pathetic, sad, and outrageous, all at the same time.

In light of this, I pledge to you that I will not persist in elevating Mr. Eaton any higher than he already is. By speaking of him after the elections, we make him relevant, and I will not play a part in making such a failed Chairman anymore noticeable than he already is. To belabor the point would be a waste of time. He does not want to listen. His arrogance is so great, listening is beneath him.

We have exposed a great deal of party in fighting and mismanagement, and while there were those that previously doubted such grievous happenings in the Brooklyn GOP, the evidence speaks for itself.

Now, unfortunately, our monitoring of party finances and our emailers might prompt us to some action on the part of Chairman Eaton that might deserve reporting from time to time. I have no doubt that this will happen in the near future, given what we’ve heard in recent months.

In spite of this, I continue to invite you to vote until the end of this week on whether Chairman Eaton should resign. Why? Because our leaders, as sad and pathetic as they may be, must be reminded always that they are accountable. They must know that their actions do not come without consequence. So many have expressed that Eaton should step down. His failed leadership will hurt the party in 2010 and could make it even less relevant than it already is.

Your task, as reformist Republicans, it to do everything to prevent that.

In the next few days, I will offer some suggestions on how to circumvent the party leadership if you want to help change our borough in the coming year. Some of it will be common sense, but, amigos, that is just what is lacking in our party.

But we can do it.

We can rebuild our party.

We can strengthen our party.

We can grow our party.

We can do it together, with or without the party leadership.

Let’s get to work.

Read this on The New York Observer:

ALBANY–So what’s a Rudy Drafter to do now?

“I’ve heard from one of his former commissioners when he was in City Hall that, in fact, Rudy has decided not to run for governor,” said Craig Eaton, the Brooklyn Republican chairman. “I’m disappointed, because I was one of the first people to start that draft Rudy campaign. But there are other qualified candidates out there.”

“I’m disappointed and sorry to hear that he’s not going to be running, but I guarantee that we will have a competitive race,” he said. Rick Lazio is currently the only declared Republican candidate for governor; Erie County Executive Chris Collins is contemplating a run, and his spokesman Grant Loomis said that “when we hear that officially from him then the county executive  will take a step back and evaluate a possible run based on what is best for Erie County and the state of New York.”

Here’s the party line from Maria Comella, Giuliani’s spokeswoman: “Rudy has a history of making up his own mind and has no problem speaking it.  When Mayor Giuliani makes a decision about serving in public office, he will inform New Yorkers on his own.”

Republican sources are noting that no one close to the mayor is tamping down the speculation he run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kirsten Gillibrand,especially under the back drop of a decision to try 9/11 terrorists in lower Manhattan. Several Republicans aligned with Giuliani said they expect a public announcement sometime after Thanksgiving.

***

Francisco D’Anconia will be writing an important piece that will be released later today, so be sure to come back to Atlas!

Property values in my area went down last year. They went down quite a bit. Yet property taxes went up. How can that be? They raised the millage rate to make up for the lost revenue and they went a little farther. $15 – $20 in most cases. When I was a real estate investor that’s what we used to call a nuisance rent increase. Enough to make a them complain but not enough to make them move.

What do we get for our taxes? Does anyone really know? When I see them fixing a road or a bridge that’s something I can believe in. When I see a cop responding to a real crime that’s something I can believe in. When I see the fire department battling a fire that’s something I can believe in. These things are only a small part of the taxes we pay. I have no idea where the rest goes.

Accountability on this is terrible. Isn’t this supposed to be public record? Did you ever try to read that record? If you can find it it’s so convoluted that you can never figure out where the money went anyway. One thing you can find is salaries. Little two bit administrators knocking down six digit incomes. Some elected officials make all most as much as the President. Does that seem right to you?

The Mayor of New York City’s salary is $195,000.00 but Michael Bloomberg is doing it for$1. Richard M. Daley, the Mayor of Chicago, makes $216,210.00. The President of the United States makes $400,000.00. Joe Moore, an Alderman in the 49th ward of Chicago makes $98,125.00. David L. Brewer, superintendent of LA schools makes, are you ready for it? Are you sitting down? $300,000.00. Is running the LA school system that similar to running the United States? Are you starting to see where the money goes. I think Bloomberg has the right idea, the rest need to be voted out. When did getting elected become the path to wealth.

In case you haven’t heard already, it is being reported that former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani is not seeking the office of Governor.

Here is the story:

Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has decided not to run for governor of New York next year after months of mulling a candidacy, according to people who have been told of the decision.

His decision is a blow to many Republican leaders, who had viewed Mr. Giuliani as the strongest potential candidate in a year in which voter anger and anti-Albany sentiment appeared to be swelling.

Contenders from both parties have been waiting for months to hear what the former mayor would decide.

It was not clear what prompted the decision, but the prospect of potentially facing Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who is quietly planning his own run for governor on the Democratic ticket, may not have appealed to Mr. Giuliani, who suffered a bruising defeat in the 2008 Republican presidential primary. While many political analysts believe Mr. Giuliani would have comfortably beaten Gov. David A. Paterson, he would likely have faced an uphill battle against Mr. Cuomo, one of the most popular politicians in the state.

It remains unclear whether the former mayor is considering any other political race in 2010. Some have urged him to take on the newly installed Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, who has never run statewide and is still introducing herself to voters in parts of the state.

Mr. Giuliani has built a lucrative career as a motivational speaker, and his business interests, including his firm Giuliani Partners, tend to suffer when he runs for office, those who know him say. He also has strained relations with Edward F. Cox, the new state Republican Party chairman, which would have complicated a potential campaign. Mr. Cox has publicly urged Mr. Giuliani to consider running for the Senate instead of governor.

Maria Comella, a spokeswoman for Mr. Giuliani, said Wednesday that it was “premature” to say any decisions had been made, and cited the former mayor’s statements on television last weekend.

In an interview with ABC on Sunday, Mr. Giuliani said he had not yet made his decision but said, “I will very soon.”

Those told of the decision spoke on condition of anonymity, because they did not want to speak publicly ahead of Mr. Giuliani.

The decision will be a boon to other Republican contenders. So far, Rick Lazio, a former congressman from Long Island, is the only declared candidate on the Republican side. Another much discussed potential contender is Chris Collins, the Erie County executive.

We’ve received a few emails about the unpublicized Brooklyn GOP event (held in–where else?–Bay Ridge) advertised as a rally against “socialized health care.”

Having drawn a “small crowd,” according to Courier Life, the rally provided little direction about what exactly should be done to address the healthcare debacle. While the GOP’s opposition to the bill is clear, the party seeking to unseat the 13th CD’s Democratic Representative McMahon could not provide any alternative message, it seems, to what has been out there.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle gave its usual positive coverage to Brooklyn GOP events, calling it a “Teen Led GOP Rally.” This is somewhat misleading, as one emailer disclosed to Atlas that the event was led by one lone high school student (who, the emailer said, was a “better speaker than the GOP establishment figures that attended”). Very few young people actually attended, it seems.

Otherwise, the event was largely uneventful and unsuccessful. This is unsurprising, given the lack of notice provided by the party and its failed Chairman Craig “The Duke of Bay Ridge” Eaton.

Here is the story from Courier Life:

Bay Ridge Republicans fearing what they call “socialized health care” rallied at John Paul Jones Park this weekend.

“I don’t want the government in any part of my life if I can avoid it,” Bay Ridge retiree Louise Speziale said. “I think I live in a great country and I don’t want it to change.”

Craig Eaton, chair of the Brooklyn Republican Club, said that his group sent out over 20,000 e-mails announcing the event.

Roughly 40 people like Speziale actually showed up at the rally held on Sunday afternoon to oppose health care reforms now winding through the U.S. Congress.

“A lot of the people that are here are all united with the same goal,” Eaton said. “We need health care, we need to change the health care system in America, but we cannot bankrupt the nation by using the health care system that’s proposed by the Democrats.

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed legislation aimed at reforming the nation’s health care system on November 7.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act garnered only one Republican vote while at the same time further disenchanting Progressives advocating a single-payer or Medicare for all system, and women’s rights groups opposed to a provision withholding funding for abortions.

The U.S. Senate has yet to vote on its version of health care reform.

“I can’t answer why the Progressives don’t like it,” Eaton said. “I know why we don’t like it – I don’t think it’s fiscally conservative, I don’t think it’s fair, I don’t think it’s reasonable. I think it needs to be tweaked before the final result.”

State Senator Marty Golden was far less diplomatic, dismissing health care reform as “one huge tax hike” and a partisan effort to “get a win” for President Barack Obama.

“Fifteen percent of the nation needs health care,” Golden said. “Eighty-five-percent have great health care – we’re going to turn the system upside down for 15 percent of the nation?”

While Golden declared, “We have the greatest health care in the world,” osteopathic practitioner Dr. Joseph Caruana, who has an office in Dyker Heights, said that there is “no doubt” in his mind that the nation needs “some type of health care reform.”

“It just can’t continue to go on the way it is,” Dr. Caruana told the small crowd gathered on 101st Street and 4th Avenue.

Instead of the current course of reform, however, the local physician criticized what he called “defensive medicine” and “Cadillac health plans” forced on recipients by the state for rising health care costs.

Leslie Rice, director of Youth Activities for the Brooklyn RepublicanParty, said that she is happy with her current health insurance plan, but complained that if the “Obama health care plan passes” she will be forced onto what she views as an inferior public option plan.

“This is a very bad choice for the average person,” she said.

Is it just me, or is the message coming out of this “rally” that the healthcare reform being proposed by Congress is…bad.

That’s it?

That’s all they could come up with?

Dr. Joseph Caruana, a speaker at the rally, said that there is “no doubt” in his mind that the nation needs “some type of health care reform,” according to the article.

Well, what exactly is he talking about? Did the Brooklyn GOP just gear up to complain on a Sunday by the Verrazano Bridge?

If the party wants to succeed, it will need to do better than that.

***

In the coming days, Atlas will discuss the healthcare issue in greater detail and how the party should approach the issue.

I was listening to WOR this morning and John Gambling reported a tidbit of news that I would like to share my opinion on.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Whom FYI, I respect and admire as a business person as well as a politician) proposed a new law regarding parking, that will require a 5 minute grace period. For example, if you purchase 30 minutes of parking from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM, you have until 9:35 AM to move your vehicle and only then if you don’t move, a ticket agent (usually waiting with their ticket scanners hiding behind the nearest telephone poll or corner, or the brazen ones who wait in front of your car) can then go ahead and give you a ticket.

The proposed question on the radio show was, will this law help or is it a waste of time?

Those for the Law: Oh do we all remember the time where we finally found a spot in the city, after paying for the maximum time allowed, we went to take care of what had to be done, the thought constantly on our mind that we must be back in time to fetch our vehicle before the time expires, only to show up just in time to find the ticket agent neatly placing a parking ticket in our shiny window.  Enough Said.

Those against the Law: Be on time. Regardless of when it expires people will still come 30 seconds after the time is up.

Conclusion is, for the people that come on time, thank you government for the free minutes (and protection) but it’s not necessarily necessary for my government to be busy with this.  Unless of course the law changes and the new wording is changed to say; “Agents shall stop being pricks and treat citizens as repetitive customers” Stop pissing them off by sitting by the vehicle hoping the guy won’t show up or having the vehicle information in the scanner ready to go.

For the people who don’t come on time, is 5 minutes enough?  These people anyways won’t be happy because they won’t be showing up until the last second (or after). In this case as well, these people will only benefit from the newly worded law as stated above.

Total conclusion:

1. Don’t try making people happy that can’t be made happy
2. Change the law to something that people will actually benefit from

Nice try though, cause it “Looks”  “Sounds” “Feels” good. (Which in this day and age, (some) people actually respect more than doing.

Good Day.

DCCC slams Shadegg for suggesting Bloomberg's daughter will be kidnapped'

Washington(CNN) — A spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee criticized a Republican congressman Tuesday for suggesting that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s daughter will be kidnapped by terrorists, calling it evidence that the GOP has been taken over by “Right Wing extremists.”

“In case there’s any doubt of the Republican Party being taken over by the likes of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Michele Bachmann and other Right Wing extremists, last night Republican Rep. John Shadegg actually suggested that Mayor Bloomberg’s daughter will be kidnapped by a terrorist,” DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer said in a statement.

“This is what happens when you have a Republican Party undeterred by their embarrassing loss in the NY-23 Special Election and desperate to win over the Right Wing fringe,” he added.

On the House floor on Monday night, Shadegg criticized Bloomberg for supporting the Obama administration’s decision to have the suspected 9/11 terrorists face a trial in New York City. Bloomberg said last week that it’s “fitting” to have them tried close to the World Trade Center site and that the city has “hosted terrorism trials before,” but Shadegg warned of other repercussions.

“I saw the Mayor of New York said today, ‘We’re tough. We can do it,’” Shadegg said. “Well, Mayor, how are you going to feel when it’s your daughter that’s kidnapped at school by a terrorist? How are you going to feel when it’s some clerk — some innocent clerk of the court — whose daughter or son is kidnapped? Or the jailer’s little brother or little sister? This is political correctness run amok.”

Bloomberg’s office said Tuesday it would not comment on the remark.

The grades are in, and they are mixed. Nearly a quarter of the 281 city high schools that received grades for the last two years dropped a grade or so, demonstrating that GOP-backed Mayor Bloomberg’s education developments have been less fruitful than had been hoped. Here’s the story:

In releasing the third annual round of A through F grades for New York City high schools on Monday, the Education Department produced a rather murky picture: The number of schools receiving A’s on the city’s report cards increased this year, but more schools received C’s and D’s. And just one school received an F.

The Bloomberg administration has made the school report cards a central part of its accountability system, and the grades are likely to provoke renewed anxiety among large, struggling high schools in the city, which could be shut down for poor performance. The schools chancellor, Joel I. Klein, has moved to close 28 schools, including 9 high schools, since the city began issuing the grades in 2007.

State education officials have also said that they plan to close the bottom 5 percent of schools statewide to comply with guidelines for a competitive federal grant that will award billions of dollars to states making strong efforts to improve schools.

Nearly a quarter of the 281 city high schools that received grades for the last two years dropped a grade or more, compared with 62 percent of the schools that maintained their grade and 14 percent that improved.

The grades rely heavily on measures of student improvement, including changes in state tests and graduation rates in high schools, rather than overall performance.

The grades for elementary and middle schools are based largely on year-to-year improvement on state standardized tests.

Mr. Klein announced the grades at the campus of the Henry Van Arsdale school in Brooklyn, which was shut down in 2007. Each of the three schools that replaced Van Arsdale — Williamsburg Preparatory School, Brooklyn Preparatory High School and Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design — received A’s.

Mr. Klein said that the increase in low grades reflected higher standards. “Our schools are generally moving forward,” he said. “We are raising the bar, and will continue to raise the bar.”

When Mr. Klein announced that 97 percent of elementary and middle schools received A’s or B’s on their report cards this summer, critics said that the grades presented an inaccurately rosy picture of city schools.

Though 139 city high schools received an A this year, compared with 113 last year, the grading system produced some quirks. For example, 23 schools where a third of the students did not graduate in four years earned an A. Three schools received an A even though more than half of their students did not earn a diploma within four years.

Still, Mr. Klein said on Monday that he believed the high school grades provided an accurate picture of the schools’ performance.

High school grades rely on more factors than just state tests, so there was less drastic movement from last year to this year. Education officials raised the standards for each letter grade for high schools this year, as they did for elementary and middle schools. Officials said that they determined cutoffs for each letter grade based on improvements they predicted schools would be able to make.

Merryl H. Tisch, the chancellor of the State Board of Regents, said that she expected the state’s list of schools that should be shut would probably be similar to the list of schools receiving the lowest grades.

Overall, 7 percent of high schools citywide received a D or an F, including many of the large high schools that are still open.

Ms. Tisch said that New York City should focus on replacing its failing high schools with schools that draw on students largely from the surrounding neighborhood without any academic admissions criteria.

“I think that Mr. Klein will act aggressively, as he should in my opinion, to replace schools that have been failing for a really long time,” she said. “It’s painful for communities, but it’s significant and we have to do this in a way that won’t just displace students.”

Jeffrey Bernstein, a cosmetology teacher at W. H. Maxwell Career and Technical High School in Brooklyn, which received a D for the second year in a row, said that he feared the school would be shut down despite the best efforts of teachers and administrators. He said that the grading system was particularly unfair for a vocational school like his.

“I’ve seen the school at its best and at its worst, and I can tell you that we are improving right now,” said Mr. Bernstein, who has been at the school for 20 years and is the teachers’ union leader there. “The teachers keep fighting the good fight, and they keep getting slapped back down. If you get morale down with adults, the students are going to sense it.”

Larry Wilson, the principal of Bread and Roses Integrated Arts High School in Manhattan, said the change in calculations meant that his high school dropped to a C this year, down from a B last year, even though the school’s overall score improved. “It’s a painful thing,” he said. “But we’ve got to live with the system we have.”

Mr. Wilson said that at a small school like his, with 525 students, a single teacher could affect the grade. He said that one key indicator of progress — the number of students earning 10 or more credits — dropped, partly because a new history teacher gave failing grades to about half of her 11th-grade students.

“Your job is to reach them, and she had trouble doing that,” he said of the teacher, who has since left the school. “She didn’t get that when most of the students are failing, it’s really the school that is failing the students.”

The school environment grades, which are based on attendance and results of student, parent and teacher surveys, and make up 15 percent of the grade, showed the steepest decline. This year, 55 high schools received a D or an F in school environment, compared with 12 last year.

More than 20 percent of high schools did not receive grades, either because they are too new to have had a senior class graduate or because they are in the process of being shut down.