Barclays Center Site For 2016 Democrat Convention?

New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio suggests that the Democrats hold their 2016 convention at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  How appropriate!  DeBlasio supported the eminent domain and corporate welfare scheme which built the Barclays Center and associated real estate development to the benefit of progressive real estate developer Bruce Ratner and his Forest City Ratner firm.  This was done with the connivance of New York State's Empire State Development Corporation. 


The eminent domain scheme also know as Atlantic Yards or Brooklyn Nets Arena received the enthusiastic cheers and non-critical reporting of the New York Times.  The establishment newspaper was itself the beneficiary of eminent domain and corporate welfare courtesy of the Empire State Development Corporation.  Their real estate development partner was yes, Bruce Ratner and Forest City Ratner.  I dubbed this particular scheme "Time$cam."


It is also appropriate that the Democrat Party stands for legalized theft, but then again so does the Republican Party. 


If the Democratic convention is held at the Barclays Center who would like to demonstrate against eminent domain abuse and corporate welfare with me?


Richard Cooper

Cuomo Expels Those Who Have No Place In New York By Richard Cooper

Cuomo Expels Those Who Have No Place In New York

New York locations.  April 1, 2015

After his re-election, Governor Cuomo has taken action against those he deemed extremists.  In January 2014, he told Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom that “extreme conservatives” should leave New York.

In compliance with his orders and the Democrat-controlled legislature elected in November 2014 Tea Party “extreme conservatives” are fleeing to the South and West.  A group of Long Islanders, waiting to cross the Verrazano Narrows bridge began singing “Massapequa, Massapequa” to the tune of “Anatevka, Anatevka” from Fiddler On The Roof. 

For more than a century the Adirondack Park has been declared “forever wild.”   Governor Cuomo cites as a benefit of the expulsion of the extreme conservatives that with the depopulation of upstate New York, the Adirondack Park will now be enlarged to include Columbia, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, Washington, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego, Onondaga, Tioga, Chemung, Livingston, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chatutauqua, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence counties.  In other words, most of the upstate counties beyond the MTA region.

Libertarians went north and east to New Hampshire to join the Free State project.

Those to the left of the Governor such as the Occupy movement were given the boot as well, heading to the People’s Republics of Vermont and Massachusetts. 

Both pro-frackers and anti-frackers were declared extremists by the new legislative committees on Extremist Activities.  Speaker Silver said “They should wait until the Governor decides to know how they should protest in his support.”

Moses said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.”  Pharaoh Cuomo said “Let the extremists go where they belong.” 

Libertarian Responds To Cuomo’s 2014 State of the State Speech

Governor Cuomo delivered his 2014 State of the State message to the New York State Legislature and invited elected officials.  As a former Libertarian Party of New York www.ny.lp.org State Chair, I followed this with great interest and read the message completely. See here for a transcript https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/01092013sostranscript.  The Governor handed out a “free book” http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/487/f3/9/4041/2014-SOS-Book.pdf. Not surprisingly, as a Libertarian I read it with dismay but there were some good things. 

For example on criminal justice, Cuomo said:

We need to insure fairness in the justice system. The problem is mistaken eyewitness identifications contribute to approximately 75% of the wrongful convictions overturned by DNA evidence and false confessions contributed to approximately 25% of wrongful convictions overturned by DNA. Remember, this is not a numbers game for a prosecutor. It's not the more convictions the better. A wrongful conviction protects no one, and you are still innocent until proven guilty in this system. And let's make sure the system remembers that and the system provides that. We propose innocence protections in the justice system. We propose requiring blind administering of eyewitness photo IDs and videotaped confessions for suspects in violent crimes and related offenses and sex offenses. This will give us more certainty that the convictions we obtain are actually fair and justified.

I think I would agree completely with that.

On the other hand, Cuomo tooted his own horn Governor Al Smith liked to say ‘let’s look at the record.’  Well let’s look at the record.  Gone is the obstructionist state bureaucratic culture, replaced with a new entrepreneurial government.  Gone is the tax capital mentality, replaced with a property tax cap, tier VI, and the lowest middle class tax rate in 58 years.  Gone is the anti-business mentality, replaced with regional collaboratives and a new public-private sector partnership that is working extraordinarily well.  Gone is the political gridlock, replaced with a government that puts politics aside, remembers why they’re here, puts the people first, and makes the government work for the people of the state once again.  The speech is an early salvo in Cuomo’s reelection campaign.

Cuomo did not go into detail of his own tax plan as expressed in the book.  There is less than meets the eye unfortunately.  The property tax relief is contingent on the local municipalities consolidating services and other ideas which may well be good but are not guaranteed to happen.  There is no property tax relief for NYC homeowners.  About a third of New York City residents own their home or apartment.

Cuomo called for elimination of a tax on upstate manufacturers, defined as outside the MTA region.  As a downstate manufacturer, I ask what about us?  What are we, chopped liver?

On guns, Cuomo did not refer by name to his own legislation, the fraudulently named NY SAFE Act.  This legislation rushed without justification was so ineptly written that even supporters of gun control wanted clarification so as not to prevent film and television crews from taking pictures of firearms.  But Emperor Andrew I did not want anything to detract from his image of competence.

Cuomo said about guns: In the area of public safety - gun violence - has been on a rampage as we know firsthand and we know painfully. We must stop the madness, my friends. And in one word it is just enough. It has been enough. We need a gun policy in this state that is reasonable, that is balanced, that is measured. We respect hunters and sportsmen. This is not taking away people's guns. I own a gun. I own a Remington shotgun. I've hunted, I've shot. That's not what this is about. It is about ending the unnecessary risk of high-capacity assault rifles. That's what this is about. We have a seven point agenda.

 Number 1: Enact the toughest assault weapon ban in the nation period.  

Number 2: Close the private sale loophole by requiring federal background checks.umber 3: Ban high-capacity magazines.

 Number 4: Enact tougher penalties for illegal gun use, guns on school grounds and violent gangs.

 Number 5: Keep guns from people who are mentally ill.

 Number 6: Ban direct internet sales of ammunition in New York.

 Number 7: Create a State NICS check on all ammunition purchases.

New York State led the way on guns once before. It was Sullivan's Law of 1911, which was the first in the nation gun control law - a model law that required a permit for possession of a handgun. New York was the first; it's still on the books. New York led the way then, let's pass safe and fair legislation and lead the way once again in saving lives.

Take note that he made the ritual incantation about hunters and sportsmen to show that he isn’t anti-gun.  Cuomo says nothing about self-defense.  Well he shouldn’t with a security detail.

Cuomo isn’t correct about the Sullivan Law.  It wasn’t the first gun control law.  The segregationist South enacted gun controls to disarm the black population.

The Sullivan Law grants arbitrary authority to local police who act arbitrarily in deciding on handgun permits.  I favor repeal not just of the NY Safe Act but of the Sullivan Law.  Failing that repeal, New York should become a “shall issue” state.  That is, if you are not legally barred from having a weapon, then a permit must be issued.  If they really want to cut gun violence, end the drug war.

When it comes to government reform, we all believe in government, otherwise we wouldn't be in this room today. But for government to be effective, we must be trusted and the more we're trusted the more effective we are because it's all about the relationship that we have with the citizens of this state.   

Cuomo believes the problem with lack of trust in government has to do with campaigns.

We must enact campaign finance reform because people believe that campaigns are financed by someone else at exorbitant rates. New York currently has the highest contribution limits among all states, third lowest rate of participation. I want to propose the Disclose New York plan, which is very simple. It's the nation's most aggressive disclosure law period. What it says is disclose all political and lobbying contributions within 48 hours electronically period. Right now – Right now the disclosure law says you can disclose sometimes every six months, sometimes a year, sometimes never. We would apply this to all political and lobbying organizations - PACs, 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4)s that do lobbying, political committees, political party. Any contribution within 48 hours is disclosed over $500. There is nothing like it in the country. Implement a public finance system based on New York City. It works well in New York City, it will work well in New York State. We need to lower the contribution limits for all offices, political parties, housekeeping accounts because the limits are just too high.

I would probably support the Disclose New York plan.  I do not see any connection between the contribution limits and participation.  Maybe it is the fact that the Republicans and Democrats are just two wings of the party of legalized theft.  Why choose between either criminal gang?

Cuomo proposed both lower contribution limits and a public finance system like that of New York City.  By public of course he means taxpayers pay for election campaigns.  As a Libertarian, I regard that as unjust.  We compel people to fund the campaigns of people they are either not interested in or oppose.  Why do we have the First Amendment’s ban on the establishment of religion?  To prevent such funding of those with whom one disagrees.

At the risk of being cynical, why might the incumbent governor and son of a former governor benefit from these so-called campaign reforms?  Lower contribution limits make it harder to defeat incumbents.  Taxpayer finance means his union allies and business cronies can use their money in other ways.  There is a real benefit to those with an organization already (shout-out to Working Families Party) or name recognition from his plan.

Cuomo said well “Economic development is the engine that drives the state.”  On one hand he speaks of cutting taxes and regulation but on the other he promotes corporate welfare with a green face in the detailed book.

He did not address medical marijuana in his speech, only in the book.  As with the property tax relief, it is more about the appearance of change then the reality.  Up to 20 unnamed hospitals will administer a very restrictive program, instead of the dispensaries as in California and elsewhere.  When they are selected, I wonder which Cuomo cronies will be on their boards and which unions will be part of their control apparatus.I say legalize marijuana nationwide now.

In his education remarks Cuomo didn’t mention the Common Core standards fiasco. I would not implement Common Core. I would not implement Common Core.  To opponents of Common Core, I say what did you expect when government is involved in education provision, funding and regulation?

Cuomo concludes this campaign kickoff.

So my friends, what is the state of New York State?  The state of New York State is that New York State is rising.  New York State is rising because it is more unified than ever before.  New York State is rising to build back better and stronger than ever before.  New York State is rising to build a smarter, stronger state than we’ve ever had before.  New York State is rising with a passion and a commitment to make this state better than it’s ever been with a brighter future than it’s ever had for your family and for my family.  And New York is rising with us together, as one committed to that vision and making it a reality this year.  Thank you and God bless you.

I wish I had royalties for coining the word “rising.”  Cuomoism is the little blue pill of New York in its Emperor’s imagination.

As for the Republicans, they fell over themselves to support the tax plan.  They make occasional noises about cutting spending but cannot be regarded as serious about it as they are just as committed to corporate welfare as the Democrats.   Not only is the Empire State Development Corporation a vehicle for corporate welfare but it is a major engine for eminent domain abuse.  The New York Times noted that it houses many Cuomo loyalists.  I call for abolition of the Empire State Development Corporation.

It is enough to make me laugh, cry and gag. 

I say, let New York rise.  Let New Yorkers make their own decisions without the interference of Washington, Albany, or City Hall.  Free New Yorkers from the Empire State.

--Richard Cooper

Cuomo's Convention Center Calendar Caper

By Richard Cooper

The Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo recently exercised his imperial prerogative to change the calendar of the state-owned Jacob Javits Convention Center.   Newsday's Dan Janison reports that Cuomo in Albany changed the date of the annual New York boat show to January.  http://www.newsday.com/columnists/dan-janison/javits-center-nyc-s-boat-show-make-political-waves-1.6119695   Considered a more desirable by the boat selling industry the change upset other trade shows that were bumped.

Quite aside from the question of why our would-be emperor in Albany isbusying himself with event calendars, let us ask the question never asked.  Why should the state government or municipal governments be in the convention center business?  If it is desirable, let it be run by private enterprise.

This Libertarian says "Separate convention centers and state.  Sell the Javits Center."

Libertarian Says Hands Off Long Beach Hospital! By Richard Cooper

Libertarian Says Hands Off Long Beach Hospital!  By Richard Cooper

Long Beach Hospital has served the Long Island, New York waterfront community since 1922.  It was closed by Hurricane Sandy and remains closed.   Besides the physical challenges of renovation, Long Beach Hospital http://www.longbeachmedicalcenter.org/ has a precarious financial situation.  But it also has the heavy hand of state government regulators who want it closed and merged with South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside.   “The feud with state regulators, which apparently has been simmering for some time, was publicly revealed in June, when the hospital's board of directors placed an advertisement in local newspapers declaring that the state Health Department "does not want LBMC to reopen as an acute care hospital." http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/long_island&id=9185865

State health commissioner Nirav Shah responded to the board that “ fiscal problems "have plagued the hospital since long before the storm." LBMC ranks ninth on the state's list of financially distressed hospitals and has had annual losses of more than $2 million since 2008, he said.”

For those unfamiliar with our Long Island geography, be aware that Long Beach rests on a barrier island.  Oceanside is on the mainland connected by a causeway, subject to washout in a hurricane. 

It may very well be true that Long Beach Medical Center is fiscally unsound and could go bankrupt.  But why should it be the decision of Commission Shah and other state bureaucrats?   This seems to me to be part of the fixation of state regulators that there are too many hospital beds.  Who should decide the location and provision of hospitals?  The market of doctors and their patients in my view as a Libertarian.   Who should decide whether the hospital can continue financially?  In my view as a Libertarian, the administrators and trustees who are responsible for the financial health of the hospital as the doctors and nurses are of the medical health of the patients. 

Stop Soviet-style planning in health and hospitals.

Let Long Beach Hospital decide, not Albany bureaucrats.  

 

 

http://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/

Responding To Newsday's "Dark Horses Keep Challenging Suffolk Executive"

As usual, Newsday runs its condescending article covering minor party challengers to the old party establishment candidates "Dark Horses Keep Challenging Suffolk Executive." (Newsday, Oct 31, 2007 http://www.newsday.com/ ) Highlighted are Estelle Edwards from the Libertarian Party and Peter Busacca from the Integrity Party. This year, there is even less pretense of choice than usual. Suffolk voters will have a choice between: Steve Levy, Democrat; Steve Levy, Republican; Steve Levy, Independence; Steve Levy, Conservative; Steve Levy, Working Families. Some choice.

Did any readers notice how much space supposedly devoted to Busacca and Edwards was given over to Levy to respond? Maybe when there is an article quoting Levy, their quotes can be run as well. Naturally, as the incumbent Steve Levy is accorded pages of coverage by Newsday. Perhaps in between its coverage of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, Estelle Edwards as an exemplary hardworking woman could be given some space to present her views at length or a full fledged interview, if not both.

The slogan "A choice, not an echo" inspired many to engage in politics. A choice, not an echo can encourage participation in the elections.

Richard Cooper, former State Chair, Libertarian Party of New York http://www.ny.lp.org/ 2000-02, 2006-07
former Chair, Libertarian Party of Nassau County

Ron Paul on Property Rights & Eminent Domain

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/property-rights-and-eminent-domain/

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul says "We must stop special interests from violating property rights and literally driving families from their homes, farms and ranches.

Today, we face a new threat of widespread eminent domain actions as a result of powerful interests who want to build a NAFTA superhighway through the United States from Mexico to Canada.
We also face another danger in regulatory takings: Through excess regulation, governments deprive property owners of significant value and use of their properties — all without paying “just compensation.”
Property rights are the foundation of all rights in a free society. Without the right to own a printing press, for example, freedom of the press becomes meaningless. The next president must get federal agencies out of these schemes to deny property owners their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property.We must stop special interests from violating property rights and literally driving families from their homes, farms and ranches.
Today, we face a new threat of widespread eminent domain actions as a result of powerful interests who want to build a NAFTA superhighway through the United States from Mexico to Canada.
We also face another danger in regulatory takings: Through excess regulation, governments deprive property owners of significant value and use of their properties — all without paying “just compensation.”
Property rights are the foundation of all rights in a free society. Without the right to own a printing press, for example, freedom of the press becomes meaningless. The next president must get federal agencies out of these schemes to deny property owners their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property."

I hope Ron Paul gets the GOP nomination. If not, I hope he will seek the Libertarian Party nomination.

When the Town of North Hempstead was using eminent domain to stomp on Rev. Fred Jenkins and St. Luke's Pentecostal Church in the hamlet of New Cassel next to Westbury, New York, the Nassau and New York Libertarians spoke out in their defense under my leadership. Ron Paul heard our voice and acted. He introduced legislation to bar the use of federal funds to seize houses of worship. His legislation was reintroduced as an amendment which passed the US House of Representatives on a voice vote. However, the housing bill it was attached to failed in the Senate.

A few years later, the groundbreaking was begun for the urban renewal scheme which took the church's land and demolished its building and that of other victims. There to take credit were US Senator and now presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, and Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, together with other Democrat cronies.

The New Cassel urban renewal scheme handed over the property of the church and others to developers who have seen fit to give Kaiman and the North Hempstead Democrats substantial contributions as reported by Newsday. Of course, there is no connection. The land will supposedly become a bank and a chain drugstore.

One of the properties was built in such a substandard way that the still uncompleted building is already sinking.

When it comes to eminent domain, we know where Ron Paul and Hillary Clinton stand. What about the others?


Richard Cooper, former Chair Libertarian Party of New York

Columbia University Eminent Domain In Harlem Condemned By Alumni

http://www.ny.lp.org/news/2007manhattanville.htm

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF NEW YORK http://www.ny.lp.org/ 516-767-4688 Contact: Richard Cooper, State Chair nylibertarian@hotmail.com
COLUMBIA EMINENT DOMAIN IN HARLEM CONDEMNED BY ALUMNI
New York City 3/28/07 Columbia University president Lee Bollinger’s plan to use eminent domain to obtain land for a new campus in the Manhattanville section of West Harlem faces new opposition from the Libertarian Party of New York (LPNY) led by Columbia College alumni. State Chair Richard Cooper, Christopher Garvey and Mark Axinn condemn the University’s resort to the Empire State Development Corporation to condemn property-owners who will not sell voluntarily from West 125th to 133rd Streets between Broadway and 12th Avenue. The ESDC designated the area as “blighted.” Cooper responds, “Hands off Harlem!”
Cooper notes that he previously fought SUNY-Stony Brook’s eminent domain grab of Flowerfields in St. James. “Eminent domain is a legalized assault on tenants, taxpayers and property-owners. Moses said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” The Libertarian Party says to our modern pharaohs, the politicians and bureaucrats, “Let the people stay.” Bollinger cites our beloved Columbia’s educational mission and the infamous Kelo decision. Is it Columbia’s mission to teach that legalized theft is just and constitutional? Is it to teach that the end justifies the means?”
Mark Axinn, a Manhattan real estate attorney and Manhattan LP treasurer, laments “I am particularly appalled that Columbia University, which already has significant real estate and financial resources far in excess of others is desirous of relying on the thuggery of government to force other real estate owners to relinquish their property rather than simply purchasing any land it desires on the open market. Surely an institution with the power and wealth of Columbia could simply buy property. By seeking to usurp others' legitimate property rights by eminent domain, a university of which I should be proud lowers itself to the level of the street bully simply taking what it wants from those weaker individuals who might also be on the schoolyard.”
Christopher Garvey, a Long Island patent attorney and former LPNY candidate for Governor,is outraged. “On The Brian Lehrer Show (3/8/07), President Bollinger stated his case for expansion into the Manhattanville section of West Harlem. He described the activities of his private university as "public purposes", which justified having the government invoke its powers of eminent domain to steal property from existing owners to give to the University. How arrogant! Declaring one's "purposes" to be "public" is so much easier and cheaper than buying property fairly, from willing sellers on the free market.”
Besides the Columbia University Manhattanville eminent domain, the Libertarians oppose the Brooklyn Nets Arena/Atlantic Yards project. They will hold their State Convention on Saturday, April 28th at the Radisson MacArthur Hotel in Holtsville, New York. –30-
For more information about eminent domain (listing does not imply endorsement of the Libertarian Party):
Castle Coalition www.castlecoalition.org
Institute for Justice www.ij.org
Manhattan Libertarian Party www.manhattanlp.org
No Land Grab www.nolandgrab.org
Property Rights Foundation of America www.prfamerica.org

Barclays Bank Boycott To Protest Eminent Domain Abuse

http://www.ny.lp.org/news/2007barclays.htm
Libertarian Party of NY -- Press Release -- Barclays Bank Boycott To Protest Eminent Domain Abuse

Barclays Bank Boycott To Protest Eminent Domain AbuseLIBERTARIAN PARTY OF NEW YORK http://www.ny.lp.org/ 516-767-4688 Contact: Richard Cooper, State Chair nylibertarian@hotmail.com Gary Popkin, Brooklyn-Queens Chair www.Hardfire.net


BARCLAYS BANK BOYCOTT TO PROTEST EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE

Brooklyn, NY 3/19/07 New York Libertarian Party leaders Richard Cooper and Gary Popkin call for a nationwide boycott of Barclays Bank due to its participation in the eminent domain abuse scheme of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards. Barclays, a British bank with branches in America, agreed to pay the developer Forest City Ratner over $305 million for naming rights to the Nets basketball team’s arena over a thirty-year period. Libertarian State Chair Cooper notes that millions of Americans were outraged by 2005's Kelo decision of the Supreme Court upholding eminent domain transfers to private developers. The Libertarians offer an opportunity to demonstrate opposition in a material way.

Brooklyn-Queens Libertarian Party Chair Popkin dubs “…the Barclays participation in eminent domain is an outrage as a private enterprise disrespecting property rights.” Popkin notes that controversy was stirred in Brooklyn because of the sordid past of the British bank in the slave trade. He declares that “The actions of the bankers of centuries past do not taint the arena. It is participation in the eminent domain scheme that taints whoever participates in it.”

Cooper continues, “To Libertarians, corporate sports welfare and eminent domain abuse are legalized theft, stealing from taxpayers and landowners. Barclays chose to become an accomplice of Bruce Ratner. They should both bear the outrage of indignant Americans who favor freedom and justice.”

The Libertarian Party of New York has fought eminent domain that would have dispossessed St. Luke’s Pentecostal Church on Long Island and a neighborhood in New Rochelle to make way for an Ikea Swedish furniture store, besides the NY Times headquarters scheme that Cooper dubbed “Time$cam.” Cooper and Rev. Fred Jenkins of St. Luke’s will speak on the church’s victimization and how the Libertarian Party helped them at the state convention to be held Saturday, April 28th at the Radisson MacArthur in Holtsville, Long Island. –30-