State Senator Martin Golden and the New York State Senate Republican Leadership and Caucus were necessary participants in the rush to pass the badly drafted and over-reaching anti-gun law called the NYS S.A.F.E. Act — the ONLY law of its kind passed since the Sandy Hook School tragedy a year ago in Newtown, Connecticut
What is Governor Cuomo saying about it now ? Well, take a look:
“.... Here in New York, we passed the NY SAFE Act, comprised of common sense reforms to keep guns out of the hands of the dangerously mentally ill, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and raise the penalty for killing a first responder on duty. *** New York is proud to be home to some of the strongest gun laws in the nation. There is no better way to honor the memories of those we lost at Newtown than to make sure they did not die in vain and work together to pass long overdue gun laws to make this whole country safer. *** As Washington D.C. remains at a standstill on this issue, I urge our representatives in Congress to reach across the aisle and act now because we cannot have another tragedy like Sandy Hook....” (See “Cuomo Touts SAFE Act In Newtown Remembrance” by Liz Benjamin, 12/14/13, YNN State of Politics [http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2013/12/cuomo-touts-safe-act-in-newtown-remembrance/]).
Don’t you especially love this part ? >>> “.... There is no better way to honor the memories of those we lost at Newtown than to make sure they did not die in vain and work together to pass long overdue gun laws to make this whole country safer....” <<<
How is it that NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo feels so comfortable saying things like “.... those we lost at Newtown...” ? It was allegedly perpetrated by someone with mental health problems and personal connections to the local school, none of the victims were citizens of Cuomo’s state; and the state government that was actually involved didn’t see fit to “honor their memory” in the same way — nor did any other state, not even Colorado — nor did the government of the United States. On the other hand, like Obama and revolutionary-style Democrats everywhere, NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo didn’t want to let a “crisis” go to waste, even it if involved a town and a state for which Cuomo had no responsibility and over which Cuomo had no authority. No matter, Cuomo “needed” and “wanted” a NYS S.A.F.E. Act for his national ambitions.
Obviously, people like State Senator Martin Golden (R-C-I) thought that Cuomo’s sentiments and ambitions were reason enough to have created instantaneously tens of thousands of new criminals in New York State — including many police officers, other law enforcement officials and first responders, and veterans and retired law enforcement officers.
In less that a year, Cuomo is using Golden’s vote in favor of the NYS S.A.F.E. Act early in 2013 to advance his national anti-gun agenda late in 2013 and going forward — to pass a national version of the S.A.F.E. Act.
UPDATE & BACKFILL: THE "YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW" EDITION
ReplyDeleteCertain SAFE Act gun data has been declared off limits under the terms of that law. A provision in the SAFE Act says that the state isn't required to disclose certain data gathered pursuant to the enforcement of the act ( See e.g. "SAFE Act gun total declared off limits" by Rick Karlin, 11/8/13, Times Union.com [http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/SAFE-Act-gun-total-declared-off-limits-4969066.php]). According to Rick Karlin's article in the Times Union, "The law appears to have been written with such secrecy in mind — but it's become apparent only as requests for that information are being denied."
The NY State Police are charged with creating and maintaining a database of the registered guns. However, officials pointed to a section in the SAFE Act that says, "Records assembled or collected for purposes of inclusion in such (a) database shall not be subject to disclosure."
Advocacy groups — including those that supported the gun control measure, those that opposed and many that took no stance — say they disagree with keeping much of the SAFE Act data secret. For example, the New York Public Interest Research Group, which had neither supported nor opposed the SAFE Act, said through its legislative director, Blair Horner, that it believes the numbers of certain gun registrants should not be kept secret. "I can't think of a policy reason why that shouldn't be public information," he said.
"It is absolutely appalling.... There is no question that the public should know how many weapons are being registered," said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the state League of Women Voters, which did support the SAFE Act.
The secrecy has also upset SAFE Act opponents, some of whom had earlier sought a registration total and had been denied. "We don't [want the] names or addresses [of registrants]. We just want totals," said George Rogero, who heads the Orange County NY Shooters group and runs a blog on Second Amendment issues.
Gun rights advocates say they are interested in tallying registrations, in part, because with many local sheriffs opposed to the SAFE Act, they believe that only a handful of those with the grandfathered weapons will bother to register.
No one knows how many assault-style weapons are in New York state. "There is no way to know," said Rogero.
Shortly after the law was passed, State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico estimated that there could be hundreds of thousands. Others have said 1 million isn't an unrealistic number. The newly banned weapons have certain military or combat-style features, such as a bayonet lug or a pistol grip.
As I have pointed out earlier on this blog, that includes the very collectible and valuable WWII mementos --- the M-1 Garand and the Williams Carbine --- which were completely legal in the State of New York until the passage of the SAFE Act.
It's Holiday Sing-A-Long Time!
ReplyDeleteOn the first day of Christmas, Marty Golden gave to me the Brooklyn GOP!
On the second day of Christmas Marty Golden gave to me two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
On the third day of Christmas Marty Golden gave to me three press releases, two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
On the fourth day of Christmas Marty Golden gave to me four wasted endorsements, three press releases, two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
On the fifth day of Christmas Golden gave to me Five tax breaks for developments, four wasted endorsements, three press releases, two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
On the sixth day of Christmas Golden gave me to me Six Successful Elections, FIVE tax breaks for developments , four wasted endorsements, three press releases, two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
On the seventh day of Christmas Golden gave me to me Seven silly conservatives, Six Successful Elections, FIVE tax breaks for developments , four wasted endorsements, three press releases, two losing office staffers and the Brooklyn GOP!
I challenge you to complete it.
On the 9th day of September 2014 Marty Golden gave to me a primary that rejuvenated the Brooklyn GOP.
DeleteComplete!