Only the Issues Matter

In the final days of the campaign, a flurry of glossy mailed cards are being dispatched by the powerful Democrat fund raising machine of my opponent, incumbent State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein.

This contest is not about expensively designed advertisements, however. It is about the issues, and the utter failure of incumbents, particularly those in positions of power like Jeff Klein, to address them. Here are the most important issues:

•The people of New York are the most overtaxed in the nation. Klein and his fellow leaders have utterly failed to address this at all; instead, they have lied to the voters. One of the biggest lies is that a property tax cap is all that is needed. A cap merely prevents future increases from going over a certain point. What New Yorkers need is a tax cut, not smaller increases.
•Holding every position of power in both the state and the nation, the Democrat leadership has utterly failed to address the runaway spending both in the regular budget and in the budget of "independent" agencies. They have absolutely no excuse for their failure.
•Despite record spending and skyrocketing taxes and fees, our schools, our mass transit, our services are all inadequate and getting worse. Jeff Klein and his fellow leaders have failed to address this--or even slow down the rapid deterioration in the quality of life in our state. Why do they deserve a second chance?
•The wholesale corruption of the state senate leadership has made Albany a symbol of terrible government. Senator Klein's role as the "enforcer" to insure that lobbyists contribute to the Democrat party in return for special access (as descibed by the Democrat leadership itself) leads anyone seeking to reform Albany to ask, why does Senator Klein and his allies deserve another chance?
•The complete contempt shown by Senator Klein for the people when he requested a $50,000 payoff in return for access angered even fellow Democrats. Indeed, even fellow Democrat and former NYC Mayor Ed Koch called for an investigation. Shouldn't the people of the 34th Senatorial district be spared the specter of yet another elected official facing potential indictment?