From the campaign website of Warren Redlich, Libertarian for Governor of New York, at http://wredlich.com/ny/:
Debates boost local governor candidate
Monday, October 25, 2010
By Justin Mason (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
ALBANY — Prior to the first gubernatorial debates, few people outside of the Capital Region knew who Warren Redlich was or that he was running for the state’s top office.
But with Republican Carl Paladino rapidly falling in the polls, the Libertarian candidate for governor found himself speaking before a burgeoning audience of fiscal conservatives when the forum touched off at Hofstra University last week. Now Redlich, a member of the Guilderland Town Board, is aiming to attract even more than the 50,000 votes he’ll need to secure the Libertarians a spot on ballot for the next four years.
In fact, he’s hoping Paladino’s plummeting popularity among voters can boost his popularity enough to at least finish second to front-runner Andrew Cuomo. Or maybe even better.
“If Carl Paladino stands aside, I’m no longer a long shot,” he said.
Redlich, who is among five third-party candidates vying for the governor’s office, garnered generally positive remarks in the news media following a debate that some characterized as a circus. His platform of strict fiscal conservatism is seemingly drawing socially moderate Republicans and tea party followers to his camp, as was evidenced by a sudden influx of followers on the 44-year-old attorney’s Facebook profile.
Since the debate, he’s been quoted in most of the state’s major metropolitan newspapers and has appeared on national television. He’s traveled from Manhattan to Rochester for interviews and is garnering a second look by many voters disgusted by the prospect of voting for the major party candidates — not bad for a campaign that has about $10,000 in its coffers.
“Andrew Cuomo has 856 [campaign] contributions more than that,” he said.
Running a lean campaign, however, dovetails nicely with Redlich’s message: End the wasteful spending. Redlich’s attention is almost solely focused on the state’s fiscal woes rather than the social issues that often receive more attention from the major parties.
“I focus on the fact that Republicans and Democrats aren’t delivering,” he said. “They love the fights over social issues because that distracts people from the fact that they’re wasting our money.”
Redlich’s plan for New York isn’t one that is likely to gain him friends in the upper echelons of state government. His top plan is to introduce a general salary cap for bureaucrats, so that they couldn’t earn more than $100,000 annually or receive a pension greater than $75,000.
He points to the bloated salaries now paid for on the public dime: A librarian in Manhattan earning $689,000 per year and a conductor on the Long Island Railroad earning an annual pay of $239,000. In all, he said roughly 110,000 bureaucrats throughout the state earn more than $100,000.
“Capping those salaries alone would save $3 billion,” he said.
Redlich is also calling for an end to what he calls “corporate welfare crony capitalism.” In short, he said the spending for so-called economic development throughout the state should be eliminated, since it’s most often given to well-connected companies that aren’t exactly short on funds.
He also proposes to eliminate many of the smaller agencies throughout the state. For instance, he said groups like the state Commission on Corrections or the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission could be dissolved without having a negative impact on state residents.
Redlich is also gunning for larger agencies. He sees no need to continue the state Thruway Authority and is in favor of eliminating the tolls that go to support it; he regards the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority as one that has good intentions, but hasn’t really delivered anything to justify the spending it receives.
“There are good people trying to do good things,” he said, “but in the end we only have so much money.”
Of course, Redlich is keenly aware that his proposed cuts would face strong opposition in the halls of state government. That’s why he is making an election pledge to aid the campaign of any candidate that runs against an incumbent opposing his measures.
“Andrew [Cuomo] has a magic wand and Carl [Paladino] has a magic baseball bat to deal with these issues,” he said. “I’m going with a carrot and stick — persuasion.”
Interview with Curtis Sliwa this morning …
Interview this morning: “The Curtis Sliwa Show” on AM 970 The Apple
Redlich – Sliwa
An interesting endorsement in the Post-Star:
“We’ve been particularly impressed by Libertarian candidate Warren Redlich …. But now is not the time to install a newbie in the governor’s office, even an articulate one with good ideas.”
The Redlich campaign appreciates the kind words from the Post-Star. However, it is regrettable that their editorial board and many others in the media prefer a career politician.
Mr. Redlich is hardly a “newbie.” He is 44 years old and has significant experience working with numerous state agencies including the Unified Court System/OCA, DMV, Office of Real Property Services, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Comptroller, Commission on Public Integrity, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Correctional Services, State Police, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Board of Elections, Division of Human Rights, Office of General Services, Hudson River-Black River Regulating District, Insurance Department, Commission on Judicial Conduct, and SUNY.
Mr. Redlich is friends with a number of state legislators on both sides of the aisle, including Republicans Hugh Farley, Jim Tedisco and Marc Butler as well as Democrats Neil Breslin and Jack McEneny. As a congressional candidate he debated Congressman Mike McNulty four times, all cordial events.
Mr. Redlich has a Master’s degree from Stanford. He speaks Japanese, Spanish and some French. He started and runs two small businesses. He’s the only candidate for Governor who has created jobs without government assistance.
Mr. Redlich also won the only debate according to many observers. His preparation consisted mainly of 6 hours with one volunteer (a very good one). Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Paladino each had ten or more paid professional staff at the debate.
In the debate Mr. Cuomo had a “Dan Quayle” moment when he miscorrected Charles Barron on “hydrofracking”:
Hydraulic fracturing is a critical issue. The fact that Mr. Cuomo does not know the proper term for it should be unsettling to everyone in the state. His “correction” of Mr. Barron showed both arrogance and ignorance.
Now is not the time to install a career politician in the Governor’s office, especially an arrogant and ignorant one who lacks good ideas.
Here’s our latest attempt at a radio ad.
Small Government means less corruption and Paladino left speechless:
Cuomo shows his ignorance and arrogance, “correcting” Charles Barron on “hydrofracking” when Barron had it right, the proper term is “hydraulic fracturing.”
The MTA
Six pack and a pizza:
Hydraulic Fracturing:
Spending
Here’s Warren’s interview with WBAI News from after the debate:
WBAI News Interview
Paladino Offends on Mental Health
The Carl Paladino campaign offended another group in the wake of Monday’s debate.
“Blanking on the name of Libertarian candidate Warren Redlich, [Paladino campaign manager] Caputo went on the defensive. ‘We expected him [Redlich] to be off-base. We figured he probably didn’t take his Prozac tonight,’ he said.”
Prozac is an “SSRI” medication used to treat a variety of mental health issues. Caputo’s reference was stunningly insensitive to the many patients who suffer from depression, anxiety and personality disorders.
Mr. Redlich challenged Mr. Paladino to grow up:
“I spent over an hour today helping a client who is suffering from a serious mental health problem. Due to the nature of my work in criminal defense I see many clients with psychological and psychiatric problems, including substance and alcohol abuse. I work closely with a psychologist and a nurse-practitioner in psychiatry. It’s not a laughing matter. Mr. Paladino should be more sensitive to these issues.”
Some Paladino fans thought Warren won the debate …
Interview on Channel 10 in Albany
Interview about Environment – Siena Radio
Oh, and another interview I did today that will air this weekend, this one from Jamestown NY:
Jamestown Interview
@5 Yes….taxes are too damn high, spending is too damn high, government waste is too damn high…it’s the perfect time and place to bust those out.
Redlich is really starting to show me something. The ability to pivot — to co-opt the sensation of McMillan’s “too damn high” concept and to bring it home — tells me he’s tuned into what it takes to play in the big leagues.
Here’s some coverage from last night.
http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Redlich-and-Hawkins-debate-hydrofracking/73QWoodibkWCUvZAvS-S8Q.cspx
http://centralny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/521710/hawkins-and-redlich-debate-hyrdrofracking/
Redlich is definitely doing a good job from what I’ve seen. He’s on message, speaking in soundbites, serious but not taking himself too seriously.
With Paladino weak, and with McMillan and Davis making the whole election into a kind of farce, I’m liking Redlich’s chances for achieving 50K…still a stretch, of course. He’s the adult in the room. The $600+K librarian anecdote is masterful. The follow-on of high-paid bureaucrats puts meat on the bone…soundbite facts people can relate to.
Keep it up!
They do appear to have picked up a lot of momentum from the debate.
Great campaign Mr. Redlich and New York Libertarians. Best wishes on your election.