THE NAVY IS SINKING

     China, with annual increases amounting to a doubling of their defense budget every five years, is bringing new and unprecedentedly powerful weapons online.   the U.S. continues to allow its once supreme military might to disintegrate.

     There is no more explicit example of this crisis facing the U.S. armed forces than what is happening to the Navy. After unveiling its’ 2013 budget, which cuts the military far more than any other federal program, the White House responded to critics by promising that they would provide adequate resources to the most likely threats, especially in the Pacific region. 

     The promise was not kept.  President Obama favors a 1.7% reduction from the Navy’s 2012 baseline appropriation, at the same time that its chief adversary has issued it a challenge unprecedented since World War II. Even worse, accounting gimmicks have been employed to provide “long term delays” rather than cancellation of new construction, allowing the Administration to respond to critics who say that the force has become too small by saying that replacement programs remain alive, even though they are extensively delayed. Despite assurances, the fleet size, under the current budget, could actually shrink to about 280 by 2017.  Considering China’s astonishing increase in Naval power, this is a serious development.

     What’s left of the American fleet since its’ peak during the Reagan Administration has, with some exceptions, become old and in need of extensive maintenance. Recently, the military newspaper “Stars & Stripes” recently reported that  the seventy-year old vessel, The Blue Ridge, was undergoing extensive maintenance to keep it in service. Naval aircraft share a similar dilemma. Recently, an aged F/A-18 Hornet crashed into an apartment building in Virginia.  Early reports indicate that the age of the aircraft may have been a factor. The Hornets were to be replaced, but that plan has been set back by sharp cuts to the defense budget. Procurement of F-35 Fighter aircraft will be reduced by half, in addition to the elimination of six Marine TACair squadrons.

     By 2015, China will have more ships than the U.S. Navy. Its submarine force is already twice as large as ours. But numbers alone are not the whole story.  Beijing has outpaced Washington in high technology, as well.  It has developed powerful and effective anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), submarines, and surface ships and has devices than can disable seaborne electronics from a significant distance, combined with satellites that provide excellent targeting data, giving China tools capable of defeating the U.S.

     Americans should understand that there is no time for delay or endless debate.  Our naval forces must be modernized in quality and increased in number to face the threat already in existence. 

Stop the Attack on our Military

     Tomorrow, New American Revolution president Frank Vernuccio will record a Public Service

 Announcement on WCBS radio, which will air next weekend. It discusses the condition of our 

armed forces, which, thanks to current and prospective budget cuts as well as the President's 

plans to unilaterally slash our nuclear deterrent and his proposal to share ABM technology with

 a hostile nation, are becoming dangerously incapable of protecting our national security.

Obama & National Security

     Add two more exhibits to the growing body of evidence that President Obama is a serious threat to our national security:

1.  On March 6, Reuters reported that the White House is seriously considering sharing classified data  from our ABM technology as "part of an effort to allay Russian concerns" about our antimissile shield.  

2.   Obama is planning to force active duty military personnel to absorb a massive change in their health benefits by leaving the Tricare system.  Premiums will increase up to 78% in the first year, and up to 345% within five years.

     The media has downplayed both critical news items.  

BURNING NONSENSE

    Obama's apology for the Koran burning incident completely ignores the actual facts of the matter.  The books in question had been defiled by prisoners who used them to send coded messages to others fighting against the legitimate Afghan government as well as U.S. forces.  So used, they were no longer bound to the same respect as unsullied texts of the Islamic holy book.  

    Rather than repudiate the slander that U.S. forces had insulted Islam,  the President once again gave aid and comfort to our enemies by apologizing for an offense that was never committed.  In so doing, he legitimized the outrageous claim that our troops had intentionally insulted the Muslim religion.  Far worse, he expressed no demand for an apology for the deaths of four Americans killed during the related riots.

     Obama's actions in this matter are further evidence that he is either incapable of leader this nation, or even worse, sympathizes with those who oppose U.S. interests

Obama's Record

 I was recently asked for the proverbial 5 good reasons why it was vital to defeat Obama.  I stopped counting at 28.  During his administration, the president has: 

1. impoverished the nation through his failed economic policies, 

2. transferred vast amounts of taxpayer dollars to his campaign contributors, 

3. appointed a Supreme Court judge who does not believe in inalienable rights, 

4. prevented the US from exploiting its mineral wealth to free us from hostile sources, 

5. decimated our relations with key allies such as the United Kingdom and Israel, 

6. implemented a health care policy that will both further bankrupt the country and reduce the quality of our medical care (and subject seniors to veritable death squads), 

7. castrated our military budget, 

8. attempted to impose unilateral nuclear disarmament,

9. bowed to the Saudi King,

10.  violated free speech rights through his attempts to regulate political discourse in both the media and the internet,

11.  violated first amendment religious rights through his mandatory abortion coverage policy,

12.  engaged the US in a useless war for no real reason in Libya,

13.  lied to the American public by blaming his failures on Republicans or conservatives when, in fact, his own party controlled the entire legislative branch of government for 2/3s of his entire tenure so far,

14.  apologized for offenses America never committed,

15.  appointed individuals who believe that international law trumps American Constitutional rights,

16.  virtually slapped economically suffering Americans through his record-breaking expensive and numerous vacations, 

17.  violated the separation of powers through his non-recess appointments,

18.  failed to take any reasonable steps to confront Iran's belligerence through both his lack of support for reform in that nation and his failure to timely impose appropriate sanctions,

19.  endangered Americans through his administration's "fast & furious" policy that placed weapons in the hands of drug cartels, 

20.  conceded to inappropriate demands by Moscow, 

21.  mismanaged our scaling down of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through the dangerous announcement of specific departure timetables,

22.  ignored China's massive military buildup,

23.  destroyed  vital high tech programs in areas such as the space,

24.  sided with anti-western interests in places like Egypt while failing to timely condemn massive human rights violations by anti-US governments such as Syria, 

25.  taken no effective steps to control our borders, and engaged in punitive actions against states that make up for his administration's failure to do so,  

26.  tilted towards dictatorial regimes in Latin America, 

27.  acted contemptuously of the 1st, 2nd, 9th and 10th Amendments, and

28.  encouraged class warfare within our body politic.

Our Intentional Energy Crisis

With America’s military fighting terrorists in politically unstable and faraway regions of the world and rogue states like Iran and North Korea building their nuclear arsenals, you would think having a safe, secure and reliable source of oil close to home would be a blessing and a relief, and an easy sell to a public that worries about the price of oil...” 

The Capital Research Center, January, 2011

     A great deal of the economic suffering America is enduring is the direct result of extreme mismanagement of our resources by the Obama Administration. 

     A recent report by the Institute for Energy Research reveals that the United States has 3.745 trillion barrels of oil, 14 quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 10.3 trillion short tons of coal.  That means we have more oil than Saudi Arabia, and more natural gas than Russia.  If the EPA would get out of the way, the exploitation of this natural wealth could  relieve the economic burden Americans have endured from high energy prices, and provide vast wealth that could be used to lower taxes, reduce the deficit, and fund truly vital national needs. Instead of sending untold billions to unfriendly governments, we could be making a profit.

     Indeed, we are directly fulfilling the mandate  Obama set forth in January, 2008 when he proclaimed: 

Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.”

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 has been used not to protect our health, but as a tool to impose full federal control over a vital sector of the economy. As gas prices soar,high unemployment continues its grip, and the "Great Recession" goes on, it's time to break free of the restraints that an overused law and its radical proponents have imposed upon us.   

PUTIN'S RESPONSE

     It appears that President Obama has received an international response to his proposal to slash defense spending, and cut our nuclear warheads by 80%.  

    In addition to previous reports of China's plans to double its defense budget within the next five years, Iran has announced that it is considering a preemptive strike on Israel, and Russia has today (according to the Indo-Asian News Service)  announced a major modernization program which will include:

·    400 new ICBMs, 

·   2,300 new tanks, 

·   eight new ballistic missile submarines, 

·   20 new general purpose attack submarines, 

·   50 new surface ships, 

·   100 military spacecraft,

·    600 modern aircraft

·   28 regimental sets of surface-to-air missile systems,

·   38 division sets of air defense systems,

·   2,300 self-propelled artillery systems and guns, and

·   17,000 military vehicles.

     Putin noted that in addition to strengthening his nation's military, the development of these additions to the Russian arsenal would boost his nation's economy.  

      Is anyone at the White House listening?   

AMERICA ENDANGERED AS NEVER BEFORE

      Two reports just released clarify the clear, immediate and present danger our nation faces due to the maladministration of Barack Obama.

        The Associated Press has just reported this evening that the White House intends to reduce the US nuclear arsenal by 80%, down to levels not seen since the 1980's.

         Also tonight, the military news information service MILPLEX  reports that China will double its announced military budget within the next five years, at the same time that  the Obama proposed budget will slash our defense outlays, AND the budget deficit agreement will add further drastic cuts.  Iran is moving swiftly ahead with its nuclear program, as is North Korea, and Moscow continues to rapidly modernize.  

       The Obama budget also cuts funds from Homeland Security, while increasing aid to Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt. 

        While I attended CPAC in Washington, I spoke with defense experts such as former Assistant Secretary of Defense Frank Gaffney.  These experts noted that while the defense cuts will slash our military capability, NO civilian DOD personnel will be affected.  In other words, Obama is cutting muscle, and sparing the fat.

        Normally, this insane endangering of our national security would be countered by staunch Conservative/Republican opposition, potentially limiting the damage.  However, far too many on the Right, concerned over the budget deficit, are willing to accept this reckless destruction of our armed forces.  

        We cannot allow this to happen.  Nothing we have ever done, or will ever do, as patriots dedicated to preserving and protecting our nation and our constitution, will ever be as important as our active opposition to Obama's insane plans for unilateral disarmament.  

         This must not stand.  I urge all of you to speak to your various constituencies and do everything possible to stop this clear, present, and immediate threat to our nation.

THE SOVIET REPUBLIC OF NEW YORK

     The redistricting process has once again illustrated the arrogance of far too many of this state’s elected officials.

   Once again, Democrats and Republicans have banded together to continue their shared goal of closing the electoral process to the citizenry at large. In an effort to insure that meaningful competition remains absent from electoral politics, the district lines have been drawn without any regard to the needs of the voters.

 Goals such as community cohesiveness, commonality of interest, geographical conciseness, and equally sized districts, have, as usual, not played much of a role. Little notice was given about the timing of hearings at which public comment could be given.  

The proposed redistricting scheme clearly violates the pledge that almost every current state senator and state assembly member made during their 2010 campaign to support independent redistricting. The new lines are little more than a thinly veiled attempt to guarantee that incumbents remain in office.

  Despite a dismal record of failure and corruption (Speaker Silver is certainly the poster boy of "politicians gone bad") during the past decade, the re-election rate of state elected officials has been an astronomical 96%,  actually reaching a disgraceful 100% in one year. 

 An additional senate district has been instituted—in a state where the per-capita cost of government is already the highest in the nation.

        It’s not just redistricting that makes a mockery of fair elections.   During election years, many incumbents abuse their “official” newsletters, as well as their role in handing out member items, to turn these taxpayer-funded programs into thinly veiled campaign assets.

      With apologies to Abraham Lincoln, Albany has become a government of the politicians, by the politicians, and for the politicians.

IT'S TIME TO FIGHT CAMPAIGN FINANCE SCHEMES

     On February 3, a rogues gallery coalition of hard-left organizations and their supporters wrote  a letter to Governor Cuomo urging him to immediately move ahead with plans to institute public funding for all New York State elections.

      The reasons for leftist support of public campaign finance in New York  are obvious.  

·   New York's current crop of major elected officials are largely Democrats. With funding streams already established, they are in better condition to gain larger "pots" of matching funds.

·   The Democrats have developed an incredibly sophisticated political machine that will guide their candidates through campaign finance's red tape and compliance procedures.  Unfortunately, other parties have not done the same. 

·   Most polls indicate that the majority of Americans are at least slightly right of center; absent an extremely biased press, they would not support liberal candidates. As conservative-leaning media such as Fox News, the internet, and talk radio (one example being NY's own "And Nothing But The Truth," hosted by our own Frank Vernuccio & Larry Allison on WVOX) other means must be made to force left wing candidates down our throats. Campaign finance is one way of doing just that.

     At least one portion of the state, New York City, already has public campaign finance.  It has been an open door to corruption and abuse. It has been a great gift to party bosses, who have successfully lobbied the NYC Campaign Finance Board to adopt or interpret regulations in ways that punish insurgents.  

     Beyond all the political reasons to oppose campaign finance, there is, far more importantly, a moral one.  No American should be forced to have his or her tax dollars support a candidate that they oppose.  

     Let's vigorously oppose this pro-left, pro-party boss, immoral scheme. 

OBAMA VS. AMERICA'S FUTURE

 Recently, the President took a break from his busy schedule of apologizing for America's (imaginary) past sins and wrecking it's present, in order to destroy its future.  He did this by significantly defunding the space program, both manned and robotic.  To Mr. Obama, those monies are better used to fund imaginary "green" projects such as those developed by Solyndra or in (exploding) electric vehicles. 

 From a purely dollars and cents perspective, is America's small investment in space-which is just about one-half of 1% of the federal budget--a worthwhile use of scarce dollars in a depressed economy? The answer is a resounding "Yes." The Chapman Report analyzed the cost effectiveness of the space program long before spinoffs such as cell phones and GPS technology became major economic factors. It revealed that, even then,  in terms of both direct and indirect return on the dollar, spending on the space program paid for itself in federal, state and local taxes; in jobs created; and in U.S. sales and benefits. In an era when phony "stimulus" programs do little but transfer tax dollars into the pockets of the politically well-connected, spending on space represents a true boost to the economy. Turning our backs on space is the equivalent of a farmer eating his seeds for next years' planting. 

 Beyond the balance sheet, there are other vital considerations. Our national defense is heavily dependent on orbiting satellites. The few bright spots in our otherwise dismal economy are the direct result of technological advances that are derived from our space program.

  NASA Administrator Mike Griffen has noted:

"We see the transformative effects of the space economy all around us through numerous technologies and life-saving capabilities.  We see the space economy in the lives saved when advanced breast cancer screening catches tumors in time for treatment, or when a heart defibrillator restores...a patient's heart...we see it when weather satellites warn us of coming hurricanes...we see it when we use an ATM...

 Griffen could have mentioned medical MRIs, flat screen TVs, cordless power tools, and solar power, as well as cell phones, GPS, computer/internet technology, and much more.  

 The quality of our children's lives rests heavily upon our current investment in space. Even the health of Earth's environment will be affected on whether we access the clean and affordable energy that can be accessed in space and from the moon.

  Why has the space program--an effort that pays for itself both economically and in returns in defense, health, transportation, public safety, consumer products, the environment, agriculture, and industry, treated--so disdainfully? Why have we allowed our related infrastructure (over the past several years, we have lost our ability to place astronauts in space; we have slashed our unmanned exploration program to the bone; and we underfund key civilian and military space-related budgets to dangerously low levels) to deteriorate?

 Opponents of the program are mistaken both in their economic analysis, but also in their belief that even a sharply curtailed U.S. effort keeps us ahead of other nations. That assumption is manifestly incorrect. China has already put men in space, and is developing an orbital space station. It has, right now, the ability to destroy our satellites, crippling our military. Beijing is actively preparing for missions to the moon where, thanks to our withdrawal from space, it will have sole access to its vast resources. Iran has sent satellites in space in preparation of developing an ICBM capability. Russia continues on its steady course, as does Europe, India, Japan and Brazil and others. 

 There is no valid reason, from the financial, defense, or cultural perspective--not to pursue a vigorous and ambitious space program.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

     During an interview at the World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. Treasury Secretary (and tax cheat) Tim Geithner mentioned that the Obama Administration's move to change American energy practices would necessitate discomfort. Speaking subsequently, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, angered over President Obama's seemingly irrational roadblocking of the Keystone Pipeline (which would stretch from Canada to Texas) noted that his nation would look to Asia (read: China) if the US continued to delay. 

     Obama's opposition to the pipeline is inexplicable from a policy standpoint. The project would be a plus for the depressed American economy.  It has cleared EPA hurdles.   It provides thousands of jobs in an era of harsh unemployment.  What motivates the White House's opposition?

       Follow the money.  Two top sources of contributions to Obama's campaign oppose Keystone.

        The first source is environmental extremists, who raised funds for the President in ample measure.  They strongly believe America should sharply reduce energy usage, not seek greater supply.

        The second source is less obvious and far more insidious.  Warren Buffet, a major policy and financial supporter of the President, owns the Burlington Northern railroad.  Burlington Northern, which transports energy to refineries in Texas, would lose a vast amount  of business to the pipeline.  Hence, Obama's opposition.

         The scenario is far too familiar.  This Administration, a product of corrupt Chicago politics, measures progress not by what is good for the United States or its citizens, but by its own narrow self interest.  

          The press, which continues to experience "a thrill up its leg" whenever the President speaks, fails to discuss this and functions not as journalists but as advocates.  The list of scandals it soft pedals is unprecedented.  Solyndra, Fast & Furious, stimulus payouts that were nothing but thinly veiled givebacks to campaign contributors, a decimated military, an abandoned space program, continued attacks on religious institutions, unprecedented debt, the alienation of our allies, and the use of class war  to achieve political goals are only the most  well known.   

          It is up to us, as Conservatives, to speak the truth that Obama holds in contempt. 

THE FIRST AMENDMENT UNDER ATTACK

             Recent assaults against the First Amendment should spark outrage from all Conservatives. 

             Since its adoption, Constitutional guarantees of free speech and religious freedom have been the most respected portions of the law.  They hold a central role in America’s self image.  While there have been disagreements on how to interpret those rights, the disputes have been over how best to fulfill its mandates. Advocates on either side of serious battles over contentious problems such as hate speech and pornography shared common ground in the understanding that this sacred law is essential to the American way of life.  When hostility towards particular religions ran rampant, the First Amendment prevented the nation from imploding into sectarian strife.  

               Over the past three years, President Obama's bureaucracy has attempted to regulate the internet, and impose questionable rules on political programming. Here in New York and in Washington, agency actions against religious institutions have also reached a crisis level.   

            Shortly after the Democrats swept into power in the Obama election, Speaker Pelosi attempted to reinstate the discredited “fairness doctrine,” which would have allowed the Washington to regulate broadcast editorial content.  Organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists, along with conservative-leaning talk radio hosts, managed to fend off that attack.

            The internet was the next arena for anti-free speech partisans. President Obama’s Federal Communications Commission sought to impose so-called “net neutrality,” a concept which gave it unprecedented authority to regulate the most modern version of the public forum.  Once again, First Amendment defenders rebuffed the assault. However, those pursuing the regulation of speech continue to probe different paths to reach their goal. Most recently, the excuse that speech regulation was necessary to curb the unlawful reproduction of copyrighted works was employed.  Opponents of this discredited argument successfully convinced legislators that enforcement of current laws can achieve this goal. Undeterred, the White House did an end-run around Congress and signed an international treaty that permits foreign parties to demand the removal of web content.

            The growing attacks on free speech have been joined, both on the local and federal levels, by the diminishing of religious liberty guarantees.

     In Washington, the Health and Human Services Department now insists that the health care coverage of all institutions, regardless of their religious beliefs, provide abortions, sterilizations and related services for free.  Religious organizations with profound opposition to these practices would be forced to either violate their deeply held values, or be held in violation of federal law.

     Local level attacks on the First Amendment  right of religious liberty also exist.  NYC public schools have virtually banned the mention of any religious holiday—as though a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” would invade anyone’s rights.  In essence, educational bureaucrats have established the doctrine of secularism on our schools. This state religion—secularism— is a violation of Constitutional prohibitions against established creeds. The NYC Department of Education has gone so far as to attempt to ban religious institutions from even having an equal opportunity with other organizations to use school buildings after hours. 

Senator Martin Golden has introduced a measure,  S.6087A,  to address this practice and bring the city’s public school system back into compliance with the First Amendment. He deserves great credit for doing so. 

  As Conservatives, we must take the lead in repulsing these unprecedented attacks on our most basic freedoms. 

THE SAD STATE OF THE UNION

     The President delivers the State of the Union address this evening, but it is doubtful that the actual facts will be part of his remarks.

     Under Mr. Obama's watch, and due to his seriously harmful policies:

·   30% of our current national debt was incurred.  

·   1.66 million Americans lost their jobs.  

·   Vast sums of tax dollars were redistributed in "stimulus" programs that stimulated nothing except organizations that contributed to his first presidential campaign. 

·   Long standing allies, such as The United Kingdom and Israel, were alienated.

·   Our enemies abroad were emboldened to take outrageous steps against us; Iran and China are making vast inroads in our own hemisphere.

·   China's growing bid for military supremacy and Russia's military resurgence has been answered only by weakness, appeasement, and a deteriorating American armed forces budget.

·   Our space program, an essential element for our military, our economy, and our future prospects has been decimated.

·   Every possible step towards energy independence has been vigorously suppressed.

·   The federal government's power has grown exponentially.

·   Constitutional provisions as well as federal statutes have been ignored or violated.

·   The nation has reached a milestone; 1,000 days without a federal budget.

·   Our economy has stagnated.

·   Our nation's people are more divided than at any time since the Civil War.

     It must be remembered that the lion's share of all these disasters occurred in the first two years of the Obama administration, when, thanks to Democrat control of both houses of Congress, the White House had free rein to impose its platform without any real opposition. 

REPEAL THE TRIBOROUGH AMENDMENT

              As County officials mull over the possibility of raising local sales taxes to help pay down their budget gaps, the reason for that shortfall remains unaddressed in the Governor’s recent budget message.

While containing some decent proposals, the governor’s budget failed to address a key financial problem that affects the entire state.

            Cuomo’s budget outline admirably reduces the fiscal gimmicks and spending hikes that were standard fare in prior years. Notably, however, in a state starved for jobs and economic development, the failure to encourage hydrofracking, and the revenue that could produce,  is deeply disappointing.

            The Governor courageously demands that the powerful teachers’ lobby accept some responsibility for the pitiful condition of our public schools, and pushes for new standards of performance.  The unacceptable fact that NY spends more per pupil than any other state, but gets generally dismal results in return, has been intentionally overlooked for far too long by politicians kowtowing to the influential teachers’ union in return for their votes and contributions.

            Albany cannot resolve its systematic budgetary dilemmas until the elaborate political giveaway to public sector unions, the Tribrough Amendment, is repealed.  That is the law which requires state & local governments to keep for their employees all contractual perks including automatic “step” increases even after the expiration of union contracts.  The governor’s budget fails to address this. County officials throughout the state are detrimentally affected by this.  New York State’s Conference of Mayors, school district leaders and others are urging that this millstone be removed.

            The problem has recently risen to crisis proportions.  Over the past several decades, Albany has depended on ever increasing taxes to pay the bills presented by special interests that have far too much influence with elected officials. Following the recent (and long overdue) passage of the property tax cap, and Governor Cuomo’s appropriate reluctance to hike levies, however, that system of finance has been derailed. More logical means must be found to keep budgets balanced.

            Putting public sector union costs on a realistic and fair basis is the right course of action.  However, the Triborough Amendment prevents this. The Manhattan Institute’s recently released report, “Triborough Trouble,” condemns the costs of this three decade old law.  Guaranteed pay hikes for state government employees alone due to Triborough cost $140 million a year.  That figure doesn’t include the numerous other county and local union costs. For example, Increases for NYC teachers total $150 million, and add $93 million to school budgets statewide. Those numbers represent only a small part of the problem. As the report further notes, Triborough makes it almost impossible to fruitfully negotiate reasonable common sense updates to new contracts.

            For far too long, state elected officials have failed to confront runaway union costs out of fear of losing campaign contributions. New York counties have also suffered from unfunded mandates. It’s time for that to change.  

NYC DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO REPEAL THE 2ND AMENDMENT

     By now, the story of the Tennessee woman who was arrested after asking a NYC police officer how to appropriately check her legally registered handgun before visiting the Ground Zero site is well known.  What is less publicized is the bizarre and extreme antics of NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg against the Second Amendment. 

      New York's "Sullivan Law," which virtually nullifies the Second Amendment, has, unfortunately, been on the books for decades. But under Mayor Bloomberg, it has been pushed to levels which border on the deranged.  He has, for example, dispatched city cops to other states to examine gun sales which are legal in those jurisdictions.

      He has even turned his attention to toy guns. Not realistic looking replicas, but plastic, orange-tipped toys that a four year old would play with.   A city bodega owned was fined $30,000 for displaying three toy cowboy  sets that contained a plastic "sheriffs badge,"  and a flimsy-looking six shooter with a bright orange tip.  

     The sale of these toys are perfectly legal, even under NYC law.  The fines will probably be overturned, but it will cost the store owner thousands in legal fees to do so. The mayor's goal in doing this sort of thing is to intimidate the public into accepting his personal obsession against personal self-protection, an obsession so extreme that even allowing children to play traditional American cowboy games offends his warped sensibility.

    It must be noted that even while New Yorkers are unconstitutionally prohibited from taking steps for self protection, the Mayor has seen fit to reduce his police force by 25%.