Getting Attention from the Right in NYC

I guess this post from Urban Elephants is flattering. Urban Elephants is a republican-centric website out of the five boroughs. I've read through the site a few times in the past but not on a regular basis. The posts that I have read aren't ignorant angry screeds typed out hunt and peck style each key smashed in with ungainly sausage fingers like we've seen from other sites. Urban Elephants is well-written (not that we agree with the writing) and thoughtful.
Seems there is a worry that local websites/blogs from Democrats have the advantage. So far we do. There are some Long Island republican sites we plan on covering the next few days but they fall into the angry screed style. Here is the post:

"The New York Political Blog War
Readers here should be aware of the growing movement of energetic liberal bloggers setting up space online targeting specific Republican elected leaders. These are not the occassional rants/criticisms lumped into larger blogs, but blogs dedicated solely to one person.
Veto Vito
Peter King Watch
Schmitt Watch
Nassua GOP Watch
Now this does not mecessarily mean such easily-set up sites can make an impact, but there is residual impact. The larger media loves fights. They will never write about a general blogger bashing Fossella, but the will not a single blog dedicated to fighting Fossella. A one-person crusade against everything is not news. A one-person crusade against one politician has the potential to become Cindy Sheehan-ized in the wrong hands.
Readers should consider proper defenses. Pro-candidate blogs? Anti-Dem elected officials blogs? Counter posts? Etc.
We cannot lose the blog war in New York.
Scott Sala's blog"

As far as impact, we and our sister sites have contributed to news stories in various media on Long Island. Wish it was more though, but it's still early.
I welcome more blogs added to the fray but it would be nice if the sites stuck with facts and avoid making stuff up as I will be pointing out in future posts and did point out about the Coalition for Long Island's Future website.

There were a few comments on the Urban Elephants blog that we want to address here and there too:
"Quickjustice" says:
Strategic Vision?
Submitted by quickjustice on Thu, 12/15/2005 - 1:35pm.
What's our strategic vision with respect to the blogosphere? I looked at these sites, and the anti-Vito one is low-quality trash: "Vito loves torture", and similar claptrap. If the MSM are just looking for dreck to repeat, we can't help that.
The anti-King site is more effective, but it's riding on Suozzi's coattails. "In a county where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats, Suozzi trounced his GOP opponent."
Hey, guess what? Suozzi is a reformer who will go after Democrats to get reform! That message resonates in Nassau County with GOP voters! Is anyone in the state GOP paying attention?
As for us, spin-off blogs are only worthwhile if we can deliver high quality and controversy to our readers. That requires time, money, and effort. Do we want to consider finding investors in such a project?"

Once again I am flattered by the comments re: this blog. But no, it's not Suozzi's coattails we're riding. Suozzi would make a great congressman/senator/governor but that's not what the site is about. It's about Peter King. Keep in mind, even before Suozzi's election, Democrats took the Nassau Legislature and a couple of GOP held House seats. The state GOP is in shambles far worse than Mondello's machine in Nassau. At this point, as long as they hold the state senate they are happy.
Why do you need money to do an effective blog?
Scott Sala the author of the original blog entry answers for us: "Well, blogs historically have
Submitted by Scott Sala on Thu, 12/15/2005 - 2:15pm.
Well, blogs historically have been built on blood and tears, not money. But a change is already sweeping the national scene. It's a topic worthy of discussion."

Another person named Sean chimes in not really understanding what is going on: "That Peter King website is fu
Submitted by Sean on Thu, 12/15/2005 - 3:09pm.
That Peter King website is funny. Railing against King for reducing spending and cutting taxes is definitely not the right way to go in his district. They are some of the most heavily taxed people in the country, and any party/candidate that thinks they ought to be taxed more isn't going to do very well.
Again, I say keep up the good work, Dems. Those rants are like campaign ads FOR King."

Well let's be honest, King has voted for increases in spending, not reductions. He stands against NY and with Bush defending the administration and DHS for them not increasing funds for subway/transportation security. As for taxes cuts, no one in the district will feel a positive effect from them. You-know-what rolls down hill and as program funding like education and medicare/medicaid get cut on the federal level, it falls on local town and county governments to make up the difference. We in nassau are heavily taxed on edcuation because we don't get enought federal and state help as we should. There are of course other factors which need to be addressed but the underfunding NCLB (No Child Left behind) regulations will leave NYS a short-fall of tens of millions of dollars over the next couple of years. That coupled with NYS having a projected deficit of $2.5billion next year means taxpayers get the shaft again. It all rolls down hill.
King constituents know this and see this. They file thier taxes and see no real difference. In fact, the Bush administration is looking into the idea of cutting the mortgage deduction which will hurt King's constituents the most since the median home price is $500,000 in his district.


We thank Urban Elephants for the mention of us and our sister sites. We look forward to the clash of ideals and principles to come.