Legislative Report Card: Majority Receive an F in Common Sense

A legislative column by Assemblyman David DiPietro (R,C,I-East Aurora).

“My friends, it’s that time of year again, when the budget negotiations are happening behind closed doors. We have a budget of around $178 billion this year, and I think this is a wonderful time to give a report card of what your tax dollars are buying from the Majority politicians rule in Albany. Last year, we had the most progressive session in living memory, rife with socialist propaganda and ideologically-driven laws that hurt more than help.

“Without a counterbalance in our state government we’ve been subjected to some horrendous laws. What springs to mind first and foremost is full-term abortion, a direct attack on life all across the state. But our friends across the aisle didn’t stop there with their uncurbed power. They gave driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants; a flippant disregard for the laws that are designed to keep everyday New Yorkers safe. It’s easier for an illegal immigrant to get a driver’s license than for you to. It’s a joke.

“But we’re not even close to done with the inane policies, a ban on plastic bags, GENDA aka the bathroom bill, a pay raise for prisoners, giving prisoners voting privileges, the list goes on. It’s a pro-criminal, anti-law enforcement ideology that is slowly being phased in to dismantle law and order across the state. You may have heard about the most recent major play they’ve put into effect, bail reform.

“Bail reform has ripped families apart, taken lives, destroyed property and robbed law-abiding citizens of their expectation of safety on the streets. Downstate Majority politicians have limited the power of the judiciary to decide who is a flight risk and who is a danger to society. I’ve written on the nature of bail reform before and we’ve arrived in March, but the Majority politicians in New York City refuse to come to the table. People are dying, but do they care? No, no my friends, they do not.”

“That’s really the crux of the problem, I know reasonable liberals who don’t agree with all of these insane Marxist policies. They stand for the same things we do, common-sense government, hard-work, the American way and family values.

“However, they never push back against their leadership. I see it in the Assembly chamber almost every session day. They may vote no, but they won’t stand up and fight back against the policies that are gutting New York. We need to come to the table together to fight back. It’s a historic time in the state; we all need to fight for common sense and our shared values. If not you, who? If not now, when?”