Now, if the actions of the voters in this past primary/special election are any indication of the sentiments of Brooklyn Republicans, the desire for genuine improvement over stagnation and failure is the first order of business.  And while the ideological gap between the increasingly younger, anti-”cradle-to-grave” electorate and the party establishment is stark, it is not insurmountable.

Brooklyn Young Republican Club President Glenn Nocera signing into vote for himself and his sister Donna Nocera for the Republican County Committee race in the 44th AD 57th ED . Sept 13, 2011

After all, on Tuesday, September 13th, voters showed, once again, that not only are they maintaining an anti-establishment posture, but they are rebuffing hostile attempts by the party establishment to purge Brooklyn of its young, independent Republican reformers.

In the most talked about upset from that day, we know that businessman Republican Bob Turner beat Democrat David Weprin by an impressive margin in the contest to decide who was going to represent the 9th Congressional District, or the so-called “Anthony Weiner” seat.

Weprin, backed by just about every Democratic establishment figure–including the Brooklyn Republican Party’s best buddy, Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez, was clearly recognized as an unqualified supporter of the Obama and Washington Democrats’ agenda.  The people are fed up with their awkwardly executed and catastrophically unsuccessful agenda for years now.  And so, the voters made it resoundingly clear that they were not going to send more of the same to Congress anymore.

The Brooklyn Young Republican Club, having participated in and analyzed Turner’s performance in 2010, knew from the start that he was a solid candidate.  That’s why our organization was the first in Brooklyn to host a fundraiser for Turner’s special election, donating $1,000 in support of his candidacy, and devoting tremendous time and effort in support of his election.

However, while good Young Republicans and young Republican-leaning voters of all affiliations were helping to send one more voice of reason and reform to Washington, the Brooklyn Republican Party establishment dedicated itself, yet again, to its antiquated Republican-eat-Republican agenda.  In fact, key operatives linked to the Turner campaign had been internally bemoaning the severely underwhelming support from the Brooklyn Republican Party leadership throughout the campaign.

That’s because, as usual, resources were diverted instead to intraparty warfare, just like in the 13th Congressional District primary last year.  Fortunately, whenever the current Brooklyn Republican Party establishment undertakes just about any political initiative, they are about as successful as Obama’s Hope and Change agenda.

For instance, Brooklyn Young Republican Club President Glenn P. Nocera was challenged for his county committee seat in the 44th Assembly District of Kensington, Brooklyn by Republican Chairman Craig Eaton and his hack minions. His leadership as a Young Republican activist and reformer apparently warranted that the Republican Party spend a tremendous amount of donor money on hit-piece mailings against fellow Republican Nocera in favor of candidates who didn’t even live within the same district!

As a testament to well over a decade of dedication to Republican principles and promoting its message of limited government, the Republican voters of Glenn’s district sent a clear response of “Back off and shut up!” to the establishment with an astounding vote of 23-1!

Meanwhile, in the establishment’s favorite battleground district, the 49th Assembly District, which consists largely of Bensonhurst, Borough Park and Bath Beach, the establishment yet again failed to silence the independent Republican voices that have repeatedly called out for reform and improvement within our party.  This was despite multiple, vicious, and expensive hit-piece mailings as well as cadres of county minions on the ground.  In response to the establishment’s hate-filled invective against fellow Republicans, 49th AD Republicans broadly supported Lucretia Regina-Potter and running mate Michael Bennette for the State Committee Member/District Leader positions over their establishment-backed opponents.

Establishment figures like Eaton think they wield the power to summarily replace hard-working, known Republican activist leaders with individuals whose only qualification to serve is fealty to the Chairman (and usually under the threat of removal from a patronage job).  Not only, in fact, is his imprimatur a veritable political Do-Not-Resuscitate for most campaigns–at best, but it only goes to show what the priorities are of the Brooklyn Republican Party under its current administration: cartel-style eradication of all voices of reform from within.

Since 2007, the current administration of the party has solely devoted its resources to engaging in political fratricide.  In doing so, they have completely left stranded a public desperately searching for any refuge of integrity and ingenuity.  There are genuine but completely missed opportunities for real leadership and solutions to government’s financial problems, practical solutions for alleviating the burdens on our economy that stifle growth and prosperity, and providing real reforms to the crisis of the debt-saddled young professional trying to get their start that is plaguing our generation.

And yet, tonight, when the members of that truly august body of career poll workers, Board of Elections employees, and superannuated intraparty warlords convene, I regrettably can only expect the status quo to continue for another two years.

In that case, over the next two years, however, I also expect the gap will further deepen and widen between the handful of Republican oligarchs and the growing young electorate that–Republican or not–is siding more and more with policies that favor limited government, greater personal and economic freedom, and intelligent, pragmatic policies and reforms to get us back on track–just about everything the Republican Party in Brooklyn right now is not.

But just like the cases of Turner, Nocera, Regina-Potter and Bennette, the only ones with the power to bridge this gap are you, the young (and preferably Republican) voters of Brooklyn.

As we move forward, we must fight to put the right people in the leadership of the Republican Party and public office, and, more importantly, cultivate leaders amongst ourselves on the right social, economic and political principles.  Through these efforts, we, together, can build the bridges we need to close the gap that separates the public’s will from effective action in order to accomplish finally what those “leaders” who have fallen abysmally short in conviction and integrity cannot.

Jonathan J. Judge is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Montauk Club
25 8th Avenue @ Lincoln Place, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
6:30 PM – Cocktail Hour Fundraiser for Brooklyn Young Republicans Political Action Committee (BYR PAC)
7:30 PM – Regular Meeting

We’re kicking off our evening with a cocktail hour fundraiser for our very own Brooklyn YR Political Action Committee (PAC). This hour will be the launching pad for Brooklyn Young Republicans who want to advance reform and Republican principles through party and public office. Funds donated to this committee of the club will be strictly used for political and fundraising purposes only.  No fancy private dinners for officers, no paying for parking garages, no donations to an officer’s personal favorite charity.  It’s solely for building the future of the Brooklyn Republican Party one Young Republican at a time while gumming up the gears of the corrupt Brooklyn Democratic Vito Lopez Machine!

So become a member of BYR PAC at one of the following levels.  You may donate in advance through PayPal by clicking the appropriate link below or the night of our meeting by check made out to “Brooklyn Young Republicans Political Action Committee”.

$1000 - Champion of Reform
$500 – Soldier of Reform
$250 – Defender of Reform
$100 – Patron of Reform
$50 – Supporter of Reform
$25 – Friend of Reform

Members of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club who donate to BYR PAC automatically become voting members of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club’s Political Action Committee, which plans how BYR PAC’s funds are spent.

Then at 7:30 PM, join us for the Brooklyn Young Republican Club meeting to discuss the recent wins in the 13th Congressional District, the 60th Assembly District, and how we can work on building the party to take back even more districts with a principled, reform Republican message!

ATTENTION MEMBERS: We will have some very important club business that will require a vote, so your attendance is crucial.  More information will be available shortly.

Congressman Michael Grimm and BYR Treasurer Glenn Nocera

Michael Grimm’s election in the 13th Congressional District on November 2, 2010 was a showcase of fine Republicanism and grassroots activism. This was the target race in all of New York City, if not New York State. What made Grimm’s campaign important was that he was part of the Republican insurgency of the House of Representatives to defeat Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and introduce a different breed of conservatism in Congress. The seat, formerly held by Michael McMahon, is strategic to conservatives in New York. Why? Because it covers vital Republican strongholds located in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. The location was the decisive factor in helping Michael Grimm get elected, which included Brooklyn Young Republicans who, by pounding pavement, helped spread the word.

Michael Grimm’s election, however, was one of the very few Republican victories in Brooklyn. While he and Nicole Malliotakis claimed victory Tuesday night in large part due to many Republican votes from the larger Staten Island portions of their districts, other Brooklyn Republicans went back to their homes to no avail. Phyllis Carbo lost with only 34% of the vote in the 47th Assembly District.  Brian Doherty lost with 38% in the 48th AD.  Peter Cipriano also lost with 38% in the 49th AD.

The 58th and 59th Assembly Districts had no Republican candidates running.

And, my favorite: the 46th Assembly District attempted to run a Republican Candidate against Alec Brook-Krasny, but was swiftly knocked off the ballot and Brook-Krasny ran essentially unopposed. Needless to say, those District Leaders in the 46th have some explaining to do.

The numbers can be upsetting.  After all, Republicans do have a lot to offer to New York City and to Albany. Free markets, low taxes, a revamped welfare system, and transparency all contribute to good government. But with election numbers this low in Brooklyn in one of the best years for Republicans in quite some time, a few things come to question.

1) How does the Chairman allow Democrats to run unopposed in districts, especially Democratic Chair Vito Lopez’s handpicked State Supreme Court judge nominees (whom Brooklyn Republicans always cross-endorse)? Republicans are some of the best and brightest in the borough. The question begs, why is there no effort being made to tap into and cultivate a Republican intelligencia?

2) The 46th AD leadership is weak. Not running a candidate is one thing, but dropping a candidate off the ballot is another. With the fervent anti-incumbency feel running rampant throughout the country, District Leaders Clorinda Annarummo and Simon Shamoun had the opportunity to surgically remove a career politician. The question begs, why didn’t they?

3) The low voter turnouts, lackluster campaigns and candidacies, and low vote percentages are unacceptable. For far too long, the Republican Party has been receiving far too few votes in virtually any election. The question begs, why is the Chairman doing nothing to change this?

And so, the question ultimately begs, what are Brooklyn Young Republicans willing to do to fix this?

On Tuesday, Michael Grimm beat his opponent Michael McMahon, 51.5% to 47.8%. With the resurgence of Republicans in the House, we’re looking forward to seeing Michael Grimm lead the charge in Washington. Congrats, Mike!

On Tuesday, Malliotakis received 54% of the vote against her opponent, Janele Hyer-Spencer, who received just 45%.

The very democratic fabric of the American Republic rests entirely in the hands of a civil society; that is, an active and vibrant culture that understands the way the political system works, is involved in local groups, and knows the importance of voting.

I know there are a million other things you would rather do tomorrow before the polls close, but the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives’ futures rest entirely in your hands. These branches are inefficient, you are indifferent, the political system in the United States has become nothing more than a circus show on TV propped up for your entertainment. Little do the pundits, critics, and incumbents know about the needs of your household, family, and finances. But this is your chance to sway the efficiency of government in your favor.

As a Brooklyn County Committeeman and Communications Director of the Brooklyn Young Republicans, I ask you to take the time tomorrow to venture to your local polling site and vote. Apathy and indifference have been the arbiters of the defeat of liberty and responsible government. For the past 70 years, the United States has experienced an exponential growth in the Federal Government at your expense. The dollar has been devalued 97% since the creation of the Federal Reserve and paying an exuberant amount of taxes has become second nature- it shouldn’t.

I’m not going to make this piece a rant for you to vote “Republican” or “Democrat”. This is, however, a request for you to vote. If you do nothing, nothing good happens. If you do something, something good happens.

Remember, you own the fruits of your labor. Don’t let government take more than it already has.

After you vote, get involved. We need to Rally for the Republic. Email us at info@brooklynyr.com or text us at 347-560-1880, we want to hear from you!

- Roy Antoun

Brooklyn County Committeeman

Communications Director, Brooklyn YRs

Bar XII

206 East 34th Street (and 3rd Ave)

New York, NY

Come watch the primary results with your favorite Young Republican Club!

Kick up your feet and relax with some local candidates after a long day of pounding the pavement.

Food will be provided all night!

Candidates in attendance include:
Alex Powietrzynski
Roger Blank
and
Pat Tina

Light Press

Admission is:

$10 for Members
$15 for Non-members
$35 for membership* + ticket

Venue is handicap accessible

Subway: 6 to 33rd St

As you know, our most recent President Jonathan Judge is running in that race!

Many of the Brooklyn YRs have been out supporting one of their own, and we hope you’ll all come out and support him.

The debate will take place Wednesday, February 24, 7 pm, at the Boro Park YMHA at 4910 14^th Ave. in Brooklyn.

Jonathan will be answering questions from a panel of Jewish Press reporters and editors, from the audience, and from residents who have submitted questions in advance.

Let’s come out to support Jonathan and let our voice be heard!

If you plan on attending, be sure to email us at brooklynyr@gmail.com. We’ll see you then!