As most of America is focused in on the health care reform bill which congress passed on Sunday and the President set to sign into law, we saw evidence of heinous behavior coming from the "Tea Bag Party Movement' as they shouted out both racial and homophobic epithets towards members of congress. Shameful, I know.
What has been lost in all of this is that Steve Levy (CountyExecutive for Suffolk County, NY) bolted from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in hopes of becoming New York's next governor. Shocking, I know.
You would think if he had a principled message to deliver to New Yorkers, he would remain in the Democratic Party, but no, he decided to become an opportunist. In switching from Democrat to Republican he will primary former Congressman Rick Lazio who failed to beat former Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton.
Interestingly enough is that his new party affiliation will not take hold until after the general election of November 2010. So, here we have a Republican candidate who by law is still a Democrat. He cannot even vote for himself in this Republican primary. I am still laughing at that one.
As a former Suffolk County Democratic Committee member, I fired off this email to Steve Levy:
To CountyExecutive, Steve Levy,
Having read a Newsday article in Friday's Newsday regarding your decision to switch from Democrat to Republican in order to run for NY State Governor, I felt as if I was stabbed in the back with a serrated knife.
As a former Democratic Committee member for the Suffolk County Democratic Committee as well as the Town of Brookhaven Democratic Committee, I walked for long hours voluntarily to get YOUR name on the ballot. Do YOU not care for those who worked tirelessly to get YOU elected and then re-elected? Obviously, YOU do not!
At this point as a private citizen, I see YOU as ONLY being an opportunist instead of a true leader.
As a true Democrat, it is my hope that Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo does throw his hat into the ring and trounce YOU as a turn-coat.
We as an electorate elected a Democrat as CountyExecutive and now because of YOUR lone and selfish decision, we have a Republican. YOU, not only owe me an apology but also those who worked long hours to get you elected.
Interestingly enough and to refer back to the "Tea Bag Party Movement, in my email box, I read where he has been invited to speak at one of their local conventions. The email I received read as follows:
Our Guest speaker SuffolkCountyExecutive, Steve Levy
Upon taking office as CountyExecutive in 2004, Steve Levy pulled the county out of a $238 million projected deficit, crafting the largest budget restructuring plan in the county's history and cut his own salary. Steve Levy has presented six consecutive budgets, each with a General Fund tax freeze or tax cut--including three budgets with lower spending than the previous year's budget.
Under his leadership, the county has had six bond rating upgrades. Recognized for providing efficient government, SuffolkCounty has received fifty Innovation Awards by the National Association of Counties.
Steve Levy will address the following topics; the fiscal crisis facing Albany and America, his philosophy on the role of government, and his reform agenda. This event is co-sponsored by two of the largest TEA party groups on Long Island, the Conservative Society for Action http://www.csa-1776.org and the NassauCounty TEA Party Patriots
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