Constitution Party of NY Endorses Danny Panzella

I am proud to announce that I have been endorsed by the Constitution Party of NY!

Donovan suspends “Ferry Preacher’s” First Amendment for 3 years

D.A. Donovan should be ashamed of himself for intimidating Pastor Michael Ihedioha dubbed the “Ferry Preacher” into pleading guilty and taking a deal.  "Seeking to ban him from preaching on the boats could constitute a violation of his First Amendment rights, but we are asking that the defendant use the ferry terminal only for traveling and not engage in behavior seen as harassing other patrons, the defendant could be re-sentenced if he violates those conditions.”  said William J. Smith, spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan as reported by the Staten Island Advance.

So Mr. Smith openly admits they cannot force Pastor Ihedioha to stop preaching aboard the Ferry, and that it would be a violation of his rights, but they can “ASK” him to willingly give up his rights. A source told me that Pastor Ihedioha is afraid of going to trial for allegedly assaulting the police officer because he would face 5 – 15 years in prison so he took the deal. “Michael is a gentle soul, he wouldn’t swat a fly on the wall!” said Rev. Fran Mangano a friend of Pastor Ihedioha and fellow minister.

I have a question for Daniel Donovan, If Pastor Ihedioha assaulted a cop, why are you letting him off with just probationary conditions that he isn't allowed to preach on the ferry? Could it be that this “assault” charge is trumped up to intimidate the Pastor? Conveniently this “attack” happened behind closed doors away from all of the witnesses on the ferry boat. If this man violently assaulted a cop he should be taken to trial.

Donovan should be ashamed of himself, either for allowing a violent offender who assaulted a cop to go free without bringing him to trial, or for using a false allegation to intimidate a man into surrendering his constitutional liberty!

Just remember when the system takes away natural or civil rights, they always find a spin to garner popular support. In this case they use the fact that ferry preachers can be annoying to some people hence there was very little public outcry about this case.  Free speech and peaceful assembly EVEN ON THE FERRY is a protected right that government does not have the authority to take away. (So they must convince, coerce, or intimidate you into surrendering that right.) When you cheer the government taking someone else rights, you give them precedent and allow them to take that authority. Guess what, your speech will be next, and you can guarantee that there will be some group of citizens that will be in support of silencing you. It is a divide and conquer game of using one group of citizens to justify silencing another.

And the Christian community on Staten Island should also be ashamed for not speaking out in support of the Constitutional right to religious expression.

Danny Panzella

Read the original Advance article here: http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2010/06/staten_island_ferry_preacher_s.html

Reform the MTA

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is hundreds of millions of dollars in the red, they are cutting services, and Staten Island is being hit the hardest. The MTA is cutting the little services Staten Islanders enjoy, even though they foot a disproportionate amount of the bill. Meanwhile some MTA leadership is enjoying pay in excess of $200,000 a year. If I was CEO of a corporation, being paid $350k and running at losses in the millions I would be replaced. By cutting leadership pay we can reduce the budget deficits and get us closer to restoring much needed services to Staten Island without hurting MTA workers.
The MTA is spending 4 billion dollars on the Second Avenue subway lines because that is Sheldon Silvers district. Meanwhile those subway riders can easily use the 4,5,6 line a few blocks away. So Staten Islanders are stranded with limited public transportation options so “Upper East siders” don’t have to walk a few blocks.

Danny Panzella
Candidate NYS 63rd Assembly
http://www.donttreadonstatenisland.com

Liberty Candidates 2010 Endorses: Danny Panzella

7 July 2010

United States of America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Liberty Candidates 2010 Endorses: Danny Panzella who is running for Assembly in the State of New York 63^rd District

LIBERTY-CANDIDATES.ORG enthusiastically welcomes Danny Panzella to the growing slate of candidates championing a return to Constitutional governance in the United States!

A Liberty Candidate will defend the great American principles of:

· Individual Liberty

· Constitutional Government

· Sound Money

· Free Markets

· a Non-interventionist Foreign Policy.

This endorsement is the hallmark of a true Liberty Candidate.  To qualify, Candidates must submit answers to the four liberty questions (http://tinyurl.com/libertyapplication). Then, each application is voted on by a committee made up of peers and other liberty minded individuals. Each candidate’s website is visited by committee members to see that a candidate’s answers and his/her stance on the issues coincide.

If accepted, each Liberty Candidate is added to the Liberty-Candidates.org site with prominent links back to his/her site(s). All Liberty Candidates are eligible to participate in the Liberty Candidate Money Bombs.

With candidates like Danny Panzella serving the people at the city, county, state and federal level, there is real hope for change in America.

Let Freedom Ring!

About Liberty-Candidates.org

Liberty Candidates.org’s mission is to support Liberty Candidates running for public office in the United States. A true Liberty Candidate will defend the great American principles of Individual Liberty, Sound Money, Free Markets, Constitutional Government and a Non-interventionist Foreign Policy. Our Goal is to have at least one Liberty Candidate in each state!

http://www.Liberty-Candidates.org

Gigi Bowman, Founder

gigi@liberty-candidates.org

Sally O’Boyle, V.P.

sally@liberty-candidates.org

We Need A Fiscally Responsible Albany.

The New York State legislature needs to create budgets that reflect fiscally conservative policies that enable job growth in the private sector, not just the transfer of jobs between sectors, or temporary job creation like the Census that boosts the job numbers without seriously affecting the unemployment situation for New Yorkers. A plan should include cutting unnecessary programs and spending, while increasing tax breaks that empower small businesses to create long term employment growth.

Along with the balanced budget, the legislature needs to work to eliminate laws and regulations that put a strain on small business while allowing politically connected corporate titans to prosper by eliminating their competition.

In light of the legislatures consistent inability or unwillingness to pass a budget on time rules should be put in place to penalize our representatives when the budget is not completed on time. Vacations, recess, bringing non-essential resolutions to the floor should not be permitted until a budget is passed. We cannot allow New Yorkers to suffer while our representatives posture and play politics. We must remind Albany that we are real people, with lives, and families that are affected every day by the decisions they make.

Danny Panzella
Candidate NYS 63rd Assembly
http://www.donttreadonstatenisland.com

Independence Day, every day.

 

This 4th of July as we celebrate our independence from the tyrannical rule of Britain we face a new tyranny. That tyranny has gained control of our country because of the complacency of the citizens of the United States. In our success, and prosperity we have forgotten the turmoil through which our independence was won. This is the reason I have chosen to run for State Assembly, I can no longer stand back and be content to let this tyranny prevail.

People have been asking about the symbol I chose to represent my campaign, and my slogan "Don’t Tread on Staten Island" so I would like to share the history and symbolism of the rattlesnake.

Considered one of the first flags of the United States, The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. The flag read “Don’t Tread On Me” and was designed by American general and statesman Christopher Gadsden. The flag was later replaced by the current Stars and Stripes.  Since the Revolution, the flag has seen times of reintroduction as a symbol of American patriotism a symbol of disagreement with government, or a symbol of support for civil liberties such as in recent years with the libertarian and tea party movements.  As the American Revolution grew, the snake began to see more use as a symbol of the colonies.

Benjamin Franklin wrote of the rattlesnake in 1775: "I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids—She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.—She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.—As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal:—Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.—Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?"

Today more than ever before Americans need to be like the timber rattlesnake, guarding our liberty with a jealousy and righteous anger by fighting back with the weapons of our democracy to push back the evil grip of tyranny. Please join me in the fight by educating yourself, treat every day as if it were Independence Day, and be considerate of what you can do personally to preserve our liberty.

Happy Independence Day

In Liberty

Danny Panzella

Danny Panzella commits to supporting “NY Uprising” Initiative

According to a recent poll from Quinnipiac University 80 percent of New York State voters are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the state, also the highest dissatisfaction ever in New York.

New York State voters said overwhelmingly (59%-21%) that they would vote for candidates that support the creation of an independent group to draw legislative district lines. Former Mayor Ed Koch has introduced the NY Uprising initiative to advocate for that very issue. Mayor Koch is asking candidates to sign a pledge to support for drawing of political district lines by an independent group – not by the State Legislature to make for more competitive elections.

“In the coming weeks New York Uprising will be releasing proposals for non partisan redistricting, budget reform and ending “pay to play” politics in Albany. New York Uprising will focus strictly on good government reforms that go the heart of fairness, transparency and the effectiveness of government.” reads the groups website NYUprising.org.

New York State voters also disapprove 76 – 16 percent of the way the State Legislature is doing its job, the highest disapproval ever recorded. And a majority of voters (50% – 34%) said that State Assembly members, even their own representative, should be voted out of office this November

“The resentment is bigger than we’ve ever measured.  Just about half think that the whole Legislature should be voted out of office – even their own state senator and Assembly member,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

I share the same sentiment of the majority of New York voters that Albany is corrupt and broken, and that we need to “Vote them all out!” a slogan that the tea party has adopted in the last few years. That is why I chose to run for State Assembly to bring real middle class representation back to Albany. I support the stated goals of NY Uprising and am excited to see the proposals in the next few weeks and be a part of the discussion.

Danny Panzella
Candidate NYS Assembly 63rd District