I don' t think it's fair to call Pataki a boob. He's a smart guy - someone who got into Yale on his own merits. And he's quick on the uptake. I wouldn't exactly call him a RINO either. He came into office with a real desire to lower taxes and reduce regulation, and one of his first moves was to get NY's death penalty statute enacted.
That said, somewhere during his tenure he lost his fervor and became more interested in getting re-elected than in doing much with the office. And I do agree that he stands no realistic chance of winning the GOP nomination.
Pataki is a Boob
I wouldn't exactly call him a RINO either.
I wouldn't call him a RINO either as that would be insulting to all the other RINOs.
Pataki is BY FAR the most liberal governor in the country
TAXES
New York has the highest taxes in the country on EVERYTHING!!!!!!!
SPENDING
Under Pataki New York even though it has ~15 million fewer people it still spends more than California. In 2002 Both New York and California spent $90 Billion dollars. In 2003 with both facing hugh deficits Grey Davis at least proposed some cuts while Pataki even with NY facing a $10 Billion dollar deficit actually increased spending by $4 Billion.
And that $90 Billion number is actually way more since unlike California which has Prop. 13 Pataki can and does push massive unfunded mandates onto the counties (most notably Medicaid). Almost every county in NY has had double digit property tax increases consecutively the past couple of years.
BTW Texas with population just little above NY spent $67 Billion in 2002, And their counties do not have anywhere near the big property tax burdens like NY. Let me assure you the difference between NY and California and Texas is not due to the cost of snow removal.
Spending under Pataki
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HEALTH CARE
Pataki has also socialized medicine in NY more than Hillary ever dreamed. Right now 1/6 New Yorkers are on the state medicaid dole with more to come because even with a $10 Billion deficit Pataki still planned on adding 720,000 more people onto the state doles via his Family health Plus and Healthy NY medicaid schemes. http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/fhplus/index.htm
And lets not forget New York's smoking ban is much more draconian than California's and once again all 38 NY state Senate Republicans unanimously passed it and Pataki signed it.
2nd ADMENDMENT
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1095868/posts
and
GOVERNOR PATAKI SIGNS LEGISLATION TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE
Quote
"Governor George E. Pataki today signed into law comprehensive legislation to combat gun violence, including a provision that makes New York the first state to close the so-called gun show loophole by requiring background checks on prospective purchasers for all sales at all gun shows.
The law also requires that firearms be sold with child safety locks; imposes a State ban on assault weapons; raises the minimum age to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun to 21 years old; implements a DNA for Handguns program; establishes a gun trafficking interdiction program; and, directs a study to be conducted on "smart gun" technology."
Environment,
The same thing especially with upstate where there is the Forever Wild clause.
And even though the rest of the country rejected it, Pataki is actually going forward in implementing the Kyoto protocol on global warming.
A little more on the insanity of New York