Politics & Government
Bob Turner Slams Obama, Weprin At Forest Hills Civic Meeting
Congressional Candidate tells Forest Hills Civic he would seek major spending cuts.
Bob Turner, the Republican candidate for the congressional seat that Anthony Weiner vacated in June, described himself as fiscally and socially conservative while lashing out at “irresponsible politicians” who waste taxpayer money at Thursday night’s Forest Hills Community & Civic Association meeting.
The Woodhaven native, who currently resides in Rockaway Point, spoke favorably of a national balanced budget amendment, and said that he would like to slash federal spending by 35 percent, by eliminating waste and “things government shouldn’t do.”
It's been that volume of spending cuts that his opponent, Democrat David Weprin, has attacked, but Turner owns it, proudly.
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The retired businessman opined that “every issue is its own,” and informed that he would not sign a no-taxes pledge that the Tea Party has been promoting.
“It’s too restrictive,” he told those present at the American Legion Continental Post 1424 on Metropolitan Avenue. “I want to be my own man.”
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Turner also opined that big-time federal spending is warranted for national security purposes and disaster relief. “If there’s a war, you spend whatever it takes to win,” he said.
The 70-year-old unsuccessfully ran for the same seat in 2010. Then, he got about 41 percent of the vote against Weiner, who recently stepped down after getting caught in a sexting-and-lying scandal.
As Turner addressed the civic group in Forest Hills last night, reports had him running neck-to-neck with Weprin.
Turner expressed optimism about the special election, which is set for Sept. 13. After noting that Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly 3:1 in this congressional district, he pointed out that former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, a lifelong Democrat, had crossed party lines to endorse him.
He also predicted that other prominent Democrats would publically support him soon.
He said disenchantment with President Barack Obama was a main reason for his popularity in the Ninth District, which hasn’t had a Republican congressman since 1928. Criticizing the president on employment, the deficit and Israel, Turner said that electing him would “hold many of [Obama’s policies] in check…It may hasten his departure.”
“It’s a big deal,” he said. “It’s in your hands.”