Alfonse D'Amato

What happens when amigos work together

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Since Hurricane Sandy attacked our shores, the people of Long Island have been waiting for the federal government to grant funding that will protect our shorelines from future storms.

On Aug. 10, U.S. Rep. Peter King and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer were in Point Lookout to announce that the wait was over. A $230 million coastal-protection program for Long Beach and the barrier island, from Jones Inlet to Atlantic Beach, broke ground.

The project will minimize beach erosion, flooding and damage during extreme weather. It is expected to take four years to complete, and is being spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I applaud King and Schumer for tirelessly fighting for the South Shore in Washington to make sure that this long-awaited proposal became a reality.

The shores of Long Island are vital to Long Island’s economy. The communities that were struck hard by Sandy have come back stronger and safer than ever. This massive project will ensure that our beaches, a major revenue source for many of those communities, will be protected for future generations.

Speaking of amigos King and Schumer, I want to tell you what happens when three amigos fight against one another and then join arms with the tooth fairy to enable the fall of Republican elitism. In this case, the amigos are Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Sen. Ted Cruz.

I supported Kasich from the beginning of his primary run, knowing that no Republican has ever captured the White House without winning Ohio. Kasich has a superb record, but I was deeply troubled when he broke his commitment to support Donald Trump and didn’t even appear at the Republican Convention — in his home state of Ohio.

Then there’s Bush. Sigh. What the Republican Party has done for him and his family is truly incredible: helping them make history with two presidents and two governors. But that wasn’t enough for them, and next up for president was Jeb. His campaign quickly collapsed, however, and he soon disappeared. The Bush family couldn’t handle the fact that the dynasty had run its course.

The third amigo is Cruz. In his prime-time speech at the convention, he urged Americans to “vote your conscience,” but he didn’t tell them to vote for the Republican nominee, Trump. Cruz pledged to support the winner and then went back on his word. He became a political suicide bomber, and I believe his political career is finished. Good riddance!

Finally, the tooth fairy. Endorsing Kasich wasn’t the only mistake I made when it comes to presidential endorsements. In 2012, I endorsed the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney. I even contributed to the Romney campaign, because I believed it was important to defeat President Obama and prevent four more years of his presidency. That money would’ve been better spent supporting my local animal shelter.

In announcing his opposition to Trump, Romney maintained that his son asked him, “When the grandkids ask, ‘What did you do to stop Donald Trump?’ What are you going to say?” If you believe that story, you probably still believe in the tooth fairy.

Over the past couple of weeks, members of the Republican establishment have continued to turn their backs on Trump. Kasich has continued to take shots at him, claiming that with his divisive nature, he won’t win Ohio.

Meanwhile, I’m surprised to see that the Bush family has slightly switched its stance. Jeb’s oldest son, George P. Bush, recently stated, “From Team Bush, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but you know what? You get back up and you help the man that won, and you make sure that we stop Hillary Clinton.”

Nice to hear the voice of reason, George P.

Mind you, I know from personal experience that the Republican establishment can easily turn their backs on you. They were dismissive of my race for the Senate, because they couldn’t fathom that an Italian-American politician from the South Shore of Long Island could possibly take on their GOP Senate icon, Jack Javits. Their illusionary world was shattered when I not only won the Republican primary, but went on to win in November.

For me, Trump is taking a familiar path.

Al D’Amato, a former U.S. senator from New York, is the founder of Park Strategies LLC, a public policy and business development firm. Comments about this column? ADAmato@liherald.com.