Cuomo Sets High Bar for New York
New Governor hits right notes in inauguration speech
Andrew Cuomo gave the speech of his life at his inauguration. He was gracious but stern; humorous but determined; warm and sincere yet somehow dark. He offered his hand to the Legislature and to the people, and you had the feeling you’d better take that hand lest there be trouble ahead. Read more
Nadler: Obama Didn’t Help Much on Zadroga
Long road to 9/11 Health Bill passage for local pols
By Josh Rogers
The drawn-out fight to pass the Zadroga 9/11 health bill was made even longer by the Obama administration’s indifference, but the legislation got crucial, unexpected G.O.P. help, Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler said Monday.
“We didn’t have the support of the administration,” Nadler said in a phone interview. “We never got it until it was late.” Read more
Predictions for upcoming Political Year
Cuomo, Silver and other prognostications for 2011
The New Year is upon us and as usual, it falls to me to make prognostications and predictions about what we can expect in the coming annum. Let us remember the rules. I make some of these predictions because I do not want to see them happen and by predicting them I hope to put a hex on them. I make some of them because I want to see them happen and I am giving them a little push. Finally, there are some predictions you will find here that I really think will happen. It is up to you to figure out which is which. Read more
The U.S. Must Come to the Aid of its 9/11 Heroes
On Sept. 11, 2001, when thousands of innocent men and women lost their lives, tens of thousands more came to their assistance. We as a nation saw greater acts of heroism than we could have imagined: First-responders from all over New York and all over the country came to Ground Zero to save innocent lives, provide proper burial for lives that were lost and assist in the enormous effort to clean up and recover from that devastating attack on our nation. Read more
Now Is the Time to Govern
Cuomo will whittle state budget to the bone
The first thing the new governor has to do is to get the state’s fiscal house in order. That must happen immediately because in a year, the state’s election cycle will start all over and if Andrew Cuomo waits until then, it will be too late. Cuomo is lucky because as a political genius, he has rounded up the two most powerful publishing magnates in New York: Rupert Murdoch and Mort Zuckerman, the billionaires who, by ordering up editorials in the New York Post and Daily News, can make or break a politician. These two men will back Cuomo on his rush to fiscal austerity and will punish him if he waivers on his “New Democrat” principles. Read more
Bloomberg For Krueger
By Dan Rivoli
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sticking with his representative in the State Senate, Liz Krueger. The Upper East Side Democrat earned Bloomberg’s praise for being an “independent, principled and smart legislator.” Read more
Rx For an Ailing Society
To change the tone, we must first change the discourse
By Bette Dewing
“Help!” was the final word of my last column, “Overcoming Heedlessness,” and will be the last word of this column. But how to help and change things? Well, many years ago during the city’s acute water shortage, then-Mayor Ed Koch urged everyone “to talk about it” and act. Experience has taught me to copy media with the letters and calls that I make to elected officials, city agencies and 311. Read more
Sign of the Times
“Crazy Carl” could ride voter rage to Gov’s mansion
Everyone wants to know whether Carl Paladino can really be elected Governor. The answer is yes, he can. That is astounding to everyone who thinks he is a mad, crazy, Tea Party kind of guy—a rip-off artist who has made tons from government programs while preaching the gospel of fiscal conservatism. You can pick and choose among all the reasons not to vote for the guy, but recent polls show that Paladino is moving up. How can that be when the newspapers are doing one exposé or editorial after another about him? Of course, newspapers are not well thought of. We have seen several polls indicating that journalists enjoy widespread contempt. Read more
Don’t Play Paladino’s Game
To The Editor:
In suggesting how Andrew Cuomo should react to Carl Paladino (“Inside the War Room,” Sept. 23), Alan Chartock asks, “Do you take him seriously…? (You bet you do, considering how he decimated his opponent in the Republican primary.)” Read more
Law Would Hurt N.Y.’s Ability to Stoke Innovation
Would impose obstacles for investors in telecommunications
By Jim Gerace
In these uncertain economic times, it is critical that our lawmakers in Albany make good decisions that promote jobs, investment and innovation. Wise public policy decisions are those that encourage job creation and investment in communities throughout by helping to grow the state’s “innovation economy.” Read more
