Monday, January 31, 2011

It takes a leader( the NYS budget)

AS Gov Andrew Cuomo prepares to unleash his first Budget for public viewing. I hope he is prepared to devliver the straight talk that will need to be heard regarding it. Because it is a lecture that has been long over due to be given in NYS! NYS, while still the best state in this great nation, remains  at its worst economically, socially and legislatively! We have rested too long on our laurels, basked too long in our own glow. And while we have done so, NYS has faltered and fell.   Now we in NY have to do something we havent had to do, due to the greatness of this state, since way back when Ford told us to drop dead! We have to work! We have fallen from heaven, fallen from grace, but as allways in NY, the mountaintop is within reach! But it is going to take a leader to get NY there! Is Andrew Cuomo that leader? We in NYS do not know that as yet, but the first step on that journey of finding out will be taken tomorrow when his first budget is presented. And as that step is taken we in NYS must remember that just as moses wandered with the israelites in the wilderness for 40 years, just as dr king struggled in the south for freedom, just as ghandi fought for change against the mighty british empire, nothing comes in a single day and nothing comes easy! It comes with work, sacrifice and above all: LEADERSHIP! It may take a village to raise a child, But it will take a leader to make NYS great again! And the NYS Budget process will be Gov Andrew Cuomos proving ground. For all our sakes I , for one, hope he proves worthy!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Like the sword of Damocles

Like the sword of Damocles, the prospect of layoffs is dangling over the publics head in NYS. And as the inevtiable comes to fruition, it will be the true test of Andrew Cuomos newly garnered leadership in seeing where it falls. For simply put, the people of NYS deserve far better than to bear the Burden of a situation caused by bad politics, worse politicans, Wall street greed and federal dysfunction! NYS is in a bad way,, but the public clearly does not deserve to be treated in such a way. So let not this budget be made and balanced on the poor, on the working poor, and on the families and others who need, more than ever. this states consideration and compassion. Let these cuts and layoffs come from the top down, not the bottom up! Let there be attrition, early retirement incentives, let every measure be taken to assure that when these inevtiable layoffs occur, when the sword of damocles finally falls on the citizens of NYS, that it falls fairly and justly! These layoffs and other actions must be done with a surgical precision, not with a politically motivated hacking away! Anything less will be and is a disservice to the public that Gov.Cuomo has been elected to serve! So as the sword falls, it remains to be seen just how well it is wielded!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Tick tock(the NY Budget clock)

LIke a dead mans clock, the wait until Andrew Cuomo's first NYs budget Goes tick tock! As as everyone from wall street to main st waits with baited breath I can only wonder if the New Gov's presented Budget will be greeeted with Cheers or jeers? If he will be Lauded for being a fiscal visionary or Villified with protests in the streets as Gov Geroge Pataki was when his 1st Budget was presented during the last era of Fiscal bad times in NYS. Like I said Tick tock goes the Budget clock in NYS. Because once it is clicked on, then the REAL fun begins!!!!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Rekindling hope.(the State of NYS address)

They came by the thousands.People from all across the great state of NYS, and why did they come? Because for all of the disapointment, all of the public debacles, all of the shame, all of the politics, all of the scandal, NYERS still, after all is said and done, believe in NYS! They still believe that NY is great! They still have,  after all that has come before, HOPE! And as NY, under the new leadership of Andrew Cuomo takes that first Halting step forward ,that hope will be key in pushing this state up out of the quagmire it finds itself in! Because as the coming pain and challenge arrives and sets in, as the political battles are fought and waged in Albany, the Hope that was expressed in the attendance and the focus on the words of Gov Andrew Cuomo on weds afternoon must remain. And every measure than can be taken must be taken to insure that hope does remain within the hearts and minds of each and every NYER ! Because if hope can be rekindled, if optimism instead of pessimism can be reinvigorated with straight talk and real action coming from NYs capitol hill in this coming Legislative session, then Yes we can turn this state around! Rekindling hope. Hope rekindled. Something that the first state of the state message of Andrew Cuomo took a giant step towards doing.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Andrew Cuomo's State of the State Address

As Andrew Cuomo speaks to the state in his first major address as Gov. it will be almost certain that he reraches out to the people. For as he prepares for the herculean task before him, he knows that he is going to need to support of the people when he begins to do the heavy lifting and make the hard choices that are about to affect so many! NYS is in a bad way, and I for one do not envy Andrew the task that is before him, because indeed before this legislative session is done he will make more  enemies than friends both on capitol hill and among the very people he hopes to serve. But Andrew wasnt elected to make friends or endear himself to the usual political status quo, he was elected because people beleive that he has the strength and leadership to do what must be done plain and simple, and tomorrow afternoon THAT is what he must convey to the people, that he can do what must be done, that he is the leader they hope for, and that they voted for! NYers have had enough in the last four years of  disapointment and tomorrow for Andrew it will indeed be Day one! This speech tomorrow may be the Biggest one of Andrews political life, because it will outline all that he plans and all that he hopes to achieve, but more than that it must reach the people and resonate within  them! It indeed must be more than words! so with that said, Gov Cuomo, the podium is yours!!!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Welcome to NY Politics 2011!!!

Hello and welcome to my second blog. NY Politics 2011 will in the tradition of its bigger brother examine the issues and politics of NYS. We in Ny have a new gov. A new republican senate and the same old political problems and as we move forward into the legislative session and the political year Im sure there will be many issues ripe for debate and discussion so again welcome to NY Politics 2011 and our first topic is----

" Cuomo Redux. The prodigal son?"

So the Cuomo era begins again in Albany, as Andrew Cuomo, with little Pomp and circumstance was sworn in on New years day. And that action should give a little insight to those who are not familiar with the prodigal son. While there will be much comparison, for good and for Ill  to andrew's father, and his governing style, people will fast discover that Andrew is not his father in his style, be it personally or on a administrative level. While his father was a intellectual, a thinker, andrew is a calculator, and a doer! Andrew is a challenger, he is not afraid to buck the trends and the status quo. and While his father was completely at home above the radar on a national level, Andrew is completely at home under it! So NY, particulalry to those of you who look to Andrew with visions of his father dancing in your head, Understand and learn quickly, this is not the prodigal son that you would believe him to be! Andrew has been waiting a long time to carve his own path in the political wilderness and as of yesterday the wait has ended. The Cuomos are back in buisness, but its Andrews buisness that will be conducted, not  his famous father's!