Opinion

I am pleased to see the State University of New York (SUNY) college system ended its outdated COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which had created confusion and frustration for students across the state.  The decision came a day after President Joe Biden announced the official end of the nation’s emergency response, but it should not have taken […]

New York state is well-positioned to dramatically improve its plastics-recycling rate, if its lawmakers follow the science.  Only 10 percent of plastics get recycled and that is unacceptably low. The landfills in New York are reaching capacity and there are few options for the garbage to go. What doesn’t end up in landfills within the

Across the nation, we have witnessed school-targeted violence at a rate unlike any we have ever seen in this country. The grief and heartbreak families have been forced to endure as a result of these attacks is unimaginable and it is abundantly clear action is needed now before another tragedy occurs. It is obvious the safety procedures

Early this year, the Gallup organization came out with a survey of Americans on how they view the ethics of various professions. Nurses ranked at the top. Doctors, pharmacists, and high-school teachers did well, too. Real-estate agents and bankers were considered about average. Down at the bottom? Telemarketers. And members of Congress. Over the course

I [recently] joined with members of the Assembly Minority Conference and district attorneys to call for changes to New York State’s criminal-justice policy that is clearly compromising public safety. The “Raise the Age” law was passed in the 2017-2018 budget. While it may have been well-intentioned, too many of the components simply are not working. 

The relationship between the United States and China is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world, and it is growing increasingly contentious. It will take a lot of knowledge and understanding — on both sides — to manage it without slipping into a new Cold War. That’s why it’s especially worrisome to see reports of

New York’s business community has expressed deep concerns regarding the direction of the state and its financial outlook, but it does not appear businesses will be getting much relief anytime soon. As such, the most-recent iteration of the Siena College annual Upstate New York Business Leaders Survey indicates a grim outlook from CEOs trying to navigate

If you’ve been paying attention to national news, you know that one of the big topics preoccupying Washington is a debate over lifting the debt ceiling. So, for that matter, is overhauling Social Security.  Many Democrats and Republicans alike are dug in on how, and under what conditions, Congress should act on these key issues. But

If anything has a knack of making presidents in otherwise commanding positions into one-term presidents, it is recessions of the U.S. economy. Just ask Jimmy Carter in 1980 as inflation peaked at 14.5 percent in April 1980 and unemployment topped off at 7.8 percent in July 1980. Or George H.W. Bush in 1992 as inflation

We Americans tend to think it’s self-evident that our system of government is superior. We value the freedom, independence, and individual rights that are part of our democratic system. We take for granted that we should elect our leaders and hold them accountable. But we should not assume everyone will see democracy the way we