Opinion

“We have the power, but do they have the will? It’s time for the legislature to regain its mojo.” I said those words about three years ago. I was trying to inspire some urgency in my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do what our constituents elected us to do — promote reform […]

The U.S. has been the world’s leader for decades in promoting democracy, political liberalization, free trade, and collective security. For the most part, Americans support that role, but many are wondering about its costs, and are growing ambivalent about our global engagement. We have sometimes acted unilaterally, but by and large over the decades, we

The coronavirus isn’t just an unprecedented public-health emergency. It has turned life as we know it upside down. Tens of thousands of afflicted New Yorkers are fighting the virus, and selfless health-care professionals are working around the clock to help them win. They’re in our thoughts and prayers every day.  Our efforts to contain the spread

Our society is aging at a rapid pace. Soon, a sizable population will need some form of long-term care. But who will care for them?  The number of Americans over the age of 65 will nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and will occupy a higher percentage of the

The coronavirus is an unprecedented threat to our public health system. We’re taking such aggressive measures to combat the spread of the virus because we know how important it is to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers, particularly our most vulnerable populations.  It’s also important to recognize that the very actions we’re taking

It’s frequently observed that Americans don’t closely follow international affairs. That may be true, but my experience, over a period of decades, suggests most Americans appreciate the importance of our foreign policy and have a clear-eyed and sensible view of our nation’s role in the world. I served on Congressional committees dealing with foreign affairs and

If one of the U.S. Capitol hallways that house members pass through regularly to get to the chambers, there’s an inscription of a comment by Alexander Hamilton. It comes from his 1788 remarks to the New York convention on ratifying the Constitution, and reads simply, “Here, Sir, the people govern.” I’ve always thought that was a pretty

Sometimes, you just need to step back. The political conversations I hear these days are strikingly negative, dominated by what’s amiss in Washington, by the deep divisions in the country, by President Trump’s actions and the aftermath of his impeachment, and by the difficult problems we face but seem to make little progress toward resolving. There