Opinion

When he was just a young teenage schoolboy, George Washington sat down and copied out 110 “Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior.” Many of these had to do with simple manners. “Cleanse not your teeth with the tablecloth, napkin, fork or knife,” reads Rule 100. Good advice at any time.   But the first rule the […]

Today, let us celebrate dirty laundry. But before we do… At least there is one thing most Americans are united on these days: Americans are divided. The State of the Union (SOTU) circus was proof of that. As was the impeachment and the Mueller Report. Politics? Economics? Major social issues? This is the Age of

For years, local governments have dealt with increasingly insurmountable financial stress forced upon them by Albany. It has become common practice for the state to pass a law, create a new regulation, or impose a requirement that costs money to implement at the local level. But unfortunately for localities and taxpayers, Albany’s forced “mandates” often

Lessons in the much-abused Art of Insult. Deplorables have been on my mind. Of course, they have been in the news a lot lately. Guests on a recent CNN show lampooned the deplorables who support President Trump. (CNN anchor Don Lemon and panelists Rick Wilson and Wajahat Ali mocked the intelligence of Trump supporters.) In

At the time of the American Revolution, the future United States was a small, colonial backwater on the world stage. There were an estimated 2 million to 3 million people living here. Yet, the U.S. somehow produced an array of talented, creative thinkers and politicians — Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Hamilton, Franklin, and others —

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently presented his $178 billion executive budget proposal for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Anyone looking for an avenue to promise and prosperity experienced a significant reality check. New York was facing a $6.1 billion budget deficit back in November 2019; what the governor failed to mention is that his “savings plan” did not come

Most of us know that upstate New York struggles. When it comes to economic matters, it does. Fewer new jobs, new businesses, and expanding businesses than most parts of the U.S. enjoy. Upstaters suffer nearly the lowest income growth of any region in the U.S. The Southern Tier has particularly bad figures. We know upstate

Central New York’s job growth is the strongest in decades. In October, year-over-year job growth in Syracuse was nearly 2 percent, compared to 0.4 percent growth in the combined regions of Albany, Rochester, and Buffalo. While this job growth is an important indicator of the strength of our regional economy, it also drives talent challenges

So, who do you trust? Do you trust the people involved in Jeffrey Epstein’s death? They tell you he committed suicide. Despite any number of bizarre coincidences that suggest he was done in by someone. So, do you trust the officials who tell you otherwise? Do you trust your FBI? If you say you don’t, I

As we progress through this new year at the start of a new decade, the looming $6 billion New York State budget shortfall is a harsh reminder that some things just never change in Albany. Uncontrolled state spending, unfunded mandates, and an anti-business regulatory climate continue to plague our state.  Tax hikes on families and