Opinion

Back in March, two young members of Congress from Texas, Beto O’Rourke and Will Hurd, became brief Internet celebrities. Unable to fly back to Washington, D.C. because of a snowstorm, the two hit the road together, tweeting, and livestreaming their trip north. They fielded questions along the way on everything from the war on drugs […]

Unemployment rates are often viewed as an indicator of how the economy is doing, and these rates do provide valuable insight on economic activity.  However, because of how the unemployment rates are calculated, they should not be the sole assessment in determining the health of the economy. The current unemployment rate in New York state

The whacky North Korean leader revealed a few things recently. One is that the country has learned how to make hydrogen bombs. The other is that our intelligence agencies don’t have much of what they are named for — intelligence. In other words, the agencies missed whacko’s H-bomb. They figured he was a few years

Agricultural tourism is a growing component within New York’s 6.36 billion agriculture industry. More and more farms are inviting the public to have a firsthand experience on the farm and hosting farm tours where visitors can learn about farm operations.  Agri-tourism businesses, many of which can be found in our backyards, have increased in recent years.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued the following statement Aug. 31 in response to the decision by Judge Amos Mazzant, a U.S. District Court judge in Texas, to grant the motion brought by the U.S. Chamber and other business groups to strike down the Obama administration’s overtime pay rule (Note:

With the failure to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Congress, state lawmakers should stop waiting on Washington to “do something” about health care. Congressional action, no matter what that action looks like, is unlikely to address the unmet Obamacare promises of delivering health-care access and affordability. Furthermore, an upcoming decision from President Trump on

Politics at times is the art of the Big Lie. That thought reared its head when I saw articles about a bunch of Congress people recently. They had called a big press conference — to announce how they were getting behind the idea of the $15 minimum wage for all Americans. These politicians know absolutely

One reason I consider myself fortunate to have led a life in politics is that, over time, I have had a chance to work with nine presidents. From Lyndon Johnson through Barack Obama, I’ve talked policy, politics and, sometimes, the trivial details of daily life with them. Johnson was a deal-maker — always trying to

A few humble thoughts on the debacle known as Obamacare, including those of hope. Yes, hope. Indeed, the problems of Obamacare are too many to list. But here is one that stands out. Unfortunately, few of us can understand the damned thing. For proof go to healthcare.gov and find the glossary of terms used in Obamacare.

The craft beverage industry is among the fastest-growing industries in New York with nearly 900 licensed manufacturers in the state. Part of this growth has to do with the state’s focus in recent years on trying to make it easier for craft-beverage producers such as beer, cider, and liquor producers to do business in New