A Democrat I'm Learning To Like.

[Guest]

The new Governor of the State of New York, which is the state I was born and raised in, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. is receiving accolades from Democrats and Republicans alike. While not abandoning his core principles, he has put New York State on a road to fiscal responsibility that some say even eclipses the touted Governor of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie.

This is a man to watch; and if Democrats are smart, they will be grooming for higher office in the near future.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/andy_dandy_cuomo_better_leader_than_7RtcvRTTUc7mPB yVwFX9kK

[Guest]

I will hold my opinion cocnern Cuomo in abeyance for until after the 2012 elections

[Guest]

The new Governor of the State of New York, which is the state I was born and raised in, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. is receiving accolades from Democrats and Republicans alike. While not abandoning his core principles, he has put New York State on a road to fiscal responsibility that some say even eclipses the touted Governor of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie.

This is a man to watch; and if Democrats are smart, they will be grooming for higher office in the near future.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/andy_dandy_cuomo_better_leader_than_7RtcvRTTUc7mPB yVwFX9kK

I made a novena (Italian for going to mass nine days in a row) and now Richie likes a Democrat. I wonder what would happen if I actually go to confession and communion.

[Guest]

I made a novena (Italian for going to mass nine days in a row) and now Richie likes a Democrat. I wonder what would happen if I actually go to confession and communion.

LOL; I don't dislike Democrats per se. But the Democrats of today, with rare exception, are not the Democrats I've supported in the past. Democrats like John. F. Kennedy. I'm not putting Gov. Cuomo in that category at this point because it way too early in his career. But I will keep my eye on him.

I was originally a registered Democrat like my father before me, but like my father before me, I changed my affiliation. In the words of another former Democrat, and one of the greatest public figures in my lifetime, "I did not leave the Democrat Party, they left me". These words were spoken by the one and only Ronald Reagan, and they speak for me.

We'll see if Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a return to the Democrats of old, who at least understood that what made this country great was the amalgamation of the hard work of the millions of free people who made their own way and carved their own destinies without looking to the government to provide for them. Safety nets are one thing, but we've gone way beyond that, and it's got to stop.

[Guest]

richie - it's a good thing he has you in his corner - it's just too bad you can't vote for him - he lost a considerable number of followers when he signed the ny gay marriage bill and when he did'nt come flat out against the proposed port authority increases! of course, he might have gained from the gay, lesbian and transgendered community but he has lost the commuters and travelers. he and gov christie have stated that they had no idea of the proposal and that they will review the issue...but nobody believes that they did not know about increasing the gwb toll from $8 to $12 and then to $15 for cash payers and the path fare by a $1 a ride or $30 a month!. local news channels are doing man on the street interviews EVERY single day like there was no other news! most seem to think they are trying to put the toll takers out on unemployment with a conversion to the automated ez-pass system - and they don't seem to think too much of either gov for wanting to put their own residents out of work in this economy!

[Guest]

richie - it's a good thing he has you in his corner - it's just too bad you can't vote for him - he lost a considerable number of followers when he signed the ny gay marriage bill and when he did'nt come flat out against the proposed port authority increases! of course, he might have gained from the gay, lesbian and transgendered community but he has lost the commuters and travelers. he and gov christie have stated that they had no idea of the proposal and that they will review the issue...but nobody believes that they did not know about increasing the gwb toll from $8 to $12 and then to $15 for cash payers and the path fare by a $1 a ride or $30 a month!. local news channels are doing man on the street interviews EVERY single day like there was no other news! most seem to think they are trying to put the toll takers out on unemployment with a conversion to the automated ez-pass system - and they don't seem to think too much of either gov for wanting to put their own residents out of work in this economy!

I don't know enough about the Port Authority fare increases, but if it translates into a better deal to use mass transit to get to that overcrowded city called New York, that may be a good thing.

Rising prices are what finally convinced me years ago to give up smoking, and maybe high prices will convince people to use mass transit. The only other solution would be more government subsidies and that mean higher taxes for all so that some people can drive their cars into the city.

EZ Pass should translate into severely cutting back the number of high paid public union employees working for Port Authority, if even by attrition. That would be a positive step.

As far as gay marriage; it may surprise you that I don't oppose it. I have a gay relative who is one the most loving, generous and and altogether wonderful people in my life circle. Along with his loving partner and some of their great friends, who I've met and come to know very well, I cannot stand in the way of this thing that means so much to them.

[Guest]

Increasing government employee productivity at all levels is essential to economic stability in the face of increasing demands upon government.

[Guest]

richie - it's a good thing he has you in his corner - it's just too bad you can't vote for him - he lost a considerable number of followers when he signed the ny gay marriage bill and when he did'nt come flat out against the proposed port authority increases! of course, he might have gained from the gay, lesbian and transgendered community but he has lost the commuters and travelers. he and gov christie have stated that they had no idea of the proposal and that they will review the issue...but nobody believes that they did not know about increasing the gwb toll from $8 to $12 and then to $15 for cash payers and the path fare by a $1 a ride or $30 a month!. local news channels are doing man on the street interviews EVERY single day like there was no other news! most seem to think they are trying to put the toll takers out on unemployment with a conversion to the automated ez-pass system - and they don't seem to think too much of either gov for wanting to put their own residents out of work in this economy!It's too bad about losing votes over the gay and lesbian issue. But if Cuomo's popularity is sinking because of the Port Authority issue it just goes to show how the public is likely to react to a the obvious result of having the government pay less of the cost of public services.

The reaction of the public is likely to be the same--regardless of what they're saying now-- when their public benefit program is cut. Even those who now are calling for reduced government involvement in their lives will wail and moan with outrage when their dole is cut, when programs they depend on are eliminated, or in this case when they're told they have to pay the bill and not expect government support.

But Richie is right if part of the plan by State of New York is to incent certain behavior by the public. If by making use of the highways, bridges and tunnels by private individuals and vehicles more expensive it incents people to use more economical mass transit--that would be a good thing and a proper function of government "getting involved" in people's lives.

[Guest]

Except that Cuomo's popularity is very high, except among a couple of special interest groups. I don't think anyone in the N.E. has his popularity quotient.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1318.xml?ReleaseID=1619

[Guest]

richie - it's a good thing he has you in his corner - it's just too bad you can't vote for him - he lost a considerable number of followers when he signed the ny gay marriage bill and when he did'nt come flat out against the proposed port authority increases! of course, he might have gained from the gay, lesbian and transgendered community but he has lost the commuters and travelers. he and gov christie have stated that they had no idea of the proposal and that they will review the issue...but nobody believes that they did not know about increasing the gwb toll from $8 to $12 and then to $15 for cash payers and the path fare by a $1 a ride or $30 a month!. local news channels are doing man on the street interviews EVERY single day like there was no other news! most seem to think they are trying to put the toll takers out on unemployment with a conversion to the automated ez-pass system - and they don't seem to think too much of either gov for wanting to put their own residents out of work in this economy!

Obama was against gay marriage before he was for it. I think they will be for whatever gives them the most votes at the present time. Personally, the homosexuals should invent a new word to describe their unions. Marriage has already been taken by heterosexuals.

[Guest]

LOL; I don't dislike Democrats per se. But the Democrats of today, with rare exception, are not the Democrats I've supported in the past. Democrats like John. F. Kennedy.

How did you "support" JFK? You were 13 when he was assassinated - just curious.

[Guest]

How did you "support" JFK? You were 13 when he was assassinated - just curious.

I said I supported him. I didn't say I voted for him. I was a student at St. Lucy's R.C. Elementary in N.Y.C., and the nuns were very enthusiastic about the candidacy of this young eloquent Catholic Senator. Thus, we studied him and his speeches, and his opponent Vice-President Richard M. Nixon.

It wasn't hard to like and support J.F.K. Anyway, my father, was a great supporter of J.F.K. and I am my father's son.

[Guest]

Nor did I imply you voted for him. Indeed we all have a tendency to emulate our folks. I was in my senior year of high school when JFK was assassinated and he certainly was popular with the teen generation of the time.

[Guest]

Nor did I imply you voted for him. Indeed we all have a tendency to emulate our folks. I was in my senior year of high school when JFK was assassinated and he certainly was popular with the teen generation of the time.

He was, and in many ways still is, an inspiring figure. There's not a leader today that when they speak causes your chest to swell with American pride, as when he did.

As much as people laud the eloquence of our current President, he's not even in the same ballpark.

[Guest]

Obama was against gay marriage before he was for it. I think they will be for whatever gives them the most votes at the present time. Personally, the homosexuals should invent a new word to describe their unions. Marriage has already been taken by heterosexuals.

Actually he still isn't for it...that is one reason, among others, I supported Hillary in 2012.

He has always been for civil unions NOT marriage.

[Guest]

I said I supported him. I didn't say I voted for him. I was a student at St. Lucy's R.C. Elementary in N.Y.C., and the nuns were very enthusiastic about the candidacy of this young eloquent Catholic Senator. Thus, we studied him and his speeches, and his opponent Vice-President Richard M. Nixon.

It wasn't hard to like and support J.F.K. Anyway, my father, was a great supporter of J.F.K. and I am my father's son.

I was just a little younger, but my father was a Democratic committee man in our district. He took me to those meetings...He is the one by whom all candidates are judged and I suspect always will be. He press conferences were so much fun to watch.

[Guest]

I was just a little younger, but my father was a Democratic committee man in our district. He took me to those meetings...He is the one by whom all candidates are judged and I suspect always will be. He press conferences were so much fun to watch.

My father also was active in Democrat politics in my youth, as he was first a New York Civil Court judge, and then later a New York State Supreme Court judge where he served the bulk of his career; and those are elected positions. He never lost an election in his career. Later on he revoked his membership in the Democrat Party and registered as a Republican. The values promulgated by the exceedingly leftist transformation of his party were too much for him to take. This was personified in the person of Ronald Reagan, also a former Democrat, and it was his candidacy that inspired and spurred my father to make this, for him, a momentous change.

[Guest]

LOL; I don't dislike Democrats per se. But the Democrats of today, with rare exception, are not the Democrats I've supported in the past. Democrats like John. F. Kennedy. I'm not putting Gov. Cuomo in that category at this point because it way too early in his career. But I will keep my eye on him.

I was originally a registered Democrat like my father before me, but like my father before me, I changed my affiliation. In the words of another former Democrat, and one of the greatest public figures in my lifetime, "I did not leave the Democrat Party, they left me". These words were spoken by the one and only Ronald Reagan, and they speak for me.

We'll see if Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a return to the Democrats of old, who at least understood that what made this country great was the amalgamation of the hard work of the millions of free people who made their own way and carved their own destinies without looking to the government to provide for them. Safety nets are one thing, but we've gone way beyond that, and it's got to stop.

Tony Ditto: My father was a Democrat through and through. so when I changed party affliliations my fahter 's response was " How could you leave the Democratic Party" upon which I replied "I didn't leave them they left me"

the problem now arising is hat Republicans are not what they were when I crossed over

[Guest]

It was said to raise tolls so people will use mass transet well lets raise gas to say 20.00 a gallon so another form of energy will be developed. Isnt that a form of blackmail. We need to get people to do it because it is a good thing. That's what Martha would say. I try to cut costs and find a more economical way to do things every day at work. I'm not told to I just do it.

[Guest]

It was said to raise tolls so people will use mass transet well lets raise gas to say 20.00 a gallon so another form of energy will be developed. Isnt that a form of blackmail. We need to get people to do it because it is a good thing. That's what Martha would say. I try to cut costs and find a more economical way to do things every day at work. I'm not told to I just do it.

New York City is an overcrowded city of vehicles on it's best days. It also boasts about the most comprehensive mass transit system in the U.S. in my opinion. Whatever gets people out of their personal cars in NYC is a good thing, in my view. The tolls are not being raised to increase mass transit usage, but if that's the result, it is not a bad thing.

[Guest]

I'm imagining the following discussion.

"Look - if we raise gas taxes by a nickel a gallon every month for a few years, here's what you'll get out of it.. The potholes will be fixed - your local DOT's won't have to ever utter the word 'deferred maintenance' again. On top of that we can build good public trnsit - like they have in Europe. And you know what? That'll make your car last longer since you won't HAVE to drive it as much. You'll have OPTIONS. Funny thing is, when gas is $7-$9/gal (as in the UK) people still drive and economies still work."