A Democrat I'm Learning To Like.
 

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/a...Uc7mPByVwFX9kK

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

Prayer Works
 

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.

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.

Richie You Are Right on this One
 

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

Too Bad...
 

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.