I must say I thought the “Cash for Clunkers” program was a good idea.   That’s the stimulus program that was put in place to help sell new cars.   Dubbed the Car Allowance Rebate System, or CARS, the program offers owners of old cars and trucks $3,500 or $4,500 toward a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle, in exchange [...]

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Remember the argument Democrats made last year that if they controlled all of New York State government they would cut taxes and control spending?  Remember when they promised more openness in state government?  Remember when they promised to be bipartisan?  Remember this year when they claimed they were only going to raise taxes on the [...]

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With Gov. Paterson announcing a budget deficit this year  of $2.1 billion, growing to more than $4 billion next year– and his state Budget Director intoning that Albany “must weigh every penny going forward, particularly on the spending side,” I’m wondering what Paterson is thinking by giving developers up to $40 million in tax breaks [...]

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Friends, this isn’t exactly new news, but the  GOP County Chairs in the North Country have nominated Gouverneur Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava to serve as the party candidate when Congressman John McHugh is confirmed by the Senate to serve as Secretary of the Army. It’s being published that the powers that be are going to make [...]

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WASHINGTON – Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) has been named vice-chairman of a bipartisan group of House lawmakers committed to giving our nation’s dairy farmers a voice in Washington during these difficult economic times. With more than 50 founding members, the Congressional Dairy Farmer Caucus is committed to building a consensus on issues of concern to [...]

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Nancy Pelosi explains to CNN’s John King about whether the Health Care bill will fund abortions. Can anyone explain to me if she answered the question?

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Liz Benjamin has an interesting story on how the Senate Democrats can’t get their act together. The first victim of the shake-up, according to Senate sources, is $145,000-a-year communications director Brian Keeler, a 2006 Senate candidate and blogger/Albany Project co-founder who was brought on by Sen. Malcolm Smith as part of his new media focus. Keeler [...]

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(Guest essay by Stephen J. Acquario, Executive Director New York State Association of Counties) Will the long shadow of California’s governmental and fiscal crisis reach New York State? Last week, the California legislature and Governor wrestled with a $28 billion budget deficit. California’s budget outlook tanked in direct proportion to its economy. Its public policies [...]

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A while back Lemon Lymon brought us this in depth review of Obama’s behind the scenes political gamesmanship that essentially forced New York Congressman Steve Israel out of the race for U.S.  Senate.  Israel was strongly considering a primary run against the Governor Paterson selection of Kirsten Gillibrand. From that coverage, here’s quote from the Congressman regarding [...]

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Have you ever wondered how congress can read a 1000+ page bill which spends trillions of dollars, that is dropped on them overnight and then they vote on it the  next day?  Well Congressman John Conyers (D) Michigan, explains it all here in this video. Mr. Conyers  isn’t that the point?  These bills are so massive that [...]

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