Finding New Upstate Leadership

frankly (0.00 / 0)

the Upstate leader (or local leader) I've been most impressed with lately is a Republican:  Joanie Mahoney, new Onondaga County Executive.

http://www.syracuse.com/postst...

Her style of governing is definitely not business as usual.  

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by: NYCO @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 17:33:32 PM UTC

Perhaps (0.00 / 0)

but she's not in the position right now to provide upstate leadership in Albany, which was the main point of this post.

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by: BingChester @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 19:17:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Upstate Leaders (0.00 / 0)

One of the most under-represented, probably because of his humility is Clifford Crouch. So many words can be used to describe Mr Crouch. He has the courage to say whats on his mind, and its always fair and full of unwavering integrity. If albany was full of Cliff Crouches, we would have the best state ever!

http://assembly.state.ny.us/me...

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by: chenangofreethinker @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 18:09:50 PM UTC

If Albany was full of Cliff Crouches (4.00 / 1)

then Albany would be controlled by Republicans.

But in all seriousness, I've never heard of Clifford Crouch distinguishing himself with any sort of meaningful legislative proposals.  Granted, he's in the Assembly minority, but even Greg Ball made a name for himself.  I lived in Binghamton for the past 4 years, read the Press and Sun almost daily, and yet I can't tell you one thing Clifford Crouch has actually done .

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by: BingChester @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 19:15:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Different approach (0.00 / 0)

Clifford Crouch has a different approach to these things-- one that works for a minority Assemblyman, who will not be in any position to pass legislation, given our current system.

Yeah, you don't read about him in the papers.  He is not big on press releases.  But, he is at events that matter MUCH more than a lot of Assemblycritters who have PR out the wazoo.  And he makes connections between community needs and government programs that benefit his district. He uses his position to facilitate communication between people who can help one another solve community problems.

I'm the last person to want Republican control of the legislature, and, as we are talking about upstate Democratic leaders, I guess this is a little OT.  But, I like to think of myself as a fan of "fewer but better Republicans."  Cliff Crouch is, IMHO, a good Republican.  If we could replace the likes of Bruno, Skelos, Tedisco with guys like him, it would be a BIG improvement.  

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by: robinia @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 20:33:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll give you a word to describe Crouch (0.00 / 0)

Pro-gun. He voted against the micro-stamping bill this year A.9819, something even law enforcement supports.

I'll give you another word. Anti-environment. Crouch voted against the bigger better bottle bill A.8044.

I could go on and on but you probably get my drift. If Albany was full of Cliff Crouches, we would have the worst state ever.

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by: TruBlu @ Thu Jul 03, 2008 at 02:31:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Valesky=Suozzi (0.00 / 0)

Valesky and Suozzi are separated at birth twins.  No thank you.

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by: jacksonian dem @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 18:19:17 PM UTC

Nothing necessarily wrong with that (0.00 / 0)

I actually like a lot of Suozzi ideas, so I don't take that as  the worst of insults for Valesky.  One has to note, however, that Suozzi endorsed Valesky in 04 but Valesky supported Spitzer in the 06 primary.

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by: BingChester @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 19:10:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tip Jar (4.00 / 3)

and my gratitude to Phillip, as always, for the front page bump.

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by: BingChester @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 19:10:36 PM UTC

Another Assembly possibility (0.00 / 0)

I like Sam Hoyt a lot, and he is a good choice there.  Another possibility, with a more rural-leaning portfolio and hailing from one of the previously-bedrock-Republican areas is David Koon.

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by: robinia @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 20:38:20 PM UTC

Maybe its best to part ways (0.00 / 0)

I think one of the major problems with the upstate/downstate divide is the fact that most people don't know what upstate and downstate are. New York City and Long Island residents think anything above the bronx, Albany people thinks its anything west of Schdy and north of Saratoga while most people in Western NY seem to consider anything west of Syracuse as downstate.

I know people don't want to hear it, but it has to be said. I personally feel that the Albany area on down is like one state and anything west of Schdy is another state. Albany though north shares a long history with NYC and also has a similar culture. Most people from the Albany area are either from the NY/NJ area these days. I also think that its history coupled with its location make it more of a part of the whole Bos-wash megaopolis.

Anything west of Albany feels like Ohio to me from the culture to the way it looks. Most Albany area residents and politicians as well as the same down the Hudson to Long Island feel the same. These areas will never recover and things will never change in Albany for them. Maybe its best if they founded their own state. I mean they pay an arm and a leg for all for everything that seems to benefit Albany on down.

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by: MarcoCoti @ Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 21:58:55 PM UTC

Secession?? (0.00 / 0)

Not a realistic idea by any stretches of the imagination.

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by: BingChester @ Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 00:48:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

What about Christianson? (0.00 / 0)

 
would be way nice to have a woman as one of the leaders.

BTW The DC Boston corridor thing is true to an extent. But Hudson Valley (minus Westchester) and Cap district are not doing that well under this system either. Long Island walks away with disproportionate school funding. And Westchester does okay.

Note that w. WICKS reform, Orange, Rockland Putnam, Dutchess and even Sullivan and Ulster were lumped in with upstate. Maybe that means it's time to form new coalitions?

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by: LOBlue @ Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 01:27:19 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

economic division (4.00 / 1)

If anyone asks me where Upstate is I simply say, "Upstate is where your kids have to move away (against their will) in order to find a job."

Quick and easy and accurate definition.

Downstate is anyplace that doesn't have that problem.

As for secession, that happens in the mind first before it begins to become political reality.  Upstaters know they have been economically abandoned but haven't let go of the idea that someone strong from Downstate is going to come and gather them back in.  Now that the economy is tanking, the chances of this are even less.  I am not even sure that the current crop of Downstate leaders can take care of their own, much less Upstate.  I see their horizons continuing to shrink.  It's time for the wolf pups (Upstate) to stop cowering and sobbing around the body of their dead mother (Downstate).

I offered a county executive as an example of leadership because it is local Upstate leadership that has to deal with Albany without being part of it.  That sort of leadership is our future (not necessarily Republican leadership, obviously! hopefully not!).

The question is how to fight for Democratic values in the continuing absence of an effective Democratic power structure Upstate.  Upstate can't secede, but maybe Upstate Democrats can form their own party and make headway in local (non-Albany) elections.

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by: NYCO @ Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 12:00:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

2 points on this (4.00 / 1)

--I believe the current situation is the result of 40 years of pernicious and inequitable dysfunctional governance, not a "natural" or geographic necessity.
--I love NYCO's definition of upstate, but we can't forget that one of the supports of the upstate economy has been the forcible imprisonment of some of downstate's children/young adults (which is paid for by NYS).  So, upstate is also a place where the economic effects of the next generation having to leave are blunted by the state paying us to care for some of the young people of downstate in prison settings.  This has been conscious (although certainly dispicable) economic development policy, and in some upstate counties, there would be population decline and resulting losses in per-capita state and federal aid and political representation, if the prisoners had not been brought there in increasing numbers. Upstate is on a funny kind of dole-- one that is dependent on the racist and ineffective Rockefeller drug laws.

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by: robinia @ Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 14:19:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What are your thoughts on the potential new Senators as leaders? (4.00 / 1)

Ianello, Dollinger (New/Old), Barber or Nachbar as examples or Darrel Aubertine for that matter!

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by: politics64 @ Thu Jul 03, 2008 at 00:12:30 AM UTC