"For those of us in "Elise country," she should be reminded there were 116,421 who voted against her in the last election also don't speak fluent Trump."
Thank you, Ken, for pointing out a fact that often gets lost when people describe the political leanings of the residents of a county, region, or state. Sure, a 60/40 or a 70/30 win for a candidate can be a "landslide." But 30-40 percent is a major portion of the electorate that gets unfairly dismissed when we're then described as "Trump Country."
What ever happened to elected Republican officials that actually worked to govern and represent all their constituents?
Stefanik received 59 percent of the vote, but if you could change the minds of 10 percent of the electorate the race is a dead heat. The reality is that numerically most elections are very close. You don't see any elections where a candidate received 90 percent of the vote - except maybe in Russia.
I haven’t looked at the vote totals in a while but what they show is a steady increase in voter turnout. The numbers of people voting against Stefanik increased substantially since her first election but there has been a concurrent and even larger increase in GOP vote. Stefanik and Trump have benefitted from large numbers of disaffected people who in the past often did not vote.
Demographically we are not much changed except that our average age keeps rising, but Stefanik has had far more money to work with than candidates in the past and she has developed a sophisticated machine for identifying voters who will vote for her and getting them to the polls.
I hate to be a broken record here but Stefanik was sent here by Karl Rove with $240,000 to run a primary against a local right wing Republican. She has been extremely tight with far right power brokers in DC from the start. None of her opponents have had that sort of advantage.
The other nuance to the argument is that the district that includes Glens Falls has changed dramatically. When Gillibrand and Murphy won, it was a more moderate district that extended to the south. Since Stefanik has been in office, the district has gone north and includes all the rural North County. That has made it more conservative. It wasn't so much Trump or Stefanik that made it conservative as the change in the geographic boundaries.
Yes, locally we were part of the 19th district until 2012 when we were redistricted into the 21st, Bill Owen’s district. The far north of NY 21 has changed a lot in the last decade or 2 with closures or scaling back of industries like Alcoa in St Lawrence county and the loss of what had been strong trade union communities. I’m not sure what is going on in Clinton county but it used to be a Democratic stronghold in the region and not so much anymore. Stefanik made inroads even in some teacher unions.
And you’re right that we have always been a pretty conservative area, but we weren’t that overtly mean.
No thanks Ken, as much as I give Cassidy Hutchinson an enormous amount of respect and applaud her courage, the fact that Republicans still support 70% of Trump's policies is frightening to me. I certainly would like to know which policies the Republicans and Conservatives are so positive for women, the LGTBQ+, our environment and our allies.
I think this district has been represented by moderate Republicans in the past. Chris Gibson comes to mind. Bill Owens was a very moderate Democrat as well. While I may be setting the bar low, I'd be happy with a Republican candidate who is "for" democracy at this point.
This was in Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack this morning. Disgusting. And this is what Elise stands for.
“How religion and authoritarianism have come together in modern America was on display Thursday, when right-wing activist Jack Posobiec opened this weekend’s conference of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside Washington, D.C., with the words: “Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We didn’t get all the way there on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here.” He held up a cross necklace and continued: “After we burn that swamp to the ground, we will establish the new American republic on its ashes, and our first order of business will be righteous retribution for those who betrayed America.”
She could "reside" in my home for free. Many Republicans have proven that this is merely an exercise in semantics. And as a good Republican supporter (for this single effort), I wouldn't respond to a Congressional subpoena.
Glad to see so many smiles from the train club members and their fans! I guess there's hope you may someday become a fan of Amtrak too? Thanks for covering their passion.
I don't have anything against Amtrak accept that it'slimited service of the North Country means few will use it. It also pales in comparison to the trains in Europe that can go twice as fast.
It could work like our highway system, which is operated as tax-supported infrastructure, outside of the for-profit business model. Or like our military.
@W: Are you asking the right question? For example, is a government-sponsored military (I.e. a pure socialist model) more efficient than a private, for-profit military? And, is a for-profit model more effective in its output for the consumer than a not-for-profit model?
Why is efficiency your primary question? Why is effectiveness not part of the question here?
Public ownership is used in other countries (Japan, Germany, France, Spain to name a few) Greedy railroad owners prioritize profit over safety (East Palestine accident last year, Valley Falls earlier this month and others around the country) running miles long trains with few workers on board. If you take the profit out of the equation, passenger rail service would be expanded and not only operate on the more well used routes (eastern corridor) but would offer services in areas less served. In the long run, if public transportation was expanded, I think people would use their cars less. If I really go down the socialism road I would say that I think public utilities should be nationalized and of course healthcare.
Catherine, so you would create an office of nationalization within a government, which at the moment appears to be suffering from a breakdown in order, to oversee this new system of yours and how would this solve the problem?
If by public ownership you mean government ownership, do you have a link to support your claim of public ownership of rail systems in countries like (Japan, Germany, France, Spain to name a few)?
Yes, similar to the Postal Service or Social Security (I use these as examples of the Government doing things right - there are plenty of examples of the Government doing good but these two are the shining example) let's call it the National Rail Department. The reason for the breakdown as you state is a lack of funding. There is plenty of money, we just need to prioritize the dispersement of it. Less to the military, more to social programs. Why can't we have nice things? Why is everything profit over people?
Both good points… thankfully after decades of underfunding, especially in comparison to European government subsidies for their trains, the recent Infrastructure bill by the current administration will make some noted improvements to the Amtrak rolling stock and to the rails they use.
Sarah can you supply information to support your claim “after decades of underfunding, especially in comparison to European government subsidies for their trains”
U.S. subsidy of Amtrak is about $1.4 billion annually, verses €17 billion in Germany, €13.2 billion France, €7.6 billion Italy, and so on.
"Rail subsidies are largest in China ($130 billion), Europe (€73 billion) and India ($35.8 billion), while the United States has relatively small subsidies for passenger rail with freight not subsidized." (Wikipedia)
During my career at the border, I routinely inspected the Amtrak. Luckily Montreal is at one end of the route, which will always provide international travelers to NYC and points beyond. I'm sure most if not all of the Euro and Asian travelers I spoke with were unwhelmed.
It is certainly true that Stefanik has changed our district to a nastier place that on the surface for anyone passing through appears to be unwelcoming and unkind. It is not a good look for a region with an economy so rooted in tourism and hospitality to be peppered with so many signs saying things like F*ck Joe Biden, but those who display them don’t think of them as being unfriendly.
Please don't give her that much credit. As a mouthpiece, she simply passes along what she's told to say. All the fascist, racist rabble that has crawled out were there before her; they're just immitating their wannabe prison-bound dictator.
Model trains, high school basketball, community environmental action - and holding Stefanik accountable. Ah! What a great way to start the day! But - and I hate to burst Elise's bubble (okay, actually I'm delighted to burst her bubble) - she is not going to be Trump's VP. He wants a bland but attractive running mate, probably from a red state. He's not going to pick anyone who gets too much applause.
Yeah, she’s starting to look like too much of a star. Trump hates that. Also, I’m pushing the conspiracy theory that Republicans are only using him to get the WH back, then they’re going to Article 25 him.
Someone as overtly, rabidly ambitious as Elise fits well into that framework. Ask Liz Cheney what a backstabber she is.
I know I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. I just read Demagogue by Larry Tye and it’s amazing that Roy Cohn was able to transfer the essence of McCarthy into Trump the way he must have. Cohn’s new, improved Frankenstein’s monster.
Kevin, Roy Cohn was Joseph McCarthy's chief counsel during the McCarthy hearings and later became a mentor to Donald Trump. So, I don’t see why it’s amazing, the foe went from communism to socialism both are in opposition to capitalism.
The enemy for McCarthy was communism. Trump and the current Republican Party have no principles at all. They’re not against socialism. It’s just a word they use. They’re nihilists. In 2020 at their convention they didn’t even adopt a platform. They basically said “whatever Trump wants.” He’s obviously never given any thought to a guiding philosophy.
He was a Democrat in the recent past. That’s what’s so hilarious is that a Democrat from Queens who donated to numerous Democratic candidates is the arbiter of who’s a good Republican and who’s a RINO.
Obviously it was expedient for Trump to be a Democrat when he lived in NYC and was doing business there. I’m sure he’s always been apolitical and amoral.
Another powerful letter from you in today’s Post Star, Kevin. Tough topic to cover, but done with clarity and accuracy re: chronology of the descent of the GOP - Russian operatives’ agenda to continue aiding and abet-ing Putin’s satanic goals.
On the bright side of this traitorous wench's rise, CPAC VP preference polling had her trailing Noem, Ramaswamy, Putin's girlfriend Gabbard and tied with Tim Scott at fourth. All of these candidates are dangerous in their own ways, reinforcing the need for everyone to vote blue in November. The cult will continue to shed support due to an increasing number of their presumed nominee's convictions over the course of the next few months. Reality will set in as the traitor's mumbling meltdowns lack any reference to governing in any way. Now that Ronna McDaniel has been sacked and a nepotistic control of the purse strings is imminent, the demand for money to pay a billionaire's legal fees will drive more large donors to the sidelines. Those remaining will continue to bemoan the price of gas and groceries, while sending sustenance and prescription funds to their fearless felonious leader. SUPPORT UKRAINE
I read "Enough," by Cassidy Hutchinson.. people should read it for several reasons.
• it is a good profile in how evil hmpy trmpy is
• there are good examples how meanl hmpy trmpy is
.. and more about what happened
but the part I found interesting is when Hutchinson couldn't afford a lawyer.. hmpy trmpy provided one... and she was coached on how to lie.
Fortunately for us she felt it was morally wrong.. so she found another lawyer
the hmpy lawyer told her to NOT review her notes.. to say: "I don't know," or "I can't recall," becuase they can never prove you don't remember.
They taught her to lie..
Now watch hmpy trmpy's depositons wehre he pleaded the fifth to everything and I don't remember, even "I don't remember saying I have the greatest memory"
Always remember the trains, were part of our east end neighborhood years ago. Also memories of my brothers playing with a train set at Christmas. Traveled to New York City from Fort Edward on the train also.
Walking from our Cherry St. home to the Lawrence St. train station on my dad’s day off with my parents and brothers to catch the train to Lake George is a lasting memory. So exciting to view all the scenery on the way up, and to spread our towels and blanket down on what is now The Dog Beach. My Mom would open the large wicker picnic basket with sandwiches and the lemonade or Kool-aid jug and it always felt like a vacation day.
Years later my Dad built a large suspended wooden platform in our basement for a miniature train set with rural scenes which my brothers created from the model sets they bought and glued together from the hobby shop near Sanford St. school. Trellises, tunnels, barns, houses, a train depot, church, trees, animal and people figurines evolved into a magical village that provided great entertainment for years. Sometimes I get a whiff of something that reminds me of those tiny smoke pellets that could be lit within the engine smokestack.
"For those of us in "Elise country," she should be reminded there were 116,421 who voted against her in the last election also don't speak fluent Trump."
Thank you, Ken, for pointing out a fact that often gets lost when people describe the political leanings of the residents of a county, region, or state. Sure, a 60/40 or a 70/30 win for a candidate can be a "landslide." But 30-40 percent is a major portion of the electorate that gets unfairly dismissed when we're then described as "Trump Country."
What ever happened to elected Republican officials that actually worked to govern and represent all their constituents?
Stefanik received 59 percent of the vote, but if you could change the minds of 10 percent of the electorate the race is a dead heat. The reality is that numerically most elections are very close. You don't see any elections where a candidate received 90 percent of the vote - except maybe in Russia.
I haven’t looked at the vote totals in a while but what they show is a steady increase in voter turnout. The numbers of people voting against Stefanik increased substantially since her first election but there has been a concurrent and even larger increase in GOP vote. Stefanik and Trump have benefitted from large numbers of disaffected people who in the past often did not vote.
Demographically we are not much changed except that our average age keeps rising, but Stefanik has had far more money to work with than candidates in the past and she has developed a sophisticated machine for identifying voters who will vote for her and getting them to the polls.
I hate to be a broken record here but Stefanik was sent here by Karl Rove with $240,000 to run a primary against a local right wing Republican. She has been extremely tight with far right power brokers in DC from the start. None of her opponents have had that sort of advantage.
The other nuance to the argument is that the district that includes Glens Falls has changed dramatically. When Gillibrand and Murphy won, it was a more moderate district that extended to the south. Since Stefanik has been in office, the district has gone north and includes all the rural North County. That has made it more conservative. It wasn't so much Trump or Stefanik that made it conservative as the change in the geographic boundaries.
Yes, locally we were part of the 19th district until 2012 when we were redistricted into the 21st, Bill Owen’s district. The far north of NY 21 has changed a lot in the last decade or 2 with closures or scaling back of industries like Alcoa in St Lawrence county and the loss of what had been strong trade union communities. I’m not sure what is going on in Clinton county but it used to be a Democratic stronghold in the region and not so much anymore. Stefanik made inroads even in some teacher unions.
And you’re right that we have always been a pretty conservative area, but we weren’t that overtly mean.
Definitely not overtly mean.
Perhaps the 39.5% Haley still captured in SC equates to that 10% here. More and more never Trumpers are budding on the right nationwide.
Liz Chaney might disagree.
No thanks Ken, as much as I give Cassidy Hutchinson an enormous amount of respect and applaud her courage, the fact that Republicans still support 70% of Trump's policies is frightening to me. I certainly would like to know which policies the Republicans and Conservatives are so positive for women, the LGTBQ+, our environment and our allies.
I think this district has been represented by moderate Republicans in the past. Chris Gibson comes to mind. Bill Owens was a very moderate Democrat as well. While I may be setting the bar low, I'd be happy with a Republican candidate who is "for" democracy at this point.
I still have Bill's yard sign, wishful thinking. He held the last town hall by the House rep for NY21 in Plattsburgh, prior to the ACA vote.
I read her book.. and that thought struck me as well.
I think Ms. Hutchinson is more moderate… but she was okay with hmpy trmpy right up to the moment it was an insurrection
This was in Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack this morning. Disgusting. And this is what Elise stands for.
“How religion and authoritarianism have come together in modern America was on display Thursday, when right-wing activist Jack Posobiec opened this weekend’s conference of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside Washington, D.C., with the words: “Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely. We didn’t get all the way there on January 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here.” He held up a cross necklace and continued: “After we burn that swamp to the ground, we will establish the new American republic on its ashes, and our first order of business will be righteous retribution for those who betrayed America.”
For those who doubt this was said, it's widely available across all media platforms. This fascism is no longer in the closet.
Yes, I have seen it as well. At first, I thought it was some kind of sick joke, but not so much anymore.
Scary!
Perhaps Ms. Hutchinson could pitch a pup tent inn Wilmington, claim residency, and run for Congress here. Wishful thinking!
She could "reside" in my home for free. Many Republicans have proven that this is merely an exercise in semantics. And as a good Republican supporter (for this single effort), I wouldn't respond to a Congressional subpoena.
Glad to see so many smiles from the train club members and their fans! I guess there's hope you may someday become a fan of Amtrak too? Thanks for covering their passion.
I don't have anything against Amtrak accept that it'slimited service of the North Country means few will use it. It also pales in comparison to the trains in Europe that can go twice as fast.
Perhaps if we took the profit motive out of our rail system we could build these tracks and trains similar to those European models.
I wonder if it's just too late. American has become such a car society, it would be hard to change that culture.
Catherine, if you took the profit motive out of our rail system how would thar work? I don’t think I know any who works for free.
It could work like our highway system, which is operated as tax-supported infrastructure, outside of the for-profit business model. Or like our military.
Bob, why is a not-profit business model more efficient than a for-profit business model?
@W: Are you asking the right question? For example, is a government-sponsored military (I.e. a pure socialist model) more efficient than a private, for-profit military? And, is a for-profit model more effective in its output for the consumer than a not-for-profit model?
Why is efficiency your primary question? Why is effectiveness not part of the question here?
Public ownership is used in other countries (Japan, Germany, France, Spain to name a few) Greedy railroad owners prioritize profit over safety (East Palestine accident last year, Valley Falls earlier this month and others around the country) running miles long trains with few workers on board. If you take the profit out of the equation, passenger rail service would be expanded and not only operate on the more well used routes (eastern corridor) but would offer services in areas less served. In the long run, if public transportation was expanded, I think people would use their cars less. If I really go down the socialism road I would say that I think public utilities should be nationalized and of course healthcare.
Catherine, so you would create an office of nationalization within a government, which at the moment appears to be suffering from a breakdown in order, to oversee this new system of yours and how would this solve the problem?
If by public ownership you mean government ownership, do you have a link to support your claim of public ownership of rail systems in countries like (Japan, Germany, France, Spain to name a few)?
Yes, similar to the Postal Service or Social Security (I use these as examples of the Government doing things right - there are plenty of examples of the Government doing good but these two are the shining example) let's call it the National Rail Department. The reason for the breakdown as you state is a lack of funding. There is plenty of money, we just need to prioritize the dispersement of it. Less to the military, more to social programs. Why can't we have nice things? Why is everything profit over people?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_France
https://www.statista.com/topics/6959/deutsche-bahn-in-germany/#:~:text=Deutsche%20Bahn%20is%20Germany%27s%20main,Western%20Germany)%20and%20Deutsche%20Reichsbahn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Railways_Group
Both good points… thankfully after decades of underfunding, especially in comparison to European government subsidies for their trains, the recent Infrastructure bill by the current administration will make some noted improvements to the Amtrak rolling stock and to the rails they use.
And Elise will take credit.
Sarah can you supply information to support your claim “after decades of underfunding, especially in comparison to European government subsidies for their trains”
U.S. subsidy of Amtrak is about $1.4 billion annually, verses €17 billion in Germany, €13.2 billion France, €7.6 billion Italy, and so on.
"Rail subsidies are largest in China ($130 billion), Europe (€73 billion) and India ($35.8 billion), while the United States has relatively small subsidies for passenger rail with freight not subsidized." (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_subsidies
Bob thanks for the link
During my career at the border, I routinely inspected the Amtrak. Luckily Montreal is at one end of the route, which will always provide international travelers to NYC and points beyond. I'm sure most if not all of the Euro and Asian travelers I spoke with were unwhelmed.
It is certainly true that Stefanik has changed our district to a nastier place that on the surface for anyone passing through appears to be unwelcoming and unkind. It is not a good look for a region with an economy so rooted in tourism and hospitality to be peppered with so many signs saying things like F*ck Joe Biden, but those who display them don’t think of them as being unfriendly.
Please don't give her that much credit. As a mouthpiece, she simply passes along what she's told to say. All the fascist, racist rabble that has crawled out were there before her; they're just immitating their wannabe prison-bound dictator.
Model trains, high school basketball, community environmental action - and holding Stefanik accountable. Ah! What a great way to start the day! But - and I hate to burst Elise's bubble (okay, actually I'm delighted to burst her bubble) - she is not going to be Trump's VP. He wants a bland but attractive running mate, probably from a red state. He's not going to pick anyone who gets too much applause.
I agree with that.
Yeah, she’s starting to look like too much of a star. Trump hates that. Also, I’m pushing the conspiracy theory that Republicans are only using him to get the WH back, then they’re going to Article 25 him.
Someone as overtly, rabidly ambitious as Elise fits well into that framework. Ask Liz Cheney what a backstabber she is.
I don't think they have that much guts.
I know I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. I just read Demagogue by Larry Tye and it’s amazing that Roy Cohn was able to transfer the essence of McCarthy into Trump the way he must have. Cohn’s new, improved Frankenstein’s monster.
Kevin, Roy Cohn was Joseph McCarthy's chief counsel during the McCarthy hearings and later became a mentor to Donald Trump. So, I don’t see why it’s amazing, the foe went from communism to socialism both are in opposition to capitalism.
The enemy for McCarthy was communism. Trump and the current Republican Party have no principles at all. They’re not against socialism. It’s just a word they use. They’re nihilists. In 2020 at their convention they didn’t even adopt a platform. They basically said “whatever Trump wants.” He’s obviously never given any thought to a guiding philosophy.
He was a Democrat in the recent past. That’s what’s so hilarious is that a Democrat from Queens who donated to numerous Democratic candidates is the arbiter of who’s a good Republican and who’s a RINO.
Obviously it was expedient for Trump to be a Democrat when he lived in NYC and was doing business there. I’m sure he’s always been apolitical and amoral.
One of my favorites from Twitter was Stefanik getting roasted for not knowing what socialism is. Good times!
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elise-stefanik-medicare-socialism-twitter_n_6104671ae4b0fd216c25ad57
Another powerful letter from you in today’s Post Star, Kevin. Tough topic to cover, but done with clarity and accuracy re: chronology of the descent of the GOP - Russian operatives’ agenda to continue aiding and abet-ing Putin’s satanic goals.
On the bright side of this traitorous wench's rise, CPAC VP preference polling had her trailing Noem, Ramaswamy, Putin's girlfriend Gabbard and tied with Tim Scott at fourth. All of these candidates are dangerous in their own ways, reinforcing the need for everyone to vote blue in November. The cult will continue to shed support due to an increasing number of their presumed nominee's convictions over the course of the next few months. Reality will set in as the traitor's mumbling meltdowns lack any reference to governing in any way. Now that Ronna McDaniel has been sacked and a nepotistic control of the purse strings is imminent, the demand for money to pay a billionaire's legal fees will drive more large donors to the sidelines. Those remaining will continue to bemoan the price of gas and groceries, while sending sustenance and prescription funds to their fearless felonious leader. SUPPORT UKRAINE
I agree. Lets get Hutchinson up here.
Rep. Stefanik had a wonderful time at CPAC, where there were lies, conspiracy theories, and Nazis aplenty. And no principles whatsoever.
I read "Enough," by Cassidy Hutchinson.. people should read it for several reasons.
• it is a good profile in how evil hmpy trmpy is
• there are good examples how meanl hmpy trmpy is
.. and more about what happened
but the part I found interesting is when Hutchinson couldn't afford a lawyer.. hmpy trmpy provided one... and she was coached on how to lie.
Fortunately for us she felt it was morally wrong.. so she found another lawyer
the hmpy lawyer told her to NOT review her notes.. to say: "I don't know," or "I can't recall," becuase they can never prove you don't remember.
They taught her to lie..
Now watch hmpy trmpy's depositons wehre he pleaded the fifth to everything and I don't remember, even "I don't remember saying I have the greatest memory"
And you will see how dishonest the gQpedos are
Always remember the trains, were part of our east end neighborhood years ago. Also memories of my brothers playing with a train set at Christmas. Traveled to New York City from Fort Edward on the train also.
Walking from our Cherry St. home to the Lawrence St. train station on my dad’s day off with my parents and brothers to catch the train to Lake George is a lasting memory. So exciting to view all the scenery on the way up, and to spread our towels and blanket down on what is now The Dog Beach. My Mom would open the large wicker picnic basket with sandwiches and the lemonade or Kool-aid jug and it always felt like a vacation day.
Years later my Dad built a large suspended wooden platform in our basement for a miniature train set with rural scenes which my brothers created from the model sets they bought and glued together from the hobby shop near Sanford St. school. Trellises, tunnels, barns, houses, a train depot, church, trees, animal and people figurines evolved into a magical village that provided great entertainment for years. Sometimes I get a whiff of something that reminds me of those tiny smoke pellets that could be lit within the engine smokestack.
Thanks for kindling those memories!