Stefanik suggests implementing authoritarian playbook in N.Y.
Lake George faces climate change danger; Death with Dignity bill passes
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The 21st Congressional District no longer has a representative in Congress. That became obvious Monday when Rep. Elise Stefanik made it clear she was running for governor.
While a smoky haze was lingering over the Adirondacks from climate change-induced forest fires in Canada and a new environmental report added climate change as a threat to Lake George - and our local tourist industry - Stefanik was in Albany playing political games.
While there is plenty of dysfunction in the way the government does business in Albany, Stefanik hasn't bothered to hold a town hall meeting in years and regularly votes against the interests of her constituents.
If Monday's political event was any indication, Stefanik has checked out of her district entirely.
"They deserve leaders who care more about actually cutting your taxes rather than desperately lie about it and increase spending like Kathy Hochul does," Stefanik said Monday in Albany.
Dan Clark of the Times Union corrected that statement by pointing out Hochul actually proposed and secured lower income tax rates for low and middle-income taxpayers this year.
Stefanik went on to criticize New York State spending - an age-old problem - and said the state budget should be smaller. Not many will disagree with that either.
So Clark asked what specific cuts she would make. She responded she "would mirror the strategies used by President Donald J. Trump to cut federal spending since the start of his second term in January, including executive orders and a DOGE-style analysis of the state’s books."
Oh my!
If New York has a problem with people leaving the state, this will make it even worse.
She reiterated previous Republican talking points about looking for waste, fraud and abuse when the reality is that little has been found on the federal level.
If the "Big Beautiful Bill" becomes a reality thousands of Stefanik's constituents will lose health care while environmental projects will be curtailed.
The Times Union reported that community leaders say that 215,000 of the 772,000 residents in Stefanik's district rely on Medicaid and that 55,000 could lose coverage if the bill passes.
Stefanik called those "false talking points," even though the non-partisan Congressional Budget has cited those facts as well.
Remember, Stefanik voted for the bill.
What was even more disturbing was her continued assault on the reality of climate change. She said Monday New York needs to get rid of the "Green New Scam" programs.
From there it got frightening with Stefanik saying she did not intend to include the Legislature in any of these decisions, but would move unilaterally.
“You also need to —and I think President Trump showed this very well and I spoke with the Senate and Assembly conference ahead of time — there is so much action that can be taken on Day One in (an) executive order,” Stefanik said to Clark. “I would look at that model under President Trump where he has successfully signed a number of executive orders. We need to do that in Albany.”
It doesn't seem possible that someone with these views could win in liberal New York, so I wondered if this was Stefanik again playing the long game.
Rebuffed as a cabinet member by Trump, she is blazing her own trail as Trump's successor for the 2028 election.
If there is one.
Stefanik doesn't need to win in New York, just be competitive, raise a lot of cash and show she should be Trump's successor.
To give her credibility she commended Trump Monday for deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles.
We live in a frightening world right now.
Climate change
Tony Hall from the Lake George Mirror reported this week that climate change has been added to the threats to the lake by the Lake George Association.
“Climate change has become very politicized, but our long-term data show that Lake George is changing,” Dr. Kevin Rose, director of the Jefferson Project and acting director of the Darrin Freshwater Institute told Hall. “Rising temperatures lengthen the growing season for invasive species. Less ice means more light for algae. Big storm pulses flush a disproportionate amount of nutrients into the lake and increase the likelihood of harmful algal blooms.”
Lake George is also the economic engine for the region's tourism economy.
Just this past week, Warren County's supervisors - most are Republicans - had a forum about how to grow tourism. It sounded like a great discussion, but you have to wonder where they stand on climate change and what the federal government is doing to make things worse.
It should be THE campaign issue in every election for a town supervisor.
Without the lake, there is no tourism.
Without tourism, the quality of life will deteriorate in all our communities.
Read The Lake George Mirror's report on the changing quality of the lake water. It is important.
Death with dignity
The Death with Dignity bill passed the New York state Senate 35-27 Monday with local Republicans Dan Stec and Jim Tedisco voting against it.
It is now up to Gov. Kathy Hochul about whether it becomes law. She has not taken a position on it yet.
New York would become the 12th state to implement medical aid in dying (in addition to the District of Columbia).
The New York Times reported the state's bill is "written more narrowly and would apply only to people who have an incurable and irreversible illness, with six months or less to live. Proponents say that distinction is key."
Broadway pipeline
Here's another reason you need to see a show at the Adirondack Theater Festival this summer.
You may not realize it but Glens Falls has become a pipeline to Broadway. And I'm not talking about the one in Saratoga Springs.
Among those that had a stake in the Tony Awards Sunday night was Adirondack Theater Festival co-founder David Turner with his show "Operation Mincemeat."
Consider this list that ATF posted before the awards of alumni with a stake in the Tony Awards in addition to Turner.
- Marty McGurie (ATF 2021-22).
- Jeb Brown (Beau, 2019).
- Hagan Oliveras (Last Stop on Market Street, 2022)
- Russell Granet (Tony Honor)
- David Beach (Slow Food, 2021).
Good Night, And Good Luck
CNN broadcast a live performance of George Clooney's hit Broadway show Good Night, And Good Luck about the Joe McCarthy's communist witch hunt in the 1950s.
With no commercials.
After the broadcast, CNN's Anderson Cooper spoked to 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley about the similarities between McCarthyism and now.
“I sense in the country today that there is also a fear to speak because it might wipe out your university, it might wipe out your law firm, it might ruin your career. And the theme of all of that together today is that we have to have the courage to speak as Americans. You can agree with the government or disagree with the government, but you must not be silent."
Words to live by.
At the Tony Awards Sunday night, Good Night, And Good Luck was nominated for five awards, but was shut out.
Los Angeles burning
During the protests in Los Angeles this weekend, an Australian television reporter (9News) was shot with a rubber bullet by a member of law enforcement. The video of the incident shows Lauren Tomasi doing a live report and a law enforcement member in riot gear take aim at her and fire. It was clearly intentional.
Here is a link to the video:
Tomasi screamed in pain after being hit and another voice is heard saying, “You just (expletive) shot the reporter!” Tomasi later reported that her and her cameraman were safe. 9News is one of Australia's largest media companies.
Tom Jones of the Poynter Institute reported that Australian senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to bring up the incident with President Trump.
“US authorities shooting an Australian journalist is simply shocking," Hanson-Young said. "It is completely unacceptable and must be called out. The prime minister must seek an urgent explanation from the U.S. administration. As Albanese is preparing for his first meeting with President Trump, the first thing he must tell the president is to stop shooting at our journalists. Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong, functioning democracy.”
Bravo Australia
LA burning II
You may remember Tom Homan, Trump's immigration czar, who tried to deport a family with children from the North Country town where he lives. He made news again this weekend by saying he would arrest the Los Angeles mayor and Gov. Gavin Newsom if they obstructed immigration enforcement.
Newsom responded with this:
“What the hell is this guy? Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with. Tough guy. You know? I don’t give a damn, but I care about my community. I care about this community. The hell are they doing? These guys need to grow up, they need to stop, and we need to push back, and I’m sorry to be so clear, but—that kind of bloviating is exhausting. So, Tom, arrest me. Let’s go.”
When Donald Trump heard about the exchange Monday, he encouraged Homan to arrest the governor.
Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book "The Last American Newspaper" into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.
"Los Angeles burning"
Rather than Los Angeles burning, what is actually on fire is our U.S. Constitution. Trump has torched it on a daily basis.
“...she had without exception the most stupid, vulgar, empty mind that he had ever encountered. She had not a thought in her head that was not a slogan, and there was no imbecility, absolutely none that she was not capable of swallowing if the Party handed it out to her. 'The human sound-track' he nicknamed her in his own mind.” - George Orwell, 1984