I met Aaron when I was DEM Town Chair in Hartford NY (also elected town council member and Deputy Town Supervisor). Nice guy, but his campaign manager was completely out of touch with the complexities of the makeup of the voters in the 21st District and didn't listen to people who were from here, knew the region and had deep connections to the entire district. Aaron was way too nice, they didn't see the brilliant Trump like tactics being used to brand him, and "Brooklyn's Upstate Congressman" stuck fast thanks to her nasty staff. BUT, the bigger reason she won was because of REP dirty tricks. Matt Doheny jumped in to the race late and had significant name recognition from a prior run, she was nobody. When he ran for REP nomination and another line (as did she), he promised he would stay in the race if he lost REP nomination. He lost to her on that line, but he did a 180. The only way you can get off the ballot once on is to die, become a convicted felon or run for another office. Doheny must have gotten a call from some high level REPs (remember Stefanik worked in Bush WH with Karl Rove and was debate coach for Speaker Ryan when her ran for VP). So how is it that Doheny suddenly was off the ballot for House seat but was running for a Judgeship in Brooklyn (he being from Alexandria Bay in St. Lawrence County)? And the rest is history because once Stefanik went MAGA all the voters of that persuasion in very rural 21st went out to vote. She's the worst representative we've ever seen.
I remember Aaron. He stood out in his interview as a "real person"-a bit like the Velveteen Rabbit. The type of person we need more of in politics. You could feel no matter where he ended it, he would make a positive difference. So unlike our present narcissistic Elise. Nice article Ken.
This is exactly along the lines I was going when I commented on your last story. I was trying to point out that government has become the problem instead of the solution on many fronts. My own constituent responded that I was sensationalizing for political purposes. My comment was totally non political. Aaron points out that rural areas weren’t even considered for the importance of community. He is so right, political parties want to win, not necessarily make communities better. He is right, we all start naive. The Adirondack Park is a beautiful place to live, but honestly special interest has decimated every opportunity to increase public safety in the Adirondacks. Cell service, high speed internet, hardened trails, and anything else that has been proposed gets push back in the name of saving the environment. Most of these things won’t hurt the environment, but would enhance the lives of the people that live there. At least Aaron won’t get told he is sensationalizing the facts in doing his good work. However, because I am an actual public servant that can actually see how government policies work against our hard working citizens, I can tell the same story as Aaron and that makes it political. People are asking government for the wrong things. Until people are responsible for their own actions, government will clearly allow our quality of life to erode. I’m making an honest effort for your readers to dig deep into their values as to what they really want from government? All sides want to win, I would rather we make a difference. Preferably a positive one.
One sentence stands out to me (well, many - very good comment) "until people are responsible for their own actions". That currently IS a big issue. It applies to politicians, sure, but to all of us. Responsibility for all actions. We ask that of our kids when they are young but doesnt it seem as adults - that kind of goes by the wayside.
Individuals with vision and courage are the ones who are most effective in changing the landscape of a community. Local examples were Bruce Levinsky, followed by Peter Hoffman and Sonny Bonacio, as well as the many individuals, local and outsiders, who bought properties in Downtown GF and renovated storefronts and upstairs living areas. In some cases, gov't assistance was obtained to complete the projects. Question for anyone: Does that stain their efforts???
It seems to me that THAT is what govt assistance is for! To help individuals or groups to make things better for everyone - at least I think that was the intention.
That is such a great question!! So I will give you my opinion as to what I have seen over the years. We have a lot of issues in communities because government regulations have made it hard to volunteer. The many hours of training ing that have been mandated on firefighters and EMS workers have made rural areas deficient in available volunteers. Government answers with sending money just to take credit that they have addressed the issue. So now a lot of civic groups are competing for government money.
When that money dries up , so do the community groups.
Think about what churches, Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs, Rotary, etc have done over the years. Those groups believe in community and are a lot of more efficient and with more effective outcomes because it is tailored to community needs. I don’t want to take away from the good work the people you have mentioned have done, but we do need moderation in all aspects. Community groups that aren’t tied to government do far more with less money. They have an opportunity to last because when governments change, it has no effect on their existence. Including younger generations has become the biggest hurdle.
I think it might be worth considering some of your assumptions may not fully explain the reality of what we are seeing.
First, I would suggest that training EMS and firefighters is necessary for safety of everyone involved and that perhaps government funding is intended to actually help, and not just to take credit for addressing the issue. I suspect that in emergency situations safety is the primary consideration, not efficiency.
But no doubt there is greater difficulty in finding volunteers for community organizations than there was some decades ago. There are a lot of obvious reasons for that, among them that many communities are losing population, residents are growing older, and fewer people are running their own businesses or working in small communities making it more difficult be as actively involved.
I will note that churches do have some government advantage in that they are not taxed on property, and 4H is supported through the quasi-governmental Cooperative Extension service. Other volunteer organizations in small communities benefit from direct and indirect government assistance such as use of school resources, recreation centers, public parks, etc.
To my mind government is not the enemy, it’s the means of binding community together.
It is a means of binding the community together, or certainly has been in the past. What is new is the lack of foresight in the policies that restrict the opportunity of not just new volunteers, but make it so people that are very experienced and always did volunteer are not able to meet expanded requirements that really are not necessary. Certainly more training is great, but volunteers work full time and coming up with more hours while trying to keep family activities in place is a huge challenge. It really keeps young people from being involved.
I agree that families are pressed for time and money. We have fewer kids in small communities, and those kids have more demands on their time. I’m old. When I was a kid we didn’t really have the number or variety of various sports leagues after school, on weekends or over the summer. Very few of us had any expectation we would get a sports scholarship, but we could also afford college by working summers and taking out very modest school loans.
Gréât update on a man who didn’t give up. I always say there’s the big picture meaning grand scale world problems and the little picture- the issues in my surroundings. Aaron jumped in with both feet to make a difference in his little picture of life in Elizabethtown. And he’s had success, feeling of accomplishment and pride in making a difference in and for his community!! Thank you Ken for acknowledging a local leader! And to Aaron Bravo bravo!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Aaron’s analysis of the bright future for our small towns if we change our conception of how to build community is on target.
I suspect his analysis of the Democratic Party’s relationship with rural America is based in the political bigotry of national leadership, of DC and NYC based technocrats within the party who took the concept of Howard Dean’s small donor fundraising to heart but rejected his ideas of 50 state strategies.
Close to exactly 10 years ago a group of us in the local DFA group organized by Larry, Dick and Pat Dudley, met with Aaron and later had a bite to eat and drinks in downtown Glens Falls which was just beginning its rebirth. I commented to Aaron that we are in a John C Calhoun time in our history and especially so in our district.
I reject the “both sides” arguments about the major parties, especially so in our region. People like Aaron exist in our communities advocating forward thinking vision to reshape our future while GOP elected to most local elected offices continue their “states rights” ideas, growing older, and complaining that all the old people they know are dying or moving to Florida blaming nearly everything on high taxes, government regulation, “Albany” and “the City.” They appear not to recognize the energy, ideas, and leadership of “younger” (and “younger” could be 50) people moving here because of the opportunity we provide. Examples? Think about people like Claudia Braymer and Diana Palmer in Glens Falls, smart active professionals who moved here to raise families.
It isn’t hard to find the opposing ideas from long time local GOP politicians who seem to constantly gripe that they’re restricted from making things better. You’ll see some of that in these responses. Do they ever consider that their approach to rebuilding their small communities simply has not been effective? That their ideas haven’t worked and they should try something else?
I make a living by hitting steel with a hammer until it looks good. If I keep hitting the same spot with the same hammer the same way and it isn’t looking better I can choose to keep doing the same thing or maybe I can try hitting a different spot, a different way, or use a different hammer. But I know that the steel isn’t “Albany” steel. It’s not “Washington” steel or “New York City” steel. It’s not trying to fight me. I’m going to consider the idea I’m somehow doing something wrong.
Thank you for writing this column. As the Democratic and Working Families Party candidate running in 2024 against Elise Stefanik, I can attest to the fact that the rhetoric in politics has definitely have taken a dark turn, as have the tactics to define even who gets on the ballot (I survived an attempt to get my candidacy invalidated through erroneous and fraudulent efforts by Stefanik supporters). I resonate with Aaron Woolf's determination to make the North Country a better place. It's the "dailiness" (is that a word?) of our lives that builds community and inspires commitment. I hope to meet Aaron Woolf and to see Elizabethtown through his eyes.
Excellent piece. A decade later and we’re still in the same place. Rural Democrats get little national attention or support and lack the resources to run against embedded Republicans. Some of my Democratic friends feel their best shot is to support moderate Republican primary challenges to the conservative fringe. It’s been a rough ten years.
This memory could be clearer. I saw Springsteen in Syracuse in the 1970's. My mind tells me I saw him twice, but I can't back that up. That was when he started singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." I remember the show as energetic and spontaneous—lots of on-stage antics. I must have compared notes with those of someone who saw him later in another venue (I did not see him twice despite my memory). All the memorable "spontaneous" parts were identical at each show. I was shocked to learn that it was all an act! It didn't diminish my admiration for Springsteen; scripted or not, the show was a lot of fun. In the long run, it made me appreciate the work and attention to detail that goes into mounting a stage show and the dedication and enthusiasm to keep it looking fresh, show after show after show. Keep up the good work.
Wonderful piece, Ken, on Aaron Woolf—a genuine human being. I recall making calls on his behalf from his Glens Falls campaign office, and then running into him a few years later in his Deer’s Head Inn in Elizabethtown.
Aaron’ s vision for and commitment to E’town is refreshing and exciting. E’town has a special place in our hearts. Sixty-six years ago, Meg and I spent our honeymoon in a cottage on Cobble Hill in E’town, and have since spent every summer vacationing there, until retiring here.
Meg’s father was born and bred in E’town, and spent his adult life in Westchester County. His father, Meg’s grandfather, George Levi Brown, was editor for many years of “The Elizabethtown Post’ and author of the classic history of E’town and Essex County—“Pleasant Valley.”
Our hope and prayer is that Aaron’s vision for E’town becomes reality.
Nice work. Great story. Looking forward to the follow-up.
Thanks for this. Yes, people can make a difference.
I had the honor and pleasure of working on the Woolf campaign. Arron was and still is a wonderful guy and is an asset to the North Country.
I met Aaron when I was DEM Town Chair in Hartford NY (also elected town council member and Deputy Town Supervisor). Nice guy, but his campaign manager was completely out of touch with the complexities of the makeup of the voters in the 21st District and didn't listen to people who were from here, knew the region and had deep connections to the entire district. Aaron was way too nice, they didn't see the brilliant Trump like tactics being used to brand him, and "Brooklyn's Upstate Congressman" stuck fast thanks to her nasty staff. BUT, the bigger reason she won was because of REP dirty tricks. Matt Doheny jumped in to the race late and had significant name recognition from a prior run, she was nobody. When he ran for REP nomination and another line (as did she), he promised he would stay in the race if he lost REP nomination. He lost to her on that line, but he did a 180. The only way you can get off the ballot once on is to die, become a convicted felon or run for another office. Doheny must have gotten a call from some high level REPs (remember Stefanik worked in Bush WH with Karl Rove and was debate coach for Speaker Ryan when her ran for VP). So how is it that Doheny suddenly was off the ballot for House seat but was running for a Judgeship in Brooklyn (he being from Alexandria Bay in St. Lawrence County)? And the rest is history because once Stefanik went MAGA all the voters of that persuasion in very rural 21st went out to vote. She's the worst representative we've ever seen.
Thanks for the reminder about Doheny. I forgot about the judgeship.
I remember Aaron. He stood out in his interview as a "real person"-a bit like the Velveteen Rabbit. The type of person we need more of in politics. You could feel no matter where he ended it, he would make a positive difference. So unlike our present narcissistic Elise. Nice article Ken.
Hi Ken,
This is exactly along the lines I was going when I commented on your last story. I was trying to point out that government has become the problem instead of the solution on many fronts. My own constituent responded that I was sensationalizing for political purposes. My comment was totally non political. Aaron points out that rural areas weren’t even considered for the importance of community. He is so right, political parties want to win, not necessarily make communities better. He is right, we all start naive. The Adirondack Park is a beautiful place to live, but honestly special interest has decimated every opportunity to increase public safety in the Adirondacks. Cell service, high speed internet, hardened trails, and anything else that has been proposed gets push back in the name of saving the environment. Most of these things won’t hurt the environment, but would enhance the lives of the people that live there. At least Aaron won’t get told he is sensationalizing the facts in doing his good work. However, because I am an actual public servant that can actually see how government policies work against our hard working citizens, I can tell the same story as Aaron and that makes it political. People are asking government for the wrong things. Until people are responsible for their own actions, government will clearly allow our quality of life to erode. I’m making an honest effort for your readers to dig deep into their values as to what they really want from government? All sides want to win, I would rather we make a difference. Preferably a positive one.
One sentence stands out to me (well, many - very good comment) "until people are responsible for their own actions". That currently IS a big issue. It applies to politicians, sure, but to all of us. Responsibility for all actions. We ask that of our kids when they are young but doesnt it seem as adults - that kind of goes by the wayside.
Good point about politicians needing to be accountable.
Individuals with vision and courage are the ones who are most effective in changing the landscape of a community. Local examples were Bruce Levinsky, followed by Peter Hoffman and Sonny Bonacio, as well as the many individuals, local and outsiders, who bought properties in Downtown GF and renovated storefronts and upstairs living areas. In some cases, gov't assistance was obtained to complete the projects. Question for anyone: Does that stain their efforts???
It seems to me that THAT is what govt assistance is for! To help individuals or groups to make things better for everyone - at least I think that was the intention.
That is such a great question!! So I will give you my opinion as to what I have seen over the years. We have a lot of issues in communities because government regulations have made it hard to volunteer. The many hours of training ing that have been mandated on firefighters and EMS workers have made rural areas deficient in available volunteers. Government answers with sending money just to take credit that they have addressed the issue. So now a lot of civic groups are competing for government money.
When that money dries up , so do the community groups.
Think about what churches, Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs, Rotary, etc have done over the years. Those groups believe in community and are a lot of more efficient and with more effective outcomes because it is tailored to community needs. I don’t want to take away from the good work the people you have mentioned have done, but we do need moderation in all aspects. Community groups that aren’t tied to government do far more with less money. They have an opportunity to last because when governments change, it has no effect on their existence. Including younger generations has become the biggest hurdle.
I think it might be worth considering some of your assumptions may not fully explain the reality of what we are seeing.
First, I would suggest that training EMS and firefighters is necessary for safety of everyone involved and that perhaps government funding is intended to actually help, and not just to take credit for addressing the issue. I suspect that in emergency situations safety is the primary consideration, not efficiency.
But no doubt there is greater difficulty in finding volunteers for community organizations than there was some decades ago. There are a lot of obvious reasons for that, among them that many communities are losing population, residents are growing older, and fewer people are running their own businesses or working in small communities making it more difficult be as actively involved.
I will note that churches do have some government advantage in that they are not taxed on property, and 4H is supported through the quasi-governmental Cooperative Extension service. Other volunteer organizations in small communities benefit from direct and indirect government assistance such as use of school resources, recreation centers, public parks, etc.
To my mind government is not the enemy, it’s the means of binding community together.
It is a means of binding the community together, or certainly has been in the past. What is new is the lack of foresight in the policies that restrict the opportunity of not just new volunteers, but make it so people that are very experienced and always did volunteer are not able to meet expanded requirements that really are not necessary. Certainly more training is great, but volunteers work full time and coming up with more hours while trying to keep family activities in place is a huge challenge. It really keeps young people from being involved.
I agree that families are pressed for time and money. We have fewer kids in small communities, and those kids have more demands on their time. I’m old. When I was a kid we didn’t really have the number or variety of various sports leagues after school, on weekends or over the summer. Very few of us had any expectation we would get a sports scholarship, but we could also afford college by working summers and taking out very modest school loans.
But maybe thinking “outside the box” offers some hope: https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/44988/20211215/these-sackets-harbor-teenagers-became-frontline-emergency-responders-during-the-pandemic
Gréât update on a man who didn’t give up. I always say there’s the big picture meaning grand scale world problems and the little picture- the issues in my surroundings. Aaron jumped in with both feet to make a difference in his little picture of life in Elizabethtown. And he’s had success, feeling of accomplishment and pride in making a difference in and for his community!! Thank you Ken for acknowledging a local leader! And to Aaron Bravo bravo!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Aaron’s analysis of the bright future for our small towns if we change our conception of how to build community is on target.
I suspect his analysis of the Democratic Party’s relationship with rural America is based in the political bigotry of national leadership, of DC and NYC based technocrats within the party who took the concept of Howard Dean’s small donor fundraising to heart but rejected his ideas of 50 state strategies.
Close to exactly 10 years ago a group of us in the local DFA group organized by Larry, Dick and Pat Dudley, met with Aaron and later had a bite to eat and drinks in downtown Glens Falls which was just beginning its rebirth. I commented to Aaron that we are in a John C Calhoun time in our history and especially so in our district.
I reject the “both sides” arguments about the major parties, especially so in our region. People like Aaron exist in our communities advocating forward thinking vision to reshape our future while GOP elected to most local elected offices continue their “states rights” ideas, growing older, and complaining that all the old people they know are dying or moving to Florida blaming nearly everything on high taxes, government regulation, “Albany” and “the City.” They appear not to recognize the energy, ideas, and leadership of “younger” (and “younger” could be 50) people moving here because of the opportunity we provide. Examples? Think about people like Claudia Braymer and Diana Palmer in Glens Falls, smart active professionals who moved here to raise families.
It isn’t hard to find the opposing ideas from long time local GOP politicians who seem to constantly gripe that they’re restricted from making things better. You’ll see some of that in these responses. Do they ever consider that their approach to rebuilding their small communities simply has not been effective? That their ideas haven’t worked and they should try something else?
I make a living by hitting steel with a hammer until it looks good. If I keep hitting the same spot with the same hammer the same way and it isn’t looking better I can choose to keep doing the same thing or maybe I can try hitting a different spot, a different way, or use a different hammer. But I know that the steel isn’t “Albany” steel. It’s not “Washington” steel or “New York City” steel. It’s not trying to fight me. I’m going to consider the idea I’m somehow doing something wrong.
Thank you for writing this column. As the Democratic and Working Families Party candidate running in 2024 against Elise Stefanik, I can attest to the fact that the rhetoric in politics has definitely have taken a dark turn, as have the tactics to define even who gets on the ballot (I survived an attempt to get my candidacy invalidated through erroneous and fraudulent efforts by Stefanik supporters). I resonate with Aaron Woolf's determination to make the North Country a better place. It's the "dailiness" (is that a word?) of our lives that builds community and inspires commitment. I hope to meet Aaron Woolf and to see Elizabethtown through his eyes.
Excellent piece. A decade later and we’re still in the same place. Rural Democrats get little national attention or support and lack the resources to run against embedded Republicans. Some of my Democratic friends feel their best shot is to support moderate Republican primary challenges to the conservative fringe. It’s been a rough ten years.
Very excellent story, the best a story can be, reaching our souls.
Diane Collins
Sounds like a good fellow. What a shame that he lost to Stefanik.
This memory could be clearer. I saw Springsteen in Syracuse in the 1970's. My mind tells me I saw him twice, but I can't back that up. That was when he started singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." I remember the show as energetic and spontaneous—lots of on-stage antics. I must have compared notes with those of someone who saw him later in another venue (I did not see him twice despite my memory). All the memorable "spontaneous" parts were identical at each show. I was shocked to learn that it was all an act! It didn't diminish my admiration for Springsteen; scripted or not, the show was a lot of fun. In the long run, it made me appreciate the work and attention to detail that goes into mounting a stage show and the dedication and enthusiasm to keep it looking fresh, show after show after show. Keep up the good work.
I subscribe to Popular Information - you will find this interesting I'm sure.
https://popular.info/p/congressman-praises-racist-heckling?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=b9ign&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Wonderful piece, Ken, on Aaron Woolf—a genuine human being. I recall making calls on his behalf from his Glens Falls campaign office, and then running into him a few years later in his Deer’s Head Inn in Elizabethtown.
Aaron’ s vision for and commitment to E’town is refreshing and exciting. E’town has a special place in our hearts. Sixty-six years ago, Meg and I spent our honeymoon in a cottage on Cobble Hill in E’town, and have since spent every summer vacationing there, until retiring here.
Meg’s father was born and bred in E’town, and spent his adult life in Westchester County. His father, Meg’s grandfather, George Levi Brown, was editor for many years of “The Elizabethtown Post’ and author of the classic history of E’town and Essex County—“Pleasant Valley.”
Our hope and prayer is that Aaron’s vision for E’town becomes reality.