Commentary & Opinion

Today I am presenting a very personal commentary.    Last May, I lost Annie, my darling life-partner of 53 years.   On November 2, former colleagues from both the Springfield and Longmeadow school systems as well as from the University of Massachusetts and the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center joined with family, friends and acquaintances at Mount Holyoke College’s Willetts-Hallowell Hall to honor her and celebrate her life.   I am taking this opportunity to share with my listeners a few things about this amazing wonderful beautiful human being --- a woman with whom I have been privileged to share over five decades of my life, a woman who lived a wonderful --- but of course much too short --- life.

Over the past two weeks, Sen. Toby Stavisky, chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Higher Education, has presided over public hearings on the cost of public higher education in New York. The cost of a SUNY education, as well as the underfunding of SUNY, its medical schools and public teaching hospitals were also discussed.

You cannot watch any measurable amount of youth sports without eventually seeing what’s called a blowout. Basically where one team wins by such a lopsided margin it’s uncomfortable, no matter which side of ledger you’re on. That might be a 12-0 soccer match, or a 50-10 basketball game, or even a 15-50 cross country race, for those of you who know the sport. Assuming you keep score, uneven sports results are fairly endemic to the games our kids play, despite our often best intentions.

We were out of town most of last month and the trip back took three separate flights, all the hassle of traveling by plane, and more than 24 hours from leaving my wife’s cousin to walking into our front door. We’re still recovering from the time difference, the lack of sleep and the heat wave in heaven.

Last week, after a long wait, Sen. Elizabeth Warren released her latest plan:  how to pay for her proposed “Medicare for All” program.

One of the big changes in how New York runs its elections is a measure to allow “early voting.”  Early voting allows for people to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day.  And early voting has been tested across the nation.

A variety of reports are sending negative signals with regard to large capital purchases which went down 1.1%, as well as the investment by business in large commercial products which also over a two-month period has dropped 1.1%.  It was also recently reported that our annual budget deficit is nearing $1 trillion for 2019 which is a 26% increase resulting from the 2017 tax cut and increased spending.  These three pieces of data become very important in an attempt to analyze the direction of the economy as opposed to the stock market which is the focus of much of the commentary.  Ask your Congress person what their position is on the growing deficit and debt.

There is an ancient saying: "May you live in interesting times." This expression is intended to be ironic. It reflects anxiety and fear about current events or perhaps even the future. 

On a trip to Paris last week, I walked through the halls and stairwells of one of France’s oldest academic institutions: La Sorbonne. The university was founded as far back as the 1200s and has 24,000 students spread across twelve campuses.

This could be called a tale of two birthdays. While celebrating my wife’s birthday at a restaurant, she got an email in response to her request that the writer handle some things at an upcoming national conference.

In 2011, Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature passed “SUNY2020,” a multi-part higher education bill which, among other things, increased tuition annually at the State University of New York and the City University of New York.   At the time of first passage, Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers promised to use the additional tuition dollars to enhance student services, including but not limited to; academic mentoring, counseling and advising. The tuition dollars were not intended to backfill budget holes, but rather enhance students’ education.

In a recent press conference Speaker Pelosi talked directly to Mr. Trump and allegedly posed to him the following: “You are a casino man, correct.  Then you should know not to bet against the house.” I thought this was an incredibly clever statement that plays well on so many levels.

As the House of Representatives and the Trump Administration spar over impeachment, the public can be excused for forgetting about our national debt and annual deficits. Forgetting it doesn’t change the fact that the nation’s finances are a mess.

I’ve spoken recently about the seriousness of Trump’s disloyalty as reflected in the whistle-blower’s complaint, his drive to imitate Hitler in exercising power, and the way rising wrong-wing violence is aggravating the threat from Trump. All are reasons to impeach or defeat Trump as soon as possible, and they combine to aggravate the danger of a dictatorial takeover.

New York has had a well-deserved reputation as a state with laws that discourage voter participation.  In the area of redistricting, elected officials have long conspired to deny voters competitive elections.  In the area of campaign finance, loopholes in the law make it possible for wealthy and powerful interests to shower candidates with contributions of unlimited amounts.  In the area of ethics, enforcement is controlled by the state’s elected leadership.  In the area of voting, state policies have created obstacles to registering to vote and casting a ballot.

POTUS’ decision to abandon the Kurds along the Turkish-Syria border was purportedly based upon his desire to pull troops out of harm’s way and keep us out of endless wars. Within days, however, he ordered additional troops and equipment into Saudi Arabia which is clearly engaged in a conflict with Iran.  We abandon one ally in an act that can only be described as one of cowardice, and put troops in harm’s way on behalf of another ally.  It looks like our decisions are based upon oil and money.  Virtually all members of Congress, former State and Defense department officials expressed dismay while our troops (Green Berets have described their feelings as those of shame).  POTUS announced on October 18th that ceasefire has been agreed to which gave away Kurdish land and appears to be without benefit to the US or the Kurds, and as one might expect, there are reports of continued fighting.  There is a rumor on the street that Turkey is investigating Elizabeth Warren and the Kurds are searching fir dirt on other democratic candidates.  Just kidding. 

Fear. Fear of the other. Fear of the outsider. Fear of change. Fear of everything. Anger and Rage. At the rich. At the system, whatever that means. At our innate powerlessness.

Now that October is here, fall has truly arrived. And in school districts across the state, students are gearing up for Halloween, whether they’re picking out costumes for trick or treating, or making plans for Halloween dances and parties.

Two weeks ago, I attended the 2019 Warsaw Security Forum as a participant of the New Security Leaders fellowship. The gathering is an annual event that brings together NATO, European, and American political and thought leaders to discuss global security and the preservation of Western democratic institutions.

I spoke last week about Trump’s intentions. His intentions are particularly scary because of the growth of wrong-wing violence. Time Magazine published an excellent summary as The Terror Within, in its August 19 issue.  Vera Bergengruen and W.J. Hennigan first broke their story on Time’s website. They explained that white nationalists are responsible for a multiple of the deaths and injuries from any other causes of terrorism in the U.S. since 9/11, more than all other causes put together. But Congress and this Administration frustrated FBI efforts to assign more agents to stop mass killers from mowing us down. As a result it gets worse.

The United Nations’ Climate Action Week wrapped up with intense speeches, promises and emotional pleas for action.  Here in New York, the battle over how best to respond to the unfolding climate catastrophe is intensifying.