Memo to aspiring Obama-ites: Pay your dang taxes!

First Tim Geithner; now Tom Daschle - two men called to service in Barack Obama's Best-and-Brightest administration who had to do some serious last minute tax tweaking.

So here's my advice to all of you up-and-coming apparatchiks: Tell your tax-preparers to color inside the lines. No fuzzy math, no questionable deductions.

One more observation.

With this percentage of tax-fudgers in Obama's cabinet, I wonder how many of the nation's elite are shirking their legal share of the tax burden?

Maybe the IRS needs a new enforcement wing devoted exclusively to the rich. Call it the Future Office-holders Vetting Division.

Maybe we don't really have a budget deficit at all? Just a lot of uber-rich folks who need to "adjust" their returns for the last decade...

African Americans now lead both national political parties

I know - Barack Obama isn't technically chairman of the Democratic National Committee, but he's still the leader in chief of the his party.

And now Michael Steele heads the RNC.

He's the first black man to hold the chairmanship of the Republican Party.

It's been an amazing few months in terms of our society's on-going negotiation with issues of race.

This can only be positive, in terms of the Republican Party's coming-to-grips with the country's changing demographic texture.

And I know people are getting tired of my rah-rah and my exceptionalism, but I think I'm being accurate when I say: Only in America.

New in (the small) Town

Okay, I'm going to break one of my cardinal rules: I'm going to slam something I've never seen.

The latest Renee Zelleweger film, "New In Town," is all about a big-city corporate shark gal learning a bit about life and finding romance in a small town.

Sigh.

The New York Times doesn't mind the city-mouse country-mouse schtick so much, they just want it done better.

“New In Town” has no idea of how to play its cards. From their regional accents to their cutesy-poo vocabulary (lots of okey-dokeys), the Minnesotans whom Lucy encounters are ludicrous parodies of the characters in “Fargo.” You feel as if you are watching creatures more exotic than Snow White’s seven dwarfs.

And who's the small-town hunk? Harry Connick Jr., one of the most cosmopolitan guys I've ever seen on-screen.

I'm sure there's a Green Acres remake in our future.

Oh, well. There's no escaping this stuff. It'll be with us until we all live in orbital space colonies.

County group demands Adk property tax payments

I'm listening in right now to a news conference in Albany where the New York state Association of Counties is demanding that state officials continue paying full property taxes on forest preserve land in the Adirondacks.

Governor Paterson's proposal to cap those tax payments has infuriated just about everyone in the Park, from green groups to town supervisors and school superintendents.

"It's unfair and unwise," says Fred Monroe, head of the Adirondack Local Government Review Board. "And if the state can't afford to pay taxes on the land that it owns, then it should have a moratorium on the land that it purchases."

The thing is, most environmentalists agree: If the state can't pay taxes on the forest preserve, they say, the "social contract" for that kind of land conservation is shattered.

Consider the town of Arietta, where 90% of the land is state forest. If the state caps payments on those lands, the town is permanently hobbled.

Look for this to be a major fight during the legislative session. More during All Before Five and during the 8 O'clock Hour.

Gillibrand gets Ag appointment

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be the first New Yorker to sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee since 1968 (that according to the Watertown Daily Times). Our new senator has no farming background, but has enough of an interest to have garnered big support from the New York Farm Bureau. In a press release, Gillibrand said "the Agriculture committee has a little bit for everyone in New York, from funding for low-income families that need food assistance, to programs to support the growing organics markets, to technical assistance and insurance for the vineyards of Long Island and the dairy farms of Western New York."

So now we have Gillibrand in Washington and Aubertine in Albany with influence in ag policy. It'll be interesting to see to what extent they'll be able to carry the ball in the direction of the diversified, relatively low subsidy farming of New York.

FYI, Gillibrand will also sit on the Foreign Relations and Environment and Public Works committees, too - both also very relevant to North Country issues (Adirondacks, St. Lawrence River, Fort Drum, etc.)

Obama's bipartisan pipe dream

First, I'll admit a bias: I'm not a big fan of bipartisanship.

We have two parties for the very reason that democracies need spirited, competitive debate.

That debate should be civil, intelligent and rational; all sides should listen and learn from opposing interests.

(This kind of ideological competition is even more important when times are tough. Many of our fiercest debates have come during the Civil War, the Depression, and the two World Wars.)

But in the end, the party or candidate who wins the most votes is obligated to lead the country, vigorously and boldly.

And if their leadership doesn't produce results? We vote them out of office.

But in these first weeks of his presidency, Barack Obama has made the mistake of chasing the chimera of bipartisanship.

Rather than arguing vigorously and clearly for the virtues of his epic stimulus package, he tried to build credibility by attracting Republican votes.

He traded the bully pulpit for the buddy system.

It was a flop, of course, and not just because the GOP was stubborn or obstructionist.

The real problem was that President Obama lacked the gumption to lead decisively.
Chalk it up to beginning jitters.

In future, Mr. Obama should listen respectfully to the opposition, adopt any good ideas that come his way, and then let the votes fall where they may.

Because the simple truth is that Republicans have a fundamentally different philosophy of government; which is as it should be.

If Mr. Obama really feels that his New Deal-style stimulus will create 3-4 million jobs, then his duty isn't to "compromise" until he wins a few Republicans to his side.

His job is to act swiftly and confidently.

At present, it appears that the President feels the need for Republican "cover." Or perhaps he's not really confident about his own philosophy?

Hopefully that's not the case. During the campaign, Mr. Obama seemed to offer a clear and decisive vision. And that's exactly what we need.

What if his vision turns out to be wrong? We'll sort it out in 2012.

Political correctness and common sense

Republicans have been leery of "political correctness" for a long time; and with fair reason.

Many of the social verities of the 1990s were a little precious, a little over-sensitive, and distinctly liberal.

But in a season that follows one of the most seismic drubbings in the GOP's history, conservatives simply have to adapt to a culture that sees the world very differently.

The GOP's blinkered vision is playing out on a national level and on a local level. Take women.

When the Republican county chairmen in the 20th congressional district gathered this week to review possible candidates to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, they never gave State Senator Betty Little a chance to make her case.

Memo to chairmen: Sen. Little -- yes, a woman -- actually lives in the district and has represented this region for more than a decade.

Give her the courtesy of a job interview.

An isolated incident?

In the last 24 hours, Republicans have waded into a pair of flinch-making gaffes.

Former GOP House whip Dick Armey scolded a prominent female political pundit with this classy line:

"I'm so glad that you could never be my wife," Armey said, on MSNBC, "because I surely wouldn't have to listen to that prattle from you every day."

Then, former President George Bush Sr. told a joke about a pro-choice protester, calling her "one of the ugliest, angriest women I've ever seen. Boy she was really bad."

"Stay out of my womb!" the woman shouted at Bush. His witty reply: "No problem, lady."

Snicker.

This folderol comes at a time when one leading candidate to lead the Republican National Committee distributed a parody song called "Barack the Magic Negro."

And then Rush Limbaugh uncorked this beauty:

"We're being told that we have to...bend over grab the ankles, bend over forward, backward, whichever, because his father was black, because this is the first black President -- we've got to accept this!"

Nice.

This isn't about political correctness or media bias. It's common sense.

In the last election, Republicans (including gubernatorial and congressional candidates) lost with every age demographic except voters over 65.

The GOP lost big among minorities and women. And young people. Some of this unpopularity reflects policy differences. But Republicans can't afford this kind of off-message, off-color frothing.

The first step toward rebuilding the Republican Brand? Have some respect -- and have some dignity.

McHugh, sounding apologetic, votes No on stimulus

North Country Congressman John McHugh joined New York state's GOP congressional delegation in voting against President Barack Obama's massive stimulus package.

Rep. McHugh followed the leadership of House minority leader John Boehner, from Ohio, a man McHugh has fiercely criticized in the past. (Not a single Republican nationwide voted for the Obama bill.)

Here's Congressman McHugh's full statement:

“Today’s vote was a difficult decision. There was much in the measure that I support – funding for education, rural broadband, and health care services being among them. However, I do not believe this bill – in its current form – is as good as we can do. When over one trillion dollars in American taxpayer money is involved, failing to improve this bill is simply unacceptable.

“Yesterday, President Obama met with House Republicans, and expressed a strong desire to work with us to craft the very best bill possible. Bipartisanship is a word thrown around in Washington, often without true meaning. I commend the President for keeping his commitment to genuinely solicit the input of those who might not agree with him. President Obama also made it clear that this bill is a starting point, and there is much more work to be done – including incorporating the input of the U.S. Senate and House Republicans. I wish House Democrats had shown the same commitment to open debate and real discussion. We may not always agree, but the final product, and the interests of all taxpayers, would be better served.

“One particular provision that I have championed to be included in any stimulus legislation is a suspension of the federal income tax on unemployment benefits. With job loss numbers climbing higher across the United States, including in the 23rd District, it is unacceptable that the federal government collects taxes on American workers who have lost their job in an economic recession. Americans struggling through a period of unemployment should be free from the additional burden of federal income taxes, and my proposed suspension would give families an extra boost as they struggle to make ends meet. I have introduced legislation both last fall and in this Congress that would achieve this goal and, along with many of my colleagues, urged this measure be included in the stimulus package. I am disappointed that the current House version failed to advance this much- needed relief. I will be continuing to fight for this provision to be included in the final legislation.

“After yesterday’s meeting with President Obama, I will keep my pledge of working together on a plan that creates more jobs, helps middle-class families, small businesses, and job-seekers keep more of what they earn and encourages renewed investment in our economy. It is clear that our economy is in turmoil, and this can be seen across Northern and Central New York where families and businesses are feeling the negative effects of an economic recession. Appropriately stimulating our economy to minimize this impact must be the top priority of Congress and the new Administration, and something to which I am completely committed.

“Today’s bill was a beginning, much in need of improvement. After continued discussion with President Obama and the U.S. Senate, I look forward to voting in the days ahead in favor of agreed upon, truly bipartisan legislation.”

Mail deliverers to take weekends off?

Saw this bit about the U.S. Postal Service getting the go-ahead to cancel Saturday delivery, allegedly saving a couple billion dollars a year. Could you give up your Saturday mail service? Also, note North Country Congressman John McHugh's effort to help the USPS make its payroll this year.

The birds, the bees and the GOP

Republican leaders and pundits have shredded the Democrats' stimulus package on various fronts, but a recurring theme is sex education, contraception, and family planning.

Matt Drudge's headline today: "$335,000,000 FOR STD PREVENTION IN ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL."

"How can you spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives?" fumes House minority leader John Boehner. "How does that stimulate the economy?"

Here's the New York Times' Treatment:

Mr. Boehner and other Republicans have taken issue with the large chunk of funding in the stimulus package — some $300 billion all told — that will go to shore up the budgets of states.

That figure includes billions in state aid to education and such controversial pieces as millions in spending for family-planning initiatives.

I think this kind of wink-nudge sex-stuff is dangerous for the GOP. Yes, it plays beautifully with the rural-conservative base.

By way of example, here's Rush Limbaugh's take:

“When I think of reducing budget deficits, it would never occur to me to think about eliminating people. (A reference to abortion.) If [Nancy Pelosi] wants fewer births, I have the way to do this, and it won’t require any contraception. You simply put pictures of Nancy Pelosi … put pictures of Pelosi in every cheap motel room in America today, that will keep birth rates down because that picture will keep a lot of things down."

Snicker, snicker.

The truth is that in suburbs and the cities -- where Republican support is tanking -- voters are perfectly comfortable with family planning and contraception.

A survey conducted in Minnesota found that 89% of parents support modern, comprehensive sex education. That compares with less than 10% who supported abstinence-only programs.

(The study was conducted between 2006 and 2007 and was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.)

All of which is not to say that this stimulus bill shouldn't draw a critical review from Republicans. That's what opposition parties are for.

But surely the GOP can find a zinger-issue that doesn't re-enforce their image as the chastity-and-Bible-belt party?

Meta, Meta, Meta

This has nothing to do with the North Country, so feel free to move on. This is about the literary strategy of meta-narratives and blurring the line between fact and fiction in literature. Miguel de Cervantes was an early perpetrator of this - and the modern novel - with . I love this literary device - it's Escher-like, collapsing on itself, making your reader's mind cycle in endless loops trying to find the answer to a puzzle that has no answer.

A controversy is emerging about the Chilean/Mexican writer Roberto Bolano, who has become one of the most celebrated "new" authors in the last few years. Much of his fame came after his death in 2003.

Bolano's characters are often searching for lost authors (including his own alter-ego), mysteriously disappeared writers, and the truths that they reveal. What's so cool about the brew ha-ha, as reported in the New York Times, is that real-life literary critics are searching for truths about the real-life Bolano, much as his characters do in his novels. I imagine Bolano would be extremely psyched about this turn of events. Maybe he even planned it.

Bolano is an amazing read. Try Distant Star for starters. The Savage Detectives was considered his magnum opus, that is until 2666 came out last year, whcih I can't wait to read.

Did GOP leaders disrespect Sen. Little?

State Senator Betty Little made a strong case over the last week that she's the right person to win back the 20th Congressional district.

She's a woman, a proven vote-getter, and a moderate Republican in a once-conservative district that's strayed Democrat the last half-decade.

Despite her personal outreach to County GOP leaders, she got the bounce this week. Instead, they went with an Assembly member who doesn't even live in the district.

In her statement, Little suggests that Republican leaders failed to follow an "open process" to identify a candidate.

I am disappointed that I did not receive the nomination to run for the 20th Congressional District’s open seat. But, I have no regrets in seeking the nomination, and am very appreciative of the tremendous support I received from so many people.

As I said late last week when the vacancy occurred, my hope was that I, along with each of the Republican candidates, would have the chance to meet with each of the ten committees and present my reasons for running.

I was pushing for an open process that allowed the rank and file committee people, who do a lot of hard work on behalf of candidates each year, a chance for greater involvement. That did not happen, but it is now important that we support the nominee and win this seat.

The Democrats' Hispanic problem...

...or is it the Hispanic community's Democrat problem?

Over the last half-year, New York has seen a remarkable expansion of power in the state's African American community.

The rise of Governor David Paterson is Exhibit A.

But the recent, clumsy ascension of Senate majority leader Malcolm Smith also represents a historic shift.

Both men are the first African Americans to hold those influential posts.

Congressman Charlie Rangel, also black, may be the state's most powerful House member.

He's often described as the "dean" of New York's congressional delegation, not to mention chair of the influential Ways and Means committee.

Those are noteworthy accomplishments, given that blacks make up just under 16% of the state's population.

But Hispanics, who comprise roughly 14% of New York's population, don't hold a single statewide office.

It's difficult, even for a wonk like myself, to name a Hispanic politician with statewide influence or name-recognition.

Instead, Hispanics seem to have established themselves as a sort of internal opposition group within New York's Democratic Party.

Last February, Hispanic leaders publicly chastised then-Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton after her Latina campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, stepped down.

"[W]e will have many questions about why a Hispanic woman who has helped to build Latino support for you throughout the nation would have been the one to take the blame and resign from her post instead of others involved with your campaign, including former President Clinton, who have caused serious problems and embarrassing situations for your campaign."

Ouch.

Two Hispanics in the state Senate then helped to form the "Gang of Three" that blocked Malcolm Smith's rise to power.

During those negotiations, Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. and Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. demanded more power and influence for Hispanic voters.

Now, Hispanic lawmakers are rallying to oppose New York's newest Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, who has the public support of Clinton, Smith, Governor David Paterson and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In a statement "rejecting" Senator Gillibrand's appointment, Hispanic leaders slammed her for the "scapegoating of even legal immigrants to win elected office."

Their opposition poses serious problems for Governor Paterson and Sen. Gillibrand. But Hispanic lawmakers also run the risk of further isolating themselves within the party.

Is there a way for Democratic leaders and Hispanics to reach some kind of accord?

It's hard to see how. On key issues -- primarily same-sex marriage and gay rights -- Hispanic lawmakers are actually far more conservative than their Democratic leadership.

On other issues -- including issuing drivers licenses to undocumented workers -- they are considerably more liberal.

Still, it's obviously long overdue for New York state to nurture the kind of Hispanic leadership -- from Bill Richardson and Ken Salazar to Alberto Gonzalez and Mel Martinez -- that has gained prominence in other parts of the country.

It's an open question why that hasn't happened.

Dowd v. Gillibrand

No one in America goes postal on women politicians like Maureen Dowd.

Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice - they've all felt the lash of Dowd's whip.

Over the weekend, the NY Times columnist dipped her pen in curare and tried to write an epitaph for New York's new Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, dubbing her an "NRA handmaiden" and "a pain."

Gillibrand is, gasp, "opportunistic and sharp elbowed."

And yet Dowd also suggests that Sen. Chuck Schumer pushed Gillibrand as a candidate primarily because she would be satisfied in the second-fiddle position.

Caroline Kennedy -- the "best choice" for the Senate, whom Governor David Paterson "strangled" -- would have eclipsed Schumer with her Camelotian star-power.

Dowd's column is so full of faux-Algonquinian quips and barbs that it's hard to sort out any real argument against Gillibrand.

She points out that the Congresswoman from the 20th Congregssional district voted against President Bush's now-discredited stimulus package -- failing to note that it was a prescient and popular decision.

Dowd suggests that Gillibrand is a pawn of sorts in some Olympian rivalry between the Clintons and the Kennedys.

The whole thing is so depressingly junior-high that it's hard to engage, but here are a couple of points.

The notion that Caroline Kennedy was ever a viable option has become impossible to sustain.

Kennedy simply couldn't make any case for herself. Period. Full stop. She loafed around and sort of shrugged and quibbled and then withdrew.

That's the kind of behavior that would have eclipsed Chuck Schumer? Does Maureen Dowd remember that Sen. Schumer is the man who just engineered a nearly filibuster-proof majority in the Senate?

What Schumer wants, patently, is someone who can hold this Senate seat in 2010 and again in 2012. He, like Paterson, is clearly convinced that Gillibrand has a great shot at it.

Anyone who's seen her campaign has to agree.

Dowd's suggestion that Gillibrand is somehow dangerously or inappropriately ambitious is -- not to put to fine a point on it -- luridly sexist.

I've watched Gillibrand from the day she declared for Congress. She is hugely aggressive, to be sure. Hugely sharp-elbowed.

But never once has she given any evidence that her competence and intelligence and commitment to public service aren't the full equal of her ambition.

That's not to say that Kirsten Gillibrand is the best person for the job.

If someone else can make the case in 2010 that they have better ideas, better policies and a greater capacity for leadership, then Gillibrand will lose.

Until then, I expect Senator Gillibrand to be a formidable and productive member of New York's delegation.

Gillibrand & NY's Urban-Rural Divide

The last 48 hours were fascinating for someone like myself, fascinated by the stark divide between America's urban and rural cultures.

Kirsten Gillibrand, who will become our next Senator from New York on Sunday, is deeply connected to cosmopolitan New York City.

She was a securities lawyer; special counsel to Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development; and her husband comes from England.

But Gillibrand also has Upstate roots: she's loyal to some of the cultural traditions of New York's small-town world. Hunting is only one marker of her "bi-cultural" background.

Within the Five Boroughs, the reaction to her red-state tendencies has been fierce. Before she had been officially named, Gillibrand had liberal opponents lining up to dethrone her.

I'll admit it: I was taken aback. I thought the obvious backing of New York's Democratic elite -- Schumer, Paterson, Clinton, Lowey, etc. -- would be enough to establish her progressive credentials.

Not so. The liberal blogs have issued a collective shriek of rage.

The punch line is that the next eighteen months will be fascinating. Upstate New York has a real voice in Washington DC. Will it be silenced in the next election?

The other big story today in Albany

Former Senate majority Leader Joe Bruno has been indicted on federal public corruption charges.
The Associated Press is reporting that the indictment by the U.S. Attorney's Office lists eight counts and accuses Bruno of using his position as one of the three most powerful men in the state to defraud the people for over 10 years. A comment is expected from Bruno after court proceedings this afternoon in Albany. Scanning the indictment, I see the sum $3,198,185 in alleged payments coming out of various relationships. More today, on All Before Five.

Follow ups on inauguration day...

Stories are still coming back from Tuesday's inauguration. One of disappointment: Amy Catania of Saranac Lake had a ticket to the favored "purple" section, but was stuck for over seven hours in a line that never made it in the gate, and finally "collapsed in total chaos." Amy wrote:

I was next to an elderly African American woman from Oklahoma who had come with her daughter for the purple section. She was separated from her daughter and very tired. It was a terrible shame. We were very squished at the end and scared. Three people around me during the day collapsed and people had to call for a long time for medical help. At one point I felt myself lose my footing and realized I was being held up by the crowd. In the 7 and a half hours that I waited, I witnessed not a single effort by the very few security people and officers on hand to control or direct the crowd. There were no bathroom facilities.

Despite all, she said she and the people around were able to share the moment:

One nice thing happened at the end after the gate shut: The crowd luckily dispersed a bit and hundreds of small groups spontaneously formed around cell phones, straining quietly to hear Obama's speech on speaker phone, as people had
called friends and asked them to put the phone to the TV. There was total quiet except for his distant voice and people crying with bowed heads. Such a feeling of sadness for how the day had turned out, but also love for our new President and deep pride. (see photo)

Growing chorus predicts Gillibrand as Senator

The Albany Times-Union's Leigh Hornbeck pieces together a convincing case that Governor Paterson has settled firmly on Kirsten Gillibrand to serve as New York's junior Senator.

She points out that leaders from across Gillibrand's district have been invited to attend Friday's noon press conference.

Warren County chairman Bill Montfort was also invited through a series of phone calls from the governor's office, setting and resetting the date of Paterson's announcement. It was an unusual invitation and it made Montfort wonder if the governor was bringing people together from Gillibrand's district.
...
"If she does for the state what she's done for congressional district, the state will be in good shape," said Montfort. "I can't think of an elected official I've been able to have more access to than her, whether it's calling her on her cell in Washington or at home on the weekend."

Paterson will announce Senate pick at noon on Friday

The Governor's office released two announcements in quick succession today, the first saying that no one had been confirmed as the next NY Senator.

The second established noon tomorrow as zero hour. The Governor will make the announcement at a press conference in Albany.

Kirsten Gillibrand and Andrew Cuomo are the two front-runners, but Governor Paterson is playing this very close to his chest.

That said, people will be watching the candidates to see how and where they move the next twelve hours, so look for leaks to begin any time...

More Gillibrand tea leaves

The Poughkeepsie Journal is reporting that Gov. David Paterson will be the keynote speaker at an economic summit on Monday hosted by Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand.

The summit is being held at Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley. According to Gillibrand's office, the topics will include energy and the agribusiness sectors.

Yet another sign that she's on his radar screen. And an awkward moment in the making if she's NOT the pick...

Frozen River garners Oscar nominations

Frozen River, the film about smuggling people across the frozen St. Lawrence River on the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation, nabbed two Oscar nominations today. Melissa Leo was nominated for best actress. Director Courtney Hunt made the list for best original screenplay.

Hunt's husband is from Malone, hence her interest in Akwesasne and the North Country. She filmed a short version of Frozen River on the St. Lawrence River (listen to my story, including an interview with Melissa Leo here), but the feature length was actually filmed on Lake Champlain near Plattsburgh. Maybe the Mohawks weren't so thrilled to be associated with smuggling on the big screen.

Anyway, congrats to Courtney (a more recent interview with her here). I'm sure a lot of North Country fans will be pulling for you on February 22nd.

Breaking: Sen. Little eyes Gillibrand seat

Various sources, speaking on background, confirm to NCPR that Sen. Betty Little has been consulting with county GOP chairs about seeking Kirsten Gillibrand's congressional seat.

Little's spokeperson declined to comment today.

According to the Albany Times Union, a lot of Republicans are lining up to contend for the seat. They include: "John Faso, who has been keeping close tabs on Gillibrand and even Assembly Republican Minority Leader Jim Tedisco, although he doen’t live in the district."

Sen. Little would be a strong candidate for the chance to retake this traditional GOP stronghold.

She's moderate -- a big plus in the Hudson Valley -- and she would poll huge numbers across northern New York. Also, she's a woman - the highest ranking Republican woman in the state.

The musical chairs would also include an eventual race for Little's seat, with Assemblywoman Janet Duprey from Plattsburgh and Teresa Sayward from Willsboro likely candidates.

A reminder: None of this happens unless Governor Paterson picks Gillibrand.

More soon.

NBC News: Gillibrand now the frontrunner

NBC News' Andrea Mitchell is now describing Kirsten Gillibrand as the front-runner to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton.

This from Politico.com

Mitchell reported that Paterson had a conversation with Gillibrand Wednesday morning, and that the New York governor has her on his short list of contenders for the seat.

Gillibrand, a second-term congresswoman from upstate New York, has a resume that would please the Clintons. She served as a special counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (under Andrew Cuomo!) in former President Clinton’s administration, and helped raise money for Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaigns in New York.

One of Gillibrand’s top political advisers in her first election was former Clinton strategist Howard Wolfson.

Politico calls Gillibrand "a savvy political choice."

Obamiconography

Ever since his primary campaign, President Obama has generated a perhaps unsurpassed iconography. Designers for Obama. DJs for Obama. We need not mention T- shirt makers for Obama. (Brian Mann asks, "what's next? Obama action figures in Happy Meals?") Stephen Colbert vamped on all this in the funniest way Tuesday night.

Anyway, the ultimate icon of this President will remain the Shepard Fairey image. Terry Gross talked to him about it on Tuesday.

I just ran into a very cool blog post tracking down the origin of the photo that inspired the image. And guess who may have inspired that Presidential, visionary, future-looking gaze?

Gillibrand watch

Kirsten Gillibrand's office is being flooded with press inquiries from around the world, as Governor David Paterson closes in on his pick to replace Hillary Clinton.

The media has staked out her home in Washington DC. She's still a dark-horse candidate, but she's definitely gained momentum the last couple of weeks.

Here's some handicapping:

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is smart, part of a political dynasty, a strong candidate who could probably hold the seat in 2010. Paterson would love to cement him as an ally. Downside: He's a white guy, with little upstage mojo, and picking his replacement as AG could be tricky at a time when Wall Street is imploding.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney is a woman, well-connected in Manhattan, with a hair more upstate traction than Cuomo. (She summers in the Adirondacks.) Her Manhattan political brand was eclipsed by Caroline Kennedy, but now that hurdle is out of the way. Downside: No statewide name recognition. An uncertain candidate to hold the seat in 2010.

Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand is a woman, with strong Democratic Party ties both in Albany and New York City. (She also hails from a Democratic dynasty, though less high-profile than Kennedy or Cuomo.) She's proved that she can win tough races upstate. Her political sensibilities may be closest of any of the candidates to those of Hillary Clinton. Downside: It's hard to see how Democrats hold Gillibrand's congressional seat if she moves up the ladder.

Developing...

What conservatives need: Stephen Colbert

When I first started observing conservative culture closely, I was working a deadly dull clerical job in Columbia, Missouri.

Bored out of my ever-loving mind, I would tune in Rush Limbaugh on the AM dial. He was unpredictable, outrageous, entertaining, irreverent -- and often hilarious.

In those days, Limbaugh was famous for making a pin-cushion of the Clintons.

But he also played rough with Republican leaders and even went in for a huge amount of self-mockery.

That's all changed. Limbaugh now describes himself as a kind of one-man think-tank, advising and shaping the conservative movement.

The self-seriousness of latter-day Limbaugh speaks to some of the gray malaise within the Republican Party.

It's a movement limited by its dogmas, inflexible and almost universally humorless.

The entertainers who might offer a kind of humility-slap -- Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham -- have instead positioned themselves as ideological traffic cops.

They scold and they hector. Their laughter (when it comes) is almost always at somebody else's expense.

SO far the left has dodged this temptation. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are devoutly liberal, sure, but many of their greatest riffs target the Democrats.

From race sensitivity to Nancy Pelosi's frosty smiles, no one deflates liberal bloviation better than the Comedy Central duo.

The day after the inauguration, Stewart claimed to be wearing a new hope-scented cologne.

"Are people setting themselves up for inevitable disappointment?" asked one of his correspondents, comedian John Oliver.

"Of course they are. Have they realized that yet? Absolutely not. Yay!"

(Oliver then spent a few, hilarious moments trying unsuccessfully to convince African Americans at the inauguration that the moon landing was more important than Obama's election.)

Conservatives struggle with this kind of self-mockery because they see themselves as embattled, on the receiving end of liberal pop-culture's relentless attacks.

But sometimes laughter really is the best medicine, especially for politicians who've lost their way.

NPR, Gaza & Israel

NCPR station manager Ellen Rocco just forwarded to me an essay written by NPR's Ombudsman, Alicia Shepard, wrestling with coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

I've had only one call about this -- a listener convinced that NCPR shares a pro-Palestinian bias -- but I thought the column offered some interesting insight into how we try to cover these enduring conflicts.

NPR reporters do not have an agenda or take sides other than to report the facts on the ground, said Loren Jenkins, NPR's foreign editor. He added that NPR also tries to report the broader context of any conflict as well as the interests of other nations, beginning with the U.S.

"You strive to be balanced, saying the Israelis say this and people in Gaza say this," said Jenkins. "But because each side in a conflict puts their own spin on it, good reporting demands a certain amount of skepticism which is best expressed in believing what you can personally see and learn rather than what you are told.

What do you think? Is NPR finding a good, accurate balance? Read the full column here.

The challenge ahead for Republicans

The departure of George W. Bush on Tuesday offers Republicans a chance to begin in earnest rebuilding their national party.

Since the November election, efforts to rethink and retool the GOP have been muddled by Mr. Bush's continued presence - and by a particularly toxic round of in-fighting.

President Barack Obama made clear in his inauguration speech that he now plans to move the country in a starkly different direction.

Here are the questions Republican leaders have to answer before they can begin to serve as a productive opposition party and chart a return to power.

1. What the hell went wrong? The GOP had almost complete power in Washington DC -- and sweeping control of many state capitals. Conservatives -- and conservative ideology -- defined the era, well beyond the confines of the Oval Office. Still, the country wound up in a ditch. Why?

2. Confront honestly the fact that Americans want low taxes, but they also want big government. Let me say it again: Nearly everybody (including the vast majority of Republicans) wants government to play an enormous role in making their lives better. Call it socialism if you like. Now what are you going to do about it?

3. Wrestle frankly with the reality that life in modern America doesn't conform to the traditional framework or values that first shaped our society. Half a century after the 1960s, we're more secular, more diverse in our faiths, and yes more complexly sexual than ever before. Does the Republican movement want to go on holding back that tide? If so, how?

4. Go to the mountain top on race. John McCain - a relative moderate on issues like immigration -- still lost by a landslide among every single racial group except whites. It's time to ask honestly: Why? And can the GOP survive as a national party if that trend continues?

This is painful, difficult stuff. It goes to the very core of post-Goldwater, post-Reagan Republicanism. But the clock is ticking and the 2010 elections are already on the horizon.

Hillary Clinton still a lightning rod

Rumors abounded yesterday that NY Senator Hillary Clinton shared a tense moment with Texas Sen. John Cornyn at the inauguration festivities.

Cornyn, a Republican put a hold on Clinton's voice-vote nomination as the next Secretary of State.

He argued that more probing is needed into former President Bill Clinton's finances.
Those questions will draw a three-hour debate on the Senate floor.

No one doubts that Sen. Clinton will be confirmed. But conservative leaders will now be able to say that they didn't simply rubber stamp her nomination.

Clinton has been a target for the right for decades. Despite the generally bi-partisan tone the last few weeks, this gesture suggests that old habits die hard.

Unless Republicans raise some new information (or allegation), Cornyn's move may look less like a principled stand and more like a petty jab.

First reactions to 44

Photo: NCPR staff and friends watch the Inauguration in the studio.

Okay, a quarter hour has passed since our 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama, took the oath and gave his inaugural address.

Here's my first blush response. (And please - give yours in the comment section below or email us at radio@ncpr.org.)

1. The speech was a powerful summons to national renewal, with a reminder that this can only happen at the grass roots.

2. It was a forceful call to unity and a repudiation of knee-jerk divisions.

3. Somewhat contradictorily, the speech also offered a remarkably blatant rejection of the Bush era and a call to restore American values.

When President Obama said, "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," CNN's camera panned to former President Bush.

How Mr. Obama squares those two things -- his desire for unity and his apparent conviction that the last eight years were a kind of aberration -- could well define his first term.

What did you think? Comment below - and call in during our live regional radio discussion with Ellen Rocco and Jonathan Brown beginning at 4 pm. Call toll-free 1-877-388-6277.

Why America (still) matters

When Barack Obama takes the oath of office today, we will have consummated a civic ritual that is -- I'm convinced -- one of the great human accomplishments.

We sometimes take these peaceful transitions of power for granted. But even in Western societies, it's a rare feat.

Sure, democracy has been around in various forms for a long time.

But never before has a society managed to find this unique formula, one both durable and flexible.

We argue, we clash, we raise our voices. But then the people decide and we move on, absorbing changes that would rock the foundations of any other system.

The Founding Fathers would scarcely recognize the trappings of modern America. But the principles that they established are still vibrantly alive.

In their day, those principles dislodged a mighty and oppressive Empire.

In our day, the same principles led to the expansion of voting rights to African Americans -- and then elevated a black man to our highest office.

Whether you're an Algerian living in France, a woman living in Saudi Arabia, or a Roman Catholic living in China, the lesson is clear:

A model exists for creating societies that are tolerant, stable, courageous and vibrant.

Is America perfect? Of course not. From gay rights to the current economic crisis to our legacy at Guantanamo Bay, we have a lot of soul-searching ahead.

But one of the beauties of our system is that it takes into account our flaws. It translates argument and debate and hardship into progress.

And so George W. Bush leaves the oval office. Mr. Obama takes his turn.

Behind them both stands a beautiful and enduring way of life.

Is Caroline Kennedy a lock?

The New York Post's Fred Dicker says Caroline Kennedy is a shoo-in. He cites unnamed sources. At least one is described as an also-ran for the seat.

Dicker is pretty reliable for getting the inside dope, but in this case there are a couple of caveats.

First, no one is claiming to actually know Governor Paterson's mind. They only intuit that it would be politically damaging at this point for him to reject a Kennedy.

The argument here is that it would "greatly embarrass" the Kennedy clan if Paterson pulled a switcheroo.

So what's Paterson up to with all the talk of a second look?

According to one of Dicker's sources, "It's clear David is just trying to play mind games with the press."

I remain unconvinced.

It's not entirely clear to me how Kennedy helps Paterson's re-election bid. And that seems to be a priority for the Governor.

Also, if his goal here is not to embarrass the Kennedy clan, then floating all this indecision is a pretty clumsy way to go about it.

For the record, here's Governor Paterson himself, as reported by the Albany Times Union:

“I would figure that by this weekend, we would come up with a candidate,” he said. “I would say I’ve narrowed the field, but I . . . don’t seem to stay with the same pick for a period of time. I’ve tried seeing how it works with different scenarios. I just haven’t settled on it yet.”

Paterson later added that he was “focusing in on a few candidates now that I think, in my mind, would be finalists,” but brushed aside accusations that he made up his mind long ago.

“I can say, definitively, I do not know who the next senator from New York is right now,” Paterson said. “I would swear to it.”

The notion that Governor Paterson would hang Ms. Kennedy out there simply to play mind games with reporters -- well, it's a strech.

At the end of this (completely secretive) process, I hope the Governor can lay out his reasons for making the pick.

And I'm holding out hope that his motives will be loftier than Dicker's article suggests.

Muck-rakers and peace-makers

This is a response to the conversation that followed my blog about the culture wars. The conversation there was interesting and I wanted to re-introduce it so others could join in.

Some folks thought I was being too negative and "framing the debate" in ways that were intentionally controversial.

"You say you want to build an online community," one person wrote. "Community denotes something very different than what you have poked people with in the last few days."

First a caveat: I can only speak for myself here - not the News Department writ large.

But I do believe that a part of my job is to encourage debate and discussion of difficult issues.

If I were inventing these topics, the concerns raised here would be perfectly valid.

But these conflicts (specifically the culture war and the urban-rural conflict)aren't my creations.

America is in the midst of a dramatic transition, culturally and politically. After a decade of mostly conservative governance -- and a generally right-leaning zeitgeist -- things are changing.

That's interesting and hopeful, but it's also scary, complex and, yes, divisive. (Remember, 58 million Americans voted for John McCain.)

I think it's also fair to point out that 90% of the discussion sparked by my blog postings has been interesting and nuanced. That's a pretty good score for the Web.

So it's not as if the end result of my bit of pot-stirring has been harmful. People who disagree with me (or with the articles I link to) are welcome to...disagree.

One more observation:

A blog-reader was so irritated with me that they wrote, "If my support of the station is used in any way to poke and pinch, I'm checking out of the audio hotel."

The truth is, I do see myself as a poker and a pincher. In my opinion, that's what good journalists do.

We tell happy stories whenever we can. (I love happy stories.) But we also try to foster honest discussion of hard, painful and complex issues.

So what do you think? What role do you expect NCPR's reporters to play? What's the purpose of journalism? Are discussion sites like this a valuable addition to our service?

Did conservatives just lose the culture war?

A lot of pundits have noted that Barack Obama is sending distinctly centrist messages these days, offering up tax cuts with the same zeal that he's pushing New Deal-style spending.

But the Inauguration-week festivities have blossomed with a distinct, counter-cultural flavor, with everyone from gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson to Pete Seeger taking the stage.

(Yes, I know, Rick Warren is also part of the line-up; but even he seems to be trying to play nice with the liberals who crowded the Lincoln Memorial.)

The take-away message seems clear: With the exception of a few conservative actors and musicians, America's pop culture is deeply, unabashedly liberal.

Heck, even Garth Brooks was up there singing 60s hippy songs.

As conservatives well know, culture is half of politics. And it's beginning to look as if the center of America's popular sensibility is damned progressive.

Obama himself talks comfortably about gay people as if they're, well, people. And a growing number of mainstream folks seem to think that's about right.

Same goes for a lot of the sexual-and-relationship behavior that make conservatives cringe: divorce, pre-marriage sexuality, same-sex marriage, reproductive "choice" and so on.

Obviously, one big progressive shindig in DC does not mark the death-knell for the James Dobson, family-values movement.

But it's hard to imagine where social conservatives go from here.

Rick Warren himself may represent a new, more appealing brand, but a big part of his appeal seems to be that he soft-pedals the finger-wagging.

So I'll pose it as a question: Was 2008 the year that conservatives lost the culture war?

Political Cheat Sheet For January 20th & Beyond

Here's the Change coming in the next week, for those of you keeping track.

1. New President. Yup, it's finally here. This one's a lock. Obama in, Bush out.

2. New U.S. Senator for NY. Another no-brainer. Hillary's on her way to State, ????'s in as our junior Senator.

3. New NY Attorney General? If Andrew Cuomo is chosen to replace Hillary, the musical chairs continue.

4. New Representative for the 20th NY congressional district? If Gov. Paterson goes dark-horse on us and chooses Kirsten Gillibrand...more musical chairs.

I know, I know. You thought the November elections were supposed to end all the hijinx. Sorry.

By the time all this is over, we'll be blogging about the 2010 election. (No, I'm not kidding...)

The last Nixon soldier goes

One of the more profound transitions we're seeing this week is the final, dramatic end to a political era that began with the election of President Richard Nixon.

Nixon ushered in a cadre of political operatives -- from Donald Rumsfeld and Alexander Haig to Pat Buchanan and Dick Cheney -- who influenced American history long after his resignation.

Ronald Reagan drew heavily on Nixon's cabinet, as did the first and second Presidents Bush.

Obviously, the Nixon-era lion who rose farthest and had the most influence was Dick Cheney. (Rumsfeld would be a close second.)

When he goes, an era ends.

Many observers have seen Dick Cheney's controversial tenure as vice-president as a direct response to Watergate.

He worked zealously to restore the power and latitude of the executive branch, lost in the wake of a Constitutional crisis he helped to create.

Ironically, he also served two men who raise the most troubling doubts about the so-called "Imperial" presidency.

Mr. Nixon because of his clearly established criminality; and Mr. Bush because his iron-clad convictions led America down so many disastrous paths.

It turns out there was as reason why the Founding Fathers divided power among three branches of government and dispersed it further across a union of semi-autonomous states.

The good news? Our system is strong enough that it has survived even Mr. Nixon's long shadow.

A budding Hip Hop rivalry in the 'Valley

Unfortunately, intrepid music journalist David Sommerstein scooped me on this one, but the Inbox is trying to keep up. The Beat Authority blog, To The Beat, has the first video from a rapper from Clarkson University. It's def. Can anyone identify the new Potsdam hip hop superstar?

Now which St. Lawrence University rhymeslayer is gonna step up and grab the mic? And while, we're at it, any JCC in da house?

Will Barack Obama destroy our rural way of life?

The Washington Post sends a dispatch today from Brinkley, Arkansas, a place that used to have things like stores and a movie theater.

Things have gone wrong there, big-time, and Wayne Loewer tells the Post that Obama could make it even worse.

"I'm worried that he's not gonna understand the rural way of life," he says.

"That comment he made about guns and religion, it's frightening, you have to admit," says the secretary at his accountant's office.

So what do you think? Does it matter that rural white communities (like ours in the North Country) are increasingly governed by urban (and often African American) politicians?

So cold that...

It's just past 2 in the afternoon and still zero at our studios in Canton. Dale Hobson made me laugh with today's Listening Post, describing the Wile E. Coyote variation on starting a car at these temperatures. That's when you've sprayed dry gas into the carburetor or wherever, and the thing backfires...explosively.
I learned about dry gas first hand in 1975, I think, when a caravan drove to Montreal for Chinese food and the Bob Dylan/The Band concert. It was 20-30 below that night on the way back. We had the newest car, a 1974 Super Rabbit, which rolled to a dead stop on the roadside at St. Zotique. The gas line had frozen, at full speed. The boys hiked across the empty, snowy fields toward the only light in sight...which happened to be a gas station with a French-speaking mechanic asleep inside. A miracle. Dry gas works even with a language barrier, even when all you know is to just pour it into the gas fill and wait to see if things thaw out.

Roman Catholic church downsizes in North Country

The diocese of Albany -- which has parishes in Saratoga, Warren and Washington county -- will unveil its church closure list this weekend.

The move is triggered by declining church attendance and a shortage of priests, according to a report today in the Glens Falls Post-Star.

As many as 40 churches could close, though it's unclear how the North Country's parishes will be affected.

"It is an emotional experience for people to have to change their site of worship, but our faith, basically, is not tied to buildings," said Rev. Joseph Manerowski of St. Mary's church in Glens Falls. "It's the celebration of the Eucharist that counts."

Read the full article here.

Talking race in the North Country

I report this morning on some very different views about race-relations here in the North Country - and now we want your opinion.

Here's the context:

Mark Barie, who's white, argues that it's time to move past race; JW Wiley, who's black, says not so fast, there's more work to be done first.

During the election, I found a lot of racial textures here in the region, interviewing people who held overtly racist views, and people who seemed genuinely uninterested in Barack Obama's skin color.

The reality, I'm convinced, is that this chalolenge -- whites and blacks talking to one-another -- is more crucial now than ever.

Yes, our region is largely white, largely rural.

But the politicians shaping our lives (President-elect Obama, Governor Paterson, Senate majority leader Smith) are black and urban.

How will we talk to them about our needs and our aspirations?

How will we discuss things like the Rockefeller drug laws, which in New York have led to a dramatically higher incarceration rate for blacks than whites?

And the fact that we in the North Country benefit economically from those laws, through prison employment?

I hope you'll chime in. But remember: be respectful. Be constructive.

I know JW Wiley and Mark Barie well. Both are thoughtful, forward-thinking men.

They've engaged in this conversation in the hope that it will be a positive force, moving the conversation forward.

We should do the same. Comments welcome below.

A couple more odds 'n' ends from the Gov

As promised, a couple more details from Governor Paterson's town hall in Watertown that didn't make the on-air broadcast...

- on the "rooftop highway": it's "something we would like to do", but it's "a future intention", far from shovel-ready projects that will be recommended for implementation under the federal stimulus package.

- on merging school districts: there are already 90% fewer districts than in the 1960s. Paterson says we can reduce the existing 286 districts by another 30%. But he added that would be unlikely to happen in the North Country, where distances are so great. He said the merging would happen first in places where districts are "right on top of one another".

- he said he believed $5 billion of the deficit was our own doing - ie - the result of profligate spending over the last decade. The other $10 billion the result of the Wall Street meltdown.

- Paterson said the biggest thing he learned from the Watertown town hall was that the proposal to allow wine to be sold in supermarkets could force small liquor stores out of business. [David's take: really? He never thought of that?]

--- David Sommerstein

Gov on wind: "move carefully"

I have a few odds 'n' ends from Governor Paterson's town hall in Watertown that didn't make it into the story. I'll get to some more of them tomorrow, but I wanted to draw attention to his answer to the question of Mary Hamilton, Hammond, regarding her concerns about a proposed wind farm in this town on the St. Lawrence River.

First of all, Paterson spoke specifically to those projects along the River (there are also proposals in Cape Vincent and Clayton). He said we have to be "more careful about siting", given the "cultural and historic value", and the tourism value, of the river region.

More generally, he delivered a rambling, and often confusing, passage about renewable power sources and their "efficiency". I did an in-depth story on this in 2008. I'm not sure what to make of Paterson's words. I'm in the process of reaching out to some experts to read the tea leaves. But I wanted to put it out there, so here it is transcribed in its entirety.

"One of the misnomers on wind power and solar power and even hydropower is that...um...it is very hard to transmit power through these...um...clean renewable sources. They are clean and renewable, but they're very inefficient. [applause] And the piping of the resources is not the same as piping oil. 3% of the product escapes the pipe everyday, and um, 3.4% is the best we've ever done, as a result of a study done at the University of California Berkeley. Um... Solar and wind power really come from the ability to heat nitrogen to a boiling point, where it cracks, and then becomes an energy source. Nitrogen is not an energy source. It is a conductor. So one of the reasons why we will have to have wind turbines is not because it's being piped to Downstate, but because the way we are going to win the battle over clean and renewable energy and replace the traditional, many of them carbon emissions, forms of energy is to localize our product, so, in the end, the wind turbines that exist will actually go to generate power here [I take this to mean, in northern New York]. Only in the distant future with a lot of research will we be able to transmit that power the way we do with other forms of energy." - Gov. Paterson, Watertown, 1/11/08

Rebuilding a banana republic (ours, that is)

If you had any doubts about the challenges we face during the next four years, look no further than yesterday's deficit figures.

Americans racked up half a trillion dollars in unpaid bills in the first quarter of this year alone.

That astonishing figure only accounts for our Federal government. The states are spending way beyond their means, too, as are many cities and local governments.

And don't get me started on individual Americans, and businesses. We're all mortgaged and credit-carded up to their individual and collective eyebrows.

All sides agree that we have to cut back. Liberals decry the consumer economy that's all about buying cheap junk from Wal-Mart. Conservatives rail against big-spending governments.

But we're just beginning to see the dimensions of our collective hang-over. Trimming earmarks and eating out less often won't touch this problem.

Nor -- in the long run -- will even the biggest stimulus package revive a fundamentally broken economy.

Here are the two fundamental problems that we'll all have to fix:

1. We have to become a producer society again, not a consumer society. That means we create value with work, with a premium placed back on things like manufacturing. The notion that Americans could be the world's white collar workers, while everybody else got their hands dirty, is officially dead. Countries that build things get rich. Countries that don't build things stagnate.

2. America has to be energy-independent, for economic reasons but also to protect our national security. That means pushing forward with strict mileage standards for automobiles and some kind of carbon tax, both of which will spur innovation, efficiency, and lifestyle changes. A fringe benefit? We also make progress on climate change.

These goals will require a massive shift in the way we think about our society. Free trade? Long commutes to work? Suburban sprawl? Huge entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare? It's all on the table.

The truth is that the old version of America was simply unsustainable, even before George W. Bush took office.

For Obama to succeed, he'll have to do more than clean up a few messes. He'll have to think as big as Franklin Roosevelt about what the next America should look like.

Are reporters scaring us into a recession?

That's the question Glens Falls Post-Star editor Ken Tingley asks today.

The Post-Star led their coverage this morning with news of more big lay-offs in the region:

A company called Quad/Graphics, in Saratoga County, is laying off 33 employees.

One of our reporters said he had been hearing from readers that the number of doom and gloom stories about the economy and their prominent play was scaring consumers. It is a good point and one I had wondered about too.

The Plattsburgh Press-Republican also led this morning with sour economic news (Noble Environmental Power will delay completion of a wind tower project in Chateaugay), as did NCPR (Bion has shelved plans for a huge cattle operation).

North Country thoughts in a small Mexican town

We love experiencing the world via the eyes and ears of North Country residents who travel abroad. We have a series called Moving the World, which features this (the latest episode aired today).

I got an e-mail from Dianne Drayse Alonso of Ogdensburg recently. Her husband, Jaime, is from the Mexican village featured in this recent New York Times article. In fact, they were at the event described in the article. So I asked Dianne to blog a little for us...here's her entry. Thanks, Dianne!

My husband Jaime and I just spent nine amazing days of Christmas vacation in Mexico, visiting my husband’s mother in the small town of Chinantla, Puebla. The ride to Chinantla is about four hours by bus from Mexico City, so we bookended the trip with two overnights in the fantastic city of Puebla. Ate the very best spicy green enchiladas there that I’ve ever had and we bought another cool piece of Talevera pottery, famous in Puebla. We stayed at the Imperial Hotel, recommended by Lonely Planet. Old, but clean and friendly and right in the center of the historic district.

If the economy is what ails you, Christmas in rural Mexico is a cure. No presents, just days and nights of fireworks--literally, from sunup to sundown, with lots of those big boomers to send the dogs howling and the roosters crowing. We lit sparklers, like fifty a night, and watched Posada processions on the main street where people gathered to reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn. Mexico is steeped in tradition, and bighearted. Neighbors are always bringing food to one another, just to share. It’s so sweet. I was telling Jaime that in some ways, Chinantla is not unlike towns here in the North Country--way out in the middle of nowhere, friendly, but shrinking in population…a place largely defined by its climate. The difference in rural Mexico (apart from the 180 on the climate) is how content people seem to be with far, far less. The focus is on family and friends, and fresh markets and cooking great food. It’s like the clutter of modern amenities is gone, and in its place are warm sunshine every day and fresh papayas in the backyard.

Dianne Drayse Alonso

Ogdensburg

January 12, 2009

The Limbaugh-Coulter axis of the GOP

A lot of ink has been spilled the last few months on the Republican Party's desperate search for a new identity.

The feud over who will chair the Republican National Committee continues and President George Bush finally weighed in this week, cautioning that the GOP has at times appeared to be "anti-immigrant."

“Look, obviously we got whipped in 2008, and there will be a new wave of leadership arriving on the scene,” Mr. Bush said, in a Fox interview.

“But it’s very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward-looking that we drive people away from a philosophy that is compassionate and decent.”

One big problem for the GOP is what I call the Limbaugh-Coulter axis. Professional gad-flies who were once little more than entertaining provocateurs have gained enormous influence.

Rush Limbaugh's program needs no introduction. His approval can make or break a conservative politician; his on-air agenda often echoes eerily in the halls of Congress.

Coulter's influence, on the other hand, had seemed on the wane, in part because of her sometimes amazingly irresponsible rhetoric.

(She described one of Barack Obama's books as a "Dimestore Mein Kampf," referring to Adolf Hitler's autobiography.)

So it was startling this week to see her interview with former Arkansas Governor and presidential candidate (turned talk show host) Mike Huckabee.

At first, Huckabee seems to be challenging Coulter for her inaccurate "reporting" on his campaign.

"You said I was stupid! Do you think I am stupid? Look me in the face, Ann, and tell me. Am I a stupid person?"

But it quickly becomes apparent that Huckabee is simply trying to re-establish his conservative credentials with Coulter.

"Are you running again?" Coulter asks. "Cause you're 'clarifying' a lot of things."

"I want to make sure the next time you write about me, you get all the stuff straight."

"Well," Coulter says, "a little more conservative and you would have my vote."

The conversation devolves to the point where Huckabee, with a big, aw-shucks grin, declares, "Nope! I am definitely not pro-sodomy. I promise! Scout's honor!"

With her jaw set, Coulter says bluntly, "I am the enforcer...I keep Republicans staying on the straight and narrow."

There's a lot of evidence that Coulter's path isn't winning much support from American voters. But this kind of shock-jock culture is deep-rooted in the GOP.

One of Mike Huckabee's proteges, former campaign manager Chip Saltsman, is a contender to lead the Republicans.

Saltsman is the one who sent around a CD that included Limbaugh's "Barack the Magic Negro" parody.

The truth, of course, is that every political movement has its share of fringe-whackos, saber-rattlers, and ranters.

These days, those are the loudest voices in the Republican Party.

While the bickering and hand-wringing goes on behind closed doors, Limbaugh and Coulter will go on gleefully shouting from the rooftops.

The heart of the matter

Sometimes people ask why I choose to stay in a rural area like the Adirondacks, writing about the people and issues in small towns.

A big part of the appeal is the intimacy, the sense that I'm working at a scale that's human and neighborly.

The other day I needed a quick, deadline interview about the shortage of doctors in the North Country.

I called a good friend, Dr. Beth Bartos, a talented primary dare physician who works in Lake Placid and Keene Valley.

It was late, but she invited me to come over and talk. Before I could get off the phone, her husband, Bob, yelled, "Ask Brian if he still has that deer heart?"

After hunting season, Bob had loaded up my freezer with venison, including a huge heart. I asked Beth, "What's he want it for?"

"Samantha needs it for science class," Bob called. Samantha is their 12-year-old daughter.

"They're going to dissect it. Tell Brian I'll get him another one next season."

So I dug that deer heart out of my freezer and took it along to the interview. Only in the North Country, I thought. And only in a small town.

North Country careers on the bottom (and top)

A math professor friend who lives in Potsdam forwarded me this WSJ article about the best and worst occupations in the United States. She was feeling good - mathematicians are on top.

Check out what's on the bottom: lumberjacks and dairy farmers. That's a lot of North Country folks, or, at least, it used to be.

On the opposite end of the career spectrum are lumberjacks. The study shows these workers, also known as timber cutters and loggers, as having the worst occupation, because of the dangerous nature of their work, a poor employment outlook and low annual pay -- just $32,124.

It seems like anyone who works with their hands ranks low on the list, compiled by CareerCast.com. Ask any dairy farmer and they'll tell you how hard it is to get someone to work in the milkhouse or wrestling with the herd ankle deep in manure and mud. That's why more and more dairy workers in the North Country are Mexicans and Guatemalans. Tough to compete with $10/hr. jobs in the sparkling, asceptic atmosphere of Walmart's linens department.

What does this say about our society, that the people who work the hardest jobs get paid the least? That job in the biology lab wouldn't be so good if there was nobody to pick up the trash.

As for me, could be better, could be worse. Newscaster's at #75. Disc Jockey ranks at #108. Hey, I ain't complaining.

An Open Letter to Governor Paterson

Dear Governor Paterson,

I'm a fiscal conservative and have written extensively about the dangers faced by communities that rely on too much government spending. Balanced budgets and low-taxes are good things. Almost always.

But the private-sector economy in New York is in free-fall. And you simply can't slash $15 billion from the state's budget and still help spark an economic recovery.

The two goals are irreconcilable.

Your uncertainty about which path to follow -- revealed in your State of the State speech -- is becoming a part of the problem.

You were way ahead of the curve in predicting this economic crisis. Don't fall behind now.

Here's what you do:

1. Raise gas taxes by fifty cents a gallon. We'd still be at half the pump price we hit last summer. Share the pain by implementing a one-year millionaire's tax. That shrinks the budget gap dramatically.

2. Demand a big chunk of the remaining deficit from Washington.

3. Forget about the rest of the red ink, for now.

4. Start spending big. Bond and borrow for as many shovel-ready projects as you can. Get the state authorities (ORDA, NYPA, etc.) in on the act. Yes, make sure the projects will contribute something to the future economy, but get people working.

(An aside: This is the time to build projects that might have seemed marginal a year ago. The rooftop highway? Improvements to the St. Lawrence Seaway? That big conference center in Lake Placid? Go for it.)

5. Cancel plans for more state job lay-offs. Now. Make it clear that the state will be the backstop for this employment crisis, not part of it. Reassign people to make them more productive, sure. But keep them working.

6. Cancel plans to defund public schools. Districts around the state are already preparing to lay-off teachers and other staff. Not the best time. It's contributing to that toxic climate of uncertainty.

7. You and your team have to think bigger. You can't raise the specter of economic Armageddon and then get sidetracked talking about overweight kids.

Governor Roosevelt and his Brain Trust test-drove the New Deal here in New York. What's your big vision for saving the Empire State from the next Great Depression?

Thanks for listening and -- good luck.

Brian Mann
Political Reporter
North Country Public Radio

Republican plays coy with the math on NPR

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell gave the Republican point-of-view this morning on NPR, offering guarded support for President-elect Obama's stimulus plan.

But he fudged a bit when he stated his party's case for influencing the debate.

"[I]t's not just a matter of pride to us," he said. "Senate Republicans represent half the population."

Sen. McConnell made the same claim on ABC's This Week last Sunday, repeating it twice for emphasis:

Look, I think everyone knows that half the American public is represented by a Republican senator, and all we're suggesting here is that we be a part of the process.

An astute NCPR listener ran the numbers and found that it's true that Republican Senators represent a little more than half of America's population: 50.07%, to be precise.

But Democratic Senators represent far more Americans: 70.34%

Both numbers are accurate because there are two US Senators from each state. Each are counted as representing the entire state's population.

Here are some other measures of the public's political will in the Senate:

According to Wikipedia, Democrats also won 51% of the popular vote in Senate elections nationwide -- compared to 45% for Republicans.

And voters have pushed Democrats (and the Independents who caucus with them) to within a whisker of a filibuster proof 60-seat majority in the Senate.

But after drubbings in 2006 and 2008, I'm guessing Republicans will continue using the "we represent half of the American public" message.

If I'm right, look for echoes from Hannity, Rush, etc.

Gillibrand-for-Senate chatter intensifies

North Country Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand continues to play the dark horse role in maneuvering for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's coveted seat.

Here's a cheat sheet of the latest developments.

1. An anonymous supporter has unveiled a website supporting her as the pick. View it here. Gillibrand's staff told the Times-Union that they have nothing to do with it.

2. Politico is reporting that Gillibrand is feuding with the more left-of-center House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi -- a fact that could dim her chances. Here's the nut of the story from Politico columnist Glenn Thrush:

Nancy Pelosi is no fan of Upstate New York Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand -- and the speaker’s barely-concealed coolness to the House sophomore is a factor pushing Gillibrand back in the pack in the race to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to New York Democrats.

People familiar with the situation say Pelosi hasn’t tried to actively scotch Gillibrand’s candidacy -- but she’s made no secret she thinks the 42-year-old up-and-comer has been too aggressive about climbing the House leadership ladder.

Gov. David Paterson, who will tap Clinton’s replacement later this month, is well aware of Pelosi’s feelings and isn't eager to alienate the powerful speaker at a time when the state is asking for billions in federal aid, sources say. That said, he hasn't ruled anyone out.

“Nancy doesn’t like her, and that certainly can’t help Kirsten [in the Senate scramble],” said one New York Democrat with knowledge of the situation. “There’s real tension between the two when they are both in the same room. You can feel it.”

3. In an interview with the Times-Union's Leigh Hornbeck, Gillibrand's staff denied any tension with Pelosi.

"The speaker has been very gracious and generous toward Kirsten," said Gillibrand spokeswoman Rachel McEneny. "Any allegation to the contrary is uninformed and trying to make waves where none exist."

Politico has also updated their account of the relationship, pointing out that Gillibrand is being appointed to "a leadership position at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee."

4. Caroline Kennedy is still not a shoo-in. This week, Governor Paterson made it clear that she hasn't sold him yet. "She does not have much political, I mean, legislative experience, which is a minus," he said.

The take-away? Gillibrand is still very much in the mix; and regardless of Governor Paterson's pick, it's clear that she wants to move up the ladder in Washington fast.

That's good news for upstate New York, which has lost a lot of influence -- in Washington and Alban -- the last couple of years.

Gov. Paterson's unspoken message to NY Indian tribes

I was reading through the text version of the Governor's State of the State address and found that he failed to deliver one section pertinent to the North Country.

It has to do with Indian tribes, including the St. Regis Mohawk community.

Here it is, as-written:

Speaking of respect, the State of New York and the Indian tribes of this State have suffered for far too long from a debilitating and unproductive relationship. Together we can forge a fundamentally different government-to-government relationship - one grounded in mutual respect and with common purpose. I intend to work together with the tribal nations across this State so that together we can create a brighter future for all of our citizens.

A reminder that Governor Paterson's visual impairment forces him to deliver speeches -- even very long, complicated, speeches -- from memory.

So I don't think his dropping this passage from the delivered speech warrants over-interpretation.

Adirondack carousel closes shop, lays off staff

Organizers of the Adirondack carousel project in Saranac Lake say they're the victims of the sour economy. After being contacted today by NCPR, they issued a press release saying that they've decided to lay off all staff and close their storefront.

Here's their statement:

According to Executive Director, Dylan Rodrigues, even though the Adirondack Carousel was recently awarded a grant for $240,000 by New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP) to purchase Carousel mechanics and pour the foundation for the Pavilion, the organization still needs almost a million dollars in financing to complete the project.

“When we started the $1.5 million Capital Campaign in early 2007, the possibility of brining this innovative attraction to Saranac Lake next summer seemed possible,” said Ms. Rodrigues. “But we know now that the economy has been in a downward spin since then and it has been much more difficult than we had anticipated to raise the funds.”

Chris Knight will report on this tonight on All Before Five.

The snow day game

Let me precede this post with two caveats: a) When I grew up in Buffalo, and then taught there in the 1990s, there was no such thing as a "two hour delay" - school was either open or closed. Maybe this has changed. b) I know little more about the backroom decision-making in snow days than what's contained in this NC This Week article.

Yesterday, two schools - you know who you are - had two-hour delays to start the day, then dismissed students early, between noon and 1pm. Which means school buses rumbled off to pick up hundreds of kids, boilers fired to warm up the hallways, lights turned on, lunches were made...for about two hours of class time? Think a lot of learning got done in those two hours?

I know schools have to meet a certain number of school days by state law. And I know there are low-income children who rely on schools for free breakfasts and lunches. But at a time when we're talking about debilitating budget cuts and fretting about property taxes, it seems kind of sad that thousands of dollars were burned to get kids to school for two hours of looking out the window and waiting for the (early) bell to ring.

Doubling down on the race card

Congressman Bobby Rush -- a former member of the Black Panthers -- has been leading the fight to install Roland Burris as the next US Senator from Illinois.

Rep. Rush argues that the Senate needs an African American member, to better reflect the nation's diversity. I couldn't agree more.

It strikes me as essential that a black leader be chosen to fill Barack Obama's unexpired term.

But Rep. Rush has relentlessly played the race card in the most hysterical terms, accusing Democratic lawmakers of trying to "lynch" Burris.

"It reminded me of the dogs being sicced on children in Birmingham, Alabama," he declared, in an MSNBC interview. "That’s what it reminded me of."

That kind of rhetoric is disgraceful. It diminishes the sacrifice of the men and women who suffered in Birmingham and it reflects a near-total divorce from reality.

Whatever Mr. Burris's personal credentials, and whatever the color of his skin, he has displayed craven ambition -- and a breathtaking lack of dignity -- in associating himself with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Gov. Blagojevich has been accused by a Federal prosecutor of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Until Mr. Burris broke ranks, his fellow Democrats --including President-elect Obama -- insisted that any appointment he made would be permanently tainted. They were right.

It now appears that Mr. Burris will be confirmed. Governor Blogojevich will have prevailed, and the stain of scandal will spread to Washington.

There will be an African American in the Senate, but one with a huge asterisk beside his name. That's hardly a victory for the civil rights movement that Rep. Rush claims to champion.

Contemplating a World Without Times

The Atlantic's Michael Hirshorn has a grim assessment of the future of newspapers, specifically the New York Times. Not ten or twenty years from now. This year...

In December, the Fitch Ratings service, which monitors the health of media companies, predicted a widespread newspaper die-off: “Fitch believes more newspapers and news­paper groups will default, be shut down and be liquidated in 2009 and several cities could go without a daily print newspaper by 2010.”

Yikes. Blogs and online journalism are revolutionary, for sure. But newspapers like the Times - and the Watertown Daily Times, the Plattsburgh Press-Republican, and the Glens Fall Post-Star in the North Country - pay people to stay on top the bread and butter of news...monitoring governments and their politicians, reviewing court documents, and investigating deeply. Granted, none are perfect, nor is any paper, radio, or TV outlet. But a hemorrhaging of daily beat newspapers would be an unspeakable loss for journalism, and for democracy.

SOS! What do you think of Governor Paterson's message?

Governor Paterson goes live with his State of the State message at 1 pm. We'll air it live on NCPR -- and we want your first-blush reaction to the speech. You can also watch the speech live online or read the full text now.

Is this the message of a confident leader who's now in charge of New York state's vast bureaucracy, or the first step into another Albany quagmire?

Comment below. And remember: Sharp, pointed debate, yes! Flaming and uncivil rabble-rousing, no!

Quid Pro Quo

Americans have more than one currency. We use the greenback to buy things. And in politics, there's quid pro quo - the tacit agreement that I will do X for you if you do Y for me. The allegations against Illinois Gov. Blagojevich are a textbook example of this. Federal prosecutors say he wanted to appoint a U.S. Senator who would, in turn, make sure he and/or his wife got a six-figure job.

Quid pro quo was at play in the New York Legislature, too. Three Democratic state Senators from NYC wanted lucrative positions in the chamber’s leadership. After threatening to switch party affiliation and vote Republican, they got what they wanted.

A NYTimes Op-Ed column by Michael Lewis and David Einhorn has another example of quid pro quo – this one in the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C.):

Created to protect investors from financial predators, the S.E.C. has somehow evolved into a mechanism for protecting financial predators with political clout from investors.

It’s not hard to see why the commission behaves as it does. If you work for the enforcement division of the S.E.C. you probably know in the back of your mind, and in the front, too, that if you maintain good relations with Wall Street you might soon be paid huge sums of money to be employed by it.

The commission’s most recent director of enforcement is the general counsel at JPMorgan Chase; the enforcement chief before him became general counsel at Deutsche Bank; and one of his predecessors became a managing director for Credit Suisse before moving on to Morgan Stanley. A casual observer could be forgiven for thinking that the whole point of landing the job as the S.E.C.’s director of enforcement is to position oneself for the better paying position on Wall Street.

The column argues that watchdogs need to do a better job of watching - and dogging. I think that's true of news media, as well.

Because all of us have to know what elected officials are promising for their votes and what they expect in return. If we don't, we don't know who's profiting, who's losing or - perhaps most importantly - how the players profit. And look what that's done to the U.S. economy.

Is Gov. Paterson doing the right thing?

Governor Paterson is pushing deep budget cuts, which are already trickling down to state agencies, local governments, hospitals and school districts across New York.

Alice Hyde in Malone has put major projects on hold; the city of Plattsburgh is planning lay-offs; state prisons are threatened with closure; a hiring-freeze has already cost the region dozens, if not hundreds, of jobs.

In any other climate, these moves would look like sound conservative fiscal policy. But in a recession this deep, most economists think governments should spend big to stimulate a private-sector recovery.

In the late '20s and early '30s, Franklin Roosevelt -- then the Governor of New York state -- tested many of the policies that would later coalesce as the New Deal.

That included spending big on infrastructure projects, including the St. Lawrence Seaway. (And, yes, it also included huge budget deficits.)

So far, the nation's governors aren't following Roosevelt's model. Just the opposite.

In a column last week, New York Times scribe Paul Krugman accused them of being "50 Herbert Hoovers."

But even as Washington tries to rescue the economy, the nation will be reeling from the actions of 50 Herbert Hoovers — state governors who are slashing spending in a time of recession, often at the expense both of their most vulnerable constituents and of the nation’s economic future.

More troubling is the fact that governors around the country are asking for a big chunk of the Federal stimulus money -- as much as a trillion dollars.

Not to create new projects, but to forward-fund existing state programs. That kind of spending won't kick-start anything.

What alternative does Governor Paterson have? He can't borrow the same way the Fed can; nor can he print buckets of money.

The only remaining alternative? Taxes.

We'll see if Governor Paterson wrestles with any of these ideas on Wednesday, when he takes to the airwaves with his State of the State address.

The question he needs to answer is pretty simple: How do deep cuts in state spending help lead to a revival of New York's wider economy?

Proud of W.

In the latest issue, Fred Barnes at the conservative Weekly Standard offers one of the sadder, most reality-divorced assessments of the Bush presidency yet penned.

The title is "The End of the Line," which is a pretty fair place to begin for the story of a man who presided over two disastrously-managed wars, an epic economic crash, and a bungled emergency response that helped cripple a major American city.

Oh - and Mr. Bush also helped to shred the Republican Party, one of the most important civic institutions in America.

But writing about a lunchtime meeting with the President (Mr. Bush ate a grilled-cheese sandwich), Mr. Barnes suggests that much of the public anger is the result of irrational, "left-wing haters."

This is a popular meme these days in the right-leaning blogosphere:

Mr. Bush wasn't a great president. But the harshest criticism of his tenure is nothing more than an irrational echo of the anti-Clinton rhetoric that bubbled up during the 90s.

I'm not a huge fan of Bill Clinton, but please. His many personal failings aside, Mr. Clinton left America more prosperous and more peaceful than he found it.

Even allowing for the terrible challenges posed by 9/11, Mr. Bush simply can't make that claim. His own former allies have acknowledged that he wasn't up to the job.

Still, Mr. Barnes closes with this rosy assessment of the President's eight years in the Oval office: "He's proud of what he achieved. And proud he should be."

Of Scandal and the Democrats

I've blogged a couple of times over the last six months about the dangers of single-party rule to the party in power.

You know the saying about absolute power corrupting absolutely...

Republicans leaped into that trap with both feet, watching as an entire generation of leaders (from Jack Abramoff to Ted Stevens) went down in spectacular flames.

Will Democrats do better? Early signs aren't so promising. Here's the list of high profile Dems damaged by scandal so far:

1. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojoveich, who allegedly tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.

2. Former Illinois attorney general Rolland Burris, who allowed himself to be appointed to Obama's seat by the tainted Blago.

3. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who is withdrawing as a candidate for Commerce Secretary because of a Grand Jury investigation into an alleged pay-to-play scheme.

4. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Once a rising star with a reasonable shot at the White House, he hooked up with an illegal call-girl service and is now a blogger for an on-line magazine.

5. Rep. William Jefferson, a veteran lawmaker from Louisiana, is awaiting trial on bribery and money-laundering charges. He was ousted by voters in a late election in December, replaced by an unknown Republican attorney.

6. Former Senator John Edwards -- a candidate last year for president -- who vanished from the national scene after first lying about an extra-marital affair, then confessing during a "Nightline" interview.

The deeply-divided Republicans were in desperate need of a break and naturally they've been crowing about these Democratic missteps.

"How fun is this scandal?" wrote Betsy Newmark for Fox News. "As a Republican, I figure it’s about time that we have a nice, juicy Democratic scandal to chew over. This guy Blagojevich is a real prize."

But Dems are also doing some hand-wringing. Writing for CNN, James Carville predicted more trouble ahead:

The Democratic Party has had a recent run of corruption and sex scandals. Mathematicians say that there are no such things as streaks and that the last event has nothing to do with the next.

The only people who disagree are crapshooters and political operatives. Since I am both, I firmly believe that there are streaks and that political scandals happen in clusters.

With single-party rule about to hit Washington, the Democrats could do one thing to prevent a GOP-style self-destruction.

They could implement really effective ethics and sunshine measures designed to self-police their own ranks.

Give the watchdogs teeth now and rank-and-file members will know to color inside the lines.

Will that happen? Not likely. I'm with Carville on this one. Look for the list of Democratic flame-outs to grow in 2009.

Kennedy momentum builds

Over the holiday, I heard a lot of skepticism from friends and acquaintances -- including folks with pretty good political radar -- about Caroline Kennedy's possible appointment as New York state's next junior Senator.

But the AP is reporting that Kennedy is still the front-runner for the post. Here's their new snippet:

Two people close to Gov. David Paterson tell The Associated Press they believe Caroline Kennedy will be his choice, but the governor cautions he's still looking.

The Cow Is Not Like a Switch

That's a quote from dairy guru, and former cooperative extension agent in St. Lawrence County, Pete Barney. He told me that in one of my first interviews with him when I first moved to the North Country. It's what sets dairying apart from most other industries.

You've got to milk the cows - twice, in some cases, three times a day. So the supply/demand feedback for milk and dairy products is very unresponsive. People decide they don't want to drink as much milk as they used to? Still have to milk the cows.

The NYT reports today on a glut in the American milk supply. Turns out the boom years got folks (mostly out West) a little too bullish on dairy. They built vast dairies in California and New Mexico that dwarf the biggest farm here. And they established markets overseas in growing third/second world economies.

American dairy shipments soared to places like Algeria, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. The biggest market, however, was Mexico, where imports from America increased to $853 million in 2007 from $258 million in 2003, according to the Agriculture Department. But now, global demand has stagnated amid high prices and economic uncertainty just as the dollar has strengthened and milk production in New Zealand and, to a lesser extent, Australia, has bounced back.

Meanwhile, American taxpayers are investing in milk powder to bail out the dairy farmers through our farm subsidies system (cheese may be next). And the cows still need to be milked.

Must-see (web) TV from Lake George swim

The Glens Falls Post Star has a video up from the New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim. It's fabulous stuff -- actually makes me want to try it.

The guy smoking the cigar is priceless.

Watch it here.