Friday, December 28, 2007

Governor Spitzer Visits Kingston Family


Governor Eliot Spitzer paid a visit to Kingston, Thursday afternoon to spend time at the home of Cecelia Madden, a town of Ulster resident.

During the one hour visit issues were discussed ranging from heath care to property taxes as well as other issues that were important to Ms. Madden's family.

This is one of many trips that will be made in New York leading up to Governor Spitzer's state of the state address on January 9th.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eliot is and always has been a man of the people. Despite numerous attempts to portray him as an "elitist" by unscrupulous people like Dobbs and his republican cohorts,Eliot has been there for us and has our interests at heart. I have every confidence that as our governor,his focus is on our well-being,not his own. He will be relentlessly attacked by his detractors,in their ignorance and jealousy, but he will prevail through superior intelligence. History will judge him to be one our generation's brightest.

Anonymous said...

The Madden's are complaining about 650 a month for health insurance. How about 1250 a month for a plan that gives worse coverage than one that I paid $1030 in November.

Why can't Spitzer allow business people to buy insurance (excellent policies) regardless of who your employer is?

Anonymous said...

How did Gov. Spitzer happen to pick Ms. Madden's house?

Her former husband worked for the "Daily Freeman," right?

I think he should make some visits on Cedar or Henry Street, and to some out of town poverty-stricken areas (rural poverty), as well.

And I don't think there should be any personal connections (on this type of trip) between the persons that he visits and any local politicians or news outlets...

Gov. Spitzer should take a look at upstate N.Y.'s Appalacian terrain, without any undue influence by anyone...

He should visit the homeless shelters and food pantries...

He should visit the Head Trauma Center...

He should take a comprehensive look around, and perhaps inside himself, as well.

Anonymous said...

9:35-The cost of health insurance is too high for everyone. The costs that most people pay is in addition to their employers' contributions in most cases. Some gruops like local chambers of commerce set up groups of their own to buy in bulk to save money. Collective bargaining brings down the cost. Look for Walmart(everybody's favorite) to lead the way. Their prescription drug plan and proposed clinics are a start to providing affordable healthcare. The government will be watching closely to ascertain their success. Their plan will likely be a blueprint for our nation's single payer system.

Anonymous said...

Portray him as an "elitist". No need. The guy is an elitist. He comes from one of the richest families in New York State and he got his money the old fashioned way he inherited it. He then went to the most exclusive schools in the country on his families money. He has no idea what the middle to lower class people are going through in this state. I doubt he even knows anyone that is middle or lower class. Also, his actions in the first year of his administration have shown that he is motivated only by blind ambition and will attempt to discredit anyone that disagrees with him...dem or repub. He has the lowest approval rating of any governor in modern history without prospects for improvement. Where have you been under a rock for the last 12 months. He, unfortunately, makes Pataki look like a statesmen, which 12 months ago I would of told you was impossible. And I voted for the guy.

Anonymous said...

The Freeman and the Maddens had nothing to do with this and that was made perfectly clear in the article. The administration made the choice of family and set up the meeting on their own, much as they have been doing all over the state the last month or so.

Anonymous said...

2:39-you obviously have no idea what an "elitist" is. Coming from a rich family and going to an ivy league school is not elitist. Princeton is a school that requires intelligence,not money. You're far more suited to elitism with your backround of poverty that any rich person could be. Eliot's choice to work as a civil servant is far from elitism.

Anonymous said...

Governor Spitzer need not visit any New Yorker's home to access issues. I am sure he receives thousands of letters weekly from fellow New Yorkers encompassing the gambit of: high taxes,(improper)acts of public officials,complaints concerning state agencies, inquiries about state employment, favors needed from the state government etc. He knows what's going on but is aware that government intervention for increased services equates to higher taxes.

The question is how much is the typical New Yorker willing to pay for increased services? Governmental Health Care Insurance? Yes, that should be universal to all but it will cost dearly. Real Property taxes too high?? That too could be addressed by decentralization of school districts supported by consumer sales taxes.

Anonymous said...

Sales tax to pay for education is a third rail (the term "third rail" refers to the electrical supply rail on subways that carries high voltage) as well. Which items get taxed more and which are exempt? Should luxury items be taxed on a sliding scale down to necessities? What about the "flat tax" ideas being floated? If consumer based taxation went into effect,would we be forced to make garage sales illegal? New ideas present new questions. Yet worth discussing. The necessity will force invention.

Anonymous said...

Choice to work in public service? This guy has been meticulously planning his career for the last fifteen years since he was an ada. He has proven to be self absorbed. He did a lot of talking, but nothing positive has happened and he has now alienated his own party as well as the Repub. He is the biggest disappointment I have had as a governor in my lifetime after having so much promise. And he is elitest. All you have to do is follow his history for the last 15 years to see that. Not just as governor, but also when he was AG. He preaches ethics, but there are numerous questions surrounding his own actions as governor and AG and he will not answer any of them. He fights every effort for someone else to find answers as well. Bottom line is this guy is just more of the same of what we have been seeing in state politics for decades.

Anonymous said...

12:11-A lot of hot air,generalizations and no substance. I've used his office while he was AG and I've read enough to satisfy me. He's too smart for you and it shows. Smart people are usually unpopular with the little people.

Anonymous said...

How do you Spitzer supporters (and I used to be one) completely ignore and/or explain the enormous failures he has had since he has been in office. Are you blind or just ignorant. How do you explain that 3/4 of the state does not have a favorable view of him, which means a large portion of those who voted for him do not think he is doing a good job. Those that fail to at least acknowledge the huge failures he has had in just 12 months would seem to be those with small minds. Smart or not the guy is floundering. If you are satisfied with that, then stick with him good for you.

Anonymous said...

If you consider alienating the republicans to be some kind of failure,I guess you forgot that he's a democrat. He's stuck by me and I'll keep supporting the most intelligent course of action. You and Dobbs can just drink yourselves silly. Smart people are always unpopular. Look how popular Bush was in his early years if you need proof of that as relevancy.

Anonymous said...

I'm not that familiar with Gov. Spitzer, but I (obviously) should be... I think I've just given up caring. Period.

I loved Moynahan, until I found out more about him...

In fact, everything (that I've studied in this department...) goes sour when one looks deep. And THAT is truly sad.

Really, I just wanted to respond to the person who wrote that someone with a background of poverty has a better shot in the political (civil service, ahem...) arena.

Are you on some serious drugs - or what?

Most poor folks can't afford to go to college, much less an elitist college - and the few that make it through on grants or scholarships are not enough to make a difference.

Not to mention the fact that the ivy league schools immediatedly start programming these folks to think (and then behave) like elitists (everything is ultimately about "programming").

And thus, it goes...