Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
OPINION: Bipartisanship is necessary in our system of government
Is bipartisanship dead? Sometimes it seems like it is. Watching Democrats and Republicans fight over nearly everything, you’d think they can’t agree on the difference between day and night. Witness the partisan reaction to President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. An eminently qualified jurist who would be the first Black […]
OPINION: New York State budget process remains as dysfunctional as ever
Gov. Kathy Hochul promised a better, more transparent budget process when she took over as New York’s executive. Promises made, promises broken. Unfortunately, New Yorkers were left with the same secretive, ineffective negotiations they have come to expect from one-party rule in Albany. The process remains as broken and dysfunctional as ever. The final spending
OPINION: What Does It Take to Be Important in America?
Maybe it’s the perspective a long life brings, but I find myself eyeing with some skepticism the glut of “personal brands” that assault us every day on television, in print, and through social media. Entertainers, celebrities, politicians striving for acclaim, artists and writers who have mastered the public-relations game, journalists and media stars who are building their
OPINION: Wages still not keeping up with inflation despite happy talk
Buried deep in the March jobs report is the punchline that pulls the rug out from under any happy talk about the Biden economy. To quote the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) summary, “Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 13 cents to $31.73 in March. Over the past 12
OPINION: In a Crisis Like Ukraine, Staying in Close Touch is Key
When Congress returned to Capitol Hill [recently] after a recess, it faced a changed world from the one that existed when its members left town. Not just because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as dramatic as that has been, but because of the response to it. Before the invasion, Europe was fractured. So, of course,
OPINION: N.Y. to Again Punish Law-Abiding Citizens with Backward Policy
It seems like New York invents new says to reward criminals every day. The latest policy concocted by extreme progressives is to give special treatment to those previously convicted of marijuana-related offenses regarding opening up a state-licensed retail shop. Put another way, if you have been convicted of distributing or possessing marijuana, you are immediately moved to
OPINION: A free press is essential to democracy
The value of a free, independent press to representative democracy is incalculable. Our system of government relies on the people knowing what their elected representatives say and do. The best check on every elected official is an active news media looking over their shoulders. Autocrats know this as well as anyone. Witness what happened when Russian President
OPINION: Don’t take SUNY Poly away from the Mohawk Valley area
GE deserted Utica. Kodak disintegrated in Rochester. IBM left Binghamton. Carrier abandoned Syracuse. Upstate New York has endured much economic hardship over the years, having suffered under a tax and regulatory structure dictated by downstate leaders. But those were the decisions of private-sector companies beyond our control. And despite those setbacks, we are on the road
OPINION: Best Days Lie Ahead for the Rural Economy
President Joe Biden recently used his first State of the Union address to talk about where our country has been and where we are going. The president mentioned a lot we can be proud of and even more to look forward to, especially in rural America. The country has faced deep challenges over the past year, and
OPINION: Biden needs to look in the mirror on inflation increase
President Joe Biden is pointing fingers all over the world for inflation that has been going on for more than a year for the dramatic increase in the costs of goods and services in America. Come on man. In less than 13 months, the inflation rate has gone from 1.4 percent to 7.9 percent, underscoring Biden’s
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.