Andrew Cuomo is the Governor of New York.
He is brash. Arrogant. Sometimes he is hard to take. He is also a liberal Democrat whom I disagree with on a number of issues.
He is also is intelligent. Open to hearing alternative ideas. And sometimes he breaks party ranks, when he feels it is the right thing to do.
Here is a quote about Cuomo I particularly like, which comes from former Republican/conservative Senator Alfonse D\’Amato:
“Idon\’t agree with everything he\’s done. But he\’s kept taxes down. He\’s controlled spending. He putin a property tax cap that\’s very important, particularly for seniorcitizens. He\’s reached out to bring businesses back to the state,particularly upstate.”
And here is another thing Mr. Cuomo very definitely is: Ambitious. I have little doubt that he would like to be President of the United States – maybe in the very near future.
And the one person standing in his way right now is Hillary Clinton. Not Joe Biden, who most people, even many Democrats, do not take very seriously anymore. Not Elizabeth Warren, who – other than among the far left fantasists who revere her – is basically George McGovern with different plumbing. Nope, his competition is Hillary Clinton.
So, are there any differences between Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton that would be of interest to voters?
You bet there are. Plenty of them. Let me show you a big one from just yesterday, via this excerpt from a story at CBS News-New York:
Therewas handshaking and back-patting all around Thursday, after Gov.Andrew Cuomo helped broker a deal between the MetropolitanTransportation Authority and the Long Island Rail Road unions toavoid a potentially crippling strike.
WithMTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast and the unions\’ chief negotiator,Anthony Simon, seated by his side, Cuomo said Thursday that a”compromise by both parties” had been reached earlier Thursday.
“Itis my pleasure to announce today that we have settled a four-yeardispute dealing with the Long Island Rail Road labor unions,” Cuomosaid.
There\’s a major difference for you right there: Andrew Cuomo accomplished something.
I have asked many times in this blog, and ask again now: what has Hillary Clinton accomplished in her 40+ years in the public eye? Here\’s a list for you:
-As a young lawyer, she was tossed from the Watergate investigation by its (Democrat) chief counsel, without a reference or recommendation, on the grounds that her work was shoddy and dishonest.
-As a Governor\’s wife, she was put in charge of Arkansas\’ education system. It did not improve.
-As a President\’s wife, she was put in charge of health care reform. The system she proposed was so bad that even Democrats would not vote for it.
-As a U. S. Senator, she sponsored exactly zero bills of any importance that were pushed through and enacted into law.
-As a Secretary of State, her greatest “accomplishment” was the Benghazi massacre….and her most memorable statement was “what difference does it make” whether that massacre was spontaneous or a premeditated attack.
I don\’t know who the Republican candidate for 2016 will be. There is no clear choice at all right now. But if Hillary Clinton decides to make a run for it (which remains in doubt, due to her personal health), she will almost certainly be the Democrat nominee – unless someone like Andrew Cuomo challenges her.
Personally, I hope he does. Because, like him or not on some issues, at least I know he is capable of rolling up his sleeves and getting something done, which yields a positive result.
In that regard, he leaves Hillary Clinton in the dust.
