Latest news with #SienaCollege
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former NY Congressman releases new book on America's past and future
(WIVT/WBGH) – A former representative of New York's 19th District is out with a new book that looks back on how difficult decisions made during the founding of our country might offer guidance on how to deal with the deep divisions that exist today. Chris Gibson has published 'The Spirit of Philadelphia: A Call To Recover The Founding Principles.' The book is based on research Gibson did about the Constitutional Convention held in 1787 in Philadelphia to address some of the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. Gibson says the years between the Revolutionary War and the adoption of the Constitution was marked by a lot of dissent, dysfunction and open rebellion. Gibson says the framers of the Constitution purposely created checks and balances that decentralized power and gave control over lawmaking, funding, and the ability to go to war to the people's representatives in Congress. He says that over the past century, and even more so in recent times, power has steadily been consolidated in the president at the expense of Congress. 'Basically, you vote for a president, that president comes in, whether it's Barack Obama on the left or Donald Trump on the right, and the expectation for those voters is that they're going to get everything they're looking for and it's going to come by way of executive action. This is in part what changed how we interact with each other. By moving away from founding principles, we have really torn our social fabric and we're living with the consequences of those changing ideas,' said Gibson. Gibson, who spent three years as president of his alma mater, Siena College, says the convention in Philadelphia not only created a framework for the government but also a spirit of collaboration and optimism. He says, despite the divisions of today, most Americans still agree about the value of liberty and equality. You can find out more information and purchase the book at Gibson includes some of his recommendations for addressing our country's polarization and says he'd be happy to Zoom in with any book clubs interested in reading his book. Watch the full interview with Gibson below. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Democrats should run as the moderate Trump pretends to be
During an interview last June, then-candidate Donald Trump was asked what he thought about foreign students attending American universities. 'What I want to do and what I will do is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,' he said. It was an idea he'd borrowed from Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign, saying foreign students who want to stay after graduation 'should not be thrown out of our country.' As you might have guessed by now, Trump didn't follow through on that pledge. But he didn't just renege on his promise; he's doing its exact opposite. The Trump administration is moving quickly to try to deport foreign students studying here and halting the interviews necessary for foreign students who want to study here in the future. Setting aside the broken promise for a moment, this episode includes a valuable lesson for Democrats trying to figure out how to make a comeback. Though he has governed as the most extreme conservative president in the modern era, Trump regularly took more centrist positions as a candidate, especially on moderate and progressive ideas that polled well. He also threw out so many positions — often on the same issue — that only the most obsessed voters could keep straight what he really thought. His fans often picked and chose the ones they most agreed with, while other voters started to think that he was something of a moderate. This sounds hard to believe, but polls in 2024 regularly showed that a large number of voters considered Trump something of a centrist. A New York Times/Siena College poll in September found that 10% thought he wasn't conservative enough, 32% too conservative and 49% 'not too far either way.' (A similar plurality, meantime, thought Kamala Harris was 'too liberal or progressive.') Of course, Trump also made a number of harshly conservative campaign proposals. In fact, many of Trump's most controversial actions were previewed quite clearly during the 2024 campaign. He promised to enact the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, impose large tariffs on foreign goods (especially those from China), shut down the Department of Education, pardon all the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, kick transgender service members out of the military and stop government efforts to address climate change. Unlike the moderate pledge he has broken, he's working in earnest to accomplish these goals. That's the right-wing version of Trump, and beneath those broad promises are a thousand less visible policy moves being carried out to undermine the government's ability to function. But there is also a moderate version of Trump that emerges when he speaks off the cuff and says whatever he thinks people want to hear, including some progressive ideas. That version of Trump is the one who said the government would pay for in vitro fertilization treatments or that he'll always protect Medicaid or that raising taxes on the rich might be a good idea or that he wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. As a candidate he also made spectacular promises about achievements to come: He'd end Russia's war on Ukraine within 24 hours after taking office, cut energy costs in half and lower your car insurance rates. And Trump paid tribute to liberal goals — 'I want absolutely immaculate, clean water. I want absolutely clean air. And we had it. We had H₂0,' he said during his debate with Joe Biden — even though his actual policies undermine those goals. That rhetoric made Trump seem more liberal and benevolent than he actually is — especially if you didn't think through the implications of his promises. The New York Times recently told the story of a small Missouri town rising up in outrage over the arrest and pending deportation of a beloved resident who has been living there for 20 years since arriving from Hong Kong. 'I voted for Donald Trump, and so did practically everyone here,' said one friend of hers from church. 'But no one voted to deport moms. We were all under the impression we were just getting rid of the gangs.' So did they vote for this? The answer is yes and no. Almost no one went to the polls saying, 'I'm voting for Trump because I wish we didn't have food inspections, help for people with addiction or cancer research.' But if you voted for Trump, you should at least have known that he and his party were preparing an all-out assault on the federal government, and that meant cutting the things you like. And if he fooled you into thinking all immigrants are murderous gang members, that's partly on you. It may be hard to imagine that even at this late date, some people don't realize just how malevolent Trump's intentions are. But there are those who don't — millions of them. As tempting as it is to mock them for their naivete, those people may change their minds when they realize what he's really doing. And Democrats might just be able to win them over by looking to some of the moderate promises that Trump made for inspiration. Subscribe to the Project 47 newsletter to receive weekly updates on and expert insight into the key issues and figures defining Trump's second term. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Antonio Delgado lauches bid to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026 Democratic primary
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has launched a Democratic primary bid against Gov. Kathy Hochul just a few months after making a public break from her and laying the groundwork for a challenge. Delgado posted a video announcing his campaign just before 5 p.m. on Monday, June 2, giving viewers a quick sketch of his background and samples of his recent speaking appearances. Those state-crossing speeches he has made at Democratic rallies and protests had made it appear increasingly likely he would enter the 2026 race. "Listen, the powerful and well-connected have their champions," Delgado concludes in the video's voiceover, echoing the populist theme he has been sounding in his talks. "I'm running for governor to be yours." Delgado is a 48-year-old former lawyer and congressman who was serving his second House term when Hochul tapped him to be her running mate in 2022. He's a Schenectady native who had been working as a litigator when he moved back to upstate New York shortly before launching his successful bid to unseat Republican Rep. John Faso in the 2018 election. After nearly two years in the background as lieutenant governor, Delgado started carving out his own profile last July by calling for President Joe Biden to end his re-election bid, putting him at odds with Hochul. He made his break from her more explicit in February by announcing he would not run for re-election as lieutenant governor in 2026. He still holds that largely ceremonial office and will remain there until the end of next year unless he steps aside. Hochul, 66, is running for a second full term next year. She's a former lieutenant governor herself who ascended to the top office when Andrew Cuomo resigned in August 2021 amid sexual harassment claims that he denies. (Cuomo is now the frontrunner in a June 24 Democratic primary for New York City mayor.) Hochul's campaign responded on Monday by citing a pair of strong statements others made in her support after Delgado's announcement. One came from the Democratic Governors Association, which called her a "proven leader" and listed a string of priorities she accomplished in this year's budget, including an income-tax cut and ban on student smart-phone use during school. "The Democratic Governors Association is 100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026," the statement read. "For years, Governor Hochul has been underestimated — and each time proved her critics wrong.' Hochul's poll numbers are lukewarm, but she has held huge leads over both Delgado and Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres in Siena College polls that asked about those three candidates competing in a hypothetical primary. Both Delgado and Torres — who has not entered the race — remain little known among Democratic voters statewide. Re-election prospects: Hochul is running for NY governor again in 2026. What are her biggest hurdles to winning? On the Republican side, Reps. Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik are both mulling bids for governor in 2026, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has been viewed as another potential candidate. Stefanik ripped Hochul in a statement after Delgado's announcement, saying it showed "she has lost support not just from Republicans and Independents, but Democrat New Yorkers as well." "It is time for new leadership to save New York from the decades of catastrophic failed policies of single-party Democrat rule," she said. Rep. Pat Ryan, the Ulster County Democrat who won Delgado's vacated House seat in a 2022 special election, quickly chimed in on social media with words of support for Hochul. "Governor Hochul has delivered over and over for the Hudson Valley — bringing down housing costs, bolstering public safety, cleaning up our drinking water, and more," Ryan wrote in his X post. "She's hard-working. She's a person of integrity. And she's a fighter." Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@ This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY governor election: Antonio Delgado announces Democratic primary bid
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kathy Hochul's Chances of Winning New York Governor Primary
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New York Governor Kathy Hochul had a 1 percent lead over Representative Ritchie Torres in a survey of likely Democratic voters in New York City. Why It Matters The heavily Democratic city of New York is expected to hold significant influence on the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary next year. As New York state is also reliably Democratic in gubernatorial elections, whoever wins the Democratic primary is likely to secure the governorship. Governor Kathy Hochul announcing FY26 budget investments in subway safety at Grand Central Terminal in New York on May 1. Governor Kathy Hochul announcing FY26 budget investments in subway safety at Grand Central Terminal in New York on May 1. Photo by: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2025 5/1/25 What To Know According to a Honan Strategy Group survey, conducted for the Jewish Voters Action Network, 38 percent of likely New York City Democratic voters would back the incumbent governor in a primary election, while 37 percent would back Torres if the two stood against each other. A further 25 percent said they were undecided. If Hochul were running against New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado in a primary, she would garner 42 percent of the vote to Delgado's 28 percent. Earlier this month, a Siena College poll found that in a hypothetical primary between Hochul, Delgado and Torres, Hochul would win 46 percent of the vote. Delgado would garner 12 percent, and Torres would win 10 percent. The poll, conducted from May 12 to 15 among 805 registered voters, also found that Representative Elise Stefanik would lead a potential Republican primary in the state. It also found that 36 percent of people wanted Hochul to be the next governor. But 55 percent said they wanted "someone else." The survey marked a decline from Siena's April poll, in which 39 percent of respondents said they preferred Hochul, and 48 percent said they wanted someone else. Supposing Hochul and Stefanik won their primaries and faced each other in the general election, the polling organization co/efficient found in a May survey that there would be a statistical tie. What People Are Saying Commenting on the survey results, New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs, an ally of Governor Kathy Hochul, told the New York Post: "It sounds like a flawed poll. I wouldn't pay attention to it whatsoever." Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said in a news release: "After hitting year-long highs in both Hochul's favorability and job approval ratings last month, those numbers largely held constant this month, although Republicans, already very negative toward Hochul, turned even more so on both measurements." Denny Salas, a former Washington, D.C., consultant, previously told Newsweek: "Anything can happen in politics, and a Republican like Elise Stefanik could have an opportunity to win in New York. I never buy the inevitability arguments when it pertains to party identification enrollments in a particular state like ours. To win, Stefanik will need to secure 35 to 40 percent of NYC, dominate Long Island, penetrate Westchester, and dominate the rest of New York in the rural areas to defeat Hochul." What Happens Next The candidates and their chances of success will become clearer as the election draws closer. The New York gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ritchie Torres in dead heat with Kathy Hochul among NYC Dems in potential gov primary: new poll
Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres is running neck and neck with Gov. Kathy Hochul among New York City Democrats in a hypothetical party primary for the statehouse next year, a new poll shows. The survey, conducted by the Honan Strategy Group for the Jewish Voters Action Network, found that 38% of likely city Democratic voters would back Hochul if the election were held today, compared to 37% for Torres, with 25% of the respondents undecided. The city, which is overwhelmingly Democratic, greatly influences the state's Dem gubernatorial primary. The poll also showed Hochul led among likely Jewish city Democrats — 40% to 31% for Torrres — with 29% undecided. Both Hochul and Torres are staunch backers of Israel and have pushed back against Israel-bashing and antisemitism. Hochul led by a larger margin in the city against her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — 42% to 28%, with 30% undecided. Among Jewish city Dems, Hochul led Delgado 40% to 23%, with 37% undecided. Maury Litwack, founder of the Jewish Voters Action Network, said he oversampled Jewish voters in the polling as part an ongoing effort to better understand the views of the community. The mix included 724 likely Democratic voters plus 412 likely Jewish Democratic voters, based on prior voting history and motivation to vote after the election of Republican Trump last year. But the findings clashed with a recent Siena College poll, which found Hochul further ahead of her potential Democratic rivals. That survey — which queried registered rather than likely voters — showed Hochul with 44% support among Democrats in New York City compared to 13% for Torres and 9% for Delgado. Statewide, Hochul captured 46% of the vote of those polled to 12% for Delgado and 10% for Torres. A majority of upstate Democrats, 54%, backed the sitting governor, who is from Buffalo. Still, a majority of all voters said they prefer someone else as governor, and her favorability rating among respondents was under 50%. State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, a Hochul ally, scoffed at the latest findings showing Torres in a dead heat with the governor. 'It sounds like a flawed poll. I wouldn't pay attention to it whatsoever,' Jacobs said. 'That survey doesn't align with any other I've seen — including the Siena College poll,' added the party chairman. Meanwhile Republican Congress members Elise Stefanik and MikeLawler are weighing a run for governor, as is Nassau County, LI, Executive Bruce Blakeman. The phone text poll of 1,136 Democrats, conducted from May 15-18, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.89 percentage points.
