Tag: Andrew Carden
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Gillibrand vs. Lazio?
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is among the most popular incumbent U.S. Senators in the entire country – the latest Quinnipiac poll found her sitting atop a solid 49 percent approval among New Yorkers, with only 26 percent disapproving – but that doesn’t automatically mean smooth sailing for Gillibrand’s electoral prospects. In the 2010 midterms, Gillibrand defeated…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: The Downfall of Michael Bloomberg
On election night, 2009, I gathered with a bunch of friends to watch the election returns on CNN. The network was mostly focused on the two races with major national implications – the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia – but we were far more interested in another showdown that night. New York City…
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The Budget Aftermath
After months of contentious debate over New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget cuts for the coming fiscal year, Albany lawmakers finally came to an agreement and adopted a final state budget on Thursday, March 31. The plan, which sports a price tag of $132.5 billion, calls for a 2 percent decrease in spending, which, alongside…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Andrew Cuomo, Mr. Popular
Given the polarizing debate over New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state budget proposals, I’ve wholly expected Cuomo’s favorability among New Yorkers to, by the end of the whole agonizing process, take a serious hit. After all, in discussing the governor’s budget cuts with local political activists, I’ve noticed considerable disgruntlement toward Cuomo’s recent track record,…
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Undiscovered New Paltz
New Paltz is renowned for its stone houses on Historical Huguenot Street and its sumptuous Hudson Valley scenery. Hidden within the crevasses of history, however, are many places which, while perhaps lesser-known, are well worth a visit. Among these little wonders are a bridge from the 1800s, a forgotten slave burial site, an underground study zone…
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Who Wants to Tax a Millionaire?
As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo defends his proposed state budget for the coming fiscal year, a debate is brewing over whether the governor should extend an income tax increase, dubbed the “millionaire’s tax,” on the wealthiest New Yorkers. This tax hike, which, despite its name, would affect individuals earning over $200,000 a year and…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Remembering Geraldine Ferraro
Looking back, there have been countless people and events which fueled my interest in politics. Among them are the engrossing train wreck that was the 2008 primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and, perhaps first and foremost, my utter bewilderment over how George W. Bush prevailed on election night in 2004. Also near the…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Client 9’s Comeback
It’s hard for me to fathom that this March marks three years since former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, amid a scathing prostitution scandal, resigned from office. After all, since his stepping-down, we’ve been treated to two new governors, not to mention the exhausting 2008 presidential race and the recent 2010 midterm elections. I feel like…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Jason the Juggernaut
There may be upwards of ten candidates running this year to become the next mayor of the Village of New Paltz, but one thing is unmistakable. This race, despite its crowded nature at face value, is a showdown between two entities: former Mayor Jason West and everyone not named Jason West. West, who officially announced…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: The Walkout Dilemma
The definition of ‘walkout,’ according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is as follows: “The action of leaving a meeting or organization as an expression of disapproval.” When I first heard word, admittedly through Facebook, that a student walkout would be organized in response to the SUNY budget cuts, my gut instinct was to be delighted. After…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: The Death of the New York Republican Party
It’s perhaps hard to believe now, but, not long ago, it wasn’t the most unpopular thing to say the words “I am a New York Republican.” Just rewind to one year ago. In February, 2010, Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, was floundering with one of the worst approval ratings of any sitting governor in the…
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New Paltz Reacts to Cuomo Budget Cuts
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed state budget for the coming fiscal year aims to plug the state’s $10 billion budget gap without a single tax increase. Instead, Cuomo is calling for dramatic cuts in funding for Medicaid, state operations and education. Among the most controversial of the proposed cuts is a 10 percent reduction…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: New York’s Three Stooges
It has been just four months since the 2010 midterm elections, and, just like that, the 2012 presidential season is already creeping its away upon us. Over the coming months, you’ll see President Obama barnstorm one “swing state” after another, holding countless rallies while having to walk that fine line between exciting liberals and progressives…
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Carden’s Capitol Corner: Kirsten Gillibrand’s Next Fight
I’ve always been rather fond of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. From her brief tenure as a U.S. Congresswoman through her appointment by Gov. David Paterson to fill Hillary Clinton’s vacant U.S. Senate seat, Gillibrand has struck an impressive and independent chord in the political arena. She has a streak of fiscal conservatism, yet she championed progressive…
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Postcards from the Edge: Drugs and Booze
College kids love to party. The average student has seen or tried it all. Drugs and alcohol are an escape. Some drink to forget their social embarrassment. Others take drugs to fit in. Some do it to run away from everything. But a night of debauchery can easily turn into a morning of unfortunate consequences.…
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The After-Party from Hell
“Help me! Somebody fucking help me!” Kevin, my suite mate, apparently needs some help. It’s 2 a.m. and I’m passed out, reeling from our night of dizzying debauchery. I begrudgingly roll out of bed and stumble toward the common room. The floor is stained with blood. The couches are soaked in blood. A streak of…
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Chasing Ghosts
After two hours on our Adirondacks road trip, with my best pal Joe’s Volkswagen Jetta having all but melted in the sweltering August sun, we decided to break from the congested Northway. Our detour has brought us to Gaslight Village, a small, abandoned theme park overlooking Lake George. N.Y. Setting foot in this ghost town was…