The Stakeholder
Albany Times Union: Take a stand, Mr. Tedisco
Take a stand, Mr. Tedisco
First published: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sometime between now and an election tentatively set for March 31, James Tedisco has to take a stand on the $787 billion economic stimulus that Congress passed last week and President Obama just signed into law.
How else can the voters of the 20th Congressional District begin to judge whether he's the best candidate to fill what had been Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's seat in the House?
That Mr. Tedisco would suggest that his position on what just might be the most contentious issue in Washington is a "hypothetical question" raises serious questions about his qualifications to serve in Congress. Economic policy couldn't be more critical in a congressional race.
Mr. Tedisco needs to understand that he's no longer in Albany, where he's the leader of the Republican minority in the state Assembly. Congress, he needs to learn, is a place where legislative debate tends to actually matter.
Scott Murphy, Mr. Tedisco's Democratic opponent, says he would have voted for the stimulus. So, which way, Mr. Tedisco? Up or down?
Is spending all this money - in a bold, some might say desperate, effort to keep the economy from plunging into a depression - a sensible way to create jobs and prevent more mortgage foreclosures?
If the issue here is Mr. Tedisco's unfamiliarity with what's a lengthy and complicated piece of legislation, he might start by reading it.
The way he went on and on with a filibuster-length non-answer at a campaign appearance in Queensbury on Tuesday has us wondering how much of the legislation he could have read in the meantime. Has he never voted on the bills that get rushed through the Legislature without reading them?
There was one encouraging note to Mr. Tedisco's rambling comments. He says he won't be a "lemming" in Congress.
The mind wanders, then, with excited anticipation. Does that mean Mr. Tedisco might have stood apart from the House Republicans who obstinately and unanimously voted against the stimulus? Would he challenge their contention that it's a waste of money?
If the ever independent Mr. Tedisco is nonetheless looking for some political cover, he might take note of the Republicans who do support the stimulus. Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian, for example, welcomes the money that could help pay for new water lines, better roads and maybe a new city hall. Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino sees the stimulus as a way of putting people back to work in a time of sharply increasing unemployment.
Even Mr. Tedisco himself acknowledges what it can do. Just listen.
"Love the unemployment help that we need to bridge that gap. Love the infrastructure. They've got some nice tax cuts in there."
So, what's his problem? Why's he on the fence? Why can't he level with the voters?
It's not because the stimulus was the Democrats' bill, is it?
The issue:
A candidate for Congress has no position on the economic stimulus bill.
The Stakes:
He can't be serious.
Not that I would expect for one second that you have any intention of posting this, after what you’ve learned recently about true public opinion of you and your leftist socialist movement, but I will make this comment that you can all digest:
“IF GOVERNMENT SPENDING WAS NECESSARY FOR A ROBUST ECONOMY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WOULD CURRENTLY HAVE THE RICHEST ECONOMIC CLIMATE ON EARTH - EVER IN IT’S HISTORY!”
hi j mannix the dem won so quit bitching and watch the as the people and infrastructure get better after the republican ignore them both for eight years obama did the right thing everything was crumbling and the people needed help
What is this, Article 9 or 10 on Tedisco? I think you should out yourself, and admit the crush you have on him.
This is great. The Albany Times Union is well read up there. All that needs to happen is get the DCCC to actually give Scott Murphy some money. Michael Steele and the GOP are throwing everything they have at NY-20…..What are We going to do about it????