Once again this year, the crowd gathered at Congressman Gary Ackerman's annual holiday party gave a big round of applause to both the congressman and New York State Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Michael Balboni, who introduced the host. Secretary Balboni, the former state senator, laughingly stated, "I'm not running for anything ... it's great to be back and see all of you."

Secretary Balboni told of a recent meeting with Governor Eliot Spitzer, prior to appearing before the United States Congress, when, from across the room he heard Gary Ackerman saying to him, "Thank god you're here." Secretary Balboni told the party crowd, "There's no better endorsement for me."

And then Secretary Balboni acknowledged his successor in the Senate, state Senator Craig Johnson. "You are very well-represented now by Senator Craig Johnson," the Republican Balboni said of his Democratic successor.

For many years Senator Balboni represented the 7th state senatorial district and he told the group, "I miss this room ... you made me appreciate that this is not just about politics and issues, it's about people."

In the same vein, as Congressman Ackerman rose to speak, he first introduced his family, and turning to his young grandson, Max, he said, "Isn't this what it's really all about."

The congressman told his large group of guests gathered at Melville Hall at the USMMA in Kings Point, "All of us here, in politics, are here to help the people or to help individuals ... we're here to help people." And he continued to emphasize, "we do what we do for the little ones in the world, the children ... it's the reason we're here, to give children a chance and to make the world a better place ... we try to do the job to the best of our ability."

Congressman Ackerman went on to say that "Those of us who have been at it a while owe an apology to the younger generation ... we tried but not enough to make differences, it wasn't good enough." The congressman said that "it's not about partisanship, we all do what we can do, but we screwed up from the White House down."

The congressman added that "the president got so much wrong ... once in awhile he got it right and I complimented him, but mostly he works against us." Congressman Ackerman added that "Bush wants diplomacy, that's not war, it's talking," and he stated that "he believes that the president

wants to isolate countries and we will be alone, we'll be isolated ... you don't solve problems that way, you lose."

He went on to say "we've lost Russia, we've lost New Orleans, the icebergs are melting ... we lost the whole planet under his watch."

Congressman Ackerman strongly stated "It's time we started getting things right ... and think ... we must talk to people, tell them if their policies are wrong." And he noted that "the president won't talk to North Korea ... we have to try to get them back, there's now some progress but we wasted five years."

Now, the congressman said, "we must keep an eye on South America; our relations there are not good." And he emphasized again that "we must start to get things right ... in hot spots like the Middle East and South Asia." Congressman Ackerman chairs the House sub-committee on the Middle East and South Asia.

And, in order to "get it right," Gary Ackerman advises that "the main thing we can to is to approach people, recognizing that they have dignity ... everyone should be entitled to that ... we shouldn't denigrate, we should respect."

The congressman said "We must get back to basic decency; you can appeal to a sense of decency ... you can find something to compliment someone ... before you tear them apart ... this gets their attention, not their disdain." All of this, Congressman Ackerman said, "needs enlightened leadership."

Ending his address to his audience, Congressman Gary Ackerman stated: "I want to get enlightened leaders, so I won't have to apologize to Max when he's old enough to understand."

And he advised one and all: "Remember everything we have to be joyful."