Viewpoint: December 31, 2009
Public Policy Smackdown
1. For New Yorkers, this year’s federal stimulus mostly was a tax stabilization program, holding off state and local government budget meltdowns. This was a useful, if unromantic, purpose. Unfortunately, it is hard to turn around a national economy when no one really knows what our economy is supposed to look like. Create jobs? There are plenty of new jobs for which Americans can apply; many of them are in Guangdong Province where the salary explosion has jacked up average pay to over $6,000. The 1988 free trade agreement between the U.S. and Canada actually created a boomlet in Western New York, where salaries and other costs were a little lower than those in nearby Toronto. Free trade in the 1990s and 2000s has largely meant free access to cheap, exploited labor. Elsewhere. At this point, the jury is back and those who pushed for the kind of free trade we actually got should probably just take a deep bow and gracefully retire from public life forever…
2. Ninety-six percent of all clothing sold in the U.S. is not made in the U.S. When I was born, 95 percent of all the clothing worn in this country was made in this country, and a lot of it was made in New York. The fashion and clothing industry included upstate mill workers and downstate designers, cutters, finishers, sellers and executives. It’s almost all gone…
Editorial: Happy New Year!
Peace for all!
Eye on the Island: December 24, 2009
MTA’s X-Mas Surprise
There’s a scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) where Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), despondent because his boss canceled everyone’s year-end bonus, celebrates as a messenger arrives at his door on Christmas Eve, carrying what appears to be a check.
Griswold quickly signs for the envelope. “What is it?” one relative asks excitedly. Before its contents are revealed, Griswold’s father-in-law, Art Smith (E.G. Marshall) offers a prediction, “A letter confirming your reservation at the nuthouse.”
If Hollywood were casting National Lampoon’s MTA Vacation (2009), state Senator Brian Foley (D-Blue Point) would portray Griswold, the guy who cannot catch a break. Senator Foley has figuratively been driven insane by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) because Foley cast a tough vote aimed at averting MTA service reductions, and the MTA announced last week it would cut services anyway.
Editorial: Merry Christmas!
Eye on the Island: December 17, 2009
GOP Tops Media Foe
Prior to Election Day 2009, I’d been developing this theory about the Nassau Republican committee and Newsday’s editorial board, bitter rivals for as long as I can remember.
Both institutions have since 2000 been in a death spiral, my thinking went, with the county GOP repeatedly losing county elections while also struggling with candidate recruitment and fundraising. In the meantime, Newsday’s editorial board continued to cheer endlessly for Democrats while maligning Republicans but it just wasn’t the same as the paper’s circulation figures and advertising revenues plummeted.
Editorial: Shop in Great Neck!
‘Tis the season to go shopping? Be it Christmas or a last-minute Hanukah gift, or entertaining over the holiday season, it’s time to shop. And when you think about shopping and holiday gifts, think Great Neck first. Shop in Great Neck for just about all of your holiday and seasonal gifts this year!
Great Neck has a lot to offer. From the bustling downtown area of Great Neck Plaza to the quieter streets of the Old Village, there is a wealth of wonderful merchandise, lovely shops, and friendly merchants. There’s always something new!
And of course, when you need to take a shopping break, try lunch or dinner, or even just a snack, at one of the peninsula’s diverse restaurants or cafes. The food offerings are diverse, the meals delicious, and the ambiance above and beyond.
GreatNeckRecord.com Calendar
Chanukah Festival
Sunday, December 13
Tuesdays with REAP
Tuesday, December 15
Band of Long Island
Tuesday, December 15
Statement From Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman
“Although the results of the election are not what I hoped for, it has been an honor to serve the people of Nassau County for eight years and I am proud of what I have accomplished as comptroller: creating the Nassau Rx prescription discount card, exposing the waste and fraud that drive up property taxes, conducting the first county audits of special taxing districts, forcing the state health insurance program to stop overcharging Long Island, and providing independent oversight of county government on behalf of taxpayers. These are but a few of our accomplishments as we raised the profile and reach of the comptroller’s office.
Editorial: Happy Hanukah!
As our family is treated to the beautiful gift of watching a very special little girl and a very special little boy stare in wonder as the candles are lit, and as we are blessed with the excitement of seeing these two beautiful little ones tear open gifts with delight, we know we have much to treasure.
Wishing everyone the wonder and blessings of life and family at this special time of year.
-Wendy Karpel Kreitzman
Great Neck Notebook: December 4, 2009
Marcy’s Gift
I met Marcy 15 years ago at a roofing supply store in Jamaica. She was a salesperson there and I was a wet behind the ears salesman looking for new accounts. Many of her customers were Hispanic and they loved the fact that Marcy spoke fluent Spanish, and that she treated everyone with respect and kindness.
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