First off, it would have made for a much better title if we were discussing Mario here, but unfortunately we’re dealing with the son, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Governor Cuomo recently criticized the uber liberal Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, for standing with Rob Astorino, the Republican Westchester County Executive, at a press conference where they called for increased federal funding for New York in the looming national transportation bill. And Cuomo’s not alone. Democratic Congressman from Brooklyn, Hakeem Jeffries also took exception to Astorino’s involvement. And why are they taking exception? Because Rob Astorino is Pro-Life.
Let’s forget for a second that Cuomo chose to forgive de Blasio for also standing with Republican Congressman Dan Donovan, also Pro-Life, at the same press conference. And let’s forget that Cuomo has waxed un-poetically about the necessity to find balance when working with the Republican-led State Senate in New York. And let’s forget that Cuomo had a particularly contentious race with Astorino just last year for governor. And let’s also forget that Rep. Jeffries is a potential challenger to de Blasio in the next mayoral election. Let’s forget that because it’s not the point they were making and it’s not the problem that Cuomo and Jefferies, and Liberals in general have chosen to make recently, and it’s a big problem.
Government is supposed to be about making life better for the people it represents. There are differences of opinion between the parties as to how to go about doing that, but not always. Sometimes, like when your constituents of all stripes are about to lose tens of millions of dollars in transportation funding, there is no left or right way to address it. When issues affect us all equally, it calls for our elected officials to come together in bi-partisan fashion and work towards solutions. But too many Democrats and Liberals today think bi-partisanship is a sin. Giving the other party even the opportunity to voice their grotesque thoughts and provide them the opportunity to infect others is shameful. If a Republican proclaims they are Pro-Life, then that’s the last they should be heard of. Liberals want to bury their voice and mark their tombstone with “Anti-Woman” and be done with them. There’s no conversation. There’s no chance to find common ground. They’re just wrong.
Republicans, then, are left to stew, frustrated that they’re not being heard and upset that they’re falsely labeled as racist, misogynist, homophobic, and anything else that demeans and discredits them. They’re left to go further to their side where the anger builds. And Republican politicians, who are being shouted over and cannot be heard by even the moderate Democrats, are then forced to cater to that rightward anger if they hope to get elected. In the end, what we’re left with is a deeply divided nation and a government that represents that divide, where very little is accomplished.
That’s not how government should be. It’s not the Jets and the Sharks. Our representatives should not be sticking to their side of the court, snapping at each other. The goal of the battles shouldn’t just be to beat the other side. At some point, there is supposed to be a common cause and politicians and citizens shouldn’t be censured and censored when trying to find it.
So bravo to Mayor de Blasio, County Executive Astorino, and Congressman Donovan for acting responsibly in a world where, thanks to people like Cuomo and Jeffries, doing what you’re supposed to do is equated with courage, because opposing viewpoints are seen as disqualifiers.
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