Passe...

Are you a young person thinking of moving to a happening city? Chances are New York is not even on your list of potential hotspots, and if you are already living there, then you are looking for a way out. The last dividends of 20 years of leadership under Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg are being squandered by well intentioned but increasingly radical policies.

Dragging business practices, skyrocketing taxes, telecommuting, and loss of special status is a toxic mix for New York. Among young people, New York is becoming passe. During recent years, both the city and the state of New York have lost residents, as waves of educated and high earning millennials have fled. In fact, more than 46 percent of New Yorkers of all ages moving out of the state are in the bracket earning above $150,000.

The Empire State budget is in near freefall, in no small part due to lower revenue from middle class and upper class workers, while growing states like Texas and Florida are in surplus. Governor Andrew Cuomo noted a $2.3 billion hole in the state budget earlier this year, caused largely by oppressive policies that have gutted the local population and economy. More than 450,000 people moved out of New York in the last year alone.

Isn't...

Priorities...

Those who are enjoying a recent surge of support tend to find themselves targets of the rest of the pack during the debate. Biden, for example, was the target in the June 27 debate in Miami, as Harris challenged him on his record in race. His numbers in polls dropped after that, while hers increased – but the impact was not lasting, and Harris is now polling in single digits.

After Warren surged to the top of a poll in Iowa, site of the first caucuses, several candidates went after her for her plan for "Medicare for All" during the Oct. 15 debate in Westerville, saying it was too expensive and could result in higher taxes for the middle class. Pointed criticisms from Klobuchar gave the Minnesota lawmaker a small bump in polling after the debate – an improvement that mostly just helped her qualify for Wednesday's debate.

Buttigieg, who has now led polling in two recent surveys in Iowa – including a Des Moines Register/CNN poll that has him with 25% support, 9 percentage points ahead of Warren, his closest competitor there – is likely to get his turn as a target on Wednesday, as competitors seek to weaken his status in an important early state.

The last debate was watched by 8.3 Millions, in Westerville, Ohio, but  13 Millions  turned in to watch the first day of impeachment inquiry hearings.

Sondland...

During the 2016 United States presidential election, Sondland initially supported Donald Trump, but cancelled a fundraiser and repudiated Trump for his attacks on Khizr and Ghazala Khan.^[2] In April 2017, it was revealed that 4 companies registered to Sondland donated $1 million to the Donald Trump inaugural committee. 

On March 12, 2018, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump selected Sondland to be the next United States ambassador to the European Union.^[29][30] On May 10, 2018, the White House announced that Sondland's nomination had been sent to the U.S. Senate.^[31] He was confirmed by the Senate on June 28, 2018.^[3] On July 9, 2018, Sondland presented his credentials at the European Commission and to President of the European Council Donald Tusk.^[32]

Sondland's nomination received bipartisan support during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 21, 2018.^[4] Both Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) testified in support of Sondland.^[33] Sen. Wyden suggested that Sondland’s "family history is both fascinating and instructive as to why he has the experience and understanding to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the E.U.," noting how his Jewish parents fled Nazi Germany before coming to the United States.

Crazy...

Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats to offer proposals for progress on health care and inequality in rare remarks on the 2020 presidential campaign  but he cautioned that most voters aren’t the same as “left-leaning Twitter feeds” and “don’t want to see crazy stuff” from Democratic presidential candidates.

He did not mention any candidates by name as he addressed the Democracy Alliance, a group of liberal donors who gathered to discuss their spending plans for the 2020 election. 

Obama appeared to critique the candidates pushing major change in the Democratic primary such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — as well as former Vice President Joe Biden, who has hugged Obama’s legacy close on the campaign trail, even as Obama says he's eager for the party to move beyond the markers he set.

Hearings...

Whatever is happening today in the impeachment interviews, there is one thing definitely clear. Many politicians think that the president of the United States of America should be a politician like them.

We have over two dozens of politicians on the democratic side competing for that same spot.

Did we like any?

Some promised us the moon. Did we believe any?

The Democrats are looking for any one who can beat Trump. Do we have any?

It started with Avenatti,  Sanders, Warren, Biden, Buttigieg.... then...

Theft...

The MTA claims that the Traffic Mobility Review Board  which will recommend toll prices for drivers entering Manhattan's central business district  isn't required to follow the state's open meetings laws, the New York Post first reported. Government bodies subject to these laws are required to post notices of their meetings and allow members of the public to attend the meetings as well as access and copy meeting minutes.

An MTA spokeswoman told the Post that the panel won't have to follow the open meetings laws because it won't perform a "governmental action subject to the open meetings law."

Congestion Pricing was a major part of this year's state budget and Gov. Andrew Cuomo expects the policy to raise at least $15 billion for MTA capital projects. 

The MTA awarded a $507 million contract to a company called TransCore to design, install and maintain what the MTA calls a "first-of-its-kind" tolling system below 60th Street in Manhattan. 

Sucking the money out of poor people of New York.

Norman...

Compare to the master of Norman Rockwell.

Shoot...

Imagine...

The country is witnessing one of only a handful of times in its history that Congress has gone through with public hearings on whether to impeach a president.

And yet, the overwhelming majority of Americans across parties say nothing they hear in the inquiry will change their minds on impeachment, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.

Half of Americans said they approve of the impeachment inquiry.  Respondents are also split on whether they think Trump should be impeached and removed from office. 

But 65% of Americans say they can't imagine any information or circumstances during the impeachment inquiry where they might change their minds about their position on impeachment.