Public officials insult our intelligence and our goodwill when they paint rosy pictures about budgets, jobs, bipartisanship, and transparency, and alter their positions on issues simply to keep collecting their paycheck by never disagreeing or disappointing anyone.

I've spent a great deal of time over the past decade as a caregiver for various family members. It gives me a perspective on the struggles that many New Yorkers face with illness, disability, health care, insurance difficulties, and trying to work with and also take care of family members.

Serious people need to work hard to reduce the debt, reduce taxes, and slash regulation on the small businesses and families that are the lifeblood of new jobs and innovation in our state.

New York is a place where people have strong convictions.

We prefer self-government with danger to servitude in tranquility.

I think if people value democracy, they had damn well better get out and exercise their right to vote while their vote still means something.

The real goal of politics has to be getting people to act on what they already know was wrong.

The No. 1 purpose of the federal government is national defense.