AltWeeklies Wire
Welcome to Paladino Countrynew
Wonder what kind of region produces a man like developer Carl Paladino, who rode the rage of the tea party movement to become the Republican candidate for governor of New York? Welcome to Buffalo and its discontents.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
10-08-2010 |
Commentary
How Too Little State Spending Will Hurt Recovery in Upstate New Yorknew
The lower your income in New York State, the more of it you pay in state and local income, sales, property, and excise taxes. The more you make, the less of it you pay in state and local taxes here.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
03-27-2010 |
Commentary
The Incredible Shrinking Metro: Building and Buying Our Way Toward Declinenew
It’s time to count up the money. There is around $150 million in taxpayer money that has been committed for the Erie Canal Harbor development, on top of more than $46 million in public funds that have already been spent, and the plan is to spend it out over the next few years to build a retail and entertainment district.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
01-15-2010 |
Commentary
The Hustle: Comfortable Rich Men Debate Our Futurenew
This week will be a pretty good indicator of whether President Barack Obama is Keynesian, a Shakespearean, a Vatican II guy, or a Burkean. He will either boldly hammer home a courageous, thorough-going reorganization of health care policy, or Obama will punt on all that and instead gives us a nuanced, lawyered parsing of current practice.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
09-11-2009 |
Commentary
Slicing the Pie: Our Strange Politics of Rich and Poornew
It's pretty darned clear that our current political leadership has taken the lessons of Niccolo Machiavelli to heart. But just now, because of the great economic collapse of the end of the Bush-Madoff era, change is being thrust upon us. And the toughest change is always going to be about money -- who gets it, and who gets to keep it.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
07-24-2009 |
Commentary
Barack Obama, the Urban Presidentnew
There's a new advocate for regionalism in America. His name is President-elect Barack Obama.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
12-01-2008 |
Commentary
How Obama Can Become the President for Citiesnew
Here's what the president-elect's task could be: He could so shape federal policies on energy, infrastructure, transportation, housing, and environment that the 60-year trend toward suburbanization could change, such that the city once again becomes the focus of human activity in this country.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
11-10-2008 |
Commentary
Election '08: Talking Taxes and Truthnew
Maybe the presidential race will get closer, but so far Obama's success demonstrates that the Republican campaign against taxes is failing. That's a profound and historic shift.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
10-20-2008 |
Commentary
Big Oil Dominates the GOP, Especially in Palin's Alaskanew
The longer we discuss Sarah Palin's uterus, the more likely it is that American politics will remain distracted from the central issue of this election: whether the lords of oil will continue to control the United States as surely as they control Alaska.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
09-15-2008 |
Commentary
The Republic of Oldistan: How Age, Depopulation and Local Politics Will Shape 2008new
Demography should be destiny -- but Oldistan has time and again voted against its own economic interests. Oldistan won't get a policy prescription that preserves communities unless Oldistan votes for it. But there is hope.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
09-08-2008 |
Commentary
Election '08: The Sour Politics of Declinenew
Fear worked for Reagan, Bush I and Bush II, and McCain is singing the same song. Hope worked for Clinton. Hope, plus good manners and a green version of economic nationalism, could be the formula for Obama to turn the Democrats that Jack Kemp and Ronald Reagan lured away back into Democrats.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
08-18-2008 |
Commentary
Old Networks vs. New in the Democratic Primarynew
We used to call them Reagan Democrats. Nowadays the national media have taken to calling them the "white working class." In the South, they're called Bubba. In 2008, they are the key to victory.
How Class Caricatures Could Blow it for the Democratsnew
Democrats have a problem explaining progressive economic policies when they've been successfully caricatured as cultural elitists and snobs who sneer at the tastes, faith, gender roles, and economic aspirations of working people. Thus the unfortunate vulnerability of Barack Obama.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
04-18-2008 |
Commentary
Election '08: Catholic Identity Politicsnew
Delegates don't matter. Money doesn't matter. Reverend Jeremiah Wright's statements about AIDS as a US government conspiracy to kill blacks, and about American perfidy at home and abroad, may have doomed Senator Barack Obama's candidacy for president -- because millions of traditional Democratic voters don't want to be blamed for old wrongs.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
03-28-2008 |
Commentary
Election '08: The Muddled Candidatesnew
Presidential candidates are very good at posturing bravely on race, religion and endorsements. There is a curious silence, however, on the issue of the financial future of the country.
Artvoice |
Bruce Fisher |
03-21-2008 |
Commentary
