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The Daily OrangeGov. Eliot Spitzer sparks the wrong kind of change
By Vinny Napolitano
Posted: 2/27/08, 12:51 AM EST Section: Opinion
Spitzer's also pushing for tax increases from "sins" and online purchases. He has proposed raising the tax on flavored malt liquor - such as Mike's Hard Lemonade or Smirnoff Ice - and taxes on these drinks would increase from $0.11 a gallon to $2.43 per gallon. He also wants a "sin tax" increase for little cigars ($1.23 more per pack), cigarettes (proposed $3.00 per pack tax) and illegal drugs (priced according to street value, with the bill sent to dealers). Spitzer even wants to place sales taxes on purchases from online retailers like Amazon.com, which will effectively harm New York shoppers, college students included. After all, they sometimes rely on online venders for cheaper textbook prices. All of these taxes will ultimately hurt the middle and lower-class taxpayers and small businesses the most. Change? You bet. But change will be all that's left in your wallet.
In short, there is no denying Spitzer brought change, but every single modification has been for the worst (and the 65 percent of New Yorkers who rated his performance as governor negatively in last week's Siena poll agree). In the future, voters should be more careful about who they cast their ballots in favor of when dealing with such important executive offices. You never know what the hollow campaign word "change" will really mean in practice.
Vinny Napolitano is a political science, American history and political philosophy major. He is the executive director of the College Republicans. His columns appear every Wednesday. He can be reached at vsnapoli@syr.edu.
In short, there is no denying Spitzer brought change, but every single modification has been for the worst (and the 65 percent of New Yorkers who rated his performance as governor negatively in last week's Siena poll agree). In the future, voters should be more careful about who they cast their ballots in favor of when dealing with such important executive offices. You never know what the hollow campaign word "change" will really mean in practice.
Vinny Napolitano is a political science, American history and political philosophy major. He is the executive director of the College Republicans. His columns appear every Wednesday. He can be reached at vsnapoli@syr.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 52
Will S.
posted 2/27/08 @ 10:52 AM EST
Another excellent column from Mr. Napolitano. Governor Spitzer's shortcomings have been many, and this has been a true disappointment for Democrats and Republicans alike. (Continued…)
Megan C.
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:10 AM EST
LOVE the column! Eliot Spitzer really has proven that "change" should NOT be enough to win an election. Change does not imply a warm, fuzzy new wave of ideas, but it could. (Continued…)
Eva Valez
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:22 AM EST
Viva Vinny! Another incredible and true column. People like Spitzer are dangerous to America, and use their powers to get a stranglehold on the state (like with Troopergate in the summer). (Continued…)
Mark De Luca
posted 2/27/08 @ 12:06 PM EST
Refreshing take on the Governor's performance. Very good column! Spitzer only cares about special interests that help him, like Planned Parenthood or the AFL-CIO, and ignores doing the real work a Governor should be doing. (Continued…)
Mark De Luca
posted 2/27/08 @ 12:08 PM EST
Refreshing take on the Governor's performance. Very good column! Spitzer only cares about special interests that help him, like Planned Parenthood or the AFL-CIO, and ignores doing the real work a Governor should be doing. (Continued…)
Calif Cuse
posted 2/27/08 @ 12:18 PM EST
Excellent column! Sounds like Spitzer is using the same demagogue tactics he used to bully Wall Street as he is now using to bully the whole state!
Carmen Cagnotti
posted 2/27/08 @ 3:03 PM EST
As an older woman, I can say fully that Governor Spitzer has caused me and my husband nothing but harm. We both cast our ballots for him and his message of change, his promises of a better life for senior citizens, and his promise to fix the budget issues of the state. (Continued…)
Kevin E.
Kevin
posted 2/27/08 @ 3:05 PM EST
Even though I disagree with your column, Vinny, let me just say that Dr. Change Love cracked me up! Loved it.
Vincent M. Kyle
posted 2/27/08 @ 3:45 PM EST
Thank you so much for your article on Dr. "Change Love," Eliot Spitzer. He will go down as one of the worst governors in the history of New York state, running the state like a liberal elitist country club rather than the mix of ideologies and religions that it is. (Continued…)
Nick Papadopoulos
posted 2/27/08 @ 3:59 PM EST
Spitzer broke the promises he made and then some. Shame on him and his administration. They are the reason I will vote Republican in 2008 even though I have been a lifelong Democrat. (Continued…)
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