Lindsey Graham's Legacy and the Future of New York

0:00 Speaker 1 Sunday morning. What is today is Governor George Pataki on the great State of New York, and he was twelve years the governor of New York State. Governor. I understand that you and Santa Lindsay Graham were very close, and I mean we came as a shock to all of us.

0:19 And how did you.

0:19 Speaker 2 Feel, you know, John, You’re right, it was a tremendous shock. You know, I knew Lindsay. We both got elected for the first time around the same time. He was a congressman, I was a new governor, and we just would continually talk and share thoughts and share ideas. He did events for me in South Carolina. I did events for him

0:39 in New York and throughout his time is many years in the Senate. I just had a tremendous respect for him and understanding of his patriotism and commitment to America and the other thing. John, as we all know, he had a tremendous commitment to the people of Ukraine. And in fact, he had just come back from his last

1:01 trip to Ukraine meeting with Zelenski when he had that heart attack. So it’s a big loss for America, it really is. And you know, in this era of partisanship, Lindsey Graham was one of those who could talk respectfully with Democrats and they with him. And I just fear that it’s going to be very hard to replace somewhat

1:22 of Lindsey Graham’s stature.

1:24 Speaker 1 I would say it’s almost impossible, because he had a lot of respect on both sides of the aisle, and people respected him and enjoyed talking to him. And I felt the same way. Well, I hope he looks down from wherever he is up above looking down and his sister took the seat for the rest of the year,

1:47 and I hope he looks favorably upon that, which I’m sure he does, because he loved his sister. And well, God bless, and I guess someday we’re all going to join him.

2:00 Speaker 2 Absolutely, and you’re you’re completely right, God Bless Lindsey Grammy is a great person. I actually got to meet his sister. They were extremely close, and I’m sure he’s very happy and proud that she is filling the remainder of his term.

2:13 It’s it’s just a big loss, but you know, this is America. We just have to look forward and continue to fight for tomorrow.

2:22 Speaker 1 Absolutely correct now, Governor PROTTACKI you were governor for twelve years. That’s a long time to be governor in New York State. And were you were a Republican. But both sides you too. Both sides, the Democrats and Republicans, respected you. What do you see is going on right now? It seems like we have quite a messon on hands.

2:47 Speaker 2 Yeah, John, quite a mess is an understatement. I you know, I always believed in New York. I still believe in New York. But we are seeing a state that’s in decline. We’re losing people. We just had a report that we lost eleven billion dollars in tax revenue in the last six months. And you know, you cannot tax your way

3:07 into prosperity. This state is spending and taxing itself into decline. And there will be bright spots here and there. New York City will always be New York City. But we’re just seeing the greatness of New York erode right before our eyes. And it’s just tragic because we’re doing it to ourselves. The politicians at Albany, the one partisan Democratic

3:29 overwhelming majorities that control Albany, are destroying the state. Not you know, like with an atomic bomb. But with taxes, regulations, rules, spending giveaways that are just eroding what I still believe is the greatest state in America now, the greatest in spite of our politicians and not because of it.

3:51 Speaker 1 Well, I mean, people still love New York. There’s still a lot of I’ll tell you, there’s still a lot of traffic. But they created the traffic jams. I mean, they got estion pricing, but they’re creating the congestion to create congestion pricing. And I you know, I really don’t understand that. You know, try to cross the street in

4:10 some places in New York City, in Manhattan especially, and you get run over by a bike or motorcycle. I mean, and you go up and down the streets, you see so many vacant stores.

4:22 Speaker 2 You know, you’re more likely to get run down by a bicycle than a car these days. And it’s part of it. We have to save the planet planet climate mentality. You know, I’m all for green energy. We need all types of energy, including green energy and electric, natural gas and other sources of energy. But it’s just another blow

4:46 to those who want to create jobs, open a store, hire people in New York City and New York State. And yes, New York City is a unique place that will always be great. But I fear that we were all is the financial capital, not of America. We were the financial capital of the world. We’re losing that. They’re

5:06 now opening a stock exchange in Dallas. JP Morgan has more jobs in Dallas than they do in New York. And you know, there’s no big announcement, there’s no falling off a cliff. It’s just every day you see this erosion in the excitement about people who create jobs and open stores and hire people to be in New York State.

5:29 And it’s tragic because the politicians at opening and the politicians and the city Hall are doing it to us and they’re just either clueless or don’t care that their policies are very destructive. You know, John, just one last fact.

5:43 In the last ten years, the New York State budget has increased increased by over one hundred billion dollars. You know, this is when we have a population that is stable. This is when we don’t have Wall Street creating the headquarters in was like they used to, and yet we’re spending one hundred billion dollars a year more. The only

6:05 way you can do that is by borrowing and taxing, and ultimately that destroys the state. And you look at California, you look at Illinois, and now you look at New York and you see a state and decline and it doesn’t have to be and we just have to believe in tomorrow and fight to change it.

6:22 Speaker 1 I hope again the Democrats and Republicans have common sense and you can sit down at the same table and make common sense decisions. And that’s what we always did for the last hundred years. And it’s just happened the last ten or fifteen years. Just it wasn’t going in a right direction. And I pray for common sense and

6:42 Governor PATACKI whatever we can do to bring both sides together, let’s do and bring both sides together.

6:48 Speaker 2 I totally agree. And you know, you say the last ten years, and you’re right. But it used to be the Republicans control of the state Senate and then the Republicans and the Democrats had to work together. Now touch just do whatever they want, and to the extent they have a fight, it’s with other Democrats. It’s the socialist

7:05 wing versus the liberal wing. And it’s just sad for New York. But there’s always tomorrow. We just have to keep believing and keep fighting and hopefully we can turn this around.

7:15 Speaker 1 Thank you, govern to protect, you for coming on this Sunday morning, and we’ll catch up with you again real soon.

7:20 Speaker 2 Thank you, John. Always great being on with you. Thank you,