Sound Shore

Here’s a glance at today’s opinion content:

Astorino and the election: Editorial
In our Westchester-Putnam edition, we carried an editorial that analyzed the still-unclear results of Tuesday’s election. The Democratic “supermajority” on Westchester County Board of Legislators is in play and we look at the implications for Republican County Executive Rob Astorino.

Rockland’s vote
The day after Tuesday’s election in Rockland, in which voters selected a sheriff, town and village officials and members of the County Legislature, it’s clear that the regional trend toward Republican leadership is waning. Democrats scored key victories.

Election: Reisman
Phil Reisman weighs in on Westchester’s election results, focusing on the county board of legislators races, Mike Spano’s mayoral win in Yonkers and the return of Ernest Davis in Mount Vernon.

Rockland legislature: Baird
Bob Baird examines the results and implications of the Rockland County Legislature elections in today’s column.

Wednesday’s headline in Westchester will doubtless key in on whether the Democrats retained their “super majority” in the Board of Legislators. What else would it be, given the endless attention County Executive Rob Astorino showered on the political math? The voters weren’t nearly as enthused.

Astorino, the first-term Republican, has been the front man in a high-profile campaign to set the bar extremely low for the GOP: they aimed to undo the Democrats’ veto-proof majority of 12-5, a task that obliged them to reclaim just one additional seat. But even that seemed a tall order.

Into Wednesday morning, the Democrats clung to the same 12-5 advantage. More counting could change the score, but prospects for any major upheaval seemed dim.

Therein lies a message for Astorino.

He stuck his neck out so far in these elections that the casual observer might have assumed his name was on the ballot. (The Wall Street Journal was so convinced, it penned an article that speculated on Astorino’s prospect for statewide office.)

Astorino gave Republicans a bogeyman to run against — the “overreaching” federal government and the affordable housing settlement reached two years ago.

He complained to the WSJ that the Democrats have stopped his agenda at every turn. “What we’ve tried to do since I got into office has been stymied every step of the way,” Astorino said.

He took all the credit — there has been plenty of it on Astorino’s watch, much of it the result of unheralded bipartisanship — and dished out all the blame, and the responsibility. “By picking up these seats, it will force them to come to the table and reach compromise on reining in spending and taxes,” Astorino said.

It looks, instead, like the voters don’t see the political math as relevant as the county executive. If their ballot-box decisions are any measure, they expect the Republican county executive and the Democrats to work toward compromise, whatever the political score, and without excuse.

Indeed, the county executive went out of his way to crystallize the choices for voters. The scapegoat was looking pretty good headed into Wednesday morning.

Here’s a glance at opinion content published today in The Journal News:

Westchester County Board of Legislators endorsements: Districts 9, 13, 14, 15
We offered endorsements for candidates seeking seats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators:
District 9: Catherine Borgia, a Democrat
District 13: Lyndon Williams, a Democrat
District 14: Bernice Spreckman, a Republican
District 15: Gordon Burrows, a Republican

Here’s a digest of opinion content we published over the weekend:

Saturday, Oct. 29
Iran and Iraq: Commentaries
We ran a pair of commentary pieces addressing the American withdrawal from Iraq and the implications of an increasingly powerful Iran:
Withdrawal means a victor for Iran: Commentary, Frederick W. Kagan and Kimberly Kagan
Ending an unnecessary war is cause for rejoicing: Commentary, Bob Ray Sanders

Sunday, October 30
Rockland County Legislature endorsements: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8
We offered endorsement of candidates seeking Rockland County Legislature seats:
District 1: Michael Diederich, a Democrat
District 2: Michael Grant, a Democrat
District 3: Jay Hood Jr., a Democrat
District 4: Ilan Schoenberger, a Democrat
District 8: Denet Alexandre, a Republican

Westchester County Board of Legislators endorsements: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 17
We offered endorsements of candidates seeking Westchester County Board of Legislators seats:
District 1: John Testa, a Republican
District 2: Peter Harckham, a Democrat
District 3: John Nonna, a Democrat
District 5: William Ryan, a Democrat
District 17: Virginia Perez, a Democrat

Tappan Zee Bridge: Baird
Bob Baird assesses the potential infrastructure losses for Rockland County in the new plans to replace the Tappan Zee bridge.

Monday, Oct. 31
Immigrants and the GOP: Commentary
Justin Akers Chacon, a professor of U.S. History and Chicano Studies in San Diego, comments on the Republican presidential candidates’ approach to immigration.

Good Monday morning. Here’s a glance at opinion content published in the weekend editions of The Journal News:

Saturday, Oct. 15
Nov. 8 election: Commentary
Marianna Stout and Ina Aronow, officers of the League of Women Voters in Westchester County, offer tips for voters in advance of the Nov. 8 general election.

Sunday, Oct. 16
Tappan Zee Bridge: Editorial
We comment again on last week’s news that a replacement for the aging Tappan Zee Bridge had been fast-tracked by the Obama administration. Mass transit, we argue, must be a component in any new crossing. We write:

The Obama administration, looking to speed up job creation in this stalled recovery, has put plans for a new Tappan Zee crossing on the fast track; the Federal Highway Administration has taken over as lead agency for the project, and public briefings are already scheduled for next week. The new breakneck speed follows a decade during which planning and progress moved as slowly as Rockland-bound traffic on the Tappan Zee during the evening commute.

With the new developments, it is as if Robert Moses was being channeled by the White House. The project’s sudden rapid pace is reminiscent of the master builder behind the region’s highways, parkways, bridges, tunnels, playgrounds and parks. But another aspect of Moses looms large. The man called “the power broker” shoved through massive projects with little (or in spite of) public input, and all but ignored public transportation as he laid the groundwork for suburban sprawl.

(more…)

The Journal News/LoHud.com Editorial Board holds endorsement interviews with candidates in key contests on the Nov. 8 ballot. Voters may watch LIVE online at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight; questions can be submitted via our CoverItLive live-blogging feature.

The following endorsement hearings are scheduled:

Tuesday: 2 p.m. Stony Point supervisor (Geoffrey Finn vs. William Sherwood*).

Tuesday: 3 p.m. Rockland Legislature:
« District 1 (Mike Diederich Jr. vs. Douglas Jobson*)
« District 2 (Dian Cifuni vs. Michael Grant*)
« District 3 (Jay Hood Jr.* vs. Ricky Sanchez)
« District 4 (Michael Parietti vs. Ilan Schoenberger*).
« District 8 (Denet Alexandre vs. Toney Earl*).

Wednesday: 1 p.m. Putnam County Executive (MaryEllen Odell vs. Alan Schneider)

Wednesday: 3 p.m. New Rochelle mayor (Noam Bramson* vs. Richard St. Paul)

Oct. 11: 1 p.m. Rockland Legislature
« District 9 (Christopher Carey vs. Christopher Martone)
« District 10 (Harriett Cornell* vs. York Kleinhandler)
« District 11 (Robert Milone vs. Frank Sparaco*).

Oct. 11: 3 p.m. Rockland Legislature
« District 13 (Jacques Michel* vs. Aron Wieder)
« District 14 (Aney Paul vs. Henry Stewart)
« District 16 (John Murphy* vs. Eliot Tozer)
« District 17 (Guy DeVincenzo vs. Nancy Low-Hogan).

Oct. 12: 1 p.m. Westchester Board of Legislators
« District 1 (Michael Kane vs. John Testa*)
« District 2 (Peter Harckham* vs. Peter Michaelis)
« District 3 (John Nonna* vs. Michael Smith)
« District 13 (Samuel Rivers vs. Lyndon Williams*)

Oct. 12: 3 p.m. Westchester Board of Legislators
« District 4 (Michael Kaplowitz* vs. Terrence Murphy)
« District 5 (Iris Pagan vs. William Ryan*)
« District 6 (Dan Brakewood vs. David Gelfarb vs. Mark Jaffe)
« District 7 (Suzanna Keith vs. Judy Myers*).

Oct. 18: 1 p.m. Clarkstown supervisor (Alexander Gromack* vs. Ralph Sabitini).

Oct. 18: 3 p.m. Orangetown supervisor (Andrew Stewart vs. Paul Whalen*).

Oct. 19: 1 p.m., Westchester Board of Legislators
« District 9 (Catherine Borgia vs. Susan Konig)
« District 10 (John Fitzpatrick vs. Sheila Marcotte*)
« District 12 (John Russo vs. MaryJane Shimsky*)

Oct. 19: 3 p.m., Westchester Board of Legislators
« Districts 14 (George Kevgas vs. Bernice Spreckman*)
« District 15 (Gordon Burrows* vs. Delfim Heusler vs. Ted Moustakopoulos)
« District 17 (Jose Alvarado* vs. Carmen Gomez Goldberg vs. Virginia Perez)

Oct. 25: 1 p.m. Rockland County Sheriff (Matthew Brennan vs. Louis Falco III vs. Timothy O’Neill).

Oct. 25: 3 p.m. Ramapo supervisor (Marino Fontana vs. Robert Rhodes vs. Christopher St. Lawrence*).

Oct. 26: 1 p.m. Yonkers mayor (John Murtagh vs. Mike Spano).

Oct. 26: 3 p.m. Mount Vernon mayor (Ernest Davis vs. Maureen Walker).
(* denotes incumbent.)

Interviews for Westchester and Putnam candidates take place in our White Plains office, 1 Gannett Drive. Interviews for Rockland candidates take place in our West Nyack office, 1 Crosfield Ave. Candidates needing more information can contact Nancy Cutler at ncutler@lohud.com or 845-578-2403.

Voters guide
The 2011 local elections determine who represents you on the county, town and village level. Visit www.lohud.com/candidates to find out who’s running, and where the candidates stand on the issues.

Calling all candidates
The Journal News and LoHud.com wish to hear from candidates vying in local Westchester, Rockland and Putnam elections.

Please send us an email including your full name, home address, daytime phone number and an active email address to elections@lohud.com. In both the subject line and body of the email, be sure to indicate which office you are vying for. The information will be used by our news and opinion staffs to contact and correspond with candidates. Additionally, the email address will be used to send candidates a questionnaire that will form the basis of an online guide for voters.

The Journal News/LoHud.com Editorial Board holds endorsement interviews with candidates in key contests on the Nov. 8 ballot. Voters may watch LIVE online at www.lohud.com/editorialspotlight; questions can be submitted via our CoverItLive live-blogging feature.

The following endorsement hearings are scheduled:
Oct. 4: 1 p.m. Stony Point supervisor
Oct. 4: 3 p.m. Rockland Legislature, Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8
Oct. 5: 1 p.m. Putnam County executive
Oct. 5: 3 p.m. New Rochelle mayor
Oct. 11: 1 p.m. Rockland Legislature, Districts 9, 10 and 11
Oct. 11: 3 p.m. Rockland Legislature, Districts 13, 14, 16 and 17
Oct. 12: 1 p.m. Westchester Board of Legislators, Districts 1, 2 and 3
Oct. 12: 3 p.m. Westchester Board of Legislators, Districts 4, 5, 6 and 7
Oct. 18: 1 p.m. Clarkstown supervisor
Oct. 18: 3 p.m. Orangetown supervisor
Oct. 19: 1 p.m., Westchester Board of Legislators, Districts 9, 10, 12 and 13
Oct. 19: 3 p.m., Westchester Board of Legislators, Districts 14, 15 and 17
Oct. 25: 1 p.m. Rockland County Sheriff
Oct. 25: 3 p.m. Ramapo supervisor
Oct. 26: 1 p.m. Yonkers mayor
Oct. 26: 3 p.m. Mount Vernon mayor

Interviews for Westchester and Putnam candidates take place in our White Plains office, 1 Gannett Drive. Interviews for Rockland candidates take place in our West Nyack office, 1 Crosfield Ave. Candidates needing more information can contact Nancy Cutler at ncutler@lohud.com or 845-578-2403.

Voters guide
The 2011 local elections determine who represents you on the county, town and village level. Visit www.lohud.com/candidates to find out who’s running, and where the candidates stand on the issues.

Calling all candidates
The Journal News and LoHud.com wish to hear from candidates vying in local Westchester, Rockland and Putnam elections.

Please send us an email including your full name, home address, daytime phone number and an active email address to elections@lohud.com. In both the subject line and body of the email, be sure to indicate which office you are vying for. The information will be used by our news and opinion staffs to contact and correspond with candidates. Additionally, the email address will be used to send candidates a questionnaire that will form the basis of an online guide for voters.

Good Thursday morning. Here’s a look at today’s opinion pieces:

IBM’s Watson: Editorial
We comment on news that Watson, IBM’s supercomputer in Yorktown Heights, will be used by WellPoint, Inc., the health-insurance giant, to diagnose medical problems and authorize treatments. We write:

Watson no doubt will make medicine smarter and more efficient. There is no telling how much wear and tear Watson will spare patients, who often bear the brunt of doctors’ indecision, befuddlement and practice of defensive medicine. Likewise, it is unclear what effect Watson will have on medical spending, insurance costs, or the continuing controversy about what to do with the 49.9 million people in this country without insurance. Watson, for all its bottomless smarts and guile, is just a human-powered and programmed computer. It doesn’t do magic — yet.

The Journal News and LoHud.com wish to hear from candidates vying in local Westchester, Rockland and Putnam races in September and November.

Please send us an e-mail including your full name, home address, daytime phone number and an active e-mail address to elections@lohud.com. In both the subject line and body of the e-mail, be sure to indicate which office you are vying for. The information will be used by our news and opinion staffs to contact and correspond with candidates. Additionally, the e-mail address will be used to send candidates a questionnaire that will form the basis of an online guide for voters.