Author Archives: Ed Kowalski

There’s a persistent lie in American politics—that what happens in Washington somehow stays there. It doesn’t. It spills. And right now, what’s spilling out of the Capitol—driven in no small part by Chuck Schumer—isn’t strategy. It’s disruption, and it’s landing squarely here in the Hudson Valley. You can see it the moment you try toContinue reading “When Washington Plays Games, the Hudson Valley Pays”

That line stopped me when I read it because, in many ways, it describes the path I’ve taken over the past several years. It would have been much easier to stay quiet. It would have been easier not to start The Valley Viewpoint, not to write about uncomfortable issues in the Hudson Valley, not toContinue reading ““Better to jump and make a mistake than to sit there too frightened to make a move.””

Every so often a proposal emerges from New York City politics that makes the rest of New York shake its head. The latest comes from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has floated the idea of slashing New York’s estate tax exemption from roughly $7 million down to just $750,000. Supporters frame it asContinue reading “When New York City Forgets It Isn’t the Whole State”

In New York, we give judges enormous authority. They preside over disputes, determine guilt and innocence, and make decisions that can profoundly affect people’s lives. The public accepts that authority because we assume the person wearing the robe will exercise it with restraint, fairness, and a sense of responsibility. But sometimes the robe gets usedContinue reading “When the Bench Becomes a Bully: The Censure of Judge Susan Kesick”

Every so often, local politics offers a reminder that the loudest voices are not always the most accurate ones. This week, that reminder came courtesy of a social media exchange following a meeting of the Dutchess County Legislature. Heidi Tucci — a Democrat currently running for a seat in the Dutchess County Legislature — tookContinue reading “When Political Theater Replaces the Facts”

Every spring in Albany, there’s a ritual that plays out with remarkable consistency. Lawmakers warn that the state budget is tight. They speak solemnly about “difficult choices.” They debate spending priorities, taxes, and affordability. And then—almost on cue—someone proposes giving the legislature a raise. This year is no different. As part of negotiations over NewContinue reading “Albany’s Budget Season Tradition: Giving Themselves Another Raise”

This post first appeared in 2019. Today it surfaced again in my “Memories” feed, and reading it now stirred the same complicated feelings it did then—feelings that many of my fellow Xavier High School alumni will recognize. Several years ago, the head of the New York Jesuit Province released the names of Jesuits who hadContinue reading “When Old Words Return”

Last week, New York State Senator Rob Rolison convened a Crime Victims Roundtable — a gathering intended to bring together district attorneys, law enforcement officials, and victim advocates to discuss something that should never be partisan: the safety and support of crime victims. In principle, that kind of conversation is exactly what communities like oursContinue reading “Crime Victims Deserve Clarity, Not Complication”

There is a moment in politics when rhetoric collides with reality. Last week in Washington, that moment arrived. For years now, politicians across the political spectrum have loudly demanded the release of the Epstein files. The argument has been simple and powerful: if powerful people were involved in wrongdoing, the public deserves to know. NamesContinue reading “Transparency for Thee, but Not for Me”

A few days ago I wrote about a question that has quietly been hanging over politics here at home in the Hudson Valley: Is our government governing… or is it grandstanding? That column focused on a recent vote in the Dutchess County Legislature that, on its surface, had very little to do with governing DutchessContinue reading “Governance or Grandstanding — From Dutchess County to Washington”

There’s an old rule in public life that never seems to go out of style: the moment you start believing your own press is the moment your judgment begins to slip.We’re watching that play out in the national headlines right now with Kristi Noem — but if we’re honest, the phenomenon isn’t confined to WashingtonContinue reading “Kristi Noem, Local Nonprofits, and the Oldest Leadership Trap in the Book”

There was a time — not all that long ago — when business communication followed a simple rule: say what you mean, mean what you say, and make sure the person on the other end understands it. Somewhere along the way, that basic principle seems to have gotten lost. Today we live in a worldContinue reading “Where Did Common Sense Go in Business Communication?”