Issues
This section includes an overview of my issues. I will be talking with constituents throughout the campaign and revising this section based on input from the community.
Inflation
Rising costs are a national and local issue. We can do our part in New York by reducing the burden on the New York state government. In particular, the New York government is hostile to fossil fuels. The New York state government banned fracking, closed the nuclear plant, and restricted the use of natural gas.
(Read More)Crime
Bail reform failed, and crime is on the rise. New York’s primary responsibility is to keep us safe, and our political system has failed. I will fight to reverse the course on police funding and bail reform and turn the state’s attention back to protecting the law-abiding citizens’ rights and not criminals.
(Read More)Education
Parents belong in control of their children’s education. New York State believes it knows better and focuses on political correctness while our children fall behind. Children belong to their parents and not the state of New York.
(Read More)Improving the business climate
Improving the business climate – New Yorkers are leaving the state due to the high cost of living and heavy-handed actions of the state government. Albany is centralizing control over local cities and towns and continually working to diminish the protections afforded under the bill of rights. I am someone who cares about freedom and liberty and fights against the ever-expanding New York state bureaucracy.
Roe v. Wade
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf
Abortion is an emotional topic and an important issue to discuss in light of the recent Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision overturning Roe v. Wade. It is helpful to get some legal background to ensure we are all on the same page.
In 1973, before the Roe decision, the fifty states dealt with abortion on a case-by-case basis. In Roe, the Court ruled that there was an "unenumerated" right to abortion, and this decision lessened state power to legislate around abortion rights.
In the recent case, Dobbs, Missippi enacted a law denying abortion after fifteen weeks. Dobbs challenged the law as a violation of a woman's Constitutional right to an abortion. The Supreme Court ruled against Dobbs, overturning the finding in Roe v. Wade. Based on the verdict in Dobbs, SCOTUS found that the right to an abortion is not in the US Constitution, and the judgment returns the decision on abortion to the States.
In NY, the Dobbs decision does not change the right to an abortion. The Clintons said abortion should be safe, legal, and rare (https://nifla.org/hillary-clinton-thought-abortion-safe-legal-rare-two-no-longer-apply/). I agree with this sentiment, and there are actions the NYS legislature can do to promote this common-sense treatment of the issue. For example, I would support providing free contraception, funding research for male contraception, streamlining the NYS adoption and foster care process, and placing female/male custody on equal footing.
Abortion is not just a woman's issue but an issue for all of us. The one-party rule in New York cuts off a balanced discussion on sensitive topics and limits progress. Join me and help restore a much-needed balance to the New York State Legislature.
Gary Lipson: Candidate for NYS Assembly, 93rd District
(Read More)