Addie's Got a Big Hat and No Cattle...

As they say in Texas,"She's got a big hat and no cattle..."

Addie J. Russell, the Democratic nominee for the 118th Assembly District, announced this week her plans to bring economic development to the North Country. The Watertown Daily Times was kind enough to use its print space to tout her plan. The trouble is that her plan is all talk and no action.

No where in the Times article is there any mention of specific policy proposals that would bring about any significant economic growth or job opportunities. She cites the existence of several outstanding universities as hubs for potential growth, but no way to leverage that base of new talent for positions in the North Country.

It is telling that she left out any talk of cuts to taxes, the estate taxes, school taxes, property taxes, gas taxes and all the rest.

Like Obama, Addie is just big hat and no cattle. All talk, no action. Would you expect anything less from a novice from the Democratic Party?

Addie was quoted as saying: "These companies are critical components of our economy," Mrs. Russell said in a press release. "We cannot stand by while our good-paying jobs disappear, often with little notice."

The article goes on to say that "the Theresa resident said she would help resolve issues by working with industrial development agencies and the Empire State Development Corp. She also would talk with the district's largest employers about worldwide developments that threaten local jobs."

It sounds like a rough draft proposal to me. It is pretty self-evident to everyone in the North Country that our economic base is demoralized. It is offensive that she would talk about job loss and poor economic growth in a way that goes "unnoticed." Does she think the people of the North Country are so naive to see first hand that our jobs are going to states with lower tax rates?

But Addie takes it one step further to announce a government-run student loan program to solve our financial woes. How does she propose to pay for this new loan program? Perhaps MORE taxes on the good people of New York! She has it all backwards. As the people in Texas would say, "She ain't got no cattle!"