It's What You Believe

Mario Cuomo, the three-term governor of the New York who died on New Year's Day, will be remembered for his impeccable record in that office, from balancing the budget to improving the state's infrastructure, as well as investing in environmental and conservation programs.  But he will be - and should be - even more remembered for reminding the Democratic Party of what it is and what it stands for.  He always gave a forceful, intellectual argument for helping the less fortunate through an activist government and for encouraging attention to the best angels of America's nature at a time of cynicism and self-interest.  His legendary keynote address to the 1984 Democratic National Convention was as indignant as it was eloquent, strongly criticizing the Reagan administration for its supply-side economy policy (supplying the rich with more wealth, ignoring the demands of the lower classes) while simultaneously acknowledging Reagan's sincere patriotism (Reagan had applied John Winthrop's symbolism of " a shining city on a hill" to the the United States at large, and Cuomo, despite noting the despair in the faces of the lesser people in that symbolic city, did acknowledge that in many ways, America was indeed a shining city on a hill), making it clear that no one could question his own patriotism. 

Equally important, through twelve long years as governor of New York, Cuomo held to his principles and refused to waver from them despite being out of step with the times.  When calls for the death penalty reached a crescendo at a time of rising crime in New York City, Cuomo refused to entertain re-instating it in the state.  Pro-life in his personal beliefs, he refused to support abortion restrictions as official policy, acknowledging disparate views on abortion among the general public and not wanting to force his own beliefs on others.  More importantly, he stood up for liberal stands such as affirmative action, a leaner defense budget, and increased social services at a time when such an agenda was not popular.  As an optimistic crusader for what was just, Cuomo was as much as "happy warrior" as Alfred E. Smith, governor of New York from 1919 to 1921 and from 1923 to 1929, had been.  

To be blunt, Cuomo stood up for liberal principles at a time when too many Democrats tried to avoid doing so.  Alas, too many Dems still do, as the 2014 Republican hurricane proved.  Cuomo himself went down in a Republican year twenty years earlier (George Pataki, who defeated him to become his Republican successor as governor of New York, would re-instate the death penalty there), but he went down  standing up for his principles.  Cuomo could have forced a genuine debate on the soul and the direction of the country as a presidential candidate, but his aversion to big-time politicking and the apparent lack of desire for the job robbed us of that opportunity.  

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo - who began his second term as governor of New York the day his father died - seems to want the Presidency even worse than the elder Cuomo did.  Andrew Cuomo would make a good President.  His accomplishments in office so far would make me want to vote for him for President, if not for that 1,600-pound gorilla - the Clintons - standing in his way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  But he's merely a living legacy to his great father, and I'm sure he would agree.

R.I.P. Mario Cuomo. :-(