I'm a Queens boy at the end of the day.
— Andrew Cuomo
Climate change is a controversial subject, right? People will debate whether there is climate change... that's a whole political debate that I don't want to get into. I want to talk about the frequency of extreme weather situations, which is not political.
I was elected to come to an incredibly dysfunctional capital and make the government work better, and that's what I'm doing.
There are 10,000 local governments in the state of New York. Ten thousand! Town, village, lighting district, water district, sewer district, a special district to count the other districts in case you missed a district.
I'm sort of the Antichrist to the Conservative Party.
There is also something called the Legislature. There is something called the press. There is something called people. These are all different players on the stage.
Too often government responds to the whispers of lobbyists before the cries of the people.
You can be a lender who wants to compete and have a better product, but you just can't get to the students. The schools are controlling the access to the students.
I'm a harsh critic of the status quo.
If I'm breathing in 2016, I'll be happy.
I think naturally my orientation is from my father.
I'm governor of New York.
I believe we need to attract a new generation of the best and brightest to public service and I believe that government can be a source of inspiration, not degradation.
I am against the death penalty.
I believe Wall Street needs serious ongoing regulation.
I respect the state workers and I respect their unions, but we simply can't afford to pay benefits and pensions that are out of line with economic reality.
I know how bad Albany is. I know it better than most. I understand why people are angry. I'm angry. The question is going to be, how do you change Albany, what is the plan for change, and then how do you actually get it done?
I haven't lost my head yet.
The need to understand prescription information can literally be a matter of life and death.
Fight as hard as you can, and then understand there's going to have to be some amount of reasonable compromise.
It's time for the people of the Empire State to strike back.
People go into politics because they want the affirmation, and they want the applause.
The other states look to New York for the progressive direction.
The time has come to return integrity, performance and dignity to New York and make it the Empire State once again.
Whether you voted for me or not, going through the Democratic process had made me a better candidate. I am a smarter, better candidate.
You know, you cut taxes for the rich sometimes and it sits in a bank account. You cut taxes for the middle class, they will spend the money.
I have a portrait of Saint Thomas More in my office.
Marriage equality changed life for people.
I've been not only articulating the dissatisfaction with Albany, I've been acting on it. I've been very aggressive in bringing public integrity cases and public corruption cases and bringing cases against sitting legislators.
I believe women still face a glass ceiling that must be shattered.
I believe global warming and climate change are real threats to our planet.
I am fiscally prudent and socially progressive. I believe in protecting a woman's right to choose. I believe in marriage equality.
The Declaration of Independence says when government fails, the people have the right to replace it. Well, New York State government has failed and the people have the right, indeed the people have the the people have the obligation, to act.
There is no dispute that Albany needs to be changed. There is no dispute that the current situation in Albany is untenable. Nobody knows that better than I do.
Anyone who says there is not a change in weather patterns is denying reality.
I'm not going to raise taxes; I'm not going to have a wage increase for public employees.
Politicians are good listeners. Because if they're not, they aren't politicians for very long.
There's a rhythm to the legislative session and there are rhythms to legislative sessions. So I think that's very important to take into consideration when you are deciding what to do when.
Very few people go into politics to be reviled.
If there's a silver bullet in the battle to recapture Albany, it is the re-engagement of our citizens. This capital has become a physical metaphor for the isolation and alienation of our people.
Ninety percent of the students take the 'preferred lender.' Why? Because that's the nature of the relationship. You trust the school. The school is in a position of authority.
I never thought I would be divorced.
My father was against the death penalty, and that was hard in the Son of Sam summer when fear was driving the desire for the death penalty.
It's troubling for me as a Catholic to be at odds with the church.
As my Sicilian grandfather used to say, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar, right?
I'm in politics. I'm in government, so nothing surprises me.
I believe discrimination still exists in society and we must fight it in every form.
I believe public education is the new civil rights battle and I support charter schools.
The essential job of government is to facilitate, not frustrate, job development.
New York State is upside down and backwards; high taxes and low performance. The New York State government was at one time a national model. Now, unfortunately, it's a national disgrace. Sometimes, the corruption in Albany could even make Boss Tweed blush.
