Alan Chartock is the president and chief executive officer of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, a National Public Radio affiliate, a position he has held since 1981. He was professor of political science at SUNY New Paltz and was a professor emeritus of communications at the State University of New York; and executive publisher and project director for the Legislative Gazette, a weekly newspaper staffed by college intern reporters covering New York state government.
Tuesday, 21 Jan 2020 - I like a lot of politicians, but the truth is that I love Deval Patrick.
Saturday, 18 Jan 2020 - There is a lot of money in the Berkshires and it is a mark of the good people who live here that they are willing to give some of what they have to help others.
Tuesday, 14 Jan 2020 - Now the legislature has passed, and the governor has signed, a law that instructs judges, in the cases of crimes that do not involve actual violence, to free the accused without imposing bail.
Saturday, 11 Jan 2020 - On New Year’s Day, I predicted that Joe Kennedy would win. Frankly, I don’t see how he can’t.
Tuesday, 7 Jan 2020 - Every year it is my solemn duty to share my predictions for the coming year.
Saturday, 4 Jan 2020 - One of the most interesting concepts that has been advanced holds that, sooner or later, newspapers will adopt the public radio model and offer memberships in the paper.
Tuesday, 31 Dec 2019 - Winning a fourth term would be a way to honor his old man and at the same time, prove to the world that he could do what his father could not.
Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 - “Sure enough, maybe because of your prompting, the previous gloom and doom turned to a more optimistic plan. I’m proud of you, Pops. I think you made it happen.” Murray, the world’s smartest dog
Tuesday, 24 Dec 2019 - It’s really amazing how blue-state New York has so many players, both reds and blues, in the political wars.
Saturday, 21 Dec 2019 - Term limits have been proposed at every level of government, particularly when people allege or suspect abuse of office.
Tuesday, 17 Dec 2019 - Trump has basically argued that he is above the law. His attorney general supports that view. That’s the way dictatorships begin.
Saturday, 14 Dec 2019 - The attack by the New York newspaper is an insult to all of us who live equidistant from Boston or New York City but who know down to our shoes and socks that nothing in my hometown New York City can kiss our behinds when it comes to our Tanglewood and the best orchestra in the world.
Tuesday, 10 Dec 2019 - As I predicated so many years ago in my science project, the Island is in grave danger. Each major storm brings with it real trouble.
Saturday, 7 Dec 2019 - A word of commendation for the people who drive the snow plows, both the private snow-plow people and the folks who work for the towns: They work without stopping, clearing the roads for our doctors and first responders and anyone else who has to get to work.
Tuesday, 3 Dec 2019 - Cuomo, people suspect, is still angry with the Working Families Party for endorsing a progressive primary opponent, Zephyr Teachout, in the past Democratic gubernatorial primary — just another example of his living up to the nickname I have attached to him: “Tough Guy Andrew.”
Saturday, 30 Nov 2019 - Our bridges are dropping like flies. The whole thing has gotten ridiculous.
Tuesday, 26 Nov 2019 - Unlike Trump, Deval Patrick would appeal to the best in all of us rather than the worst.
Saturday, 23 Nov 2019 - Frankly, I never wanted to get into this, but the issues here are so clear and the arrogance of the Great Barrington Selectboard majority is so great that I am doing what I have to do.
Tuesday, 19 Nov 2019 - Biden has not shown the enthusiasm that will be needed to dislodge Trump. Everything I have seen about Mike Bloomberg indicates that he is the man to do just that.
Saturday, 16 Nov 2019 - I have always thanked New York Gov. Cuomo for filling Great Barrington’s coffers. It didn’t seem to lower my tax bill, but who pays attention to those things?
Tuesday, 12 Nov 2019 - The last thing Andrew Cuomo wants is to be like Donald Trump. He needs to talk straight and only lie when he needs to.
Saturday, 9 Nov 2019 - It seems to me that life should be a bank. People who keep putting good works in the bank over and over again should get something back.
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2019 - Let’s take a look at some recent mistakes politicians have made that have come back to bite them in the lower posterior.
Saturday, 2 Nov 2019 - Leigh clearly thinks that every citizen should have a voice. I believe that is her motivation — to give a voice to the town’s citizens — and not be seen as an agitator on the board. She should be supported.
Tuesday, 29 Oct 2019 - Andrew Cuomo got early lessons about the insidious anti-Italian prejudice that existed when his father Mario, a brilliant graduating law student, could not get a job interview with a prominent law firm in New York.
Saturday, 26 Oct 2019 - Now we have a better understanding about what racing does to horses. It’s a bad idea.
Tuesday, 22 Oct 2019 - Today I am bringing myself out of professorial retirement (I am otherwise employed now) to see if I still have my tutorial chops. I will attempt to give accurate grades to our politicians.
Saturday, 19 Oct 2019 - The town has a wonderful facility. It is there for all of us and it is my hope that everyone in the town uses it.
Tuesday, 15 Oct 2019 - There is a certain parallelism between what Serpico did and the actions of a few courageous people who have seen this president in action.
Saturday, 12 Oct 2019 - It turns out I have a serious allergic response to bees or wasps or whatever it was that got me. In any case, once again, the whole event proves the benefits of having a great hospital nearby.
Tuesday, 8 Oct 2019 - This governor really cares about making a splash. The splash is so important that he doesn’t seem to care that he is mixing it up with someone who he thinks has been unfair to him.
Saturday, 5 Oct 2019 - Michael Ballon would come out in his white chef’s outfit and we would gossip about things. Make no mistake about it: he had definite opinions and sometimes we would disagree.
