Schumer thanks voters in Crossgates Mall visit

PHOTOGRAPHER: Justin Mason

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer whipped into Crossgates Mall and immediately began shaking the hands of shoppers. New York’s senior senator was nearly a half-hour late for his scheduled appearance Monday morning, much to the dismay of several television news crews on deadline. But Schumer, a Democrat, wasted no time embracing his constituents and thanking them for resoundingly selecting him to serve a third six-year term in office.

“Thank you all for making Tuesday the good day we had,” he said, waving to a gathering of shoppers near the mall’s food court.

Schumer trounced little-known Republican opponent Jay Townsend during an election year when many congressional seats were in play. Unofficial results have him securing nearly two-thirds of the vote on his path to re-election.

His appearance at Crossgates was among three he planned across upstate New York, despite working through a mild cold. Schumer said he has thanked his constituents every election since he first won a seat in the state Assembly in 1975. He’s won 15 elections since.

“I’ll work every day over the next six years to win your vote again,” he told a cluster of about three dozen supporters.

Schumer’s popularity among New York voters had some pundits speculating that he might be eyeing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s position, were the Nevada Democrat to lose on Election Day. With Reid’s re-election to the Senate, Schumer said he plans to rally behind the majority leader.

“He’s a friend of mine and I believe in loyalty,” he said.

Schumer did acknowledge, however, that some change needs to come about. He said politicians in Washington need to concentrate on restoring prosperity to the nation’s middle class, which has seen its fortunes wane over the past decade.

“There has to be a greater focus to keep that American dream alive,” he said.

Schumer, the chairman of the senate’s Committee on Rules and Administration, said one change that could be forthcoming would be to end the practice of filibustering, an obstructionist tactic often used to delay a vote for hours or even days. Nowadays, he said, some votes have been delayed for as long as 30 hours by one senator’s objection.

“You cannot have a country that is paralyzed during a time when you have such need,” he said.

Schumer continued to offer support for President Obama’s overhaul of health care by applauding the part that prohibits insurance companies from dropping coverage for policy holders with dire health conditions and another that allows recent college graduates to remain on their parents’ insurance plans. He said the crucial test for the bill will be to see if it can reduce the “waste and duplication” that raises the cost of health care.

“The problem with health care isn’t the service you’re getting, it’s the cost,” he said.

Schumer stumped for a bill he co-sponsored that will give a yearlong payroll tax credit for companies that hire an unemployed worker. And he railed against China for manipulating its currency — something he believes has enabled the country to draw valuable industry out of the United States.

“I’ve been pushing hard to make sure China plays fair,” he said. “American workers can compete against anybody if there’s a level playing field.”

Schumer also offered support to Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo in his bid to secure $1.2 billion in federal high-speed rail money if newly elected Republican governors in Ohio and Wisconsin follow through on campaign promises to forgo the funding. He said high-speed rail connecting New York City with points north and west would have a profound effect on the state’s economy.

“There’s probably no place in America that could benefit more from high-speed rail than New York,” he said. “If some of those states want to refuse that money, then we’ll work to ensure New York gets it.”

Crossgates shoppers were cordial to Schumer. Fred Pomygalski of Middleburgh questioned whether Schumer would allow the drastic cuts proposed for Medicare, and the senator assured him he’d battle to ensure present levels are maintained.

“You only know about them when they’re not doing a good job,” Pomygalski said afterward. “But he seems to be doing alright.”

Linda and Greg Loiacono of Schoharie asked Schumer to help them secure high-speed Internet access with some of the federal economic stimulus funding designated for infrastructure improvements. The couple is among seven families that rely on dial-up service because Time Warner Cable insists they pay for a line that would cost them each $2,500.

“Where is it?” Linda Loiacono said of the stimulus funding. “Dial-up is like being in the dark.”