Gov. Kathy Hochul deceives both New York and Donald Trump

Observing Governor Hochul stumble from one mistake to another, I am reminded of Casey Stengel’s frustrated query about the inept 1962 Mets: “Can’t anybody here play this game?”

Just like the Mets, the answer in Hochul’s case is a definite no.

Over three years since assuming office, the accidental governor still hasn’t mustered the courage to take off the training wheels.

She’s not leading Albany.

Albany is leading her.

The Legislature, far-left activists, and the bureaucracy are the ones in control.

The state and city are clearly deteriorating, but she hasn’t delivered any significant reforms to make a real impact.

Rising crime, public disorder, a surge in migration, failing schools, and exorbitant taxes are causing families to flee New York.

Antisemitism is increasing on nearly every college campus in the state, including those in the SUNY and CUNY systems under Hochul’s influence, yet she remains largely silent.

The bigger the problem, the smaller she seems.

On her best days, she merely maintains the status quo.

Now, she has worsened the situation by foolishly attempting to play games of deception with Donald Trump.

This is unlikely to end well for her or for New York.

The recent bewildering behavior began with her pre-election statement that any New Yorker voting for a Republican was anti-woman and anti-American.

It was a foolish thing to say, especially given that a September poll showed voters in the state were more dissatisfied with her performance than ever, with Trump receiving higher ratings than her.

A more astute politician would have recognized that she had alienated many voters, as evidenced by Trump’s Electoral College victory and significant turnout in deeply blue New York.

Reckless alliance

Hochul’s immediate response was to unnecessarily confront him.

She and Attorney General Letitia James held a hostile press conference threatening Trump with legal action if he interfered with their agendas.

It was immature grandstanding, and her decision to align with James was doubly foolish considering the AG’s baseless civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his businesses.

Unless, of course, Hochul also believes in targeting political opponents and using the courts to punish them for fabricated offenses.

Perhaps realizing she had gone too far, Hochul claimed to have had a “productive” conversation with Trump the following day and pledged to collaborate on major projects.

Reportedly, Trump reciprocated, as he has always expressed a desire to help the city and state where he and his family prospered.

Controversial congestion tax

The story could have ended positively there, with New York potentially benefiting from a new president eager to achieve substantial goals.

However, as is often the case, this obvious opportunity eluded Hochul.

Secretly, she was pursuing another agenda, with aides leaking to leftist media that she planned to reintroduce the unpopular congestion pricing tax that she had paused earlier to prevent Trump from halting it upon taking office.

This maneuver is incomprehensibly foolish.

It seems Hochul may have mistaken Trump for an easy target and New Yorkers for fools.

To jeopardize a blossoming relationship with the president, whose party controls Congress, is an astounding misstep.

In case Hochul missed the election results, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries are now minority leaders in their respective chambers.

This leaves them with limited power, making Trump the primary avenue for favors in Washington.

Moreover, the congestion tax poses a particular political challenge.

Hochul had advocated for it to address the MTA’s financial struggles, making her sudden reversal puzzling.

Reports suggest Jeffries urged her to halt the tax due to its unpopularity in the suburbs jeopardizing Democratic House candidates.

Although Hochul denies facing pressure, the timing conveniently removed the issue from consideration before the votes were cast.

Now, the tax is back on the table before all votes are counted.

Increasing tolls for residents

She is reportedly contemplating a $9 car tax instead of the planned $15, but it remains a cynical ploy at any price, worsened by her misguided attempt to circumvent Trump.

The MTA’s financial situation is a perpetual mess, with escalating labor costs as a recurring issue.

Recent concerns also include fare evasion, which results in significant annual revenue losses for the agency.

In some bus routes, up to 50% of passengers travel without paying, yet Hochul wants to pour more money into a leaky system and let MTA leadership off the hook.

Despite the state’s massive budget surplus, Hochul chose to demand more money from New Yorkers instead of reigning in reckless spending on migrant surges and holding the MTA accountable.

Introducing another tax gives commuters more reason to avoid the city, leading to decreased economic activity in shopping, entertainment, and dining establishments.

If nothing else, the mishandling of the Trump relationship by Hochul serves as a stark reminder of fate’s sense of irony.

GOP candidate Lee Zeldin nearly defeated her two years ago and is now Trump’s selection to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

It’s a prudent choice benefiting America, while leaving New Yorkers pondering what could have been if Zeldin were calling the shots in Albany.

Conflict with the President-elect

The New York Times’ anti-Trump headlines on Tuesday demonstrate the media’s continued campaign stance:

“Europe Braces for Trump: ‘Worst Economic Nightmare Has Come True'”

“The U.S. is the biggest trading partner for the European Union and Britain, whose economies could be at risk because of President-elect Trump’s policies.”

“Doubts Grow Over the Booming Trump Trade, and Trumponomics”

“Trump’s Tariffs Could Deal a Blow to Mexico’s Car Factories”

And the most ridiculous example of all:

“Trump Starts to Fill Out Cabinet With Loyal Defenders”

Should he be choosing disloyal Cabinet members instead?