THE POLITICKING ON THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BILL • AND THE POLITICKING FOR CONGRESSIONAL RACES IN OUR AREA • THAT'S NEXT ON IVORY TOWER.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

JOINING ME TONIGHT ON THE PANEL ARE KRISTI ANDERSON, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY TARA ROSS, FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANIRBAN ACHARYA, FROM LEMOYNE COLLEGE AND RICK FENNER, FROM UTICA COLLEGE WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE HELP IS ON ITS WAY FOR BETTER ROADS AND BRIDGES IN CENTRAL NEW YORK NOW THAT THE HOUSE PASSED THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

WE'RE GETTING MONEY FOR HANCOCK AIRPORT, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND MORE.

BUT IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING.

KRISTI, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG?

>> IT PROBABLY TOOK SO LONG BECAUSE THE PROGRESSIVES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WANTED THE TWO BILLS TIED TOGETHER: THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND THE KIND OF SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, THE ONE THAT PROPOSES PRE-K EDUCATION AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE AND SO FORTH.

AND THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK BIDEN DECIDED THAT THIS WAS POTENTIALLY PASSIBLE.

AND AFTER ALL, INFRASTRUCTURE IS SOMETHING THAT TRADITIONALLY REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE KNOWN WAS IMPORTANT AND ALSO IS USEFUL TO THEM POLITICALLY BECAUSE THEY CAN CHANNEL MONEY TO VARIOUS PEOPLE IN RETURN FOR SUPPORT AND SO ON.

SO FOR YEARS, INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN POPULAR, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION HAVE BEEN POPULAR AMONG BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN SPENDING ON INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO IT'S TIME TO DO THAT.

SO IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING HAS BEEN WAY DOWN BOTH IN TERMS OF ACTUAL DOLLARS AND IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF ECONOMIC OUTPUT.

SO AND WE KNOW IN NEW YORK, A LOT OF OUR HUGE PROPORTION OF OUR BRIDGES AND ROADS ARE READY TO FALL DOWN.

SO, YEAH, IT'S GOOD THAT THEY DID IT AND IT ALLOWED BIDEN, I THINK, TO USE THE KIND OF POLITICS AND POLITICAL SKILLS HE IS KNOWN FOR.

YOU KNOW, TALKING PERSONALLY TO BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND SO ON AND GETTING THEM IN LINE.

>> TARA, WAS THIS A WIN FOR BIDEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY I THINK IT WAS A BIN.

BUT I WOULD CALL IT A MODIFIED WIN.

AND I CALL IT A MODIFIED WIN BECAUSE IT WAS CERTAINLY A WIN IN TERMS OF GETTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL PASSED AND GETTING IT MOVING BECAUSE HIS POPULARITY DEFINITELY NEEDED THAT, CERTAINLY AS KRISTI HAS EXPLAINED, THE COUNTRY NEEDS THAT IN REALITY.

BUT I CALL IT A MODIFIED WIN BECAUSE I THINK THE PUBLIC, IN TERMS OF ITS PERCEPTION OF THIS AS BEING A WIN, MAY NOT SEE IT AS MUCH OF A WIN AS BIDEN WOULD WANT OR THE DEMOCRATS IN GENERAL WOULD WANT.

PARTIALLY IT'S BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH INFIGHTING OVER THIS WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE CONNECTED WITH THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, ET CETERA.

I THINK PEOPLE HAVE BASICALLY BECOME SORT OF IMMUNE TO THE DEBATE.

AND REALLY THERE WASN'T THE LEVEL OF FANFARE MAYBE THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL IN TERMS OF FANFARE EXPLAINING THIS IS WHY THIS IS SUCH A GREAT THING AND THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT YOU.

THE OTHER REALITY IS THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, IT TAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SEE THE BENEFIT.

THEY ACTUALLY SEE THE CONSTRUCTION.

THEY ACTUALLY SEE THE EXPANSION, ET CETERA.

SO IT MAY BE A YEAR TO TWO YEARS FROM NOW BEFORE PEOPLE REALLY ACTUALLY SEE WHY THIS WAS A GOOD THING.

SO IT'S A MODIFIED WIN.

>> YEAH, I THINK BIDEN DID A LOT OF HARD WORK IN GETTING THIS BILL PASSED AND ESPECIALLY SEPARATING SMALL ANECDOTE.

HE CALLED SOMEBODY'S MOTHER IN INDIA AND SHE VOTED FOR THE BILL.

I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA.

A LOT OF THINGS ARE COMING FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WAS THE LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN SYRACUSE.

IT TOOK ME ONE AND A HALF HOURS TO GET TO LIVERPOOL FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, RAPID TRANSIT LINES FOR THE BINGHAMTON AREA THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS IN AMTRAK, I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY CAN'T I JUST HOP ON A TRAIN AND GET TO ROCHESTER.

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IS A HUMAN RIGHT, IT WOULD ALLOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO GET TO DESTINY USA AND SO 9300 PEOPLE USE THE CENTRAL BUS.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS THERE THAT WILL BRING IN JOB AND, YOU KNOW, AS A MULTIPLIER EFFECT INCREASING INCOME.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT KRISTI SAID ABOUT REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION.

NOW THAT THE BILL IS PASSED, THEY'RE SAYING IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE BECAUSE ITS GOING TO LEAD TO HIGHER INFLATION.

WE KNOW THE CRAIP FIGURES CPI FIGURES THAT CAME OUT WEDNESDAY THAT INFLATION IS RUNNING AT 6.2% AND THAT IS A WORRY.

BUT I THINK THEIR ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL ARE MISPLACED FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE, THE ACTUAL BILL IF YOU LOOK AT NEW MONEY IS ABOUT $550 BILLION AND IT'S SPREAD OUT OVER QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY SHORT-TERM INFLATIONARY FEARS FROM THIS BUT THE LONGER TERM ISSUE, THIS IS GOING TO SPEND ON THINGS LIKE PORTS, AIRPORTS, HIGHWAYS, THINGS THAT ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO BENEFIT BUSINESS AND LOWER THEIR COSTS, WHICH MEANS IN THE LONG RUN, THE PRESSURE ON PRICES IS GOING TO BE LOWER.

MOST ECONOMISTS SEE THIS AS A REAL WIN FOR TRYING TO KEEP THE INFLATION DOWN IN THE LONG RUN WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE CASE THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT NOW.

>> IT MAY PROVIDE GOOD PAYING JOBS IN THE AREA.

>> CONSTRUCTION JOBS ARE GOOD PAYING JOBS, YES.

>> I'M HAPPY THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR EXPANDING BROADBAND WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM HERE IN BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IS VERY DAMAGING TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO WORK.

>> HOW ABOUT NANCY PELOSI, SHOULD SHE GET CREDIT FOR THIS?

>> I CAN'T HELP BUT BELIEVING THAT NANCY PELOSI WRANGLED SOME OF THE PROGRESSIVES.

SOME PROGRESSIVES VOTED FOR IT BUT THERE WERE SOME, A.O.C.

AND SO ON WHO STOOD AGAINST IT.

IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT PELOSI ALLOWED THEM TO DO THAT KNOWING THAT SHE HAD SOME-- THAT THEY HAD SOME REPUBLICAN VOTES, YES.

>> DO YOU THINK THIS BUILD BACK BETTER BILL, THE ONE THAT GOT UNCOUPLED FROM THIS, WILL THAT EVER PASS?

>> THIS IS VERY HARD TO SAY BUT YES, THERE IS A REALLY GAD SUPPORT FOR IT-- REALLY GOOD SUPPORT FOR IT BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION REMAINS THERE.

IT HAS BEEN SLOWLY LEACHING OUT THE MAIN IMPORTANT ASPECTS COMING TO HEAR THAT NOW WE CAN'T ALLOW EVEN A MONTH'S WORTH OF PAID LEAVE WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS THE NORM IN 185 COUNTRIES AND FOUR WEEKS IS THE LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM.

I THINK IT WILL PASS IN A VERY LIMITED WAY.

THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS KIND OF HOLDING BACK ON THAT, KIND OF SHOWS THAT HAND THAT THEY'RE STILL THINKING THERE IS SOME STRATEGY THAT CAN WORK.

THE HONEST ANSWER IS I DON'T KNOW.

MOST LIKELY IT WILL PASS IN A VERY LESS AMOUNT FROM IT FROM WHERE IT STARTED.

>> UNWITH OF THE VERY FEW REPUBLICANS THAT VOTED FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WAS CONGRESS MEMBER JOHN KATKO AND EVEN THOUGH THE NEW LINES FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AREN'T DRAWN YET, WITH THE ELECTION A YEAR AWAY--- SEVERAL OTHERS ARE SAYING THEY'D WANT TO REPRESENT CENTRAL NEW YORK IN CONGRESS.

CONGRESSWOMAN CLAUDIA TENNEY HAS OPPOSITION SO FAR FROM AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE.

AND THREE MILITARY VETERANS ARE VYING ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE TO OUST JOHN KATKO.

TARA, HOW DO YOU SIZE UP KATKO AND HIS OPPONENTS?

>> AT THIS MOMENT KATKO IS IN A VERY GOOD POSITION.

HE IS A MEMBER OF THE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS.

THAT CAUCUS TOOK A VERY ACTIVE ROLE EARLY ON IN WORKING ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

HE DID VOTE, AS YOU STATED, FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

AND SO I THINK RIGHT NOW KATKO IS IN A GOOD POSITION.

PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH HIS THREE CHALLENGERS ARE THAT TWO OF THEM ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THAT LEVEL OF POLITICS.

YOU'VE GOT THREE VETERANS, WHICH IS A GREAT THING AND VETERANS AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF RESPECT.

PEOPLE RESPECT THE FACT THAT THEY'VE TRAVELED, THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WORLD.

THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HOT SPOTS.

SO THEY GET SORT OF ALL OF THAT COMING WITH THEM.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT NOT ONE OF THEM IS ACCESSIBLY EXPERIENCED IN POLITICS.

FRANCIS CONOLE, FOR EXAMPLE, HE WAS THE DEMOCRAT, ONE OF THOSE RUNNING FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

HE LOST TO DANA BALTER.

HE HAS TRIED TO RUN AGAINST KATKO BEFORE.

HE SORT OF OPPOSES MANY OF KATKO'S REPUBLICAN VIEWS, ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT KATKO TAKES MONEY FROM CORPORATE PACS.

SARAH HOOD, SHE IS PROABORTION, PRO-MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SHE ALSO WAS A VETERAN.

SHE HAS RUN FOR A POSITION ON de DEWITT POLICE COMMISSION.

SHE IS RELATIVELY NEW TO POLITICS AND THAT TYPICALLY HURTS YOU WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING AGAINST AN INCUMBENT AND CERTAINLY AN INCUMBENT WITH KATKO'S EXPERIENCE.

STEVEN HOLDER, I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT, BUT HE IS ALSO A VETERAN.

SO YOU'VE GOT SOME REAL NEOPHYTES RUNNING AGAINST KATKO SO RIGHT NOW CONOLE LOOKS TO BE THE REAL CHALLENGER.

AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO BE, IN TERMS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGERS, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO BE CONOLE'S SORT OF CREATING A NICHE FOR HIMSELF AND REALLY SHOWING PEOPLE WHY HE SHOULD BE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE TIM KOE, A PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT IN NEUROSURGERY AND HE, AGAIN, IS RELATIVELY NEW TO POLITICS, BUT HE HAS ALREADY RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM AT LEAST ON PAPER FROM DONALD TRUMP, FROM SOME OF THE REPUBLICANS WITHIN THE STATE WHO WERE NOT HAPPY WITH KATKO, WHO WERE NOT HAPPY WITH KATKO FOR SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT, FOR SUPPORTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

AND I DON'T THINK KOE WILL DEFEAT KATKO, DEPENDING ON THE REDISTRICTING BUT I THINK HE WILL PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES TO KATKO.

>> AND TEPEE IS-- TENNEY IS IN AN INTERESTING POSITION BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE VARIOUS MAPS, IT'S ALL OVER, WHAT IS NOW THE 22nd DISTRICT IS GOING TO CHANGE A LOT.

AND SO-- BUT THE ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP AND REALLY QUICKLY AFTER THE START OF THE NEW YEAR YOU NEED TO DECLARE, YOU NEED TO SET UP YOUR COMMITTEE AND YOU NEED TO PASS PETITIONS AND WE DON'T HAVE DISTRICTS SO THESE PEOPLE, WHO WANT TO CHALLENGE TENNEY, JOSH RILEY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO MAY BE THE MOST, YOU KNOW, CREDIBLE CANDIDATE, I THINK, ALTHOUGH HE HAS NOT HAD PUBLIC OFFICE BEFORE, FROM BINGHAMTON AREA.

A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE BINGHAMTON AREA, I THINK.

BUT WHETHER TENNEY'S-- AND HE HAS SAID I'M RUNNING AGAINST CLAUDIA TENNEY AND I GUESS THAT MEANS I'M RUNNING AGAINST CLAUDIA TENNEY EVEN IF I HAVE TO MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO SO.

AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SORT OF TAKEN THAT POSITION, TOO.

SO IT'S HARD TO SAY WHAT IS GOING-- WHAT THE DISTRICT CONFIGURATIONS.

THE SYRACUSE PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY KATKO AND ALL OF HIS CHALLENGERS LIVE IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE OR SUBURBS.

SO THEY'RE SET MORE OR LESS.

BUT THE 22nd DISTRICT.

>> RICK, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT.

>> YEAH, IT WILL BE INTERESTING HOW IT GETS REDRAWN.

AND WHAT I'M-- CLAUDIA TENNEY NARROWLY BEAT AN INCUMBENT SO SHE HAS CERTAINLY A LOT OF POWER THERE.

BUT HER DISTRICT IS GOING TO INCLUDE, HOWEVER IT'S REDRAWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT CURRENTLY IN YOUR DISTRICT SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEIR PERCEPTIONS ARE ABOUT HER.

AND AGAIN THAT DEPENDS UPON WHETHER THE NEW DISTRICT IS PRIMARILY RURAL OR URBAN.

I THINK IF IT INCLUDES SYRACUSE IN MORE URBAN AREAS, SHE IS GOING HAVE A MUCH TOUGHER TIME THAN IF IT IS LIKE THE CURRENT DISTRICT AND HAS A LOT, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW URBAN AREAS AND MOSTLY RURAL PEOPLE.

>> I THINK KATKO, YOU KNOW, HE HAD VOTED, LET ME SEE, 41% OF THE TIMES WITH BIDEN AND 71.4 TIMES WITH DONALD TRUMP.

BUT HE ALSO VOTED FOR VERY CRUCIAL LEGISLATION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, VOTED FOR PEOPLE THE SECOND TIME.

AND IT'S A DEMOCRATIC LEANING SO FAR, THAT DISTRICT.

IMPORTANT SIGNAL IS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE LOCAL CHAPTER, DIDN'T REALLY DISOWN HIM OR CHASTISE HIM SO THERE IS A VERY STRONG CHANCE-- I DON'T LIKE PREDICTING IN POLITICS BUT LET'S CALL IT.

IF KATKO RUNS, HE MIGHT WIN.

>> AND TRUMP HAS SAID HE WANTS SOMEBODY TO CHALLENGE KATKO.

AND ONLY ONE PERSON HAS TIMIDLY STEPPED UP.

>> ANOTHER GUY, A SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT SOME POINT AND THEN HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN THE ARMY.

HE ALSO VOTED FOR-- DONATED FOR BERNIE SANDERS, SOMETHING LIKE $70.

HE SEEMS TO BE ONE EFFORT CHALLENGERS.

HE HE/HIS BREAKING POINT WAS... >> HE HASN'T OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED?

>> HE HAS NOT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED BUT HE IS THINKING OF RUNNING.

THAT'S ANOTHER NAME THAT WILL FLOAT UP.

>> WHERE DO YOU SEE KATKO AS BEING WEAK?

>> I DON'T THINK HE HAS A LOT OF WEAKNESSES IN THE SENSE THAT HE HAS, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND AS A STATE'S ATTORNEY.

>> U.S. ATTORNEY.

>> U.S. ATTORNEY AND HE HAS WALKED THIS LINE VERY CAREFULLY; THAT HE IS, AS ANIRBAN SAYS, A REPUBLICAN IN A LARGELY DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT AND HE-- OBVIOUSLY DEMOCRATS WOULD RATHER HAVE A DEMOCRAT BUT GIVEN THAT THEY'VE GOT KATKO, WHO VOTED TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT AND HAS TAKEN POSITIONS AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DO A LOT WORSE.

I THINK THAT'S THE SORT OF FEELING-- THAT'S HIS STRENGTH.

>> THE NAME GENERAL ELECTRIC IS WELL KNOWN HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, ESPECIALLY AAROUND LONG TIMERS IT'S NAME WAS EMBLAZONED ON MANUFACTURING PLANTS, ON OUR STOVES AND REFRIGERATORS AND EVEN OUR LIGHT BULBS.

G.E.

WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COMPANIES WHEN THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE BEGAN.

BUT IT IS TO BE NO MORE •.

GETTING CARVED UP INTO THREE COMPANIES.

RICK, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAID THIS IS THE END OF THE DOMINANCE OF INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATES.

IS THAT RIGHT?

>> THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A SAD STORY FOR ME.

I GREW UP IN SCHENECTADY IN THE 60s AND 70s.

MY DAD WORKED FOR G.E.

AND MOST OF THE PARENTS OF MY FRIENDS DID, SO IT'S BEEN A SAD STORY SEEING G.E.

DECLINE.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATES, I THINK THAT SHIP ACTUALLY SAILED A WHILE AGO AND THE TECH GIANTS HAVE SURPASSED THE MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL GIANTS ATOP THE LIST OF FORTUNE 500.

BUT I THINK THE BREAKUP OF G.E.

FIRST REMINDS US THAT OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO CHANGE AND CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY BECAUSE AS RECENTLY AS THE YEAR 2000, G.E.

WAS STILL ONE OF THE TOP FIVE BIGGEST COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY AND THEY HAD RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE MOVING FROM A MANUFACTURING TO A SERVICE ECONOMY AND THEY HAD MADE A NUMBER OF DIVERSIFYING MOVES GETTING INTO THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD BY BUYING NBC AND THE BIG DIVE INTO FINANCE WITH G.E.

CAPITAL.

IRONICALLY IT WAS THE MOVE INTO FINANCE THAT I THINK ULTIMATELY LED TO THE UNRAVELING OF THE COMPANY BECAUSE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2007-2008, G.E.

CAPITAL THE NOT NAVIGATE THOSE WATERS VERY WELL.

BUT FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN G.E.

PLAYED SUCH A BIG PART OF THE ECONOMIES OF UPSTATE CITIES SUCH AS SYRACUSE, UTICA AND CONNECT SCHENECTADY, IT IS COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT GOING TO DISAPPEAR.

IT IS BROKEN INTO THREE PARTS.

JET ENGINES, MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND POWER AND ENERGY AND THE JET ENGINE COMPANY WILL STILL HAVE THE NAME GENERAL ELECTRIC AND I THINK THEY'RE POIZED TO DO VERY-- POISED TO DO VERY WELL IN THOSE SECTORS AND WE WILL SEE THE NAME ON G.E.

APPLIANCES AND LIGHT BULBS.

THE PRODUCTS JUST WON'T BE MADE BY GENERAL ELECTRIC ANYMORE.

>> I MEAN THIS IS, I THINK PREDOMINANTLY A GUEST STORY, NOT THE END OF CONGLOMERATES BECAUSE DISNEY IS A CONGLOMERATE, 3M, HONEYWELL, GOOGLE, SO THERE ARE IMPORTANT CONGLOMERATES, LOCKHEED MARTIN.

SO IF A COMPANY HAS OR OWNS MANY COMPANIES OR IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, THAT'S WHEN WE CALL IT A CONGLOMERATE.

IT'S A G.E.

STORY BECAUSE THAT FINANCE DIVISION, THAT CRASHED INTO 2008, G.E.

WENT FROM 600-- 120 BILLION MARKET CAP AND IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO SELL THIS BUSINESS OUT AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAVE IT IN THREE PARTS.

AND THAT WILL-- AND THE MARKETS RESPONDED POSITIVELY.

THERE WAS A 2%, $2 INCREASE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S OVERALL, IT'S MAINLY GESM TRYING TO G.E.

TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE LOANS AND DEBTS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS DROPPED FROM THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE IN 2018.

I DON'T THINK CONGLOMERATES AS SUCH WILL VANISH.

IT WILL MOVE TO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.

>> AMAZON IS A HUGE COMGLOM RAT-- CONGLOMERATE NOW.

>> AS ANIRBAN SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF CONGLOMERATES ESPECIALLY IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

>> THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURE IS STILL THE SAME.

>> I THINK IT'S LESS THE CONGLOMERATES THAN THE CONTINUED MOVE AWAY FROM INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT'S THE BIGGER STORY, I THINK.

>> AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND INTERESTING, JEFF BONEFIELD WHO WORKS AT THE YALE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT MADE AN INTERESTING POINT THAT ONE OF THE MISTAKES G.E.

MADE WAS THAT IN TRYING TO MANAGE ITS CONGLOMERATE, IT WAS NOT LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO SORT OF MANAGE WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE SUBDIVISIONS WHO REALLY KNEW THOSE SUBDIVISIONS AND UNDERSTOOD THOSE INDUSTRIES.

WHAT THEY WERE BASICALLY DOING IS TAKING PEOPLE WHO WORKED THEIR WAY UP THE RANKS WITHIN G.E., WHO KNEW THE ALIGNS PLIENS-- WHO KNEW AT PLIENS SECTION BETTER AND MOVING THEM AROUND TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE SUBDIVISIONS AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG MISTAKES BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS, NOT REALLY KNOWING THE INDUSTRIES, COULDN'T SHIFT AND RESPOND QUICKLY AS THE INDUSTRIES CHANGED.

AND I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF THE G.E.

TYPE OF CONGLOMERATE AND THE AMAZON TYPE OF CONGLOMERATE THAT YOU ARE SEEING TODAY.

AND I THINK THE AMAZON TYPE IS GOING TO BE WHAT YOU SEE MORE OF, WHERE THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE VARIOUS SUBDIVISIONS ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND THOSE SUBDIVISIONS AND CAN RESPOND VERY QUICKLY TO MARKET TRENDS.

>> AMAZON, THEY STARTED FROM THE GROUND UP.

G.E.

BUILT MOST OF ITS DIEFERS DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH ACQUISITIONS AND BROUGHT PEOPLE IN AND FITTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER DID NOT WORK WELL.

YOU ARE RIGHT, THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE OF GUEST HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING DISTINCTION, STARTING AND GROWING AND DIVERSIFYING, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AMAZON DOES AND BUYING THINGS AND LUMPING THEM ALL TOGETHER.

>> ANIRBAN, QUICKLY, IS ONONDAGA COUNTY RIGHT TO BE LOOKING TO AMAZON, THESE TWO WAREHOUSES AND LOOKING FOR A CHIP MANUFACTURER?

IS THAT GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO OUR ECONOMY?

>> I THINK ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, HAVING NEW MANUFACTURING OR OTHER KINDS OF COMPANIES IN THE AREA HELPS IN JOBS.

BUT AS I WAS TALKING WITH KRISTI BEFORE, LIKE GIVING MASSIVE TAX BREAKS TO CREATE JOBS, THAT KIND OF MODEL FAILS, SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW MUCH OF TAXPAYERS MONEY WE ARE GIVING TO THE CORPORATIONS.

BUT, YEAH, I SEE AMAZON WAREHOUSING AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING JOBS HERE.

>> DON'T FORGET ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONVINCED THAT HELPING BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE AND THAT ARE OWNED BY LOCAL PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY WAY, BUT A GOOD WAY TO STIMULATE.

>> WE HAVE TO GET TO YOUR GRADES.

GIVE US YOUR F IF YOU WILL.

>> AN F TO TWO MEMBERS OF COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IN VIRGINIA.

THEY ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO HAVE THE SCHOOL REMOVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AND OBJECTIONABLE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARIES EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THESE WAS-- MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN AWARD WINNING BOOKS AND THESE TWO PARTICULAR MEMBERS ALSO SAID THE BOOKS TAKEN OFF THE SHELF SHOULD BE BURNED BECAUSE WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WEARY RAD INDICATING THEM.

-- THAT WE ARE ERADICATING THEM.

>> WHO GETS YOUR F. >> JOY REED OF THE READOUT ON MSNBC AND HER GUEST VANDERBILT PROFESSOR DYSON FOR THEIR DISCUSSION OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ELECT.

REED GETS AN F FOR ASKING IF WHITES SHOULD GET CREDIT FOR CHOOSING A BLACK REPUBLICAN EVEN THOUGH MANY VIRGINIA REPUBLICAN POLICIES SEEM RACIALLY MOTIVATED AND DYSON GETS AN F BECAUSE HE RESPONDED BY BASICALLY CALLING HER A VENTRILOQUIST DUMMY FOR WHITE SUPREMACIST.

>> ANIRBAN.

>> MY F TO THE ISRAEL-BASED CYBER SECURITY FORM FIRM THAT HAS BEEN ENABLING GOVERNMENTS TO SPY ON CITIZENS.

THINGS HAVE GOTTEN SO BAD THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAD TO BLACK LIST THIS GROUP.

SO IT IS COMING FROM THE PRESIDENT ITSELF.

>> AND RICK.

>> GOING BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, MY F GOES TO MINORITY LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY WHO SAID "IF THEY BROUGHT JUST AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL BY ITSELF UP, YOU WOULD FIND OVERWHELMINGLY REPUBLICANS WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND GET ONE THROUGH."

THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRATS DID AND THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT AND THOSE REPUBLICANS HAVE VOTED FOR IT ARE GETTING HARSH CRITICISM.

>> AND As.

KRISTI.

>> TO THE SYRACUSE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER AN A.

THEY OPENED AN URGENT CARE CENTER ON DOWNTOWN SOUTH SALINA STREET PROVIDING OPEN TO EVERYONE AND WILL PROVIDE MODERNA VACCINE SHOTS WITHOUT APPOINTMENT.

THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE GROWTH OF DOWNTOWN LIVING AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO LOTS OF PEOPLE.

>> AND TARA.

>> YOU SHOULD BE SEEING ON YOUR SCREEN A 105-YEAR-OLD WOMAN BY THE NAME OF JULIA HAWK INS WHO HAWKINS WHO WON A 100-METER RACE AT THAT AGE AND SHE STARTED RUNNING FOR FUN AT THE AGE OF 100.

>> WE DIDN'T GET THAT ON THE SCREEN BUT WOW.

THAT'S AMAZING.

>> ANIRBAN.

>> MY A IMS TO THE DUTCH PHYSICIST AND HIS ORGANIZATION WHO SCIENTIFICALLY ESTABLISHED THE LINKS BETWEEN HUMAN INDUCED CLIMATE CHANGE AND METEOROLOGICAL CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS.

HE PASSED AWAY RECENTLY.

MAY HE REST IN POWER.

>> AND RICK.

>> MY A GOES TO U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE WHO RULED THAT TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT'S BAN ON MASK MANDATES VIOLATES THE RIGHTS OF STUDENTS WITH BIBILITIES; ALLOWING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SET THEIR OWN RULES CONCERNING MASKS.

MANY OF WHICH HAD SAID THEY WANTED TO IMPOSE MASK MANDATES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR STAFF AND STUDENTS.

>> SO THIS IS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS ONLY?

>> THAT WAS THE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF IT.

BUT NOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SET THEIR OWN RULES BECAUSE THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE ABBOTT'S BAN ON MASK MANDATES.

>> AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY APPEALS AND COURT CASES AND THIS IS A CONTINUING ISSUE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON THE TOPICS WE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.

YOU CAN WRITE US AT THE ADDRESSES ON THE SCREEN AND IF YOU MISS THE SHOW ANY FRIDAY NIGHT, IT REPEATS SATURDAY AFTERNOONS AT 5:30 OR YOU CAN FINE THE SHOW ONLINE ANY TIME AT WCNY.ORG.

GOOD NIGHT.

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