[tioga]

a rabbit trail....

Smith, a fourth-generation farmer, drove the Cadillac around the district as a campaign prop demonstrating the largesse of the federal government's entitlement programs, which led to his election to the state senate, defeating a Republican incumbent. Smith was noted for his staunch fiscal conservatism, pushed for cost estimates on state bills, and voted against the state enrolling in Medicaid (the only member of the entire New York legislature to do so) because he believed the cost would be much more than estimated. At one point he had reached the position of deputy majority leader.

...as a young child this was my NY state senator.....back in the good old days. They don't make them like that anymore.

Source.

[tioga]

Ooops....lost the first sentence when I cut and pasted...

He earned the "Cadillac" nickname after buying a Cadillac using money he gained from farm subsidies, which were intended to prop up crop prices by paying farmers not to grow crops.

[tioga]

Ooops....lost the first sentence when I cut and pasted...

He earned the "Cadillac" nickname after buying a Cadillac using money he gained from farm subsidies, which were intended to prop up crop prices by paying farmers not to grow crops.