Post by Ed Berger on Apr 20, 2008 19:31:42 GMT -5
Ed Berger
Birth: June 24, 1940, in Manhattan
Current residence: 109th Street and Broadway, New York City; East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York; Stratton Mountain, Vermont.
Family: Frank (b. 1912), father; Rebecca (b. 1915), mother; Lindsey (b. 1942, m. 1969), wife; Jay (b. 1970), son; Julia (b. 1973), daughter; Alison (b. 2000), granddaughter; Joseph (b. 2002), grandson; Nicole (b. 2003), granddaughter; Beckett (b. 2005), pet schnoodle; Hurley (b. 2006), pet Irish Setter.
Religion: Judaism
Interests & hobbies: Antiquity, anthropology, art, blogging, bowling, history of Britain and France, film, golfing, painting, philanthropy, photography, psychedelic era, skiing, vinyl records, writing
Languages spoken: English (native), French (fluent), Hebrew (fluent), Spanish (rudimentary)
Education: High School Diploma (Stuyvesant High School); BS in economics, BS and MA in political science (Columbia Univ.); MBA in business general management (Harvard Business School)
Publications: Knowledge from the Mountains: A Memoir (1994 / Simon & Schuster); Web (2007 / Simon & Schuster); Weblog of Senator Ed Berger (2007– / Wordpress weblog / ed-berger.com); Puzzle: An Exploration into Middle Eastern Politics (Coming spring 2008 / Simon & Schuster).
Occupations of note: Aide to Robert F. Wagner, Jr. (1960-1961); aide to Jacob K. Javits (1961-1962); aide to John Lindsay (1962); analyst in equity trading for Citigroup (1964–1965); associate in equity trading for Citigroup (1965-1968); vice president of equity trading for Citigroup (1968–1972); managing director for information systems of Citigroup (1972–1978); chairman of Berger LP (1978–2000); Member of the CBS Board of Directors (1990–2000); Member of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors (1994–2000); Senator for New York (2001–present)
State: New York
Political affiliation: Republican
Summary of political views: Berger has worn a quite a few political colors. He was a Democrat in his college years and up until the early 1980s, an independent in the 90s, and as a Republican during the Reagan era and since the new millennium began. Considered an overall centrist – a liberal socially, moderate fiscally, and conservative in regards to foreign policy – Berger is part of the liberal Republican faction and would be a conservative Democrat if he held affiliation with that party. Supportive of the invasion of Iraq, Berger grew increasingly wary of President Bush's strategy until the surge and the institution of multilateral programs with Iraqi citizens. As this position demonstrates, Berger maintains a hawkish, conservative foreign policy approach. However, as one cannot be too conservative in New York politics, Berger's domestic and social policies set him apart from the core Republican base. From his life spent in New York City, Berger is a strong proponent of gun control (including assault weapon bans), police funding, and increased investment in public school systems. He also is supportive of same-sex marriage/adoption and abortion rights. Regularly referring to those who deny it as “ignorant,” Berger understands the implications of climate change and is an outspoken proponent of the usage of renewable energy, strong environmental protection laws, and a “green” revolution. Early into the Bush Administration, Berger was the target of intense heat originating from his own party’s ranks for opposing the White House’s tax cuts for the wealthy bracket. Even with this vote, he has voted in favor of relaxing the tax stress placed upon low and middle class families, in addition to business and sales taxes, something that would set him apart from much of the Democratic Party if he were to be affiliated with them. Influenced by his years in the private sector, Berger’s voting tendencies have been described as pro-business, yet while “appreciating the importance of our economy’s workers.” He is in favor of a minimum wage attached to inflation, in addition to universal healthcare and guest worker programs, and has stated, “…there’s an interesting fact about change. People overthrow their corrupt and oppressive rulers and promise for equality or whatnot, only to return to that same terrible style later. America has upheld its promise for the past 200 some odd years, and we need to pay attention to the foundation of our country in order to keep this streak going.”
Notable votes: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, nay; U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, aye; No Child Left Behind Act, nay; Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, aye; Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, aye; Help America Vote Act, aye; Homeland Security Act, aye; Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003, aye; PROTECT Act, aye; Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, nay; Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, nay; Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, aye; CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, aye; Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2003, aye; Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, aye; U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, aye.
Biography: Edward “Ed” Joseph Orenstein Berger was born into a well-to-do family in the Upper East Side of New York City on June 24, 1940. Franklin “Frank” Berger, an affluent and successful investment banker, fathered Edward with Rebecca, whose own parents owned a plot of land in the Catskill Mountains (where Ed as a child would frequently visit during the hot summer months). The parents of Frank, on the other hand resided in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Ed would periodically visit with his father. After graduating from Stuyvesant High School in 1958 as the valedictorian, Berger earned a partial scholarship to Columbia University, where he double-majored in economics and international affairs, earning a Bachelor of Science in both and a Master’s degree in international affairs. During his studies, when at the time he favored a career in politics, Berger was hired as an aide for Robert F. Wagner, Jr., Jacob K. Javits, and John Lindsay, prior to the latter’s mayorship tenure, helping in reelection campaigns. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, however, Berger’s interest in entering the political arena dimished noticeably, yet he opted to continue his pursuit of a Master’s in international affairs from Columbia. Deciding to try his hand in business studies after he earned that degree, Berger enrolled at the Harvard Business School. There, he was awarded a Master of Business Administration in corporate strategy. With the help of his father, Edward landed a job as a high-ranking analyst in equity trading for Citigroup, where Frank had worked before his son was born. From there on, Edward excelled in his duties, rapidly rising through the company’s ranks, becoming an associate in 1964, vice president in 1968, and then managing director in 1972. To put a crimp on his progress, however, towards the end of the decade relations with Citigroup’s superior executive bodies grew increasingly strained over the amount of autonomy with which Berger wished work. In the spring on 1978, he resigned his position as managing director and just eight months later, Berger founded the limited partnership that bears his name with the colleagues that had followed suit in leaving Citigroup. He served as Chairman from 1978 to 2000, when he resigned to seek the New York Senate seat. An independent at the time, he had originally intended to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination, yet registered as a Republican after the outgoing First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton announced intentions to seek the nomination in early 1999. Originally overshadowed by New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Berger immediately jumped on the opportunity when the mayor announced that he would drop out due to health and personal reasons. Despite early general election opinion polls showed Berger trailing Clinton by an average margin of ten percentage points, the multimillionaire businessman nevertheless was able to narrow the difference to just a few points a week before the vote, a statistical equality, effectively labelling Clinton a “carpetbagger” while digging into his own, deep pockets to fish out money to run the campaign in the tight race. In the final debate, Berger was widely declared the clear winner (some labeled Berger’s performance as “bloody magnificent”), a victory that many have speculated rocketed him to a 53% to 46% victory over the First Lady. In the Senate, Berger occupied the center of the political spectrum, voting inline with most of the Republican party in regards to foreign policy, with the Democrats when voting on social issues, and generally splitting between the two on economic issues. In addition to his senatorial duties, Berger also is involved in worldwide philanthropic duties, having visited Africa many times, and is rumored to have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to various organizations and institutes.
Birth: June 24, 1940, in Manhattan
Current residence: 109th Street and Broadway, New York City; East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York; Stratton Mountain, Vermont.
Family: Frank (b. 1912), father; Rebecca (b. 1915), mother; Lindsey (b. 1942, m. 1969), wife; Jay (b. 1970), son; Julia (b. 1973), daughter; Alison (b. 2000), granddaughter; Joseph (b. 2002), grandson; Nicole (b. 2003), granddaughter; Beckett (b. 2005), pet schnoodle; Hurley (b. 2006), pet Irish Setter.
Religion: Judaism
Interests & hobbies: Antiquity, anthropology, art, blogging, bowling, history of Britain and France, film, golfing, painting, philanthropy, photography, psychedelic era, skiing, vinyl records, writing
Languages spoken: English (native), French (fluent), Hebrew (fluent), Spanish (rudimentary)
Education: High School Diploma (Stuyvesant High School); BS in economics, BS and MA in political science (Columbia Univ.); MBA in business general management (Harvard Business School)
Publications: Knowledge from the Mountains: A Memoir (1994 / Simon & Schuster); Web (2007 / Simon & Schuster); Weblog of Senator Ed Berger (2007– / Wordpress weblog / ed-berger.com); Puzzle: An Exploration into Middle Eastern Politics (Coming spring 2008 / Simon & Schuster).
Occupations of note: Aide to Robert F. Wagner, Jr. (1960-1961); aide to Jacob K. Javits (1961-1962); aide to John Lindsay (1962); analyst in equity trading for Citigroup (1964–1965); associate in equity trading for Citigroup (1965-1968); vice president of equity trading for Citigroup (1968–1972); managing director for information systems of Citigroup (1972–1978); chairman of Berger LP (1978–2000); Member of the CBS Board of Directors (1990–2000); Member of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors (1994–2000); Senator for New York (2001–present)
State: New York
Political affiliation: Republican
Summary of political views: Berger has worn a quite a few political colors. He was a Democrat in his college years and up until the early 1980s, an independent in the 90s, and as a Republican during the Reagan era and since the new millennium began. Considered an overall centrist – a liberal socially, moderate fiscally, and conservative in regards to foreign policy – Berger is part of the liberal Republican faction and would be a conservative Democrat if he held affiliation with that party. Supportive of the invasion of Iraq, Berger grew increasingly wary of President Bush's strategy until the surge and the institution of multilateral programs with Iraqi citizens. As this position demonstrates, Berger maintains a hawkish, conservative foreign policy approach. However, as one cannot be too conservative in New York politics, Berger's domestic and social policies set him apart from the core Republican base. From his life spent in New York City, Berger is a strong proponent of gun control (including assault weapon bans), police funding, and increased investment in public school systems. He also is supportive of same-sex marriage/adoption and abortion rights. Regularly referring to those who deny it as “ignorant,” Berger understands the implications of climate change and is an outspoken proponent of the usage of renewable energy, strong environmental protection laws, and a “green” revolution. Early into the Bush Administration, Berger was the target of intense heat originating from his own party’s ranks for opposing the White House’s tax cuts for the wealthy bracket. Even with this vote, he has voted in favor of relaxing the tax stress placed upon low and middle class families, in addition to business and sales taxes, something that would set him apart from much of the Democratic Party if he were to be affiliated with them. Influenced by his years in the private sector, Berger’s voting tendencies have been described as pro-business, yet while “appreciating the importance of our economy’s workers.” He is in favor of a minimum wage attached to inflation, in addition to universal healthcare and guest worker programs, and has stated, “…there’s an interesting fact about change. People overthrow their corrupt and oppressive rulers and promise for equality or whatnot, only to return to that same terrible style later. America has upheld its promise for the past 200 some odd years, and we need to pay attention to the foundation of our country in order to keep this streak going.”
Notable votes: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, nay; U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, aye; No Child Left Behind Act, nay; Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, aye; Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, aye; Help America Vote Act, aye; Homeland Security Act, aye; Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003, aye; PROTECT Act, aye; Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, nay; Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, nay; Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, aye; CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, aye; Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2003, aye; Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, aye; U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, aye.
Biography: Edward “Ed” Joseph Orenstein Berger was born into a well-to-do family in the Upper East Side of New York City on June 24, 1940. Franklin “Frank” Berger, an affluent and successful investment banker, fathered Edward with Rebecca, whose own parents owned a plot of land in the Catskill Mountains (where Ed as a child would frequently visit during the hot summer months). The parents of Frank, on the other hand resided in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Ed would periodically visit with his father. After graduating from Stuyvesant High School in 1958 as the valedictorian, Berger earned a partial scholarship to Columbia University, where he double-majored in economics and international affairs, earning a Bachelor of Science in both and a Master’s degree in international affairs. During his studies, when at the time he favored a career in politics, Berger was hired as an aide for Robert F. Wagner, Jr., Jacob K. Javits, and John Lindsay, prior to the latter’s mayorship tenure, helping in reelection campaigns. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, however, Berger’s interest in entering the political arena dimished noticeably, yet he opted to continue his pursuit of a Master’s in international affairs from Columbia. Deciding to try his hand in business studies after he earned that degree, Berger enrolled at the Harvard Business School. There, he was awarded a Master of Business Administration in corporate strategy. With the help of his father, Edward landed a job as a high-ranking analyst in equity trading for Citigroup, where Frank had worked before his son was born. From there on, Edward excelled in his duties, rapidly rising through the company’s ranks, becoming an associate in 1964, vice president in 1968, and then managing director in 1972. To put a crimp on his progress, however, towards the end of the decade relations with Citigroup’s superior executive bodies grew increasingly strained over the amount of autonomy with which Berger wished work. In the spring on 1978, he resigned his position as managing director and just eight months later, Berger founded the limited partnership that bears his name with the colleagues that had followed suit in leaving Citigroup. He served as Chairman from 1978 to 2000, when he resigned to seek the New York Senate seat. An independent at the time, he had originally intended to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination, yet registered as a Republican after the outgoing First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton announced intentions to seek the nomination in early 1999. Originally overshadowed by New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Berger immediately jumped on the opportunity when the mayor announced that he would drop out due to health and personal reasons. Despite early general election opinion polls showed Berger trailing Clinton by an average margin of ten percentage points, the multimillionaire businessman nevertheless was able to narrow the difference to just a few points a week before the vote, a statistical equality, effectively labelling Clinton a “carpetbagger” while digging into his own, deep pockets to fish out money to run the campaign in the tight race. In the final debate, Berger was widely declared the clear winner (some labeled Berger’s performance as “bloody magnificent”), a victory that many have speculated rocketed him to a 53% to 46% victory over the First Lady. In the Senate, Berger occupied the center of the political spectrum, voting inline with most of the Republican party in regards to foreign policy, with the Democrats when voting on social issues, and generally splitting between the two on economic issues. In addition to his senatorial duties, Berger also is involved in worldwide philanthropic duties, having visited Africa many times, and is rumored to have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to various organizations and institutes.