Paul Tonko: “What I think has been sparked here is a sense of optimism. We see the confidence growing. And so that can't help but…”

“What I think has been sparked here is a sense of optimism. We see the confidence growing. And so that can't help but grow the economy and get a fresher feel. Because people were weighted down by this recession, which was extremely painful and long. What it does also I think is tap into the pioneer spirit that is always in the DNA of this country. It is part of our fabric as a people, as a society. We see it time and time again. Throughout the course of history, this Nation has stories that are replete with the sense of courage and determination and optimism. I represent a district in Upstate New York that is the host to the Erie Canal bed that gave birth to a westward movement, an industrial revolution that grew the United States and impacted the world. Because as we developed this necklace of communities called mill towns, they became the epicenter of invention and innovation.”