Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who began a crackdown on Web-based child porn, is demanding that LocalNet, follow the lead of other providers and block access to child pornography images.

The president of that company, Marc P. Silvestri, says he has declined to sign an agreement with Cuomo's office because, in his view, it implies unwarranted guilt on LocalNet's part, and because his site provides no access to child porn.

But as Cuomo pointed out, child pornography has no First Amendment protection, and its production makes victims of thousands of children.

Because of the availability and anonymity of the Internet, child pornography has become an epidemic.

Cuomo is right to pursue this matter aggressively, requiring Internet providers to block access to material that is not only revolting, but abusive and illegal.

- The Buffalo News

New York Gov. David Paterson is starting to sound like a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of leader.

Paterson's misstep came when he made an impassioned plea recently during the evening news to his fellow New Yorkers that spending must be cut to stop the bleeding. This despite his own healthy spending habits in the executive chamber.

Elected officials must lead by example, particularly during these financially trying times.

Paterson's office spent nearly $1.4 million more than Spitzer did during his first quarter.

Paterson spokesman Errol Cockfield contends that the spending figure was taken out of context.

Paterson should have been cognizant of the challenges ahead and went in with barebones staffing from the get-go.

Paterson's belt-tightening message is the right one. But he must be the first to buy in.

- The Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester