"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Power & Gridlock

The New York State Senate is likely headed for a 31-31 split with Monserrate headed back to the Democratic caucus while Malcolm Smith (who was a no show in Watertown and apparently not a man of his word - surprise there) is ousted as leader and Pedro Espada is not likely to ever head back to the Democratic majority after what they have put him through this week. Therefore, if the leadership vote from Monday's coup holds the Republicans retain control and the majority while the vote count forever is 31 a piece.

It was a good move Monday for Republicans to regain control of the Senate and stop the radical agenda of the Democrats, but the Republicans should have thought through the long term relationships needed to move valuable legislation forward. The coup was successful, but governing is the ultimate test of success, time will tell.

Locally another power struggle is on the horizon in the local city council race.

The Mayor sets the stage with his view on issues for the upcoming council race, which includes a discussion on a second sheet of ice for the fairgrounds arena. The mayor is adamantly opposed to a second sheet of ice, therefore his candidate Teresa Macaluso will oppose it while Joe Butler and Jeff Smith's candidate - Steve Bradley - will support it. The deciding vote for either side is running for the open seat.

While the second sheet of ice becomes the centerpiece issue of a bigger balance of power play and the cooing continues over the recent legislation to exempt the YMCA from property taxes, maybe they should have a serious discussion about the Y actually taking over the arena and running that as well. Who is best suited to provide recreational activities to the public - the YMCA or a government entity such as the City?

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come on IV, everyone knows the gvt can do it better!

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

* The DEMS are wrong for allowing those two a-holes to "defect."

* The GOP is wrong for accepting them and their votes of support.

* Both sides are wrong for doing this to the state and to the people they pledged to help when they frickin' ran for office.

LEADERHIP: They can't even spell the damn word.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

The H1N1 (flu) is going around, but is the "Albany Coup" catching?

A Lighter Moment in Albany

~ dmf

- just for laughs

Anonymous said...

PIV you should read the NYC tabloids and watch some of the local TV news. People, of the Bronx,New York in Pedro Espada district want to skin him alive and feed him to their pitbulls.

If Pedro's is offered a jail term he won't be safe there either.

Pedro Espada will be resigning and leaving the NY state soon, 'Tony Soprano' has dropped a dime (Quarter) on him. He's history!!!!
Why do you think Hiram is getting his ass back where it belongs.

City Watch said...

Read them all, thanks.

And of course I have an opinion.

If you think running the state like the mob is good then that speaks for itself.

Representatives are free to make decisions they feel are best for the people they represent. You should be focused what possible outcomes may be versus mob style hits on people. And if the people he represents do not like his decisions then they are free to elect someone else in the next election.

Gosh if this was the other way around you people would find it totally acceptable. Unbelievable how people think.

Anonymous said...

So Dan, according to you, the Dems are wrong for "allowing" them to defect. The Reps are wrong for "accepting" them. And nobody knows how to spell.

I don't know what your point is.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Even the Brits (UK) are posting about the "Circus in Albany."

Guardian On-line (the UK) Forum Topic: Circuse in Albany

You can sign up and log in - it's a great place to discuss a lot of issues ... across the pond in jolly old London.

I do and that's how I picked up that link.

~ enjoy

Anonymous said...

dmf-then you wonder why you can't get elected.

Anonymous said...

PIV worries about "mob rule" but he's perfectly comfortable with the God Father type approach that Golisano used . Hell, one guy bought the leadership for the state. Your okay with that PIV just because it put the Republicans in charge. I can understand partisanship when it's about the debate of philosophical points of view, but what the Repubs did with Sugardaddy Tom was trash our system to an even worse degree.

Anonymous said...

The Dems have screwed up the state since Aubertine changed the balance from the Reps. I am convinced that a government controlled by those representing 2% of the state's geographic area can never be expected to care about the needs of upstate. I don't care what party they belong to, elect anyone who will stand up for upstate - and that isn't Russell or Aubertine

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Boy, I hope this is NOT true - from Ted Ford at JeffDem:

1. "Though it’s been reported that the White House political director Patrick Gaspard has been on the phone with Albany, the rumor right now is that President Obama himself placed calls to both Monserrate and fellow defector Pedro Espada, Jr. - that’s unconfirmed, but if true, it’s presumably to coax them back into the Democrats’ fold."

2. "There’s also buzz that Obama might have spoken with another Democratic senator, Darrel Aubertine, who is reportedly considering a run for Congress."

"All politics is local," said form House Speaker Tip O'Neill at one time ... this action by Mr. Obama and others outside of NYS may erase that belief ... and as I said, I hope it's not true.

For: ANON 11:13 ... stop hiding behind that damn Anonymous moniker and come out and fight like a man - I presume you're a man?

I'm sick of your insults and personal attacks ... I hope IV kicks you off the forum until you ID yourself.

Defend your words publicly, you coward.

~ dmf

Anonymous said...

Why wouldn't you think Obama wouldn't make the call to try to keep the state one party? He's a guy who has been born and raised in the partisan system. It seems to have gotten worse in that past couple decades.

I'm not pointing at one side or the other. I believe we have to get away from this partisan stuff and I have no idea how we can do it.

Anonymous said...

Dan, some people can't go public with their verbage. Some people like you, some don't. I think you will see that it's the party line folks, of both parties, that don't like you. Take pleasure in that.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Anon 1:38... thanks for that couch psycho-analysis, Dr. Doom.

For anyone who can't "go public with their views," need not be concerned about what happens in public.

If one doesn't stand for anything and can't defend it, then they are apt to fall for anything.

BTW: elected people, IMHO, need the party of course, we all know that; but they don't have to serve the party while in office (100%), or walk a rigid party line.

- that's part of the problem we have right now ... cite: Albany.


~ dmf

Anonymous said...

whether or not anyone agrees with my non-party-line comments or not, the option is there for me to post anon. As I understand it,the Dems didn't have a legal case to boot the renegades before criminal investigations were complete, and there seems to be no ethics committee worth mentioning. The Reps apparently are going to "moral high ground" by claiming bi-partisanship, but they had years and years to try that route before this. We all know that money talks and always has, and Buckley v Valeo chiseled it in stone for now. We vote incumbents in at a rate of about 90%, so we get the gov't we deserve.
I don't know what would happen if Goli turned around and masterminded the return of the majority to Dem control, but since he has registered to vote in Fla, he can't run for office here (AFAIK). I read that he tossed
$300K at Stachowski's SD58 race, and S voted for the budget anyway, displeasing G.

Earthbob said...

"We have met the enemy, and he is us."

Pogo
Okefenokee Swamp
1972

Anonymous said...

Geesh Dan, I was trying give you some support. Sometimes you have a temper problem. You get mad at some and you stay mad at all.

Anonymous said...

I would expect that the Democrats would welcome back Monserrate with open arms. He's okay, as long as he votes with the correct side.

Kind of the way Pres. Obama is, now that you think about it.

Anonymous said...

A gaggle of geese couldn't do a worse job than Silver, Patterson, and Smith did.

State government was bad with Pataki, Bruno and Silver and bad with Spitzer, Bruno and Silver, and bad with Patterson, Bruno and Silver and bad with Patterson, Smith and Silver. Maybe we should stop the carping about the coup, and look at the real problem, Silver.

Anonymous said...

"Thugs and thieves" is how the Senate Democrats' mouthpiece described Monserrate and Espade.

C'mon back, now.

All is forgiven...

Anonymous said...

Unrelated but so sad. There are 10 congressional districts in Massachusetts, all democrat. In the last election 8 candidates ran unopposed. That will be NY in a couple of years.

Anonymous said...

10:10 is soooo right. Silver is the highest ranking criminal I have seen in my days as a NYer. An entire website couldn't list the unethical and immoral activities of this individual. But many special interests have "relationships" with this man. He is, more than any other factor, the reason this state is in the trouble it is in. And the reason your children will have nothing to look forward to. But he does belong to the correct party. So citizens, enjoy what you have done, and no doubt will continue to do.

As far as unopposed races, that's true as well. As long as these leaders give us some of our money back I guess it's ok.

I can't believe how stupid we are.

Anonymous said...

Unopposed races is pretty much what you already have in the City. We will follow their lead soon. Right now things are competitive, but that won't last long. Unfortunately, your point is well taken 6:44.

That's why you can have a Senator that slashes the face of his girlfriend. Real community leaders they there in the Big Apple.

Ooops, sorry, he went back to the proper party. I didn't mean to criticize him. He's ok, just misunderstood. As of today, he's not a scumbag anymore. It is so hard to keep up.

Anonymous said...

Silver had an admitted rapist on his staff for months, and paid to defend him!

In Patterson's first speech after the coup he was sad that the work of the democratic senate and THE LOBBYISTS would go for naught. Lets keep electing more democrats to state office to insulate these #$%%$.

Anonymous said...

Shelly has been raping the citizens and youth NY State since he was elected in 1976. Why should any of his behaviour surprise anyone? But he is in the correct political party, so he's ok.

Anonymous said...

Well there must be local support for Silver because we keep electing members of the assembly that will keep Silver in power.

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right, 8:46. We show no signs of electing people with the nerve to unseat NY's Thug in Chief. Until we do, we have nothing to complain about. This is the sad part. It is more important to us to re-elect a donkey than it is to get this criminal out of office. I don't have a problem with donkeys being in power. I just expect them to have the b.lls to get the job done when it comes to criminal behavior. They seem perfectly willing to let this guy continue destroying our children's future.

Anonymous said...

The first and last question we should be asking candidates for the Assembly is "will you bend over for Shelly Silver"? Anyone who will not aggressively fight his criminal machine should not be elected to office.

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