Spitzer Continues to Kiss the Wrong Asses

The problem with A** kissing (4.00 / 2)

is that it doesn't work, at least not in Albany.  Spitzer came to Albany - as all incoming Governors including Pataki, Cuomo and Carey do - pronouncing the end of 3 men in a room.

But the culture of failure in Albany is too entrenched even for a man with the votes of 8 million New Yorkers to take head on.  Spitzer (unlike Pataki) really meant it.  But his steamroller crashed into a couple of brick walls named Bruno and Silver.  

There is no way to get these apparatchiks to voluntarily give up their power.  We must work to elect a Democratic Senate.  But more than that, we must ensure that the leadership of both houses is committed to reform (or at least the democratic process).  Neither Silver nor Bruno have faced a challenge in over 20 years.  Most of the rest consider their jobs as well-paid (though they would like more) sinecures.  Why should they change?

Kissing A** will get Spitzer's reform agenda nowhere.  If Spitzer, and New York's progressive majority, are to enact real change it must come at the voting booth.  Support the Democrats effort to take the NY Senate.  But support progressive candidacies to the Assembly as well.   When all three of the men (or women) in the room are committed to change - we will see the other 19 million of us let in.

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by: Paul Newell @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 03:13:21 AM UTC

Agreed (4.00 / 1)

Let's hope we win a few Assembly primaries, especially Shelly's district, and at least 2 Senate generals in 2008.  Then we will see what evolves.

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by: Roatti @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 03:32:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

indeed (4.00 / 1)

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 08:23:40 AM UTC

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and why would you refer to Tom DiNapoli as an incompetent? (0.00 / 0)

You won't find Tom using taxpayer resources for personal use. I don't understand a Democrat buying into last January talking points that have been disproved by DiNapoli's excellent job performance to date.  Governor Spitzer wronged DiNaploi because he wanted to excercise immediate control over Silver and the Assembly.  We all want Albany fixed but you don't go after a good progressive like DiNapoli to do it!  He deserves a good Gubinatorial Asskissing! Remember friends, reforming Albany begins with the worst offenders first.  The Governor needed and still needs to heed the mental focus attitude of James Carville's "its the economy, stupid!" In the case of Albany, "its Bruno and the State Senate, Stupid!" After we deal with them than with a reform Governor and upper house, we go after some "internal Democratic housekeeping" in the Assembly!

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by: politics64 @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 11:33:56 AM UTC

meritocracy and competence (4.00 / 1)

over cronyism. why not have someone look after 150 billion bucks who is actually has some finance experience beyond balancing a checkbook?

that said, i will admit that tom has done better than most thought he would. thank gawd he has competent staff.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 11:49:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Click the link (0.00 / 0)

to Phillip's excellent post- if you are still wondering after that, let me know.

Of course even the worst Democrats are better than any Republican, but that's not a standard I would like to settle for- there really are 2 Democratic Parties in NY, the progressives and the machine, and the machine is perhaps even more frustrating and dissapointing than the GOP because they behave basically the same but they tarnish our good name.  

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by: Roatti @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 14:13:20 PM UTC

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Really 2 distinguishable teams of Dems? (0.00 / 0)

You know, that sounds appealing, then you could just stand with the progressives.  But, I have trouble determining how people are playing the game... and, sometimes, they all seem just too too too involved in various internal power struggles to actually notice the state they are ostensibly governing.  Like, why is what we do with horseracing the key bargaining chip in the resolution of the biggest and ugliest end-of-session big ugly that I have ever seen?  Aren't there more important things out there (was this supposed to be about campaign finance reform, or was that a delusion of mine last early Spring?)?

Now, my man the Guv had just got hisself back on my good side, appointing a Smart Growth Cabinet http://www.globest.com/news/10... and resolving the Hudson Valley High Speed Rail impasse http://www.timesunion.com/AspS...  I'm thinking, well, maybe he is a progressive.... and then, what does he do?  Kisses up to DiNapoli, arguably as a way to start a brawl with Cuomo (yeah, that's the Sun, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility for a rational mind).

So, I'm not sure that we can just weed the goodies from the baddies.  I think we have to lean on all our Dem electeds to, you know, clean up their behavior.  Talk truth to power.  So,  here goes, me to Mr. Progressive White Knight, the guv hisself: I'd like to stand by you, honey, but all them barroom brawls, they just are no good for any of us.  If you can't stop all this big-man chest thumpin', I'm gonna have to get a little space from you, too...."  

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by: robinia @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 17:02:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

There are some grey areas (0.00 / 0)

Some politicians do straddle both factions, but I think what we're seeing now is Spitzer being scared by his plummeting numbers and thinking that embracing the machine will help him get re-elected in 3 years.  Personally, I was liking it when Spitzer was chest-thumping and brow-beating those idiots at the start of hsi term.  There's nopthing wrong with a little offensive behavior, as long as it is directed at the right people.  

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by: Roatti @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 17:44:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK, I think like a girl... (0.00 / 0)

...but girls actually vote in bigger numbers than guys, so I am hardly alone.  I think all the chest-thumping started alienating some people right away, then less was getting done 'cuz he was fighting with everyone, and that alienated more people.... and, before you know it, he's trying to make nicey-nice with the guy he was bashing, 'cuz he is worried about getting a Cuomo challenge 3 years from now.  If that is strategy, well, let's go back to chaos.

I think we just firmly and calmly keep plugging for truth and sunshine, participation and equity.  No fireworks, no crash-em-bash-em fights of the titans, no silly gifts of roses.  Just the facts, just the truth, just the issues.  Relentlessly.

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by: robinia @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 18:33:10 PM UTC

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Agreed on facts and issues (0.00 / 0)

But when your opponents don;t care about those things, I still think it's good to stand up for your convictions.

The last thing we need are more prople with John Kerry's political instincts.  He was right on the facts, but it didn't matter because he never went on the offensive (or not enough)

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by: Roatti @ Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 20:38:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]