| Crossposted at Rochester Turning. D&C = the Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester's main newspaper.
Well, I was all excited. WAS. You may remember, that after frequently mentioning the need for reform & change in Albany, the D&C last fall endorsed every single state leg incumbent except Susan John. You may also remember I was incensed enough to write a rebuttal that stopped just short of using the words heck and darn.
When I saw this on the D&C editorial blog a couple days ago, about a meeting they had with Seymour Lachman, author of "3 Men In A Room" (about Albany dysfunction), I was excited:
After years of reading and writing about the dysfunction in Albany, I must admit that I've come to think that I've heard it all. But Lachman unleashed new furor in me and those who sat around the table listening to story after story of how the power-mongers operate.
Like Adam Sandler on that plane in the movie "The Wedding Singer", I wanted to say "Even Billy Idol gets it!"
Then today, I read this on their blog:
...look for a Sunday editorial that explores what it could mean if Democrats takeover the Senate. After Democrat Craig Johnson of Long Island won a seat in a special election this week, Democrats are just two seats a way from a takeover.
Frankly, we're concerned. Just look at what's happening in the Democratic controlled Assembly. It's downstate-centric. If ever there was any doubt, the results of the comptroller's vote this week should have been evidence enough.
Aaaaaaaaaaugh! (Sound of Charlie Brown repeatedly banging his head against wall.) As Exile said in the comments on a recent post:
What’s immensely disappointing is that the D&C, which constantly whines about how its readers don’t care what happens in Albany, is telling its readers to be wary of turning the Senate over to Democrats. How can they be so foolish as to not see that the only way things can change is if Spitzer can get an ally in the State Senate?
Look, individual assemblycritters or senators are NOT going to stand up to current power-brokers Bruno and Silver, and they will continue to electe them to the leadership posts. They hold the purse strings and will dole out the "allowance" to their "kids" in order to enforce loyalty. This allowance will continue to be used to buy votes and keep incumbents in office.
I'm open to other ideas on how we can change this killing inertia in Albany, but for now, the best path I've seen to desperately needed reform is to flip the senate. We need to change owners of this "Republican Institution", the place "where reform goes to die".
I'm not giving up hope on the D&C editors though! They're smart folks, and they'll come around. I can feel it. Then again, I heard Dick Cheney once described as "A really smart guy who's come to all the wrong conclusions." Uh-oh.... :-) |
