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We Need A Senator

by: phillip anderson

Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 08:58:08 AM EST

Around seven percent of the nation's population lives in New York State. But the constitution allocates just two percent of the nation's senators to my home state. That's too bad, and it's particularly a problem in policy areas such as transportation where we get a structural bias away from the needs of places like New York. But do you know what's even worse? Right now New York really has only one Senator since Hillary Clinton obviously isn't focusing her energy on this matter, but David Patterson hasn't gotten around to naming a replacement yet. He's doing a disservice to his constituents and to residents of big cities everywhere.

Tick tock, Governor.

phillip anderson :: We Need A Senator

Tags: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, David Paterson, US Senate, (All Tags)

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We Need A Senator | 16 comments

For a long time now Phillip, I thought this would go to a darkhorse (0.00 / 0)

I would love Kirsten Gillebrand but fear her district, the most Republican by registration statewide would be lost to a Republican. I think Suozzi could be the selection.

by: politics64 @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:09:55 PM UTC

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suozzi (0.00 / 0)

Suozzi is not ideal, but at this point he has more pluses than minuses.

by: NYCO @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:15:56 PM UTC

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And now she's in the State Department. (4.00 / 1)

Now what. Not only is she not doing the behind-the-scenes work of a U.S. Senator, we've lost her vote as well.

Tick tock.

by: Steaming Pile @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:36:01 PM UTC

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exactly (0.00 / 0)

that's my point.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

by: phillip anderson @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:52:00 PM UTC

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Blue Dog? (4.00 / 2)

I have no attachment to any of the names being thrown around. I'd just like to pose a question. This is New York freakin' State, one of the most Democratic in the nation. Do we really have to be saddled with a Blue Dog?

by: Historical Pessimist @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:53:22 PM UTC

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couldn't agree more. (4.00 / 2)

i've made the same argument about clinton and schumer. this is new york, for cryin' out loud. why can't we have at least one total bad ass, an unabashed, unapologetic progressive?

TODAY is day one. It always is.

by: phillip anderson @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 14:58:06 PM UTC

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holtzman (4.00 / 1)

But she's "unelectable."

by: NYCO @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 15:06:30 PM UTC

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Unfortunately for us, the choice is mostly between a Blue Dog and a downstater. (0.00 / 0)

For that matter, even some of the downstate people like Steve Israel are Blue Dogs. Absent picking somebody from New York City itself, and hoping that they don't just ignore upstate (and hoping that the upstate snub doesn't cost us our already troubled governor), a Blue Dog is what we're likely to get.

As an aside, Andrea Mitchell is reporting that Kirsten Gillibrand is now the leading contender for the seat.

I too would rather have somebody who I could rely on more completely representing me. But all things considered, I'd be content with Gillibrand. There are worse choices, and it's not like we're not used to having a Senator who tacks to the center on some things.

by: Adama @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 17:55:01 PM UTC

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Brian Higgins (0.00 / 0)

how about him?

by: nrafter530 @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 20:49:54 PM UTC

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I was under the impression that Higgins was also a Blue Dog... (0.00 / 0)

Apparently that's not true. That said, he is one of the "New Democrat Coalition," which is pretty similar.

Perhaps more damning though, is that despite living next door to his district for as long as he's been in office, he's barely made it onto my radar screen in terms of what issues he's about. I know more about Eric Massa, who's been in office a little less than three weeks, than I do about Higgins. I'm not saying he's not for anything, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of profile or public charisma.

by: Adama @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 21:16:11 PM UTC

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We're not going to get a Liberal senator (0.00 / 0)

Liberals don't get to be Senator; even Paul Wellstone voted for the Patriot Act.

Brian Higgins is not a dove. He is pro-balanced-budget. So 94% of the time, you would love him. And 6% you might not.

And he's at best 25-1 right now.

by: Amherst Guy @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 21:29:43 PM UTC

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I disagree (0.00 / 0)

I think we are going to get a liberal senator. Unfortunately, I don't think that will be reflected in this appointment. With Gillibrand, Paterson gets a female replacement for Hillary Clinton and someone from upstate. She is a great choice for him.

by: robert.harding @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 21:59:03 PM UTC

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I would take Israel over GIllibrand though... (0.00 / 0)

Yes, he's a Blue Dog and I probably wouldn't agree with him on some things, but I would say he is progressive or "left of center" on more issues than Gillibrand is. He isn't the perfect choice, but I'd take him over Gillibrand.

by: robert.harding @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 21:54:46 PM UTC

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Silda. n/t (0.00 / 0)

by: janed @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 15:10:07 PM UTC

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What frustrates me (0.00 / 0)

is that our senator would have had seniority over Michael Bennet, the new Senator from Colorado, had both been sworn in on the same day (Tie broken by state size). Now it will be the other way around.

by: Amherst Guy @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 15:34:22 PM UTC

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The way we're going... (0.00 / 0)

...Al Franken will also outrank Hillary's replacement.

by: Steaming Pile @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 16:52:24 PM UTC

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We Need A Senator | 16 comments