Standing up for Senator Breslin

Thank you (4.00 / 2)

It is great to have multiple perspectives.  If I still lived in Albany, Neil would likely have my vote.  He has done a lot to help me and candidates I have supported in the past. I haven't seen anything compelling me to change.  

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by: jmcbride @ Mon Apr 26, 2010 at 22:11:18 PM UTC

I respectfully disagree and am growing suspicious (0.00 / 0)

The first post on this district, and every post up until yours, on this site was written by me.  That diary and it's even more anti-Breslin follow-up were both promoted by the site administrator prior to my being granted the privilege of front-page posting.  

Today, I'm making very much the same argument.  But now that the same admin is working with the Senate Democratic leadership, where Breslin is Assistant Majority Leader, I'm suddenly finding many of my respected friends here on the blogs (and voices who have never, ever spoken up about this before and don't even live here) defending him.

I find this a bit suspect, especially considering the speed and prominence with which these retorts arrive and their lack of willingness to address the issues that this site once determined strong enough to promote as opposed to strike down.

Breslin doing a find job is NOT the impression I got when I canvassed for two months straight in support of David Weiss, the first person to ever primary Breslin.  I spoke with several thousand voters, and the consensus was overwhelming: the people in Albany County are sick of having all three branches of government controlled by three brothers, all of whom fail to deliver in their opinion.

You provide no specifics as to just how Breslin has done a fine job for Albany County.  And again, like everyone else trying to shout me down, you provide no answer to the issues being raised by his primary opponents.

These issues include, but are not limited to, his accepting more bank and insurance industry lobby money than any other Senator while serving as both Ranking Member and/or Chairman of the corresponding Senate committees during the same time period that the banking and insurance industry set into motion the very recession we are now experiencing.

With regard to the Senate Coup, I don't accept any excuses from any Senator.  I paid close attention to what was going on back then because I was a victim of the Great Recession and had the time to read everything.  And the only reasonable verdict I could come to was this:

Every single State Senator was complicit and, therefore, every single State Senator needs to be fired for their childish behavior unbecoming a qualified legislative representative.

So if every single Democratic State Senator supported this sleazeball Espada, then every single Democratic State Senator should be held to account.  This includes Senator Breslin.  And I wouldn't be surprised if he, as Assistant Majority Leader, sees this as his chance to become the next Joe Bruno, with whom you'd realize Breslin was very close with if you'd been paying any attention farther than the Senator buttering you up in conversation.

As a final issue, if it's gay marriage you are most concerned about, then take a look at Luke Martland.  He actually stands to benefit from passage of this civil rights legislation because he could finally join his own loving partner in holy matrimony.  Breslin is just another fake liberal politician who plays to the crowd.  But if he really is such a great progressive leader, then why in the hell did the vote fail at the last second?

I have every confidence that Espada will get the boot, but that's not my focus.  Why?  Because it's not my district.  My district is Albany County and Neil Breslin is my State Senator and nobody else here has done nearly as much work or has paid nearly as much attention at the grassroots level than I have in the noble pursuit of turning that "is" into "was."

Yes, you may be entitled to your opinion.  But in order to have any credibility and dispel this admittedly wacky sounding conspiracy theory I opened up, then I suggest you either stand down when it comes to Neil Breslin (unless of of course you too live in the district) or start to answer the valid charges against him instead of just sucking up to a powerful, crooked, do-nothing politician.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Mon Apr 26, 2010 at 22:20:20 PM UTC

I'm not sure if it's fair to attack Phillip here (4.00 / 2)

See my other comment on this post.  It's healthy to have a pro-Breslin view on the frontpage to give people some perspective.  I'm looking forward to a productive conversation about this as we move towards a primary.

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by: BingChester @ Mon Apr 26, 2010 at 23:11:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree (0.00 / 0)

Just after posting the above, I reached out to Phillip, hoping to meet with him in order to dispel my theory.

Still...the reason I think it not too far-fetched is because during my work on the NY-21 primaries in 2008, it has since become very clear that a campaign essentially used me to distort the collective dialogue for their own purposes.

I just don't want to see that happening here at the highest levels.  Perhaps my strong opinions about Senator Breslin have discolored that to what will eventually be revealed as my disadvantage.  While I use strong words when I feel I'm right, I've also never been averse to admitting that I was in fact wrong.

Comment appreciated.  And recommended.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 02:14:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

what on earth are you talking about? (4.00 / 2)

seriously, just what the high holy fuck are you trying to insinuate?

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 21:22:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

After a couple days of sleeping on it... (0.00 / 0)

...I think I'm talking crazy talk.

I was trying to insinuate that Breslin somehow got his "hooks" into TAP to further his own agenda by using you to coordinate responses to my anti-Breslin posts.

But after sleeping on it a couple of days, I now see just how batshit my first comment was.  The rest of these guys here are right: a diversity of opinion is no reason to go spouting off conspiracy theories.  And it's a testament to the community that other members were willing to confront me about that, and bring me back to sanity.

Now all I want to insinuate I will instead make known expressly: I owe you an apology, phillip, and I hope you'll accept it.  I really should tone it down a bit.

TAP community members are encouraged now to Troll-rate my first comment on this board if they see fit.  I do, but I can't Troll my own self.

My humbles apologies and deepest regrets, phillip.  And an apology to my readers, as well.  Those of us who want reform shouldn't have to be stuck with a damned conspiracy theorist, so I resolve to take things down a notch and be more mindful in my future reporting and conduct on these boards.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Thu Apr 29, 2010 at 21:33:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

i should add (4.00 / 2)

that if there is some sort of conspiracy to silence your critique of sen breslin, i guess perpetrated by me, it would appear to be failing miserably.  

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 22:00:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think primaries (4.00 / 3)

are good things. I think it is just fine that Martland and Carney are challenging Neil Breslin. Particularly given that it is an overwhelmingly Democratic district and a Republican only has a chance when the Democrats run a crook for the job as happened when Hoblock beat Coyne before Breslin won the seat.

The conspiracy theory thing is just off the wall. People have different opinions. Neil Breslin has a record as one of the better Senators in the State Senate. That some have problems with 3 brothers holding major offices in one county is understandable. That there are problems in the local county politics that may or may not be Breslin's fault or may or may not be reason enough to elect someone else is understandable. That these differences of opinion are surfacing in face of a legitimate primary challenge is understandable... and... a good thing... as long as it is handled peacefully and respectfully. The conspiracy theory thing is off the wall and not helpful to conducting a respectful and reasonable debate on the issues.

Personally I have always found Neil Breslin very accessible. Very straight forward. Very honest. And very opposed to Joe Bruno and the way the Senate was run for so many years. Luke Martland sounds like a very good candidate but I have no personal experience with him as I do with Neil Breslin.

My personal opinion is...

May the best candidate win.

Peace,

Andrew  

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by: Andrew C. White @ Mon Apr 26, 2010 at 22:58:07 PM UTC

I think your comments are good as well (0.00 / 0)

We simply disagree, and as I said above, perhaps I've gotten ahead of myself.  Still, I have this sinking feeling that TAP is being used for the personal gain of a politician who, while he's accessible to high-level party members such as yourself, has not been accessible to his constituents - based on my experience in canvassing the district extensively door-to-door.

May the best candidate win.  That's a stance I can agree with and recommend.

What I cannot agree with is that Senator Breslin is deserving of that title anymore.

(Side note:  the names you mention above I'm pretty sure refer to Mike Breslin, County Executive.  Senator Breslin defeated Hoblock when he was Senator, and his predecessor in that capacity was, I'm pretty sure, Howard Nolan, who served for nearly thirty years as a Democrat.  I think that any confusion that results from this is proof positive that guys with the same last name should not be holding multiple seats simultaneously in a coterminous district.)

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 02:19:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kennedy's and Roosevelt's (4.00 / 2)

and others. The idea that siblings get interested and involved in politics cannot and should not be used against them unless there is real evidence of abuse of office... something you have not shown in regard to the Breslin's.

I was referring to Sen. Breslin not his brother though I think you are correct that I confused my history. The point was that Hoblock, a Republican, got elected because of a scandal and was subsequently defeated by Sen. Breslin. Further point being that the lack of two-party competition makes primaries all the more important for holding elected officials accountable.

Lastly, your sinking feeling is off the wall. You are seeing conspiracies where there is simple difference of opinion. You imply that someone is being "bought" or "used" and that's simply bullshit. Some of us simply disagree with your opinion of Sen. Breslin based on our personal experiences with him. I'm trying to be nice about this but it is frankly insulting bullshit as it implies either bad motives or ignorance on the part of people like Phillip, Brian or myself.

And... I am hardly a "high-level" party official. Almost all of my experience with Sen. Breslin has been in my former capacity as organizer for the grassroots group Democracy for the Hudson-Mohawk Region in which Sen. Breslin made himself available to us (mostly all his constitutents) whenever we asked. As did his brother County Executive Mike Breslin when we asked. As did Rep. Mike McNulty when we asked. As did Assemblymen Canastrari and Reilly when we asked. I don't think we ever asked Assemblyman McEneny.

Door-to-door experiences can be both revealing and misleading. Most folks don't know their elected officials. Even in a small town like I live in. If you don't involve yourself in politics you generally don't meet your elected officials or their challengers. This is even more the case in larger districts and in cities. It would be great if politicians could spend their time going to the door of each constituent and meeting them personally but that simply cannot be done.

I would recommend sticking to legitimate policy differences and dump the unsubstantiated insinuations of whatever on whoever's part.

Peace,

Andrew

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 15:20:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

After sleeping on it... (0.00 / 0)

...I can admit that the conspiracy theory is a bit nutty.  And if it were me someone else was fretting things up about, I can put myself in Phillips shoes and just imagine how pissed I would be at the insinuation.

Still, I've recently come to the conclusion that when I was blogging NY-21 last year that my passion for blogging and naivety may have been used against me by the Steck campaign in an effort to use me as "their man on the blogs."  Politics can be a dirty and secretive business.  So I'm not saying it is actually going on,  but I wouldn't put it past a corrupt party bigwig, Democrat or Republican, to schmooze a powerful site's leader in the manner I described.

With regard to the Hoblock mix-up, it's worth noting that Hoblock served in both capacities.  Proof of your consistent description of Albany County politics as "interesting."

Finally, as for door-to-door experiences and face-to-face meetings with politicians, I think there's something very important to keep in mind.  Yes, you may have different opinions based on your personal meetings with the Senator.  But any politician worth their salt is going to be Mr. Nice Guy when he's got your attention; and then, they may very well take the voter apathy you've described as a free pass to practice legislative apathy.

Putting too much stock in personal meetings with politicians is, I feel, what lead me to support the wrong candidate in the Congressional campaign two years ago.  And after having met a lot of the same pols you mentioned, I'm frankly not impressed with their positions.  They're simply human, like you and I.  By getting to like your employee personally (they are, after all, our employees) then you run the risk of ignoring your role as employer.  That entails setting aside all the times they've kissed up to you and focus instead on the hard issues, like the insurance and banking industry lobby connections I keep on talking about but nobody, nobody, nobody responds to.

That's at the core of my suspicions, however unfounded.  I'd be put at rest if the responses to my reporting were less about what a nice guy Sen. Breslin is in person and more about policy and principle.  Because there's no denying that he's taken more money from the very industry responsible for this recession while serving as a powerful legislator for that committee's industry.  This is something I'd expect you guys to be with me on, so the difference of opinion and lack of response is surprising.

But after sleeping on it, I feel that's a great way to practice focusing on this:

I would recommend sticking to legitimate policy differences and dump the unsubstantiated insinuations of whatever on whoever's part.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 16:40:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Just want to point out (4.00 / 3)

I would not call TAP "anti-Breslin".  Soundpolitic is a valued member of this community and happens to be working against Breslin, but that does not mean the entire community here is in lock-step with it.  I'm personally agnostic on the race until I see more from Martland.  

The point that Phillip has always tried to get across is that there are a range of opinions in the progressive community and we should listen to them.  For example, one of the first pieces I wrote here to get bumped to the front-page was a post against congestion pricing (in favor of a commuter tax instead).  That was done primarily to give some diversity of viewpoints to what had been a one-sided debate in favor of the Bloomberg plan at the time.  

That's the point of the community.  Which is why the piece you wrote here is also valuable, in that it gives some perspective to those supporting Breslin.  There are some issues where I think the community has a strong-tilt (such as supporting Senator Gillibrand).  But Breslin v. Martland is an open question that you and Soundpolitic and other should continue to debate.

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by: BingChester @ Mon Apr 26, 2010 at 23:10:29 PM UTC

An EXCELLENT Point: (4.00 / 2)

All too often on the blogs, the work of one blogger will become affilliated with the entire blog itself.

TAP could probably be well described as Anti-Espada as a general consensus among those of us who make up the community.  But your point about individual bloggers representing a diversity of viewpoints, that the whole of this blog is greater than the sum of it's parts, is good I have half a notion to create a sock puppet and recommend this think twice :-)

That would be just wrong, though.  Thanks again!  

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 02:22:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Responding to your points (4.00 / 1)

Let me start by pointing out that I do live in Albany County (I go to school here) so I am a constituent of the district. I have been writing on TAP for more than 2 yrs and have no connections or associations to the Breslin campaign.

Next, you said that "Every singe senator needs be fired." By that logic, you'd rather have the Republicans maintaining control of the Senate w/ Espada & Monserrate as part of the Republican caucus, than have a Democratic majority. In order for any Democratic legislation to even be up for a vote, including a vote on civil rights legislation, there needs to be a Democratic majority and therefore the Democrats needed Espada & Monserrate to caucus with them, at least until both crooks are/will be voted out of office (or kicked out). Once the Democratic caucus has enough votes that they dont need Espada, by all means, who cares if Espada caucuses w/ the Republicans. Sometimes principle needs to take a backseat to the greater good.

Third point, you state that "if he [Breslin] really is such a great progressive leader, then why did the vote fail at the last second?" The gay marriage legislation never had the votes to begin with. I think the Democratic caucus thought that if the vote was close, one or two Republicans would have voted for the legislation, but that was assuming most of the Democrats voted for it. The legislation was brought to the floor in an effort to have politicians on record for where they stand on the issue. Because of that effort, the progressive community can now primary those Democrats that voted against the legislation. No caucus leader could have changed how politicians were going to vote on that issue.  

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by: Dan Levin @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 12:57:44 PM UTC

Interesting points (0.00 / 0)

I respect them.  And I'm glad to meet another Albany County blogger.

But regarding some of the points I made that you didn't address, that one about the insurance/banking industry lobby really concerns me.  To date, nobody on these boards has responded.  There's a bunch of other Senators, Democrat and Republican, that the same folks have taken to task for their connections to lobbyist money.  I still maintain that you are giving Senator Breslin a pass on this one.

I look forward to further debate with you...and I'll do my best to keep my head above water.  After sleeping on it, I can admit to having gone a little bit off the deep end as Andrew suggested above.

You can't say I'm not passionate about this shit, though :-)  See you 'round!

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Apr 27, 2010 at 16:29:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Re: interesting points (4.00 / 1)

honestly I dont know enough about the insurance/banking lobbying concerns that you pointed out, to make an informed decision with that regard.

I look forward to spirited debates with you in the future on TAP

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by: Dan Levin @ Wed Apr 28, 2010 at 00:32:07 AM UTC

[ Parent ]