Arrogance - the current norm

by: jmcbride

Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 18:25:13 PM EST

Obviously, Jim [Gennaro] has the right of first refusal in the race," said Mark Weprin [David's brother]. "But if Jim doesn't do it, whoever the Democrats' candidate might be, I think Frank is vulnerable.

What in the world gives Mr. Gennaro, or anyone else, the "right of first first refusal" to public office?  

This is the sort of arrogance that we need to remove from the public discourse.  

The 'Coffee Quorum' is no longer operative

by: simonstl

Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 11:54:34 AM EDT

I'd commented earlier on the unfortunate efforts of Senate Dems to make themselves and open government a joke by pushing the "coffee quorum" argument on the Senate website. The post is still there (with appropriate comments), but it seems that the legal oomph behind that effort at self-immolation is gone:

After the state Assembly declined to accept the legislation back before handing them up to the governor, Democratic Sen. Darrel Aubertine, in turn, sued the lower chamber.

But the senator is now "no longer pursuing the case" because the bills in question have since been passed by the full Senate, according to Aubertine spokesman Drew Mangione.

"The senator is ready to move on," he said.

I guess we'll never get to find out whether that travesty (and a few others) was legal. We probably will eventually get a ruling on the Ravitch appointment, though.

(And in other food and coup-related news, it's good to see that Albany restaurants benefited. At least somebody did...)

Looking beyond the leadership

by: simonstl

Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 10:46:05 AM EDT

Yesterday's New York Times editorial, "The Lost Arts of Albany", seems likely to draw the same kind of response from the Senate leadership as the "goo-goo" editorials they've noted when convenient and ignored when inconvenient.

The editorial takes a slightly different approach than most I've seen, though, and even takes a chance in identifying Senators of both parties they think could work through the issues:

We suggest these Democrats: Liz Krueger of Manhattan, Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Westchester County, David Valesky of Syracuse and José M. Serrano of the Bronx. Republicans should include Charles Fuschillo of Long Island, Frank Padavan of Queens, John DeFrancisco of Syracuse and Elizabeth Little of Glens Falls.

This group will not agree on issues, but they can agree to make their house work less like an autocracy.

Now they've done it, painting scarlet letters on these folks as "the people the Times thinks know better than their leadership". I'm not sure they could have made their point without doing that, but it seems like a case where naming people ensures that they won't be able to talk. But maybe...

At the same time, though, they have a good point. I think back to Liz Krueger's comments on "to the victor goes the spoils", and wonder how far down the leadership hierarchy that attitude goes. I suspect that it weakens substantially.

It's hard to imagine Senators, perhaps especially Republican Senators, breaking party ranks to talk about this. Still, it seems like a worthy prayer for a Sunday morning.