The political deadlock in New York’s legislature has been resolved. For the last month, the state Senate in Albany has been unable to pass bills or even meet. Republicans and Democrats were bickering over who was in charge. On Thursday, a renegade Democrat rejoined his party and returned control of the Senate to Democrats.
I caught this this morning on the way to an appointment. The summary of what has occurred is mind boggling. Locked doors. Sneaking keys. Bringing more than one gavel. Screaming matches. My goodness
Hey, nine years ago in North Carolina when Republicans won a slim majority in the House, the Speaker bought a Republican to cross over and regain control. This is literally true; people went to jail, but not until they’d reapportioned to guarantee continued Democratic control.
Kendall, I too heard this story on the way to work this morning. Unbelievable. Just when I didn’t think GC could be outdone by secular legislative bodies (even Congress), I was corrected.
Darin+
In this case, the politicians have revealed themselves as dysfunctional sociopaths – a condition afflicting both parties and in no small way responsible for the mess we’re in. But we keep electing these guys (and gals) to public office, and allowing them to do whatever they please.
Dan Crawford, I agree. When voters continue to elect the people responsible for these outrages they have only themselves to blame.
prediction: there will be no increase in ousted incumbents over this, hence #3 and 4 are entirely correct.
If only dysfunctional sociopaths make the effort and sacrifices necessary to run for public office, then only dysfunctional sociopaths are elected.
There is a significant level of pettiness in city, village and county politics in New York State.
Voter allegiances are based more on social class, pro-labor/anti-labor/pro-work-ethic attitudes, ethnicity, religion of parents and grand parents, generational grievances that often stretch back to the country of origin of one’s ancestors and whether one has an ‘urban’ attitude toward the role of government or whether one has a ‘small town/rural’ attitude toward the role of government.
There is also the Upstate New York and Down State/New York City division of the state.
Geographically, Upstate New York dwarfs the Down State/New York City area, but demographically the reverse is true.
Upstate New Yorkers often feel that they are being treated like the citizens of an occupied country by Down State/New York City voters. In that sense, Upstate New Yorkers feel that they are too often negatively affected by careless and heedless legislation that favors Down State/New York City.
I loved #6 “dysfunctional sociopaths.” I suppose the functional ones are at AIG hitting us up for their bonuses.
Reply to comment #6.
Well MIG+, New York City has more than enough dysfunctional sociopaths. Its not surprising that some of them ended up at AIG.
By the way, if we were to have access to AIG political donations, do you think that maybe some of those sociopaths donated money to the DNC?