The latest Quinnipiac poll shows Bloomberg's approval rating and twenty point lead over his top challenger Bill Thompson. What the poll doesn't show is how people feel about the term limits extension and how Bloomberg manipulated the process to get that extension through. Quinnipiac director Mickey Carroll talks about it with the Observer's Azi Paybarah, and asserts people just don't care enough about it to sway their decision about who they'll vote for in November.
Perhaps the problem is that while people know something about the term limits extension, they do not know the full truth about how far Bloomberg went to get that passed without letting the people have a say. His authoritarian notions would impress many a dictator around the world for how he pulled that off, and this is still a matter of informing voters of what exactly went down last fall...and of course, everything else he's done to this city.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Mickey Carroll Sees A Disconnect Between Term Limits And Bloomberg
Espada And GOP Could Care Less About Power-Sharing Or The Judge's Ruling
Yesterday after the failed meeting between Senate leaders on both sides, Republicans (including Espada) proclaimed they were the leaders based on last week's vote and that compromising with the Democratic caucus wasn't going to happen without Judge McNamara's adjudication this morning. Well 10 a.m. came and went, and the judge delayed his decision again in the name of progress between the two camps. I wonder if he thought that about the latest development from Espada, Skelos et al.
From The Daily Politics:
This doesn't necessarily bode well: Sens. Dean Skelos and Pedro Espada Jr. just announced they have scheduled a session for 3 p.m. with 62 bills on the active list, many of which are "critically important" to counties and cities across the state.A brief review of the list finds it includes bills sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, including this little number:
- S4071: Provides for the sanitization of every used mattress or bedding material transported, stored or sold in the state.
Guess who the sponsor is? Sen. Hiram Monserrate.
Bloomberg's Billions And The Budget Are Tools For His Re-election
As has been argued before, there is more to Bloomberg's campaign strategy than simply inundating mailboxes and television commercials with his deceiving messages. With yesterday's $59.4 billion dollar budget deal, it seems that the Mayor, and his Deputy Mayor ally Chris Quinn is getting his ducks in a row to win over key constituencies while leaving the door open to cut more programs once the election is over.
From PolitickerNY:
Michael Bloomberg and the City Council agreed on a $59.4 billion City budget deal that squashes the mayor’s plan to shutter sixteen fire companies, maintains current six-day services at libraries, prevents layoffs of child welfare workers, and trims by an unspecified margin the number of layoffs planned for other city workers.
“This is basically, as Chris said, preserving services,” Bloomberg said, referring to Council Speaker Christine Quinn, during an event with the Council in the City Hall rotunda this evening. “I don’t think there is any major cut that is going to really hurt anybody.”
But advocates gathered around City Hall quietly muttered to themselves and reporters the fear that whatever was placed into the budget could be stripped after the November elections, when Bloomberg and a majority of the Council are expected to be re-elected.
“This may not be the last word on this year’s budget,” said Bloomberg, referring to projections that the national and local economies were projected to grow slightly in the months ahead.
Bloomberg is going to do whatever it takes to win this election, already showing that he's willing to spend tens of millions to convince New Yorkers to re-elect him. The latest polls show him ahead by 22 points or more but people are starting to get tired of all the advertising. Bloomberg has many smart minds on his team and they most certainly realize all of this. So blitzing the Internet, the postal service and the airwaves is not enough for Bloomberg's ambitions. Making deals with unions and holding off on cuts in services goes a lot further with people than any ad.
The important thing for voters to realize is that the programs saved today may not be around come mid-November. The key is to look at what Bloomberg has done over the last seven years, not in the last few weeks.
Bill Maher Wants Obama To Deliver On Health Care
Making speeches is easy to do, but getting real reformational policy enacted is another. Obama spoke forcefully for the public option in front of the American Medical Association but back in the Senate, things are going more and more for the GOP and the corporate agenda. Maher, like he mentioned on "New Rules" a few days ago, wants Obama to act like Bush and get things the other side doesn't like, passed.
Espada And Senate GOP Refuse Compromise
So much for working together. Yesterday, after Judge McNamara told both sides of the Senate to go work out their differences, Skelos and Espada left the meeting after an hour. Smith followed newly chosen Conference Leader John Sampson into the negotiating room to come up with some way to share power, but they were rebuffed.
From The Times-Union:
During the meeting, Senate Democrats proposed a power-sharing plan that would rotate the position of president pro tempore between two the parties on a daily basis, with that person running the Senate with a floor leader from the opposition party. A bipartisan committee of six senators, three from each party, would set the session agenda.
Espada and Skelos emerged after less than an hour to essentially throw the future of negotiations back into state Supreme Court, saying no progress could be made until the question of the coup's legitimacy had been resolved.
"We have decided that we need the judicial decision from Judge McNamara," Espada said.
"Our position is that it's 32-30," said Skelos. "That was the vote. So as many times as you want to say it didn't occur, it occurred." The Democrats, he added, "are getting paid and they aren't showing up for work."
While Skelos can say what he wants to the press about 32-30, the reality of the situation is that Monserrate flipped back to the Democrats. The dog has left the coalition and if Skelos tries to do anything with this stubborn attitude, he's always going to end up with one senator short of a quorum. So instead Espada and the Republicans will go before the judge this morning and await his decision. Hopefully McNamara will assess the situation and rule to reflect the reality of what is going on, not what Skelos wishes for.
Monday, June 15, 2009
CEO And Senator John Sampson, Reporting For Duty
It is just a little past three in the afternoon on Monday, but already a lot has gone on this week in Albany. Monserrate came back to the Democrats early this morning and deadlocked the institution. Attorneys for both caucuses have been told by a judge to work it out or else face his decision by 1pm 10am Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, Monserrate says he's back because Majority Leader Smith is stepping back to let Senator Sampson step up, with a spiffy new title known to us as the "Conference leader," which in business-speak, according to Smith, means that Sampson will be the new CEO.
From PolitickerNY:
The members of the conference—still without defector Pedro Espada Jr.—announced State Senator John Sampson will have the new title of "conference leader," Majority Leader Malcolm Smith explained, and will handle the "day-to-day business" of the conference. Smith said the structure was similar to a board chairman and CEO, with Sampson serving as CEO. Smith, I'm hearing, is holding on by a legal technicality.
Monserrate was called a "friend" by both Sampson and Smith.
"I'm clear about the following: This conference is united," Monserrate said. He tacitly confirmed reports that his flip back into the Democratic conference had to do with differences with Espada Jr. over tenant-protection issues.
The leadership of the State Senate is still uncertain. Lawyers for both sides were due in court around the time this press conference started; the judge hearing the case has said he does not want to get involved. Spokesman Austin Shafran said Democratic lawyers plan to tell the judge that progress is being made out of court.
Having Monserrate back is an odd definition of progress. However in the New York State Senate, any direction is both backwards and upside down all in one motion. Hopefully Sampson and Smith can both "defriend" criminals once they are convicted of their crimes, or if they get primaried, whichever comes first. Sampson will now have to deal with the backstabbing Monserrate, and the rest of caucus amidst an incredibly turbulent and unpredictable time in our state's government.
Meanwhile, back in "reform coalition" land, Espada allegedly bussed in some supporters to shout down the reform advocates that had initially come up last Tuesday to lobby for good goverment issues such as independent redistricting and whatnot. Espada's people came with t-shirts that are just a bit outdated though, proclaiming that Monserrate is still on their side despite what went on today.
Ah, the dramatics of Albany...who needs soap operas when you can just tune in to state politics.
Robert Greenwald To NY: Vote Down The Supplemental
The only way our democracy is going to work is if we all participate in it. If you disagree with the additional war supplemental bill, tell your representatives to vote it down.
Gov. Dean Reminds Sen. Conrad Health Care Is An American Problem
Health care reform is one of the most pressing issues that our nation faces today. Yet progress in the Senate is slow-going with Senator Baucus in charge. He has dragged his feet to stop the public option from being seriously considered and he is getting help from his conservative Democratic friends to appease not only the Republican minority, but the health care industry as well. Senator Conrad tried to argue for a "compromise" plan that lets non-profit cooperatives negotiate prices instead of Medicare, but Governor Dean was quick to shoot his ridiculous attempt at "bipartisanship" down.
From ThinkProgress:
This morning on MSNBC, former Gov. Howard Dean rejected Conrad’s proposal, saying it is “not a real compromise.” “This is a fix for the Senate problem,” he said, “this doesn’t fix the American problem.” After heaping praise on Conrad, Dean explained:
He’s wrong about this. The co-ops are too small to compete with the big, private insurance companies. They will kill the co-ops completely by undercutting them, using their financial clout to do it. In the small states like mine and like Senator Conrad’s, you’re never gonna get to the 500,000 number signed up in the co-op that you need to in order for them to have any marketing [power].
This is a compromise designed to deal with problems in the Senate. But it doesn’t deal with problems in America. And I think it’s time for the Senate to stop playing politics, do what has to be done. … If the Republicans don’t want to get on board, then we can do this without the Republicans.
Exactly!
That Senate problem has nothing to do with actual concerns of Americans who are either being denied or short-changed by the current health care system. The fact is, having a public option is the compromise. If leaving the system the way it is would be the starting conservative position, then instituting a single payer program like other Western democracies would be the beginning point for the liberals. Having the option to go with a public option is a great compromise, and it will give health care industry proponents the chance to prove in the open market that their way of doing things works best.
Of course, they know it doesn't, and that is why they have
MTA Money Goes Where Politics Dictates, Not By Necessity
While we wait to see if the Senate can sort itself out before a judge does, let's take a look at how Albany's culture of corruption affects the M.T.A. Of course it was only last month when the state legislature stepped in at the last moment to save the public from 25% fare increases and leaving a 10% rise in it's place. It seemed as if they saved the day by increasing payroll taxes and tolls but what was not mentioned is the slush fund legislators have access to that was inserted into the mix. How those extra millions were spent speaks to how our dysfunctional capitol works.
From The NY Daily News:
Why does NYC get so little, and why didn't we know about it? Gene Russianoff of N.Y.P.I.R.G. and the Straphangers campaign explains how that goes, along with a knock at the Senate's new "transparent" website:State lawmakers have spent some $240 million on pet transit projects through a slush fund that has helped suburban rail riders far more than city straphangers, the Daily News has learned.
State legislators have directed approximately $190 million from the Customer Service Reserves to expand parking, renovate stations and make other upgrades along Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road lines, an MTA breakdown shows.
Only $50 million or so of the reserves has gone toward NYC Transit subway projects, the data show, even though subway ridership dwarfs commuter train ridership.
It has gone unchallenged because the reserves are distributed in secrecy by majority leaders in the Assembly and Senate.
"It's not up on a Web site or enumerated in a capital plan," Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said. "It's only by rooting around and incredible persistence you get this information, and it's wrong."
Bill Maher's New Rules, Don't Taser Grannies!
Another great "New Rules" from Bill Maher. He covers a bunch of topics from last week, but the focus on a Texas cop tasering a grandmother for using bad words is well deserved:
Oh and of course, for the main part of this video, all I have to say is "hell yes!"
Khamenei Fears Iranian Uprising?
I wasn't going to post anything about the Iranian election initially because frankly, the "republican" part of that regime is a minor blip in comparison to the power that the mullahs and specifically Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds in the country. Yet the aftermath of this apparently manipulated election is what makes the story in Iran so important. Khamenei had initially decreed that the results were "divine" but the only thing that matters is that if the people believe it to be so. Despite Ahmadinejad's attempts to beat his opponents into submission, social unrest has led Khamenei to walk back god's rule and will now hold an investigation into President Ahmadinejad tainted the political process.
From UPI:
TEHRAN, June 15 (UPI) -- Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Monday ordered an investigation into fraud allegations surrounding the country's troubled election, state-run media report.Khamenei also urged Mir Hossein Mousavi to pursue his challenge of election fraud through legal means, CNN reported.
Mousavi is disputing the official results of Friday's elections that declared incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner with more than 62 percent of the vote to Mousavi's 33 percent. Since the results were released, Mousavi's supporters have staged demonstrations, clashing with Ahmadinejad supporters and police.
Now the determining factor is how far this investigation gets. If Khamenei allows investigators to show the fraud allegedly committed, then we'll see if Iran will hold another election, retabulated the results to show the actual vote totals or merely ignore the opposition after claiming to look into the matter. That is still up for debate, but it rests heavily on how the opposition persists in the coming days and weeks. Of course, if the people truly want reform, they'll have to not only go after the authoritarianism of Ahmadinejad, but the entire state apparatus.
Monserrate Deadlocks The Senate
Senator Dave Valesky is one man in Albany that makes his feelings about Espada known, but how does he feel about Monserrate now? Monserrate has added another shockwave to the debacle in our state government by switching yet again, this time back to the Democratic party and thereby creating a deadlock in the Senate. The indicted Queens Senator had been hemming and hawing for a few days now about whether he should come back to the party that got him elected and apparently he made some sort of deal that leaves Pedro Espada stranded. Not only is Espada left out in the cold, but the situation effectively kills all business in the Senate. Of course, that isn't how Republicans see it.
From The NY Daily News:
What that means is that barring Espada having two votes and Paterson is given his old job back, each side will have to come together to find a way to share power so that they can do their job as Senators and pass legislation for the people of New York. It really does amaze me that amidst all this drama, the least important political actor in the process is the voter and the people at large. For the last week the only two people that have mattered are two criminals, Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate. The latter is indicted and it is only a matter of time before the former is charged for multiple counts of corruption (A.G. Cuomo is on the case).First off, a judge on Monday must still rule on the legality of last week's GOP-led coup, which ousted Democrat Malcolm Smith and replaced him with Democrat Pedro EspadaJr. as Senate president and Republican Dean Skelos as majority leader.
If the court rules the coup was legal or declines to get involved, Espada and Skelos would remain as leaders of an evenly split chamber. The GOP claims that as president, Espada would actually get to cast a second vote to break any ties.
Normally that function falls to the lieutenant governor, but the state has been without one since David Paterson became governor last year upon Eliot Spitzer's resignation.
Democrats argue Espada legally can't have two votes and are looking into the possibility that Paterson is still considered the elected lieutenant governor and thus can still cast a tie-breaking vote.
Personally, I feel Monserrate is a toxic asset and the only way to bail this problem out is by letting the jury throw him in jail for the crimes he committed against his girlfriend. Then his Queens district can replace him with someone a bit more straight-edged. As for Espada, it is only a matter of time before his time in the spotlight is over. Come November 2010, a Democrat will be representing the 33rd district and not this slimy crook that's there now.