Murphy Is Back On Top!

Damn this is a nail biter! Jim Tedisco and Scott Murphy have gone back in forth in the vote totals, but now that the absentee ballot numbers are rolling in Murphy is slowly but surely increasing his lead. Of course, it is still close and anything can happen, so this is a race that has to be carefully watched.

From TPM:

The official state results show that Murphy has taken an eight-vote lead as of 4:30 p.m. ET yesterday, as absentee ballots begin to be counted. However, there is some more recent data that shows Murphy's lead is actually somewhat larger at the moment.

Columbia County has provided their latest numbers to TPM, showing Murphy picking up another 15 net votes, on a 99-42 margin, compared to the 55-13 in the state's current tally of absentees from here. In addition, the Albany Times Union reports that Murphy has picked up 26 votes, an 88-62 margin, in Essex County.

So as of right now, Scott Murphy leads by 49 votes -- though there are still plenty of ballots left to count. (Late Update: Murphy's newest lead is 46 votes.)

I'm going out of the country tomorrow morning for a week, so if there's anything I'm going to miss (politically speaking) it'll be watching the results from upstate New York. For everyone else, if you are literally going to start biting your nails, listen to Nate Silver at 538 to calm your nerves.

This Is How Michael Steele Feels About The Economy

How does laughing at the state of the economy win back any voters to the Republican party? It just goes to show that Steele, like the rest of the Republicans in power are clearly out of touch with the rest of the American people.



Memo to Chairman Steele, conservative radio commentators do not represent the broad range of views in this country.

Agri-Biz Wants Michelle Obama To Use Chemicals

On the creepy-corporate side of the news today, big agriculture is trying to capitalize on Michelle Obama's effort to promote self-sufficiency by planting individual gardens, particularly her's on the White House lawn. Not satisfied in letting this potential loss of business get away, the industry's PR organization decided to put in a few words about who American consumers should bow down to.

From ThinkProgress:

...the Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) — which represents agribusinesses like Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, and DuPont Crop Protection — are unhappy that no chemicals are being used on the food:

“Fresh foods grown conventionally are wholesome and flavorful yet more economical,” the Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) wrote the first lady last month a few days after she and fifth-graders from a local elementary school planted the White House Kitchen Garden.

“As you go about planning and planting the White House garden, we respectfully encourage you to recognize the role conventional agriculture plays in the U.S. in feeding the ever-increasing population, contributing to the U.S. economy and providing a safe and economical food supply.”

Now we wouldn't want to think people could go without chemically treated fruits and vegetables? God forbid Dow and Monsanto lose any business from Americans that might want to grow their own food without weedkiller or what not.

Even The Liquor Is Tainted In New York

Needless to say, there's plenty of drinking going on in New York. It is rare though for anyone to think about the red tape that had to be cut to get the booze to the customer. That is where the State Liquor Authority comes in and apparently the people that dole out permits want something in return for their services...besides a legal paycheck.

From The Gothamist:

While no arrests have been made yet, more details have emerged on the Inspector General's Wednesday raid on the State Liquor Authority's Harlem office, where some two dozen employees control 65 percent of the state’s operating licenses and permits for bars, restaurants and liquor stores in NYC, Long Island and Westchester County. Police sources say employees would not only accept cash bribes in exchange for expedited license processing, but also bottles of booze, and gift cards for meals and clothes—some payoffs even included Applebee's gift cards. Stay classy, SLA.[...]

Some liquor license applicants report waits of almost a year for processing, while others managed to receive licensing withing two weeks. Investigators say "handlers" would steer applications to bribe-friendly employees, who would then push the application to the top of the deck. According to the AP, the agency's computer database lacked security, so any corrupt Applebee's-lover could log on and process applications. Investigators also say that some licenses were given without required criminal background or proof of citizenship checks. And the Times reminds everyone that this isn't the first time the SLA's been mired in corruption.

It just goes to show, no matter where in our state's government, corruption manifests itself like bacteria. All you have to do is add some fresh New York air and watch it multiply.

Ryan Tells Hannity GOP Tax Plan Is Progressive

More comedy from one of the new leaders of the GOP:



By the way Hannity, those "mantras" about Republicans not caring about the poor? They're effective because they're true.

Congressman Bachus Channels Joe McCarthy

There is no end to my amusement with Republicans lately. "Leaders" bow down to Rush Limbaugh regularly, every other sentence out of Michael Steele's mouth is a gaffe and the latest thing this small minority is into is a national teabag party (didn't someone working with the manufactured movement take a moment to think about what "teabagging" meant?) to protest "taxation without representation" despite the fact that their party got spanked in the last two elections.

And if that wasn't enough, let me introduce Congressman Spencer Bachus to you. He goes above and beyond these teabaggers with an act that would make Senator Joseph McCarthy proud. He is going public with a list of Democrats in Congress that are "socialists." BarbInMD at DailyKos sums it up best:

Translation?

The State Department House is infested with communists socialists. I have here in my hand a list of 205 17 — a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State me as being members of the Communist Socialist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department Congress.

With this type of behavior, Republicans are only setting themselves up for more pain and punishment in the 2010 elections. Going harder to the right isn't going to solve their party's woes. This craziness might excite the fringe, but 30% or less does not win elections.

When You Call Mayor Bloomberg "Crazy," Would That Be An Un-Endorsement?

Call me crazy, but when a public figure such as Norman Seabrook goes on television and questions the mental capabilities of the Mayor after already endorsing him, would that be a endorsement taken back? Norman is head of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association and Bloomberg is threatening to cut several thousands municipal jobs, some which could be from Seabrook's union. He went on NY1 with Dominic Carter to say it all:

NY1 VIDEO: While he’s twice endorsed Michael Bloomberg for mayor, correction officers’ union leader Norman Seabrook is now blasting the mayor as “crazy” for proposing to cut nearly 7,000 municipal jobs.

Seabrook, who heads the 9,500-member Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, tells NY1 political anchor Dominic Carter, “I cannot close my eyes at night and sell out the municipal workers of this city. I can't do that.”

Directly addressing the mayor, Seabrook adds: “And Michael, I'm sorry. It's business. This is not personal. We cannot - we absolutely cannot afford to lose 7,000 municipal workers in this city and we cannot be held hostage at the same time.”

“I think he’s crazy,” says the union leader.

I appreciate Mr. Seabrook's passion, but I didn't hear him endorse Thompson or anyone besides the Mayor, so I'm holding off on my applause. Personally, I do not think Bloomberg is crazy, the man is very smart and is doing whatever it takes to win a controversial third term. What he is....is arrogant, brutally arrogant and does not care about stepping on someone to get ahead, whether it is one person or several thousand municipal workers.

Obama Backing Off Assault Weapons Ban?

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs certainly gives off the impression that in spite of all the violence we've seen in this country (especially last week) that the NRA still rules the roost in Washington when it comes to smart gun control laws. The always-fearless Helen Thomas asks the tough questions:

Texan Republican Legislator: Asians Should Make Their Names Easier For "Americans" To Deal With

Sometimes it is hard to decipher whether comments like Representative Betty Brown's are ignorant, racist or both. She made headlines on Tuesday while asking questions of Ramey Ko concerning voting rights and accessibility for Asian-Americans. Making the process easier to vote is a great thing, but the way you go about it is important as well. This would be an example of how not to proceed.

From The Houston Chronicle:

Brown suggested that Asian-Americans should find a way to make their names more accessible.

“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.

Brown later told Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”

Brown and her Republican colleagues then fanned the flames by not apologizing and instead accused Democrats of playing the race card. Yet if you go by the old creed of "It isn't what you say but how you say it," then hearing Brown's comments reek of ignorance and extreme ethnocentrism. Chinese may be hard for her to learn, but I doubt she's ever had the thought that English could be hard for others to learn as well.

Now plenty of people go by nicknames, whether they are Asian or not. Voting should be done with a person's legal name and the state of Texas should inform voters of that responsibility to use their legal name. No one has to change their name to suit narrow-minded elected officials like Betty Brown. It's as simple as that.

Bloomberg Willing To Violate City Charter To Get High School Interns

If I have to admit one thing about Michael Bloomberg, it is that he's a tough campaigner. In addition to the $80-$100 million he'll be spending on the campaign, the strategists he's hiring an the onslaught of advertising, he's using his pull as mayor to recruit high school interns via official NYC school system letterhead. It may be a conflict of interest, but Bloomberg is willing to go outside the legal ethical box for that extra push.

From The NY Daily News:

Gene Russianoff from the New York Public Interest Research Group said the practice appears to violate the city charter's ban on municipal employees using city letterhead or resources for nongovernmental purposes. "They're free to do a mailing or set up a table outside a school," he said. "You just can't use the parent newsletter."

The campaign defended its strategy.

"Younger voters are excited about Mayor Bloomberg's independent voice and record of getting things done for New Yorkers and we have reached out to dozens of colleges and high schools, public and private, to inform them of a great opportunity," campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said in an e-mail. "This kind of sophisticated outreach to younger voters is exactly the type of grassroots organizing that President Obama was celebrated for in the '08 campaign."

Not all of the schools that were contacted complied with the request. One principal, who did not want to be named, said it made her uncomfortable. "We didn't do it, but I wondered if it would get back to City Hall that we refused," she said.

Hazelbaker's response shouldn't be too surprising, especially with her experience with the McCain campaign last year. Having the Conflict of Interest Board and the Education Department behind her, their argument that this is not a conflict sounds official, but when you play it out, the whole thing stinks.

Russianoff said coercion was a concern.

"If the guy who appoints the head of the school system is asking for a favor, it's hard to say no," he said. "They shouldn't be put in that position."

Yet Mayor Bloomberg has no qualms about being coercive, all you need to do is replay the events surrounding the extension of term limits to understand his priorites on getting re-elected versus ethical concerns.

Chuck Todd Calls Out Karl Rove For Being A Liar

Well, in so many words, Chuck did the best he could do, but I'll take it:



The only polarization is coming from Rove and the wingnuts like him, whether or not Karl Rove has the guts to say it (he doesn't).

Gov. Paterson Now Pushing Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Governor Paterson, after months of making bad decision after bad decision, finally did something New York can be proud of. With so many momentous decisions being made on the matter of same-sex marriage across the country, Paterson is using the opportunity to make the state legislature here in New York stand up and take a position on the equal rights issue. The votes may not be all there but the very fact that he wants a vote without it being assured of passage is unheard of in our dysfunctional state capitol.

From The NY Daily News:

"Why can't people just defeat the bill, vote on it?" Paterson said. "If you have the votes later on to pass it, bring it back."

That's actually a bold statement from Albany. A constant criticism of the Legislature - as highlighted in a recent Daily News series, "State of Shame" - is that legislative leaders only put up bills that will pass.

The state Assembly has approved a gay marriage bill and Paterson promised to sign it if it's approved by the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat, supports the gay marriage bill but has not allowed a vote because he thinks it will be defeated.

"This is an issue that demands much more than a symbolic gesture," Smith spokesman Austin Shafran said.

Smith shows he's operating out of a status quo mentality that is one of the defining problems in Albany. People want to see democracy on display, not manufactured, behind-the-scenes votes being brought out. That only reinforces the idea that backroom deals are the only way things work, when the possibility for real reform is just beyond that box Smith, Silver, (Paterson for the most part) and others like them live in.