Leon Panetta Was "Radical" in NYC

The NY Times tantalizing leads off an article about President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to head the CIA by revealing Leon Panetta "plotted his first coup when he was in City Hall." Back when Panetta was an assistant to Mayor John Lindsay, he "embraced a radical regime change"—statehood for New York City, and the Times notes a 1971 memo he wrote: NYC “can no longer depend on a body of upstate legislators, who are out of touch with urban problems, to respond to the city’s crucial needs... Statehood [for NYC] — while initiated somewhat facetiously during the last campaign — is not an unrealistic possibility. Indeed, it may well be the only sensible approach to governing New York City.” Of course, we're still part of the Empire State, though secession comes up every now and then. And while there are complaints about Panetta's creds, Senator Dianne Feinstein says "all systems are go" for his confirmation.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 10, 2009 4:24 PM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

Secessionists on both fronts just can't agree on where the lines should be drawn. NYC by itself? With LI? With LI+a chunk of the Hudson Valley? Either way, it's long overdue.

thefacts

There's a movement afoot for about a decade for the eastern end of Suffolk County, roughly east of Riverhead, to secede from the rest of Suffolk, calling itself Peconic County. That also makes sense.

MrManhattan

My God, I'm agreeing with "thefacts"

Has anyone checked what color the sky is today ?? ;-)

thefacts

Great minds think alike.

Fools seldom differ.

thefacts

Anyone of worth would want NYC secession. Confirm Panetta for having brains, balls and foresight.

ANGRYGOD11

I'm waiting for the days political candidates who have nothing to do with the 1960's and 1970's start running for office in large numbers so I can see what petty crap they will be attacked with.

Endless Ike

I honestly believe secession would be beneficial for both NYC and upstate

Think2wice

If only our current, milquetoast, status-quo-loving, don't-rock-the-boat-in-an-election-year, state and city politicians could see the light of this logic.