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Photograph of State Supreme Court Judge Thomas McNamara, looking over documents in his courtroom, by Paul Buckowski/AP pool photo
Sigh, of course, the State Senate Democrats' and Republicans' power-sharing deal talks totally collapsed yesterday, leaving the fate of the State Senate—and important state legislation—in the hands of Judge Thomas McNamara who had all but begged the Senators to get their acts together and work it out themselves. State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. (D-Bronx), who helped create this morass after last week's coup, said, "We need judicial intervention."
The stagnation is due to the fact that Espada's fellow momentary dissident Democrat Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) decided, after voting the Republicans to the majority and Espada as Senate president pro tempore, to go back to the Democrats, creating a 31-31 tie. And because we have no lieutenant governor who would cast the tie-breaker (thanks, Spitzer!), it's a damn mess. The Post suggests flipping a coin.
There was name calling: Senator John Sampson (D-Brooklyn), the Democrats' new "conference leader," said, "There was no agreement reached. We thought they were unreasonable," while Dean Skelos (R-Long Island), the majority leader elected after the coup, said, "They should be docked pay. They should hand it back voluntarily." Senator Bill Perkins (D-Harlem) said, "Welcome to the circus."
Both sides are waiting to hear what Judge McNamara says. Whatever the decision will be, it'll probably be appealed. And we leave you with what Senator Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn) said of Monserrate's flip-flopping, "If you lie with dogs, sometimes you get fleas."
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Just a reminder folks, all 62 seats in the New York State Senate are up for election in 2010... time to take out the trash!
And bring back the old trash?
As long as voters cannot see beyond Coke or Pepsi (Blue or Red, Left or Right - pick your own media-assigned nickname) the same trash will continue to be recirculated. If only two teams play in the (blame) game, both know they have jobs - no matter who's "winning" at the time.
New Yorkers have to think outside the two-party box.
This is my hope as well.
That is only if there is an opponent to vote for.
There's always others. Just don't expect the likes of the Daily News or FOX TV to give you much information. Candidates who are not Coke or Pepsi will be dismissed as fringe candidates -- who are deemed to be incapable of doing the wonderful work our current representatives do now.
FOX, the Daily News, etc. love the Coke/Pepsi system. It generates headlines (like above) and is easily controlled, and makes money for mass media. Why jeopardize that?
No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.
I always ridiculed California's recall system, but I'm longing for it now...
Genuinely frown-worthy events. I cannot believe these are our law-makers. Its a bunch of beta males that should be working at a used cardealership.
I don't even think a used car dealership will take Monserrate on as an employee when he gets out of prison.
i am starting to see the light on this one.
the longer those knotheads in albany hand-wrangle and snipe at each other like filthy playground brats, the fewer bullshit laws they will be placing on the books. score!
But we continue to pay the salaries of these playground brats.
we'll be paying their salaries whether they are passing laws or not. i'm for "or not."
That's what the pols in Albany want to hear. Taxpayers who are happy to continue footing the bill - whether the pols doing anything or not. It's a great racket - if you are on the inside.
Espada is right. We do need judicial intervention. Throw them all in jail until they can work something out.
I've chosen to completely ignore this storyline, as I can't make heads nor tails of it anyway, and at the end of the day, I don't think it'll make much of a difference in my life.
Such is politics.
Actually, most of the stuff that affects people on a day-to-day level in NYC is decided or influenced by the State government. Housing issues, the City budget, mass transit, liquor licenses, marriage equality, unemployment benefits, the DMV, etc... you would be amazed at how many things are pre-empted by State law.
At this point there is zero incentive for any other conservative Democrats to go over to the GOP side. Frankly, there never was an incentive. The only reason Espada and Monserrate went over is because they were indicted and backed into a corner.