NextGenDems

Titanic Taking on Water

...and the captain announces: "Iceberg behind!"

As we've enthusiastically noted, this Kennedy-Senate concept was a disaster to start with and will probably end that way too.  I kind of feel awful for Caroline Kennedy and wish her no ill; really, I do. But if she wants to be a senator she should have figured out for herself that Mike Bloomberg and Kevin Sheekey were making huge strategic mistakes in her name and that they constitute huge liabilities--especially if one wants something from the state's Democratic "establishment" such as it is.  This is to say nothing of their communications mismanagement resulting in Kennedy getting eviscerated in the MSM (especially Upstate) and even worse, satirized throughout the blogsphere.

This all seems so self-evident.  But apparently it's not, at least not to Bloomberg and Sheekey.

At any rate, the Daily News today writes:

Caroline Kennedy's advisers have told Mayor Bloomberg's political pit bull to tone down his lobbying efforts for her for fear it will kill her chances to be named to the Senate.

"There had been huge missteps in the way [City Hall] constructed this," said a source involved in the Kennedy effort to muzzle Bloomberg operative Kevin Sheekey.

"It's just a dialing down of anything that would be harmful to her," the source said.

"Anything like very public meetings with people in City Hall or inappropriate calls to labor leaders will no longer take place. He'll still be involved, just not in the same way."

And then, (of course) Sheekey just can't keep his big boca shut--and throws out even more smack:

[Sheekey] insisted Kennedy's early support for Obama should help her get the nod.

"New York is on the precipice of appointing someone who supported the new President or appointing someone who didn't," he said.

What Democrat is Republican Kevin on the precipice of threatening with this one? Obama? Silver? Paterson? Blagojevich?  

It's Paterson, of course.  Mayor Mike and Kevin really believe they can roll him--and failing that--game him.

When You Hit Bottom, Just Dig Harder

When you have an idea, like taxing soda, that people really can't stand--and have the math to back it up--what do you do?  You make it viral. Of course. 

Maybe even get the state tax commissioner to do one too on how it's a remarkably efficient tax.

Dr. Richard Daines of the NYS Health Department is learning, or is about to learn, that there'sYouTube stardom and YouTube stardumb.  And somewhere within this learning curve, he's memorializing David Paterson as the soda tax guy (along with the I-Pod tax guy). 

Daines should not be in front of a camera.  But more importantly, should not be in front of a camera attempting to pitch really stupid ideas that people more or less detest.

But as always, we ask that you don'ttake our word for it on Daines' vignette. But explore them yourself. By our charitable estimate it's about 10-1 against Daines.  Here's a couple of representative beauts:

You communist SOBs. It is none of your buisness what I drink. Eat SH** and drop dead you bastards.

Then there's:

I get tired of the social engineers using taxes to tell me how to live, that's why I left your state in 1996 NEVER to return.

For the record I don't even drink soda.. but I don't condone this control freak behavior.

Or how about:

are you governMENTAL people even thinking? a fat tax? I won't be suprised if somene tries to assassinate you folks.
I've been drinking soda all my life and I am not obese, I am 5'8" 165 lbs., what do you have to say to that?

 

And the ironic:

Where's the companion video that explains the public health benefits of the plan to tax health club memberships? What a joke.

And here's ours:

The governor's communications people should pull this video. Yesterday.  That is if they can figure out how to do that.  Or get some sockpuppets over to YouTube, if they can't.

Ya know, speaking of YouTube notoriety, here's a video called "Ya Know"

Newsflash For Jimmy Tedisco

Non-smart cybersquatters and Jimmy Tedisco take note!, This just in:

Verizon Communications Inc.,  The New York State Assembly Democrats, the dominant telephone company political organization in the Lower Hudson Valley, New York State, has won could win a $33.2 million whopper court judgment against an Internet services company New York State Assembly Republicans that was who are accused of confusing customers voters by using Internet names similar to Verizon trademarks Assembly Democrats.

The court decision stemmed from a lawsuit that Manhattan-based Verizon had filed Albany-based Assembly Democrats should file against San Francisco-based OnlineNIC in June  Lithium-based Jimmy Tedisco. In the case, Verizon Assembly Democrats alleged that OnlineNIC Jimmy and his Assembly Republicans had engaged in "cybersquatting" by unlawfully registering at least 663 one Internet domain that were was identical to or similar to Verizon Assembly Democrats domain names.

"This case should send a clear message and serve to deter cybersquatters who continue to run businesses political operations for the primary purpose of misleading consumers voters" said Sarah Deutsch, Verizon vice president and associate general counsel  NGD. "Verizon NGD intends to continue to take all steps necessary to protect our Democrats brand and consumers from Internet frauds and abuses."

In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel in San Jose, Calif., indicated or somebody like him could very well indicate that OnlineNIC's Wing-Ding Jimmy's registrations of Verizon Assembly Democrats names was intended to confuse Internet users who wanted to do business online with Verizon Assembly Democrats. The judge calculated just might again calculate a damage award based on $50,000 for each online name, according to Verizon NGD.

Sweet, Caroline.

I thought I was the only one to find odd and/or petulant this part of Caroline Kennedy's interview with the NY Times on Saturday. Irene Jay Liu of Capitol Confidential makes note of it today in That was, um, you know, kinda harsh, Caroline Kennedy.

It goes (went) like this:

With several weeks to go before Mr. Paterson makes his decision, [Kennedy] is doling out glimpses of her political beliefs and private life. But when asked Saturday morning to describe the moment she decided to seek the Senate seat, Ms. Kennedy seemed irritated by the question and said she couldn’t recall.

“Have you guys ever thought about writing for, like, a woman’s magazine or something?” she asked the reporters. “I thought you were the crack political team.”

Here's the text of the exchange:

NC: Could you, for the sake of storytelling, could you tell us a little bit about that moment, like, where you were, what you said to him about your decision, how that played out?

CK: Have you guys ever thought about writing for, like, a woman’s magazine or something? (Laughter)

DH: What do you have against women’s magazines?

CK: Nothing at all, but I thought you were the crack political team here.

Huh? It's not like the Times was asking Kennedy what size cup she wears. That was a bases-loaded, slow-pitch question that Kennedy should have lined over the Green Mown-sta. 

Reminds me of the "Get a life, buddy!" school of media relations.

I thought that the conclusion of the Times piece was kind of odd too, especially for someone who initiated the sit-down in the first place:

Ms. Kennedy came to the interview with two aides, who had reserved the back room of the Lenox Hill Diner, on Lexington Avenue near 78th Street, for several interviews scheduled on Saturday.

As things wrapped up, a reporter tried to pose another question, but she interrupted him.

“I think we’re done,” she said.

No wonder Sheekey doesn't let her out in public much. 

Dumb As The Post, Again

It's really tempting to Fisk all the bone-headed mistakes and ritualistic tautology in yesterday's NY Post piece: LMDC NOW SHEL'S OWN 'PORK FARM', but I was overwhelmed and under-motivated.

The template here is simple enough though, it's got 'Another Botched Post Hit-Piece' written all over it. Somebody needs to create a Wikipedia entry for this kind of thing.

My guess is that the Post's got some walkie-talkie on the LMDC board, maybe a Bloomberg-Sheekey appointee, griping about how Shelly Silver allocates his member item money. Which of course, is not only none of this board member's business, but also way out of line for him/her to express a personal view on how elected officials conduct their legislative business.

Then again, maybe the piece has to do with Caroline Kennedy. Or maybe not.  But this board member's meddling passive-aggression is kinda how Kevin Sheekey operates after Silver reminds him of laws of political physics. (See: Pricing, Congestion, for NYC).

Anyway, here's how Tom Topousis of the Post starts-off getting everything wrong in his post-Christmas "Exclusive" on how Silver steals (while controlling the world):

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has transformed the lower Manhattan rebuilding agency into his own multimillion-dollar piggy bank, critics charge.

No, Tom, it'd be Shel's own piggy bank if Silver was depositing this money into his pocket, bank account, or piggy bank.  And if so, he'd also be under investigation like Joe Bruno. It would also help, Tom, if Silver ACTUALLY SAT ON THE LMDC BOARD that he's piggy-banking, or perhaps, APPOINTED ANYBODY TO THE BOARD, that might be piggy-banking for him. 

Then comes Topousis' smoking gun:

In the last two years, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. has shelled out nearly $12 million to many of the same community and cultural groups that Silver has steered pork money to, an analysis by The Post has found.

Right, Tom.  We're with you.  That's why a followup analysis by NGD finds that Silver has steered the rain into the same parts of his district in which it also snows.

Like I said, I lack the motivation to slog through the remainder of Topousis' piece.  But rest assured, it's just as factually, contextually and theoretically confused.

The consolation prize for Silver is that the dimwits at the Post go and advertise what he's done for his district with this nifty, vote-getting graphic: 

Silver should post this on his website under the caption: "This is why the call me  "Seel-wah" ("The Glorious One") in Chinatown.  Or maybe turn it into a calendar. Or use it in the smallest room in his house. But the Post, no doubt, believes--like their candidate for Silver's seat, the community organizer named Paul Newell--that advertising what Silver's doing for his district is a winning political strategy. And, of course, they'd be correct.

Bottom line: the Post gets to write the big disguised correction today and Silver wins another ad hominem fight he didn't pick with The Post because they can't seem to assemble and process simple and well-known facts before writing.

Basic facts that it takes all of fifteen-seconds to ascertain.

 

There They Go Again

Unsatisfied with their little manifesto earlier in the week, Mayor Mike and Deputy Mayor Kevin on Wednesday open up again on David Paterson.  Saying:

"I do think the governor, as I said the other day, should make a decision, because this is just distracting and we don't need to have another sideshow," he said yesterday.

These guys are so full of good fulsome advice.

Ironically enough, Caroline Kennedy taking up with Bloomberg and Sheekey is self-evidence of how unprepared she is for New York politics.

Then in the same piece Mayor Mike goes all civics-lesson on us:

The mayor also brushed off Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's criticism that Kennedy may be more beholden to her booster, Bloomberg, than to the governor.

"None of these people are beholden to anyone once they get into office, other than hopefully being beholden to the public," he said.

The "public," folks, Mayor Mike's all about the public.

For whatever it's not worth, my own take on the thing is that Mayor Mike and Deputy Mayor Kevin made a huge strategic blunder (apart from Sheekey's inability to work silently). They've absolutely no new media (blog, Internet, etc.) operation.  As a result, Caroline is getting eviscerated online. By a 75-25 percent ratio, I'd guess.

So what's the big deal?  The big deal is that people sitting in their new Christmas pajamas can send New York Daily News reporters the raw material for items like this (after posting it on her/his blog).

The days people like Mike Bloomberg and Caroline Kennedy can just blow by this stuff are over.

 

Ouch.

Historian Victor David Hanson, scourge of Old Europe, Islamists and the New York Times Lifestyle, has a big problem with Caroline Kennedy.  A really big one.

He writes, in summation:

Caroline Kennedy is no doubt a fine individual who by all accounts has led an exemplary life. But her proposed appointment to the US Senate is a rare reflection of ourselves--the glittering of the aristocracy in the left's vision of an otherwise egalitarian America, the notion that blue-chip certification conveys status and wisdom rather than proven excellence through the life-school of hard knocks, and the ethical bankruptcy of the media that has no principled notion of disinterested inquiry, but now serves as an fawning appendage of the Left.

In short, appointing Caroline Kennedy to the Senate from New York tells us a lot more about ourselves than it does even her.

Hanson's a compelling writer, even when you don't agree with him.

"The Deputy Mayor for Political Aspirations"

...and the Mayor for Political Aspirations want David Paterson to hurry up and get with their non-partisan, good-government program for selecting Caroline Kennedy a US Senator:

"The governor should make a decision reasonably quickly because this is just getting out of control," Bloomberg said. "Everybody's focusing on the wrong things."

I'm sure the governor appreciates the advice, Kevin.

This "everybody's focusing on the wrong things" bit by Mike Bloomberg and Kevin Sheekey remind anybody of the Spitzer and "totally unqualified" Tom DiNapoli bit?  Except that Bloomberg isn't even a Democrat, nor holds any statewide office.  And Sheekey isn't anything. Except a guy that doesn't know the length of his grasp and the limit of the mayor's checkbook.

Talk about cojones. Bloomberg and Sheekey have gotten so used to meddling in Democratic politics that they sincerely believe they have a legitimate say in this process. I mean where do they--along with the Kennedy clan--get off attempting to buzz-saw every qualified Democrat in the state?  And there's a lot of them.

That should teach us to name any more bridges after a Kennedy, look what it gets us.  But that was Spitzer's brainchild. Also.

But you know why Bloomberg and Sheekey are panicking obviously, don't you?  It's their congestion-pricing game-plan gone amok. Again.  That's where Bloomberg and Sheekey fantasize that they've got everybody in their pocket, then at the 11th hour, realize they don't, then threats, pleas, member items and promissory notes ensue--and then SPLAT.

And again, just like congestion-pricing, it takes Shelly Silver to apply some blunt force political syllogism to Bloomberg-Sheekey's miasma of self-serving and manipulative sophistry:

"If I were the governor, I would look and say her candidacy is being promoted by the mayor, by his deputy mayor - for political aspirations - who took her around only to mayors around the state, not to any other elected officials, because of his contacts as mayor," said Silver, referring to Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey.

Sheekey doubles as an after-hours Kennedy strategist.

Silver said he wasn't satisfied with Kennedy's less than 100 percent commitment over the weekend, when she said she "fully intends to support the Democratic nominee" running against Bloomberg next year.

"I would have preferred a different answer," said Silver, who met with Kennedy last week to discuss the Senate seat.

Silver added political insult to injury by repeatedly refusing to say if Kennedy is qualified to be a senator, even while praising the credentials of state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and US Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler and Kirsten Gillibrand.

I don't know if 'insult to injury' means stating the stupendously obvious.  But maybe when dealing with elitocrats like Mayor Mike and the Kennedy clan, "please acknowledge the obvious" is an insult and injury.  Keep in mind the third leg of this Kennedy stool is Charles O'Byrne, a guy that thought he was obviously entitled enough to quit paying his federal income taxes. 

Like they say, "Only in New York."  Or maybe, "Not only in Hyannisport."

 Meanwhile, the governor says pretty much the same thing, except nicer:

"I'm certainly hoping that the time to confirm Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comes soon. Because we have reached a new high and new low in areas of gossip, speculation, mind-reading and otherwise information that I always wonder where the source of all this comes from," he said during a conference phone call with reporters Tuesday.

I like how the governor puts it.  He really is a nice guy attempting to get Bloomberg and Sheekey to back off, in a nice-guy kind of way.  And that's probably why Bloomberg and Sheekey think they can steamroll him--just like the City Council with term limits. But this is also why they so despise Silver.  As one blog poster put it:

I love Silver's version of Kevin Sheekey's job title: Bloomberg's deputy mayor for political aspirations. Obviously Silver is one of the few politicians who feels secure enough in his job to not be afraid of Bloomberg. Apparently Gary Ackerman is too.

Yup.  Apparently so.

Three Easy Pieces

Piece No. 1: Joe Bruno (and Kay Stafford). Piece No. 2: Mike Balboni. Piece No. 3: Melody from Mayberry.

They're all involved in "the state's biggest procurement proposal in history."

You do the math.

This is but one more instance of Republicans still running state government with the help of overmatched and unqualified Spitzer appointees from Ozville who sincerely believe they're unmatched and uber-qualified.

Joe Bruno, Kay Stafford, Joe Magno, Mike Balboni, et. al. vs. Melody from Mayberry and Rico Singleton from the Devry Institute of Ohio?

Please. The only guys missing are Pataki, Sweeney and Dillon.

I don't want to be around when this thing blows. Neither should you.

BTW: Please don't construe any of this as news, because it ain't.

Update: Melody from Mayberry's not only a superstar, but a humble person too, she thought you should know that.  Maybe these people are onto something when they say things like:

From day 1 of her reign, there has been a constant barrage of self-promoting PR and extensive travel to speak at conferences on the taxpayer dime. This has been very effective at flooding Google and other search engines with propaganda, which in-turn conceals scandals and failures in places like Ohio and New Jersey. [Hmm. What happened in Ohio and New Jersey?]

And:

The intense focus on making race and gender the key factor in procurements is like a protective shield. If you take issue with Ms. Stewart's amateur-hour approach to procurement, you're a racist. But at the same time, she is creating all sorts of future opportunities for lucrative employment for herself, her pet and other assorted friends and family.

"Race and gender?" "Procurements?"  Hmmm. That'd be Joe Bruno and Kay Stafford, right? Ooops, make that Kay Stafford and Joe Bruno.  How do we know this? Because Melody tells us:

Joseph Bruno, CEO and Kay Stafford, Founder and President of CMA, the largest woman-owned technology firm in New York State and a leading developer and supplier of information technology systems services were special guest speakers during the event. Kay's message to MWBEs was “minorities and women play a powerful role in economic development for New York State and need to ensure they are doing all they can to develop new partnerships. Small businesses cannot afford to wait to be discovered. They need to embrace every opportunity to expand and access new markets throughout New York borders and beyond.”

We even have a picture of Melody from Mayberry's "special guests" Joe and Kay, See them smile. Brightly.  Joe and Kay say, "Small businesses cannot afford to wait to be discovered." Maybe that's Kay and Joe's business motto. 

This is like a bad joke, it really is. And the laugh's on us because Joe and Kay think we're idiots and know Melody's a tool.  As for Melody, maybe she'll figure this out when she gets hit with a federal subpoena.

Norman Bates Says

"I tripped with the knife in the bathroom while serving her a steak dinner in the shower. Because she was smoking crack. I swear."

Crime Dog McWing-Ding

Jimmy Tedisco issues words to live by:

ID theft can happen to anyone," he said in a statement. "That's why it is so important people are vigilant and on the lookout for ID thieves who would try and steal your Social Security, credit card, PIN number, bank account information, lines of credit, or even your good name and reputation."

What about URLs and websites, Jimmy?

And he wonders why nobody takes him seriously.

Oh No Is All We Are

Too bad Cobain isn't still around, he could have become the state's official poet.

This thing is just abhorrent. A state senator-elect slashes his girlfriend with a broken beer bottle glass.  

You think the state's hit bottom, then the trap-door opens. Again. 

From the Daily News:

Hot-tempered city councilman Hiram Monserrate was accused of slashing his girlfriend's face with broken glass Friday, leaving her with 20 stitches and a black eye.

Wearing black Adidas sweatpants, a Mets cap and a black wool jacket, the 41-year-old ex-cop from Elmhurst, Queens, looked weary as he stood before Judge Toko Sarita at his arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

He did not speak during the brief hearing and was released on $2,500 cash bail after his lawyer, James Cullen, entered a not guilty plea.

20 stitches is no accident, that's hard-core psychosis.  If this is true, this guy belongs in a cage. And is an embarrassment to the USMC.

Then there's this:

The state's parole chief abruptly resigned yesterday amid shocking revelations that he swiped a taxpayer-funded laptop before leaving another upstate post, officials said.

Parole Division Chairman George Alexander is due in Buffalo City Court Monday on a misdemeanor charge that he never returned a $1,700 Gateway notebook he took from the Erie County Probation Department, according to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office.

It's nearly incomprehsively stupid for this guy to think he'd get away with this, or nobody would find his kid's Facebook stuff on the laptop. 

Trying to boost a $1700 laptop then stash in your house is bad enough, but what does it say about this guy's judgement, or the judgement of the appointments director who hired him?

Our state is seriously adrift.

Somewhere, Rudy Giuliani or Peter Powers or Joe Lhota is taking notes.

The Problem With Wanting a New York Senate Seat

...is that it's in New York, where they come out of the weeds after you.  This includes ill-advised lunches with cleaned-up snakes, a tabloid wolf-pack, hostile natives, and various and sundry knee-cappers.

And those are just the known unknowns.

Caroline Kennedy should probably put Robert Caro on the payroll and then committ every line of the Godfather series to memory.  Especially how it was Barzini all along, and not Tatalia (the pimp that could never have out fought Sonny.)

What Would Fidel Do?

I just left the following comment over at Tedisco's Toke:

Assemblyman Tedisco:

This blog post has two parts.

Could you first explain why you're going to delete this post and this question from your blog? And second, do you consider cybersquatting--i.e. pretending you're someone or some organization you're not--to be similar to the identity theft that Carl Brinker reports you're making public service commercials around?

OK, now what are the chances that Jimmy won't expunge this comment from his blog?

A.     .00000002

B.    -.00000002

C.    Negative infinity

Days of Wine & Roses Over

At least as far as the governor is concerned. Nobody likes the budget. And the governor's numbers drop. Significantly.

The harsh reaction to the budget plan seemed to drag down Paterson's approval rating. Those surveyed split almost evenly -- 45 percent approve of his job performance while 44 percent do not.

Although Survey USA had not recently asked New Yorkers whether they approve of Paterson's performance before Wednesday, other polls have consistently shown a much higher level of support for the governor.

At the end of the day, the budget is a political, rather than financial, statement. 

Dave Paterson = iPod Tax

Appears that the governor's iPod tax has broken through some national media.  In fact, NGD has received correspondence from some twenty-somethings.  The reaction can't be repeated here since this is a family-friendly blog. The F-word is involved.

 But seriously, how much and how quickly this iPod tax thing grows is going to bear watching.

I suppose there are better ways for Dave Paterson to distnguish himself nationally (or locally).

No doubt SNL plots as we speak.

You Get What You Don't Pay For

Unlike noted fabulist Jacob Gershman, now of the NY Post, Dan Janison of Newsday writes a decent political analysis of the governor's proposed budget.   We only take issue with the penultimate paragraph that quotes an unnamed Paterson source:

"He has said he does not want to raise taxes," the source said. "A lot of millionaires have been laid off. The quickest way to continue the repopulation of Florida and South Carolina and North Carolina is to pass the millionaires' tax. That will ensure that in the next census the state will be fourth in population, rather than first as it was in 1980."

First of all, New York was not the most populous state in 1980 and Florida is in the throes of an economic crisis the likes of which makes New York's seem like a rained-out garage sale.  Something like one in eight houses in Florida is in foreclosure, to say nothing of its state and local fiscal problems.

This hackneyed argument that residents will flee high taxes has really jumped the shark.  If that were true, these places would be boomtowns.  But they're not.  They're not because people think deeply about quality of life, education, environmental stewardship, health care and a wide variety of municipal services along with what they pay for these items.  Northeast (and West Coast) states tend to emphasize these things, other states don't.

Places like South Carolina sure sound swell on paper but just wait until somebody opens a copper mine or 100-acre hog farm across the road from your development. Or you have to send your kids to a public school. Or you catch leukemia. Or you like museums.  Or a differentiated physical landscape.

Dogs Bite Man

The New York Post doesn't like the governor's budget. They call it a "tax and spend shocker."

Fred Dicker writes:

Gov. Paterson yesterday channeled the original architects of the state's fiscal mess, former Govs. George Pataki and Mario Cuomo, unveiling an "emergency" budget that slashes school aid and health care while imposing 137 new or increased taxes, fees and fines.

The lack of creativity in Paterson's proposal - no significant work-force downsizing, no real lifting of regulatory burdens - took longtime government insiders by surprise since it was virtually identical to the earlier Pataki and Cuomo expedients that set the state on its current course of runaway spending.

Nor do Bob and his Banshees like it much either. They write:

Yes, the budget calls for relatively modest cuts in big-ticket items.

But it "restructures" virtually nothing.

It actually increases spending, by some $1.3 billion.

And it seeks to impose tax and fee hikes in excess of $4 billion - larger than any New York governor has ever sought before.

Can you say "business as usual"?

But, quick as a wink, the usual suspects chimed in.

"There is no sharing of the sacrifice here," moaned Danny Donohue of the Civil Service Employees Association.

Really? The state-employee headcount - up a fat 15,000 just since Albany's last fiscal crisis, in 2003 - is held virtually harmless.

Paterson proposes to lay off just 520 employees, mostly at underused state facilities or to eliminate redundancies. Compare that to the hundreds of thousands of private-sector jobs being lost as New York's economy founders.

Suffice it to say that if the Post don't like it, you know the governor's on the right track.

Caroline Kennedy Heads Upstate

I'm beginning to take seriously her announcement that she's taking seriously her effort to replace Hillary Clinton:

From Joe Spector of Gannett:

Caroline Kennedy is preparing to visit Upstate communities in the coming weeks as a way to build support for her U.S. Senate candidacy and calm concerns that she would neglect the region, officials said Tuesday.

In conversations with Upstate Democratic leaders, Kennedy has recognized that she needs a crash course on the issues facing Upstate, people who have spoken to her said. Officials close to Kennedy said they are working on a schedule for her to visit the region, but specific plans have not been finalized.

Upstate New York is kind of like Texas or Alaska, you don't realize how big--and different--it is until you get there.

Separated at Birth?

Why is it that everytime Joe Mondello opens his mouth he reminds me of this guy?

Postal Brainpower, Unbound

As promised--and awaited with near-hysterical anticipation--the latest episode of “Postal Brainpower, Unbound” has arrived. For NGD newcomers, “Postal Brainpower, Unbound,” (formerly known as "Dumb as a Post" is a semi-regular series that takes our readers--as well as our NY Post lurkers--behind the scenes of New York Post editorial contemplations and construction.

Adam Brodsky: “Shelly’s getting away with it, ya know.”

Mark Cunningham: “Damn straight, he is. The whole enchilada.”

Tom Elliot: “It’s not fair. Or ethical.”

Bob McManus: “He’s skating, that’s what he’s doing.”

Cunningham: “I thought Paterson shut that skating rink down or something.”

McManus: “It’s a navy term, Mark. It means getting away with something and not doing any work.”

Brodsky: “Exactly, Bob. Why the hell should the Second Floor and Senate implode and Shelly come out smelling like a rose. Like he knows what he's doing or something?”

McManus: “That‘s exactly my thought, too. So, how do we tie Shelly into it all?”

Elliot: “Let’s go with the vampire motif again. Orrrr, what about something like ‘Smelly Shelly?’ Can we find out how many showers he orders himself not to take each day? Gotta be at least a dozen. Maybe we can FOIL him on it.”

Cunningham: “Hey, why not endorse that community organizer-guy again?”

Elliot: “Yeah, endorse him two years out. We’ll call it a ‘Post Pre-Primary Exclusive Endosrorama.’

Cunningham: “Somebody help me out here, I can’t think of that guy’s name…it’s my meds.”

Brodsky: “Stewel. Paul Phillip Stewel, I think.”

McManus: “No. Absolutely not. Don‘t want to play that card yet. Way too early. Stewel’s our ace in the hole. He‘ll deliver for us in crunch time.”

Brodsky: “What if he doesn’t run again?”

Elliot: “Who cares what he wants. We made him, and we can unmake him.”

McManus: “What we need here is an entirely new Shelly template. Something vital. Overarching. Original. Something that’ll keep him from snickering at us.”

Elliot: “Yeah, wipe that snicker right off that smugy puss of his.”

Brodsky: “I really hate that guy…I just wanted to say that.”

McManus: “Let’s just make Shelly central to everything. Everything that happens. Anywhere.”

Elliot: “Right. Like the Wall Street crash and so-called non-non-sub-prime loans, stuff like that. You’re a strategic genius, Captain Bob.”

McManus: “Not exactly, Tom…on the first part, that is. But you’re on the right track. I want to frame Shelly as the epicenter--the Godzilla, if you will--of all New York government corruption.”

Brodsky: “Big problem, Bob. USA Today says New Yorkers are pikers. They got us way down in the middle of some list of theirs. I got a link for it, right here.”

McManus (chortling, hands on ears): “I don’t he-ar you, Adam! Could you please not repeat that!”

Elliot (confused): “List of what?”

Brodsky: “List of most corrupt states, by per capita convictions of public officials.”

Cunningham: “Screw the USA Today. They’re in Shelly’s pocket too, I just know it.”

Elliot: “If Mr. Rupe has taught us anything, it’s that information is like the sole of a boot.”

McManus: “What?”

Elliot: “Yeah, he once said that information was meant to be stepped on, like the sole of a boot.”

Brodsky: “It was ‘grapes,’ Tom. Mr. Rupe said information should be like grapes that are stepped on to produce a superior product. Look, I got the clip bookmarked right here on my Blackberry…”

McManus: “You‘re both right. That‘s why Mr. Rupe is sheer genius. By completely stomping-out USA Today, and then fermenting everything Shelly‘s ever come across, we produce a superior editorial product.”

Elliot: “Yeah, let’s even toss in his enemies, too. Lay them at his door too. Just for good measure. People Shelly really hates, that’ll kill him.”

Brodsky: “This makes complete linear sense.”

McManus: “So, sounds like we’re set for 2009 then. They don’t want to pay taxes on the Second Floor? Tie Shelly in--he’s got an office on the third floor, he shoulda known. Malcolm Smith produces another smoking MOU? Tie Shelly in--it’s all because of Greg Ball stalking his girlfriend and giving her the clap. Raises for underpaid judges? Tie Shelly in--they deserve big raises. The same judges get themselves indicted? Tie Shelly in--they don‘t deserve any raises.”

Cunningham: “Umm, Bob, the judges thing doesn’t work out for us. At least, the way you got it.”

Elliot: “I get it, Bob, and I think it’s magnificent. ‘Heads,’ the judges don’t lose; and ‘tails,’ Shelly doesn’t win either.

McManus: “Precisely. We’ve finally got Shelly in a box.”

Hillaryland Attacks

From the NY Daily News:

The backlash against Caroline Kennedy replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate was in full gear this past week, much of it coming from key supporters of Clinton herself.

In recent days, Robert Zimmerman, a Clinton adviser and member of the Democratic National Committee, and Stuart Applebaum, a former Clinton delegate and president of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, ripped Kennedy's qualifications.

Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens, Brooklyn) and Gary Ackerman (D-Queens), both of whom are loyal to Clinton, have also harped on Kennedy's lack of political experience. Ackerman compared Kennedy's name recognition with that of Jennifer Lopez, saying popularity doesn't make someone qualified to be a U.S. senator.

Welcome to New York politics, Caroline.

Hopefully The Money Was Worth

...being investigated by federal prosecutors, perhaps indicted, and looking at spending--as they say--'natural life' in prison.

If it's all about the money, he probably should have gone into investment banking or strip malls.

From Liz Benjamin of the NY Daily News:

Pals of former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno are bracing themselves for his possible indictment - which an ally of the one-time GOP powerhouse said is 80% likely - before the year is out.

"The sense is that they spent all this time turning over every rock and they can't just let it go without doing something," a source close to Bruno said. Federal prosecutors have been investigating the ex-majority leader's outside business interests for three years.

                                      ------------

The former Senate leader has insisted he did nothing wrong, and his allies think any case against him will be "weak."

Still, an indictment could hurt Bruno's fledgling lobbying career. His firm, CMA Consulting Services, has close to $30 million in state government contracts.

A Decisive Voice That Will Reassure Residents

...in this time of existential uncertainty says, "Maybe I'll send the check, but maybe not." 

From the NY Daily News:

Mayor Bloomberg said for the first time Friday that "maybe we will" send out that $400 property tax rebate he has been holding hostage for more than a month.

Although not specific, the mayor seemed to link mailing the rebate - worth $256 million to more than 600,000 homeowners - to striking a deal with the City Council on a disputed budget modification plan.

Robach, Skelos Fire Another Shot at Smith

Apparantly, they want to peel off--in whole or in part--the Upstate Dems from Smith's conference.

From today's Rochester D&C:

Facing the prospect of having his region's power diminished in the state Legislature, an upstate Senate Republican is talking about forming a bipartisan caucus to push for the area's needs.

Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, Monroe County, wrote a letter last week to all 25 Republican and Democratic senators in upstate New York, urging them to meet in Albany next month to form the caucus.

Wing-Ding Jimmy Plays Big Brother

We've been advised that John Ross, bane of the Albany Project and Daily Gotham, attempted to post a comment last night on the Jimmy Tedisco blog under a recent blog entry called, "EPA's proposal to tax livestock gas and flatulence is an idea that stinks."

Assemblyman Tedisco,
I caught this video over at NGD,
http://www.nextgendemsblog.com/blog/2008/11/al-damato-on-slapping-wingding-jimmy.html
My question is: Do you have anything to say to Al D'Amato, who pretty much says your flatulence stinks?
John Ross

So what does Jimmy do? He either purged Ross' comment or refused to post it.  Because it ain't there. 

Now can you even imagine what would happen if somebody censored Jimmy out of anything?

Anyway, we thought we'd help Jimmy out with some suggested responses to Ross.

1. Go away troll.

2. I used to coach basketball.

3. My flatulence doesn't stink, it smells like roses, jerk.

4. You're rude, snarky and impertinent. Please re-submit your question.

5. I was out working the streets of Crackectady. So leave me alone.  By the way, you got ten bucks? I accept PayPal.

6. I'm an idiot and just couldn't come up with a decent answer.

7. My staff are idiots and couldn't come up with a decent answer either.

8. I thought no one would notice.

9. Let's eliminate all member items, whaddaya say, Governor!?

10. I hate Brinker.

As a show of solidarity with Jimmy, we're going to open up our comment section and hope Jimmy or one of his staffers drops us a line.

Vote For Pedro!

Here's the x-future Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada in action.  Note all the love and consensus Pedro engenders. 

Pedro is a love and consensus-building machine.

Another Sticky-Fingered Sweeney Bud Gets Cuffed

They finally catch up to Tom Spargo.

From today's Times Union:

A former state Supreme Court justice from Albany County was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on attempted extortion and bribery charges in connection with a scandal that led to his removal from the bench two years ago.

The felony indictment alleges that Thomas J. Spargo, 65, of East Berne, pressured an Ulster County attorney who had cases before him to give Spargo $10,000. The money, solicited in 2003, was intended to help defray Spargo's legal bills in connection with a state judicial panel's years-long effort to have him removed from the bench, records show.

Let it never be said that justice in New York isn't cheap.

Darwin Strikes

Calling for, or allowing to happen, a complete debacle of a special session should do this.

These Spitzer people just never got it. And probably never will. 

Now if only the governor will let fly one more secretary-level appointee who is also an unmitigated political and administrative disaster...

Tedisco's Toke

Carl Brinker seems to think Jimmy's staff--or Wing-Ding Jimmy himself--is sockpuppeting on his blog Tedisco's Take.

Hmm.  Makes me wonder about this, too.  If it looks like a Wing-Ding, and sounds like a Wing-Ding...

But of course, Jimmy would never monkey around on the Internets.  Because A MAN OF GOD would never sockpuppet or do things like HIJACKING OTHER PEOPLE'S DOMAINS.

"I'm going to get better, I'm a work in progress."

So sayeth Pedro the legislative reformer, of Pedro the person. 

We thought we'd throw that out there. In the spirit of government reform.

Things Are Worse All Over

The next time folks like the Brennan Center or the NY Post gets to babbling about how bad New York is, or how stupid or corrupt its leadership is, they should really take three deep breaths, pop a valium or two, and read deeply.  And carefully. And look at this slideshow. And then "report back" as they're fond of saying.

This WSJ piece is truly a horror show. This place--and places just like it--are really, really hurting. It's difficult to fathom the consequences of this same thing happening in a suburb of our state's largest city, say Nassau County.

Point being, next time it becomes politically expedient or intellectually indulgent to trash the state, or its inept leadership, or its lousy budget process, or its lack of reform, or its state flag, remember that what is happening in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan is not happening here. And that none of this is an accident.  There was no act of God involved with these other states, as say with a Katrina. This was/is human error.

This isn't to say that New York is perfect--nor that this couldn't happen here. Just that it's ridiculously jejune to assert--consistently-- that the political and/or economic leadership in other states is inherently superior to ours. Because it just isn't.

I still remain intensely curious as to which state(s) 'reformers' and editorial boards would most like New York to resemble.  In fact, just one state would do. I guess this would be the acid test for gripe-factories like the Brennan Center and NYPIRG.

A final note to NY Post editorialists and EJ McMahon: Your desert Tara awaits, go there, don't pay property taxes and prosper your brains out.  Maybe open your own business and not pay a corporate income tax, there's a ton of money to be made scrubbing graffiti out of abandoned swimming pools in abandoned housing developments.  Just make sure you get there before the slumlords and gangs do.

And bring lots of water. You can probably sell that too. Without paying any sales tax.

Good Government Guru Backs Wrong Horse

...and now wants to get back to more non-partisan good governing.

From Liz Benjamin of the Daily News:

Mayor Bloomberg is trying to repair his relationship with the state Senate's incoming leader, Democrat Malcolm Smith, after backing the losing side in the battle for the chamber's majority.

Malcolm's revenge: Appoint Kruger, Espada and Diaz as special liasons to the mayor's office.

I Really Hope Ruining the Economy Was Worth It

From the NYPost:

New York lawmakers-turned-lobbyists Al D'Amato and Susan Molinari collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from Freddie Mac during the mortgage company's largely successful effort to thwart government regulation, new records show.

Then there's this GOP duo.

What's that expression, "thick as thieves," I believe it is.

 

“They hate me because I’m not perfect”

So sayeth Pedro on criticism by anti-Pedroites not within his three-person government reform coalition.  Seriously, he said this.  Pedro also sayeth that he believes "in the goodness of people." 

This comes from a Times piece that ran this weeekend on the sixty large non-perfect Pedro owes NYC CFB. It also appears that the incoming chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Karl Kruger has some problems paying his credit card bills.

From our friend Danny Hakim:

Pedro Espada Jr. who is expected to become the majority leader of the State Senate in January, owes more than $60,000 in fines to New York City’s Campaign Finance Board, dating to his 2001 run for Bronx borough president. He has appealed the fines in state court.

In addition, state elections officials in Albany say that Mr. Espada did not register his campaign for Senate this year; and he could face more than $6,000 in fines. It is not the first time he has run afoul of the State Board of Elections: His 2000 Senate campaign was fined for failing to submit finance reports.

In 2005, three employees of a Bronx nonprofit health care company run by Mr. Espada, the Soundview HealthCare Network, pleaded guilty to diverting $30,000 from programs for family care and AIDS treatment to one of his campaigns. Mr. Espada was never charged.

Like we said last week, The Times is prepping for a full frontal assault on the Big Three.

The Reviews Are In

...on Eliot Spitzer's first piece on Slate.

My personal take is that of a smugly-contrite guy using too many words and too much sophistry to restate a harmless little piece of neo-populism that should be restated, namely, Bush's bailouts are a disaster, all the way around. By hewing this line, Spitzer gets to appeal to his Eliot-is-still-God diehards (and x-employees), while leaving his detractors without much intellectual red meat to tear into. Of course, attacking corporations and Bush economic policy on the pages of Slate isn't exactly risky business.

For some reason, the whole thing kinda reminds me of the "I'm-not-taking-questions-and-will-report-back-to-you (in short order)" press conference.

My other takeaway is that most people--at least on Slate--aren't aware of (or aren't bringing up!) the profound character defects that not only defined his administration and animated his staff, but also poisoned his relationships with everyone else in the world.  And how the consequence of these flaws was fast enveloping him, and probably would have finished him off, hadn't the hooker thing done so.  But this is probably way too subtle for the blogsphere. Because as we all know, the weapon of choice there is the machete, not the box-cutter.

To wit, some reaction to Spitzer's piece:

Spitzer as Roman Polanski:

Polanski is a great director who rarely repeats himself. So I keep going to see his movies despite knowing that he's a perverted sleazeball. Spitzer, on the other hand, isn't saying anything original or useful here. Sure, I agree with his general premise that the bailout is deeply flawed, but there's a dozen other columnists I've read (in places like the NY TImes, The Economist, and even Slate) who have made more specific and salient points while being much more fun to read than Spitzer, whose style is by turns condescending and turgid.

Don't listen to the idiots, they know nothing, Eliot:

...who are strangely obsessed with everyone's private business. We need this man back in government, and one failing in someone's personal life does not wipe out their knowledge and experience, or make them forever worthless. Thanks Eliot for doing this column. Hopefully people will listen. Welcome back.

Hegel is in the house:

That while ideas do matter, we do ourselves, and the broader discourse, a disservice if we think that those who write about those ideas dont matter. That ideas can simply be injected into a discourse free from where they've come from. There are obivous limitations to this standard, but I think a reasonable test is does whatever this writer have to say offset the well-deserved disgust he likely engenders in at least some of your readers? Client 9 fails this standard.

Terrible sockpuppet operation here. First:

Nice work Governor! Glad to see you back in the mix and hope the powers that be heed your words.

Then:

I agree. It's a shame this scandal has necessitated his exclusion from any role in the coming administration.

Yeah, that would be a necessitated shame, wouldn't it?

This guy sounds disappointed but very sincere (terrible sockpuppets take note):

Hey Slate, I've never visited your site before, nor did I read this article. I discovered your partnership with a criminal, an adulterer, a liar and a bully from another source and couldn't resist submitting this post.

I am a Republican who voted for Spitzer, and I am discusted with the S.O.B. for what he did with my vote and the millions of others who put faith in his promises and opinions. Screw you Spitzer, and you too Slate. Now neither one of you should be considered as reliable sources of credibilty.

Spitzer, you need to spend more time underneath the heaping, steaming dung pile you covered yourself with before sharing anything you have to say in a public forum. No one cares about you, or what you think, except you.

This next exchange is started off with "Nice Piece!" by "rammer:"

It's great to see Mr. Spitzer back on the issues. It's ashamed he was 'taken out'. We needed someone with his insight and influence. I look forward to his future articles. Everyone has failings, some worse than others. He can still be a force for the greater good.

Which is promptly finished off by TF:

Nobody appreciates a "nice piece" more than NY's former gov!

Then there's:

Excellent column. I give it four diamonds:

<link>

With fans like this...:

Also I hope women will remember that Spiitzer does not represent our husbands or all men because I think women will probably have more of a problem with him - just think about how hard you work at your job, how you have to save for years to pay for your children's education, how many times you have to sacrifice those expensive shoes so you can pay your bills. Now think about how the government is taking money from you and giving it to immoral people at banks - that is more important than anything Spitzer did. I'm not saying men who cheat are great - only that we need more politicians willing to fight against corruption. If Spitzer took Clinton's place in the Senate he would be the only person holding the bankers responsible and he wouldn't have voted for the bailout.

Frankly, I'm also a wee bit suspicious of this post called "Demonstrable Intellegence" from "coolfire:"

First, Very impressed with the intelligence demonstrated here by Spitzer. This level headedness belongs in Washington. It's to our detriment that we are so rift with double standards for the sake of image that we shoot ourselves in both knee caps as done with the forced removal of Spitzer.

On the subject of the article, one word can summarize to a reasonable degree the approach advocated. Modularization. Business modules with distinct boundries and interfaces can both prosper and be fail with no effect on others. Yes, larger can sometime - not always - undercut on a unit cost basis, but when they fail they bring down economies.

We have other problems on the subject. One is what appears to be our attitude that we are the best. A dangerous attitude. We have fallen behind in just about every sector. Arrogance is a real part of the problem. Of course, another widely acknowledged problem is the too close relationships between large industries and our politicians, bound together by contributions one way and contract funding the other way.

Anyway, Spitzer has shown his value and the fact that he is out of government is our loss.

Umm, yeah, you hit the "Modularization" nail right on the head there, Mr."coolfire." Kind of like a transposed paradigm shift in sixth-dimensional space. Then again, maybe lots of people who read Slate also write like Mr. Spock applying for a city manager job.

But you can draw all your own conclusions right here.

How Property Tax Capping Should Work

From today's Newsday:

With schools facing their biggest financial crisis since the early 1990s, some residents of Oyster Bay and Roslyn are challenging recent pay raises granted to local superintendents.

While the boosts in salaries are consistent with past raises, taxpayer activists say the timing is wrong: Both raises follow warnings by Gov. David A. Paterson that the state may have to slash school aid next year to cope with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

Most superintendents and other school employees got their raises in July, before the full extent of the state's deficit became evident.

The Big Three Hit Paydirt

Good news: There's a handshake deal in the Senate that sends Dean Skelos to the bench:

Three dissident Democrats agreed on Thursday to join with their colleagues in the State Senate to make Malcolm A. Smith the chamber’s first Democratic leader in more than 40 years, capping weeks of high-stakes wrangling with a deal that requires Mr. Smith to turn over considerable power to the three men.

Bad news: The Times puts Pedro on notice:

Some Democrats worry that Mr. Espada, whose political career includes a previous term as state senator, will be magnet for prosecutors.

In 2005, three employees of a nonprofit health care company run by Mr. Espada pleaded guilty to diverting $30,000 from programs for family care and AIDS treatment to Mr. Espada’s unsuccessful 2001 campaign for Bronx borough president.

He was never charged in the case and has described the prosecution as politically motivated.

Even now, weeks after Election Day and his successful run for the Senate, Mr. Espada has yet to register a Senate campaign committee with the State Board of Elections or file the required campaign finance disclosures.

He has registered a political action committee, but such committees are not allowed to make direct expenditures toward the election or defeat of a candidate. In recent weeks, a State Supreme Court judge has fined Mr. Espada more than $1,000 for failing to file finance reports, and he could face another $2,000 in fines.

In an interview, Mr. Espada described the problem as a clerical error and said the papers would be filed this month. He also said he was not worried about drawing scrutiny from law enforcement officials.

“Those things have been unfortunately omnipresent in my life for 12 years,” Mr. Espada said. “I’m the most investigated, the most vetted person around.”

Beyond the opening of Pedro hunting season for the Times (pack your bags, Serge!) and Post, this deal will repercuss. Profoundly.  And since all you NGD readers are way, way above average, you don't need me to spell it all out for you. Suffice it to say, it'll be interesting.

David Paterson Can Sleep Well Tonight

Because no less than Joe Mondello has things all figured out for him.

From Tom Precious of the Buff News:

There has been no shortage of political oracles giving unsolicited advice these days to Democratic Gov. David A. Paterson about whom he should name as a successor to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Add an unlikely source: the chairman of the state Republican Party. “I think Andrew Cuomo is a formidable candidate,” Joseph N. Mondello, the GOP boss, said when asked who would be the most challenging Democrat his party would have to face in 2010 when the seat that Clinton will relinquish would go before voters.

Cuomo was the only name Mondello mentioned of more than a dozen floated as possible successors to Clinton, who has been nominated for secretary of state.

“If I were Paterson, I could see a number of reasons why I would do it,” Mondello said of choosing Cuomo. “One would be to get him out of the way,” he said in reference to Cuomo’s long desire to be governor, a job Paterson said he wants to run for in 2010 for the first time after assuming the office when Eliot L. Spitzer resigned.

If Joe didn't just say so, I'd say that Andrew scares Joe.  A lot.

 

Hypocrisy Is What Hipocrisy Doesn't Do

Evidently, good-government guru Mike Bloomberg's people really like baseball.  Free baseball. A lot.  Now comes word that they were working the Mets over as well as the Yankees.

From the AP:

Luxury boxes at the new Yankees and Mets ballparks are such prime real estate that everyone wants a piece of the action, especially Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Details have recently emerged that his administration played hardball to get an exclusive box at the new Yankee stadium, but there are new questions about what the city traded for the same perk at the Mets new home across town.

Wonder what The Post and Daily News editorial boards think of this?

Nothing.  That's what they think about this.

Now imagine if David Paterson got clipped doing this.  Or, god-forbid, Shelly Silver. Can you even imagine? These people would be off-the-wall apoplectic.

 

Wing-Ding Jimmy's Got More To Say

Seems Jimmy Tedisco is spewing out more productive, non-partisan trash to his budget-making partner, the governor:

"Gov. Paterson needs to get tough and force his department heads to make the cuts he demanded, Republican lawmakers said Tuesday.

"Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco said it's wrong for Paterson to scold lawmakers for not cutting when some of his own agencies ignored his order to slice 10.3% from their budgets."

Maybe Jimbo thinks the governor should follow his personal plan for reducing the budget of the Assembly Minority: Say really stupid things, act like a jackoff in public, hijack websites, lose elections, play Flipper--and viola--the governor'll get to that 10.3% reduction in no time flat.

This Ain't No Law Firm

...this ain't no press conference, this ain't no foolin' around.

Very interesting to see if No. 9 can hack it in the blogsphere. Where people get to bark back.

Or does he lose it the first time somebody calls him a stupid, has-been troll. And a second time. And a third time...

Methinks (from first-hand experience) that he doesn't know what he's in for. Hopefully, he'll learn quick.

From the AP:

Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer is back in the media, this time as a member of the Fourth Estate.

The online magazine Slate on Wednesday evening quietly posted Spitzer's first column, headlined "Too Big Not To Fail." It argued against costly economic government bailouts to huge financial institutions.

Bouldin Goes Bonkers

What a shock.

Carl Brinker is reporting that NGD sensation, Michael Bouldin, has become unhinged, really unhinged, on the pages of the Daily Gotham.

It's kind of like a car crash. Just like we said on NGD's opening day, these Kostopo Kidz are a entirely new breed of e-goon, hell-bent upon remaking the political world to their liking. Kind of like destructive destruction.

But don't take our word for it, just click through some of Brinker's posts for a good look at the the Netroots movement in action.

BTW: Is Bouldin still working for the Senate Dems?  If so, they'd better reel him in.

The Graphic Says It All

The Binghamton Press & Sun today rolls out the shopworn argument that SUNY tuition increases are OK, because SUNY is such a "bargain" vis a vis other educational alternatives. 

As if this realization is some kind of compensation to a returning student juggling life to make it all work. $620 is probably a month's rent for many of these students. That's a lot of money.

But a new study by National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education should put to rest the entire "bargain" premise:

 "The rising cost of college — even before the recession — threatens to put higher education out of reach for most Americans, according to the annual report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

"Over all, the report found, published college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, adjusted for inflation, while median family income rose 147 percent. Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade, and students from lower-income families, on average, get smaller grants from the colleges they attend than students from more affluent families. "

The above graphic from the NY Times pretty much says it all.

New York's Business Climate Doesn't Make the Forbes List

Somebody call the New York Post.  Tell them Forbes isn't with their meta-theme. Because it turns out New York, wallowing in a mire of dystopian dysfunction, repellently high-tax taxation and hemorrhaging demographics, did not make the list of 10 worst states for business.

But of course, the Forbes report is slightly more dimensional than the Post would like its readers to think the world is. 

I don't know where New York stands in the larger setting because Forbes published only the ten worst states.

Patience of Job

David Paterson's gonna need it.

The governor says this today about his decision to appoint a senator to replace Hillary Clinton when she becomes SoS (From Ben Smith at Politico):

New York Gov. David Paterson joked with Barack Obama about the open Senate seat at the National Governors Association meeting that just ended in Philadelphia, Paterson told Politico.

"What he said to me was, 'I’m sure I made your life easier,'" Paterson recalled after an interview about the substance of the meeting. "I said, 'Yeah, thanks.'"

Paterson didn't offer any clues to which way he's leaning to fill Hillary Clinton's seat, though he knocked down a rumor that Obama or people close to him have pushed the nomination of Caroline Kennedy.

"That actually didn’t happen, though every name has been mentioned to me by someone," he said.

He added that he hasn't solicited Obama's opinion on the pick.

"An individual who had access [to Paterson] went to [Obama's aides] and said I wanted them to give me their choice," Paterson said. "I never sent this person to do that. I know who it is but I never sent the person to do that."

"There are a lot of people to in the middle now who want to, as the kids say, play high post — act like they're in the process," he reflected. "But they're not."

The governor's predicament will probably not get better with time.

 

 

The Holdovers Strike Again

Ah yes, those Pataki holdovers and the NY Post still making life miserable for the governor and his staff. Evidently, in ways they cannot begin to fathom. So let's do a little detective work for the governor's communications and appointments apointees.

The Post Sunday reports:

The two State Liquor Authority commissioners who voted to save the Cipriani liquor licenses have received "unlimited," around-the-clock use of state cars - on orders from Gov. Paterson's office, The Post has learned.

Jeanique Greene, a former legislative aide to Paterson, and fellow Commissioner Noreen Healey were issued two of the authority's cars on Nov. 5, an SLA spokesman confirmed.

And into this scene steps the ominpresent but anonymous anti-Paterson/pro-Pataki tweaker (who should have been sidelined a long time ago):

"It's definitely a perk" - and an apparent reward for toeing Paterson's line, an SLA insider said.

"In light of what the governor's attempting to do to save money, I don't recommend this" to close deficits, a critic added, referring to Paterson's call for $5.2 billion in budget cuts.

By the way this thing's worded, you can bet these people are skilled, high-level operatives (who should have been sidelined a long time ago).  More proof?  Then how's The Post know about this:

But on Nov. 5, Sylvia Hamer, Paterson's deputy commissioner for government operations, called the SLA and ordered that "unrestricted," full-time cars be given immediately to Healey and Greene - who each make $90,800 a year - an insider said.

The insider's got names, details, dates and titles, that he/she feels comfortable going to the NY Post with.

Going to the NY Post with this grade information is not exactly a natural act. It's a learned skill and acquired comfort level.

But here's the real beauty part:

SLA spokesman Bill Crowley said on Friday that the policy now states that commissioners as well as the chairman "shall, if they request, be assigned a fleet vehicle."

And guess who appointed Bill to his job--and who he used to report to?

This is getting ridiculous.

 

Better Than Blotto: Mr. Mort and Mr. Bill Get A New Idea

The Daily News editorial page today in Better than Lotto: Shelly Silver's loophole gives ex-cop a $4.5 million trifecta writes of NYPD cop, Anderson Alexander, who shot himself in the leg while watching TV in the 75th Precinct with his partner's gun, which he was holding as the partner interrogated a suspect. Alexander then went on to collect a pension and subsequently won a $4.5 million in a lawsuit against the city. And for this, the Daily News posits, Shelly Silver's to blame.

So along those same lines, we've come up with our own list of conceivably attenuated culprits:

1. It's the NYPD's fault for hiring somebody who literally shoots himself.  With somebody else's gun. Sitting in a chair.  While watching TV.

2. It's the gun manufacturer's fault for not designing a florescent neon-purple tipped muzzle to warn NYPD weapon transfer recipients that they're liable to blow a hole in their leg if they don't watch out.

3. It's the jury's fault for not being as cravenly shallow as the Daily News editorial board.

4. It's the judge's fault for not sputtering shrilly that Shelly Silver is the real negligent party.

5. It's John L. Lewis' fault for organizing the coal miners back in the day.

6. It's Alexander's lawyer's fault for making making road-kill of the City's Corporation Counsel.

7. It's the city of Detroit's fault for not recognizing that Shelly Silver is also to blame for their inability to get a worker's wrongful perfume case dismissed.

8. It's Mr. Bill's and Mr. Mort's fault for so not-traumatizing Shelly Silver with their drive-by editorial rants that he simply ignores them. 

9. It's Plaxico Burress' fault for not shooting himself in the leg sooner, and thus providing the court with expert testimony on the entire leg/somebody else's gun/chair chain of ballistic stupidity.

10. It's Plaxico Burress' fault for not shooting himself in the leg sooner, immediately noting "It hurts! It hurts!," getting canned by the NFL, then joining the Daily News editorial board and displacing Mr. Bill as Mr. Mort's oracle of record.

Good Government Guru's Guys Get Grabby

Evidently, the Billionaire of The Third Way is having some problems with the help.

From the Daily News:

Mayor Bloomberg's top aides engaged in a behind-the-scenes brawl to win a free luxury suite at the new Yankee Stadium that could wind up costing taxpayers, e-mails show.

Some of the mayor's top deputies spent months threatening and cajoling to get the free skybox. They even demanded free food and ultimately got most of what they wanted after they agreed to provide America's richest team 250 free stadium parking spaces in exchange.

"Threatening and cajoling," huh?  Wonder where they picked that up from.

Little surprise that at the bottom of the mayor's travails is a Democratic State Assemblyman.  Maybe the mayor's help also "threatened and cajoled" people like Richard Brodsky on congestion pricing. 

Ya think?

 

Three Years at the Races

Hard to say where this thing is going to end up.  Or what, if any, impact it will have on Dean Skelo's conference. I can't evision any scenario of this that helps the Senate GOP.  Especially if the investigation focuses on Wright Investors Service. 

Or why the FBI would spend three years following up dead ends.

From the Albany Times-Union:

Federal investigators pursuing a criminal probe of former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno have called people familiar with details of his activities to testify before a grand jury here in recent weeks.

The actions of the United States Attorney for the Northern District's office suggested to at least one of the parties subpoenaed that prosecutors in the roughly three-year-old case are authenticating documents produced by witnesses for the FBI.