Not lunatics, just power hungry pre-teens

Unbelievably, this farce in Albany gets more surreal every day. Last week, a democrat group sent out ‘robo-calls’ to the Rublican districts of the senate. The calls said that their  senator was ‘consorting with a criminal …and described Espada as a ‘Bronx democrat’. Espada and his ilk cried racism. Of course he meant that he knows that ‘Bronx Democrat’ and ‘criminal’ is code for ‘rotten, dirty, minority’. Not sure what this would accomplish, as the democrats have significantly more downstate minorities than the GOP. It would be like having a bunch of rabbis making calls about ‘those Jews!’. It just doesn’t make sense. What about this reformer Espada? I think the only reform he is looking for is more power for himself. Currently, his non-profit n the Bronx is hundreds of thousands in arrears in taxes. And this is ongoing, and AG Cuomo is looking into this. This non-profit gets MILLIONS in federal and state aid. As recent as 2007, Espada, while serving in the senate, he was taking a salary of $460,000! The firm only had 15 million in revenue! His salary was 3% of ALL revenue! Not even the rotten tomato real estate swindlers on Wall Street got that kind of return. In 2002, he tried to divert $745,000 of pork directly to this non-profit – as he sat as its CEO! The list of accusations against Espada is enough to make Don Gotti look innocent.

            Then there is my favorite NY pol, Dean Skelos.  I love hearing his sound bites, if only to nearly double over in laughter. He claims to want some form of power sharing, but only after the 31 democrats agree that his coup was fair and legal. Why does he need this? No one really knows. But, read Nathan Farb’s article in the ADK this week, and you’ll see where the majority has some serious perks – office space, pork money, appointing members to committees as well as other nepotistic positions. Terms like ‘secretary’ get thrown around. Not the secretary making 28K a year. We’re talking $130,000 a year secretaries. The Republicans, and Skelos controlled these purse strings for 40 years and he can’t fathom giving up any of his perks. But back to sound bites. Skelos said earlier this week that this ‘impasse could be broken if ‘a brave Democrat broke ranks’. Oh Deanny! How about if one brave GOP member broke ranks? If Betty Little chose to break ranks, this whole fiasco would be over IMMEDIATELY. But no, I guess if a gop’er broke ranks, Skelly would lose out on everything. Has to be a brave democrat. Keep his party weak and timid, then he keeps power. But, as if it couldn’t get better, he dueled with Democratic Senator Karl Kruger for most self absorbed, ridiculous, idiotic quote. Kruger stated ‘It’s a sad comment, that to this day, his staff still doesn’t understand the legislative process. You don’t throw kerosene on it’ . This quip after Paterson ordered the senate into emergency session. But, Skelos wouldn’t be out-stupided. “He has to start acting like a leader and stop throwing gasoline on the fire. Quite frankly, I think he looks silly’. This from the LEADER of the senate, leading the most surreal, immature whiny party in the history of NY politics. Throwing gasoline on the fire? Paterson calling them back in is as incendiary as throwing a tissue into the Great Chicago fire of 1871. You guys have to be the leaders.

Even Betty Little has had little good to say at all since her party lost majority status. From being my favorite senator, to a whining minority in an instant has really soured me on her. More about power and party than ideas and doing the people’s business seems to be what she’s about now. Today, she comes out with support for binding arbitration to change the way things are done in the senate. Oh. It was fine when they held the keys for 40 years, treated the minority like their vassals, but now that they are the serfs, she demands changes? Maybe her picture needs to be put next to the words disingenuous and hypocrisy in the dictionary.  

People always talk about ‘throw all the bums out’. I usually refrain from that, because the alternative is often worse. But now? What’s worse than a senate who refuses to do work? One’s who a kindergarten teacher would chastise for the way they are behaving? I for one will be voting for whoever is against her. She’s the 45^th district senator. This includes Franklin, Essex, Clinton and Hamilton counties. That’s what I can do. Espada will never be elected to another positioning his life. Skelos has to go. Malcolm Smith has to go. Kruger needs to go.

            A quick shout out to the LaVair boys. Chris is leading the Bomber division up at Airborne, and Bobby won last week's feature. And Bob 'The Dope' Seidenstein - where were ya? Afraid to get beat by a guy pushing a baby jogger - again? Finally - Good luck Bill Peer, Phil Gallo and Nancy Battaglia, who are all tackling the Tinman this weekend.