Senate incompetence threatens to bankrupt NYS

Bob over at Planet Albany blasts the "astonishing irresponsibility" of the New York legislature. Unusually, he's engaging in understatement.

The state is literally running out of money, he writes, and the Legislature refuses to do anything about it. The focus, especially in the Senate, is entirely on the politics of next year's elections.

That's not entirely true.

Part of the focus of the senate (it doesn't merit the dignity of a capital 'S') is using media like Twitter to engage in childish trash talk toward the only adult in Albany, Governor Paterson.

A recent Tweet: Sens Sampson & Skelos commit 2 bipartisan work 2 negotiate a responsible DRP that's better than the Gov's

Apparently the phrase "nyah nyah nyah" would've made it run over the allotted 140 characters.

If the governor tweeted, he'd probably reply, "i dare u 2 put up or shut up."

The governor recently urged the senate to either pass a deficit reduction plan of their own or let him do it. He basically told them to stop yapping and start doing. Stop preening for the cameras. Stop talking smack on Twitter. Start passing a comprehensive and responsible plan. Most New Yorkers would agree with him.

The senate blasted him for having the temerity to suggest that someone should actually show the courage and leadership to do what needs to be done.

The Tweet concluded with Senate stands at ease, which is unnecessary as they've been doing so for most of the year.

The senate may be focused only on next year's elections, as Bob suggests. But at this rate, they are doing far more to enhance the governor's re-election prospects than their own.

Update: The Post-Star ran a good editorial today echoing the sentiments of myself and many other New Yorkers entitled quite simply, "Governor gets it, legislators don’t." It notes that the governor has made it easier for local governments to consolidate and share services. I think we should take consolidation one step further. Let's eliminate the senate and go to a unicameral legislature like Nebraska has.

Thanksgiving

On this holiday, I am thankful for those humanitarian aid workers, development workers, Peace Corps volunteers and others who are sacrificing and often putting themselves in harm's way to make our world a better place.

You can't make this stuff up

So I was listening to WAMC's The Media Project this afternoon. The commentators, including Times-Union editor Rex Smith, were complaining about news stories about animals.

And not more than a few minutes later, I saw a news article on The Times-Union's website about... a fake animal.

The public nothing

I am starting to agree with the objections of those who rage at the thought of paying so that someone who needs it can receive health care. I will use that logic to see if I, as a non-driver, can get a rebate on my taxes that subsidize the interstates.

Far right candidate needs to put up or shut up (updated)

NY23 Congressional candidate Doug Hoffman has officially lost his marbles.

A few days ago, he "unconceded" his election defeat to now-inaugurated Bill Owens after recanvassing showed that the race was tighter than originally thought. Al Gore unconceded to George W. Bush, so Hoffman's un-concession is unusual but not that unreasonable.

But his more recent comments are, at best, completely reckless.

In a fundraising letter, he is now accusing Democrats, ACORN and unions of stealing the election, of "tampering with democracy."

He does not offer one iota of evidence to back up his fantastical claims. This failure not only calls into question the credibility of his claims, but his personal integrity.

I realize that it was a fundraising letter and that he was no doubt just making sure to tick off each one of the far right's favorite boogeymen (though he did forget to bash the media). But to make such serious claims without providing a shred of evidence is not simply 'irresponsible,' as NCPR's Brian Mann claims, it's borderline defamatory.

Hoffman should either provide evidence to back up his serious accusations or retract them.

Update: In recanvasing the voting machines in Jefferson County, they discovered that there had been a recording error that benefited Hoffman to the tune of 1000 or so votes. Who's "they"? According to the GOP Elections Commissioner in the county, it was the DEMOCRATIC Elections Commissioner who discovered and reported the discrepency that ended up hurting the Democrat and benefiting the Conservative/Republican. If it's a conspiracy, it's a pretty poorly executed one. Hopefully, this divisive, clueless joke of a candidate disappears from the scene.

Economic development for consultants?

The Post-Star did a story on the Glens Falls' mayor's desire to hire a full-time economic development director at an $80,000 a year salary. It was noted that the proposed economic development budget for next year was $308,000... almost 2 percent of the entire city budget.

So apparently, the city "needs" to hire an economic development director IN ADDITION to its business/tourism director and its part-time economic development consultant.

This all is IN ADDITION to the city's Industrial Development Agency (which itself is in addition to the bi-county IDA) as well as city's Local Development Corporation.

I wish someone (maybe a media outlet) would do an analysis on what kind of return on investment these positions/bodies have generated in recent years and if the city of 13,000 needs six different entities doing economic development.


Update: Commenter Matthew adds: "The thing that was making me scratch my head was that this new guy is being paid more than the highest paid elected official by over $20K." (aka: over 30 percent more)

Do mom and pop wine shops support their own extinction?

An ad on the website of The Daily News pointed out this website.

It claims It is time for New York to support small businesses throughout the state, from Upstate family farms to mom and pop wine shops.

Yet in fact, it calls for support of a bill that would allow wine and liquor sales in mega chain supermarkets, something that "mom and pop wine shops" can't be too thrilled about.

Its deceit is further evidenced by repeated use of the phrase "Big Liquor Myth" to hammer home its dubious pretense to represent small wine shops.

This group, which is backed by the mega chain supermarkets, claims that "Big Liquor" (whatever that means) is opposed to this change. But it also claims that sales of alcohol would skyrocket if this change were implemented. So why would the mythical "Big Liquor" oppose something that would see liquor sales increase?

Whether you support or oppose the sale of wine and liquor in mega chain supermarkets, this self-interested deceit is something that we could do without.

Milk processors squeeze farmers, gouge customers

It looks like the thieves at National Grid are not the only ones gouging customers. The Associated Press reports that New York farmers are getting record low payments for milk [even though] consumers are seeing just a fraction of the savings.