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Lessons learned and lost in the Albany coup
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A common response concerning the stalemate in Albany has been the predictable "throw the bums out! They're all corrupt!" While the reaction is understandable since the voice of the voters seem to become increasingly irrelevant while special interest representation becomes the name of the game for whomever can fill campaign coffers. In November 2008 New York state voters said that they had seen what Republicans had to offer over the past 40+ years and there had to be a change. As a result, the Democrats gained majority of in the Senate for the first time since 1967. But it took one billionaire and two self interested, dysfunctional Senators to not only create a temporary political shift but a gridlock that essentially halted the progress that so many progressives and frustrated residents have fought for.
Recently billionaire Tom Golisano who helped pull off the June 8th coup was asked by the Daily News if he had known what chaos would come from his actions, would he still do it? Golisano's cynical and arrogant response were the words of a man who had undergone a social lobotomy, "You bet I would…"
He went on to defend his actions by stating that it would all be worth it if the lawmakers had kept their promises of reform. Golisano, we should not forget, funded several Democratic Senator's campaigns. When they opted to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers in an attempt to raise desperately needed funds, Golisano decided first to hightail it to Florida, returning only to derail the work of the those groups fighting for election reform, rights of workers and rent regulated tenants and same sex couples. Publicly funded local elections would help bring an end not only to Golisano's free reign but those of landlord groups and other wealthy interests. In this light that makes Golisano's stated desire for "reform", laughable.
In the end, his move to hand the Republicans back the keys to the chambers was thankfully short-lived but the outcome of Espada's return should expose how deep seated the money culture is for our lawmakers. After all, Tom Golisano never could have pulled off his heist without co-conspirators and, as it turns out, he had two of them. But it is the unashamedly egotistical Pedro Espada that the billionaire money-changer is hedging his bets on. When speaking about the possibility of Espada changing sides yet again, Golisano said, "I'll tell you, I would be very surprised if these things don't get passed that Pedro won't come back and say, 'Hey, we're putting this thing back into deadlock.'"
Interesting that the New York Post didn't have Golisano on the cover of their rag when describing the state Senate as run by "clowns." The question that should be asked is, what promise of "reform" is he referring to anyway? It would be nice if, after jerking us all around for a month and costing New York millions of dollars, he filled us in on what he actually wants. Was there a secret deal not to raise taxes on the wealthy? Or was it something far more ill-defined? But the victories Golisano are claiming seem to be the idea that there was an equal disruption of resources, and a "C-Span style network." Democrat later said that some agreements mentioned by Golisano will go up for a vote next week.
But the question still must be asked, what does Golisano's presence and actions in Albany say about the future relevance of the voter's voice? It's not an idle question. As Chris Smith of New York Magazine in his article "Pedro Espada Self-Coronation," writes, "Pedro Espada Jr. shoots his arms straight into the air, forming the international sign of victory" which came just moments after the coup - and the starting point of the gridlock. Golisano was present in the chambers at the time with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. Unlike Monserrate, who has a progressive voting record, Pedro Espada's close relations to landlord groups and questionable fund raising practices, which have lead to an investigation by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office, along with an uncommitted stance on rent regulation should give many Democrats pause.
More to the point it was how both Espada and Monserrate handed control to the Republicans despite the outcome of recent elections for what one can assume is personal interest. Even one Republican candidate lamented to me a few weeks ago about the weight that landlord groups have in Albany. For Espada, his rebellion led not only to a power grab, despite his being seen as an outcast by his own party, but could lead to a stay of execution by Cuomo's office if it means the Democrats retaining control of the Senate.
Until next time…
