Is it time to file a Lawsuit against Albany?

RusThompson.com ^ | Nov 5, 04 | Rus Thompson

[1Old Pro]

We also need an overhaul at the NYS GOP committee. The elected officals are running the party, not vice-versa.

[The Mayor]

I agree!

We canot continue to endorse the same old people.
What is the defination of insanity?

Doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.

That's Albany!

If they go back and vote for the same leaders, there will be NO reform.
They can suger coat anything, reform cannot be sugar coated.
I was going to run for the 144th district, what a mistake I made stepping aside.
Hoyt beat Penna 72 to 28 %

These people continue to look at the same party to fix the problems, that is insanity!

[Labyrinthos]

I speak from experience after having worked as a part-time special counsel in Albany for 8 years for a republican assemblyman who then moved to the senate, where I worked for him for another two years. When he was a member of the minority in the assembly for 10 years, he was a leading sponsor of term limit legislation. When he became a member of the majority in the senate, term limits were no longer a priority and indeed, during his 14 years in the senate, he has opposed term limits.

Based upon my personal knowledge and experience, everything in the Brennan Report is true and accurate if understated. Unfortunately, lawsuits are an expensive waste of time because the state judges come from the same corrupt political machines and they would invoke the "political question doctrine" to avoid deciding the issues.

The best way to solve the problem is a real and strong grassroots effort to throw the bums out. Tom Souzzi, the democratic Nassau County Executive has started such a grass roots effort, which so far has focused upon both dems and pubs. Only if this movement grows will we see real change in Albany and this movement will only grow if we are willing to suck it up and vote out our representatives even if that means crossing party lines, like I have done to vote against my former employer for the last ten years. When I receive a fancy newsletter from him at taxpayer expense bragging about the state funding he obtained for a new acorn museum or trolley to no where, I send it back with a note that tells him to stop wasting our dollars on such crap and start acting like the fiscal conservative that you claim to be. We need to dog these people at every opportunity. Write letters to the editor of the local paper, ask these jerks questions when they speak at chamber of commerce dinners or the rotary lunch. An most of all, vote for anyone but them and tell them why.

If I could do three things to change Albany I would do the following: First, allow ballot initiatives so we the people can force real change since our elected officials are unwilling to do so. Unfortunately, that requires a change to the state constitution which requires the approval of the same people we are trying to change. Second, shorten the legislative session to thirty days, no exceptions except in certain limited emergency situations, with the passage of the state budget not one of the exceptions. That way the legislature will have to do something are begone. Third, impose criminal penalties upon the governor and each and every member of the Assembly and senate for failing to pass a budget on time. Other changes: Limit each member to three bills, no exceptions, except for certain limited emergency situations. Limit each member to three support staff, no exceptions. Distribute funds to the members to run their offices equally regardless of party.

The bottom line is that NY sucks. If you want proof, go to places like Texas and Florida where even without a state income tax, they provide decent schools, roads, and other government services without anything close to the total tax burden that we have here in NY.

[The Mayor]

I agree with all you said!!

I am getting some great info by freepmail too.

This needs to happen.

I will not step aside again to run for legislature.
I have something that the democrats don't have and that is a NO vote..

Sam Hoyt 144th district is my wonderful representative.
Useless, kow tows to the unions and silver so he is proclaimed a successful legislator.

[eleni121]

The turnout in this state was one of the lowest in the nation...many have opted out of the system because they figure Big Brother will continue to send them their checks every month regardless...

The bloated Medicaid and pensions are killing the localities..and the State is unwilling to reform.

Yeah...it's time to sue the pants off the idiots in Albany!!!

Giambra is their worst nightmare...good for him!!!

[eleni121]

Mayor - did you post this thread on the NY list?

[eleni121]

I heard this morning that the state chair Treadwell may be on the way out...good riddance!

[Labyrinthos]

Your representative may very well be a good person. But he's part of the system and therefore you must vote him out even if that means voting for a Dem. If enough incumbents are voted out or even if they win by substantially smaller margins, they might grow some balls and rebel against the party leadership and push for real as opposed to superficial change. I know this is painful to vote rat, but our system is seriously broken. I suggest that you follow your vote with a personal letter to the incumbent who you voted against explaining exactly why you voted against him.

[t_skoz]

Rus! Please add me to your list :-)

[deadhead]

Thanks for the ping Mayor. Have to go out, will read later.

[tuliptree76]

The county map is really intersting. Illinois looks like it's similar to New York. Mostly red with a little blue mixed in ... and I'm sure that the counties for Chicago will be blue. With all that red in it, IL still went for Kerry.

[The Mayor]

Mayor - did you post this thread on the NY list?

Yes, I'm pretty sure..

I was hoping to get more feed back on this issue.

[The Mayor]

Sorry, I have been trying to redo my ping list.
Two weeks ago I had to reformat my puter and lost lots of stuff
and some will take time to update.
I have been asking for someone to resend me the ping list to no avail..

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.

I second the comment about bringing a lawsuit before judges who are tied to the parties. I think it will be an expensive waste of money. In the Bronx last Tuesday where I voted, there was the same name across the row for a judgeship in three different columns. There was no other name in the row. Needless to say, I didn't bother to vote for that row.

On the next row for another judgeship, the dems and the pubbies had the same nominee. The Conservatives had a different guy, and they're my party. Later, that day I ran into a friend who's a Court Officer in the Bronx. He tells me the Conservative nominee has a reputation similar to a liberal judge who had the name "Cut 'em loose Bruce".

I can't think of any suggestions. As bad as the RINOs and now Conservatives appear to be, my gut tells me the dems would never throw their bums out. Look at Clinton's impeachment.

[The Mayor]

I have a difficult time finding a good judge to vote for.

Sometimes I am stuck with just the endorsements,
If I hear one endorsed by a the working family's party
I stay away. It's tough running into judges so we can drill them on where they stand.

I am talking to a good lawyer, I also received some great advice in freepmail.

If this could get some press coverage, get some legs we could have some help building a grass roots effort.
People all over are stunned that all are returning, well most of them.
They all feel that thier guy is doing a good job for them and
can't seem to tie them to Albany
They come home from Albany and then blame Albany.
Elect me as a reformer, not re-elect me as a reformer.
The electorate up here look to their own party to fix things.
They can't vote outside the party..

[NYFriend]

I'd like to offer a different view. First, you all should know that the Brennan Center report is a lot of nonsense. Right, bills get held up in one house, and in the cases where its the Senate holding bills up, it's the bills we oppose, either tax increases, gay rights legislation, etc. I know a lot gets through, but you should see the bills the Assembly passes every year. They pass minimum wage bills, all sorts of other Labor giveaways (Workers Comp, etc), a mental health care insurance coverage bill that would have added hundreds of dollars to health insurance costs, etc. For all of the things we don't like that have passed, there have been a lot more that the Senate has held and let die. The Brennan Center reforms that would help these bills go through would allow bills that hurt New Yorkers to go through quicker.
Also, there is a lot of difference between how the Senate and the Assembly work in practice. The Assembly Speaker, through his staff, control alot of the committee agendas. They decide what is reported favorable, and what is held. In the Senate, the chairs have a whole lot more freedom. Senate Rules is controlled by Sen. Bruno, who's is chairman as well as Majority Leader. What comes to the floor is controlled by Sen. Bruno, but the Senate Republicans fight amongst themselves over the agenda, and Bruno decides based on these discussions.

Here's the big thing, if you vote out the Senate Republicans, every stupid liberal one-house assembly bill will become law. The minimum wage will go up every two years. You might see same-sex marriage legalized (I really don't know, there are a lot of Dems opposed to this). State funding for New York City Schools will go up by at least $4 billion a year within 2 to 4 years. I know that the hate crime bill passed, minimum wage passed, there were tax hikes last year, and the Senate went along with it, but believe it or not, things can get worse. The Senate Republican's support tort reform, workers' comp. reform, some limits on abortion, and pass one-house tax cut bills almost every year. I hate to say it, but there are so many liberals in New York that, the will of the majority of the people is to have alot of the liberal laws that New York's got. Ultimately, the Republicans probably have to go along with some of these. The Governor had some liberal ideas too, especially on health care and gun control. He's got some conservative ideas too, don't get me wrong, but voting out incumbent Republicans will leave us with Democrat control forever. They'll have the Governor's Office, Senate and Assembly, and things will get worse. Find something that the Dems, as a party, have done for Upstate. Every thing's been for the City. There are individual Democrats who are good people, and care about Upstate. Most of those are from Upstate, but there are a few who have good(sometimes misguided) intentions towards Upstate, but overall, it's only the Republicans that are doing anything as a group. I hate to say it, but in New York State, the Republicans are the moderates, and its their way, or the liberal fringe's way. This talk about knocking off incumbents is very dangerous.
Finally, I suggest everyone go to the Assembly website, www.assembly.state.ny.us, and look over the press releases for the last few years, and look at the announcements for all of the one house bills that die in the Senate each year. Vote out incumbents and every one of those become law.

[NYFriend]

OK, I thought about it, and I want to add something. I'm not trying to be difficult, I really would like to see a dialog here. It's easy to see what NY Republicans are afraid of. If they stay too far right on some of the social issues they'll lose the Governor's Office and the Senate (not to say that there aren't individual Republicans who really believe in some liberal causes). If they lose, Upstate loses. While there in power that can hold up some of the liberal agenda for a while, save NYers from themselves (really, save Upstaters from Downstaters). Along the way, if they can get some more jobs into upstate, and attract some high tech industries (they have some ideas, like a Genesis Program [sp] linking colleges and businesses in high tech research ventures) the can improve the jobs picture until some 21st Century industries (IT, high tech manufacturing, and anything else that's environmentally friendly) to move in, they can help get to the point where everything kicks back up. The Dems don't see it that way. I guess most of them think we can form some kind of utopia supported by the financial and corporate money in NYC. That is that supports NYC. They don't really make anything there, the have the markets, and banks, insurance companies and corporations with head quarters and offices there. Those big wigs eat out, buy stuff in NYC stores, and go to theaters, etc. and that's what supports the lower wage jobs. The money that comes in to the city comes in through those white collar guys. It's backwards from every place else, but it's what works for the City. It can't work everywhere else, and its the Republicans who know that. I'd really like to hear what people think should be done, but anyone responding needs to understand that the Assembly, who doesn't care about Upstate, doesn't believe in a free market, and doesn't care if nothing changes, needs to go along with it. Really, someone offer a solution, and we can all talk about it.

[clyde260]

Would you add me to your PING list?

[Darksheare]

Reminds me of the sign you see as you head across the bridge from Matamoras PA into Port Jervis NY.
The sign is supposed to read :Welcome to Ny [governor's name] -Governor"
Well.. back in 1990 or so, someone changed it so that it read, for about a week or so, "Welcome to NY. Mario M. Cuomo - Emperor"
I failed to get a picture of it unfortunately.

But it was quite an illustration of NY in general.

[sarcasm]

large city machines have turned it into a gasping rural fiefdom struggling to survive on the edge as they are sucked dry by the socialist city

What bilge - upstate New York is subsidized by NYC and its suburbs.