THE REAL LOSER: THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK STATE

by Rafael Martínez Alequín


The New York State Legislature today, clearly proved that they justifiably deserved, the acronym of the most dysfunctional legislative body in the country. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and his counterpart, State Senator, Joseph Bruno, inflicted a black eye not on Governor Spitzer, but on every taxpayer in the state.

The panel agreed to by both the speaker and the governor, chose three qualified persons with vast experience dealing with financial matters. However, the legislature overrode the former comptrollers, H.Carl Mcall, Ned Regan , and former New York City Comptroller (Then known as the Young Dynamo), Harrison Goldin.

If these three sages would have chosen, God, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, the state legislature under the helm of Silver and Bruno, would reject them too, because no member of the legislature was recommended. Even if the former comptrollers had recommended a member of the assembly, for example, Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, she would be chosen over those recommended by the panel.

There is nothing to be said negatively about Mr.Thomas D’napoli. The newly anointed State Comptroller was an unknown obscure member of the assembly, until few days ago. The only people, who knew him beside his family were the members of the state legislature. He will have to answer only to Speaker Silver and company. The state residents don’t count.

The pundits say the Governor was the loser. In reality the biggest losers were the residents of this state. Governor Spitzer, is not. Now he most prove to the people that the culture of political chicanery, and corruption so prevalent in Albany will end .

Governor Elliot Spitzer has to review recent American political history. President F. Delano Roosevelt had his fireside chat with the American people. So, Spitzer needs to go directly to the people in order to reform the state government.

The governor as the State Attorney General, investigated the robber barons of Wall Street He was justifiably baptized as the “Sheriff of Wall Street. He won a reputation across this country for his excellent work. Now, as the pundits predict that he will encounter stumbling blocks in the budgetary process, he must take the “bull by the horns". And not allow him to be "bullied".