Up in Albany, they are selling out our future to benefit narrow interest groups with one foot out the door. It is government by the insiders, of the insiders, for the insiders, the rest be damned. That is mostly what I write about on this blog (lots more to come when I get the time).
I’ve also been upset enough at some things Mayor Bloomberg has done to vote against him, after expecting to vote for him. And if Speaker Quinn decides the say "screw you" to the people of the city by revoking term limits, we’ll she’ll have black mark in my book forever. The federal government? Forget it.
Every now and then, however, out city government overcomes the opposition of powerful, self-interested groups and does something that benefits the long term. So it was when money was set aside to offset some of the city’s retiree health care benefits. So it is with the approval of a solid waste management plan, something that had eluded three prior administrations of Mayors and City Councils.
I’ve often said that the "decisions" our elected officials make in the light of day, with all the facts in front of them (and us), all the tradeoffs clear, all the angles discussed, are often good. Even a bad decision is not a disaster if our elected officials were in the habit of making decisions, because they could make another decision to reverse it. Back in the progressive era, for example, our country changed its constitution, twice, to bring in prohibition and get rid of it when it didn’t work.
In general, however, our pols prefer non-decisions or backroom deals followed by unaninmous votes at 2 am, so no one can be held accountable. The existing solid waste non-plan is the result of one such non-decision.
Here in City Hall, a decision has been made. Congratulations.
Now, on to the lawsuits.