After the recent elections in Iran, we were subjected to thousands of words written & spoken by scores of politicians and pundits about the fairness or unfairness of those elections. The number of the commentators who had any expertise in Iranian election procedures could probably be counted on one hand. But none of them could admit they don’t really know much about the political preference of the residents of Mashhad (that’s the 2nd biggest City in Iran. I just looked it up)
Now we have a similar situation in New York politics. Governor David Paterson has appointed a Lt. Governor and politicians and pundits are rushing to proclaim either that it’s blatantly unconstitutional or that it’s obvious that Paterson can do it.
Some examples –
The noted constitutional scholar Fred Dicker writes that Paterson flouts the law.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07092009/news/columnists/pooh_bah_paterson_flouts_law_178319.h
The editorial writers at the Daily News, apparently taking time off from advising Judge Sotomayor, declare –
Those who claim the governor overstepped his bounds do so based largely on the argument that no governor has done such a thing. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo doubted Paterson's authority based on a reading of the state Constitution that reserves succession to higher office to elected officials.
But these claimants are few in number. Far more, including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, accepted that the statute books put Paterson on solid ground. This leaves Senate dead-enders like Espada to mount a court challenge.
No judge in his or her right mind would go along with them.
And State Senator George Winner, a lawyer who according to the State Senate website never attended law school but was admitted to the practice of law in New York in 1977 following the completion of a legal clerkship said the Assembly should consider impeaching the Governor.
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/george-h-winner-jr/bio
By contrast, the editorial writers at the New York Times admitted they don’t know if Paterson’s action was legal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/opinion/09thur1.html?ref=opinion
We don’t know yet whether it was legal, but Gov. David Paterson of New York was right to take the plunge and name a lieutenant governor in an effort to break the increasingly damaging stalemate in Albany.
Why won’t more pols & pundits admit there is a limit to their expertise – there are some issues that they don’t have a clue about? Can’t we all just wait and let the courts decide?