Andrew Cuomo is the present Attorney general for the state of New York. He has held this position since the first day of January 2007. He has done reasonably well for himself in this spot. He has avoided any personal scandals recently, and got sympathy from most folks when his high profile marriage to one of the “Kennedy” girls didn’t work out. C’est la vie!
He is the son of a former three-term New York governor (Mario Cuomo-1983 thru 1994), who was the sweetest political speaker before Barack Obama.
Shoot! Mario’s speeches dripped saccharin. He talked about issues. He offered solutions to problems. He talked about social- justice and equality. He talked about poverty and civil rights. He talked about building a shining city on the hill, inclusive of everyone- no matter what race, religion, ethnicity or nationality; but he probably built as many jail cells as school-classrooms for that shining city: during his mediocre tenure. Still, his feel good speeches inspired New Yorkers to vote him into the governor’s mansion three times in a row.
Then, one presidential primary season, he left an airplane which could have flown him into the Oval Office, sitting on a tarmac at La Guardia Airport. He never recovered from letting Bill Clinton beat him to the presidency without giving it a true New York try. He disappointed many; especially those who loved to hear him speak at the state and national conventions of democrats.
In 1993, a gifted politician named Al D’Amato (the republican Senator),introduced a non-descript upstate assemblyman named George Pataki; and he told anyone who would listen, that this guy would upset Mario Cuomo for the governorship. By then, near everyone thought Mario was a shoo-in. Most people couldn’t even pronounce Pataki’s name. Some called him “Potato”. Well, history tells us that this potato-head beat the shit out of Mario. He whipped Andrew’s dad like if he was some kinda dominatrix. Mario then put his tail between his legs and uncharacteristically ran off to hide from the spotlight (for years).
He recently reappeared only to embarrass himself, by trying to defend Mayor Bloomers (Michael Bloomberg) and his illegal hijack of the city’s term limits law. Mario knows full well that you cannot defend the indefensible. He looked pathetic. He was reduced to being a shill for an egomaniacal billionaire.
So why have I gone quite back here? To say what? Well, be patient.
With all the dysfunctionalities within New York’s politics as glaring as my shaven crown; with all the stinking elected-crooks being taken down one after the other (and there have been dozens in recent memory); with all the strain, stress and bother of trying to survive in this rough state – causing overtaxed New Yorkers to migrate in droves; with all the pain of minorities in the inner-cities, regularly spilling over onto blood-soaked sidewalks; with kids unable to adequately negotiate the 3“Rs” –reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic- despite the billions we have sunk into this treacherous quicksand-pit over the last half century;
with the pension system under serious fiscal pressure; with local and state legislatures perennially failing to tackle real issues; with budget crisis after budget crisis afflicting sate and local municipalities, quasi-state entities, non-profit and not-for profit agencies and such; with the private sector gasping for its economic breath; with black and Hispanic unemployment (and under-employment)stuck in the thirties and forties; with industry hemorrhaging for years on end; with home owners foreclosing in record numbers annually;
with a commercial real-estate meltdown on the horizon; with crime rising like a penis on Viagra;
with the gap between the rich and poor in New York state getting wider and wider; with problems by the score and more needing address and resolutions; with all this and more: Andrew Cuomo hasn’t said squat in four years.
Andrew needs to remember that his father was a lock for re-election to a fourth term: but it never materialized.
It appears that Andrew has a sense of entitlement relative to the gubernatorial mansion. Why else would he have entered a primary with Carl McCall 8 years ago; when everyone and their brothers and sisters knew it was Carl’s turn to run; and that Carl had paid his dues? Why antagonize the black base that has been most loyal to the democrats?
Then he prematurely ejaculated –pulling out at the last minute – knocking down McCall’s chances for a surprise victory over Pataki: Carl had to waste much needed resources dealing with Andrew’s premature (and immature) challenge.
It is silly of Andrew Cuomo to think that he doesn’t have to articulate solutions to New York’s myriad problems. It will be foolhardy for him to run a “rose garden” strategy when he isn’t in the mansion yet.
Mario’s son owes us so many answers it aint funny. In three days we will be into May; and this bad boy hasn’t even announced formally that he is running for governor of New York. Why? The primary is less than five months off; the general election is less than seven months off. Are we supposed to crown this man child because of his father’s last name?
Even Tom Suozzi was brave enough to take the unpopular position of calling for reform in Albany. He actually spelt out what his vision of reform was: albeit unsuccessfully.
Where is Andrew’s vision? What are his core values and beliefs? What does he propose to do about balancing the next four state budgets? And what else do you voters want to know?
Meanwhile, Andrew behaves like some pussycat has his tongue; while Rick Lazio (the likely Republican nominee) continues to organize and wait. I am a democrat (in general) but Andrew better make sense during the run up to the general election. People are looking for change: not short change. So far he has been short-changing voters with his loud and pronounced silence.
Stay tuned-in folks.