The Gateway (Dan Feldman Appreciation Edition)

I know that a lot of my readers have expressed an interest in seeing me do more pieces about New York political history, as well as more of my own personal political war stories.

I will try to accommodate these requests when appropriate, but meanwhile, here's the first few parts of a series on the post-war reform movement as lived and experienced by the co-author of the sensational new book, “Tales From the Sausage Factory.“

Dan Feldman is a former member of the Assembly, whose first victory was also my first NYC campaign (via a detour from the guy he knocked off the ballot on a technicality).

Hope when this series gets to 1980, Dan spells my name right (Of course, I also hoped he'd give me more than an 85 in Administrative Law).

Dan’s writings about the workings of our legislature put him in the dubious company of the sanctimonious Seymour Lachman and the fallen Alan Hevesi, but he was one of the legislature’s most thoughtful intellects (sort of like being the smartest bear in the zoo)

Two jokes: during his first race for the Assembly, Dan uncomfortably tried to explain to some of his liberal friends his support for capital punishment by talking about Euripides and the furies; I responded

“Euripides pants; Eumendides pants”

The other is a mathematical formula involving Dan, the guy who beat him for Congress, and the guy they were running to replace:

Chuck Schumer – Dan Feldman = Anthony Weiner. Regulars and Reformers in New York City Democratic Politics, with Excursions Elsewhere, in the latte talesfromthesausagefactory.wordpress.com

 

 

Shelly’s 18th Anniversary fundraiser. I'm giving ‘Chai’ cock. Silver’s ‘Chai’ Year www.capitaltonight.com

 

 

Jimmy Mac thinks the weather is too damn cold–probably because the Jews have been blocking the sun. Video: Jimmy McMillan Thinks The Weather Is Too Damn Cold! – Gothamist gothamist.com

 

 

Just heard about a poll where people were asked if they preferred a bigger government providing more services or a smaller government providing fewer services.

This misses the point.

The American people want a smaller government providing more services.

 

 

Actually, this a pretty sensible alternative to individual mandates Yet Dem Alternative To The Health Law Mandate Emerges tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com

 

 

I love Chait, but this piece is just stupid.

Forget dancing for a moment; Astaire was the sort of singer that composers like Porter and Berlin lived for; moreover, he was a superlative comic presence–picture Stan Laurel in white tie and tails. In Defense Of Walter Lippmann (And Against Fred Astaire) | The New Republic www.tnr.com