No surprise that the Post would choose to focus their self-righteous rage upon Peter Abbate rather than Marty Golden; to do otherwise would overly complicate the party (tea) line with more nuance than usually found in its pages in any given month.
But the issue deserves better.
Why, one must ask conservatives, does changing the pension system to be more fiscally sound require abandoning defined benefits, instead of just making them rational?
As to the unions, perhaps their best argument is that any changes must come thru collective bargaining, but if this little scandal proves anything, it is that the unions don't really believe their own argument; that they constantly and endlessly make end runs around collective bargaining themselves by running to the legislature. Unions' 'yea' man in Albany www.nypost.com
CORRECTION: After, I posted this item I got an email from a retired pol somewhat expert in Labor Law, which inspired a bit of dialogue.
EXPERT: Actually, public employee pension benefits in NY under the Taylor Law are not a mandatory subject of collective bargaining. In fact, they are a prohibited subject of collective bargaining. Thus, its the exclusive providence of the Legislature. Of course, this is often honored in the breech, especially by management (read mayors). Remember the last transit strike where management insisted on pension changes?
GATE: As I recall, whenever the Comptroller candidates in the last NYC election were asked about a new pension tier, every one of them except Yassky proclaimed that that was a matter to be worked out in collective bargaining–Liu was especially vehement about this.
EXPERT: So, what do they know? It's an easy duck for candidates and I seriously doubt any of them have a clue as to the real provisions of the Taylor Law. Check with Savino, she knows NY public employee law. (If she will still converse with you!)
Therefore, I am obligated to apologize for being as ignorant about pension law as the person who runs the City’s pension system.
And, Savino still converses with me, and I am not the one who initiates the conversations.
Bing makes the case against LIFO.
Time to Repeal Last In, First Out (LIFO) bill | OurTownNY ourtownny.com
The lines in the sand have been drawn, and it's been drawn on turf on which we can win! Obama's Speech: The Umpire Strikes Back | The New Republic www.tnr.com
Now, those of you on the left, will you please stop your incessant whining? Hendrik Hertzberg: Obama Cuts His Rhetorical Deficit www.newyorker.com
The part of "ObamaCare" Republicans object to is the "Obama" part (Part 347). Republicans criticized Democratic Medicare cuts last fall; now include them in their budget www.washingtonpost.com
There are so few opportunities for bi-partisan consensus, but I invite all my friends, left right & center, to join me in a hearty belly-laugh. 'Republican' Donald Trump Donated $50K to Democrat Rahm Emanuel | Red Dog Report | Red Dog Report reddogreport.com
As I’ve implied before, the concept of "Jews for Palin" in itself is a great argument for putting limits on the concept of "choice" Jews for Palin Misleadingly Advertises and Sponsors anti-Choice Event with Palin | NJDC Blog www.njdc.org
As I've also said before, it's a misnomer to call "Right to Lifers" anti-abortion, when they're really anti-sex. The War Behind the Abortion War www.nytimes.com
I wish Beck's parents had used the services of Planned Parenthood (Personal to Tasini: Does linking this make me a "scab"?) Glenn Beck Mocks Lawrence O'Donnell, Says Only 'Hookers' Need Planned Parenthood (AUDIO) www.huffingtonpost.com
Polls with self selected samples are of almost no value and serve no real purpose, except maybe for the one they hold on Election Day.
Dybbuk's take on Goldilox: “Dear Diary, my fairy tale stinks, and I write "Dear Diary" like you are alive. My only friend is a bear. Gosh, my life sucks so much.”
And if he had given me only three wives, and not a fourth; Dayenu! At BYU Seder, Mormons Dip, Eat, Sing Their Own ‘Dayenu’ – Forward.com www.forward.com
Query: Did Passover finally happen for the Egyptians this year? Pharoah may have been defeated, but what comes at the end of their wandering? I'm not sure Dayenu is always an adequate answer.