There are few people who would deny that Elliot Spitzer has done a decent job as Attorney General of New York State. I would think only a handful maybe, and probably Republicans mostly. Some of his detractors say he is a bit aggressive and “macho”, others say he is a bully. Others yet claim that he is an “alpha–male” all the way, possessing too much testosterone. Point being, there is no real attack on his competency and/or capability. In most regards, this is good for Spitzer.
The only area where Spitzer seems vulnerable is the one where his relationship with Albany legislators can be gauged. The least you can say is that he has been quite accommodating. Can anyone find the public attacks on Albany (from Spitzer) in the past decade? And for sure, most elected officials are lining up in droves to endorse him. Not surprisingly, his endorsement list will be an Albany “who is who” list.
Yet, day after day, week/fortnight/month/quarter/year after year, we have all heard the complaints about the dysfunction that is Albany. Some of the griping even came out of our own mouths, you and me, so don’t even try a denial. This has been going on for at least a dozen years, if not a score. You know it, and I know it.
Well the time has come to put up or shut up. It’s time to stand up and be counted.
Yesterday, Tom Suozzi bravely called for the removal of Joe Bruno (Rep./ Senate Majority Leader) and Sheldon Silver (Dem./Speaker of the State Assembly), because of their glaring failures over the years. What he stopped short of calling for (and he should have), was the removal of ALL the enablers and co-conspirators, in this ongoing comedy of errors. So now it’s time to take Suozzi seriously, since the gubernatorial race is truly warming up.
Surely yesterday’s call will not garner support for Suozzi, from the entrenched power-players aiming to maintain the status-quo. Nor will it garner support for him from those (s)elected “yes-men” lacking of spine and backbone, whose strings Bruno and Silver dangle minute by minute. In fact, this is a gambit if ever there was one in New York politics. The battle lines are not blurred anymore. Swords have been drawn.
If any of you who have griped over the years, believe that Elliot Spitzer is about reforming Albany, then the coronation can continue; but if you don’t, then Tom Suozzi needs your help. It’s your move and the meter is running.