Author: Gatemouth

No And Yes (Charter Changes)

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There are two propositions to change the City’s Charter on the ballot, but neither makes the change we really need, which is to take away the Mayor’s power to appoint charter commission every time he has a bad hair day or a contract to pay off. This year’s Commission derives solely from the Mayor's need to get fellow billionaire Ron Lauder to take a dive and let him have a third term.

However, let us consider these proposals on their merits.  

Guys and Dolls (The Gateway)

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FUGUE FOR TINHORNS: State Senate Democrats John “Sky Masterson” Sampson Malcolm “Nathan Detroit” Smith and Eric “Nicely-Nicely“ Adams display their knowledge of race tracks and why the conference they lead will shortly be known as “The Shortest Established Temporary Floating Crap-Game in New York”: Please note that one of the horses in the song is named "EPITATH" Guys And Dolls – Horse Right Here (opening number) ww.youtube.com

　

In Defense of Jimmy McMillan

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DAILY NEWS EDITORIAL (4/21/2000):EMBARRASSED AFTER GETTING caught trying to run a rigged presidential primary, New York's Republican leaders have suddenly become converts to the cause of ballot reform. Better late than never – but they still are falling short of a fully democratic process….While they're at it, they also should reform the ballot-access rules for all the other races in the state. Aside from the presidential primary, New York's ballot rules, designed to help those favored by party bosses, are among the most unfair in the nation.

Primary elections must be as open as possible – to all candidates.  

The Gateway (Access Makes The Heart Grow Fonder Edition)

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"Access" is what lobbyists say they peddle when questioned about the propriety of their activities, but the term often has meaning far more elastic than its dictionary definition.

But, in the case of DiNapoli, it appears that "access", in the dictionary sense, was all they got. Those who paid lobbyists (whether they were registered as such or not) good money for "access" to DiNapoli seem mostly to have been scammed.

I'm not sure exactly what the scandal is supposed to be here, though it is a little distressing that the State Comptroller had so much "access" to give. Tom DiNapoli's Appointment Logs: He's Just Too Nice a Guy blogs.villagevoice.com

　

How to Vote for Cuomo and How to Vote Against Him (Gubernatorial Endorsement, Part Two)

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Although I’ve endorsed Andrew Cuomo for Governor, as the only real option for grown-ups, I think this is one of those elections where casting a protest vote is not an unreasonable option.

Barring an epidemic outbreak of mental retardation crossed with xenophobia, there is no chance that Carl Paladino is going to be elected Governor. This means can cast a symbolic n vote for someone else with a clear conscience, if one does it carefully.

If there were a preferable candidate on the ballot I might cast such a vote myself.

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