Author: Gatemouth

As strong as was my condemnation of the manner in which the recent Senate squall was resolved, I’m not about the take the step of naming heroes and villains, or to assert that any other possible resolution, however superior, was easily evolved, or even possible. Despite my earlier and relentless condemnation in their various incarnations of "The Four Horsemen of the Preposterous," "The Three Amigos," the "Aztec Two-Step," or "The Majority of One," I’m not even to prepared to condemn those Democrats (most prominently John Sampson and Marty Dilan) who negotiated with and through them to achieve the final settlement.

I’m not even sure how much I can really condemn the Republican Leader (as of today), Dean “The Dog” Skelos.

SD 33: Spare yourself the worry about who’s under indictment; if Pedro Espada is currently free from such worries, it is only a matter of time before he faces them again. It can be argued, in fact, that the legal process is the only option which may improve the quality of this district’s representation. Meanwhile, it is clear that, while incumbent Efrain Gonzalez sometimes rents himself to Republicans, his opponent, Former Senator Espada, is capable of selling himself to them outright; he‘s done so before…Hold your nose and vote for Gonzalez. — Gatemouth (9/8/08)

Back in 1989, disgusted with Ed Koch’s divisive administration, I sought an alternative.

Michael Kharfen, later to be Director of David Dinkins’ Community Assistance Unit (and my boss therein) told me, “If you don’t vote for David Dinkins, there will be racial discord, riots in the street and the days to day operations of City government in the hands of people like Norman Steisel.”

Damned if he wasn’t correct—I didn’t vote for David Dinkins, and all those things did happen.

The man I voted for had brought the MTA into the 20^th Century and just last year endeavored to bring it into the 21st; his name was and is Richard Ravitch.

He's good enough, he's smart enough and doggone it, people like him.  

GOVERNOR SANFORD: “I have been doing a lot of soul searching on that front. What I find interesting is the story of David, and the way in which he fell mightily, he fell in very very significant ways. But then picked up the pieces and built from there.”

Maria is my Bo Peep; she is special and unique and fabulous in a whole host of ways that are worth a much longer conversation.. To be continued

She maketh me to lie down to give me magnificently gentle kisses,

She leadeth me beside her tan lines and the curves of her hips and the erotic beauty of her holding herself (or two magnificent parts thereof) in the faded glow of night’s light

I really want to like Kevin Parker. Really.

There’s good reason why I should. Of the five Democratic State Senators who‘ve ever been indicted, Kevin is the only who has neither made common cause with the Republicans, nor has even threatened to.

Unlike the other members of that illustrious crew (who I shall refer to only by their nick-names: Embezzlement, Assault, Extortion and Heroin Dealing), Kevin has never been part of the Gang of Four, the Four Horsemen of the Preposterous, Carl and the Passions, The Three Amigos (“we want Amigo money”) or the Aztec Two-Step.

Though also accused of assault, Kevin has the virtue of loyalty, at least in regard to his party.

From THE RETURN OF MARTY CONNOR by Elizabeth Benjamin (6/23/09)

"…A short while ago, there was a little confab in the middle of the chamber floor between Shelly Mayer, counsel to the Senate Democrats, Sen. Malcolm Smith and former Minority Leader Marty Connor.

“I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials; and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all….

My alarm rang at 5:30 AM. I tried to remember why. It was primary day.

It is now the ninth day of Albany’s Time of Troubles and we’ve entered the game show phase.

Democrats have put forth a power-sharing agreement, while Republicans are insisting on the bigger share. If they do not decide who is in charge among themselves, a judge may decide it for them.

Democrats are saying “Let’s Make a Deal,” while Republican respond, “Monty, I’d rather see what’s behind door number three.”

The big surprise here is the unexpected willingness of the Democratic Conference, including Leader in Name Only Malcolm Smith, to behave like grown-ups. Looking back, historians may find this to be the one silver lining to this dark cloud reigning forth on our Capitol.