Category: News and Opinion

As public policy, “Welfare Reform” has been a mixed bag, although it would surely be less so if the Democratic Congress elected in 1992 had not declared the nuanced and moderate proposals Bill Clinton had put forth in his first Presidential campaign as DOA. I am among those who believe that the Gingrich revolution of 1994, and its Contract on America, might have been forestalled, and some of the more draconian aspects of “ending welfare as we knew it” could have been avoided, if Democrats had endeavored to follow through on the effort to make welfare a “second chance” instead of a “way of life,” rather than leaving that effort to the Party which wanted it to be neither.

A politically ambitious young man meets a well-connected (son of the former chair of the local electric company, with a wife who worked at a local white shoe law firm) local activist who lived in his neighborhood at a meeting about education.

Like any smart candidate, the pol wannabe follows up. Both men become heavily involved in an education project sponsored by a foundation headed by a former Reagan administration ambassador.

Later in the year, when the young man runs for office, the activist holds a small coffee for the young candidate at his home. The young candidate wins. Two years later, the City where both lived names the activist “Man of the Year.” Still later, the two men both serve on the Board of a local anti-poverty group and attend about a dozen meetings together over the years. During this time, the activist gives the pol a check for $200, which, given his resources, seems rather stingy. Even after the pol leaves the board, the two men find themselves appearing together in panel discussions at least twice, and say hello to each other when they run into each other.

“Even at this late hour in the campaign, there are essential things we don't know about Senator Obama or the record that he brings to this campaign…

…My opponent has invited serious questioning by announcing a few weeks ago that he would quote — "take off the gloves." Since then, whenever I have questioned his policies or his record, he has called me a liar.

Rather than answer his critics, Senator Obama will try to distract you from noticing that he never answers the serious and legitimate questions he has been asked. But let me reply in the plainest terms I know. I don't need lessons about telling the truth to American people. And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn't seek advice from a Chicago politician.

The Treaty of the Tycoons between Mike Bloomberg, indispensable Mayor and Ronald Lauder, sperm lottery winner and former patronage employee in the Reagan administration raises some interesting questions about the future Charter Revision Commission.

Lauder’s mouthpiece, Howard Rubenstein told the NY Post on behalf of the toilet water  heir “I will reluctantly support the mayor's legislation to extend term limits to three terms, with the understanding that I will serve on a Charter-revision commission which will place the questions of the number of terms before the voters in 2010."

Now that Michael “Caesar” Bloomberg has disrespected “we” the people of New York City, it is only fitting that we (the little people) fight back. With this in mind, let me announce today, that I am starting a “Draft State Senator Eric Adams for Mayor” initiative. And before you fly off your rockers claiming that I am being somewhat reactionary: let me state just a few of my reasons here. 

To me, the worst thing any elected official can do to the ideals of democracy is disrespect the voter’s will. My ancestors died for the right to vote in this country. My matriarch and patriarch (Amphy and Bashana Jackson) fought in the 1812 War. Many of my kinfolk -in both the Caribbean and North America- gave blood for the democratic cause. It is in their honor that I will strongly oppose what Bloomberg and company intends to do: no matter how much the deck is stacked against me. Overturning term-limits through cowardly legislation is wrong with a capital “W”. This is one of the worst things I have seen in politics anywhere.

Long time readers of this blog may recall this post from more than two years ago, in which I predicted the City Council would sneak a term limits referendum onto the ballot for the November 2007 election, when virtually no public offices were being contested and virtually no one would be showing up to vote. I over-estimated the character of these officials and the Mayor; they have decided not to bother with any referendum at all. I also predicted, over and over, the bursting of the housing bubble, the end of excess consumer spending over and above income, and the detonation of exotic financial instruments like CDOs and managers like hedge funds, with collateral damage for public employee pension funds and thus public services and taxes. To me, and many others, it was completely obvious that all this would have to unravel sooner or later, and it’s amazing it went on as long as it did. Here I underestimated the damage.

Lost in the uproar over Mayor Mike’s back flips over the question of term limits, our billionaire Mayor made another curious announcement over the weekend.

Bloomberg told the Daily News, he won’t tell New Yorkers who he will vote for in the Presidential election.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/10/05/2008-10-05_mayor_bloombergs_got_a_secret_his_pick_f-1.html

"Did America hang itself with Asian rope?" A Financial Times correspondent put the question to a Chinese official. "Quick as a flash, he responded: 'No. It drowned itself in Asian liquidity.'”   "In one sense, this is a story of Asian prudence versus US recklessness. By accumulating vast savings – China and Japan alone boast 40 per cent of global central bank reserves – Asians have lived below their means so that Americans could live beyond theirs. Asia bankrolled US budget and trade deficits and provided the cash for banks and individuals to go on a spending spree and for Washington to fight wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."  Nice party some people had, promising our childrens' future, individually and collectively, in exchange.  But suddenly, there is no money in the United States.  Where did it all go?  And why now?

IFILL: Would you like to have an opportunity to answer that before we move on?

PALIN: I'm still on the tax thing because I want to correct you on that again. And I want to let you know what I did as a mayor and as a governor. And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also.