“And some (like, it seems to me, our friend Gatemouth) simply think all candidates are pretty much the same and despair of finding excitement in supporting a candidate…in fact they seem disdainful of anyone who actually shows some enthusiasm for a candidate.” —MOLE333

Although I once made the observation above the subject of a long meditation, I cannot deny its essential truth. Though some of them are fun to drink and swap stories with, I don’t much care for most pols.

Though I’ve long disdained the oldtime hacks and their admirers, who measure accomplishment only in terms of bringing home treasure, I’ve not been impressed with the late models either.

With our pension system operating like a runaway bus which might explode if it slows down, what is called for is a City Comptroller with a reputation for honesty and integrity so shining that we are blinded by the bright light of their integrity.

Instead, we are facing a choice between two competitors–arguably, the two best competitors who sought the office this year–who’ve not blinded our vision with the bright light of their integrity, but rather, blurred it with the fog they’ve generated.

John Liu is seemingly incapable of admitting the simple truth about the most basic details of his own biography. By contrast, David Yassky has never lied about his personal history, preferring instead to confine his distortions to where he stands on any issue he may have to vote upon.

Dateline: 7/8/09 Washington DC

Patrick giggled as he read the words of praise for the new Lieutenant Governor published on “Room Eight”

“The man…had brought the MTA into the 20^th Century and just last year endeavored to bring it into the 21st;….

Today, in a stunning act of audacity, [The Governor] named him as Lieutenant Governor.

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/nydn?tag=Richard+Ravitch

July 9, 2009 11:30 AM By Elizabeth Benjamin

Sen. George Winner took on the role of Senate GOP attack dog this morning, saying the Democrat-controlled Assembly should look into trying to impeach Gov. David Paterson for his "willful violations" of the state Constitution by moving to appoint Richard Ravitch lieutenant governor.

“I think anytime you are talking about willful violations of the Constitution for political purposes, as I believe the governor is doing, I think it’s a fair game to take a look at it," the Elmira Republican told reporters, including the DN's Glenn Blain.

A DAILY GOTHAM WRITER (7/25/08): I don't go out of my way to trash people to my left. I don't do that, despite the occasional temptation to do so, for the simple reason that I don't consider it strategically wise, and because I'm more interested in beating republicans. This is the Overton Window.

You, by contrast, invest copious amounts of effort into tearing down people who are on your side. When I critique Democrats, it's usually from the left or on the basis of good-government arguments. You do so from the right. What you do with that is validate rightwing frames. Congratulations if this has never occurred to you before.

Please don’t think for a minute that I am angry about losing my race last Tuesday, because I am not. My mind is at ease. I am at peace with myself. I am back to walking around the apartment in the nude. And I am writing poetry again. I am glad I ran. I wouldn’t trade the strange experience of this campaign for anything. It was rather informative and revealing. It’s just that I have to get a few things off my mind and that’s why I am writing this particular two-part column: that’s all. And by now some of you must know that I hate to keep hot things on my chest unless it is a female human; so here goes. (BTW: my comment section is closed).

A wise man once said that success usually comes after moving from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. Another one said that the best way to succeed at something is by increasing your failure rate. Either way, both sages lauded tenacity and persistence. I concur; and that's one of many reasons why I am formally announcing today that I will be running again next year, despite my defeat at the polls last Tuesday 15th September, in the 40th city council district democrat's primary.

Next September (2010) I intend to run for two positions in the Democratic primary election. Firstly, I will run for the 42nd Assembly seat in the state legislature, against the incumbent Ms. Rhoda Jacobs. The incumbent is presently getting a salary for the position, and a pension for the same position: at the same time. I believe that what she is doing is wrong. This is double-dipping. She filed her resignation papers last year but has stayed in the post while collecting two checks.

Our Parent, Our Ruler; I have sinned before thee.

For the sin of endorsing worthy candidates, who seemed to have been jinxed as a result.

For the sin of failing to endorse and write on behalf of candidates I should have, because it was the path of least resistance.

For the sin of listening to imbeciles about who the strongest prospects were in districts I knew too little about (yes, Steve Behar did end up runner-up to Paul Vallone in that he ran fourth to Vallone’s third).

Even before last night’s Waterloo, those of us on the center and left who’ve railed endlessly against the perfidy of the WFP/ACORN/DFS axis of evil have found ourselves hamstrung by several inconvenient factors.

The first is that our outrage has inconveniently coincided with Republican outrage mostly focused on ACORN slovenliness, as opposed to illegality. Even I have defended ACORN from such calumny in the past, though Republicans may have a point about ACORN’s failure to adequately separate the not-for-profit sectors from the political sector. Of course, Republicans may want to reflect upon the fact that their insistence on privatizing so many government functions is what led ACORN to be the recipient of so many government contracts during their administrations.