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The Latest
Educating William Kristol
|In today’s NY Times (Monday, May 19), the Republican flack, who the Times claims is a conservative commentator William Kristol wrote the following
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On Tuesday night, while the G.O.P. Congressional candidate was losing in a Mississippi district George Bush carried in 2004 by 25 points, Barack Obama was being trounced in the West Virginia Democratic primary — by 41 points. I can’t find a single recent instance of a candidate who ultimately became his party’s nominee losing a primary by this kind of margin
Nobody’s Gonna Pay You to Tell the Truth
|Annual retrospectives seem to be the custom here at Room Eight, so I thought I’d write about what motivates me to spend my time researching data and writing essays for this site. I do so without pay or compensation of any kind, and without knowing how many people actually download the spreadsheets and read the essays, if any at all. In part I’m just doing what I was trained to do – compile and analyze information bearing on government policy. That’s a skill I found to be worth little in government because public policy generally consists of deals, favors and non-decisions rather than decisions, and for those no background information is required. And in part I’m taking the opportunity to raise questions about those deals and favors, and their effect on people I care about and our future, which is my children’s future. It is a response to my frustration that there are so many open secrets that no one dares to talk about. In general, the only way to get paid to compile public policy information is to work for a privileged group seeking to maintain or expand those privileges at everyone’s expense. A fair analysis of comprehensive information is not in their interest. No one is going to pay you to tell the truth.
Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign meets Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhat
| (This is part one of a two-part column; please note).
On the 20th March, 2003, the USA and 30 allied countries initiated the invasion of a sovereign nation (Iraq), with military action that is currently referred to as the “Iraqi War”. In terms of levity on the foreign-policy front, political writers have had little to laugh at ever since. This is -and continues to be- serious stuff. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost; hundreds of thousands of humans have been maimed and/or wounded; millions of people have been displaced; trillions of dollars have been wastefully spent internationally; and most objective people are still trying to figure out the real reason(s) for this multi-faceted carnage.
ISHTAR
|“And, from my vantage point as a pragmatic Clintonite/DLC, neo-lib, New Democrat, Hillary (now that Feingold has departed and Kerry self destructed) stands as the least pragmatic choice available for 2008. If propping her up is the real reason behind efforts for Dean’s removal, I’ll yell out a hog-call for Howard and the level playing field he ensures, as I prepare to support Bayh, Biden, Richardson, Obama or Gore” –Gatemouth 11/13/06
The Cream Rises
|Announcement from the Democratic National Convention Committee:
BLOGGER CREDENTIALING AND THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: 2008 DemConvention State Blogger Corps:
Recognizing the growth of more localized blogs, this pool is designed for those covering state and local politics. To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant’s blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.
Fool Me Once Shame On You, Fool Me Twice Shame On Me
|The news is that the MTA may not be able to sell the West Side rail yards to help pay for the capital plan after all. The deal between the MTA and developer Tishman Speyer fell through.
Some time ago, the New York City Partnership (equivalent to the Chamber of Commerce) put out a report saying the Second Avenue Subway (SAS) should be cancelled, since the Upper East Side is already built out and that investment wouldn't generate growth, but the Flushing Line extension was critical because it would open up a new area to development. I wrote to them in opposition. My response at the time was that the promise of the SAS already induced lots of building on the East Side, and the failure to deliver left Upper East Side residents paying massive taxes while cramming onto the Lex like sardines. If the Partnership was against the SAS from a cost-benefit perspective, I said, what it should be in favor of on the West Side was promising the Flushing Extension, borrowing money for the Flushing Extension, planning the Flushing Extension, having lots of people invest in new buildings expecting to be served by the Flushing Extension, collecting massive taxes on those new buildings, but then NEVER ACTUALLY BUILD IT. Future residents and workers of Hudson Yards could walk over to 8th Avenue and cram on the 8th Avenue line instead.
Where the Money Comes From And Where It Goes
|Most of the time, those elsewhere in the state don’t bother to justify the fact that New York City residents are expected to pay local higher taxes (all taxes combined) as a share of their income while receiving inferior public services, and those in older generations don’t justify why younger people should face higher taxes and a diminished quality of life. The simply assert that they and people like them deserve more, and no one makes them face the fact that others will be left with less. To the extent that it is justified, however, the reasons include “they don’t need it,” “they don’t deserve it,” and “we don’t have it. New York City residents are simultaneously scored for being rich and scorned for being poor, while the “good people” who “make it on their own” by being “hard working” live elsewhere. Except in recessions, when there isn’t enough money to go around and, well, the good people deserve to keep what they’ve got. In light of a 40-year river of contempt, I’ve compiled from recently-released BEA data on where New York’s money comes from and where it goes. Basically, it comes from Manhattan, and goes everywhere else.
Let’s get ready to rumble: Expect 21st Senatorial District primary to be a mudbath
|Come September, in Brooklyn’s 21st senatorial district, the incumbent Kevin Parker is being challenged by NYC councilman Dr. Kendall Stewart. The pompous Senator Parker-who once “pooh-poohed” this challenge- is probably about to find himself in a mud-wrestling match, over the upcoming months. Word is that both sides are gearing up for a big fight. Are you really surprised?
A political operative from Bed-Stuy recently asked me whether or not Caribbean-Americans were trying to pull a coup in Brooklyn politics; I said no. He told me that rumors were out there that Caribs were intent on challenging Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Assemblyman Camara (43rdAD), Senator John Sampson (19thSD) and Parker, all at the same time. I don’t believe an iota of this. I have heard of no such organized attempt to change the power equation. As it stands now, Caribbean-Americans hold two city council seats (Stewart and Mathieu Eugene), and one Assembly seat (Nick Perry/ 58thAD). They hold no congressional seats, no state senate seats, and only two district leaderships out of forty-two in Brooklyn. Thus the perception that Caribs are on some political power play (or trip) is so untrue it isn’t funny. This misperception dates back to when Panamanian-born State Senator Waldaba Stewart, was elected in Central Brooklyn- back in the 1970s.There has always been this perception (exaggeration) that Caribbean-Americans hold some disproportionate edge in political power/influence in Brooklyn’s majority-black areas; the reality however is that this has never ever been the case. Caribs have never held more than three offices at any one time in Brooklyn’s political history. Given that they are one million strong in the borough, you would think that it will be only fair if they do make some power moves; but then the Caribbean-American vote is not organized: it has never been organized. It will probably never be organized. What does Caribbean-American mean anyway?
Danny’s Environmental Untruth Squadron: Organic Fertilizer or Toxic Waste?
|According to “EPL/Environmental Advocates”, which publishes “New York’s Only Environmental Scorecard for State Lawmakers”, the “Bigger Better Bottle Bill” (BBBB) expands the definition of “beverage” in the current bottle deposit law to include non-carbonated drinks other than milk and liquor, and to direct unclaimed deposits to the Environmental Protection Fund.
EPL classifies BBBB as one of its five “Super Bills”, a term it uses to describe their legislative priorities, chosen by their “Green Panel”, which includes representatives from New York State’s leading environmental groups. “Super Bills” are deemed by EPL to be so important that they are counted in their legislative ratings, even if they were not voted on—a phenomenon all too common in Albany.