I was surprised to see the Times venting about the need for elections in an editorial.  “Any New Yorker who is not furious at the mention of their state capital, Albany, has not been paying attention,” according to the newspaper. So we should write letters and ask them nicely to do better, and give them credit for the slightest improvement? Perhaps not. “The place needs a thorough cleaning — a giant broom to sweep out the rascals, starting with the State Legislature. We are not in favor of term limits, but the idea gains currency when most people who get elected in New York State keep their seats until they retire, die or go to jail.” That does seem to be the two options doesn’t it — term limits or perpetual incumbency? Except at the state and federal level, where there is only one option, because they aren’t going to put term limits on themselves. “So, here is how to change Albany: find and support somebody daring and thick-skinned enough to run against the local legislator.” Well, from their lips to God’s ears. But I can’t help but contrast this editorial with the response of the newspaper when I took the trouble to run myself (as I wrote about here)– ignore what I was saying despite repeated requests, and then publish an editorial just before Election Day that said I was one of only two or three people running for election that no one should listen to.

Every now and again something really nice happens in this life. If you are lucky and/or patient enough: it happens more often than not. This is not to downplay the everyday wonders of life- that marvel most of us who appreciate every waking day- but only to say that some days are sweeter than others; that’s all. For the most part, I have been lucky in this life; but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t had my share of bull-crap; believe me when I say I have; sometimes bad days have come in rows. All in all, bad days are few and far and in between; and I thank God for that.

Something nice happened on Tuesday 8th April, 2008, that I want to share with some of you. You see; there are over nine million political stories in this naked city: New York; this is a different kinda political story. Enjoy.

The state budget has passed, but to judge by news reports the Governor and State Comptroller have already said mid-year emergency budget cuts will be required. And we can only assume the victims will be the same as always — New York City schools, which will be diverting hundreds of millions of dollars out of the classroom to the retired as a result of the recent pension deal in any event, infrastructure and the poor. Money will be borrowed, and taxes will be increased — but not on the retired, who pay no state taxes. And all this will happen after the election. It’s one thing for me to say it. It’s another for them to say it. I guess they figure they don’t even have to pretend anymore.

During the past year of reporting and commentary on “Troopergate”, many have criticized the various government agencies involved in investigating the matter.

Fred Dicker of the Post, Michael Godwin of the News and the Post Editorial Board say the Albany County District Attorney was said to be too partisan because he was a Democrat.

Of the numerous things Rudy Giuliani did that I disliked, possibly the worst was his habit of using slurring critics and others by using past “criminal” behavior.

The most notorious instance was his illegal leaking of the sealed juvenile record of Patrick Dorismond, a completely innocent man killed by NYC police officers. But that was not the only time Rudy did this.

I was surprised on Sunday to see the Bloomberg administration is now behaving in a similar way.

The Daily News printed the following –

Some time in the very near future, the cost of the Medicare program will exceed Medicare tax revenues by enough that general revenues cover more than 45 percent of the program. Social Security will start running a deficit, to be made up by money diverted from elsewhere, within a decade. Generous early retirement for state and local employees, combined with increasing lifespans, mean that in any community without significant population growth the number of ex-government workers receiving pay and benefits for nothing will approach or even exceed the number actually still providing public services. The massive infrastructure built after WWII is aging, the previous urban infrastructure is still not at a state of good repair, little new infrastructure has been added since 1973, and the cost of building and repairing the infrastructure has soared. And on top of this, there are the enormous debts bequeathed by the generations now in charge to those who will follow. Whereas today’s elected officials stay in office by handing out favors to interest groups, tomorrow’s may face the ongoing task of handing out sacrifices, disappointments and losses to an increasingly stressed public. In an attempt to do something else, they’ll be looking for initiatives that can be sold as public benefits that have one critical characteristic – little or no public cost.

Although the focus has been on the presidential primaries- where I have been batting in the .900 range- the beat goes on in NYC politics. Especially in my favorite borough: Brooklyn. So let’s catch up on things (important or not) for the political crack heads out there. I will leave my comment section open for this one, but please: “don’t start no shit” (as the late great Richard Pryor used to say/lol).

Word is that our first black governor (David Paterson) is pissed at the Bill lynch crew. He needs to get a friggin grip. Bill Lynch and Associates have always had his back and he needs to show some more loyalty. Trust me when I say he will need that crew again real soon. Didn’t Luther Smith (Associate) step in to do damage control when Patterson’s Lieutenant-governor campaign was in the doldrums? Didn’t Bill help in putting together the support that convinced Spitzer to select David? And did they not work hard to convince many to help convince David to run; even when he was reluctant to do so? Did they not help keep Ms. Eve in the fold when she could have caused some problems by running for the position? After all: she was out there first. Anyway; the point is: David Paterson needs to know where his true friends reside. Bill Lynch and Associates have been -and still is- very loyal to the governor.

New York’s city-councilman Doctor Kendall Stewart grew up on some rough streets in the Caribbean. He was born on Union Island, and lived in Grenada, St. Vincent and Trinidad (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago). He is a fighter. He came to New York here from rather humble circumstances, and has made a success of himself as a podiatrist, realtor, entrepreneur, impresario and politician. Don’t underrate his fortitude and independence. Sometimes he swims upstream against the crowd; other times he cuts against the grain. He can be somewhat unpredictable at times; but in general I like him as a human being. And no; that isn’t because he was the only district leader to endorse and support me when I ran for the State Assembly in 1998; it’s because he and I have been friends for more than twenty years. I first met him at one of his social clubs on Church Avenue, way back when I was a much younger man-still hanging out on weekends looking for action.

As I wrote earlier, beginning about eight months ago I’ve been riding a bicycle to and from work three or four days per week, something I wish I had done 20 years ago. It was something I had long been interested in, but which had seemed impractical without a host of unavailable services — indoor bicycle parking, showers, a place at work to store business attire, etc. But after a little research and given “business casual” clothes that can be carried in a bag, I have found that it is doable after all, even though my commute is nine miles in each direction. I haven’t been riding to save the earth or save money — the subway, my other transportation mode, does a very good job of both, particularly with TransitChek. What bicycling to work has done has allowed me to improve my health by getting lots of exercise without using very much of my most scarce resource — time. I’m a little late to the party, but riding to work given me a new perspective on certain health, personal finance, transportation, and city planning issues. This post on the bicycle and personal lifestyle and the one following on the bicycle and public policy are based on this new perspective, and the upcoming institutional collapse I wrote about previously.

Most Democrats that I’ve spoken to are freaked out with fears that the long Presidential Primary campaign will split the Party and elect John McCain in November.

A report by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press is an example of why Democrats are worried.

Here are some highlights –