Pinche Snow

Hijole,

It really snowed -- here are some fotos of the snow that's fallen over the last few days!

Reformistas, part 2.

Prior to the 2006 elections, a small group of folks of color, began discussing the need to develop a process that explores and analyses public policy in New York through the prism of progressive politics. Our concern has focused on the need to strengthen public sector institutions in order to balance the massive right-wing array of so-called think tanks like the Manhattan Institute, Cato Institute, etc. In our discussions, many of us raised concerns about Spitzer's agenda since he seems oblivious to that need. In fact, some of his current appointees raise red flags. For example, does anyone seriously think that a former registered lobbyist for the energy industry will fight for progressive policies in this area at the expense of business interests. A nominee plucked from business will after all need to return to that industry; loyalty to business interests is after all more important than the public good. In addition, we recognized that another ally in this process are unions and their umbrella organizations such as CBTU, LCLAA, etc. Progressives need to defend and expand the right of workers to organize themselves. Unions have been one of the sources for the political enfranchisement of those at the bottom rungs of our society. For example, Wal-Mart would be a better company if its workers were unionized.

I hope that this background helps to explain my concern about the current Albany reform mantra. The Brennan Center's Report suggests a process that would introduce some modicum of efficiency into how the Legislature makes decisions. Currently we have a legislature that rewards the few at the expense of the many; so does this mean we need to do this in a more efficient manner? It is a very peculiar notion especially since the type of reform advocated by the Brennan Center does not attempt to address the real problem of this state, namely, the growing chasm between the rich and poor.

We are living in a new gilded age. The concentrations of wealth in this country have not been this stark since the time of the robber barons. Our mean streets bring to mind Brecht's lyrics from the Three Penny Opera "the shark has pretty teeth dear, And he shows them pearly white." Economic mobility is at a virtual standstill in this country while Scandinavians, Canadians and Germans appear to be experiencing better rates of mobility.

We know that education is a major factor in economic success, yet, according to OECD data the United States is rapidly falling behind other countries. We rank 16th out of the 27 OECD countries for people completing a college degree. New Yorkers over the last three decades have seen a persistent downward trend in financial support for CUNY and SUNY. The decline in state and federal support for students to meet the increasing cost of higher education has made it almost impossible for lower income New Yorkers to get a SUNY or CUNY degree without going deeply into debt. Running parallel with this development has been the creation of an administrative philosophy within academe that accepts declining state and federal support. The result has been the creation of a bloated upper administrative tier to implement such regressive policies which are camouflaged through business-speak about accountability, etc. Meanwhile, Albany's educational public policy has shifted away from the support of public higher education. Instead, New York's private higher educational institutions, some with billion dollar endowments, receive direct and indirect subsidies from the public trough under the veil of equality.

This problem has been exacerbated by the decline in manufacturing jobs with decent wages for working class Americans. The marketplace is controlled by right-of-center memes including the notion that business should not be constrained in its ongoing desire to relocate at will in its search for cheap and pliable labor. Within New York we have seen massive relocations of jobs to China and other climes. I, for one, have never understood why Jim Walsh still holds his seat in Syracuse. He did very little to prevent Carrier from almost single handedly destroying the economy of Syracuse. Thousands of working class people lost their jobs and prospects for a better future when Carrier relocated to China. In the capitol region GE shipped a major part of its manufacturing base to China without nary a peep from the Governor or legislative leaders.

Throughout all of the above, the New York State Legislature sat passively, muttered about some of these problems and then lined their pockets and those of their pals. The ghost of Tammany Hall still infects Albany. IMO this process will continue as long as we can pay for this slime with profits from the financial services sector; no one in seems to want to open that curtain even though we can heard the wizard clanking away back there....

I suppose that at some future date we'll have a state government that fights for the average New Yorker. It certainly will not happen in this legislative session. I say this with a modicum of confidence since a muckraking trust-busting approach is not really the centerpiece of the Steamroller's or the Legislature's agenda.

IMO we need progressive candidates instead of lame fools who do not fight for the needs of working folks. I think we need to cull those who would oppose progressive policies. However, this does not mean replacing the rotten apples with apparatchiks whose sole role is to efficiently rubber stamp the Steamroller's whims. Hence, I still question Spitzer's judgment in calling up Assemblyman Ball and applauding his comments.

But I guess this explains why I'm blogging and Assemblyman Ball is sitting in Albany getting Eliot's phone calls.