Silver Not the King of Albany
He is The Last of the Mohicans
Why are the columnists and newspaper editorials calling Speaker Silver the King or Boss of Bosses in Albany, when he is neither? He is really the Last of the Mohicans in a dysfunctional legislature out of touch with the state they represent, unaware and unaccountable to the needs of the people they work for. New York's economic power and culture are dying, we do not have a king we have people picking the bones of what great men once built here.
Albany became untouchable over the years for a number of reasons: 1. they redirect billions in government money to use for their political needs. 2. They took over and weakened the political parties to prevent any serious competition to their elected positions. 3. The press, due to corporate ownership takeovers and long before Internet technology and the recession weakened their product, began to see their function as cheerleaders for the City’s rich instead of the people’s watchdog once envisioned by the founding fathers.
New York’s economy is in free fall largely because the city and state budget became so addicted to Wall Street Ponzi schemes. Even if the nation’s economy recovers, the days of wine and roses are gone for this generation of New Yorkers.
We now watch this monster Albany, with the help of all its public relations aids on the payroll, function unaffected by the reality of the state’s economy or the long range consequences of the actions they are taking in continuing their Ponzi schemes. As Bernie Madoff now knows in his jail cell in lower Manhattan, all Ponzi schemes must come to an end. All that the city's elected officials want now is to get past the 2009 elections before the cash runs out. Albany's elected officials want what the Last of the Mohicans wanted - to live another day. *** THE KING OF NY SHELDON SILVER'S SUPREME POWER NO New York politician in modern times, not even the storied Gov. Nelson Rocke feller, ever wielded the influence now enjoyed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver -- a Lower East Side boy grown rich...MORE > *** “What has become disturbingly clear is that Governor Paterson has handed over much of New York’s considerable power and enormous budget to the Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver,” writes the Times editorial board writes *** Objectionable, Inevitable Why Shelly Silver isn't going anywhere he doesn't want to go anytime soon.
The City $TIMULATING FOOD STAMPS Poor New Yorkers will get a 13 percent increase in their monthly food-stamp allowance from economic stimulus money *** City dropping the ball on abandoned & stolen cars MYFOXNY.COM *** Author Joins Fight To Keep Brooklyn Tower Grounded *** Divorce in NY is Painful and Costly and Lawyers Love It *** Study Finds Vast Overspending by Schools Dept. *** Lion King on Broadway for only $15? *** Fifth Avenue jeweler goes bust *** Manhattan Real-Estate Market Skids as Sales Slump *** Cheers and Jeers for Costly New Ballpark *** City makes new bid for Coney property; deal would pave way for revamp *** Realty bites in Manhattan as sales at crawl *** Butcher plays supper man to dozens of laid-off New Yorkers *** 11-car train tested to ease 'F' line rush hour crunch *** There’s only enough stimulus money to fix 15 of 42 blocks on the Coney Island Boardwalk *** Shutoffs to Resume for Water Bill Deadbeats *** TNPM Study Questions Fee System for Central Park Weddings *** Deputy Mayor Paints GM Scenario With City Pensions
Inspector Clouseau Meets the Spin Doctor DA Hynes sets up a progam and press hit to lesson the effect of a new book that says he has done nothing about the problem of sexual abuse in the orthodox community HYNES HIT FOR 'LIP SERVICE' Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes announced a new initiative yesterday to combat sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community -- even as a new book hit the market trashing his handling of those cases...more > Dumb Press Falls for Trick *** Focus on Sex Crimes in Orthodox Jewish Communities *** Brooklyn Orthodox get outreach project *** Rabbis knock DA's sex abuse hotline ***
More Inspector Clouseau Pension scandal zaps aide of Alan Hevesi's son, too *** Developers's mortgage fraud bilked $18M from Hasidic community: feds
Road to City Hall ED. BIGS' $700M LESSON IN MATH Department of Education contracts for goods and services have exceeded their cost estimates by nearly $700 million over the past two years, City Comptroller Bill Thompson charged yesterday...more > *** GOP BOSS COY ON BLOOMBERG *** Party Politics, Backlash Surround Bloomberg Bid *** Grocery Workers to Back Bloomberg, Slighting Democratic Rival *** DN Editorial: Way too clubby Of all the gin joints on all the avenues of this city, candidate for Manhattan district attorney Leslie Crocker Snyder held a fund-raiser last night in a club with a history of brawls and rampant drug sales *** The Rev. Al Sharpton is the new sheriff politics needs *** Bronx Beat: Filling county clerk's job could be a brawl *** Steele Urges Republicans to Be More Accepting, But Not Necessarily When It Comes to Bloomberg *** Bloomberg Heads to Sharpton, Barron Yawns *** TNPM Tonight: Rivera Endorses Thompson, Bloomberg Dines With NY Republicans and Romney
City's Economy Sinking Council awakens to flood of red ink *** CRISIS HITS HOME: M'HATTAN MA$$ACRE - Sales of Manhattan homes fell through the floor during the
first three months of this year as the meltdown on Wall Street and the failure of banking giants like Lehman Brothers kept jittery buyers...more > *** Day laborers becoming homeless From City Limits *** Apartments Sell for Less if They Are Sold at All *** Manhattan condo sales plummet *** City faces revenue shortfall of $438M *** Realty bites in Manhattan as sales at crawl *** NYC, nearby suburbs 'very likely' to falling real estate prices *** Quinn called the city's budget outlook "dire." *** Passover Candy Company In Financial Trouble.
Paterson rips Senate on MTA Attempts to hammer out a transit bailout failed to get off the ground on Wednesday - and Gov. Paterson expressed frustration, particularly with the state Senate.
Albany DINAPOLI RIPS FELLOW DEMS: BLASTS 'DANGER' BUDGET *** DINAPOLI DUCKS What happens, after all, when the stimulus dough runs out? Barring an economic miracle, the state will be on the hook for billions that it can't cover ***Hospitalized Senator Delays State Budget Vote Again *** Debate and a Senator’s Trip to the Hospital Delay Votes on the Budget *** Emissions Change Considered by Governor Would Affect Few Power Plants *** Talks Stall on M.T.A. Rescue Plan *** MTA Rescue Plan Is Likely Delayed Until Next Week *** The Senate Stands at Ease *** BOOZE BOSS IN RAGE AT FIRINGS The chairman of the State Liquor Authority ripped into the agency's board yesterday with all the fury of a drunk at last call -- accusing it of forcing the resignation of two...more > *** Long-winded lawmakers fail to pass state budget *** Editorial: Express to doomsday As of now, thanks to the bums in Albany, the MTA is broke. It has no choice but to go ahead with its doomsday plan. Hello, 28% fare hikes. Goodbye, W and Z lines - DN Ed *** The budget is now two days late and no legislators are getting paid *** The Empire Center launched a Spend-o-Meter to track spending in the state budget *** The Empire State Games appear dead for the summer *** State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson remain ill, and there are discussions of suspending Senate rules to allow the chamber to enact a state budget *** Red-light cameras could be spreading around the state *** Bob McManus says the state budget Sheldon Silver crafted includes $687,000 for the non-profit run by the husband of his chief of staff *** She Came, She Voted, She Left DN Blog *** NY1 Exclusive: Ailing City Senator To Vote For State Budget *** TNPM Paterson Will Let Members Rest, Forgo His Member Items, Tax Limbaugh Anyway
President Obama WORLD CAN'T PASS THE BUCK OVER MONEY MESS: O *** Bam Books Visits This Year To China And Russia *** O, What A Day: Brits Find Guest Jolly Good Fun *** Obama takes on North Korea conflict, economy *** Obama and Hu schedule meeting in Beijing *** How Obama Will Deal With World Leaders *** Conceding U.S. Lapses, Obama Resists New Bank Rules *** Promises of ‘Fresh Start’ for U.S.-Russia Relations *** POWER: GEITHNER WON'T RULE OUT REPLACING MORE CEOs *** Rove: The President Is 'Keeping Score'... *** Obama Hits Resistance at G-20 *** U.S. Weighs Troop Surge in Afghanistan *** Romney Praises Obama On Iraq And Auto Industry *** Obama: Bush-era diplomacy is over *** Obama lawyer: McCain hurting reform.
Congress House, Senate poised to adopt pared-back budget *** House, Senate poised to adopt pared-back budget *** Democratic leader tempers expectations for 2010 *** Analysis: Stevens vindicated; what of his legacy? *** The People Have Mumbled It is hard to contain excitement for a Congressional election in a New York district gerrymandered for Republicans, Collins, NYT *** To Chagrin of Republicans, Compensation Bill Passes *** Large Bonuses a Boon – In Congress... *** Parties gear up for bitter fight in upstate election ... *** Breakdown of the absentee ballots *** House Passes Bill Curbing Bonuses *** U.S. Ties New Funds to Schools Data *** McCain asks Bam to toss out Jack Johnson rap *** The pros of Connecticut: Not far from the Albany laughingstock sits a fair and effective legislature *** Crash & Burn: Detroit's Biggest Lemons *** Cantor Votes "Present" On Bonus Bill *** Congress Shuts Down Obama Bill *** Franken puts Pawlenty in a jam *** Fierce fights may follow budget victory *** Cantor: Dems 'overreacting' to crisis *** Pelosi gets votes family style *** Murtha stays mum on PMA inquiry *** Dodd trails Simmons by 16 points *** Murphy's lead shrinks to 25 votes *** Polls closed; Fundraising not *** A new generation shapes a new era *** King: Keep terrorism detainees out of NY.
Wall Street Mess Blackstone Attempting $3b Rescue-fund Biz *** Car Sales Slump Stalls *** Pledge On Hedges From G20 *** Madoff Feeder Fund Charged *** NO PRIVATE HEDGE: GEITHNER'S TOXIC RECYCLING PLAN NIXED BY BIG FUND *** MOODY'S 'JUNKS' MACY'S *** Madoff Feeder Group Charged With Fraud *** Madoff Feeder Fund Sued, Madoff Yachts Seized *** Feds seize Madoff's mansion, boats *** Feds seize Madoff's 2 boats in Florida *** Apartments Sell for Less if They Are Sold at All *** Bombardier Plans to Cut 3,000 Jobs *** Small Medical Companies, a Font of Innovation, Are Feeling Recession’s Pinch *** U.S. Said to Start UBS Tax Fraud Cases *** GM asks gov't for $2.6B to build hybrids... *** Greenberg: AIG Debacle Not My Fault *** Hollywood Squeezes Stars' Pay *** Silicon Graphics Seeks Chapter 11 *** Home Prices Low, But Still No Bargain *** How close to Great Depression? *** 742,000 jobs lost in March *** Disney Now The Largest Media Company ***
Watch Out, Detroit
National People in Need Are Filling and Taxing Libraries *** Stimulus Stance Isolates Sanford South Carolina's govermnor must decide whether to accept the stimulus money that he considers wasteful, or risk the wrath of his state's residents *** Nine individuals responsible for nearly 2700 ER visits *** TNPM BLAGO INDICTED...
International G-20 leaders eye more IMF funds, tighter rules *** G-20 leaders eye more IMF funds, tighter rules *** Democratic leader tempers expectations for 2010 *** Sources: Pentagon seeks $3B for Pakistan military *** China Vies to Be World’s Leader in Electric Cars *** Safety Nets Not Enough to Allay Fears in Europe *** Politics Add to Economic Turmoil in Hungary *** E.U. Carbon Trading System Shows Signs of Working *** South Koreans Band Together to Save Jobs *** An Unsure China Steps Onto the Global Stage *** For U.S. Satellite Makers, a No-Cost Bailout Bid *** Japan Tries to Increase Exports *** NKorea starts fuelling rocket... *** Iran denies US reports of warm talks at conference... *** U.S. Helps Arab State Push Nuclear Bid *** G-20 to Seek $500 Billion for IMF *** Israel Balks at Annapolis Pledges *** Turkey, Armenia Pave Way for Accords *** Protestors loot major bank, thow eggs at police *** Cig price may save lives *** Petraeus: Israel Might Attack Iran ***
France, Germany Threaten G-20 Deal *** Meet the "Good" Nuclear Country ***
Israeli Minister Rejects Peace Plan.
Media Melt Down Light and Cheap, Netbooks Are Poised to Reshape PC Industry *** Piracy Puts Film Online One Month Before Open *** MSNBC Expands Its Liberal Lineup *** MSNBC gives Ed Schultz new talk show... *** WATCH: Stephen Colbert Rips Apart Glenn Beck: Building His Career On 9/11 *** Gannett Consolidating Editing Of 4 NJ Papers *** Newspapers Team With Zillow For Real Estate Search *** The New York Times Puts Up Its Dukes *** TV's "Guiding Light" To Be Snuffed Out *** TNPM NY TIMES EDITOR: SAVING THE PAPER NOW RANKS WITH SAVING DARFUR...
