Triple Cross Leads to
Majority Leader Espada
Circus Folds Tent SLEAZY DOES IT IN COUP PART 2 PEDRO DEFECTS BACK TO DEMS, BREAKS TIE & GETS TOP POST *** A BUNCH OF BRONX CHEERS FOR FLIP-FLOPPING ESPADA Pedro Espada Jr.'s constituents can't figure out why their state senator keeps changing sides in the battle for Albany -- and were angry over the lawmaker's conduct (NYP) MAYOR WILL GET CONTROL (NYP) *** TAXPAYERS FOOT $5M WASTE OF TIME (NYP) *** Albany Impasse Ends as Defector Rejoins Caucus (NYT) *** Ravitch’s Wild Ride: Steakhouse Ceremony to Albany Return (NYT) *** Albany back-stabber Pedro Espada comes out ahead in senate stalemate that shut down state (Gonzalez) *** Battle over Lt. Gov. heads to court *** Rogue Democrat Espada ends senate stalemate (NYDN) *** It's clear the only bipartisan quality that counts is hypocrisy (Times Union) *** Espada Returns To Democratic Party, Senate Gets Back To Work (NY1) *** Espada Returns to Dems, Says He's Sorry (WNBC) *** The Senate approved 135 bills before adjourning around 2 a.m.; the session took so long in part due to a two-hour halt while Democrats and Republicans bickered over "reform".
The last bill taken up was the city's sales tax hike, which passed 43-19 after Sen. Kevin Parker ripped Mayor Bloomberg for "thinking it's okay to tax regular people when he doesn't want to see rich people pay their share." *** Albany Impasse Ends as Defector Rejoins Caucus *** With Espada's Re-Defection, Skelos Clings to Reform *** How Dumb Does Pedro Espada Think We Are *** what a surprise Payday! *** The Old Gang, In Charge
New York Real Problem: The Economy Zero from zeroes: State Senate stalemate ends in a despicably dirty deal "The Democrats now stand behind a politician who has gorged on public money for private benefit while evading every ethics rule you can imagine. . . Those who pretend to self-respect - senators like Tom Duane, Eric Schneiderman, Daniel Squadron and Liz Krueger - ought to be mortified that they are captained by a creep, and that they have lacked the guts to raise a peep in objection. " (NYDN Editorial)
New York's Real Crisis is the Economy "Now the heavy lifting -- reshaping government in New York to reflect its true fiscal circumstances -- must begin. . . 35 percent falloff in tax revenues compared with a year ago. . . Nationally, unemployment stands at 9.5 percent -- the highest level in 26 years *** Wall Street was ground zero for a national catastrophe. Does anyone think the prospects here look good? *** Taxpayers are being picked clean by new fees and levies, because Albany can't say no to special-interest groups and, especially, to the public-employee unions and their ruinous pension demands (NYP Editorial)
Only Way to Fix Albany New York Needs a Constitutional Convention It's obvious Albany can't clean up its own mess "The problem is that neither the institution nor its members are accountable to "We, the people." Instead members concern themselves with personal and partisan agendas. More and more New Yorkers are asking: What can we do?Let's recall a similar question Thomas Jefferson asked in a 1787 letter to William Smith: "[W]hat country can preserve its liberties, if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?" We in New York can act on Jefferson's warning. We can demand a constitutional convention. (WSJ Cuomo and Benjamin)
Road to City Hall BOOST FOR MIKE FOE The floundering mayoral campaign of City Comptroller Bill Thompson got a boost last night with the backing of the Working Families Party *** DA Contenders trade jabs *** Thompson: I'm David to Bloomberg's Goliath *** Public Advocate Candidates Engage and Attack in Debate Green draws most fire as candidates meet
More City SUBWAY PLAN IS '7' HEAVEN The 7 line is going robo. MTA officials are taking bids on an estimated $348 million project to computerize the Flushing-to-Times Square line, which would allow more frequent service *** On National Scale, New York Hospitals Fare Poorly on Readmissions *** Claims Total Over 15,400 in Fraud by Madoff *** As Ireland’s Boom Ends, Job Seekers Revive a Well-Worn Path to New York *** Waiting for the G train? Don't wait for a public annoucement *** NYC congestion second only to LA *** Drivers in New York Rush Hour Wasted 380 Million Hours (Newsday)
Washington Democrats Are at Odds on Financing Health Care *** To Get to Sotomayor’s Core, Start in New York *** The Stimulus Trap The very weakness of the economy undermines the Obama administration’s ability to respond effectively (Krugman, NYT) *** Questions for the Treasury Secretary Congress must examine whether the Obama administration’s plan to regulate derivatives does enough to enhance transparency and curb speculation (NYT Editorial) *** Congress Seeks to Fund Reform (Washington Post) *** Roland Burris To Give Up Senate Seat *** Today’s Stimulus Debate: City vs. Country *** GAO Slams Flimsy Auditing Rules for Stimulus Dollars *** Health reform in jeopardy as House delays action *** Senate to Begin Consideration of Census Chief *** Obama: health care doable but 'hard' *** Climate change punted deeper into fall
International BONO Rebranding Africa On his visit to Ghana, President Obama has the chance to lead nations in building on the successes of recent efforts within Africa and to learn from the failures (NYT Editorial) *** Lessons of the G-8 Summit: Eight Isn't Enough *** On Tehran's Streets: Defiance and a Crushing Response
Wall Street Mess BERNIE UN-APPEALING RESIGNED TO REST OF HIS LIFE IN JAIL *** A.I.G. Seeks U.S. Support for Bonuses *** UBS Digs in Its Heels on Clients’ Names *** Claims Total Over 15,400 in Fraud by Madoff *** June Is Another Weak Month for U.S. Retail Sales *** GM Out of Bankruptcy *** Desperate Retailers: SEARS Starts Christmas Sales -- In July!
Media Bailout Murdoch: Media still supports Obama... *** GE Ownes NYC How a Loophole Benefits General Electric in Bank Rescue ... *** GMAC has the mortage of the new NYT building Bailout for Breakfast: $? Billion More for GMAC - ProPublica
Media NYT Considers $5 Monthly Online Subscription Fee *** Bill Keller: "Insatiable Desire For Scoops" Fueled Press Failure In Run-Up To Iraq War *** Murdoch Papers Face 'Urgent' Govt Review ***
Blog Report Working Families Party Endorses Thompson (Politicker NY)
