Breaking News BP facing criminal charges as Attorney General probes negligence over Gulf oil spill * Citing City's Objections, Morgenthau Withdraws From Fire Dept. Case (NYT)Changing Symbols
The Oil Plume The continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will likely come to serve as a metaphor for the ineffectiveness of governing institutions. (Brooks, NYT) * BP Revised Permits Before Gulf Blast (WSJ) * BP Tries Again to Divert Oil Leak With Dome (NYT)
Dowd: Feel Your Pain is All Thats NeededNYT's Maureen Dowd says all the president has to do is learning to emote Once More, Say It With Feeling According to Dowd all General Eisenhower had to do to win WWII was to make sure his troops felt his pain over their danger. All NASA had to do in the early 60's was make a good speech to land a man on the moon. All Dr Jonas Salk and to do was make a good speech to cure polio. All Bill Gates had to do was give a speech about developing software for computers, he did not have to write it. Why does Dowd think the public will be happy with a speech where they are losing their jobs, health care and not sure the president can protect them from terrorism and disaster?
Independence Party Endorsement
From the NYP Editorial: "Andrew Cuomo, his gubernatorial campaign now rolling full blast, has picked up the backing of the Inde pendence Party, which gives him an important extra line on the November ballot.That's a political boost for Cuomo -- but also something of an embarrassment. Andrew's duty (NYPEd) * Staten Island DA Dan Donovan (being advised by Bradley Tusk) and Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice are battling for the Independence Party line. (That could be a proxy battle between Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg)* Kaye-WFP Report Passes on Look-Back, Suggests More Transparency (Obsever)
Twitter azipaybarah Bloomberg names independence party activist harry kresky 2 charter revision panel re: voter participation #wnyc
Election 2010 GOP Drama Nears Climax in N.Y. State (WSJ) *“People – I don’t care if they’re Democrats or Independents or Republicans – look at Andrew Cuomo trying to run against the establishment and they laugh. Andrew Cuomo is the establishment,” Rick Lazio said. * New York GOP Convention Begins Today in Manhattan (WINS) * Crowded Field Heads To State GOP Convention (NY1)* Proposal Could Shed Light on Who Helps Candidates *A Former Spitzer Aide Aims for Attorney General * State Dems Hit Remind GOP Of Levy’s Dem Past* NY1 Exclusive: Former Gov. Cuomo Predicts Son's Win Won't Be A Blowout (NY1) *Andrew Cuomo Runs Against Himself (Huff Post)
New York Political Bosses Ensure No Primary
Hey NYT What About Race in New York? Today NYT has and editorial about how the Tea Party is trying to repeal the 17th Amendment which provides for direct popular elections of U.S. senator. What the Tea Party should have done is something the NYT does not write about. Use backroom arm twisting, private investigators and White House pressure to make sure no creditable candidate runs against the appointed Gillibrand. So You Still Want to Choose Your Senator? (NYT Ed) Israel, Maloney, Nadler and Ford were all given a offer they could not refuse Maloney gave Ford Jr. 'oppo book' about Gillibrand (DN) * Barrett: Gillibrand and Paterson - The D'Amato Connection - New ... (Village Voice)
Parks, libraries, hospitals are closed. Workers furloughed (tried). Everything has been but but the member items that pols use to build support in their districts to make sure they always get reelected. Strapped State Still Pays Nonprofits While Gov. David Paterson has declared that New York is facing an "unprecedented fiscal crisis," the state has paid out millions of dollars to local nonprofit groups in grants that critics deride as pork-barrel spending * Paterson plans mass NY worker layoffs (NYP)
Your Fired on New Years DayThe Jan. 1 implementation date for the layoffs coincides with Paterson’s departure from office and the expiration of his “no-layoffs” pledge to the public employee unions in exchange for Tier 5.* The move comes after a judge blocked Paterson's plan to furlough state employees. * Report: Paterson's New Layoff Plan (Fox 5)
Union Leader Are Pigs Also Union chief $its pretty as members sweat Public Employees Federation President Kenneth Brynien has seen his salary rise to $137,622 this year, up from $112,440 in 2008
Gores separating after 40 years of marriage; call decision mutual * An inconvenient marriage - AP
Pay to Play Stein's Hair
The bald truth: Andrew Stein, busted by feds, would not be allowed to wear toupee in prison (DN) * Court-appointed monitor to oversee Kenneth Starr's business as probe widens
* Gender Gap for the Gifted in City SchoolsPay to Play Medicare Elderly woman billed for prostate exams in Medicare scam
Bus cuts are 'sick' Riders fume at 'secret' service slash leaving riders stranded at stops across the city NY Economic Meltdown *Race against time to keep MTA workers as layoffs loom * Paterson Now Focuses on Layoffs to Cut Budget
