Throw the Bums out

unday, May 16, 2010

NYT Missing the Boat Again Can't Throw the Bums Out

NYT Missing the Boat Again
Can't Throw the Bums Out

NYT attacks everyone in Albany for the late budget and says lawmakers are blaming each other and hoping the economy will bounce back or that somehow they can put off painful decisions until after the election. The NYT says the voters should keep in mind two important dates Primary day, Sept. 14. And Election Day, Nov. 2. Jobs for Albany’s Do-Nothings

What the NYT does not understand is that the power of New York's incumbent reelection racket and the bad economy will result in most if not all of the Assembly and State Senate member not being challenged with serious challengers. Incumbent controlled redistricting, member items and million dollar reelection war chests guarantees that most incumbents will not have any oppositon. Those few challenger that do run campaigns will be loaded with special interest and union money that if they are elected they will not rock the Albany Incumbent Protection Society.. The NYT wrote about the lack of challengers in 2004 when it asked voters to Casting a Meaningful Vote

In 2004 the NYT Editorial Stated:
"This year, however, the few primary races for New York's abysmal State Legislature are a special case . . Our state government has totally broken down. The Legislature holds the national record for late budgets, and often appears incapable of passing even the simplest bills. The Assembly speaker, Senate majority leader and governor control all the power, and individual lawmakers are responsible for little more than showing up. Then every election season they go home to face what is, at most, token primary opposition. Since so many of the districts are gerrymandered to be safe for one party or the other, election results are usually preordained. . . But the real story this year is less about good men and women under attack than about terrible lawmakers who are getting a free ride.

If there is a primary race in your district, vote against the incumbent. Vote for an opponent, any opponent." (NYT, September 12, 2004)