New York State Senators Martin Golden (R-22nd) and Bill Perkins (D-30th) discuss the debate over renewing mayoral control of the New York City public schools and how the "coup" in Albany affects that legislation.
Marty Goldin. Listen up! Many, many parents in this city are disgusted by what mayoral control has done to our schools. I have been actively involved in this school system throughout this period of mayoral control and the situation has grown increasingly worse, despite the funny numbers they tout as "improvements." Please understand that your assertion that parents unanimously approve of mayoral control is absolutely FALSE!
Can you comment / elaborate on the NYT article dated yesterday about Tom Golisano's role in this whole affair, not to mention the shady dealings of the two Dems who defected?
Btw, I'd hardly classify these two guys as democrats, and I agree with many of the posters here. We elected these officials on their platform, not to provide opportunities to advance their own personal dealings. There are millions of others to consider here.
Are we really having this discussion? How did it get this far? There's got to be a way to gut this absurd structure of even having to deal with influence from people in other districts. I wish this comment box could record exasperated screams.
To Pedro Espada I say, we did not vote for you, we voted for your party and would now vote you out based on poor performance - irrationality, disregard for "the People", and an inflated sense of self.
Mr. Espada is off his rocker.
Mr. Goldberg, you can’t speak for the people. “I” and just about everyone I spoke with consider ourselves 'the people’ and we were not consulted. Your thinking that this is for the people is a manipulation of story.
The people put democrats in the seat because we want change. We’re only begning to see the light of day after the deception of 8 years of republican leadership. This is an extension of that same deception but at the local level. It is a deliberate attempt to undermine the nascent democratic party’s endeavor to bring balance. In this way, the republicans are abusing the airwaves to manipulate public opinion.
Stop.
As for the grid lock with the issues on the table, WAKE UP, the entire country is in GRID LOCK. We all know that the entire country is in economic failure due to the direct fallout of banking industry greed and republican mismanagement of funds, undertaxing the wealthy.
This is not a coup. It is an extremely desparate attempt to rob the power of the people from the people, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Your action is nothing more than a media foray, a staged event by the republicans to throw public opinion off-balance.
The weak and vulnerable will pay the price. Shame on you. Mr. Goldberg, you want to 'go back to The EMPIRE STATE that it used to be'…, time has passed Mr. Goldberg. There is no 'going back' We are moving forward. You’re wearing your age on your sleeve. And you sound like you’ve never been out of your borough. The whole world is behind this change that is long overdue. Leadership styles have changed tremendously. You and the republican party have not. This is why we voted for Change.
A very spirited and successful protest, organized by Citizen Action of NY, was held outside the State Capitol office of Sen. Pedro Espada
(D-Bronx) at noon yesterday (6-9). Sen. Espada and Senate Republicans have proclaimed him to be the new Senate President as part of a coup d'etat attempted yesterday in the State Senate.
Well over 100 people from around the state (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Capitol District, Hudson Valley, NYC, and Long Island) gathered outside Sen. Espada's office just off the Senate Chamber. Protestors had duct tape over their mouths and all carried signs saying, "I need... [either: affordable housing, affordable health care, good schools, clean water and air, a living wage job, etc.]" A press conference had been called and lots of media was there. As the press conference was wrapping up,unbelievably, Tom Galisano and Sen. Espada suddenly appeared on the scene and brazenly attempted to highjack the press conference. As the cameras turned to face them and reporters started to ask them questions, the crowd ripped off the duct tape over their mouths, and loudly and passionately began chanting "Galisano pays, Pedro plays" while pointing fingers at them. Galisano and Espada were completely drowned out by the crowd, gave up their attempt to speak to the press, and immediately fled into Sen. Espada's office, locking the door behind them as protestors and media tried to follow them inside. The media caught the whole thing on camera. Protestors then continued a variety of chants for another 10-15 minutes outside the locked office.
Does this circus serve the citizens of New York? Ineffectual Governor, leadership in over their head, a minority party that's mad they don't run things anymore, a majority too scattered to pull together, the second in line for Governor certainly a serial evader and maybe criminal exploiter of his power who DOESNT LIVE IN HIS DISTRICT, a coup organized by a power broker WHO DOESNT LIVE IN THE STATE ANYMORE. A pox on both their houses. I cannot imagine a group of folks who are less deserving of respect. And for Golden to attack Perkins for evading questions is as ridiculous as his rewarding two of the most ethically challenged politicians anyone could want to find with the power and the $$$ that this is really about.
So if, as Senator Golden says, the people can vote out these new guys if they don't like how they're doing, why couldn't they do the same thing under the Democrat's control? Obviously this a power grab. The Republicans were out for 5 months and couldn't stand it. By the way, does anyone remember the story about the extensive (and for the most part secret) Republican patronage operation that totally excluded the Democrats for years.
Listening to Marty Golden's lies and distortions just makes my stomach turn. But one thing he said is absolutely right: we should vote him out of office.
I was being sarcastic of course -- it's incredible to think that an equality issue would create so much fear that it would inspire this coup but, well, we all know it's possible...pathetic.
Golden seemed to express that Repubs were unhappy Dems were dealing with social issues instead of economic issues. Please specifically ask him if the coup is about the gay marriage issue.
JP YOU ARE RIGHT. ANY OF THE PARTIES ARE GAINING OR LOSING. WE, THE PEOPLE PUT THEM WHERE THEY ARE WE SHOULD HIT THE STREET TO SHOW THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO STOP FOOLING WITH US...ENOUGH IS ENOUGH..
Does New York City try to tell Rochester how to run it's schools? Why does Rochester and all the rest of Upstate have a say in how we do it here in the City?
I've never been one of those cranks who repeats the mantra to throw them all out. Until now. I haven't had any respect for Malcolm Smith or Sheldon Silver or David Patterson or Joe Bruno but the idea of a coup is beyond imagination. The Republicans will stop at nothing in their raw pursuit of power. Mr Golden is showing himself to be the most venal hypocritical politician I have ever heard. One day calling for Montserrat's ouster and the next day putting him in power. Shame on you Mr Golden. I would like to see all the citizens of this state descend on Albany and "do the people's business"- throw the all out. Let's start over.
Brian, please ask about the responsibility of these Dems that switched sides to their constituents. The constituents that elected them on a democratic platform.
Perkins is obviously a product of the NYC public school system. How does someone who can not even speak english get elected as a Senator in the first place?
This is nobody's fault but our own, and exactly what happens when people vote 'D' or 'R' all the way down the ballot without thinking.
That being said, Espada and Monserrate need to be locked up. We can't have these criminals dicking us around any longer. Cuomo, are you listening, or are you just part of the gang?
It would be so refreshing, not to mention more to the point, if the guests simply answered Brian's questions instead of using them as launching pads for their self-interested diatribes.
It is not lost on any person or voter here that this was clearly a power move and has nothing to do with the good of the people. This is why Albany has been a mess for years.
The corruption of the senate republicans is shocking. What state do they live in, the state is in the red and we are in deep recession. We need to RAISE taxes and increase services. In spite of the will of the governed, the republicans bulldoze forward with their tired and rejected policies designed to benefit the rich, crush the middle class, and ruin the finances of the state. The republicans rhetoric, strategy, and policies are despicable. Throw the bums out!
You tell 'em Brian! This is absurd -- the Republicans had 40 years to create change. They are now so incapable of being out of power that they will align themselves with these two Dems, morality be damned! This State Assembly is pitiful (and this is coming from someone who grew up with Hudson County politics so that is truly an insult :-).
And yes, Malcolm Smith was in over his head. It was obvious from day one.
Notwithstanding everyone's frustration, and your interest in the people's business getting lost in the shuffle, rules still matter. Since the courts may ultimately decide who is in control based on "Robert's Rules," and it is still unclear what the parliamentary blow by blow was, it seems to me that explaining what happened in the chamber is not insignificant.
Why wouldn't the Republicans simply call the National Guard to enforce the legality of their political actions? Oh, that's right, they sent them to Iraq. (Bummer dudes!)
The Democratic Party looses nothing. The Republican Party looses nothing. The New York voter no matter what party is the one that looses everything. Yet the overall public’s reaction seems to be “oh well”. Why aren’t New York voters rioting in the streets? Political apathy is alive and well in NYS….
Can New York voters "recall" politicians the way Californians recalled the Govenor? If yes - are any organizations or voters groups working on it in the case of these 2 NY Dems?
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Comments [44]
Dear sir, I think a good title for that DEBACLE could be:
"Taking us for a jollily ugly ride to and inside Albany"
Subway etiquette: rule to have all people climb and descend stairs on the right only so everyone can go up or down at the same time!
Marty Goldin. Listen up! Many, many parents in this city are disgusted by what mayoral control has done to our schools. I have been actively involved in this school system throughout this period of mayoral control and the situation has grown increasingly worse, despite the funny numbers they tout as "improvements." Please understand that your assertion that parents unanimously approve of mayoral control is absolutely FALSE!
Can you comment / elaborate on the NYT article dated yesterday about Tom Golisano's role in this whole affair, not to mention the shady dealings of the two Dems who defected?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/nyregion/10albany.html?hp
Btw, I'd hardly classify these two guys as democrats, and I agree with many of the posters here. We elected these officials on their platform, not to provide opportunities to advance their own personal dealings. There are millions of others to consider here.
What would Noam Chomsky say?
Are we really having this discussion? How did it get this far? There's got to be a way to gut this absurd structure of even having to deal with influence from people in other districts. I wish this comment box could record exasperated screams.
you might like to know espada monserrate & diaz all ran unopposed by any major party. I guess the GOP was happy with them long ago.
To Pedro Espada I say, we did not vote for you, we voted for your party and would now vote you out based on poor performance - irrationality, disregard for "the People", and an inflated sense of self.
Mr. Espada is off his rocker.
Mr. Goldberg, you can’t speak for the people. “I” and just about everyone I spoke with consider ourselves 'the people’ and we were not consulted. Your thinking that this is for the people is a manipulation of story.
The people put democrats in the seat because we want change. We’re only begning to see the light of day after the deception of 8 years of republican leadership. This is an extension of that same deception but at the local level. It is a deliberate attempt to undermine the nascent democratic party’s endeavor to bring balance.
In this way, the republicans are abusing the airwaves to manipulate public opinion.
Stop.
As for the grid lock with the issues on the table, WAKE UP, the entire country is in GRID LOCK. We all know that the entire country is in economic failure due to the direct fallout of banking industry greed and republican mismanagement of funds, undertaxing the wealthy.
This is not a coup. It is an extremely desparate attempt to rob the power of the people from the people, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Your action is nothing more than a media foray, a staged event by the republicans to throw public opinion off-balance.
The weak and vulnerable will pay the price. Shame on you.
Mr. Goldberg, you want to 'go back to The EMPIRE STATE that it used to be'…, time has passed Mr. Goldberg. There is no 'going back' We are moving forward. You’re wearing your age on your sleeve. And you sound like you’ve never been out of your borough. The whole world is behind this change that is long overdue. Leadership styles have changed tremendously. You and the republican party have not. This is why we voted for Change.
A very spirited and successful protest, organized by Citizen Action of NY, was held outside the State Capitol office of Sen. Pedro Espada
(D-Bronx) at noon yesterday (6-9). Sen. Espada and Senate Republicans have proclaimed him to be the new Senate President as part of a coup d'etat attempted yesterday in the State Senate.
Well over 100 people from around the state (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Capitol District, Hudson Valley, NYC, and Long
Island) gathered outside Sen. Espada's office just off the Senate Chamber. Protestors had duct tape over their mouths and all carried signs saying, "I need... [either: affordable housing, affordable health care, good schools, clean water and air, a living wage job, etc.]" A press conference had been called and lots of media was there.
As the press conference was wrapping up,unbelievably, Tom Galisano and Sen. Espada suddenly appeared on the scene and brazenly attempted to highjack the press conference. As the cameras turned to face them and reporters started to ask them questions, the crowd ripped off the duct tape over their mouths, and loudly and passionately began chanting "Galisano pays, Pedro plays" while pointing fingers at them. Galisano and Espada were completely drowned out by the crowd, gave up their attempt to speak to the press, and immediately fled into Sen. Espada's office, locking the door behind them as protestors and media tried to follow them inside. The media caught the whole thing on camera. Protestors then continued a variety of chants for another 10-15 minutes outside the locked office.
Does this circus serve the citizens of New York?
Ineffectual Governor, leadership in over their head, a minority party that's mad they don't run things anymore, a majority too scattered to pull together, the second in line for Governor certainly a serial evader and maybe criminal exploiter of his power who DOESNT LIVE IN HIS DISTRICT, a coup organized by a power broker WHO DOESNT LIVE IN THE STATE ANYMORE.
A pox on both their houses. I cannot imagine a group of folks who are less deserving of respect. And for Golden to attack Perkins for evading questions is as ridiculous as his rewarding two of the most ethically challenged politicians anyone could want to find with the power and the $$$ that this is really about.
So if, as Senator Golden says, the people can vote out these new guys if they don't like how they're doing, why couldn't they do the same thing under the Democrat's control? Obviously this a power grab. The Republicans were out for 5 months and couldn't stand it. By the way, does anyone remember the story about the extensive (and for the most part secret) Republican patronage operation that totally excluded the Democrats for years.
there should be no property tax cap unless the state stops sending aid to municipalities
Brain,
when will you get some freaking ---- and press these guys about answering the important questions? who cares if the come back on your show
Listening to Marty Golden's lies and distortions just makes my stomach turn. But one thing he said is absolutely right: we should vote him out of office.
I was being sarcastic of course -- it's incredible to think that an equality issue would create so much fear that it would inspire this coup but, well, we all know it's possible...pathetic.
The people of NY DID vote you (Republicans) out of office.
Action in the name of poor legislation is not a winning strategy.
Beware of gays wearing wedding rings! Very scary!
Bill Perkins lives in the past, and sounds like he is beholden to the Teachers Union.
Golden seemed to express that Repubs were unhappy Dems were dealing with social issues instead of economic issues. Please specifically ask him if the coup is about the gay marriage issue.
JP
YOU ARE RIGHT. ANY OF THE PARTIES ARE GAINING OR LOSING. WE, THE PEOPLE PUT THEM WHERE THEY ARE WE SHOULD HIT THE STREET TO SHOW THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO STOP FOOLING WITH US...ENOUGH IS ENOUGH..
I loved Al Pacino in Dogday Afternoon.
Why have you left Noam Chomsky out of this debate!?
Isn't anyone outraged that the Democrats have taken their ball and gone home?
Does New York City try to tell Rochester how to run it's schools? Why does Rochester and all the rest of Upstate have a say in how we do it here in the City?
If ever there were a time to create the 51st State, it's now!
HOW THE HELL WE ELECT THESE IDIOTS?
oh stop! this was about bible thumpers and gay marriage. a man cuts a women who he lives in sin with and the GOP takes him into the fold. SHAME!
I've never been one of those cranks who repeats the mantra to throw them all out. Until now. I haven't had any respect for Malcolm Smith or Sheldon Silver or David Patterson or Joe Bruno but the idea of a coup is beyond imagination. The Republicans will stop at nothing in their raw pursuit of power. Mr Golden is showing himself to be the most venal hypocritical politician I have ever heard. One day calling for Montserrat's ouster and the next day putting him in power. Shame on you Mr Golden. I would like to see all the citizens of this state descend on Albany and "do the people's business"- throw the all out. Let's start over.
Brian, please ask about the responsibility of these Dems that switched sides to their constituents. The constituents that elected them on a democratic platform.
Perkins is obviously a product of the NYC public school system. How does someone who can not even speak english get elected as a Senator in the first place?
This is nobody's fault but our own, and exactly what happens when people vote 'D' or 'R' all the way down the ballot without thinking.
That being said, Espada and Monserrate need to be locked up. We can't have these criminals dicking us around any longer. Cuomo, are you listening, or are you just part of the gang?
It would be so refreshing, not to mention more to the point, if the guests simply answered Brian's questions instead of using them as launching pads for their self-interested diatribes.
It is not lost on any person or voter here that this was clearly a power move and has nothing to do with the good of the people. This is why Albany has been a mess for years.
I love how the list of things new yorkers "really" care about from both of these guys doesn't include the MTA and mass transit.
Brian, don't let them sit their and pretend that we aren't disappointed in what's going on now in the Senate, and also what they've failed to do.
Bunch of jokers.
The corruption of the senate republicans is shocking. What state do they live in, the state is in the red and we are in deep recession. We need to RAISE taxes and increase services. In spite of the will of the governed, the republicans bulldoze forward with their tired and rejected policies designed to benefit the rich, crush the middle class, and ruin the finances of the state. The republicans rhetoric, strategy, and policies are despicable. Throw the bums out!
You tell 'em Brian! This is absurd -- the Republicans had 40 years to create change. They are now so incapable of being out of power that they will align themselves with these two Dems, morality be damned! This State Assembly is pitiful (and this is coming from someone who grew up with Hudson County politics so that is truly an insult :-).
And yes, Malcolm Smith was in over his head. It was obvious from day one.
Less ego, more public service.
These are our "leaders"
What a pathetic bunch
We are fed up with politicians and their egos
Notwithstanding everyone's frustration, and your interest in the people's business getting lost in the shuffle, rules still matter. Since the courts may ultimately decide who is in control based on "Robert's Rules," and it is still unclear what the parliamentary blow by blow was, it seems to me that explaining what happened in the chamber is not insignificant.
Thanks!!
Golden cannot be serious.
Please stop treating the good people of New York like a bunch of idiots and rubes.
Your party had 40 years, Marty. You and your ilk did nothing.
How much did the republicans pay Montseurat to defect? That must have been one big envelope.
Yes, Senator Golden. The people are fed up -- with the Republicans. And this is why the Republicans are increasingly _reviled_ across the country.
The one thing New York State legislators _don't_ do is actually serve the people who elect them!
The people of New York State voted in a Democratic Senate.
Surely it is time for a State Constitutional Convention.
Why wouldn't the Republicans simply call the National Guard to enforce the legality of their political actions? Oh, that's right, they sent them to Iraq. (Bummer dudes!)
The Democratic Party looses nothing. The Republican Party looses nothing. The New York voter no matter what party is the one that looses everything. Yet the overall public’s reaction seems to be “oh well”. Why aren’t New York voters rioting in the streets? Political apathy is alive and well in NYS….
Can New York voters "recall" politicians the way Californians recalled the Govenor? If yes - are any organizations or voters groups working on it in the case of these 2 NY Dems?
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