June 9, 2009

New York Democracy + Chicago Rules... Hijinks Ensue

Hatched by Dafydd

The Democrats in Albany, New York, call it a "coup."

The rest of us call it an election. (Perhaps Democrats are simply unfamiliar with the concept.)

How I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in the New York State Senate from yesterday at 3:00 pm through today. For months, Republicans and even some Democrats had grown increasingly frustrated under the leadership of the majority leader, Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith. But only two Democrats had any inkling what was about to happen.

In the midst of a boring, routine day of Senate debate, Republican Sen. Tom Libous from Binghamton rose to offer a resolution to "reorganize the Senate leadership." The Democrats were caught completely off their guard. Stunned, they watched as two of their number -- Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens -- defected to support the Republican majority leader, Dean Skelos, against the then-current majority leader, Democrat Malcolm Smith. (In fact, Espada and Monserrate had been coordinating this move with the Republican minority for several weeks.)

Democrats tried every trick in the book to prevent the leadership election from occurring: They fled the state Senate to try to prevent a quorum, cut off the lights and power to the Senate chambers, and sabotaged the internet connection. But the Republicans stuck to their attack; and before the Democrats could stop the proceedings, the GOP had won the vote. With dizzying speed, the minority plus the two defectors had mustered a bare majority of those voting to replace Smith with Skelos.

And now Smith is left wailing like a banshee that there has to be some "legal recourse" by which a judge (any judge, anywhere!) can reverse the election results:

Still reeling from a sudden revolt a day earlier that shifted control of the New York State Senate to Republicans, Democrats huddled behind closed doors in the Capitol on Tuesday morning, seeking a legal path to help them block the power grab.

But it was far from clear whether they would be able to keep Republicans from assuming control of the Senate, or even whether they would be able to keep more members from defecting and further cementing the new Republican majority.

The Democrats' whiny petulance and outraged feelings of entitlement practically stifle the atmosphere. In their latest anti-democratic lunge for lost leadership, they have locked the Senate doors and won't let the Republicans inside:

Throughout Tuesday morning, stunned Democrats continued to insist that they were still the party in control of the Senate, and that Malcolm A. Smith -- only five months into his role as head of the Senate majority -- was still their leader. The standoff had grown so tense that the secretary of the Senate -- a position appointed by the Democratic conference -- was refusing to hand over the keys to the Senate chamber to the Republicans. The Republican leadership called for the secretary’s resignation, and vowed to hold Wednesday’s session, whether in another room or in a park.

Democrats in New York more and more resemble prepubescent brats pitching a tantrum. Perhaps next, the Democrats will demand a new vote... and somehow strip Skelos from the ballot.

Here is a simple syllogism to bear in mind: Democrats have about as much respect for democracy and rule of law as do Kim Jong-Il of North Korea and Oogo Chavez of Venezuela... scratch a pack of liberal Democrats and you'll find the bestial mob of feral children in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, running naked through the underbrush screaming "Kill the pig, kill the pig!"

I'm starting to think it possible that enough of a backlash will build that angry New York voters will help return Republicans to power in the United States Congress. I even begin to ponder whether the Republican nominee in 2012 might stand a reasonable chance of beating Barack H. Obama in the Empire State, three years and some loose change hence.

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, June 9, 2009, at the time of 10:55 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this hissing: http://biglizards.net/mt3.36/earendiltrack.cgi/3689

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference New York Democracy + Chicago Rules... Hijinks Ensue:

» No Time for Sergeants - the First Post-Penultimate Word on the A.D.D.D.D.A. from Big Lizards
I know I said the last post was the penultimate one on the subject of the Anti-Democratic Democrats' Denial of Democracy in Albany; but something so Kafkaesque has just happened in the New York State Senate that I cannot silently... [Read More]

Tracked on June 24, 2009 5:44 PM

Comments

The following hissed in response by: GW

A millenium ago, Ghengis Khan said that the greatest feeling in life is to scatter your enemy and bring to your bosom their wives and daughters. Unfortunately, that is no longer possible, at least in the U.S. of the present day. But that still leaves the second best thing - listening to your ideological enemies squeal like stuck pigs when you score one on them.

And as always, do note the contrast between how Republicans acted when James Jeffords switched parties in 2001, moving control of the U.S. Senate to Dems. There is a substantial difference in maturity levels. Shades of a double standard that pervades every aspect of Dem politics.

The above hissed in response by: GW [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 10, 2009 4:27 AM

The following hissed in response by: Geoman

Sheesh.

I can see being upset. But locking the doors? Turning off the power? Get over yourselves already, and show a little grace and dignity.

Based on this display, is Malcolm A. Smith really wondering why two Democrats defected and he got ousted? If he behaves this childishly in public, what the hell must the guy be like behind closed doors?

I'm sorry, but - arrest them. the Sec. of State, Smith, the whole lot of them should be thrown in jail for barring the doors and preventing the people's business for getting done.

The above hissed in response by: Geoman [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 10, 2009 11:00 AM

The following hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman

In their latest anti-democratic lunge for lost leadership, they have locked the Senate doors and won't let the Republicans inside:

Isn't that an Act of Insurrection and interfering with the State Senators performing their Constitutional Duty?
I know if I "interfere with an official act" if a police officer stops me, I get to go straight to jail

The above hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 10, 2009 5:14 PM

Post a comment

Thanks for hissing in, . Now you can slither in with a comment, o wise. (sign out)

(If you haven't hissed a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Hang loose; don't shed your skin!)


Remember me unto the end of days?


© 2005-2009 by Dafydd ab Hugh - All Rights Reserved