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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Republicans and two dissident Democrats took control of New York's Senate on Monday after the two New York City renegades voted with the GOP to throw the fledgling Democratic majority out of power.
The decision by senators Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens to join the coalition gave Republicans a 32-30 voting edge on hastily introduced measures that changed the leadership structure. Neither Espada nor Monserrate changed party affiliation.
Democrats held the Senate for barely five months after being out of power for four decades.
...
"There was an illegal vote taken," Smith said. "Let me be very clear — very clear — the Senate majority is in Democratic hands." He said he won't reconvene the session until the coalition drops its challenge to the leadership.
The coalition immediately approved a thick new list of rules for governing the chamber. It adjourned until Wednesday, when it plans to return to run the Senate.
It seems like either the NY Senate is going to either GOP or out of session. Even if it does go back to the GOP reporters are saying that they expect there to be a period where little is accomplished other than establishing this new leadership. The single bill that is coming up often is that on legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. I personally wonder if the bill could have contributed to this flip because I know after the election there were Democrats who threatened to go to the Republicans over the issue, I'm not sure if it was actually the same politicians who actually did this.
What else in NY is this move going to threaten? Could the citizen anger over this action possibly lead to a stronger Democratic majority in the NY Senate next election?
Our Governor has a +-20% approval rating, and our State Senate is now rendered temporarily ineffective.
Awesome.
Reckless on
0
MrMisterJesus dying on the cross in pain? Morally better than us. One has to go "all in".Registered Userregular
edited June 2009
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
For our State Senate, each constituency is equal in population. The way it works out is that this favors upstate NY, where things are solidly red outside of the major urban areas of Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, 'Cuse, etc. Even some of these areas have Republican reps in the State Senate. The culture shock between my home (Long Island) and where I'm going to school (The Sticks, Upstate NY) is notable.
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Republicans and two dissident Democrats took control of New York's Senate on Monday after the two New York City renegades voted with the GOP to throw the fledgling Democratic majority out of power.
I'd imagine that being held hostage politically for 50+ years leads to one hell of a Stockholm Syndrome.
In a news conference in the early evening, Senator Malcolm A. Smith of Queens, leader of the Senate Democrats, insisted that the Republican-engineered vote was illegal and violated parliamentary procedure. He said the vote was illegal because it had already taken place after the meeting was already brought to an end.
This is pretty much like what happened recently in Tennessee. I mean, as a Democrat this sucks, but since I'm a Florida Democrat and this is only important to me in terms of gay marriage, I can appreciate the beauty of this sort of politicking. Well played Republicans, and a pox on the turncoats.
From what I've seen it should be a "kick them all out" situation in the NY Senate but this is worse - now its blatant corruption switching control of the Senate on top of their normal terribly sleazy and unethical behavior.
The one plus side is there's pure unadulterated rage on the Dem base side, and this might give us the drive and talking point we need to hold the Senate. Or take it back, as the case may be.
The whole thing seems to have been masterminded by Tom Golisano the billionaire who tried to set up this same deal with the two Dems who flipped when they were originally waffling about supporting Smith for control of the Senate, and who publicly had a fit and moved to Florida when the Senate raised taxes on high earners. That's a hell of a talking point, and it won't hurt that now the Republicans are going to have to own the really shitty budget situation for the next two years.
NY Senators are only elected to 2 year terms, so everyone is vulnerable every cycle. The republicans seem driven to try and focus on reforms for now (funny how that always happens when the majority party slips out of power) so the next 18 months might not be a complete disaster and we can position ourselves to come back strong in 2010.
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
I believe politics in NY breaks along NYC vs. anti-NYC lines.
"There was an illegal vote taken," Smith said. "Let me be very clear — very clear — the Senate majority is in Democratic hands." He said he won't reconvene the session until the coalition drops its challenge to the leadership.
Illegal eh? I'd be interested to hear more on this, because I'd guess that all the Senate did was stretch some Senate rules, which the Senate puts into place, and not anything in statute.
Wait, how the hell does this even work? They can vote to pretend there's actually more Pubs than Dems?
I don't get it.
ElJeffe on
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Wait, how the hell does this even work? They can vote to pretend there's actually more Pubs than Dems?
I don't get it.
Two of them de facto switched parties. Apparently in NY you can reorganize at any time and either you can't or the Dems didn't filibuster?
The Democratic Leadership is claiming they did procedurally block the vote by adjourning. The GOP + 2 corrupt as hell former-Ds are denying this though.
So two Dems supposedly switched to Pubs in the dead of night, or something?
ElJeffe on
I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
So two Dems supposedly switched to Pubs in the dead of night, or something?
Pretty much. The two dirtiest, most brazenly corrupt Dems too. NY state politics seems pretty much a clusterfuck right now
So rather than the dead of night, it probably happened when the bank was open?
ElJeffe on
I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
I believe politics in NY breaks along NYC vs. anti-NYC lines.
Pretty much
There's no common interest at all. Upstate is dirty poor rural country and NYC is affluent city with tons of financial demands.
nexuscrawler on
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SarksusATTACK AND DETHRONE GODRegistered Userregular
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
I believe politics in NY breaks along NYC vs. anti-NYC lines.
Pretty much
There's no common interest at all. Upstate is dirty poor rural country and NYC is affluent city with tons of financial demands.
When the governor had to choose Hillary Clinton's replacement there was much talk about whether he would choose someone upstate or from NYC.
Gillibrand is upstate but she sucks so it's a wash.
"There was an illegal vote taken," Smith said. "Let me be very clear — very clear — the Senate majority is in Democratic hands." He said he won't reconvene the session until the coalition drops its challenge to the leadership.
Illegal eh? I'd be interested to hear more on this, because I'd guess that all the Senate did was stretch some Senate rules, which the Senate puts into place, and not anything in statute.
il⋅le⋅gal
–adjective
1. forbidden by law or statute.
2. contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.: The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.
The New York state senate is one of the most dysfunctional in the entire country. My father's only interest in state politics has been to start a "Vote out every incumbent" platform, because regardless of party the New York state senate has basically accomplished nothing for years.
I don't understand how New York State is reliably blue for presidential elections, and yet has been reliably red for the state senate. Is it because the state senate is not apportioned on the basis of population, and hence NYC gets less representation than in the presidential race?
Because the majority of the population is Democratic while the majority by land area is Republican.
Mad_Scientist_Working on
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KageraImitating the worst people. Since 2004Registered Userregular
edited June 2009
233 years later, and NY still hasn't changed.
For those that don't get the reference, from 1776 the musical:
Lewis Morris: [as John Hancock is about to swat a fly] Mr. Secretary, New York abstains, courteously.
[Hancock raises his fly swatter at Morris, then draws back]
John Hancock: Mr. Morris,
[pause, then shouts]
John Hancock: WHAT IN HELL GOES ON IN NEW YORK?
Lewis Morris: I'm sorry Mr. President, but the simple fact is that our legislature has never sent us explicit instructions on anything!
John Hancock: NEVER?
[slams fly swatter onto his desk]
John Hancock: That's impossible!
Lewis Morris: Mr. President, have you ever been present at a meeting of the New York legislature?
[Hancock shakes his head "No"]
Lewis Morris: They speak very fast and very loud, and nobody listens to anybody else, with the result that nothing ever gets done.
[turns to the Congress as he returns to his seat]
Lewis Morris: I beg the Congress's pardon.
John Hancock: [grimly] My sympathies, Mr. Morris.
Kagera on
My neck, my back, my FUPA and my crack.
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No-QuarterNothing To FearBut Fear ItselfRegistered Userregular
edited June 2009
Can you imagine the shtistorm we'd have heard if this had been the other way around when Bush was still in office? The fucking gall of them.
I've sat through the story at least 10 times now, and honestly no one still has any idea what the hell happened. Dave Velesky (who was the Vice Pres of the Senate) has called us to be like "Hey, this didn't count, so don't worry." and insists it was totally illegal and shouldn't matter.
Some other guy, who's name escapes me (I think DeFransisco) who's a Republican has called to say this is awesome because Dems are all from NYC and Republicans did this "For the sake of Upstate!" which is total bullshit.
The only video I've seen is another reminder about how in this high tech, fast paced, modern society the most important decisions in our whole lives are made by idiots. The video footage? A bunch of people in a room yelling and raising thier hands. It basically boiled down to "everyone who wants republicans in power raise your hand now." and hands shoot up and everyone goes "Huh wha?!" and then someone says "We have more hands up than you, we win! PUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
It's bizarre.
mxmarks on
PSN: mxmarks - WiiU: mxmarks - twitter: @ MikesPS4 - twitch.tv/mxmarks - "Yes, mxmarks is the King of Queens" - Unbreakable Vow
Can you imagine the shtistorm we'd have heard if this had been the other way around when Bush was still in office? The fucking gall of them.
This isn't that unprecedented. We were all cheering when the democrats managed to pull off basically the same trick in Texas and Tenneesse (I believe) when their legislatures first formed up. The only real difference is that the democrats here managed to lose control during the term, as opposed to at the start, and that the republicans chose to pull the trigger with an amazingly tone deaf group of players (the guy who beat his girlfriend, the guy who is under indictment for corruption and who still hasn't filed a single FEC paper, and a billionaire who left the state in a snit when he didn't get enough control after funding a few Dem races).
Schadenfreude's a bitch, but we need to take the opportunity to make the best of it we can. Control of the Senate after the 2010 Census is the only time it particularly matters.
The New York state senate is one of the most dysfunctional in the entire country. My father's only interest in state politics has been to start a "Vote out every incumbent" platform, because regardless of party the New York state senate has basically accomplished nothing for years.
Well, the problem was that for a very long time, it was ruled by Joe Bruno.
"There was an illegal vote taken," Smith said. "Let me be very clear — very clear — the Senate majority is in Democratic hands." He said he won't reconvene the session until the coalition drops its challenge to the leadership.
Illegal eh? I'd be interested to hear more on this, because I'd guess that all the Senate did was stretch some Senate rules, which the Senate puts into place, and not anything in statute.
il⋅le⋅gal
–adjective
1. forbidden by law or statute.
2. contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.: The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.
Thanks for the helpful helpfulness. I wait with bated breath for Smith to go to the NFL commissioner for a ruling.
Internal informal Senate rules are typically important, because that's how anything ever gets done. e.g., there's nothing in the Constitution which lays out the US Congress's elaborate tree of committees, but that's how its legislative procedure works. Lots of this stuff is governed by tradition, really.
I have no idea what procedures the NY senate has in place to enforce its unwritten rules, but it's probably got some.
I've got the head of my school's PoliSci department coming into the station for an interview at 11 to figure out exactly what the hell is going on in Albany. I'll post any revelations he might have for me.
Internal informal Senate rules are typically important, because that's how anything ever gets done. e.g., there's nothing in the Constitution which lays out the US Congress's elaborate tree of committees, but that's how its legislative procedure works. Lots of this stuff is governed by tradition, really.
I have no idea what procedures the NY senate has in place to enforce its unwritten rules, but it's probably got some.
No those rules have the force of law at the federal level. Its included in the Constitution as a power of the Legislature. Looking up the NY State Constitution
§9. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business. Each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; shall choose its own officers; and the senate shall choose a temporary president and the assembly shall choose a speaker.
Internal informal Senate rules are typically important, because that's how anything ever gets done. e.g., there's nothing in the Constitution which lays out the US Congress's elaborate tree of committees, but that's how its legislative procedure works. Lots of this stuff is governed by tradition, really.
I have no idea what procedures the NY senate has in place to enforce its unwritten rules, but it's probably got some.
Tradition is helpful, but rules can be changed without everything falling to pieces. The Texas Senate did such a thing this last spring, making an exception for a 2/3rds rule to hear bills. I don't know that the New York Senate will be so resilient to something that sounds like a much more drastic rules change.
But my point was that it didn't sound illegal, with legal recourse against the offenders.
PantsB, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. The New York constitution requires that the House and Senate develop rules, but is silent on what the rules themselves are.
PantsB, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. The New York constitution requires that the House and Senate develop rules, but is silent on what the rules themselves are.
Yes but the rules are binding and have the force of law. If the NY State Senate says that, say a cloture vote takes 60% then a simple majority can't overrule it. These are not "unwritten" "traditions" they are law.
edit
For instance in the NY State Senate Rules
8. Motions. a. When a question is before the Senate, only the following
motions shall be made by a Senator, and such motions shall have precedence
in the order here stated, viz.:
(1) For an adjournment.
..
b. The motion to adjourn, or for a call of the Senate, or for the previ-
ous question, or to lay on the table, shall be decided without debate, and
shall always be in order except as provided in Rules five, seven and nine.
If there was a motion to adjourn, this terminates a call to reorganize until the matter is decided. If it was decided in the affirmative than they were not reorganized. If it was not decided, then the reorganization is not valid as the vote was procedurally invalid.
Hmm, I think I need to find out more about what happened. I'd think some sort of parliamentary ruling by the body could clear it up(even if the parliamentary ruling sounds sketchy). Rules get tricky.
Hmm, I think I need to find out more about what happened. I'd think some sort of parliamentary ruling by the body could clear it up(even if the parliamentary ruling sounds sketchy). Rules get tricky.
Well the original Majority Leader is taking the issue to court, so we'll see. I'd hope there'd be video but apparently not so it might be "yeah-huh" v "nuh-uh."
This is pretty much like what happened recently in Tennessee. I mean, as a Democrat this sucks, but since I'm a Florida Democrat and this is only important to me in terms of gay marriage, I can appreciate the beauty of this sort of politicking. Well played Republicans, and a pox on the turncoats.
Tennessee was sort of funny because as I recall the Democrats all nominated one Republican to be the new leader while all of the Republicans nominated another guy. Well I should say almost all of the Republicans, the Republican the Democrats nominated voted for himself putting him in power.
The Republicans threw an epic hissy fit and it was hilarious.
My guest yesterday brought up the interesting point that the Republicans in the NYS Senate have the extreme advantage of incumbency. However, most are getting pretty up there in age, so we can safely expect to see an increased Democratic hold as the next few elections occur.
Additionally, it seems that Tom Golisano had a lot to do with convincing the 2 Dems to make the power-grab move. Golisano is a Rochester native and billionaire. He basically owns half of Buffalo, including the Sabres and the Bandits. The report is that he was upset with state Democrats for raising taxes on the wealthy after he pumped quite a bit of money into their campaigns.
This news is particularly interesting because Golisano is planning on leaving New York because of the amount he'll save on taxes. While I had a favorable view of him in the past for the charitable work he does, it angers me that he is fucking with my state's legislature even while planning on fleeing to Florida.
The last thing NY needs right now is more confusion in Albany.
Posts
Awesome.
NY State Senate Districts
a lot of rural areas there.
Edit: Dems are saying it happened after hours, so it didn't actually happen.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
At least this way it's the GOP that gets to look like bigoted dickheads, not the Democratic majority.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
From what I've seen it should be a "kick them all out" situation in the NY Senate but this is worse - now its blatant corruption switching control of the Senate on top of their normal terribly sleazy and unethical behavior.
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Which is something I have done before.
The whole thing seems to have been masterminded by Tom Golisano the billionaire who tried to set up this same deal with the two Dems who flipped when they were originally waffling about supporting Smith for control of the Senate, and who publicly had a fit and moved to Florida when the Senate raised taxes on high earners. That's a hell of a talking point, and it won't hurt that now the Republicans are going to have to own the really shitty budget situation for the next two years.
NY Senators are only elected to 2 year terms, so everyone is vulnerable every cycle. The republicans seem driven to try and focus on reforms for now (funny how that always happens when the majority party slips out of power) so the next 18 months might not be a complete disaster and we can position ourselves to come back strong in 2010.
I believe politics in NY breaks along NYC vs. anti-NYC lines.
Illegal eh? I'd be interested to hear more on this, because I'd guess that all the Senate did was stretch some Senate rules, which the Senate puts into place, and not anything in statute.
I don't get it.
Two of them de facto switched parties. Apparently in NY you can reorganize at any time and either you can't or the Dems didn't filibuster?
The Democratic Leadership is claiming they did procedurally block the vote by adjourning. The GOP + 2 corrupt as hell former-Ds are denying this though.
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Pretty much. The two dirtiest, most brazenly corrupt Dems too. NY state politics seems pretty much a clusterfuck right now
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
So rather than the dead of night, it probably happened when the bank was open?
Pretty much
There's no common interest at all. Upstate is dirty poor rural country and NYC is affluent city with tons of financial demands.
When the governor had to choose Hillary Clinton's replacement there was much talk about whether he would choose someone upstate or from NYC.
Gillibrand is upstate but she sucks so it's a wash.
–adjective
1. forbidden by law or statute.
2. contrary to or forbidden by official rules, regulations, etc.: The referee ruled that it was an illegal forward pass.
I've sat through the story at least 10 times now, and honestly no one still has any idea what the hell happened. Dave Velesky (who was the Vice Pres of the Senate) has called us to be like "Hey, this didn't count, so don't worry." and insists it was totally illegal and shouldn't matter.
Some other guy, who's name escapes me (I think DeFransisco) who's a Republican has called to say this is awesome because Dems are all from NYC and Republicans did this "For the sake of Upstate!" which is total bullshit.
The only video I've seen is another reminder about how in this high tech, fast paced, modern society the most important decisions in our whole lives are made by idiots. The video footage? A bunch of people in a room yelling and raising thier hands. It basically boiled down to "everyone who wants republicans in power raise your hand now." and hands shoot up and everyone goes "Huh wha?!" and then someone says "We have more hands up than you, we win! PUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
It's bizarre.
This isn't that unprecedented. We were all cheering when the democrats managed to pull off basically the same trick in Texas and Tenneesse (I believe) when their legislatures first formed up. The only real difference is that the democrats here managed to lose control during the term, as opposed to at the start, and that the republicans chose to pull the trigger with an amazingly tone deaf group of players (the guy who beat his girlfriend, the guy who is under indictment for corruption and who still hasn't filed a single FEC paper, and a billionaire who left the state in a snit when he didn't get enough control after funding a few Dem races).
Schadenfreude's a bitch, but we need to take the opportunity to make the best of it we can. Control of the Senate after the 2010 Census is the only time it particularly matters.
Well, the problem was that for a very long time, it was ruled by Joe Bruno.
Thanks for the helpful helpfulness. I wait with bated breath for Smith to go to the NFL commissioner for a ruling.
I have no idea what procedures the NY senate has in place to enforce its unwritten rules, but it's probably got some.
No those rules have the force of law at the federal level. Its included in the Constitution as a power of the Legislature. Looking up the NY State Constitution
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Tradition is helpful, but rules can be changed without everything falling to pieces. The Texas Senate did such a thing this last spring, making an exception for a 2/3rds rule to hear bills. I don't know that the New York Senate will be so resilient to something that sounds like a much more drastic rules change.
But my point was that it didn't sound illegal, with legal recourse against the offenders.
PantsB, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. The New York constitution requires that the House and Senate develop rules, but is silent on what the rules themselves are.
edit
For instance in the NY State Senate Rules If there was a motion to adjourn, this terminates a call to reorganize until the matter is decided. If it was decided in the affirmative than they were not reorganized. If it was not decided, then the reorganization is not valid as the vote was procedurally invalid.
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Well the original Majority Leader is taking the issue to court, so we'll see. I'd hope there'd be video but apparently not so it might be "yeah-huh" v "nuh-uh."
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Tennessee was sort of funny because as I recall the Democrats all nominated one Republican to be the new leader while all of the Republicans nominated another guy. Well I should say almost all of the Republicans, the Republican the Democrats nominated voted for himself putting him in power.
The Republicans threw an epic hissy fit and it was hilarious.
Additionally, it seems that Tom Golisano had a lot to do with convincing the 2 Dems to make the power-grab move. Golisano is a Rochester native and billionaire. He basically owns half of Buffalo, including the Sabres and the Bandits. The report is that he was upset with state Democrats for raising taxes on the wealthy after he pumped quite a bit of money into their campaigns.
This news is particularly interesting because Golisano is planning on leaving New York because of the amount he'll save on taxes. While I had a favorable view of him in the past for the charitable work he does, it angers me that he is fucking with my state's legislature even while planning on fleeing to Florida.
The last thing NY needs right now is more confusion in Albany.