The state of politics in USA

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Het commentaar van Eric uit Chicago:
Oh my, I really don't think there's any competition here. I got quite
frustrated with Illinois democrats after the whole Blagojevich business,
so I was trying to think back to last republican governor we had. Then I
remembered that he was still in jail.

Groet / Cees

PS. Met 1 op de 100 Amerikanen in de gevangenis niet zo vreemd.
Wij sluiten 8 gevangenissen met 1350 cellen en verhuren anderen aan het
buitenland ;) Overigens zit 1 op de 1000 in Nederland in de gevangenis
en zou €65.000 per jaar kosten.
Dit zou dan voor Amerika 30M x 65000 = 2000 miljard zijn. Dus ongeveer
de tegenwaarde van 5 oorlogen in het thuisland (én elk jaar de
tegenwaarde van een grote economische crisis).


February 11, 2010
Op-Ed Columnist
The Biggest Losers
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/opinion/11collins.html
By GAIL COLLINS

Our question for today is, who has the most awful political culture,
Illinois or New York?

Already, I have offended many, many readers who believe their state is
being unfairly overlooked. I see you waving your hands, New Jersey.

Excuse me. I was just distracted by the new 66-page federal indictment
of Larry Seabrook, a New York City councilman who, along with
multitudinous other charges, is accused of altering a receipt from a
deli so he could get a $177 reimbursement for a bagel and diet soda.

One point for New York.

I was thinking about the dreadful similarities between the two states
while listening to the New York State Senate conduct its business this
week. First, there was a resolution demanding that the 9/11 terrorist
trial not be held in New York.

“We can’t regurgitate that,” said one senator. Another claimed that
America’s greatness was demonstrated by the fact that no other country
had ever sent rescue missions to Haiti.

Except Costa Rica and Canada and Cuba and ... Stop. When you start
having a mental debate with a state senator from Long Island, it’s time
to move on.

So, who’s worse? Both states lost their governors to scandal. But Eliot
Spitzer is not about to make his debut on “Celebrity Apprentice.” Point
Illinois.

After his sudden elevation, Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois attempted to save
money by giving early release to 1,700 nonviolent state prisoners, some
of whom unfortunately turned out to be violent after all. He also gave a
State of the State speech in which he boasted about having been named
“Mr. Soybean” by the Illinois Soybean Association.

Meanwhile, Gov. David Paterson of New York, who is mired in a
controversy over a racetrack casino contract, demanded that The New York
Times produce a list of all the things that are not going to be in a
Paterson profile being prepared by the paper so people in Albany will
stop speculating that there will be sex in it.

I am going to call this one a draw.

In their recent primary, Illinois Democrats — who should know the
importance of a lieutenant governor — voted to give their nomination for
the No. 2 job to Scott Lee Cohen, an excitable pawnbroker.

Cohen spent millions on campaign ads. Which apparently interfered with
his ability to make regular child support payments. Also, he seems to
have underestimated the chances that a run for statewide office would
draw attention to the fact that he was once charged with holding a knife
to his girlfriend’s throat.

So he withdrew from the race in a tearful press conference. At the Hop
Haus Tavern. During the halftime of the Super Bowl.

Illinois inches ahead.

New York had an incident related to domestic violence this week, too,
when the State Senate voted to expel Hiram Monserrate, who had been
convicted of assaulting his girlfriend. A special bipartisan committee
went to great lengths to produce a complete report. It said that the
29-year-old woman in question, who wound up at a hospital with deep
lacerations on her face, was quoted by the medical staff as saying that
Monserrate had sliced her with a piece of broken glass.

Hours later she signed a statement supporting the senator’s convoluted
explanation that she got her injuries when he tripped while bringing her
a glass of water. The deposition was in English, which she barely
speaks. It was written by a Monserrate staff member and notarized by
another. She was escorted to the trial by a third. In her testimony, she
stood by her senator and insisted that they were in love.

As the legislators argued about the case, some wanted to know why
Monserrate’s crime was any worse than that of another state senator who
has been charged with assaulting a photographer.

O.K., ideally we would not be having our elected officials do either.

But it was apparent that although these people had passed trillions of
bills, resolutions and budget appropriations on the subject of domestic
violence, many of them had no clue about what made it a peculiarly
corrosive crime.

“A huge number of my male colleagues still don’t have any idea what
domestic violence is about — the use of intimacy to manipulate, the
power and control,” said Senator Eric Schneiderman, who led the committee.

During a five-hour, closed-door meeting, Monserrate’s fellow Democrats
yelled, threatened and occasionally appeared ready to throttle each
other. “It was everyone hashing it out, making every possible argument,
the living, breathing essence of democracy,” said Schneiderman.

Well, actually it would have been slightly more democratic if they had
done it on the floor of the Senate.

Instead, after Monserrate read a statement pointing out that lots of
other people in the Legislature get convicted of things, the chamber
silently voted 53 to 8 for expulsion.

It was not exactly the founding fathers at Philadelphia. But, for now,
Illinois wins.
======================================================================
1.
Phil in the mountains of Kyushu
Japan
February 10th, 2010
11:36 pm
Need more info before picking a winner.

Happily, though you’ve done your best to show America’s typically ripe
public servants, you can use help – from Rachel Maddow and an apparently
indefatigable team of researchers also devoted to America’s
ethically-challenged who rise in public office.

So here, below – a link to video of more than a dozen Republican members
of Congress in D.C. swearing total hatred for everything in the stimulus
plan – and then photos and newspaper headlines showing exactly the same
hypocrites back in their home districts celebrating the stimulus monies
for which they happily take credit:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/
  Recommend  Recommended by 300 Readers
103.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
annie m
austin, texas
February 11th, 2010
10:41 am
What about Texas! We've given you George W., Tom Delay, Karl Rove, Phil
Graham, the list goes on and we're still churning them out...
  Recommend  Recommended by 261 Readers
17.
at
ny
February 11th, 2010
7:29 am
Oh come on. Let's not forget recent politics in Alaska. Sarah's
disappearing act and those wacky senators! Or the governor of Texas, who
threatened to secede. California is truly, madly, deeply, out of
control. And honorable mention must go to South Carolina.

How about a series Gail?
  Recommend  Recommended by 231 Readers
12.
Patricia R. Sweeney
Boise ID
February 11th, 2010
7:27 am
I just want you to know that here in Idaho things are humming along as
usual. Yesterday the legislature voted to appropriate $100,000 to hire a
lawyer to sue the federal gov't if & when medical reform is enacted,
because requiring citizens to have medical insurance is
"unconstitutional." This, in a state that is threatening to close the
state parks because of budget shortfalls! And one of the Republican
representatives said that anybody who voted against this appropriation
was being untrue to their oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. The spkr
of the Idaho House, calling her, "Dear lady," gently rebuked her for
impugning the patriotism of her fellow (Democratic)legislators, & she
sulkily agreed to "try another tack." (This was the same lady who a few
years ago proposed giving tax support to private schools to provide an
alternative for "people who don't want diversity.") Idaho does not have
the same totally dysfunctional political system as NY & IL, but we're
working on it.
  Recommend  Recommended by 175 Readers
2.
tbruce
Austin, TX
February 10th, 2010
11:40 pm
Gail, you accurately point out what many reporters fail to...corruption.
Corruption should lead the headlines every day of the NYT, calling out
the powerful who abuse their position. Unfortunately if someone has the
wrong letter after their name, it is glossed over. all corruption needs
to be factually exposed so the electorate can make an informed choice.
  Recommend  Recommended by 172 Readers
8.
J. Toscano
Brooklyn, NY
February 11th, 2010
12:12 am
Gail, I personally think that New York wins this round. It is true that
the New York State Senate finally voted for expulsion regarding one of
their own thugs, but the fact that 8 voted against expulsion (including
my own Senator Carl Kruger), makes me wonder how bad their behavior has
to be before the decision would have been unanimous. Those 8 senators
apparently do not think that domestic violence is a big deal, but I do.
I have every intention of remembering Mr. Kruger's decision the next
time he is up for re-election.
  Recommend  Recommended by 156 Readers
25.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Eric
Chicago
February 11th, 2010
9:53 am
Oh my, I really don't think there's any competition here. I got quite
frustrated with Illinois democrats after the whole Blagojevich business,
so I was trying to think back to last republican governor we had. Then I
remembered that he was still in jail.

Darn.
Vote Green Party!
  Recommend  Recommended by 149 Readers
36.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Zach A.
Atlanta, GA
February 11th, 2010
10:20 am
An entire article dedicated to dysfunctional state governments and
California wasn't mentioned once...somewhere Arnold Schwarzenegger is
weeping tears of joy.
  Recommend  Recommended by 131 Readers
14.
Bill Benton
San Francisco
February 11th, 2010
7:29 am
I think the two states are equally afflicted with insensitive, thieving
and sometimes violent legislators.

But they both pale in comparison with the Feds. The Senate and House
have give trillions of our tax money to lying, thieving bankers.
Apparently this was in response to large bribes (er, 'campaign
contributions'). See YouTube dramatization, keyword AOE1776.

And neither state has killed over a million (yes, that's right,
according to Johns Hopkins University and Britain's Lancet magazine)
people in Iraq who had done nothing directly harmful to us.

Hijinks with the opposite sex sells newspapers but simply does not
compare with starting wars by lying. Bring back Monica! I would rather
have Lewinsky helping in the White House than Petraeus.

Gail Collins, keep up the good work!

bill benton
www.realamerica.webs.com
  Recommend  Recommended by 107 Readers
162.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
DDM
South Carolina
February 11th, 2010
12:56 pm
You guys have it all wrong.

South Carolina wins the race to the bottom -- again.

Look at the list: Governor Sanford and his Appalachian honey. Joe Wilson
and his Representative lying grace and courteousness; Andre Bauer, the
lt. gov. and his "don't feed the poor 'cause they'll breed" statement;
Senator Jim DeMint, res ipsa, plus a underemployment fund that is out of
money because for EIGHT years nobody in the legislature looked at it;
and now, in a state that's broke and where said idiot governor had to go
to DC and beg for the stimulus funds he railed against last year, we're
seriously considering a tax break for commercial real estate so as to
increase sales of rental houses and second homes (not surpsisingly, the
Real Estate Association is for this) which would, in due course, raise
real estate taxes on everybody else. The only thing I can think of to
improve on that would be to allow those second homes then built on
beachfronts and moving sandbars (watch what you buy at Kiawah) to not
have to pay any taxes even when the state spends millions on sand
replacement so the houses don't wash away.

Gail, you should really make an exception and travel south of Staten
Island once to visit the state of the first and second secessions and
learn how 'gettin' dumb' is really done.
  Recommend  Recommended by 104 Readers
135.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Ed
Lansing, KS
February 11th, 2010
12:11 pm
While in the Army I served in NY but not IL so I can not compare those
two. After one tour in Louisiana though I'd say your competition is
among amateurs. Corruption in Louisiana is the big league.
  Recommend  Recommended by 95 Readers
7.
ROCCO
NY
February 11th, 2010
12:12 am
I was sorry to see that you forgot to include Charles Rangel in NY's
dream team. Had you include Rangel NY would have easily won.

Do we, NYers, have such a bad goverment because the Democrats do not
feel any preassure? Is a one part state a good thing?
  Recommend  Recommended by 88 Readers
11.
CB
Eau Claire, WI
February 11th, 2010
7:24 am
Thanks Gail, great column. One of the major problems with this is that
people go into politics for one of two reasons. A - to make a
difference, or B - for power. Unfortunately, it seems that only the
people from group B seem to do whatever it takes to progress in
politics. And they are on both sides of the aisle. Shame on us.
  Recommend  Recommended by 87 Readers
163.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Connecticut Yankee
Danbury CT
February 11th, 2010
12:56 pm
The antidote to political corruption and general stupidity is supposed
to be an informed electorate. Good luck with that.
  Recommend  Recommended by 85 Readers
136.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Rich Taft
Woodbury, MN
February 11th, 2010
12:11 pm
Need I point out that our government is no more corrupt than the rest of
the population? Something like 50% of us cheat on our spouses, our
taxes, our educations etc etc etc. It's part and parcel of being the
greatest nation on earth. We can do no wrong in our own minds and we're
in line to join that long list of has been, never to rise again nations.
  Recommend  Recommended by 75 Readers
9.
Marie Burns
Fort Myers, Florida
February 11th, 2010
7:23 am
As a loyal Democrat, I find it mighty dismaying that most of these
losers are Democrats. Admittedly, Monserrate changed his party
affiliation more often than he changed his socks, but I think the Dems
can claim him.

What's worse is that a lot of these losers are allegedly into abusing
women. Nowadays Gov. Spitzer goes on the teevee regularly to say he's
sorry for what he did -- without saying what he did. The other guys
remain in a state of denial, claiming they only allegedly roughed up
their lady friends a little or by accident. Gov. Paterson so far hasn't
been suspected of roughing anybody up, but I still consider the
allegations of his alleged possible rumored liaisons less than
respectful to the unnamed, unconfirmed alleged ladies.

Unfortunately, Gail, you're not playing fair. You've stacked the deck in
New York's favor -- or disfavor, depending on one's point of view -- by
referring only obliquely to the star of yesterday's show: Elvis. Former
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who pleaded not guilty to corruption charges, also
asked the Court to allow him to play 500 hours of his secretly-recorded
phone conversations, perhaps in an effort to encourage some of his
powerful phone partners to beg Prosecutor Fitzgerald to drop the
charges. If that ploy doesn't work, an Illinois jury will have to spend
83 six-hour days listening to Blago's colorful language & scintillating
conversation. Taking this tack, Blago might be able to drive enough
jurors mad to get the case dismissed. Or maybe the judge would quit.

However the big case works out for Mr. Blagojevich, I think he tips the
scale for Illinois, especially if you factor in the less-than-candid
sworn testimony of Roland Burris, Blago's inspired appointee to the
august Senate. Besides, there's no suggestion Blago abused or misused
any women. It's nice to have at least one Democratic miscreant who
treats women with more respect than he does a Senate seat.

The Constant Weader at www.RealityChex.com
  Recommend  Recommended by 72 Readers
107.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
Kenneth Poli
Long Island, N.Y.
February 11th, 2010
11:49 am
Now can we hear something about why we keep reelecting these predatory
stooges when we have the option not to?
  Recommend  Recommended by 63 Readers
3.
Cdr. John Newlin
Vista, Calif.
February 11th, 2010
12:12 am
You know, Gail, I would have thought I was reading an undiscovered
manuscript by Lewis Carroll except for the magic truth of it all.

I grew up in Springfield, Illinois so that's one brew I have in your tea
party. I also used to fly into to Floyd Bennett Field and take the
subway from Flatbush Avenue for a rendezvous with a sweet tart on East
76th street so I guess I have two brews.

By the way, you left out South Carolina and the Appalachian trail hiker
and his fellow Klansmen.

Yea, Illinois wins. Nice to know that nothing has changed since I used
to attend those Christmas parties the Governor threw for the kids every
year at the Centennial Building.
  Recommend  Recommended by 58 Readers
19.
DCBarrister
Washington, DC
February 11th, 2010
7:32 am
The biggest losers are the American people. By the tens of millions,
ordinary folks across this country pinned their hopes, dreams and
aspirations on what is rapidly becoming a hoax, the Obama presidency.

Little known, local politicians and weird right wing fringe partisans
like Glenn Beck are now household names because Barack Obama's personal
arrogance, political cowardice and refusal to lead stalled the will of
the American people who wanted things to be different this time around.

So naturally, as millions of middle class Americans lose their homes,
jobs and hopes, a media that we once trusted to tell us the truth flees
to the sidelines in favor of petty scorekeeping and gotchas. If truth
were any factor in the mainstream political discourse, it would reflect
the realities of legislative gridlock and politics over progress because
of Obama's stubborn refusal to abandon his pursuit of an imaginary
revival of the Reagan era.

Republicans are all too happy to pounce at the state level as Obama's
insistence on center-right is met with opportunistic obstruction for
mere political gain. We needed an experienced leader, capable of rising
above partisan rancor to get things done to sustain the middle class and
create a tide that lifts all, and instead we got hollow promises,
made-for-TV rhetoric and more of the same.

The topsy-turvy political landscape makes for great television and
plenty of activity on the blogs, but sadly does nothing to help families
wondering whether their children will get a meal or have a safe place to
sleep as the economy continues to favor the wealthy and devour the
majority. Shame on the charlatans who pandered for our vote, and
abandoned millions of us when they got it.

Change we can believe in? Not so much.

Donald Edmond, Esq.
Washington DC
http://www.twitter.com/edmondesq
  Recommend  Recommended by 57 Readers
13.
Reader In Wash, DC
Washington, DC
February 11th, 2010
7:27 am
So many places have bad political culture. And a large part of the
responsibility lies with the media who play along or often are too far
behind the curve.,
  Recommend  Recommended by 54 Readers
209.
HIGHLIGHT (what's this?)
LindaN
FtLauderdale
February 11th, 2010
1:07 pm
My fear now is for Monserrate's "girlfriend"....she will surely pay the
price. This glass etching thing of a man needs to be closely watched. My
ex, did the same thing, calling it an unintentional accident when he
"dropped" the glass and it splattered onto my legs and arms....needing
over 19 stitches. I, had a voice, and threw his sorry butt in jail,
pressing charges. Sadly this woman will remain powerless and a victim.
Monserrate should have been thrown in jail with the rest of the abusers.
Gail, thanks for sharing a great article...but it was this point that
struck a nerve.
  Recommend  Recommended by 51 Readers
10.
Darrell Hampton
Dayton Ohio
February 11th, 2010
7:23 am
I grew up in and moved away many years ago but this certainly brings
back memories. You can look at any political organization all over this
country, including Washington DC, not to even mention New York, and
nobody, I mean nobody, knows corruption like Chicago politicians. Man,
they take it to a Mafia- Michelangelo Art-form. They steal your wallet,
empty it and will not return unless they get a reward. Your columns make
me all weepy eyed and homesick. Ms. Collins stop talking about my
hometown. I still get emotional whenever I turn onto 65 north to visit
my relatives. Chicago politicians cannot help it, it is in their DNA.
You try growing up near Lake Michigan and see how you turn out!
  Recommend  Recommended by 51 Readers
18.
james z
Eastsound, Wa
February 11th, 2010
7:30 am
Well, if we only had Molly Ivins around to pipe in about the politics in
The Lone Star State, it would be a neck to neck with 3 states. Then
there is always California. And while it might seem more sedate in
political process to the other 3, in its inimitable Western style, it is
one confused mess...
  Recommend  Recommended by 49 Readers
6.
David Isenbergh
Washington, DC
February 11th, 2010
12:12 am
It's interesting that the two strongest candidates in the latest
Democratic presidential primaries were major politicians from the two
aforementioned states. One of those politicians is, of course, our
current president, the other, our secretary of state. What, if anything,
does that say about the Democratic Party, and the state of American
political life?
  Recommend  Recommended by 46 Readers
4.
Maggi
Chicago
February 11th, 2010
12:12 am
No, IL is certainly "the biggest Loser" because the democrats just voted
Quinn in AGAIN in the primary. This guy couldn't govern his way out of a
paper bag. I think Blago must be just laughing his head off. Every
appointment he made is a clown and we're still paying for the circus.
  Recommend  Recommended by 43 Readers

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