Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Fun and Games In Albany

The 30 Republicans in the New York State Senate joined forces yesterday with two dissident Democrats to retake Republican control of the chamber late in the afternoon, electing one of the dissidents, Sen. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, as President and reinstating Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Center, as Majority Leader.

Ousted former Majority Leader Malcolm Smith is expected to challenge the move in court, although according to the New York Times report, it is not clear he has grounds to do so.

If the Senate Republicans use their new power to act like Republicans, they may have reclaimed their political future.   If they just use it to do what most of them have been doing all their Senate careers, acting like big-government Democrats and sucking up cravenly to the public employee unions, we think they've cooked their goose.   Voters will see this as a power grab for no purpose other than gaining power and will, as they should, punish the Senate Republicans without mercy at the next election.

The new majority can start by repealing the budget adopted earlier this year, with its massive spending increases.

1 comment:

repoman said...

You know, you have really hit the nail on the head with this post.

If these guys are smart, they will pass some real reform legislation and make some real cuts in spending. It would force the Democrats to openly vote aginst the will of the people (or less likely, do the right thing and go along).

If the GOP instead opts for just a little window dressing covering business as usual, they will be worse off than ever and they will desrve their fate.