My weekly column writing is usually preceded by considerable mental exercise to select a topic and then an equal amount of head time mentally drafting, redrafting, spinning and twisting until I sit down at the keyboard and begin writing.

Hiram Monserrate is my hero. He single-handly did what I have been unable to do for almost a decade. Some eight years ago I started yelling that the New York State legislature is the 50th best – read worst – in the nation. There were a few other small voices who sang my song. Then about five years ago the NYU School of Law Brennan Center named the NYS Legislature as the nation's most dysfunctional and many good government groups, journalists, talking heads and other media outlets joined in the chant.