....January 12, 5:10 PM
 
 
   
A Political Ramble For A Busy Week

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

Sometimes the work week schedule gets to you.
For me, this one did.

I sit at my computer to pound out a column, with no preparation, no forethought, no notes and no selected topic.

Subjects, I have many.

The week — the New Year – has been filled with endless changing issues of relevance that would make normal fodder for this political columnist and newspaper publisher.

¨ The Council Speaker race, which turned out to be less dramatic, less of a cliff-hanger and less of a political battle than anticipated, has been analyzed to death. My friend Henry Stern’s remarks below are as incisive as any.
To me, the most poignant comment so far was that Christine Quinn’s sexual preference was not an issue during the months of the Speaker maneuvering but her gayness – I think that’s politically acceptable — has become the most discussed quality since her election. Guys, gals, she wasn’t elected Speaker because she is a lesbian. She was elected Speaker because she’s a damn good and likeable politician. The Democratic Party Leaders put together a coalition to divide up the spoils of picking a Speaker and chose her because she was, to them, trustworthy and likeable. She did not get an iota of help because she was gay. As a matter of fact, it is a tribute to our city’s political process that it had no impact – positive or negative. The lesson here is that the diversity of our city is real and thriving.

¨ To the east, neighboring Nassau County has been mired in one of the most absurd political struggles ever. Elected Democrats ally themselves with Republicans to choose legislative leadership posts in order to enhance their own power and monetary position. Power, jobs and money have taken center stage – not issues or the people. The entire situation has not played out yet, but is disgustingly illustrative that money corrupts, power corrupts and politicians are corruptible.

¨ Tom Delay has finally announced his withdrawal from Congressional leadership -- bravo! Corruption brought him down. His style and politics, as vile as it was, never toppled the guy – as a matter of fact, it may have help make him. But the abuse of money and power has made him another corruption footnote in political history.

¨ Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist turned squealer, will bring down more. The Congressional surface hasn’t been scratched yet. When Jack yaks and the Justice Department acts, expect a long list previously respected members of Congress (and senior staffers), standing in line to cut deals to stay out of prison, keep their fortunes and retire gracefully. Mixing money and politics results in trouble. The solution isn’t easy but the problem must be addressed. Freedom of Speech is the foundation of democracy. Lobbyists have taken it to a level that our founding fathers never conceived of. We must preserve the freedoms but control the lobbyists’ money and influence.

¨ Mike Bloomberg starts his final four-year term without scandal. The City seems to be in good hands as Bloomberg sets out to build a lasting legacy for New York. We are comfortable with the leadership; we are cautiously optimistic and we’ll be sitting, watching and cheering him on. We’ll also yell if we disagree. Good luck Mike.

¨ The Governor enters his final year in that position – thank goodness. Our State is suffering financially. The budget is a house of cards ready to topple. The legislature is an ineffective roadblock with its members remaining barely participants in the process. It’s time for a change -- a wide sweeping change.

¨ Elliot Spitzer has effectively tried to exert his claim on the gubernatorial mansion with seemingly only a crusading Nassau County Executive as the only person in his way. However, watch that one. In spite of the Nassau legislature’s problems discussed above, Tom Suozzi is a potent force. The impressive campaigner, charismatic, good looking and driven, rivals the best we’ve seen in his ability to win votes. Spitzer has won the Democratic insider’s game but Suozzi has faced such odds before. He became County Exec by winning the support of the voters not the powerbrokers. And he will be well funded -- though by some folks who bring baggage along.

¨ The GOP continues to bumble Statewide seemingly giving Hillary a free (or real easy) ride to re-election this year and then onto the path aimed to reclaim her former home on Pennsylvania Avenue.

¨ Republican Jeanine Pirro has finally dropped down to a position where she is not over her head and will likely face Democrat Andrew Cuomo in the most competitive and expensive State Attorney General race ever. This will be one the pundits will love. Two impressive, forceful figures with baggage will go to war.

¨ And the list goes on. But this writer did not pause for time in the political playpen this week. Involvement in the exciting acquisition of a chain of Long Island papers occupied me this week. The Long-Islander started by Walt Whitman in 1838, and its sister papers have joined the Tribune family. The brief story is described on Page 3 of this issue. The more detailed adventure to come will appear on this page in the near future.

¨ Community journalism is alive and well and we love what we’re doing.

¨ Happy New Year to all!

Michael Schenkler can be reached via this contact form.

 
 
Christine Quinn Will Be Tested

By HENRY STERN

The selection of Christine Quinn as Speaker of the Council illustrates the enduring power of political leadership (bossism to its enemies), which has demonstrated greater strength than misogyny and homophobia combined.

This in no way detracts from Ms. Quinn, who followed the Gifford Miller playbook in making friends wherever she could, investing thousands of dollars in the campaigns of her future constituency, and paying particular attention to the maximum county leader, Tom Manton of Queens. Quinn did this without neglecting the Bronx leader, Assemblyman Jose Rivera (father of the Council’s majority leader Joel Rivera), and the pillar of the Brooklyn Democracy, Clarence Norman’s newly-crowned successor, Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

lt is probably unfair to tar Ms. Quinn with the sins of these political worthies. It should be known that none of the three current county leaders has ever been indicted, much less convicted, of any crimes, whether of violence, avarice or politics, and it was certainly necessary for her to touch the three bases in order to reach home. If she had not done that, the men could well have selected the aggressive Brooklynite, Bill de Blasio, an alumnus of Senator Hillary Clinton’s office. De Blasio built what he called “a multi-borough progressive coalition” in his effort, and his tough approach positioned him to the left of Ms. Quinn, however unlikely it appears that there was any room there for him to occupy.

Ms. Quinn’s accession is noteworthy for several reasons: She is only the third person to serve as Speaker (the title was the choice of Peter Vallone, Sr.). It evokes the power of the Speaker of the House, or the Speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, also of Manhattan. Silver, however, has had 12 years to grow his power. Vallone had 16 years as speaker but Ms. Quinn will have but four, unless she can persuade the electorate into allowing her to seek re-election. We predict the proposed coup by self-extension will not survive the furious newspapers and civic groups, and the promised mayoral veto. Save your political capital, Chris.

She is the first Irish-American Speaker. However, Vallone’s predecessor, then styled ‘majority leader and vice chairman’ of the Council, Thomas J. Cuite, was of Irish ancestry. Cuite also despised homosexuality. We state with as much certainty as can apply in these matters, that Mr. Cuite would spin in his grave if he knew that, 16 years after he left office, his successor would be an Irish lesbian.

It is arch to describe her as the first ‘openly gay’ speaker. The two previous speakers, Vallone and Miller, are breeders and not closeted gays. She is the first gay speaker, period.

We have known Ms. Quinn for many years and respected her rise through the toils of local politics.

From our encounters, we know her to be a kind and decent person, who has not yet let the travails and vicissitudes of climbing the greasy pole make her into a political robot or a calculating machine. We hope she keeps her freshness and open-minded attitude as she deals with the issues that lie ahead.

Probably the most important thing for Christine Quinn to remember is that the Council is her major constituency, but it is by no means her only constituency. She has a responsibility to other people and their enterprises which are not represented by the ambitious activists who inhabit the Council. As the second highest public official in a city of eight million people, she should feel obliged to help as many of them as she can through rational public policy decisions, not simply to accommodate the political structure from which she emerged. Last, if you want to be mayor, or anything else, the best way to get the job is by being a good Speaker, not by spending four years campaigning for higher office. Do not weigh each decision in the light of your own ambitions. That doesn’t work.

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Henry Stern was NYC Parks Commissioner for 15 years and a Councilmember for nine. He is founder and director of NYCivic, and can be reached at: starquest@nycivic.org

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Michael Schenkler can be reached via this contact form.