Make no mistake, New York did not arrive in this sorry state it finds itself without co-conspirators from both parties.
Democrats and Republicans share the blame. Both are guilty of playing partisan politics and bringing the state to the brink.
The people of this state know that.
Andrew Cuomo knows that, too.
In his acceptance speech after being chosen the Democratic candidate for governor, Cuomo cited Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson as “stepping up” during times of crisis and making things better.
“New York state is in a crisis,” he said, and it was time for Democrats to “step up and make this state the Empire State once again.”
He continued his speech, arranging the elements carefully to build to a crescendo.
Home values have plummeted.
There are 831,000 New Yorkers without jobs.
Six of the 25 highest property tax counties in the nation are in New York state.
State government turned out to be part of the problem.
With 1,000 state agencies and 10,000 local agencies, Cuomo said, “we can”™t afford it anymore.”
He said there is a loss of trust between lawmakers and the people they are supposed to represent. And, as he rightly pointed out, no relationship works without trust.
The time is right to restore trust.
Cuomo shouted: We need to clean up Albany.
We need to pass ethics reform.
We need an independent redistricting commission.
We need a constitutional convention to right the wrongs.
Applause!
Stand up on your feet applause!
Among those clapping were the very denizens of Albany who should have been lowering their heads in repentance. They were praising Cuomo for reviling them.
And that spoke volumes of what is wrong in Albany.
Politicians are so intent in toeing the party line, they would jump off a cliff if everyone else in their party was doing it.
As to those who did not attend the convention, they must have been scratching their heads trying to figure out how to reconcile their actions with the new marching orders.
We wonder what Cuomo thought when he saw the people he was taking to task applauding his criticisms.
In using colleagues as a collective punching bag, maybe he was trying to keep them off balance; to get them on his team. Sort of like a drill sergeant wearing down recruits to build them up again.
He went on to say that Democrats need to reach across the aisle and form alliances to end the gridlock that has a death grip on this state.
“It”™s not about ”˜me”™, it”™s about ”˜we”™.”
At the end of the day, “we”™re first New Yorkers.”
Yes, we are, but we”™re weary New Yorkers.
And wary as well.
