Monday, June 22, 2009

New York and Dysfunctional Democracy

I love New York and I love New Yorkers but let's face it, some of our fellow citizens are just slimy -- and the slimiest of them seem to end up either in or influencing our government.

Too whit: this New York State Senate coup/stalemate/comi-tragic situation is now two weeks old. And it's all due to these two unhinged goons, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada, one of whom is an indicted assaulter of women, the other a creepy operator just one step ahead of the law -- for now.

This Village Voice article gives you more history on these two con men who are, beyond corrupt, just really, really weird. Monserrate is a Scientologist ('nuff said) and Espada ... his entire career been able crossing and double-crossing people for his own advantage. Egads.

But these guys aren't the only ones. Here's another story that defies belief: an influential NYC Rabbi named Glanz managed to arrange, last year, a lavish Bar Mitzvah for the family of a prisoner in a New York City jail! This thing has become something of a scandal since, you know, prisoners aren't supposed to be able to do things like this!

Do you think Bernie Madoff is gonna get to have a sedar in his little rat cage? Think not.

And add to that this whole sleazy undermining of term limits and you feel that New York democracy is messhugah! The whole city and state is being run by creeps!

The principles of democratic government is that the people govern themselves. Generally this works out and prevents despotism. We dislike the idea of a "ruling class" or noblesse oblige, people born and bred to run the government, people who think they know better than us about how we should live. We call these kinds of people the worst thing you can be called these days: elitists!

But when you get idiots like Monserrate and Espada holding office, when you have people like this weirdo Rabbi Ganz holding sway over our politicians, you seriously have to wonder whether this democratic experience, where the "people" rule is really the most brilliant idea humanity has ever invented. Maybe being an elitist isn't such a bad thing.

But I guess Winston Churchill was right: democracy is the worst form of government ever invented -- except for all the others. And New York City and State right now is proving the "worst" aspect of that statement beautifully.

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