History is 'a Happenin' in New York

This blog mainly focuses (obviously) on NYC but NYC is (again, obviously) in New York State -- and the state government wields enormous power over the 8.5 million-plus folks who live here.

For years, nay decades, the state government in Albany has been a basket-case of dysfunction. Specifically, the state legislature, the bi-cameral institution of the State Senate and State Assembly that could barely pass a budget on time let alone any laws that could bring this state into modern times.

Did you know, for example, that NYS was the last state in the entire country to pass an uncontested divorce law? Even the most conservative, Bible-thumpin' states had passed laws like this but, because of our dysfunctional legislature, this common-sense reform didn't happen until 2010. Gay marriage passed ... in 2011 ... and no reforms anywhere near that consequential happened after wards. 

The reasons were clear: the State Assembly was (and is) overwhelming controlled by Democrats. The State Senate was overwhelming controlled by Republicans -- and then by this evil thing called the IDC, a group of "breakaway" so-called Democratic state senators who voted to give the Republicans control of the State Senate in exchange for various perks (biggest staffs and office budgets, committee chairmanships that resulted in "lulus" i.e. extra salaries -- basically, legalized bribes). This kept the state legislature divided and any kind of progressive reform agenda was dead.

Until now.

In September 2018, almost all of the IDC state senators lost their primaries to real Democrats. In November 2018, the Democrats picked up several more state senate seats. Now the Democrats control the entire state government -- and they have gone on a legislative tear that's transforming this state for the better.

Voting reform. Banning "gay conversion" therapy. Strengthening reproductive rights. The DREAM act. And that's just the beginning! 

There's been more reform in NYS in the last two weeks than in the last ten years, and there's much more to come (including legal weed and ending cash bail and vacancy de-control). This is exciting, amazing stuff.

It's easy to be cynical and disgusted by politics, particularly when you look at the freak show of Trump's DC. In many ways, what's happening in DC now is what's been going in Albany forever -- but Albany is improving while DC is getting worse. The amazing reforms of this moment in our state shows that when good people vote for good people and good people get the power to do good -- good things happen! What's going on in Albany right now sprung from political activism and that activism has translated into power -- power in action and power with results that materially improve people's lives. It shows how toxic the legacy of GOP and IDC control of the State Senate was -- and what a great thing it is they've been defeated. 

Reform isn't happening in DC (and won't for a long, long time) but it's happening right now here in New York.