Reminiscing about fatherly advice

This from CityHallNews.com's 40 rising stars under 40

Ryan Toohey
Principal, Global Strategy Group
age: 32
Nickname picked: Fritz

“One of the things that my father taught me and practiced was a level of access and openness that I thought was very cool,” Ryan Toohey said, reflecting on growing up the son of the then Assembly parliamentarian Timothy Toohey and godson of Joe Crangle, then the Democratic state chair.

Ryan Toohey's name may sound familiar since last time he was in the news was as Spitzer campaign manager as he was arrested for DUI. Irony of invoking what his father has taught him and practiced is that when his father came to the police precinct to bail him out, Timothy Toohey consequently was arrested for DUI as well. A family that drinks together stays in the klink together.

The Daily Politics: At Long Last, A Deal? (Updated x2)

The Daily Politics: At Long Last, A Deal? (Updated x2)

Sort of a deal on congestion pricing between the three men in the room will probably not make the mayor very happy.

Legislative Correspondence Associaiton Roast

Albany Leaders Near Deal on a Budget - New York Times

Albany Leaders Near Deal on a Budget - New York Times

According to my sources, Spitzer's budget opposition (1199 SEIU) have halted their statewide operation. It looks like Spitzer has come to a compromise, State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno realized the budget had to be cut somewhere, Speaker Silver was already pushing for a middle ground. The budget cuts to healthcare will affect 96, 000 healthcare workers compared to the 300,000 as originally feared.

Spitzer Eases Up on Tough Talk of a Shutdown - March 27, 2007 - The New York Sun

Spitzer Eases Up on Tough Talk of a Shutdown - March 27, 2007 - The New York Sun

Coming to his senses a little bit Governor Spitzer turns down the steamroller rhetoric, admits the possibility there can be compromise from his plan of take nearly all the money from healthcare and give it to middleclass property cuts and suburban schools, and Senator Joe Bruno's plan giving away the store as if money grows on trees. In my honest estimation I do believe closing the government would play very well in the press for more than 2-3 days. The NY GOP needs some issue to make Spitzer look like the bad guy and the healthcare workers getting screwed by the Governor's budget would be able to mobilize school districts that depend on the budget being on time to form their budget that goes to people to be voted on in late May. When everyone is trapped in their own hyperbole of how horrible the other side is problems never can get solved and Spitzer being the most visable face he will get most of the blame. Joe Bruno and Speaker Silver will never win a popularity contest statewide but they do not need to, they only need half their conference (in the Senate and Assembly repectively).

Spitzer closing up shop to show he has big huevos

IT'S ELIOT'S MOVE - Editorials - New York Post Online Edition

The difference between Clinton's government shut down in 1994 and Spitzer's threat of government shut down next week; they are on opposite sides of the same issue. Spitzer fearful of raising taxes on corporations or the wealthy (which he is) boxes himself into a corner and forced to make the argument that the large aspects of social service are not necessary. Clinton's government shut down showed how much we did need a government which made Newt Gingrich kowtow back to Clinton and open up the government with new taxes on the wealthy that led to the budget surpluses in late 90's. Spitzer should have never made the campaign promise that he would never raise taxes since he has four years in which babyboomers retiring and going to all need social services like Access-a-ride, prescription drug benefits, Medicare and even Medicaid.

Enough with the Ivy League bravado, Eliot, tax the wealthy and give the people of New York the government we deserve.

Putting Students First - March 19, 2007 - The New York Sun

Putting Students First - March 19, 2007 - The New York Sun

So after being endorsed by 1199 just about a year ago, Spitzer is willing and able to leave the union and its members out to dry. You think that SEIU 1199 would have been so eager to push Spizter had they known that they would have made out to be the enemy in Spitzer's very first budget.

What of the rest of organized labor's bretheren? No other union is even attempting to put the squeeze on Spitzer or other state elected officials. This New York Sun article spells it out succinctly that next year the teachers union will be on the chopping block as Spitzer builds his street cred for being brass-balled-take-no-prisoner-tough. Spitzer for all his ivy league bravado fails see that weakening the bulwarks of the progressive establishment in New York State, weakens his own base.

To paraphrase Martin Niemöller
When Spitzer came for the Healthcare workers,I remained silent;I was not a I did not work in hospital. When Spitzer locked out the teachers, I remained silent; I was not a teacher.When Spitzer came for me,there was no one left to speak out.

New York Politics Capitol Confidential : Albany Times Union : timesunion.com : Capitol confidential » DiNapoli Responds

New York Politics Capitol Confidential : Albany Times Union : timesunion.com : Capitol confidential » DiNapoli Responds

So DiNapoli is going to be the new Comptroller, this is a sign of how much control Silver has over that actual workings of the state. Spitzer wants to be seen as the steamroller but he just got rolled, as DiNapoli was not on Spitzer's committee search list, and DiNapoli came from silver's democratic conference without any discernible financial background or competency other than keeping his personal checkbook balance.

State Senator Serph Maltese nearly gets defeated

GOP State Senator Serph Maltese won re-election by 900 votes against Albert Baldeo, a man who was accused in his failed run for city council of pulling a gun on his opponent's wife. If there was a real candidate or Spitzer had any coat tails this seat would be in the hands of the Democrats bringing the total of seats needed for the Dems to regain control of the Senate to 2. Liz Krueger, who chairs the New York Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and is responsible for candidate recruitment for the State Senate, should most diffidently step down as she has utterly failed. With a tidal wave of democratic votes only one State Senate seat traded hands, Nick Spano lost to Andrea Stewart Cousins after the rematch from 2 years ago by 19 votes, Senator Kruger could have done just as well had she done nothing at all

Spitzer Vows to Push for Gay Marriage - New York Times

Spitzer Vows to Push for Gay Marriage - New York Times

It is very unlikely that Eliot will be expending any political capital on gay marriage, it will not help him out when he runs for president 2012 or 2016. By the time it will be a political strength to a national campaign and it will look like Spitzer is doing a me-too and doesn't really have the umph that it would have he pushed forward in the first 100 days of governorship. He could simply make it state policy to recognize same sex partnerships among state employees (as the chief executive it would not require state legislature approval) and allow them to share benefits. If he really wanted to push for equality will take the first step having the state recognize domestic partnerships, he probably will not even mention anything regarding gay marriage for the first term.