The Mixed Messages We, The People, Send To Albany
If the NYS Legislature is characterized by dysfunction, without direction, and lost in a continuous loop of doing the same things, over and over, with identical result, what does that say about John Q. Public?
We ask our State Legislators not to spend. Then we lambast them when they withhold money from our schools, our hospitals, our municipal services.
We ask our State Legislators to make cuts. Then we decry the cuts they make to programs near and dear, like our parks, environmental protection, and state aid to education.
We ask our State Legislators not to tax the middle class, a $12 billion hole in the coffers notwithstanding. Then we scoff at the likes of a millionaire's tax, a soda tax, and increased license plate fees as means of raising revenue and closing the gap.
Could it be that its not them, but us? Are We, The People, sending mixed messages to Albany? Do they really know what we want? Do we?
Before the folks in Albany can get their house in order, if such a thing is possible, we have to be focused, in both thought and articulation, abundantly clear in exactly what our goals and game plans are.
Sending the players onto the field, without direction, game after game, year after year, just doesn't seem to be working out for us.
True. We can, and in many instances, should change those players. That we can do. Until we change mindsets, harness expectations, and deliver a clear, concise message to Albany, however, don't expect anything to change, regardless of which party, or which individual, occupies that Senate or Assembly seat or, for that matter, the Governor's chair.
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The Continuous Loop of New York Government. . .
You've got that right.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's one more, just to prove the point:
Asking government to consolidate, but not at the expense -- and an expense it is -- of our local school districts, sanitary districts, fire districts, and water districts.
I think you're making a key point: we, the people, are actually partly to blame for the kind of stalemate and overall lack of progress we see at all levels of government. We want to believe, and we want to be told, that all things are possible and that no sacrifice is required. What makes matter worse, is that our elected leaders, or those running for office, act as enablers of what amounts to a grand self-deceit, by telling us what we want to hear, just so we'll vote for them. A corollary to this kind of manipulation, which is prevalent on Long Island, is represented by the elected leader who consistently ignores the huge problems we now need to confront, in favor of issues that are often ancillary but a lot less threatening. Again, these leaders often end up getting elected time and time again.
ReplyDeleteWhen will we ever learn?
THW,
ReplyDeleteas long as we have pols like mondello and murray we will never see any meaningful changes in nassau.
QA,another excellent post-people get the government they deserve. when 51% vote in the presidential election,20% for state and local elections,and barely 10% for the school board,these "non-voters" are sending a strong message-the lesser of two evils is still an evil.
how can the consumate insider like andrew cuomo bring about any meaningful change? i like steve levy-he hasnt been afraid to confront issues head-on and has the credentials-but the bureaucracy in albany is a beast that no one has been able to tame-for generations.