Thursday, August 09, 2007
Spitzer and Bloomberg on a learning curve
For the last few weeks, this column has closed its eyes to the harsh realities of New York politics, indulging in parks and other summer pleasures. Governor Spitzer’s problems were just a nagging aberration initially, then building up to career busting potential catastrophe. Does not everyone know by now that character accusations against old politicos must be crystal-clear and provable, else they will backlash?
Well, Spitzer’s staff, used to easy corporate victories, - with clear–cut cases of backdated stock options, after-hours trading and price rigging, resulting in the plutocrats caving in and paying penalties and agreeing to reforms - were not expecting backfire. There is a theory that Spitzer may have let the freelancing staff people go ahead, hunting among the Republicans, with the proviso that whoever gets caught has to assume the responsibility and pay the penalty. This may account for the sickening results of his Director of Communications, Darren Dopp’s fiasco in accusing NYS Senate majority Leader Bruno in using state airplane facilities for campaign fundraising trips (and now another Spitzer aide resigning over accusation of threats regarding a Con Ed blackout hearing). What chutzpah! Would anyone expect the wily Bruno not to have covered himself with conducting concurrent state business? I find that theory hard to believe, knowing of Spitzer’s proclivity to micro-manage projects, but there it is.
Well, the staff idiots failed, but Bruno did not. The Majority Leader, currently under investigation for something serious by the FBI, such as alleged major contracts to friends and family corporations, is turning the inquiry around, and will be investigating Spitzer and staff, via the NYS Senate’s investigative committee, and the Albany County DA’s (a Democrat) authority. This can be escalated, as a publicity campaign leading nowhere legally, except undermining Spitzer as Governor and national aspirant. Not bad PR work for a 77-year old politico who is about to lose his gerrymander-backed two-seat majority in the State Senate.
Well, he has had legal support. The Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, whose investigators found the dirty works in collecting and playing up Bruno’s trips and declared the trips not illegitimate but based on a loophole that should be closed, is a early-running candidate for Governorship, rumored to be motivated to downsize Spitzer. That’s according to insiders, notably Prof. Alan S. Chartock, head of the Northeast Public Radio network and a political commentator, who knows his Cuomos. His “Me and Mario” radio program had discussions of the family’s ambition to move the ex-Governor’s son, then an ex-HUD Secretary and a former Kennedy in-law, into Governorship. Chartock’s take is not unique.
Another interesting player is the third member of the Triumvirate ruling NYS, Assembly Speaker Stanley Silver, who after a period of diplomatic abstention has come out favoring Governor Spitzer. That will carry a price in concessions. After all the Speakership may be at stake in these decisions.
That becomes most observable in such matters as recommending Michael Bloomberg’s plan for a $8 fee for entering NYC, past 86th Street southbound. A terrific proposal to limit gasoline sue, improve NYC’s air quality and pay for necessary improvements in Mat’s services, it would have been good for us midtowners, but Silvers diddled past the deadline. His speakership is on the line – should the assembly members from Westchester, Putnam, Nassau, Suffolk and the four outer Burroughs revolt – the Speaker’s heavy hand makes his head lie uneasy - well, there have been revolts before, one cannot suppress them all.
But being headstrong is not limited to the heady young winners riding the Governor’s coattails. Mayor Bloomberg’s staff did not research the $8 entry fee project sufficiently, beyond figuring that it will take some years to install the necessary E-ZPass gear on the key streets and equip cars (a cost) and provide tollgates for unequipped entrants (a huge cost).. The devil is in the details, and they were not analyzed and broken down to the essentials and most importantly, not sold to the players. This is where all of Bloomberg’s inventive projects have failed. Bloomberg has young hotties up the wazoo, all working hard, aspiring for glory. Put them into boot camp, learn practical political analysis. Typical questions: would teachers, cops and necessary emergency workers be charged? What’s the “go free” arrangement? Are the unions on board?
It is scaresome. An ordinary management analyst type like me sees overt instances of arrogance overriding competence, in state if not in city governance, reminding one of the early 2000’s in Washington. It hurts, Democrats. Mentorship, on “this is how politics (management, human relations, persuasion vs. imposition) works,” may be of great value. I will rephrase the Professor again. He notes that Spitzer advocates like Assemblyman Mark Weprin after the election found themselves viewed as the enemy. Chartock suggests that Spitzer surround himself with some Dutch Uncle senior advisors and shed the shnooks. These rules you learn in public high school, and Spitzer may not have met them at Horace Mann.
Well, Spitzer’s staff, used to easy corporate victories, - with clear–cut cases of backdated stock options, after-hours trading and price rigging, resulting in the plutocrats caving in and paying penalties and agreeing to reforms - were not expecting backfire. There is a theory that Spitzer may have let the freelancing staff people go ahead, hunting among the Republicans, with the proviso that whoever gets caught has to assume the responsibility and pay the penalty. This may account for the sickening results of his Director of Communications, Darren Dopp’s fiasco in accusing NYS Senate majority Leader Bruno in using state airplane facilities for campaign fundraising trips (and now another Spitzer aide resigning over accusation of threats regarding a Con Ed blackout hearing). What chutzpah! Would anyone expect the wily Bruno not to have covered himself with conducting concurrent state business? I find that theory hard to believe, knowing of Spitzer’s proclivity to micro-manage projects, but there it is.
Well, the staff idiots failed, but Bruno did not. The Majority Leader, currently under investigation for something serious by the FBI, such as alleged major contracts to friends and family corporations, is turning the inquiry around, and will be investigating Spitzer and staff, via the NYS Senate’s investigative committee, and the Albany County DA’s (a Democrat) authority. This can be escalated, as a publicity campaign leading nowhere legally, except undermining Spitzer as Governor and national aspirant. Not bad PR work for a 77-year old politico who is about to lose his gerrymander-backed two-seat majority in the State Senate.
Well, he has had legal support. The Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, whose investigators found the dirty works in collecting and playing up Bruno’s trips and declared the trips not illegitimate but based on a loophole that should be closed, is a early-running candidate for Governorship, rumored to be motivated to downsize Spitzer. That’s according to insiders, notably Prof. Alan S. Chartock, head of the Northeast Public Radio network and a political commentator, who knows his Cuomos. His “Me and Mario” radio program had discussions of the family’s ambition to move the ex-Governor’s son, then an ex-HUD Secretary and a former Kennedy in-law, into Governorship. Chartock’s take is not unique.
Another interesting player is the third member of the Triumvirate ruling NYS, Assembly Speaker Stanley Silver, who after a period of diplomatic abstention has come out favoring Governor Spitzer. That will carry a price in concessions. After all the Speakership may be at stake in these decisions.
That becomes most observable in such matters as recommending Michael Bloomberg’s plan for a $8 fee for entering NYC, past 86th Street southbound. A terrific proposal to limit gasoline sue, improve NYC’s air quality and pay for necessary improvements in Mat’s services, it would have been good for us midtowners, but Silvers diddled past the deadline. His speakership is on the line – should the assembly members from Westchester, Putnam, Nassau, Suffolk and the four outer Burroughs revolt – the Speaker’s heavy hand makes his head lie uneasy - well, there have been revolts before, one cannot suppress them all.
But being headstrong is not limited to the heady young winners riding the Governor’s coattails. Mayor Bloomberg’s staff did not research the $8 entry fee project sufficiently, beyond figuring that it will take some years to install the necessary E-ZPass gear on the key streets and equip cars (a cost) and provide tollgates for unequipped entrants (a huge cost).. The devil is in the details, and they were not analyzed and broken down to the essentials and most importantly, not sold to the players. This is where all of Bloomberg’s inventive projects have failed. Bloomberg has young hotties up the wazoo, all working hard, aspiring for glory. Put them into boot camp, learn practical political analysis. Typical questions: would teachers, cops and necessary emergency workers be charged? What’s the “go free” arrangement? Are the unions on board?
It is scaresome. An ordinary management analyst type like me sees overt instances of arrogance overriding competence, in state if not in city governance, reminding one of the early 2000’s in Washington. It hurts, Democrats. Mentorship, on “this is how politics (management, human relations, persuasion vs. imposition) works,” may be of great value. I will rephrase the Professor again. He notes that Spitzer advocates like Assemblyman Mark Weprin after the election found themselves viewed as the enemy. Chartock suggests that Spitzer surround himself with some Dutch Uncle senior advisors and shed the shnooks. These rules you learn in public high school, and Spitzer may not have met them at Horace Mann.
# posted by Wally Dobelis @ 5:30 AM 
