New York Tizzy

For what it's worth, the New York State Senate, apparently having nothing better to do, is in a big tizzy over which party controls it. It had been under Democratic control till a week or two ago, when two Democrats threw their lot in with the Republicans, giving the Republicans a one-vote edge. But that has been nullified because one of those two changed his mind again and returned to the Democratic side, claiming that he did that because the Democrats have chosen a new leader who is more to his taste.

The other defected Democrat and the Republicans are enraged, and have taken their case to the courts.

But what case? What was so different about two weeks ago and today? And how can the judges be any smarter than anybody else on this, and what would they have to go on to make their decision?

Despite all the circus feelings being reported by the press, it all seems pretty cut and dry from here. The NY Senate is controlled by whoever has the most votes, and right now neither party has that. and so they have to share the committees 50-50, and wait till New York pulls itself together and installs a Lieutenant-Governor to break tie votes. That post for some reason has been left unoccupied for a long time, ever since the former governor, a man with the inelegant handle of Spitzer, who was distinguished by having a wife with a truly wonderful name that I have now forgotten, let his passion cramps directed elsewhere get the best of him and was found out, and the then Lt.-Gov, a man named Paterson, had to step up to take his place.

But the state is New York, and New Yorkers are known for always wanting it all. So for a while longer, where their legislature is concerned, the New Yorkers will have to deal with getting little to nothing.

The main problem will be for the New York City image-makers. They will have to stop to work on the state's image, when they see themselves as being in charge of that for the whole country.