State Senate Follies

At our church today one state senator called another senator "a crook" and someone "who should be in jail."

Unitarians are known for unusual services but that's not what was happening today when Senator Neil Breslin (D-Albany County) made his comments about Senator Pedro Espada (D-Bronx). Breslin rapped his fellow Democrat at a forum held after the service. Unitarians often find politics easier to talk about than spiritual matters.

We actually skipped today's service which was too bad since we heard later it concerned how to deal with bad news. Oh well.

Breslin was repeating a familiar criticism of Espada, the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-back-Democrat, who has helped to tie the state legislature in knots for the past few months by jumping back and forth between parties.

Espada also, according to Breslin, doesn't live in the district he represents, sought state money for personal use, and takes a $470,000 salary as head of a mostly government funded health care organization.

And of course, the Attorney General is investigating.

Breslin expressed utter disdain for Espada and three colleagues who have used "extortion" to try to take advantage of the tight partisan split in the Senate.

The problem of course is that Democrats have had some lowlifes representing districts from New York City for decades but no one paid much attention when they were a relatively powerless minority. It's only since they captured the majority last November that their shortcomings have become so obvious.

Breslin is an old friend who was preaching to the choir at the Unitarian church. I'm getting more used to listening to politicians talk while not taking notes, in some ways it feels liberating and in other ways it feels kind of empty.