Hosakawa Tito
02-02-2009, 16:24
My State Guvment is more dysfunctional & corrupt than yours, So ~;p. Yes, the Empire Vampire State is Numba 1.
Albany is New York's USA's Capital of Dysfunction. (http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/566383.html)
Still broken. (http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/still_broken_new_york_state_legislative_reform_2008_update)
Some favorite exerpts:
Committee meetings were infrequent in both chambers and sparsely attended in the Senate, where members can vote without being physically present.
Committee meetings that they get paid large stipends on top of their basepay to participate in.
The Ethics Committee hasn't had a single meeting in 10 years *but collected their $12500 stipends, because well...we have no ethics problems in NYS.
100% of the bills that leadership allowed to reach the floor of either chamber for a vote passed with almost no debate.
They debate nothing, read nothing, vote as they are told to vote by the party leadership *hear no evil,speak no evil,see no evil*. Mavericks have their offices moved to a 6x6 slopsink, office budget slashed, no committee posts or stipends, no party backing in the next election. Might as well replace them with bobble-head dolls, pat the head for yea, slap the face for nay.
Member resources were distributed inequitably in both chambers on the basis of party, loyalty and seniority.
Play along and do as your told by party leadership you receive the lifetime incumbency plan. Be a maverick and rock the boat you're a one term congressman...chose wisely.
Much of the legislative process remains opaque; records are difficult to obtain without burdensome "freedom of information" requests, and key records of deliberation—such as "no" votes on procedural motions in the Senate—are not maintained.
The mother of all oxymorons. Requests are ignored, when they deign to reply the answers are incomplete and delayed till most give up in frustration.
Legislators & Senators are considered "part-time" employment *at a base salary of $79,000/year plus undocumented perks*. Most are lawyers & businessmen who conduct and combine their personal business & guvment business, and of course, there's no conflict of interest in that.~:rolleyes: refer to the ethics committee...
So, any less evil states out there to choose from? Where can a taxed to the hilt, politically jaded citizen find a modicum of state sponsored integrity & good faith in the USA?
Albany is New York's USA's Capital of Dysfunction. (http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/566383.html)
Still broken. (http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/still_broken_new_york_state_legislative_reform_2008_update)
Some favorite exerpts:
Committee meetings were infrequent in both chambers and sparsely attended in the Senate, where members can vote without being physically present.
Committee meetings that they get paid large stipends on top of their basepay to participate in.
The Ethics Committee hasn't had a single meeting in 10 years *but collected their $12500 stipends, because well...we have no ethics problems in NYS.
100% of the bills that leadership allowed to reach the floor of either chamber for a vote passed with almost no debate.
They debate nothing, read nothing, vote as they are told to vote by the party leadership *hear no evil,speak no evil,see no evil*. Mavericks have their offices moved to a 6x6 slopsink, office budget slashed, no committee posts or stipends, no party backing in the next election. Might as well replace them with bobble-head dolls, pat the head for yea, slap the face for nay.
Member resources were distributed inequitably in both chambers on the basis of party, loyalty and seniority.
Play along and do as your told by party leadership you receive the lifetime incumbency plan. Be a maverick and rock the boat you're a one term congressman...chose wisely.
Much of the legislative process remains opaque; records are difficult to obtain without burdensome "freedom of information" requests, and key records of deliberation—such as "no" votes on procedural motions in the Senate—are not maintained.
The mother of all oxymorons. Requests are ignored, when they deign to reply the answers are incomplete and delayed till most give up in frustration.
Legislators & Senators are considered "part-time" employment *at a base salary of $79,000/year plus undocumented perks*. Most are lawyers & businessmen who conduct and combine their personal business & guvment business, and of course, there's no conflict of interest in that.~:rolleyes: refer to the ethics committee...
So, any less evil states out there to choose from? Where can a taxed to the hilt, politically jaded citizen find a modicum of state sponsored integrity & good faith in the USA?