But the dragon slayer king’s carefully crafted image was just that, an image. Behind the mask, he was not who he pretended to be. The dragons he slew were not really dragons but citizens and members of the aristocracy he didn’t like–those who would not support him. He tried to give citizens from foreign lands illegally residing in the Empire State a legal wagon license–which would have resulted in illegal citizens gaining the right to vote for the dragon slayer king in the next election. Furthermore, he had multiple dalliances with some of the damsels of the Empire, and with damsels from other nearby Empires–damsels that were not his to dally with. One day, the persnickety, pesky, perseverant court jester (called The Truth) popped his head up and exposed the new king for what he was–a fraud and a hypocrite. The carefully crafted mask was shattered and the new king and erstwhile dragon slayer was run out of the Empire State on a rail.

And so the assistant king, whom nobody knew, now became the king. The problem was, the new king who had been the assistant king had been hiding in the shadows using a disguise. The new king who had been the assistant king was in reality the Village Idiot! He didn’t know how to run the kingdom any more than he knew how to run a McDonalds (“would you like some taters with that side o’ beef?”). He had spent all of his life inside the ivy covered towers of various castles educating young squires and damsels (and engaging in dalliences with some of the damsels), and he never paid attention to how to actually run an Empire. Oops.

And so the new Idiot king tried his best to run the Empire State, but he botched it rather badly. To complicate matters further, his council of Knights in Senate Armour, who were also elected to assist the king, squabbled among themselves and could not accomplish any governing either. So the Idiot king decided he would appoint his own assitant king, an assistant king that would also function as the chief Knight to put an end to the squabbling. So he picked… the stable boy, who was not really a boy but an old man in charge of the Empire’s horses (which was a primary mode of transporation throughout the largest city of the Empire). The Idiot king figured the stable boy was an expert in removing piles of…problems. But the Knights in Senate Armour did not like the fact that the new king selected an assistant king, especially one that would attend Knight in Senate Armour meetings and potentially stop the squabbling by casting a tie-breaking vote. So the Knights sued the king and took the matter to the Empire’s magistrates, where the matter would be decided by the very people whom the (now defrocked) dragon slayer king had appointed to office.

The moral of the story: Next time you vote for a new king, make sure you know who the idiot is he’s bringing along with him. The end.

Related reading: Ravitch appointment heads to court

Technorati Tags: New York State, Governor David Patterson,  Richard Ravitch, Eliot Spitzer, political satire

But enough seriousness. Today I want to share with you a comedy skit that recently ran on Saturday Night Live. I have not been an SNL watcher for years (way too politically left for my taste). But, every now and again, they poke fun at their own side. Such was the case with this skit of Gov. Paterson, whom they portray as a philandering cocaine addict. Remember, all good comedy has a kernel of truth in it, which is what makes it so funny.

Warning: Not for the younger kiddies. There is a brief expletive, a reference to a sex scandal and a few drug references. I also apologize in advance that Hulu, the site I’ve embedded this from, will run a commercial ahead of the video–something beyond my control.

Technorati Tags: Gov David Paterson, New York budget, SNL skit

Fast forward to a meeting between the governor and the leadership of the New York State Senate and Assembly just a few days ago. Nothing got done but a lot of squabbling. According to the Press & Sun-Bulletin, this is the scope of the issue:

Paterson deserves credit for outlining the problem — a $1.5 billion gap in the current budget, expected to reach $2 billion by the end of the budget year (March), $15 billion next year, and possibly $47 billion in four years if the state continues to do nothing — and for proposing a $2 billion reduction in this year’s budget. (State of denial, Nov. 19)

Call me Johnny one-note, but let me point out yet again, as I have been for nearly a year, the obvious $47 billion elephant in the room no one is talking about–Medicaid. (Also see my post from Dec 12, 2007: The High Cost of Doing Business in New York and Medicaid.) New York pays more for Medicaid, both as a percentage of its population and in real dollars, than any other state in the Union. We pay $2,316 per capita. Thats $2,316 for every man, woman and child in the state, to give away free health care as a welfare benefit. It’s obscene. New York sucks money out of my pockets to give away to people who won’t pay for their own health care–giving them arguably a better level of care than many working people can afford on their own. This must stop. It’s not compassion–it’s an unhealthy codependency.

My solution to the New York budget crisis? As I’ve pointed out in the past, I propose New York cap Medicaid spending to $1,000 per capita–which is still more than California which is $939 per capita, and Texas at $771 per capita, both states with bigger populations than New York. Capping Medicaid would have the instant effect of reducing the state budget by $23 billion, which will instantly SOLVE the budget crisis. No further cutting of precious school budgets, no further cutting of precious government bureaucrat staffers. No counting paperclips. Just cut Medicaid. It will have the associated benefits of restoring some semblance of fairness to our budget and reducing the incentive for people to move to our state and not work.

Governor Paterson, it’s easy! Cut Medicaid.

Technorati Tags: New York budget crisis, Governor David Patterson, Medicaid

In response to yesterday’s speech by Gov. David Paterson (serial philanderer) in which he said, “we’re hosed,” Sen. Clinton said this:

Gov. Paterson has outlined many of the serious economic challenges and choices facing New York state which are the direct result of the 7 1/2 years of failed fiscal leadership by President Bush. Under the Bush administration’s watch, the budgets of state and local governments have been pushed to the limits while New York’s families are feeling the squeeze through higher costs for energy, health care and food at the same time their incomes have fallen. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to invest in our economy and to prevent the Bush administration from further shifting the costs for Medicaid, unemployment insurance, energy assistance, infrastructure investments, and job creation onto the budget of New York state and the backs of New York’s taxpayers. (Press & Sun-Bulletin, Reactions to Gov. Paterson’s remarks)

Ms. Rodham Clinton: It is NOT the federal government’s job to be the nanny of every citizen in this country, particularly of our great state. It IS the federal government’s job to protect its citizens from foreign invasion. And that’s about it. As outlined in the U.S. Constitution, the federal government has very few responsibilities, and the states themselves many responsibilities. You might try reading the Constitution sometime Ms. Clinton.

One can argue that the federal government has great influence over the states economically, sopping up money for this purpose and that. But the federal government and George Bush are NOT responsible for the mess that is New York. It is socialists like Clinton and Schumer, Paterson and before him Spitzer, and our legislature in Albany, right down to groups like Citizen Action (that runs Binghamton), that are at fault.

Socialists view their role as redistributing wealth. They love to take from those who have (i.e., those who work for it), and give it to those who don’t have (i.e., welfare slugs). Why? Because the slugs vote for the socialists to keep them in office. You can only play that game for so long before the economic house of cards comes crumbling down. Sooner or later, as we’ve seen in New York, those who work grow tired of being ripped off and having their money transferred to people who refuse to work.

In New York, we conveniently place a tax on Wall Street activities which helps fund this madness. But now that Wall Street is rather anemic, the socialists are scrambling to figure out what to do. First order? Blame Bush. How predictable and how typical. Second order? Well…they don’t have a clue, do they? They mumble about trimming a little here and a little there. We are in a MESS. Medicaid is the reason. You must address the root cause and do it now. Only then will hard working families move back to this state and the welfare slugs will move out.

Technorati Tags: New York budget, David Paterson, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Medicaid, socialism

Our illustrious, philandering governor (no, not Spitzer who was dumb enough to pay for sex, but Paterson, who gets his illicit sex for free)… will have a live televised address later today to announce the Empire State is running out of money–fast. We’re already down $700 million this year and the bleeding continues. The gov predicts if things continue this way, we’ll have a $21 billion “gap” over the next three years. Why? Supposedly because the brainiacs in Albany who estimate to the dime how much money will come through the door (so they can spend all of it plus more), didn’t count on Wall Street taking a nose dive.

In New York, we tax not only our citizens nigh unto death, we also tax Wall Street down to the last penny of a dividend. So when Wall Street sneezes as it has been doing for some time, our state coffers catch pneumonia.

If there is any small glimmer of hope, it is that Paterson realizes raising taxes will not fix this situation. According to today’s Press & Sun-Bulletin:

In the unusual move of a statewide address, Paterson is expected to call for spending cuts and belt tightening in the 2008-09 budget, which runs until March 31. Job cuts and pullbacks in state services are also on the table, aides said. (Paterson to speak on budget crisis)

The thing I don’t see in that short list is the REAL reason we’re in a state of disaster with our finances here in New York: Medicaid. I’ve written about this before (see The High Cost of Doing Business in New York and Medicaid). If I might so bold as to quote my earlier post:

Here’s the sad facts about New York’s Medicaid program and why I say it’s sinking us and sinking us fast: New York ranks #1 in both per capita spending and total spending for Medicaid of all the 50 states. You read that right, #1. We spend more money on Medicaid than either California or Texas, and they have larger populations!

In 2006, New York State spent $44.7 BILLION on Medicaid. Is that obscene or what? If you break it down per capita, we spent $2,316 for every man, woman and child in this state to fund health care for Medicaid recipients. Last year California spent $939 per capita, and Texas spent $771 per capita.

Our out-of-control spending on Medicaid must stop and it must stop NOW. Only then will we get a handle on our fiscal house.

My solution? Simple. Cap Medicaid spending to $1,000 per capita. That seems more than reasonable to me. It would have the instant effect of reducing the state budget by $23 billion, more than enough to offset the current budget “shortfall” in revenue of $700 million, and take care of the predicted shortfall of $21 billion over the next three years, plus give us a surplus for a rainy day.

Fat chance the pols in Albany will take my advice! They derive their power by keeping people (voters) dependent on them for handouts, rather empowering them to afford their own insurance by creating a climate in this state where businesses flourish and reward workers with insurance and other benefits. That’s why we continue to stagnate and wallow in the mess that is New York: socialism.

Technorati Tags: New York State budget, David Paterson, fiscal crisis, Medicaid, Wall Street revenue, Albany spending, New York legislature, socialism

I’ve written about Economic Development Zones previously (Empire Economic Development Zones Hurt Broome Taxpayers). The organization that administers EDZs and is in charge of handing out big tax breaks to businesses that do nothing more than put on a good show is the ESDC–that Mr. Wilmers now runs.

Let me connect the dots for you: ESDC hands out big tax breaks to businesses. Those tax breaks benefit a business’ bottom line–helps make that business more profitable. M&T Bank makes loans to businesses. Do you think that maybe, if I’m the CEO of a business looking for a loan, I might consider getting my loan from the bank whose chairman could influence whether or not I get a big huge tax break from the state?

If Mr. Wilmers wants to magnanimously help the state and shower us with his brilliant leadership (and the ESDC can use good leadership for sure), he should step down from the board of M&T immediately and sever all ties–divest himself from their stock–and become a truly independent leader of the ESDC. While he remains chairman of the board at M&T there is a bigtime conflict of interest.

Something about this whole thing just stinks to high heaven. The real solution is to dissolve the ESDC and stop favoring some businesses over others with tax breaks. Lower the tax rate for EVERYONE in New York, businesses and individuals alike.

For more information, see:
M&T chairman tapped for state economic post (Press & Sun-Bulletin, June 6)

Technorati Tags: Empire State Development Corp, Empire Zones, Empire Development Zones, David Paterson, Robert Wilmers, M&T Bank

Here’s a statement uttered by our astonishingly brilliant governor:

In his statement, Paterson said he looks forward to the PSC’s “speedy resolution of issues in the acquisition case before it. I am hopeful that the outcome will be one that provides an opportunity to Iberdrola to bring its financial strength and commitment to expand renewable energy generation in the state, while also protecting the interests of ratepayers in the Energy East service area.”
(Press & Sun-Bulletin, June 6)

Translation: Get off your rear-ends Public Service Commission, and get this deal done. I’m waiting for “contributions” from Iberdrola to my campaign re-election fund!

Wake up people.

Technorati Tags: Iberdrola, Energy East, NYSEG, David Paterson, wind power

Now we find out that Paterson is a thief too. Seems he’s decided to take money, with the blessing of the state legislature, from various dedicated tax funds (some call it fees–I call it taxes), like snowmobile registrations, boating registrations and charter schools, in order to pay for LAST YEAR’S budget shortfall. Yup. He just opened the snowmobilers’ cookie jar and helped himself to $1 million just like that. And the same with other funds too. Here’s a few excerts from an article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin (remember, you might not be able to believe the P&SB as they don’t seem to fact check):

To help balance last year’s budget, the state grabbed $1 million last month from an account paid for by snowmobile registration fees for the maintenance of trails – and snowmobilers want it back.

The snowmobile fund was one of dozens of special funds “swept” by the Paterson administration, with the permission of the Legislature, to raise $100 million to help balance the state budget last year as falling state revenues opened a budget hole.

Funds set up for purposes as diverse as controlling the population of animals ($1,020,000) to improving boater access to water ($1 million) to stimulating the creation of charter schools ($1.4 million) were dipped into to pay for general state expenses.

The reason they go after these funds?

The snowmobile-trails fund was picked because it had a balance of $5.5 million, and only $4.38 million is planned to be spent this year – which will be offset by about the same amount of new revenue, he said.

The “he” of “he said” is Paterson’s budget division spokesman Matt Anderson. You see how the mind of a liberal works, folks? The money collected from snowmobilers doesn’t belong to the snowmobilers…it belongs to the State. And the State Almighty has need of using it somewhere else. And we all worship at the alter of State Almighty.

How about this view: That money belongs to the people who paid it, and if the snowmobile fund doesn’t need that much to maintain trails and such, GIVE IT BACK! You don’t collect fees/taxes for one purpose, and do a shell game and use it to pay for other things like the country’s most lavish welfare program. It’s called theft, plain and simple.

Oh, and next year? Snowmobilers and others may want to think twice before sending in their “fees”:

Meanwhile, Anderson said, the new budget calls for additional “sweeps” of $150 million next March to balance this year’s budget. The pots from which the money would come have not yet been determined.

Welcome to New York.

Technorati Tags: Governor Paterson, David Paterson, Matt Anderson, New York State budget, liberal, snowmobile