“AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction. The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice. He will not fail, therefore, to set a due value on any plan which, without violating the principles to which he is attached, provides a proper cure for it. The instability, injustice, and confusion introduced into the public councils, have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished” Federalist 10
“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interests of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government of men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” Federalist 51
In May 1787 55 delegates arrived in Philadelphia to attend the Constitutional Convention, an attempt to resuscitate the Articles of Confederation, a loose confederation of the thirteen colonies/states, more like the European Union than a nation. Key failures included lack of taxing power, no control over interstate commerce, state placed tariffs on each other and the requirement for unanimous state consent to make changes. The nation was divided, perhaps the war was a mistake.
Hamilton and Madison convinced Washington to chair the convention and in lieu of amending the Articles moved to create a new nation. For months, the delegates debated, argued, and in the end crafted a new governing document, our Constitution.
The convention was held in secret, no press, curtains drawn, no transcript. From May to September they debated and in September agreed upon the document, filled with compromises, no mention of slavery, large states versus small states, free states versus slave states, a powerful legislative branch, and an electoral college to limit the passions of the commoners.
Ratification required nine states and Hamilton and Madison wrote 85 op eds, today maybe published on Substack, the essays, called the Federalist Papers and signed Publius, using a Latin name was commonplace, the Federalist Paper might be the finest guide to the governing of our nation.
Hamilton and Madison were correct, we are a contentious crowd and our history up to and including today shows us “Men are not Angels.” Physical confrontations on the floor of Congress were commonplace.
“The instability, injustice, and confusion introduced into the public councils, have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished” Federalist 10″
The state budget, due by April 1 is still being debated behind closed doors, this is the governor’s fifth budget and each has been late. A thirty year old decision of the NY Court of Appeals, Silver v Pataki, the right of a governor to add non budgetary items to the budget, was sustained and it would take a constitutional amendment to change, On the sidelines Bruce Blakeman, Hochel’s opponent in November must be smiling, the governor’s favorability ratings are dropping.
What’s holding up the state budget? I suspect Fix Tier 6, among other items, Hochul backing away and Speaker Heastie and Majority Leader Stewart Cousins fighting the fight. Why would they choose to “fight the fight,” probably because Mulgrew and his UFT team support candidates in primaries prefered by Heastie-Stewart Cousins as well contributing to campaigns and have an excellent relationship. Relationships matter, they matter a great deal.
On the city front the mayor has announced a balanced budget, see details here, although the budget requires approval by the City Council, and an aggressive Council Speaker who will undoubtedly have her own agenda.
The UFT anti Mulgrew caucuses pound away, “we can do better,” we’re not afraid to strike,” and angrily condemn the electeds who will make the final decisions, the opposition caucuses described by the Federalist Papers are the “…mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished” Federalist 10
I grew up in a Jewish/Italian neighborhood, safe, everyone got along, in the corner candy store in one booth was the neighborhood bookie, in another booth the neighborhood loan shark. My mother forbade me from hanging out in the store, but ….
“Kid, comeer, take this envelope around the to xxxx. they’ll give you sumething …” I’d race back and spend: a piece of halvah, a cherry-lime rickey, on a lucky day enough for a charlotte russe.
The Faga brothers had the “franchise,” the gambling, the loan sharking and probably protection from the neighborhood store owners.
Years later, my job as a UFT Rep, a common complaint, the UFT Office was out of the way, can we meet in the district? Ben Faga, now the owner of Scarola, a restaurant in Sheepshead Bay. I dropped by and introduced myself, “Hi Ben I’m Lennie’s brother ,,,” and asked whether I could meet with teachers, one day a week from 3:30 to 5, We caught up, “What’s Lennie doing?” and took me into the restaurant. three guys sitting at the bar, an Espresso pot, a bottle of Sambuca and a lot of gold chains, Ben, “He’s all right, from the teachers …”
Teachers liked it and after a few weeks one of the guys at the bar called me over, “Sometimes things fall off the back of a truck, maybe a teacher would be interested … good prices.”
One day Ben asks, “Can you do me a favor?” Can you get a kid into the preK?
In Ben’s world “favors” are reciprocal.
The school district had a pre-K lottery, I knew the supe always kept a few slots out of the lottery, maybe a politician, someone high in the bureaucracy. He said get a phone bill (to check residence) and a birth certificate, I passed long and forgot about it.
A month or so later Ben says, “Carmine says thank you, says he owes you”
I’m a little confused, one of the gold chain guys, “Carmine Lombardozzi“
I’m still confused, “You know Carmine the doctor, he’s in the magic business, makes people disappear.”
Building relationships, collecting chits, is at the core of politics, maybe not taught in college classrooms, absolutely taught in the classrooms of the real world
Listen to a song from “Hamilton.
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 