Since the founding fathers politics has been run by the machine, meaning the power brokers within the party. Neighborhood political clubs, captains on every block, candidates selected in the proverbial smoke-filled room dominated the political landscape. With the SCOTUS Citizens Unlimited decision the landscape began to change, unlimited “independent expenditures” flooded campaigns with dollars. The shadowyContinue reading “Hail to King Zohran”
Tag Archives: news
June 23rd Democratic Primary: Your Vote Matters and Activism is Essential
Let’s begin with a stand up and shout moment watch the Robert de Niro speech, you’ll love it and on an ominous note, Paul Krugman asks whether we are living in the repetition of a point in history, So in a real sense we are living in the midst of a reenactment of the decline and fallContinue reading “June 23rd Democratic Primary: Your Vote Matters and Activism is Essential”
Does the Race of a Teacher Impact Student Outcomes? Is Supporting Black Teaching Candidates Discriminatory?
The NY Daily News reports, The Trump administration is investigating the City University of New York over allegations of racial discrimination, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday. The agency’s civil rights arm said it received reports alleging CUNY’s Black Male Initiative gives preference to some students over others on the basis of race. “Race can neverContinue reading “Does the Race of a Teacher Impact Student Outcomes? Is Supporting Black Teaching Candidates Discriminatory?”
Engaging the UFT Membership in the Upcoming Contract Negotiations
The current UFT Contract ends 11/28/27; however, the terms and conditions of the current contract remain in full force and effect until the successor contract is ratified. In NYS public employee labor agreements, aka, contracts, don’t expire, they just designate a date to negotiate the next agrement. Prior to the Taylor Law contracts did expire andContinue reading “Engaging the UFT Membership in the Upcoming Contract Negotiations”
Is the Mayor Planning to Defund the Affinity District Partner Organizations?
The NYS budget cycle is April 1 to March 31, if the governor/legislatures fail to reach an agreement the legislature passes a “continuing resolution” to keep the state solvent, meaning the ability to pay bills and pay state employees. Cuomo prided himself on timely budgets, each of Governor Hochel’s budgets has been late and thisContinue reading “Is the Mayor Planning to Defund the Affinity District Partner Organizations?”
A Primer: Who Manages Our Pensions? How Does the System Work?
In the last Constitutional Convention, in 1938, the phase “…public employee pensions may not be diminished or impaired,” was added to the State Constitution. Changing the constitution requires votes in both houses of the state legislatures in two consecutive sessions followed by a statewide referendum of voters. In other words our pensions are secured by theContinue reading “A Primer: Who Manages Our Pensions? How Does the System Work?”
Don’t Worry, Public Employee Pensions are Guaranteed and Safe
After July first, nineteen hundred forty, membership in any pension or retirement system of the state or of a civil division thereof shall be a contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired. (New. Adopted by Constitutional Convention of 1938 and approved by vote of the people November 8, 1938.) TheContinue reading “Don’t Worry, Public Employee Pensions are Guaranteed and Safe”
The Race to a NYS Budget (with sharp elbows!)
The 26-27 State Budget is due today, the legislatures passed “continuing resolutions” to keep the state afloat and the members left for the Easter/Passover break, leaving a number of contentious issues unresolved. The governor continues to push for the authority to override local zoning regulations to build more “affordable” housing, suburban legislators pushing back. TheContinue reading “The Race to a NYS Budget (with sharp elbows!)”
A Civics Primer: Fixing Tier 6
“No one’s life, liberty or property are safe while the NYS legislature is in session,” Judge Gideon Tucker With the signing of the Declaration of Independence the thirteen colonies became self governing states and each set about writing their own constitutions and governing structures The constitutions and structures varied widely from state to state. New HampshireContinue reading “A Civics Primer: Fixing Tier 6”
Why Has Mamdani Pushed Education to the Bottom of his Priority List?
It was a well-crafted targeted campaign. “Freeze the Rent,” “Fast, Free Buses,” “Free Childcare,” added up to:: “affordability.” Young voters, absent for years, jumped on board, an army of door knockers fanning out across the city. Opposition to mayoral control and including parents and teachers in the policy-making process, another winner. In the primary a prediction:Continue reading “Why Has Mamdani Pushed Education to the Bottom of his Priority List?”
