“This new Iraq strategy is not going to yield immediate results… It will take a while…Heh Heh Heh”
(George Bush, State of the Nation Address)

Said a man with an odd, ugly pimple
The solution is really quite simple
One deep vicious slash
Could leave a huge gash
But my pimple becomes a cute dimple
(Klein Nursery Rhyme By MG)

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury. You have heard undeniable testimony that there was dirt and scum and germs in the bath-water. The evidence indicates that the bathwater was absolutely vile and filthy. I believe you will agree with my client’s decision that bath-water in that condition was unsanitary, and could not and should not be used. So Mr. Klein did what any reasonable person would have done. Ladies, and gentlemen, my client did what was wise and what was best. Mr. Klein threw out the bathwater. And unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the Baby was in the bath-water. Joel Klein threw out the baby with the bathwater. But what was he to do, ladies, and gentlemen of the Jury? What else was there for Mr. Klein to do?”
(Joel Klein as Defendant in the Bath-Water Murder Trial)

The New York City Public School system is not Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s private plantation. It is obscene that any single man whether White, Black, Yellow or Green would feel that he has the right to announce sweeping, monumental changes in NYC public schools without first consulting parents of children, teachers, educational groups, elected representatives, community representatives, religious leaders and even children themselves. This is the kind of crude, contemptuous and disrespectful conduct that can only be expected of an arrogant, multi-billionaire whose success has been based on being a dictator.

“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries “(Cassius to Brutus, Julius Caesar)

So this is it!  My last commentary on Brooklyn Politics.

Somewhat later than scheduled.

I received many comments on Room8NY and through the e-mail. Surprisingly, none were nasty or sarcastic. Shockingly, no one said Good Riddance. At least not so far.

As a result, I had  put together a grace-note that conveyed expressions of pleasure, satisfaction, congratulations, optimism, and all the usual blend of  truth and  falsehood which accompanies moving on.  But I choked on it for several days.

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"We have concluded that Jeff Feldman was nothing more than a messenger who delivered demands to judicial candidates. These demands, which are the subject of this indictment, we re at the behest of and on behalf of his boss."

(Michael Vecchione, chief prosecutor, Bklyn DA’s office)

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“This is a letter of understanding, not a cooperation agreement. He's not pleading guilty to anything. I am delighted by the district attorney's decision to dismiss the charges and very pleased that after substantial effort by us on behalf of Mr. Feldman, they ultimately accepted the proposition that he did not, in fact, commit a crime…..The D.A.’s office looked at the case very differently after we made our submission.”

In spite of current exploratory tours through parts of the country where he appears to be popular, Rudy Giuliani will never be the Republican  Presidential candidate.

Why?  The former Mayor has too many skeletons in his closet.

And particularly in view of the post-Congressman Foley fall-out, the Conservative and  Evangelical wing of the Republican Party will be vetting candidates with rigid back-ground tests for flaws that could further undermine the Republican platform of Family Values. Going forward,  Republican candidates for office will have to be squeaky-clean.  And Rudy happens to be more Squeaky than Clean.

I may have said before.  I will say it again.  For the last time.  One day the full and true story of two decades of Corruption in Kings County will be written.  And at that time  District Attorney Joe Hynes will be fingered as the single person most responsible for the sleaziness of these years.   Joe Hynes is my greatest disappointment. I don’t need to be reminded that I have supported Hynes from the first time he ran for office, through last year.  And at the same time I have no apology for choosing against John Sampson last year.  It was like making a decision between prostate cancer and a massive heart attack.
As often has to be done in politics, I went with the lesser of evils.  It was easy.

Preface.  There is now a lobbying group which has among its partners,  several former political directors and/or legislative directors of well-known Labor Unions.  Apparently, a candidate for office who signs on with this lobbying group has an excellent chance of being endorsed by several Unions.  This is an interesting new venture. Unfortunately, it creates the impression that former political directors can use their connections and influence to deliver  Labor Unions to a candidate. The question is whether members of these Labor Unions should be concerned that their support is being bought and sold rather than earned and deserved.  And at what price?
 
Moving on.

As some readers have probably suspected, I will soon be terminating my comments on Brooklyn Politics.  In fact, I intend to complete all I have to say within the next few days. So all those who want to take their last shots or make their last comment should really do so before next week Monday.  As the song goes.  You’ve got to  know when to hold and know when to fold. I’ve been doing this for far too long. Like 22 years. So for me, it’s Folding time. I think I have done the best I can.  So why don’t I have a little fun before I leave?

I’ll start with this today, and in the next post I’ll present some of my disappointments and hopes, and maybe a little analysis.  (I just learned that the United Federation of Teachers, my union,  had endorsed an Assembly candidate who is under indictment for demanding a bribe. So you have a hint as to what my greatest disappointment has been this season)

I saw the movie “Half-Nelson” yesterday evening, and have just checked the reviews on the Internet. To my surprise I find my evaluation of the film completely different from that of almost every reviewer.

As I sat in the cinema the thought occurred to me that this was precisely the kind of sick school flick that John Stoessel of ABC would applaud and cherish.  Maybe we can expect a clip on one of his future shows. At the risk of increasing it’s popularity, I would summarize Half- Nelson as essentially a pornographic film which did everything except consumnate a sexual relationship between a White male drug-addicted teacher and a 13 year old innocent Black girl who looked like a cute,  flat-chested boy with braids at the beginning and began to show some sign of tits at the end.

When a man with  a wife and two young children gives up a $250,000 job and a future without limits to run for a $90,000 job, it’s quite a stretch to imagine that he will be caught on video-tape looking for a bribe from some developer.

Hakeem Jeffries could be a multi-millionaire within 5 years at his present job. Instead, he’s going to spend several days a week away from his wife and two young children in a cold, dull dreary town as a Freshman in the Assembly.  And he’s going to take a pay-cut of about $160,000 per year.  I suggested to the Assemblyman-to-be that  it was just about enough grounds for divorce on the basis of cruel and inhuman punishment.

The inside scoop on tomorrow's Brooklyn judicial convention, which was settled on by the District Leaders at a meeting tonight :

- David Schmidt (picked by Dov Hikind)
- Karen Rothenberg (former law partner of indicted justice Gerald Garson)
- Jack Battaglia (brother of Vito Lopez' girlfriend)
- Dolores Thomas (former Legal Services attorney)

With the exception of Judge Thomas (who is African-American), the slate is white.

Last year, it was all white.

According to informed sources, the fix is already in for selection of several State Supreme Court Judges, tomorrow, Friday 15.   These judges will be expected to have the scholarship to provide enlightened decisions.  They should also be men and women who understand that judges should not be only just, but have a special duty to protect the poor, the unempowered, the elderly, the feeble, the needy and children.That should be the first bar.

Unfortunately the new State Supreme Court judges will be chosen by a group consisting of mostly known political hacks. Some of these hacks will be looking for favors from the judges they select.  A few of the hacks may  have already collected $$$ bribes.

On Room Eight, a web-site brimming with talented bloggers bearing sterling resumes, a harsh editorial in the 9/18 Daily News and a startling article in the 9/18  New York Post have been met with hardly a whimper.

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From an excerpt from the 9/18/06 Daily News Editorial

“In a city brimming with talented lawyers with sterling résumés, the word is that Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez is set this week to deliver a Supreme Court judgeship to an attorney whose chief qualifications include being the brother of Lopez's girlfriend. The fix, as they say, is in.

A note for readers not familiar with Room 8NY.  A prominent, and well-respected blogger, Gate-Mouth takes issue with the fact that I praised Councilman Charles Barron for refusing to include indicted assemblywoman Diane Gordon on his palm cards on Election Day.  The story begins with quotes from my article “Yvette Clarke & Charles”

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Yvette Clarke & Charles
Submitted by Gate (not verified) on Fri, 09/15/2006 - 7:28am.

“Finally, once more, Charles Barron showed his integrity by refusing to carry an indicted elected official on his palm cards. He did it in 2004 when he was the only elected official to support a challenge to Clarence Norman. And he did it again this year.”

At the end of this article are the endorsements listed by Carl Andrews in his bid for the Congressional seat won by Yvette Clarke.   We estimate that these endorsements must have been worth more than a million bucks.  Not listed is the endorsement of  Elliot Spitzer. Spitzer didn’t just endorse Carl. He published  a personal letter on Carl’s website, requesting support for Carl.

And then  in the last week , Carl mailed another personal letter from Spitzer urging voters to cast their ballot for Carl.(Carl may have had over 12 mailings in some sections)