The Crisis of the Old Order

CA takes first prize in the 2009 "Crisis of Big Government" Derby, but NY State is beginning to totter. Its finances are in shambles. Its paying out billions in salaries and pensions to state employees while threatening to cut basic services like education. The State Legislature is deadlocked in a bizarre procedural war while the state totters. It all sounds like CA. There must be a connection here. I just can't put my finger on it: Albany, I Give Up

The Empire State -- once a beacon of progressive state government to the nation -- is on the brink of ruin. And it doesn't look like anything can be done to stop it.

In two words: We're doomed.

Hapless Gov. Paterson and the street-fighting leaders of the state Senate have, as everyone knows, turned state government into a national laughingstock.

Within the Capitol itself, where knowledge of the disaster is more acute, the assessments are far harsher and more personally painful. They are disbelief, disgust, and even despair.

I've had a dozen low- to mid-level staffers -- hallway cleaners, messengers, guards, sergeants at arms, researchers, and lawyers -- buttonhole me in recent days and, ina hushed voice, make comments such as, "I'm ashamed to work here,'' "I've given my life for this?'' and "I feel like I work for morons."

The writer manfully tries to blame the GOP - mentioning the Republican "coup," and the "long years of GOP control" - but he brings the scorn to the Democrats as well who have brought in a small army of burly bodyguards to "protect" the State House (never mind the sargeant at arms) and spend their days spying on potential turncoats in their own caucus. Very mature, and a sign that the Dems don't want to face a crisis that is a crisis of their coalition and philosophy of government.