Semi-Colonial Dynamic

Per a New York Post article, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is now whining about the " semi-colonial dynamic" between New York City and New York State, and about the "arbitrary approval process in Albany" for the City to do what it wants to do.

Like most all other municipalities in the USA, New York City exists as a creature of the State in which it is situated (or, in the case of Washington, DC, the United States Congress).  New York City has long viewed Albany as its dedicated ATM machine (and was doing so even before there were ATMs).

I do agree with Blaz that NYC needs to go to Albany for too many non-fiscal approvals, most notably the City University of New York.  But New York City is treated differently than the rest of New York State for purposes of drivers' licensing, firearms permits, and other matters.

Problem is, New York City has long abused its ATM privileges in Albany.  My wife and I have been quite fortunate that our son has (for the past few years, at least) been fiscally responsible with our money.  We can now give him our credit card and not worry about him going on a spree with it.  But I know too many people whose children are not so responsible, many of whom have taken away their childrens' credit cards.  And I know a few who have declined to institute any such tough love measures, to the detriment of their children and to the detriment of their bank accounts.

New York City has cast itself in the role of a dependent colony of Albany.  Unless and until NYC starts showing some fiscal wisdom and stops the proverbial wallet from hemorrhaging, there should be nothing "semi" about the colonial dynamic between the City and the State.

Odds & Ends: Assuming Responsibility

The items in this posting all relate, directly or indirectly, to the issue of accepting responsibility for one's actions.


1. The Fort Hood Massacre:

According to a news brief I heard on the car radio en route home from shul this evening, friends and relatives of the shooter in the Fort Hood massacre (whose name will not be set forth in this posting) seem to be insinuating that the cause of his murderous rampage was that he had long been subjected to being taunted and discriminated against on account of his religion.

Hold it right there, buster!! I have been one of a single-digit minority of Jewish kids in a junior high school, and was taunted accordingly. I have worked for a civilian US Government activity where discrimination against Jewish people was blatantly practiced by people in top managerial positions. I have lost jobs under circumstances where anti-Semitism clearly played a role. Applying to the theory the friends and relatives of this murderer-traitor (remember the definition of "treason" in the U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3), I and lots of other Jewish people should now be indiscriminately shooting up people in their places of employment. But we don't see Jewish people doing these things! I'm not buying into the excuse!



2. Resigning from the Bar:

In New York (and other states), there are two types of cases where attorneys resign from the Bar. Firstly, there is the attorney who has moved out of state, has no plans to further practice in New York, and who really would rather not pay the biennial registration fee (currently $350, and likely to increase in the future).

But the term "resigning from the bar," as used in the parlance of legal circles, usually has a more negative connotation. What it amounts to is disbarment on consent, whereby the attorney saves the judicial system (and the taxpayers) the trouble of attending to the administrative matter of striking the attorney's name from the roll of attorneys in good standing to practice before the courts in the State. Attorneys who do so are accorded ever so slightly more favorable treatment when they apply for reinstatement (a minimum of 7 years later), for they then are better postured to say that they accepted responsibility for their transgressions.

But in order for such a resignation to be accepted, the resignor must acknowledge in writing, among other things, that they could not successfully defend themselves against the misconduct charges pending against them.

Howard L. Blau wants things both ways. He wants "to resign gracefully and with the dignity that should be allowed to a lawyer who spent almost 40 years of his life performing thousands of hours of pro bono work as an attorney," yet he refuses to acknowledge that there are charges pending against him which he cannot successfully negate. The Court has not accepted his resignation, but has disbarred him. But, given the fact that Blau has already practiced law while under suspension, it is entirely possible that he will once again practice law without the benefits and perquisites of admission to the Bar.



3. Vincent has Returned:

A year ago, spoiled trust fund brat Shea Rosen, with four car crashes and three traffic tickets under his belt, pills in his socks, and cannibis on his breath (I cannot make any statements regarding ethanol in his bloodstream because he refused to take the breathalyzer test), ran down two joggers, killing one and severely injuring the other. Not an exemplar of accepting responsibility for one's actions.

Yesterday, Vincent Saunders, the surviving jogger, ran and completed the 6-mile route in memory of his girlfriend and jogging companion, Amanda Malloy. [This was reported in Newsday, 7 November 2009, p. A8, but last week Newsday switched its website to a (mostly) pay for access, and raised the newsstand price of its print edition. It is not clear whether this will increase Newsday's profitability.].

Vincent had been on my personal list of people whose welfare I pray for. Just a few weeks ago, one of the people on the list, the mother of a good friend of mine (the friend also happened to be one of the single-digit minority of Jewish kids in my junior high school, as noted above) passed away, and so, I had to remove her name from the list. It is very heartening to be able to remove someone from the list because they have recovered, and not because they have passed on. Vincent Saunders is now off the list. Keep on running, Vincent!

[As for the defendant, Shea Rosen, his next court date is now 30 November 2009. Excellent, excellent chance that Vincent will be also walking into that courtroom.].

Rest in Peace, Lt. Robert J. Ryan, Jr.

The Fire Department of the City of New York, which has already paid a very steep price for its collective excellence and dedication in protecting the city's populace, has lost another of its Bravest. Lt. Robert J. Ryan, Jr. fell in the line of duty while attempting to extinguish a fire in a Staten Island home. I, of course, proffer the all too usual condolences and regrets. My specific comments, other than those standard procedural sentiments, are as follows:


A. The posting of 16 November 2008 questions New York City's promotion policies for its uniformed services, including but not limited to posthumous promotions for those incurring line of duty deaths. This is, of course, an unpopular subject, but New York, like any other governmental unit, has the need for fiscal prudence, and also the need to appropriately reward/punish its employees for their performance. Oftentimes, these two imperatives are propelled on a collision course with one another, particularly in times such as this when the budget is exceedingly tight.

I do not know whether Lt. Ryan will be posthumously promoted to Captain, and do not now pass any judgment as to whether he should or should not be so promoted. What I do assert is that the decision, one way or the other, ought to be based upon the particular facts and merits of the individual case, whatever they happen to be.


B. Reportedly, Lt. Ryan was seriously burned in 2005 while responding to a fire. He worked hard to recover and to rehabilitate himself for more than a year, so that he could once again join the ranks of the active FDNY. Plenty of governmental employees have no doubt retired on disability for injuries which are superficial in comparison with Lt. Ryan's 2005 burns. Lt. Ryan surely could have gone into retirement and collected his monthly check while finding gainful employment in some sinecure position (or, perhaps, totally retired altogether). He affirmatively chose to make a comeback with FDNY. While this should not be dispositive in any posthumous promotion decision, it certainly should be among the many relevant factors.

C. Lt. Ryan apparently did work to reconstitute his firefighting unit following its personnel losses in the wake of the September 11th attack. This could not have been as easy as it sounds.


D. It is now reported that the occupant of the house which collapsed upon Lt. Ryan escaped unharmed. I know nothing about this person, but fervently hope that he or she is worth the trade, and will, in his or her own way, make positive contributions to society, just as Lt. Ryan did in his own way.



Rest in Peace, Lt. Ryan. Your family and colleagues have every reason to be proud of you!