For weeks the Senate, which is the upper house of the New York State legislature, has been embroiled in dissension as two Democrats voted to make the Republican leader, Dean Skelos (Rockville Centre) the Senate Majority leader. Subsequently Hiram Monserrate defected from this coalition to support the Democrats leaving the chamber stalemated.
The Albany Legislative Struggle: Gridlock Is Good!
Governor Paterson succeeded in uniting the parties against him by commanding them to a special session and chastising them. He has proposed docking their pay.
When you consider the harm the legislature does most of the time in New York, perhaps having them stalemated is a good thing. The federal government pays farmers not to farm, supposedly for the public good.. Perhaps we should pay the New York state legislators not to legislate for a while for the public good. -30-