Why is Albany so dysfunctional?
The leadership in Albany, being the majority leaders in the Senate and Assembly as well
as the Governor, have extraordinary powers compared to other states that make the rank
and file members irrelevant. In most state legislatures, committees do the leg work of
creating bills, amendments, having hearings and researching expert opinions. They help
bring balance to the process and priorities along with accountability. In Albany, virtually
none of this happens and if it does, the details have already been hammered out by the leadership. They’re just going through the motion where the minions are simply carrying out their marching
orders from the leadership.
The only committee with some power is the Rules Committee, but even then, the
leadership determines when they meet and often with no notice. The leadership
determines what bills they will talk about too. You really have so little representation because
the rank and file have no real power.
The obvious question is why does the rank and file accept the status quo? Simply, it’s
easier to not go and work. It’s easier to say to the leadership, “You and your staff take
care of business governing while I go back to my district with some member items to
hand out to keep them happy.” This is the definition of them serving the people of their
district. If a legislator makes a fuss, they risk the amount of member items granted to
them and risk loosing their lu-lus or committee appointments. Remember Assemblyman Bragman?
The other benefit legislators receive is that they can propose any legislation knowing it
will never see daylight because only those bills the leadership supports will. In
2008, 18,000 bills were proposed. That’s 7000 more than the U.S. Congress. Of the
18,000, only 9 percent passed. It’s all a show with little substance.
With the laziness, spineless accountability, blatant corruption and showmanship, the rank
and file will gladly appease the leadership. Last June, the assembly passed 202 bills
averaging 3.9 minutes per bill. The problem is that many were introduced that day.
According to law, bills must “age” for three days before they are put to a vote. Yet all
you heard in the news was how hard the assembly was working while the Senate was
playing their power games. How many assemblymen actually read the bills? The real
tragedy is that many of the bills were never permitted by any committee to examine!
Those climbing the ladder within the party or the career politician are the least likely
candidates who are serious and passionate enough to desire changing the process,
priorities and accountability in Albany. My career is my family business, not 20 years in
Albany. Give me six to see what we can fix.
Shawn Skeele
NYS 111th Assembly Candidate