“Being powerful is like being a lady,” mused the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” In Albany, as in every political arena, bluster is often mistaken for true power. Of course, even the perception that one has influence can yield genuine authority, but more often that not, those with true power in government are not the grandstanders but those who work dutifully, quietly and shrewdly behind the scenes to achieve their… [More]

Total election spending in the United States this year will reach an astronomical $9.8 billion for the 13,000 or so national, congressional and municipal races across the country, according to the research firm Borrell Associates. An estimated 48 percent of that money will be spent by “super PACs,” and the greatest beneficiary of this largesse will be cable-TV outlets, which could make out nicely with over $900 million in sales—more than double what they took in four years ago. But… [More]

How will the wild NY-6 race really be won? For political insiders, the Democratic primary in Queens’ 6th Congressional District has been something to behold: It has featured internal spats within Queens’ most powerful political family, intrigue over alleged stalking-horse candidates and dustups over looking up debate answers on cell phones. Yet when voters go to the polls on June 26 to choose among Assemblyman Rory Lancman, Assemblywoman Grace Meng, Councilwoman Liz Crowley and allergist Robert Mittman, most political experts… [More]

Sen. Tony Avella declared earlier this week that he would be running for re-election in his northeast Queens district – even if that means running against a fellow Democrat, State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky. But Stavisky is apparently unwilling to make any such firm pronouncements. Our Albany reporter Laura Nahmias tracked Stavisky down today at the Capitol this morning. The senator said that she hasn’t yet made any definite 2012 plans. “I haven’t yet made a decision on whether or… [More]

Evan Stavisky and Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky are husband and wife. He is a well-known political consultant in Queens; she is the head of the Rockland County Democratic party. When they attend the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina in September, they will represent districts an hour’s drive apart. Their dual lives have led to grumbling among Queens Democrats and questions about the state’s porous residency laws. But Evan Stavisky says the arrangement is proper, if convoluted, as he remains as… [More]

Sent 12:42 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s press office… [More]

For all other articles please go to: Original Occupy Occupy Wall Street: Sept. 17—Nov. 15, 2011   Occupy Wall Street protesters called the Nov. 17 demonstration that drew thousands of supporters to Foley Square a “Day of Action,” but it had all the makings of a high school pep rally—glossy signs, catchy chants and arrests prearranged with the faculty (or in this case, the NYPD). Union workers with earpieces controlled the crowd as a band played a groovy mix of… [More]

What the Bonus Army’s demands teach about Occupy Wall Street’s lack of them A couple of weeks ago, historians Paul Dickson and Thomas Allen, coauthors of a book called The Bonus Army: An American Epic, traveled down to the Occupy D.C. encampment in Washington to hand out copies of their book, in hopes the protesters might learn a thing or two about what makes a successful movement. “In the case of the Bonus Army, it was ‘Give me my bonus,’… [More]

An observer of the occupation writes its obituary   By Harry Siegel I came to report on the occupation of Zuccotti Park expecting it would pass in a matter of days, like the stillborn movements before it. In spite of its self-celebrated cosmopolitanism, New York after 9/11 has become an arid environment for protest under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The press and the public yawned through the massive anti–Iraq War march in 2003 and the excessive… [More]

Astute political insiders like yourself know that not all of this week’s winners and losers were on the ballot on Tuesday. And while a host of pundits and bloggers have already offered their verdicts – Ed Koch is a winner, Joe Crowley is a loser, etc. – there are still a few less obvious winners to laud, and handful of losers to pity. Here’s our weekly takeaway: Eric Ulrich – At Bob Turner’s victory party Tuesday night, no one (except… [More]