I am amused at the continued nonappearance of any editorial or other mention in The New York Times opinion sections of the inspector general's report about the Aqueduct scandal. That's very likely because the report is brutally critical of state leaders, who now happen all to be members of the Democratic Party, which the Times for unconnected reasons wants to prevail in virtually every race of the Nov. 2 elections. The report is especially critical of Democratic state Senate leaders, and the Senate is the one major power center which Republicans have a realistic chance of taking back in the elections.
The inspector general does mention one Republican, Joe Bruno, for helping set up the fatally flawed bidding process. Bruno, who was convicted on two federal corruption charges earlier this year, is the former Senate majority leader (i.e. Republican conference leader) and president pro tempore. The Senate Democrats have installed three leaders to take his place, John Sampson, Malcolm Smith and Pedro Espada, all of them now tainted by corruption.
But it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that one of the Democrats' motivations in the Aqueduct deal was to provide economic development in Queens, just as Bruno's deals have helped the economy of his upstate district -- e.g. two very large construction projects in southern Saratoga County now under way in a recession, a computer chip plant in Malta and a freight rail yard in Halfmoon. Like it or not, that's the way economic development is done in this state, with politicians actively involved.
Bruno didn't directly benefit from projects he promoted -- corruption is usually more subtle than that. But he and the others have tried to hide their self-serving from public view, because they know it looks bad -- hence the lack of meaningful ethics reform requiring disclosure of politicians' private-sector income. Still, is the culture of greed in politics so different from business leaders paying each other ever more dazzling salaries and bonuses, or government employees routinely faking disability claims? People come to feel they'd be a sap not to take the money.
Most politicians are personable, and good company. But in addition to greed their culture values dishonesty and negativity (see most political ads currently running). They are very sensitive to the truth when defending themselves against a dishonest attack, and completely insensitive attacking their opponent. They tend, as a result of all this, to become cynical, giving one more Fourth of July address to the rubes, who keep electing them despite everything. That's why the more informed voters get -- e.g. about how laws are typically passed in Albany, after long lobbying but without meaningful public debate, in a rush at end of session -- the more cynical they become.
