Christie and Cuomo Deliver Tag-Team Veto to Port Authority Reform Drive

Batman vs. Penguin mayoral election debate
(Image: dtvusaform.com)

Just before midnight on a holiday Saturday, the political patronage machine known as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) received, figuratively speaking, two governors' pardon. The issue was the reform of the bistate agency in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal. Curiously, the Republican Chris Christie and Democratic Andrew Cuomo, both of whom have presidential ambitions, found common ground in their respective vetoes. They cited their alternative reform plans, which critics asserted would water down the effort to shine light on the PA's often opaque award and management of lucrative contracts.

According to The New York Times' report on the vetoes, the far stronger reforms had received unanimous approval votes from each state's respective legislatures. Due to the arcane nature of the PA's charter, change requires approval from both states' governors and legislatures. Unanimously positive votes are extremely rare. However, the shadow vote -- the fixers and deep pockets who appear on the PA's board of directors and executive positions -- was most likely unanimously negative.

Recently, I've been reading Italian crime fiction. The works often offer a window into the corruption that characterizes the Italian political process. Unlike Italians, Americans largely remain in denial of its embrace of a wink-and-nod society. While "networking" has become a watchword in American life, the implications of that concept, especially in relation to back-door deals and opaque transactions, has largely gone unexplored. The Port Authority reform episode demonstrates that "networked" crony corruption remains very alive and well, and transcends left-wing or right-wing rhetoric.

NY Gov Cuomo Pushes NYC to End Fingerprinting Requirement for Food Stamp Applicants

New York governor Andrew Cuomo

According to a story in today's online editions of The New York Times, only one state in the Union requires the fingerprinting of food stamp applicants. That's Arizona. The newspaper also noted that New York City mandates fingerprinting before a poverty-slammed individual can apply for food stamps. Gotham government officials have defended the quasi-criminal treatment of food stamp applicants as "necessary" to prevent fraud.

Ironically, it has taken a New Yorker to challenge New York City's stance on fingerprinting. The state's governor, Andrew Cuomo, has proposed regulations that would end the City's practice.

I hope Cuomo's push gets results. It is absurd to lump food stamp recipients into the same style of governmental scrutiny as accused criminals. As Bishop Howard J. Hubbard said at a news conference announcing the proposed regulations, "Poverty and hunger are not crimes."

Wallenda High-Wire Act Across Niagara Falls Gets Canadian OK

Blondin carrying his manager
across the Niagara River, 1869

Nik Wallenda will be bringing his high-wire act to Niagara Falls later this year.

According to a Reuters report picked up by Yahoo News, Canada's Niagara Parks Commission recently approved Wallenda's request to perform the stunt. Months ago, New York governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation permitting a one-time Niagara performance.

Wallenda's intention is to cross directly over the falls, rather than the gorge, where previous high-wire crossings have been attempted.

Expect an enormous media buildup and carnival-like flavor of its coverage of the Wallenda crossing. It will be interesting to note what prime event seats or standing room areas will cost. I will be quite curious what "oddsmakers" will post for Wallenda's safe passage over mighty Niagara.