Here Comes Chaos: Uncertain Election Day And District Lines Make For Primary Mess
Imagine you are a citizen of the City of New York, and you have, you believe, been called to a career in public service. You have begun raising money and reaching out to friends, and maybe hired a consultant or a pollster.
It is now the second week of February and due to some colossal inertia in Albany, if you were this citizen who dreamed of service in the Legislature, you would likely not know a) which district you live in b) whether or not that district has a sitting lawmaker and c) when, precisely, election day is.
In other words, New York is about to embark on an election season as chaotic and unpredictable as any in memory.
“Excuse me! It’s the twilight zone!” screamed Doug Muzzio, a professor of public policy at Baruch College, when asked to give his assessment of the state of play. “The craven self-interest and disregard for even the rough-and-tumble of democracy by these people—they don’t get it at all. They want the game fixed and they are the fixers!”
He paused for a moment to catch his breath, or to keep his aorta from exploding into the telephone.
“WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING!” Read More
