Progress is Incremental

It is kind of sad when it is an improvement when the incoming governor of New York admits to a long time extra-marital affair on the day he is sworn into office but at least he can claim he didn't have to pay for it.

Asked if he had used government or campaign funds to pay for any rendezvous with his former girlfriend, Paterson said he had not.

Well, that's good to know.

I guess at least they are getting ahead of the news-cycle.

If Spitzer Resigns - Who takes his place?

News today has centered on Eliot Spitzer's involvement and speculation over whether he will resign. If he resigned his lieutenant governor would take over. What do we know about Lieutenant Governor David Paterson? Until last year, Paterson was a state senator from Harlem. He is a Democrat and comes from a family of politicians as his father served as New York Secretary of State and was the NYC Deputy Mayor. His biography says has been legally blind since birth.

Prior to today the only time I had heard of him was when he introduced some ridiculous legislation in the state senate requiring police to shoot to wound, rather than using deadly force. Paterson (D-Harlem) wrote that a police officer, under his legislation, "would have to try to shoot a suspect in the arm or the leg." This requirement demonstrated an amazing degree of ignorance of firearms and police accuracy. You are taught to shoot at center mass so you have some chance of hitting and stopping the immediate threat. I'm sure law enforcement officials in New York are thrilled to see this guy move into the governors mansion.