Carrion to 1199: You're Right, Spitzer's Wrong
A well-placed source who attended a meeting of 1199/SEIU delegates in midtown yesterday passed on this quote from Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion:
-- Azi Paybarah"We support this Governor who we helped put into office. We understand and appreciate that he is a reformer. He is working to open up Albany to the people. He is investing in education--making sure every child has the same opportunities. We believe in this governor, and we understand that he has a great vision for this state and we stand behind him but when it comes to health care we know that the Governor is wrong. We must not go backwards in the name of reform or to save money at the cost of good quality health care....."
The political road to success. More for the winners up front. Nothing for the losers until "we can afford it."
Hmmmm is he the first elected to come out strong on this?
The Bronx does have the worst health stats, makes sense for him to come out strong on this.
that's not what it is. He's running for Mayor. He's the first candidate to come out in support of 1199 on this. I think they'll take notice. Great move on his part.
The speaker was also there and supportive.
This is pretty strong
It's called kissing-up. 1199 consistently does what's best for its top people. Just ask the nurses at Beth Israel who were evicted from their housing. 1199 sold them out.
1199 is selling all of us out now. I mean look at how they support the Republicans in the State Senate. Strangely, their members who were sent out to work against Craig Johnson were useless. They hardly did anything because they were pissed off at their leadership. The members know how bad the Republicans treat unions, the middle class and the poor. Unfortunately, they were forced, sorry, "strongly encouraged" to go campaign for the Republicans.
Make no mistake, 1199 is the problem. Dennis Rivera is a disgrace to the labor movement. We need more labor leaders like Ed Ott.
Not surprised about Carrion. The Bronx is the only place that makes Brooklyn look clean and uncorrupt. Although, we've got some young ones coming up in Brooklyn who are pretty corrupt already- Kevin Peter Carroll is one of them. You will sadly be hearing more about the new George Bush soon. (Pathetic kid who had to pack a progressive democratic club to win the presidency by 2 votes and is now misappropriating funds, amongst other things.)
Carrion took the politically expedient approach. He must think this will give him a good shot at getting 1199 money and troops for his mayoral bid. But what he SHOULD be arguing for is a complete State takeover of Medicaid. Why should NYC taxpayers have to pick up some of the tab for State lawmakers' inability to control their reckless spending habits?
In any case, he'll still be a strong contender for the mayoralty in 2009, despite this poor attempt at pandering to 1199 delegates.
Why do people in the Bronx and NYS pay twice as much for health care as the people of California who have 19 million more people?
I do not think the people of the Bronx get twice as much health care. Our health care system is a jobs program for rich doctors and for 1199 workers.
This is veru interesting: both Carrion and Spitzer share Roberto Ramirez in common; don't think Adolfo would have done this without Roberto's knowledge. The streagnth of his statement makes you think he knows something about the end game on this.
Was this the first speech in a campaign of some sort?
I'd explain Carrion's stance this way. The best that can be said of our excess Medicaid spending, over and above what is required for health care, is that it is a "jobs" program, like the schools in the rest of the state. And the Bronx is the place with the most of these "jobs."
Of course, in order to get those "jobs" paid for we have had higher taxes, which cost other jobs, less actual health care, and have lost a fair share of state school aid. But perhaps he believes a politically active bird in the hand is worth more than better education, health care and economy in the bush.
roberto ramirez was there. up front by the door smiling like a cheshire cat.
Didn't Carrion pretty much say the same thing in his state of the borough speech, i remember seeing something about it..
anyone who knows Carrion knows that he wouldn't touch ramirez or his slimy little partner with YOUR 10-foot pole.
By the way--Spitzer didn't use Ramirez--he used Global Strategies for polling, but that's NOT Ramirez, that's Pollock and Plaut.
This is a smart move by Carrion. Shows he is close with Spitzer but can disagree
o.k., I'm just sick of hearinng that this is smart of carrion. IT IS PANDERING to the unions. I serously douubt that he actually disagrees with spitzer. he's just scared of 1199. And that is terribly sad. Carrion is selling out his constituents to not piss off a union. Sad, really, really sad.
Is it always pandering to a union if you agree with them?
quinn began her campaign work on january 1, 2006 when she becane speaker (i.e. after the democratic party machine bosses agreed to support her speakership.) the fact that no one is talking about it speaks miles.