Conservatidiots of the Day: Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada, Jr.

Republicans, aware that voters have rejected them at the federal level and in state legislatures across the country, have now decided that the best way to regain political power is to bypass democracy altogether. In New York State today, the Republican minority courted two Democratic senators-- Hiram Monserrate of Queens and Pedro Espada, Jr. of the Bronx-- to shift control of the state senate to the Republican Party. In exchange for their defection, the Republicans made Espada the new Senate Pro Tempore, creating a "bipartisan" leadership structure, effectively overturning the Democratic majority which was duely elected by New Yorkers eight months ago.

This was a coup. You know, that thing that happens in volatile political states in Europe and Asia when one political party overthrows a democratically-elected government to advance their own political agenda. Rather than work towards bipartisanship, the Republicans in New York felt it was a better idea to screw the process altogether and engage in a thrilling bit of political theater. As a result, the coup only proves that the Republican Party cares more about having power than it does the will of the people. This is the sort of thing we should have expected in post-WWII Europe, or Thailand, or a number of other countries where political stability is practically unheard of. Not one of the United States. Not New York State.

Conservatives across the country are happy about this. Some of them are even pointing to this coup as a "victory" for the Republican Party. Yes-- Victory is taking democracy and flushing it down the toilet. Victory is spitting in the faces of the tens of millions of New York voters who cast ballots for Democrats last November. Victory is emulating the political tactics of the fascist regimes which dominated countries like Greece at the beginning of the Cold War. Victory, for the Republicans, is doing anything and everything outside of the boundaries of democracy to advance an outdated, bigoted, radical agenda which will keep one of the most economically stagnant states in the country in the financial gutter.

We can thank Senators Monserrate and Espada for this garbage. Then again, neither of them pass the political purity test: Both Senators will likely be convicted felons by the end of the year, and face removal from office once convicted: Monserrate reportedly slashed his girlfriend's face open with a broken wine glass, while Espada has apparently been accepting political favors and bribes. With their power and reputations waning, it only makes sense that they joined the Republicans to perform the greatest criminal act ever perpetrated against the voters of New York state. And Espada got his cumuffins, didn't he? He is now the Senate Pro Tempore, a position handed to him as payback for this little show.

Yes, New York State Republicans took Democracy, brought it outside in front of its family and friends (the voters), then proceeded to beat the shit out of it and stab it repeatedly. New York State does not need this right now. It already has an ineffective governor in David Paterson. It doesn't need an ineffective state senate as well.

Thankfully, this coup may not last very long. If Monserrate and Espada are convicted, they will face expulsion from the Senate. And since they are in reliably liberal Senate districts, it is extremely likely real Democrats who pay credence to American Democracy will be elected in their place, bringing the power back to those who earned it last November. Until then, us voters will all be forced to watch in horror as New York state succumbs to American fascism, unable to do anything about the injustices occurring before us all.