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    Ichiban1Brendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:01am

    Am I being naive to think Pareet Bahara is the fucking man? Or is there some shady shit he’s doing also? Anyone have any deeper insight into his career?

    I’m sure he has to make some backdoor deals to make things happen but he’s overall good no?

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      ReburnsABurningReturnsIchiban1
      6/09/16 10:08am

      This comment perfectly highlights the problem with how we on the left view politicians.

      The real takeaway from corruption stories involving liberal or progressive politicians that were once viewed as being “the fucking man” is that no one should be given Messianic deference, and that they may be “the fucking man” because they know that people who think they are “the fucking man” aren’t really going to give them a long hard look when it comes to looking for corruption.

      Remember when Cuomo was the blustering state AG of New York challenging the titans of the financial sector? Remember when De Blasio was a progressive’s wet dream? What about Eliot Spitzer?

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      under_electricliteIchiban1
      6/09/16 10:32am

      Preet is a federal prosecutor, it’s his job to go after these kinds of potential crimes. Now if he has ambitions for higher office, which I believe he does have aspirations for the governorship of MY then it totally behooves him to go after headline grabbing cases and names. So yeah, he’s the man right now because the position allows for very aggressive action by way of the justice system, but we all know if he’s put into political office where it’s all about compromise and fundraising considerations, that “the fucking man” title goes away real quick.

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    DirktaniusBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:35am

    Would like to hear a New Yorker’s opinion on this:

    Had a couple friends that moved from the Midwest to New York and lived there for about 7 years. Decided to move back and one of the reasons they stated was that the only thing that mattered to anyone in the city was net worth/making as much money as possible and they slowly found themselves thinking the same way.

    Is the greed culture really so pervasive in New York? And if it is, can a city that thrives on greed ever be free of corruption?

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      fondue processDirktanius
      6/09/16 10:39am

      Is the greed culture really so pervasive in New York?

      fuck yeah brah

      *counts money, cries*

      And if it is, can a city that thrives on greed ever be free of corruption?

      fuck no brah

      *stops counting money and starts thinking of ways to make more*

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      You Know Nothing Jon SnowDirktanius
      6/09/16 11:34am

      As a life long New Yorker I can say without a shadow of a doubt, the answer is, it's complicated. New York City is A) crazy expensive and B) Extremely dense. With even more limited opportunities for employment in high paying jobs/careers that let you live with a modicum of comfort. After 25 years of living and working in this city, you get jaded very quickly with the many minor and major interactions with other humans in this city. Eventually you stop giving a shit about getting to know your neighbors or whoever and you just want to make money to live in comfort and spend it on your friends and family. Making money becomes a way to isolate yourself from other people's bullshit and nonsense and gives an outlet for your time and energy that would otherwise be spent in dealing with small-town drama in your little neighborhood that are quite honestly irrelevant at the end of the day. The downside of course is that I and many others are probably missing out on some really great people in this world and an opportunity for new friends. But sometimes the sacrifice is worth it.

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    Ed SpockBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:03am

    I do take consolation that, no matter how much money the Koch Brothers, DeVos Family, T. Boone Pickens, Grover Norquist, Citizens United, ALEC, ect. give, it’s not going to change the fact that they are all going to die someday.

    Which I think is going to come as quite a surprise, because I feel they do truly believe that if they just donate enough money to political groups, the power and influence it gives them will prevent the grim reaper from knocking at their door one day.

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      under_electricliteEd Spock
      6/09/16 10:38am

      “Which I think is going to come as quite a surprise, because I feel they do truly believe that if they just donate enough money to political groups, the power and influence it gives them will prevent the grim reaper from knocking at their door one day.”

      I think, to a an extent, they’re well aware of there mortality, that’s why they’re buying all this influence. They’re trying to leave a reverberating legacy in place that will outlast them and effect the lives of others according to their vision of the world.

      In their ivory towers they imagine the world as it should be for everyone even if it stems from selfishness and isolation amongst the similarly economic advantaged, like-minded individuals. And if you don’t agree with it, well, your just one of the weak ones who should be phased out by the next generation of Randian superheroes.

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      Oliver St. John-MolluscEd Spock
      6/09/16 10:42am

      The problem is that even death will not stop donors’ money from influencing the political landscape. Jane Mayer writes in Dark Money about John M. Olin, whose namesake foundation was instructed by his will to spend itself dry to avoid “mission drift.” It finally did that in 2005. Olin died in 1982.

      So, three solid additional decades of spending and grant disbursement to push conservative and libertarian (really, pro-free market) ideologies, and that’s a case where the foundation was given a terminus. Imagine that with, say, the Koch fortunes, but instead given license to continue existing in perpetuity. It’s scary.

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    Syphilitic Scalia SaysBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:40am

    This jerk-off is an embarrassment to the legacy of his father. When this fucker runs for President, he’ll be perfectly lined up with Emmanuel. Two scumbags in a pod. (minus a finger)

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      InTheStillSyphilitic Scalia Says
      6/09/16 11:51am

      Andrew Cuomo running for president is my favorite joke of all time.

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      Syphilitic Scalia SaysInTheStill
      6/09/16 1:44pm

      Oh mine too! But you know he will and then get destroyed in the primaries.

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    DolemiteBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:50am

    It’s not really surprising. The highest court in our land now says it’s really hard to tell corruption from normal operations of government, so unless someone hands someone else a big bag of money with dollar signs on it, and says “this is for corruption”, they’ll most likely get away with it.

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      InTheStillDolemite
      6/09/16 11:50am

      Corruption in NY state government far precedes Citizens United (which is stated in the article).

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      DolemiteInTheStill
      6/09/16 12:29pm

      This is more in reference to their current statements on the corruption case of VA’s ex-governor Bob McDonnell, where they basically said it’s too hard to discern corruption from mere gifts.

      http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-com…

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    ScottRaphaelBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:07am

    I was in the room with my former boss when Cuomo was on the phone begging him for money during his gubernatorial race. It all sounded so fucking shady.

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      InTheStillScottRaphael
      6/09/16 11:50am

      That’s actually the most legal part. It’s the part you don’t hear where the problems are.

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    ReburnsABurningReturnsBrendan O'Connor
    6/09/16 10:00am

    All of that is to say: Cuomo is addressing inchoate calls for reform by condemning the mysterious—yet recognizable—Citizens United boogeyman, positioning himself as, at least, sympathetic to the people’s frustration with political corruption without actually pressing real reform.

    Come into my lair, said the spider to the fly ...

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      Vanguard KnightBrendan O'Connor
      6/09/16 11:24am

      Is it ok to admit I have a Man Crush on Preetinder Bharaha?

      The guy is literally my hero.

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        InTheStillBrendan O'Connor
        6/09/16 11:56am

        George Pataki. Eliot Spitzer. David Paterson. Andrew Cuomo.

        When George Pataki charts as the least corrupt and most competent governor in recent history you are doing something very very wrong.

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