I’m hugging ya but I’m hitting ya- the Brooks legacy dissected
I have a dear friend who reminds me of that phrase when we discuss bipolar politics or politics that are suppose to help but actually hurt.
Well, we have discussed the concept of Brooks legacy, albeit we nibbled around the edges. She was silent in her inappropriately named FAIR plan court reversal. Silence on the Public defender and so on. Well - Denise-Marie Santiago pens a column, and you be the judge. I’ll give you a hint - it is a solid, pointed column.
Just some background: In 2003, Maggie Brooks trounced Mayor Bill Johnson in the County Executive race. Maggie Brooks was elected the first time in a race that featured some subtle racial undertones. We know the second time she was elected by default but in 2003 there was a campaign which features, as the D&C’s Mr. Lawrence says, racially divisive PAC Man Ads and Bob Lonsberry making, what were interpreted as, racial remarks. An electoral race that basically put “race” subtly front and center.
At the end of that election Brooks hugged Mayor Johnson. Fast forward to 2008. Clips of Santiago’s column below.
Brooks’ legacy not standing up to her hug, promise
Start with the last-minute, backdoor way she shoved her F.A.I.R. plan — which some see as her attempt to take from the kids to pay for the sick — onto the public last fall. An appeals court decision struck down the plan last week. She’s appealing.
Brooks has also had to defend her controversial decision to appeal another court decision last month that ruled same-sex marriages performed out of state should be recognized like other out-of-state marriages.
Last month, too, she was rightly blasted for hiding out in a side room while her Republican brethren on the Monroe County Legislature named their handpicked candidate as public defender, despite grave concerns about the selection process.
And now Brooks seems to be taking the same hide-and-seek tack with the scheme Republicans have cooked up to install one of their own as president of Monroe Community College.
Meanwhile, she’s taking heat for not being open enough about the Renaissance Square project she announced with much fanfare in 2004. The county has spent $16 million already just trying to figure out whether it’s even viable, and still no one’s sure.
So, 5 years into County Executive Maggie Brooks - here we are. Does Maggie have any comment?
“You can’t confuse different points of views with lack of cooperation,” she says. “That is the nature of different policies and politics.”
Referring to the partisan squabbling that could cloud her legacy, Brooks says: “You’re dealing with years and years of history. It’s not as easy as why can’t we all just sit around the table and come up with a solution.”
Why this Denise-Marie Santiago’s column rocks.
That’s where Brooks is wrong. Because it’s always been this way is no reason that it can’t be different in the future.
Why is Santiago correct? Well - Did you see the word compromise used or implied in the column? I missed that until Grievous Angel pointed it out in a side conversation. Yeah - keep going Maggie -
Like my dear friend says - I’m hugging ya but I’m hitting ya.
It’s pure incompetence plain and simple. The opening hug was nothing more than her exercising her estrogen.
The FAIR Plan - rob the schools to pad her coffers. No “real” plan in effect to balance a real budget. Proof of that evidenced now in wanting the Dems (the “uncooperatives”) to develop Plan B.
When her decision is shot down in a court of law in litigation brought forward by EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT within the county she “serves”, her answer: Appeal. Again, requires no thought on her part, no creative alternatives, costs her personally NOTHING, costs the taxpayers even more in the costs of not only the litigation, but the budget wrangling districts are putting forward to find a way to either compensate for the loss, or account for the gain, or plan for the uncertainty broadcast by this administration.
The Public Defender Issue: No alternative to her hand-picked crony. Utilize all public services including police, and authority, to make certain that no one gets in her way. Refuse to allow the “uncooperatives” to participate, and arrest them if they get out of line.
MCC - Another attempt to control the playing field to hand-pick the end result, even when in violation of EEOC laws and other NYS Employer laws in place that were bound by the on-line application for the position of President (a river she will have to swim if she jumps in with Smith and/or Kessler).
This time the powers to be are aware of the violations, and are trying to convince her privately to stop. When that fails, they go public, at which point they become “the uncooperatives”.
Equal Rights for Same Sex Couples - refuse to comply with what other major and minor public and private corporations and government entities already realize soley for the purposes of satisfying the religious right. When the decision is overturned by unanimous appeal at the highest level, appeal is the word of the day. Requires NO cooperation, NO alternative plan, NO alternative thinking. Costs her personally NOTHING. Costs the taxpayers a lot, not to mention same sex couples who continue to ask for and fight for the same right others already have and take for granted.
So the bottom line is she is an incompetent, unqualified spoiled rotten (rhymes with itch) who throws a public temper tantrum when she can’t get her way and makes the public pay, literally.
Great legacy. One I’d be proud of.
The question is can “the hug” fade into history or will our local press dust it off to point out how charming and consolatory she is.
She rules like her first campaign was run.
I don’t think the hug was estrogen - it was putting a friendly face on an unfriendly local party with very unfriendly politics. And folks were duped for a while. But even Maggie’s superficial friendliness can’t hide what festers below - Steve Minarik and his policies. All she’s ever been was a kinder, gentler looking front for his winner-take-all, screw the public brand of Republicanism. (Well, maybe that’s the national brand now.)
I don’t think she was behind the Public Defender appointment - that’s Minarik all the way. Same for MCC - I think he pulls all the strings, and if anyone balks they lose whatever political support they need/want for the next time they’re seeking position, contracts or whatever. Since Ms. Van Dusen is independently wealthy, she doesn’t have to worry about the wrath of Steve. But everyone else who has aspirations around here does.
Ya think?? I agree with your clear and concise assessment.
The more I know the PD selection I agree with that assessment too. The lack of an opinion, a vocal and respectful opinion on the PD mess screamed a message of concurrence.
“SHE” allows herself to be used following your own descriptors. That makes her as culpable and dispicable.
She has been given the pass card long enough on Minarik. It’s time she start being held accountable for her/his actions, whichever they may be.
I’m not saying she’s not despicable. I just don’t think that she’s the one charting the course. I think she’s following orders. And I believe that, too, can be quite despicable.
I don’t know… she seems pretty successful so far.
Didn’t she just win reelection unopposed?
Hasn’t she been able to deliver on her promises to her supporters?
Oh come on. I suppose it depends on how you define legacy.
Legacy does not equal success.
Promises? Don’t you mean LIES?
She is doing exactly what she wants and the spoils of patronage are flowing like a red tide on the lake.
Out of 750K people, only two felt they could do a better job.
I’m not sure what other definition of success is relevant.