Those of you who know of me online and my blogging life here and (well Google hdhouse, liberal) might find that my views on most things are far out in left field. I don't mind the label - in fact I enjoy tweaking the right wing because generally they present a fairly wide and easy target on a lot of things. I am also a defender of the left wing and democrats generally. Sometimes, however, even I have to assume some respectability and draw the line. Tim Bishop, 4 term congressman from NY-1st (D) is one of those places. Let me explain.
The NY 1st is a huge district geography-wise. Montauk Point sits at the far end and it stretches 60 miles plus up Long Island almost to Nassau county (Nassau county is very rich and very very strange but that is not my problem - that is Peter King's NY 2nd, R) and let's just say he "fits the bill" if you get my drift Now back to the NY 1st.
On the East End of Long Island sits the "Hamptons". That translates into show biz and media money beyond your wildest dreams. The north fork of the East End is essentially one huge potato farm, now vineyard. Land out here is a quarter million an acre at the cheapest. As you move westward through the district, things loosen up a bit economically and politically (also law enforcement-wise as some of the town supervisors out west have a strange habit of landing in federal custody). What we have here is a mix....super rich Spielberg types and super poor worker bees, high strung liberals and Tea Party fanatics. This district isn't gerrymandered. More than likely someone said, start there at the Montauk Lighthouse and when you count out about a million people just stop and draw a line - better known as the hell with this.
We have been represented by Tim Bishop who was a professor or something at Southampton College until his unlikely win 8 years ago. He keeps getting re-elected and the only rational is that the folks the republicans put up are so ghastly -
So why am I writing this? When one party runs a gadfly and wins the other party shatters. It was like a collective "how can this be?" went up in chorus from a bazillion dumbfounded republicans. In the interim elections, the republicans have trotted out all the Captain Ahabs of the world mixed with a fair number of Attila the Huns. Bishops behaves like a loopie academician and just lays low and gets re-elected. Everyone says "Well crap, him again...but you shoulda' seen da otter guy"...and we go on our way.
This could be an incredibly influential district. It has money, diversity and special interests out the wazoo. It has, however, the definition of an empty suit and an opposition party to quote Jimmy Breslin "who can't shoot straight". What it needs is a moderate, competent republican who doesn't scare off us liberals, who would listen to the other side and also won't take up the sword just because it feels good.
We would get rid of Bishop in a heartbeat if not confronted by carpetbaggers or "nothing specials". .Bishop won't change. He gives us nothing. It is the republicans who need a competent moderate and they would win with one.
I know of a woman who I would vote for and that fills the bill. I'm not gonna say who but I'm prepared to sacrifice her on the political altar of ability and see what comes of it. More later.