With phrases like “yenta,” “dictator” and “plantation politics,” it’s clear that the Senate Democrats’ opposition to renewing mayoral control is tightly wound up in their personal dislike of Michael Bloomberg.
During their protest outside City Hall on Sunday, I asked them about the support mayoral control has received from the top education official for Barack Obama, the popular Democratic president that they all supported for election.
“We’re not going to engage in beating up of our president that we love,” said Hiram Monserrate. “But what we will say is that irrespective of the opinions of those who are not operating here in the state government, that the New York State Senate is very clear and our message to the mayor [is] ‘come to the table, enough with the name-calling and threats, let’s work out a deal that works for the 1.
