N.Y. Journal: Independent unity

If God sits in heaven and laughs at the plots of kings, He has got to be guffawing at the situation in the New York Senate. As reported before on WORLDmag.com, two dissident Democrats joined with Republicans to overturn Democratic leadership and broker a power-share. Since then, the situation has devolved into a playground squall of foot-stamping and arm-twisting. It's just too easy to use entertainment terms like "circus" and "comic opera."

A few examples:

When the Republicans stage their coup, the Democrats shut off the lights so they can't meet. The Democrats refuse to hand over the keys, and the Republican coalition retorts that it will just meet in the park. The Republicans barrel through with a set of mystery keys and meet while protesters pound on the windows.

One of the dissidents, Hiram Monserrate, leaves the chambers and a Republican staffer anxiously trots out to round him up. Monserrate says he still supports one leader he elected but refuses to say that he supports the other. Sen. Tom Duane says he's still with the Democratic conference today but adds, who knows what will happen by Monday?

All of this is backed by a billionaire who is actually moving out of New York. His complaint was that Democrats weren't getting things done (and that former Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith played with his phone too much), but now nothing is getting done at all.

To add another few layers of irony, Gov. David Paterson is now less popular than the man he succeeded---Eliot Spitzer---a touted reformer who left office following a scandal.

It is---if you'll pardon a term that is "so 2008"---a legislature of mavericks who seem intent on stealing and trading one another's toys. But the same week showed that a maverick edge actually can create real unity.

I'm wondering if the rally I attended on Tuesday was actually the most bipartisan show of unity and solidarity the Senate has known all week. Both Republicans and Democrats lined up to speak on a common cause, with legislators Ruben Diaz and Michael Benjamin among the Democratic speakers. Maggie Gallagher called it "the rainbow coalition," and Joseph Mattera spoke of how the cause brought together people of all races and denominations. There were generous gestures, with Diaz exhorting the Republicans who had just ousted his party from power. There were pastors all praying for the same thing.

Creating this kind of unity took independence---Democrats bucking the party trend and Republicans willing to welcome them. But the strength of the bond must mean it's a different kind of independence---the kind based not on power deals, but on principles.