"The Best Democracy Money Can Buy"

Apologies to Greg Palast for borrowing the title of his excellent book, but how else to describe the New York State Senate shenanigans of billionaire Tom Golisano. Just because he can't get people to vote for him as governor doesn't mean he can't run the state government and make them do what he wants.

Golisano, who moved from Rochester to Florida this year after Democrats temporarily raised the state income tax on high earners, has promised campaign money for those who carry out his reform agenda. That includes the two Democratic senators who broke ranks to join the Republicans, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx - elected temporary president of the Senate Monday - and Hiram Monserrate of Queens.

Given the primary challenge the two Democrats can expect, that counts for a lot. But Golisano stressed that his political action committee, Responsible New York, "will be watching very carefully" to see if the new coalition keeps its promises.

It wasn't acceptable when he bought the Senate for the Democrats and it isn't acceptable that he is now essentially bribing state sentators to cross the floor to hand control to the Republicans. As Bob Dylan said "Money doesn't talk, it swears"