These are the responses to my August 22 article, "Campaign Consultants Become Lobbyists, Influencing Officials They Helped Elect." Thanks to all, please continue to provide us with your feedback.
Wow Henry. Great pickup. I wonder how many people in the general public have any inkling. I like to think of myself as fairly well informed on this issue and I did not realize this.
Since papers like The Sun are often big supporters of the same elected officials and others they criticize in investigative pieces like this and often those you criticize at least by implication are friends and/or associates of yourself, and since those reporting these excesses are as likely to praise these individuals in stories they write on other days where exactly is the accountability or any likelihood of change. These criticisms are simply an occupational hazard that are very very minor inconveniences at most for the practitioners. The even more cynical reality is that these articles provide new business for those who are so close to these politicians.
If these abuses NEVER result in the perpetrators losing the offices that allow them to conduct themselves in this fashion what is the message. It is that they are doing what is in effect best for themselves continuing to worship at the Altar of the Status Quo. And changing nothing.
Great title, this ! (I particularly liked the initially-undelineated "Moses".
As to the implied grammatical question in this piece, the correct form of the verb is "bind". If "senses" in the penultimate preceding phrase had been singular, then "binds" would have been correct, ( the succeeding phrase beginning"...as well as..." being considered parenthetical). The plurality of "senses", however, requires that the following linked verb reflect that plural state. Of course this is the American English grammar of thirty-five years ago when I learned it. What is correct by the lights of today's teaching linguists is anybody's guess, - and most likely, whatever anybody guesses.
Good one, Henry! You probably are well aware how completely lobbyists control CT. I've wished for a Samuel F.B. Morse to do an updated painting in the style of his House of Representatives of all the lobbyists in the main hall of the capitol in Hartford with their cellphones to their ears.
Does NY have the same scourge of "quasi-public agencies"? Here they are mainly an arterial line into the public revenues for connected shysters.
My Name is Henry Stern, President of New York Civic. Please feel free to comment on our articles, and give us your feedback. What you have to say is important to us.
Wow Henry. Great pickup. I wonder how many people in the general public have any inkling. I like to think of myself as fairly well informed on this issue and I did not realize this.
ReplyDeleteSince papers like The Sun are often big supporters of the same elected officials and others they criticize in investigative pieces like this and often those you criticize at least by implication are friends and/or associates of yourself, and since those reporting these excesses are as likely to praise these individuals in stories they write on other days where exactly is the accountability or any likelihood of change. These criticisms are simply an occupational hazard that are very very minor inconveniences at most for the practitioners. The even more cynical reality is that these articles provide new business for those who are so close to these politicians.
ReplyDeleteIf these abuses NEVER result in the perpetrators losing the offices that allow them to conduct themselves in this fashion what is the message. It is that they are doing what is in effect best for themselves continuing to worship at the Altar of the Status Quo. And changing nothing.
Dear Starquest,
ReplyDeleteGreat title, this ! (I particularly liked the initially-undelineated "Moses".
As to the implied grammatical question in this piece, the correct form of the verb is "bind". If "senses" in the penultimate preceding phrase had been singular, then "binds" would have been correct, ( the succeeding phrase beginning"...as well as..." being considered parenthetical). The plurality of "senses", however, requires that the following linked verb reflect that plural state. Of course this is the American English grammar of thirty-five years ago when I learned it. What is correct by the lights of today's teaching linguists is anybody's guess, - and most likely, whatever anybody guesses.
Good one, Henry! You probably are well aware how completely lobbyists control CT. I've wished for a Samuel F.B. Morse to do an updated painting in the style of his House of Representatives of all the lobbyists in the main hall of the capitol in Hartford with their cellphones to their ears.
ReplyDeleteDoes NY have the same scourge of "quasi-public agencies"? Here they are mainly an arterial line into the public revenues for connected shysters.
ALl best,