Well, two weeks after I reported on it, the big purge comes. Community Board 6 is being purged of most if not all of its members who have opposed the corrupt and irresponsible Ratner plan for developing Atlantic Yards. (photo comes from here) Marty Markowitz has been a consistent supporter of Pataki's law school buddy, Bruce Ratner's, plan for development. This despite the fact the project has no business plan (who supports a project so huge without a business plan???) and NYC taxpayers are being asked to pay for the acquisition of the land for Ratner (wish they'd paid for my land acquisition when I bought my apartment!)...and despite considerable doubts as to the real costs and benefits to the community. Community Board 6 has been trying to strike a balance between the need for development and the need for responsibility to the existing community. Those I know on the board took their responsibility to the community seriously (at the time of writing I do not know if they have been reappointed or not). And my observation of CB 6 gave me a very good impression of its members. But Marty Markowitz wants blind yes-men, and it is within his power to do this. When I first heard about the purge, as I wrote before, more than a month ago, it was in the context of several public scenes made by Marty in which he yelled at people, in public, for their "disloyalty" on Atlantic Yards and threatened to drop them from the board. One person relating such stories questioned Marty's actual sanity, so embarassing were these scenes. I also hear that there may be other acts of revenge surrounding CB 5, however I don't have the full info on that. I have also heard rumors of purges surrounding other Community Boards but again don't really have all that much info on it. CB 6 seems to be the center of the Clown's Rampage. One thing that only came to my attention recently is that some of the purge may be due to City Councilmembers, particularly David Yassky and Bill DeBlasio. DeBlasio, like Markowitz, is also a blind supporter of Ratner, ignoring the corruption and lack of a business plan. But he is not the political clown that Marty is and, even if he is participating in the purge, I have heard no stories of embarassing public rampages and flying spittle as I have about Marty. Bill DeBlasio is a far more intelligent and savvy politician than Marty who is fully capable of purging with velvet gloves rather than with flying spittle like Marty. As for Yassky, I am curious why he is participating in this purge since he has been striking a decidedly skeptical pose towards Ratner this year, in contrast to his more resigned attitude last year that my wife was so turned off by. If Yassky really wants the city to stand up to Ratner in any way, I would assume he would like to see the Community Boards to have some people opposed to Ratner's plan to balance Marty's yes-men. But perhaps Yassky has other reasons for participating in this purge. I have to say that the role that my fellow Democrats play in a plan that is surrounded by so many lies, so many secret, sleazy deals and not doesn't even have a business plan embarasses the hell out me. I spent a great deal of time last year writing about how disgusting the Republican cronyism and corruption around the nation is and how damaging it is to America. And yet right here in Brooklyn I find a sadly similar level of corruption and cronyism with politicians like Marty Markowitz and, less clownishly, Bill DeBlasio siding with Republicans like Pataki and Bloomberg to support it. These days it is rare that I am embarassed to be a Democrat. But I am embarassed by Brooklyn Democrats and I am embarassed by the unwillingness many so-called reformers have in standing up against people like Marty. Reform Democrats should be at the forefront of opposing the lies, corruption, fiscal irresponsibility and sleaze surrounding Atlantic Yards. And yet mostly I see a fear of taking a stand that is, quite honestly, quite disappointing. Politicians like Marty Markowitz make it much harder for me to challenge Republicans on their corruption. Thanks Marty. Way to go! Bush likes yes-men, too, and see where it got America?