I only wish I could claim credit for the title, but alas, it goes to the NY Post. Their Page Six article says that if Quinn gets a third term but doesn't remain as Speaker, she'll quit her Council job to become a Deputy Mayor.

That, apparently, is her price for supporting Bloomberg's power grab.

I attended Speaker Christine Quinn's press conference today, where she announced her support for Mayor Bloomberg's power grab.

She began by stating that we are facing "unprecedented challenges," and that she feels we need to have the "choice to keep the current" people in office to create a "continuity of leadership."

Let's take that one piece at a time.

First of all, the hook on which she hung everything else (perhaps her political career as well) was the concept of "unprecedented challenges." What I want to know, and what NOBODY IN THE PRESS ASKED, was just what exactly we're facing that is "unprecedented." This city has been through wars, riots, panics, depressions, near-bankruptcy and terrorist attacks. What's new here? What is unprecedented?

That question alone, and the obvious fact that there is no answer, renders Christine Quinn unfit for service. If she doesn't know the history of this city well enough to put things in perspective, she has no idea what she's doing. But there's more...

Last December, Christine Quinn made a promise on term limits that left no wiggle room. She vowed to "oppose aggressively" any attempt to change the law.

Now, she has not only reneged on her promise, but made other promises that prove her unworthiness to serve in any capacity. You may recall the Bloomberg/Lauder deal whereby Lauder's Charter Revision Commission will push to roll back the term limits extension. Under this deal, current first-term Council members would get screwed, since they would not only not get a third term, but also lose any chance at seniority during their second term.

Well, Quinn has promised them that they will get a third term too!

She should be ashamed of herself, but apparently Christine Quinn knows no shame.

The time has come for New Yorkers to rise up and force Chris Quinn out of office, by any legal means available. We must also do everything we can to ensure that anyone who votes for this bill never wins another election, and anyone who runs for a third term, whichever way they vote, also loses. The voice of the people, which is the bedrock of the American way, is being trampled on by a couple of billionaires and their lackey.

Meanwhile, come to the press event Sunday at noon, on the steps of City Hall. Arrive early, so you can get through security in time.

Christine Quinn is having some difficulties making up her mind on Mayor Bloomberg's power grab.

Last December, Quinn said (as reported by the NY Post): "I am today making a firm and final decision. I will not support the repeal or change of term limits through any mechanism, and I will oppose aggressively any attempts by anyone to make any changes in the term-limit law." She needs to know that people know what she said, and want to hold her to her word.

Her office number is 212-788-7210.

From the flyer:

The People Have Spoken Coalition

Join Us

Five weeks ago, the New York Post broke a story that millions of tax dollars were officially earmarked by the City Council to nonexistent accounts so that they could be allocated later to legitimate nonprofit organizations. The idea was that since all funding is required to be made at the beginning of a fiscal year, and many groups don’t know how much they’ll need six, eight, or ten months in advance, some system needed to be created to make that money available.

There’s not much new. Different kinds of phony allocations have been used for decades for the same purpose. It is becoming clear that there was never any intent to deceive, or to send money to groups that don’t meet whatever set of official criteria is in place for such “member items.”

Of course, the widening investigation has turned up a number of these earmarks that have at least the appearance of favoritism or conflict of interest, and two City Council staffers have been arrested for stealing some of this money. But that’s not the real problem, and until we identify and fully address the real problem, what we’re seeing now will reappear again and again.

The real problem is

A NY Post article, printed two days ago, exposed the fact millions of our tax dollars have been set aside in phony accounts for later, quiet if not private, use. Since then, Speaker Christine Quinn has been on something of a hot seat.

We still don't know all the facts. What we appear to know so far is the following:

1. The law requires the City Council to allocate all funds at the beginning of the fiscal year.

2. Often, expenditures must be made during the fiscal year that were unanticipated at the beginning of that year.

3. Since at least 1988, the Council has set aside some money to provide for unanticipated costs. Recently, at least, that money was officially allocated to phony accounts.

4. The Speaker claims that she ordered this practice stopped and didn't know until very recently that her order was ignored.

It appears that no laws were broken. But the Speaker has been