Is the NY Senate Ever Going to Vote on Marriage Equality? Maybe If They Can Get Over Themselves First.

More drama in the New York Senate.

Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada, who had defected to the Republicans in a June 8 coup, dividing the Senate in an even 31-31 split (after Sen. Monseratte flip-flopped), has flipped back to the Democrats, giving them back their slim majority of 32-30. As part of the deal, Espada takes the title of Senate majority leader from Sen. Malcolm Smith.

The Senate, which has been shut down in puerile dramatics, including the two parties holding simultaneous "extraordinary" sessions and railing against Gov. Paterson's surprise move at appointing a Lt. Governor who would break tie votes, met today but have gotten nowhere because now Democratic Sen. George Onorato has gone missing. (More than likely skipped out for a doctor's appointment!)

Will the idiocy ever end? Who knows. But what I do know is that it's keeping at bay any progress on Gov. Paterson's marriage equality bill, which already passed the Assembly.

If this power shift back to the Democrats sticks, there may be a small light at the end of the tunnel. But with crucial legislation, like mayoral control of city schools and a city sales tax hike in the pipeline, it may be a tough sell to get them to vote on it.

And I place the blame for such a failure squarely on the Senate. Hopefully the fed up residents of New York will vote them all out.