No Wonder Andrew Cuomo And Billy Joel Are Friends

From the NY Post:

The Piano Man is really The Electronic Keyboard Man.

A tipster who peaked under the lid of Billy Joel’s Steinway grand piano tells me there are no strings inside. The 88 ivories are connected to an electronic synthesizer.

“The fans don’t know it. They love him and pack the place, but the grand ‘piano’ he has onstage is just a shell with no guts,” said my source.

A Joel spokeswoman said, “The piano is not empty inside, there are aspects of both acoustic and synthesized keyboard. There has been no ‘acoustic’ rock and roll or pop pianists probably for the last century.”

The spokeswoman added, “An acoustic piano has to be electronically conveyed otherwise it would never be heard in an acoustically challenging environment like sports arenas or stadiums.”

The excuse tendered by Joel's spokeswoman is dubious - an acoustic piano can be mic'd so it can be heard in a live performance.

But Joel isn't having his acoustic piano mic'd.

He's hiding a synthesizer inside an acoustic piano shell.

In other words, the "Piano Man" is playing a synthesizer while making people think he's playing a piano (and that's assuming he's doing much live playing at all - many artists "live" performances these days are pre-recorded.)

No wonder Joel and Cuomo are such great pals - they're both consumed by appearances that contradict reality and when caught on it, they (or their spokespeople) sling some horsehockey to fool people.

Mulgrew Helps Push De Blasio's Pre-K Plan

Via State of Politics, here's a Crain's piece showing UFT President Mulgrew pushing de Blasio's pre-K plan:

Ahead of budget negotiations in Albany, two of the state's most powerful labor leaders are meeting with New York City lawmakers to encourage them to push Mayor Bill de Blasio's city pre-kindergarten plan, a source in attendance said.

The Friday afternoon meeting is being held at the headquarters of the United Federation of Teachers, where president Michael Mulgrew is being joined by George Greshman, the leader of the health care workers union 1199 SEIU. A number of city Democratic senators and Assembly members are in attendance, the source said, including Manhattan Assemblyman Keith Wright, the chairman of the Manhattan Democratic Party and co-chair of the state Democrats; and Bronx Assemblyman Carl Heastie, the chairman of his borough's Democratic organization. Pressure from powerful leaders of the Assembly could help Mr. de Blasio's efforts.

The UFT is also engaged in contract negotiations with the de Blasio administration, which could give the union extra incentive to push the mayor's pre-K plan.

The main opposition to the plan, however, come from state Senate Republicans, who share control of their chamber, and from Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who wants the state to fund all pre-K across New York. Mr. de Blasio and the unions backing his efforts want a dedicated, five-year income tax hike on high earners to fund pre-K and after-school programs, but Mr. Cuomo's 30-day budget amendments released Thursday evening don't contain the increase.

And here's part of an opinion piece Mulgrew has in the Daily News that pushes for de Blasio's dedicated revenue stream for universal pre-K (i.e., a tax on those making over $500,000 in NYC to be used to fund universal full-day pre-K):

The unfortunate history for too many programs is that money is provided, then political priorities change and the money dries up. School districts cannot create quality programs if next year’s funding is always in doubt.

We need to provide a designated revenue stream, one set aside for pre-K and nothing else. We have the chance now to do this. We owe our children that chance.

Andy Cuomo wants nothing to do with the dedicated revenue stream for de Blasio's universal pre-K program, so Mulgrew's penning the opinion piece for the News that pushes de Blasio's plan and his having a meeting at 52 Broadway to do the same with members of the Assembly, the Senate and at least one other union leader may not make Sheriff Andy too happy.

Of course, Mulgrew may have sent the message to Sheriff Andy through round-about channels that while he is publicly helping push de Blasio's plan, he's still a Sheriff Andy man at heart.

In any case, Mulgrew's pushing the plan several different ways certainly can't hurt when it comes to smoothing over the hard feelings that were allegedly left over after the primary when Mulgrew and the UFT (along with Weingarten at the AFT) went after de Blasio pretty hard.

And who doesn't want good feelings all around when the UFT and the city sit down for contract negotiations?

In the end, I get the feeling Cuomo has the support to put a stake through the heart of de Blasio's plan.

And unfortunately as Mulgrew noted in his DN opinion piece, state-funded programs have a way of going under-funded or unfunded when priorities change, which means that when Sheriff Andy decides rich people need more tax cuts, the money he has set aside for pre-K around the state will disappear quicker than you can say Captain Jack.

Andrew Cuomo Needs A Corruption Commission Of His Own

Fred Dicker outdoes himself with this:

ALBANY – To many observers, the contrast between the new Moreland Commission’s findings on public corruption and Gov. Cuomo’s actions is nothing short of breathtaking.

Monday night, Cuomo’s commission released a much-anticipated report that found the state’s “pay to play political culture” of big campaign contributions and special interest access had so badly corrupted the political system that dramatic steps, including a costly system of statewide publicly financed campaigns, were needed.

Tuesday night , Gov. Cuomo brushed aside the findings and was holding a multimillion dollar fundraising gala at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan. Tickets cost up to $50,000 each, Billy Joel was the headliner and many of the city’s most influential movers and shakers – many of whom benefit from official state actions – were in attendance.

It’s a good guess that even Gov. Mario Cuomo, the current governor’s father who knew about Moreland Commission probes of public corruption, wouldn’t have stood for something so cynical.

In fact, in 1988, that Gov. Cuomo, in the middle of an almost identical ethics furor sparked by the findings of his own Moreland Commission, imposed an $8,000 limit on contributions to a fundraising event – in order to lead by example.

The new Moreland Commission’s findings were predictable from the start. Money is the mother’s milk of state and national politics, no surprise there.

But while the commission claimed in its report that it was “created in response to an epidemic of public corruption that has infected the state,’’ it was, in fact, created by Cuomo in early July because he had failed to win legislative approval for a last-minute package of “reforms’’ he unveiled in late Spring.

The reason for the package? Cuomo, who two years earlier had assured the public that he had gone a long way towards ending public corruption with yet another new ethics law, had been politically stung by a string of indictments against state and local politicians brought by Southern District U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, a rising political force.

When the Legislature, and especially Senate Republicans, bucked his effort to “me to’’ Bharara by approving his “reform” package that included a costly and, polls show, unpopular plan for publicly financed campaigns, he created the Moreland panel and sent it after the lawmakers.

The just-issued report, which fails to focus on Cuomo’s own role in facilitating a corrupt political climate, is plagued with internal contradictions including the portrayal of the Legislature as corruption-soaked, even while conceding there “are many honest and well-intentioned public officials in this state who serve well and admirably.’’

If that’s true, where have those officials been as the culture of corruption as portrayed by Moreland plays itself out?

Why didn’t, for instance, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo take more steps to disrupt that culture when he was in office from 2007-2010 and why, if the problem is so serious, did he wait until 2 ½ years into his term as governor to appoint the Moreland Commission?

Cuomo's CSNY PAC took $2 million from gambling interests at the same time Cuomo was expanding gambling in the state.

Cuomo and/or the Democratic Party apparatus he controls took $400,000 from real estate interests, they received $35 million in tax breaks in return.

Cuomo received cash from the hedge fund managers known as the Democrats For Education Reform, they got Cuomo to run with their education reform agenda.

Now Cuomo takes $50,000 a pop from "supporters" the day after the Moreland Commission says the “pay to play political culture” in Albany of big campaign contributions and special interest access has so badly corrupted the political system that dramatic steps, including a costly system of statewide publicly financed campaigns, are needed.

But somehow, Cuomo's own corruption commission doesn't mention anything about Cuomo or his donors.

Imagine that.

Looks like Andrew Cuomo needs a corruption commission of his own to look into him and his donors.

I won't hold my breath waiting for one to be convened, but excuse me if I don't get all choked up when Sheriff Andy talks about how he's cleaning up the pay-to-play culture in Albany at the same time he's having his pal Billy Joel streetlight serenade his donor class.

Andy Cuomo And Billy Joel

Coming just a week after Billy and Andy got to ride their motorcycles with the FDNY to the 9/11 commemoration ceremony, the NY Post reports the following on Page Six:

We hear...That Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be joining Billy Joel on his boat in Oyster Bay today for the annual Friends of the Bay cleanup.

Didn't realize Billy Joel and Andy Cuomo were such good buddies.

First the 9/11 commemoration, now the Friends of the Bay cleanup.

You know, I used to like Billy Joel's music when I was in the 8th grade.

But then I got to the 9th grade and realized I didn't like it so much anymore.

You grow.

Andrew Cuomo Turns 9/11 Commemoration Into A Campaign Event

When did 9/11 commemorations turn into the Daytona 500?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, performer and songwriter Billy Joel, and Orange County Choppers star Paul Teutul, Jr. tomorrow morning will participate in a tribute motorcycle ride to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The ride begins at 7 a.m. at FDNY Rescue 1 and concludes at around 8 a.m.

According to a press advisory, the ride will feature Cuomo, Joel along with Teutul and 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels riding with the FDNY Motorcycle Club.

Cuomo, a professed gearhead and motorcycle enthusiast, will be with dozens of FDNY members, according to the advisory.

A short memorial and prayer service will be held to honor victims and first responders.

FDNY Motorcycle Club participants gather at 6:45 a.m. at FDNY Rescue 1, 530 West 43rd St. Tribute ride begins at 7:00 a.m.

Politicians have generally kept the annual Sept. 11 memorial events in New York City at the World Trade Center site a low-key affair, sticking usually to reading short Bible verses.

You know, if the FDNY Motorcycle Club wants to ride tomorrow in tribute to 9/11 victims and first responders, that's fine.

But Andrew Cuomo should take his helmet and his motorcycle and ride somewhere else.

Same goes for Billy Joel.

Cuomo is trying to turn this into some Bush flight suit bit.

Don't kid yourself, film from this will end up in a Cuomo commercial, not for 2014 because he won't need to use it then, but in 2016, when he runs for president.

That's what this is about - showing Andy all macho and stuff, riding with the first responders.

And Billy Joel?

What the hell is he doing there and, given his driving record, why is he riding a motorcycle?

No, seriously - isn't he just getting home from the bar around 6:45 AM?

Here's some advice for Cuomo:

Keep the bike in the garage and read a passage from the Bible, have a moment of silence and then get the hell off the stage.

9/11 isn't about you.