Mayor Wagner started his political career as a protege of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party machine that had controlled city affairs for most of 150 years. By 1961, he had broken with Tammany and its chief, Carmine G. De Sapio, and defeated that organization. Today NYC is not controlled by a party machine, but by a permanent gang of real estate developers, lobbyists and incumbents who have become the machine designed to keep everyone else out. They have designed election laws that encourage low voter turnout and discourages independent participation in the political process. They have designed a media to act as cheerleaders for their special interests and incumbent elected officials, rather than as objective reporters.Read more at True News from ChangeNYC.org.
1 comment:
Today NYC is not controlled by a party machine, but by a permanent gang of real estate developers, lobbyists and incumbents who have become the machine designed to keep everyone else out.
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By any other name, its an old fashioned machine. Like racism, not overt as in the past, but subtle and still very much on the landscape.
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