Lindsay Redux

Some problems in government are intricate and demand a balancing of interests and knowledge of arcane subjects. Others are very straightforward. When you have a precedent of failure to reflect on don't emulate it. When you know a disaster is coming cancel your vacation. When you know a blizzard is going to hit get every employee on the payroll visibly out there to help. Then grab a shovel and start digging out cars, as Cory Booker of Newark did.

Alexander Burns of Politico gains points for his analysis of the December Blizzard of 2010's political impact. That contrasts with the earlier November political blizzard that, despite much hot air emitted, will have negligible effect on the climate. Particularly noteworthy was Burns' citing not only the implosion of John Lindsay's Presidential aspirations following the City's poor response in February 1969 but also what happened to Acting Mayor Michael Bilandic of Chicago, who had been elected to a partial term, as he sought re-election after the New Years Blizzard of 1979. The hapless Bilandic had inherited the Mayor's office when the The Mayor Daley died in harness. He was in one way a fortunate man. He was blessed with a very beautiful wife. She featured prominently in a campaign ad.


A Greater Power had another opinion.


Pretty wasn't it?
For three days everyone in Chicago was trapped in their cold miserable apartment or house unable to do anything but watch Heather Bilandic walk around her beautiful home with carpet so deep you could sink into it, and a roaring fireplace for good measure. The poor man was crushed.

Allahpundit at Hot Air seeks to absolve everyone, Bloomberg and Christie of New Jersey both. While I sympathize with his position we cannot predict how the public response to an actual Act of God will play out.

More than 24 hours after the snow stopped falling in New York there were still abandoned cars in intersections and snowbound cars blocking fire hydrants.




Fortunately most of the apartment building staff and private homeowners rose to the challenge. In Manhattan one merchant on Broadway around 30th Street displayed the right attitude.


This weather struck me as the perfect excuse to have Korean food on 32nd St. for lunch. My apologies for not taking pics of the 6 types of kimchee and bulgogi in a hot stone bowl. It was a good deal for $12 plus tip. On the way out I asked the Boss if they had opened the day before during the storm. He said yes. Then when I asked he said that it was busy, "a good day because everyone else was closed." I gave a smile and and said "That's great it really worked out." Korean businessmen tend to be a little stiff and formal but the smile that broke across his face was something to see. Somebody had a good day.