Politics on the Hudson

  Gov. Eliot Spitzer seems to finally have figured out how to house-train the Legislature: give ‘em a few whacks across the snout with a rolled-up newspaper.

    Spitzer seemed to stun them last month when he blasted their “lack of integrity’’ and then went into the district of Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye, and another Democrat, Bill Magnarelli of the Syracuse area, and said they were just lapdogs of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. (Spitzer and lawmakers disagreed on whom the new state comptroller should be.) Spitzer had also threatened to “steamroller’’ a lawmaker who had a disagreement with him.

   Lawmakers didn’t respond in kind,  just whimpering a little. In fact they fell into line this week on two deals announced this week on workers’ compensation and confinement of sex criminals. Spitzer gave them a metaphorical stratch with a few compliments about how well they did on those measures.

    Here is how the relationships of four groups of legislators with Spitzer are viewed by some animal-lovers at the Capitol:

  Senate Democrats: (the minority, 29 of 62 seats) Spitzer says jump, and they say, how high? They see the governor as their ticket to the majority.

  Assembly Republicans (the minority, 42 of 150 seats). Big suckups, but not quite as insistent as the Senate Dems. This small band is eternally grateful to have a reform ally who has some power.

  Senate Republicans: (majority, 33 of 62 seats) Wary of the Steamroller, reluctant to publicly cross him and hoping he runs out of some political steam. Grateful that he seems to have Assembly Dems on a leash.

  Assembly Democrats: (majority, 106 of 150 seats – two vacancies) Licking their wounds, somwhat sullen, eager to get even, but unsure how to do it.

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