Really. You can't make this stuff up. All 62 State Senators returned to Albany today for a special session called by Governor Paterson. But instead of working for you and reaching a compromise, they drew lines in the sand and stood on opposite sides of the sandbox. When they called recess, the graphic on the live television feed from the chamber read, "The Senate Stands at Ease".... hardly.

A special session in the State Senate got underway today, but one lawmaker called it "one of the most ridiculous things I have ever experienced." All 62 Democrats and Republicans were in attendance, but both parties held separate sessions on opposite sides of the same room.

Both sides accuse the other of refusing to negotiate a deal allowing the Senate to get back to work. State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo weighed in saying, "Put the political business aside and do the people's business. Period." Governor Paterson said he call the Senators back every day until a deal is worked out. But which side will blink?

How would you describe today's session in Albany? How should this impasse be settled? Should Paterson and Cuomo be doing more?

Send us your thoughts using the link above.

Patterson is grandstanding to save his backside, and Cuomo should institute a "special election" barring any seated senator from running. If it's not resolved now, what happens when they return in September: the same old status quo!

Liz
Rosedale

What the Republicans could not do last November at the polls, they are trying to steal the Senate.

Marc G.

Somewhere in this mess a good legal mind can surely find a law or two that has been broken by these wasteful, ungrateful shmucks. Talk about voter fraud.

Arlene
Sheepshead Bay

The reason we have a 62 seat Senate is because of a Republican power grab to re-district after the 2000 census. This latest power grab made me sick. It was as cynical as it was dishonorable.

Despite all the news, PEOPLE really aren't as fed up as they should be. But it's coming. When citizens in Republican-controlled districts see their services ended and their property tax bills skyrocket, GOP Senators will be in for a brutal awakening. The "Honorable" title preceding their names isn't just rhetoric.

William, Chelsea

complete irresponsibility on the part of the senators. it is unbelievable, they are behaving like children. they should all be fired and we should hold a special election to replace them.

jim UWS

I just don't get it. Why are Senators elected? To work and vote on bills, right? They are not paid to fuss around and play political games, right? So why don't they just look for another job so we can get people in their that DO want to work and aren't stubborn bulls all the time. They are suppose to work and work together. Period, end of story. It's time to start penalizing them and stop paying them until they start working. I hope Cuomo will get tougher on them so the people who voted for them can stop paying taxes for "Senators" that refuse to work and be civilized, with all due respect. This really is getting so ridiculous. I expect this type of behavior only from children. How old are they?

Respectfully & Sincerely,
Victoria
Humanitarian & Civil Rights & Community Activist

Why doesn't Governor Patterson embarrass the Senate by bring in groups of young students learning about government to show just how adults handle their differences in front of the media? Don't give the Senators any warning just bring in the kids. I bet those adults will start singing a different tune if the children start questioning if this is how government is suppose to work. And we wonder how two different countries end-up going to war.

Jane
Cambria Heights

Why did the democrats run inside chambers and lock the door, this simply shows a bunch of overgrown children running into the lunchroom to get the best seats, and playing juvenile games by locking the republicans out.

This behavior and decorum of our state elected officials whom the taxpayers and voters placed into office to conduct business in the best interest of their districts.

I think it is an utterly despicable disgraceful and disgusting actions of the democratic party I am embarrassed and appalled at elected officials actions. I am embarrassed to say I am a democrat, the democratic party has finally obtained majority and the majority are an embarrassment to the state of ny.

You should all be removed and fired I think all new Yorkers should vote a no confidence and request an impeachment for the removal of the whole state senate.

The state of new york is at a grinding halt because someone got their ego stepped on or is going to lose funding. GET OVER IT GET TO WORK. That’s what I voted for.

Nancy
Manhattan

It's time for the mayors of New York, Yonkers, Buffalo. Rochester, Syracuse, et al, put pressure on the state senate to stop acting like children and get the business of passing legislation, especially legislation which affect there municipalities. Enough is enough!!!

The leadership of both parities should and MUST stop playing politics and get to the business which they were elected to do.

Espada, for all his talk of wanting the senate to pass legislation, should step down. He's the MAIN reason why progress will not be made if he insist on remaining president of the senate and a heartbeat away from becoming governor. STEP DOWN ESPADA , NOW for the good of the state.

Henry-----------------------------Parkchester

THIS SENATE FIASCO REMINDS ME OF WEST SIDE STORY. CUE THE MUSIC AND HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS COME IN FROM ONE WAY AND HAVE THE REPUBLICAN FACTION COME FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHAMBERS, SNAPPING THEIR FINGERS. THE JETS VERSUS THE SHARKS. EXCEPT, THERE IS NO MARIA, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO SING ESPADA, ESPADA, I MET A MUG NAMED ESPADA...

WELL, YOU GET THE IDEA. ENOUGH. GET BACK TO THE PEOPLES BUSINESS.

JOE, BAY TERRACE

The NY State Senate will continue to be dysfunctional as long as the two self centered senators responsible for the chaos in Albany are allowed to thwart the will of the voting public. I along with other Democrats voted to put our party in control for the first time in some forty years. NO two self-centered senators no matter their party affiliation should be allowed to alter the will of the voting public and disrupt the people's business. Anything other than Democratic leadership in the NY State Senate will represent a blatant miscarriage of JUSTICE.

Joyce
Jamaica Queens

Hi John,

First of all what business is it of Andrew Cuomo? Again I say that this Paterson has no back bone to take care of this matter. {It's the big three behind closed doors as usual}

Why can't we just tell them to go home and don't come back again, we will take care of the matter ourselves. We should all go to our neighborhood schools and make a decision one way or another as a group. This has to come to a head sooner than later. Please stop antagonizing us day after day. Show some respect to us if you don't mind.

maxxiee
mp

the not so grand old party has to be tenacious because barring every new yorker becoming more dumbed-down than the residents of our hinterland, and thus electing that giuliani, these republicans can't count on upstate appleknockers and suburbanites to make them the majority for many a moon. The demographics have changed. They know that georgy-porgy did to them worse than what he did to this country. So in my humble opinion, any judge who knows the law should reinstall Malcolm Smith cause this is a powerplay pure and simple and the republicans are sociopathic.

John
Kissena Park

These people are a joke and NY'ers would be fools if they vote any of these jerks in again.

Rich
Midtown East

Please, would someone count up the hundreds of thousands of dollars being lost on this nonsense and sue Espada and Monserrate for having started this?

How about if we all just stopped paying our taxes? We are the laughing stock of the country. Espada and Monserrate should be put in jail.

Liz from Sunnyside

I think the State Senate has finally realized the level of effectiveness that the caliber of its membership is capable of -- total uselessness.

The combination of ambition and ineptitude on both sides, coupled with feelings of deprivation and entitlement, has finally manifested itself as the motivating force for Democrats and Republicans, and resulted in what we have here. It might not be pretty, and it might be a lousy government, but at least the voters are seeing the members and the institution for what they all are, hopelessly venal and corrupt, and so far removed from the notion of serving the people that the notion of their being "public servants" is a joke.

All of them -- EVERY one of them, Democrats and Republicans alike -- should be driven from office at the earliest opportunity, the seats declared vacant, and new elections held.

Bruce
Upper West Side
Manhattan

Never heard anything so ridiculous Men who are suppose to represent us, passing laws and instead of doing this they are walking out not working and yet collecting their pay. NOT FAIR Not Right.

Throw them all out and let us vote new ones in. This is exactly why we need term limits . to get rid of these do for nothings

Mimi
Flushing

I would hold back all there salaries, and for each day they fail to to do the peoples business they would lose one weeks pay!

Chip
Upper East Side

THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!!!!

Tom
Richmondtown

Today’s performance makes ‘so proud’ to be a New Yorker. No doubt we are the envy of the nation!

Dan
Battery Park City

As a Abraham Lincoln said....."A House Divided Can Not Stand"....This sounds like Kindergarten To Me....When can We The People Vote these Children Out Of Office? 2009 or 2010?

THE UNTIMATE POWER IS THE VOTE....LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS.

DMD in Wash Hghts.

Hey John

Of course it was a waste of time!!! They are playing and acting like little kids during recess. How can these elected officials act this way? They need to set their differences aside, but when will that happen? It seems like this will be prolonged, but I am glad they are working thru the summer to get the job done.

Freddy
Washington Heights

Why not lock them all in the chamber give them cots for sleeping and food and don't let them out until they finish the business they were elected to do. Coup? and we say Iran is bad?

and of course the one lone democrate next thing we know the MTA, employees at Macys will just lock themselves in and not do business.
have the car companies stop picking up the senators, close the parking lots they park their cars in. have tour busses drive past there homes were are an embarassment to the country.

shame

Rich/Chelsea

Why is there no new lieutenant governor? Will there not be a new one until the next gubernatorial election? Is this going to go on another year?

John R.

This is how grown ups behave? They *should* be ashamed. This situation has grown from ridiculous to hazardous. Like a bunch of brats fighting over their toys. Democrat or Republican: Get back to work or go home and we'll elect some people who mean business. I'll certainly remember this come election day.

Jonathon
Hamilton Heights, Manhattan

Yes our Senators forgot who they work for. Then again so has our City Council and the Mayor too. Come Nov., the bosses need to take our city back.

Norm
Upper Eastside

The political quagmire in Albany can only be settled through compromise and not confrontation.

GEORGE
LeFrak City

The circus show at the State Senate is a disgrace but not as disgraceful as Bloomberg overturning term limits without a public referendum. The positive side of this Senate freeze is that Mayoral control might lapse and finally billionare Bloomberg doesn't get his way.

roxanne
morris park bronx new york

From the state to the city - the state will not vote on issues regarding their issues, and yesterday a Mayor or with Randi Weingarten, teachers union agreeing to have teachers walk into school the same day as the children, without teacher orientation, schedules, lists busses, room environments set up. As a life long New Yorker, I am embarrassed by the attitude of our voted leaders.

Tony-Bayside

I feel like the senator are not representing as at all period. they have behaved wosers then 1st graders . I am descusted at both parties.

Simon
Rego Park
Queens

I think they should stop receiving paychecks. That might get them back to work!!! This is such a disgrace. They should all be fired and we should hold a special election.

Jennifer
Middle Village, Queens

one advantage to the delays is maybe they can rethink Mayoral Control of Schools.From the state to the city - the state will not vote on issues regarding their issues, and yesterday a Mayor or with Randi Weingarten, teachers union agreeing to have teachers walk into school the same day as the children, without teacher orientation, schedules, lists busses, room environments set up. For a mayor claiming Children First-how unsafe for new york's children and parents. Maybe now the Senate will vote no

Tony-Bayside

if the republicans really staged the whole coup to form a true coalition why are they balking at sharing the power 50/50. after all that what they say they were trying to accomplish in the first place.

tt
manhattan

time and time again we see roadblocks by our elected officials to take care of our business for us. judges and attorneys who may have interests at a later time will not chime in on this particular issue. with the current economy and amount of people out of work

we as the people have a right to demand a re-election and get people in there that can act in a more adult manner and be grateful to have a job

roy, manhattan - registered independent

I say special election. All of these guys looks stinky and corrupt. And cut their pay until they don't take a shower.

Ray
Washington Heights

I believe a judge should decide who's in charge and put all these clowns back to work.

poji

The Regents grade "conversion charts" were sent to schools this week, more proof of Bloomberg's smoke and mirrors campaign to be remembered as the "education mayor." For students to pass the Integrated Algebra Regents they needed to correctly answer only 36% of the questions.

Are we so naive?

Hope the senators let mayoral control lapse.

S. Nelson
Rockaway, Queens

Hi John,

I read in the Times that if Espada becomes Govenor he can pardon himself,is this true? is this why he and Monnserate defected, hoping to be pardon if they are convicted.

Helen from Queens

No republican has ever fought for a democrat for a certain positition, there is something going on with Espada and the republicans they are scheming for each other, it is definitely personal. I wouldn't be surprise if it is illegal, after all Espada is being investigated.

angel

I am watching all the names on NY 1~~And it will affect the way I vote!!

We should separate church and state make marriage simply a religious institution

and prohibit the state from getting involved in the union between a man and a woman in the eyes of God..Marriage is the way God brings together the two halves of his creation into a union that is far bigger than its mortal human parts.

Through this union, life itself is created, sustained and connected to its creators. Male and female. Mothers and fathers. Life is created and sustained and connected to its Creator.To me, what could be more worth fighting for? Marriage is a Sacred Religious Sacrament in the eyes of God between 1 man & 1 women and Homosexuality is a grievous perversion..I am not judging, but defending GOD!

Rosemarie
Sheepshead Bay