Monday, November 29, 2021

Covid tyranny doomed Cuomo


Andrew Cuomo

Allegations of sex misconduct by people who might be gold-diggers was not sufficient to force Andrew Cuomo out of the governorship in August. True, his own Democratic Party turned against him, but the reason wasn't abuse of power.

The reason was a tactical maneuver to "change the subject" to a personal controversy rather than a controversy that would tarnish all New York State Democrats: Why were elderly people who received hospital care for covid summarily dumped back into their unprepared nursing homes?

Though no reasonable person would blame the governor personally for such a misstep, the voter backlash was greatly feared by legislative Democrats -- who didn't much like him anyway because they felt he was too authoritarian.

Though the Democratic investigation of sex misconduct seemed to fade, the issue was serious enough for Joe Biden -- who had also been accused of creepiness -- to urge Cuomo to resign.

Cuomo did so -- eight months later. What had happened in the meantime? The Republican and Conservative media had maintained fire against the governor, thus fueling a GOP sex investigation.

Why couldn't he survive politically? What straw broke the camel's back? Continued, heavy-handed covid restrictions had infuriated a major sector of the public, with even the remaining "good citizens" becoming increasingly skeptical. Cuomo's authoritiarian streak doomed his career. First, by alienating his own state Democratic Party; second, by alienating much of the public with lengthy, Draconian covid measures.

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