Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision Tuesday to include travelers from DC in his 14-day quarantine order at first seemed great news: What a fine way to keep Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the rest out of most mischief for two weeks at a time.
Alas, the gov left the congressfolks free to maximize their destructive work: As “essential workers,” lawmakers are exempt from the mandate that mere mortals must obey, on pain of persecution from the State Police.
Cuomo might want to reconsider, as the threat of quarantine would encourage New York lawmakers to stay on the job in Washington. After all, he’s especially concerned that Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will go along with a new relief (“stimulus”) bill that doesn’t flood state coffers with free cash.
Absent a federal windfall, the gov says heavy state tax hikes are ahead, since the alternative is slashing bloated spending — even putting his pork-infested “AndyLand” economic-development projects at risk.
Maybe the prolonged crisis has tired Cuomo out: It’s not like him to pass on the chance to use his near-absolute pandemic powers to bend other politicians to his will.