A moment of Conscience Overcome

A moment of Conscience Overcome:

The Albany Times Union Capitol Confidential Blog credits the tremor that started the wave of defeat to the the alphabet. Senator Addabbo, a Democrat committed to voting yes, but a freshman Senator, lost his nerve and voted no. A yes vote was then cast by Adams and the next person to vote was Alesi. He is my senator and the first Republican to vote. He was considered a strong possibility to vote with us. With head in hands, he was obviously influenced by Addabbo cave in and saw his political cover disappear. He thought, was called on a second time and voted, "No."

I would like to say that I feel badly for him, but in times of stress a person of strong ethics and conscience will do the right thing not the politically safe thing. We have talked with Senator Alesi enough to know that he did not vote his conscience, he voted out of political expediency and fear.

The irony here is that his seat is incedibly secure. He has not had a credible challenge in my memory. He is a Roman Catholic, but comes from a very progressive diocese. He is well educated and his district is well educated with several very progressive colleges.

If we don't have our integrity, what do we have?