The 51st State?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

On Monday, Long Island's bid to become the 51st state, a prospect re-ignited this past Spring, was the subject of ridicule on The Daily Show courtesy of Samantha Bee's darkly entertaining segment. Of course, I'm a little behind with my commentary since I watch nothing live thanks to my beloved Tivo; the virtues of which were described a few posts back. In her richly culled and deliciously irreverant expose that nicely pinged many Long Island stereotypes, Ms. Bee showed the nation a Long Island that was completely unprepared for the task of secession. She opened the segment describing Long Island as 10 miles from New York City or a "3 1/2 hour drive."

As proposed by Suffolk County Comptroller Joseph Sawicki this past March, Long Island should consider secession from New York because Long Island contributes more in state tax dollars than it receives in comparable state services; essentially we give more than we get. In May, Newsday published an article detailing the pros and cons of Long Island statehood after which the matter promptly hit the back burner though the dream lives on.

Long Island faces some serious issues; most of which are due to its short-sighted NIMBY-driven approach to development over the last 30 or so years. For instance, all bridge initiatives to connect Long Island to Connecticut were shelved meaning that New York State could cripple Long Island's world by merely shuttering a few bridges. Long Island's dreams of statehood are the stuff of pipes, there are no indications whatsoever that Long Island is a self contained mobile unit simply waiting for the best opportunity to break free.