Pretzel politics

There is an adage that “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Perhaps that explains Mayor Adams’ decision to appeal the ruling upholding Manhattan Justice Lyle Frank’s decision that permanently blocked the Adams’ administration from enacting its Medicare Advantage plan (The Chief, May 24).

The Court agreed that the Mayor’s attempt to force retirees into privatized health care and eliminating City-paid Medigap coverage would break decades-old unambiguous promises made to former City workers.

The NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees will continue to challenge the Mayor. Marianne Pizzitola, President, told the Daily News: “The larger question should be: After everything we have put out there, factually cited and sourced on how forcing people onto [Advantage] will harm them, that he is still hell-bent on forcing this plan onto retired civil servants.”

Alternative facts are on display in the propaganda spewed by the Tom Murphy / Unity Caucus in the current UFT Retiree Chapter election. A flyer enclosed with the ballot lauds Medicare Advantage as having “features far superior to any current existing coverage.”

And so superior that there will be a “pay up” option if you want better coverage!

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams appears superficially conciliatory, telling Work-Bites that “This has been a prolonged process in the courts and what the City needs is closure on this issue that addresses the concerns of all parties.”

Take that with a grain of salt. She had blocked efforts to legislate protections for retiree health benefits, intimidating other members with threats of lost Committee positions and discretionary funding.

In a week where Nikki Haley used pretzel logic to turn around and endorse Trump, I am even more wary (and weary) of politicians triangulating their positions due to self interest, regardless of the obvious hypocrisy.

Harry Weiner