Since when has the Times become a good government group?!? It exerts its power by dabbling in the backrooms of government. And it only gets on its high horse of "good government" when pols haven't caved to its behind-the-scene arm twisting.

What political skullduggery the Times chooses to ignore -- mostly the transfer of taxpayer money into the pockets of big developers -- is enormous, compared to the corruption it deigns to report.

And note that in the current slush fund scandal, almost all the council members the Times has bothered to investigate are black or Latino. When will the Times take a look at the real beneficiary of the phony nonprofits -- Christine Quinn?

I have to agree with Long: discretionary spending is an invitation to corruption. It is our money, and politicans at all levels give it away to groups that will keep them in power.