An interesting analysis of Gov. Spitzer's State of the State address from State Senator Eric Schneiderman - one of Albany's leading progressives - in a message to his supporters. Schneiderman says the speech "may prove to be a work of political genius." Why?

The genius lies in the fact that the Governor did not just define his personal agenda for this year's session. He defined everyone's agenda, laying out priorities for Republicans (property tax cuts, lifting the cap on charter schools, reforming Wick's Law) as well as Democrats (universal pre-Kindergarten, public financing of campaigns, health care for all the state's children). In essence, Eliot has kick-started the traditional end-of-session negotiations to package elements of these competing agendas into an omnibus agreement in his first week.

The new Governor sent the most powerful possible message to all recalcitrant legislators: Here are the competing agendas on which we will focus this year. No delays. No excuses. Let's get to work.

And over it all, Eliot heaped an array of reform proposals that have been considered unachievable for decades.

Governor Spitzer may prove to be an executive who is able to use bipartisanship to achieve an ambitous progressive agenda.

Of course, if the Republicans don't play along, in 2008 we'll have concrete examples of how they've blocked progress.

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