This morning, less than 20 seconds after my alarm went off, the radio news told me something completely depressing. NY State Assembly leader Sheldon Silver has blocked Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan for New York City. Bloomberg quickly unleashed a torrent of angry statements towards Silver. I’m adding mine to the pile.

Congestion pricing was a smart, bold plan that would have made New York a leader in reducing traffic and pollution, while investing billions more in public transit. That’s the future. By not even allowing the plan to come up for a vote in the Assembly, Shelly Silver kept us firmly in the past — for the sake of his own political clout. He did it because he doesn’t want to lose favor with the Assembly members from suburban communities; they are the ones that vote to keep him in leadership, after all.

The irony, of course, is that the Republican leader of the Senate, Joe Bruno, was in favor of the plan. So the major hurdle that most progressive legislation has to clear — the Republican State Senate — was a non-issue.

If Silver was in a competitive district, this never would have happened. Too bad he’s so entrenched. I’m sure he’ll deliver more wins for progressives in the future, as he’s done in the past. But this time, he traded the public trust for political gain. Cowardly is the nicest word for it.

What a crappy way to wake up!