The circus called the New York state Senate has come to town. The Democrats and Republicans are making for some good entertainment as they both try to exert control over the senate chamber.

A couple of weeks ago, two Democrats bolted to the Republicans, giving the GOP a 32-30 control of the senate. The remaining Democrats called the takeover illegal as it happened outside of a regular session. Then a week later one of the Democrats returned to the party’s fold. That deadlocked the situation at 31-31.

Neither party could or would conduct business, so Governor David Patterson ordered them into the senate chambers in a special session.

The Republicans planned to enter first and lock the Democrats out, but the Democrats beat them to the punch, locking the Republicans out. When Republican Senator George Winner tried to assume leadership at the rostrum, Democrat Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins was already there and blocked Winner with the sergeant at arms.

Winner then took a gavel and tried to preside from the floor as the Democrats sat silently in the chamber, pretending that nothing was going on. Later Stewart-Cousins gaveled the Democrats to order, effectively creating two sessions of the Senate running at the same time…and the madness continues.