I realize there’s a certain level of silliness in the chambers of all fifty State capitols, but I daresay that New York has taken the cake with today’s partisan-defined competing Senate proceedings:

At times, the simultaneous proceedings grew heated. When Mr. Winner banged his gavel and called a Democrat, Ruth Hassell-Thompson, out of order for standing and speaking to a colleague, she whipped around in fury. The Democratic leader had already said the chamber was standing “at ease,” or on a break.

“Don’t you dare tell me I’m out of order,” Ms. Hassell-Thompson, who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester County and with a tall, wide-shouldered frame is one of the more imposing figures in the Democratic conference, shouted at Mr. Winner, several times.

“Easy, Ruth,” a Democratic colleague called out.

At the same time, Mr. Skelos was trying to speak from the Senate floor, but Kevin S. Parker, a hot-tempered Brooklyn Democrat who is under indictment on charges that he attacked a newspaper photographer, stood up, faced Mr. Skelos and began talking loudly while keeping an eye on Mr. Skelos.

Mr. Skelos had been complaining that the Senate’s staff would not provide them with the bill “jackets” — the official bills used to conduct Senate business.

“If they were actually in charge, they would have the bill jackets,” Mr. Parker bellowed while Republicans tried to silence him. “We’re at ease!”

All this, after a veritable parliamentary coup two weeks ago. Banana republic all the way.

I’m purposely keeping my commentary on all this in check, mainly because the absurdity of it all says it better than I ever could (and I’m one helluva writer, if you haven’t noticed). I also recognize that any frustration/outrage I express is largely just wasted breath. As tempting as it is to “toss the rascals out” (in the parlance of a century ago), the problem with tackling a legislative body is that constituents stick by their individual State Senator despite deploring the Senate as a whole. Ultimately, practically everyone guilty of this current nonsense will keep their jobs, and nothing substantial will change.