Top Victorious and Defeated Figures This Week

In a stark contrast, the processes for reaching a New York state budget deal and the election of a new pope could not be more different in terms of transparency.

The recent election of a new pope by the College of Cardinals was a swift affair, with the cardinals reaching a decision within about a day of convening. This process, while shrouded in tradition, is more transparent compared to the New York state budget deal, which is agreed upon in secret.

The election of the pope is a public affair, with each day's progress signalled by white or black smoke. The names of the 133 cardinals who participate in the election are also publicly known. In contrast, the New York state budget deal is a convoluted set of bills, hashed out in secret by unknown individuals. The search results do not provide information about the name of the person responsible in the New York Governor's staff involved in drafting the $250-odd billion state budget.

While the New York state budget deal is not just a spending plan, but also includes various policies, these decisions are made in secret. The process for choosing a new pope, on the other hand, involves rounds of votes and is more open to public scrutiny.

The current state of affairs is that the New York state budget is 38 days late, while the cardinals sent up white smoke within about a day of convening. This discrepancy in transparency and efficiency raises questions about the decision-making processes in both contexts.

It is important to note that this comparison is not intended to pass judgment on either process, but rather to highlight the differences in transparency between the two. As citizens, understanding these processes can help us engage more effectively with our political representatives and the Church leadership.