In a small sign that there’s hope for New York yet, slasher Hiram Monserrate was defeated last night in a landslide by Assemblyman Jose Peralta. Monserrate was recently expelled from the New York State Senate in connection with his slashing-related conviction, lost his court battle to reverse the expulsion, and has now lost his electoral bid to return to the Senate.

Being rid of Monserrate is a small step towards eliminating the stench of corruption, failure, and insanity from the New York State Senate. There’s still a long way to go.

But ultimately, we have no need for a state senate whatsoever. It performs absolutely no useful function of any kind. It is a full-employment plan for hacks and thieves, ill-serving their constituents and the state.

A nonpartisan, unicameral, democratically elected and democratically operated (small “d”) legislature is the best way to return sanity and representative democracy to a legislative entity that no longer serves the people.