Time is running out for Gov. Paterson, for Albany, and for the rest of us.

When I interviewed Marcia Pappas — head of NY’s state chapter of the National Organization for Women — last week, she was holding fire on David Paterson’s future.

Now she wants him gone.

The National Organization for Women is urging New York Gov. David Paterson to resign because of a report he directed two staffers to contact a woman about a domestic violence case involving one of his top aides.

NOW New York State President Marcia Pappas said Tuesday it’s inappropriate for Paterson to have any contact with a victim of alleged violence.

Meanwhile, the Governor’s two top public safety officials — State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt and Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Denise O’Donnell — have resigned.

During his brief press conference last week, in which he abandoned his election bid, Paterson raised his right hand and swore an oath that he had not abused the powers of his office.

He said he would fill out his unelected term.

So far, Albany’s not buying it. The Governor has zero political support.

If we had a truly viable Lt. Governor waiting in the wings — instead of an unelected and largely unknown stand-in named Richard Ravitch — the riptide would be even stronger.

As it is, New Yorkers understand that we stand at the edge of a true crisis.

This isn’t just another Albany soap opera. This is more evidence that our political culture has ceased to function.

And it’s not partisan, either. Yes, this time it’s the Democrats pushing us to the brink of ungovernability.

But last year, we saw Republicans in the state Senate mount a grasping and clumsy bid for power, in which they partnered with some of the most despicable Democrats.

We saw the conviction on Federal corruption charges of Republican icon and long-time senate majority leader Joe Bruno.

And we saw the massively powerful public employee unions refusing to accept even modest concessions, despite the collapse of state income tax revenues.

If these were good times, it wouldn’t matter so desperately.

But we can’t waste eleven months dithering until a new, duly-elected governor is sworn in.

With our budget deficit topping $8 billion dollars, the moment of reckoning has come and New York stands leaderless.

Andrew Cuomo, the heir apparent of the Democratic Party, continues to avoid serious questions, while issuing mysterious pronouncements about his own future.

In a normal year, that would be good, smart New York-style politics.

But if David Paterson’s time is running out, the same is true for the rest of Albany, and for Mr. Cuomo.

And for the rest of us as well.