Election suggestions
Tomorrow is Election Day here in New York City (and many other places, as well, but I've been kind of focused on the local stuff). For my NYC readers, here's my attempt to influence your vote.
Earlier in the year, I talked a number of times about Mayor Bloomberg's despicable ignoring of New York City's term limits law (adopted by public referendum, twice). And even though I disagree with the concept of term limits, I'm even more worried by a politician who ignores laws adopted by public referendum. Michael Bloomberg has campaigned on a platform of "re-elect me, because I can help the economy get better." In that, he was mostly right: he's been spending on the order of a million dollars a day on his re-election campaign, and if he's been spending that money in New York City, his campaign really has been good for the economy (heck, I got two phone calls and one in-person visit from his campaign today). And of all the announced candidates, he really is the most qualified for the job, but I just can't trust that he'll decide to step down in four years if we elect to him a third term tomorrow. On the other hand, I don't think any of the other announced candidates would be good mayors (although I have to give comedy points to Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Francisca Willar, who says the most important issue she'd address as mayor is "The billionaires must pay for the economic costs. A 5 percent tax on all wealth over $100 million would alone raise over $8 billion a year from the city's 55 billionaires alone; if they try to leave the city, their property and wealth should be confiscated."-I read that campaign statement and laughed at her apparently tenuous grasp on reality in favor of "the world is what I want it be"). So I'll be writing in my own name for mayor tomorrow. Feel free to join me: Ian Randal Strock for Mayor of New York City.
For Public Advocate, I'm going to vote for Jim Lesczynski, who says the most important issue he'd address as Public Advocate would be to "eliminate the position of Public Advocate".
For Comptroller, I'm voting for Joe Mendola.
Earlier in the year, I talked a number of times about Mayor Bloomberg's despicable ignoring of New York City's term limits law (adopted by public referendum, twice). And even though I disagree with the concept of term limits, I'm even more worried by a politician who ignores laws adopted by public referendum. Michael Bloomberg has campaigned on a platform of "re-elect me, because I can help the economy get better." In that, he was mostly right: he's been spending on the order of a million dollars a day on his re-election campaign, and if he's been spending that money in New York City, his campaign really has been good for the economy (heck, I got two phone calls and one in-person visit from his campaign today). And of all the announced candidates, he really is the most qualified for the job, but I just can't trust that he'll decide to step down in four years if we elect to him a third term tomorrow. On the other hand, I don't think any of the other announced candidates would be good mayors (although I have to give comedy points to Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Francisca Willar, who says the most important issue she'd address as mayor is "The billionaires must pay for the economic costs. A 5 percent tax on all wealth over $100 million would alone raise over $8 billion a year from the city's 55 billionaires alone; if they try to leave the city, their property and wealth should be confiscated."-I read that campaign statement and laughed at her apparently tenuous grasp on reality in favor of "the world is what I want it be"). So I'll be writing in my own name for mayor tomorrow. Feel free to join me: Ian Randal Strock for Mayor of New York City.
For Public Advocate, I'm going to vote for Jim Lesczynski, who says the most important issue he'd address as Public Advocate would be to "eliminate the position of Public Advocate".
For Comptroller, I'm voting for Joe Mendola.