Prohibition of Humane Restraint of Animals

Will Criminalize Daily Practices of

Responsible City Residents and Visitors

I have decided to run for the New York City Council in the General Election on November 3.  I will be running as a Democrat on the Working Families Party ballot line.

By now, you probably know the results of the recent Primary Election held on September 15th.  I lost the Democratic nomination by a mere 600 votes to Al Vann -- a 35-year incumbent elected official -- and earned anywhere from two to five times the number of votes received by any other challenger.  

Most strikingly, more than 70% of the electorate voted AGAINST the incumbent.

Some time back, the blogger going by the name of "Chaim Yankel" wrote an article called "My Brad Lander Problem...and Israel's." In this diary he outlined a strongly anti-Israel stand Brad Lander took some time back and made it the central focus of his opposition to Lander.

This issue is NOT the main reason I oppose Brad Lander. Although I do disagree with him on this issue (I am solidly pro-Israel though also sympathetic to the Palestinians, so Brad's anti-Israel stand is not my cup of kosher wine), this is not so important to me when it comes to city council. Furthermore, though Chaim Yankel saw Brad's anti-Israel position so unacceptable he called it "extremist," I consider it wrong, but within the range of mainstream.

One of the hottest contested races in the September 15th primary is who will be the next City Council representative for the 39th district (Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Street, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Boro Park). I thought it was worth reviewing the candidates, all of whom I know fairly well, and all of whom I have heard speak and done some research on. Keep in mind I come into this as a supporter of Josh Skaller for this seat. So I save my endorsed candidate for last.

Let me start with Gary Reilly. Gary is probably the only one in the race who has done no negative campaigning and who is liked and respected by everyone I know. But because he is a relative newcomer he has no real support at this time. Everyone agrees that Gary is running mainly to introduce himself to the community and get his feet wet politically. Gary is smart, dedicated, honest and very progressive. All he needs to be an ideal candidate is experience, which is exactly what he is getting by running this year. It is very likely we will see a lot more of Gary in the future and I, for one, look forward to supporting him in the future. For now, though, he has little money, few endorsements, and is likely to come in last. But coming in last while establishing respect from almost all sides is actually a good strategy for someone who is looking towards his future. I put Gary first in my list because although voting for him this year would be a waste of a vote, I want to emphasize that he will one day likely be a candidate I strongly endorse.

NOT WANTED: JOHN LIU FOR NYC COMPTROLLER

He received the endorsement of none other than the Consummmate insider Charlie Rangel, who we all know is quite the crook between undeclared taxes and taking up four rent-stablized apartments when most of the people in his community can't afford one.

Every year in an annual ritual, scores of candidates, many running for the first time are denied a chance to compete in the electoral process or have their campaign efforts severely harmed by the obstacles of ballot access. New York’s election law is among the most stringent in the nation. It poisons the democratic process and is kept in place by incumbents and a political machine which gain advantage by those that it harms. Sometimes more than half of a challenger’s time and resources (for those that make it through the petitioning process), are used up to get through the obstacles put in place to deny them ballot access. Many races are decided in the courts or by Campaign Finance Board (CFB) rules, not the ballot box. It not just the petitions system that machine-backed candidates use to block ballot access, the CFB rule which allows a candidate who challenges his opponent(s) petitions to receive matching funds, but not the candidate(s) he is challenging, has become a weapon to gravely weaken ones challenge(s).

The below email indicates that there will be a challenge to Leroy Comrie's seat in District 27.  

Dear Friends,

I have rolled up my sleeves to work hard to earn your trust and your vote and I am ready to fight for my neighbors in Southeast Queens.

Draw 'em a picture, Rock, in which they throw out those bums.

If there were ever polls to be believed, then believe the ones that say most of New York City believes their members of City Council last week showed their constituencies exactly what they think: That come November, voters exist to keep them in bespoke suits and taxpayer money.

We're not the only ones furious at this flat statement of elected officials' faith in their ability to flaunt the power their voters gave them. But without a constructive outlet, this energy will disperse like the mob at the scene of a car crash. So come on, Rock. Tell 'em how they're going to organize new political clubs, scare up candidates, drum up money. Write 'em a manual on how to get a voter list, go door to door and carry petitions. Help 'em figure out the campaign finance disclosure forms.