I suppose there are other important elections in this off year coming up around the country, but the mayor’s race in NYC and the governor’s race in NJ are making a lot of news, both local and national, and they will affect millions, including my family.
Let me start this article by stating what’s become painfully ubiquitous when I exercise my right to vote: I cannot trust any politician these days. And, in particular, I don’t like any of our local candidates now. As a progressive, more often than not (always left of center, but never at the far-left fascist extreme), you might be able to figure out how I voted (early mail-in ballot, Mr. Trump!); but here are some analyses you might not have already heard that could make a difference if you’re waiting to see how these NE campaigns unfold.
First, let’s consider that NYC mayor’s race. While I like some of Zohran’s ideas, most of them aren’t very practical. They do have the advantage that they incur the wrath of the “fucking moron” (hopefully, he has a killer stroke and dies!), but organizing a brilliant campaign so far doesn’t imply that this reincarnation of Bernie (um, right, the senator from Vermont isn’t dead yet) is brilliant enough to get the things done in the city that need to be done. His opponent Andrew’s a washed-out has-been who’s just trying to restart his political career by kissing the usual butts in NYC politics. (Bloomberg, et al, maybe even Trump’s? Andrew’s so bad that even that wannabe Il Duce secretly supports him, probably figuring he can buy off the SOB.) This mayor’s race is such a disaster and so representative of how low US politics has sunk into that cesspool of modern politics that I would vote for Curtis if I lived in the city!
Fortunately, I don’t. With congestion pricing not solving any problems, except for providing more funds for public transportation to waste; a crime problem that’s not a big deal per capita but often deadly for people exposed to it; a desire to bring the evil’s of gambling to NYC (that’s ruined NJ’s Atlantic City, by the way); a weed store on every other street corner; and so forth; it’s not clear that anyone can save NYC, especially the Trump mafia family who only want carte blanche to rip it off.
I live thirteen miles from the Lincoln Tunnel, so NYC politics affects us, but not as much as NJ’s. My adopted state’s politics (I’m originally from a much saner California where all the insanity there now is mostly a reaction to the fascist Trump administration’s policies) is a more immediate concern. We now have a governor’s campaign between Mikie (Dem) and Jack (Rep) that’s overwhelmed by two “sling any mud you can” campaigns. I turn those ads off now, happy that my ballot is in and I can wash my hands of all the NJ bullshit.
Mikie doesn’t impress me; never did, because she’s just gone along with other Dem powerbrokers when representing us in Congress or stumping around the state, including the current gov’s plan (good riddance to him, by the way!) to turn his wife into a US senator. I voted for Andy on that one and celebrate his win, but I cursed Mikie for supporting Mrs. Murphy, who, like NY Senator Gildebrand, was once a Republican who became Dem instead of a MAGA fascist for political convenience.
More Tax Jack is so bad, though, that he has the endorsement of the “fucking moron” who says he’s a true MAGA maniac—old Jack has expressed many times that his first duty is to kiss POTUS’s fat butt, that fealty requirement equivalent of brown-nosing, so Jack’s as far from being a true conservative as Adolph was—and we already pay enough damn taxes in NJ, Jack!
This post is self-indulgent, of course. I have no expectations that it will change any voters’ minds, even if some read it. But it fills this need I have to say, “I told you so,” when voters finally realize that we’re not on the road to fascism—it’s already here and busily destroying our democracy!