Not too long ago I took City Council candidate Doug Biviano to task for lying about the record of one of his rivals, suggesting that his inaccurate depiction of her record perhaps stems from the fact that he wasn't even around during the fights he was talking about. Biviano is a brand, spanking newcomer to the fights for reform in Brooklyn and against Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards proposal. Yet he comes out accusing Jo Anne Simon, who has been part of these fights for years and who is endorsed by the strongest reformers and anti-Ratner organizations around, of not standing up on these issues. Biviano basically lied, plain and simple. But, rather than say he was a liar, I suggested his not even being a part of these fights until he suddenly got it in his head to run (I met him when that idea was incubating) was the reason for his inaccuracies.  read more »

So, I found some interesting fund raising numbers recently, but held back until I knew about IND's endorsement in the 39th district. Now I have taken a leave of absence from IND's executive board, I am able to write about it.

The Idependent Neighborhood Democrats claim that "independence" from the Brooklyn Democratic machine, led by one Vito Lopez. Now when elections come around in Park Slope and Prospect Heights and places like that, I find Vito Lopez's name is dirt. The name of IND has carried weight in a positive way, but the name of Vito Lopez carries weight in a negative way. Sometimes when I am discussing a race with a voter, they interrupt me and ask who Vito Lopez is supporting. When I tell them, they say, "that's all I need to know...I'll support the other person." This was invariably a winning tactic during the 2007 Surrogate Judge race where I could get people voting for Diane Johnson largely by pointing out that her opponent was supported by Vito Lopez.  read more »

Marjorie Gerseten, my wife, Joy Romanski, and I are co-hosting an event on May 3rd for our friend Josh Skaller, candidate for the 39th New York City Council seat in Brooklyn (portions of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Windsor Terrace, Kensington and Borough Park). Josh is a long-time organizer for Democracy for New York City, was president of the Central Independent Democrats political club in Brooklyn for two years, and was an early organizer with Brooklyn for Barak.

"Josh has always fought for fiscal responsibility and the progressive solutions needed to reform city government"

--Jim Dean
Chair of Democracy For America (DFA)

Without taking money from developers, PACs or lobbyists, and while a
first-time candidate, he’s the leader in number of donors and second in total dollars in a large field of good candidates. I want to emphasize that this is an amazing accomplishment and shows his organizational skills and potential. I also want to emphasize that it is so rare that the best, most honest and most progressive candidate running is also able to raise the most money.  read more »

This could have been the time for changing New York’s incumbent protection election system. During the last council election in 2005, almost two thirds (28 out of 34) of the incumbents running had no primary. Four of the other six incumbents being challenged won with more than 80% of the vote. The controversial term limits vote is the only opportunity to negotiate with enough councilmember to get the votes needed for Charter change that will insure real competitive elections in this one party town. It is a failure of the Citizen Union and other good government groups as well as the newspaper editorial boards and the reform clubs of this city not to demand changes that could have been used as a bargaining chip by both sides in this forced debate.

Changes needed to give challenges a better chance against incumbents include: a reduction in the number of petition signatures required to get on the ballot; non partisan redistricting; reductions in constituent mailings and office staff; equal time on the city’s cable TV stations and council web sites for challengers and opposition voices and an end to member items.

Petitions  read more »

Back in January 2006 I had as my goals:

1.) defeating the Bush/Gingrich/McCain agenda nationally

2.) defeating the Pataki, Bruno and Silver Albany constipation

3.) defeating the local Brooklyn Vito Lopez machine.

Still working on #3 through several channels. And it remains to be seen whether indictments or ill health or Brooklyn fatigue with corruption bring down Vito Lopez. For my part I prefer indictments to ill health. But Charles Hynes, the Brooklyn DA, has pushed that aside and has focused on other, also worthy efforts. So we wait to see who will replace Lopez in time.

Goal #1 began to happen in 2006 with a massive take over of the House and an evening up of the Senate. And we have a damned good shot at continuing this in 2008 with MORE House seats, a REAL takeover of the Senate and a White House win by Obama.  read more »