The race for the 40th City Council District: Rock Hackshaw gets the endorsement of the Independence Party. Is this an epic of things to come?

By now most of you know that I am running for the New York City Council, in the 40th District. That’s one of many reasons why I haven’t been writing much here lately. I have been so busy with this race -and the requirements of campaigning, etc. - that I have been writing very few columns lately. And yet -despite my busy schedule- I hope to intermittently keep you up to date on my campaign and other political developments. So do stay tuned-in folks.

Okay; here goes. I secured the nod of the Independence Party -to be their standard bearer- in the November general election. It would be the second time I have secured the nod of a minor party in a general election. I did it in 1998 (Liberal Party) in my run for the state assembly. I have been assured by the chairman of the Brooklyn chapter that the Independence Party will grant me a “Wilson-Pekula”, which allows me to run on their line -despite my being a registered democrat.  read more »

(Posted by mole333, who is solely responsible for the title)

THIS IS THE FINAL DRAFT OF CANDIDATE ROCK HACKSHAW’S PLATFORM FOR REAL SOLUTIONS IN THE 40th COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT IN BROOKLYN: ROCK HACKSHAW BELIEVES THAT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS GO, “WE CAN DO BETTER.”

PREFACE:
Too many candidates for the New York City Council tend to focus their campaigns on issues of the district in which they are running; this is a bit too narrow for my liking. As a council member I believe that you are one of 51 members charged with helping the mayor and council speaker run this city, and as such you should always take a macro approach to problem solving and public policy. Accenting only those issues relating to your district -and isolating the potential solutions without sensitivity to the overall impact on the city- is myopic at best; keeping a narrow-minded focus on issues pertinent mainly to your district, and becoming demagogic when the issues are of the “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) variety is exactly what we don’t need in the council. The problems facing us cannot be solved in isolation. We need team players; elected officials with the ability to think creatively, and the willingness to be open-minded. We need people who are both developed and experienced. We need people who have shown independence during their tenures in politics and community activism.  read more »

This weekend my family took the long haul to Wellington Sharpe's house for the BBQ fundraiser for Rock Hackshaw for City Council. And it was well worth the haul.

The party was, in the words of my son, Jacob, "an EXCELLENT party."

Rock Hackshaw is running for the 40th City Council district (Kensington, Prospect-Lefferts, Ditmas Park; parts of Crown Heights, Flatbush, East Flatbush). Many of us know Rock from his blogging on Room 8 and (occasionally) Daily Gotham. I first met him in person (after some time sparring online) when Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes had a blogger event and Rock showed up and, in typical Rock fashion, bluntly challenged the DA on political corruption in Brooklyn. Watching Rock and Hynes go at it was quite entertaining.

What impresses me most about Rock is he is probably the most up front, honest guy you will meet. He seldom if ever equivocates or ducks a question. In a sea of rather weasel-like NYC politicians, that kind of honesty is refreshing.  read more »