A reminder to all: today, Tuesday, Sept. 29th is the runoff elections for Comptroller and Public Advocate. Please vote! It is expected to be a VERY low turnout election (predicted 3%...I suspect less!) so your vote will count.

I strongly urge a vote for John Liu for Comptroller. Most of you who I have talked to agree on this and many agree strongly. Please get out and vote for him today. He has the endorsements of many unions, including the Uniformed Firefighters Union and Teamsters. He has the endorsements of Lambda Independent Democrats, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, Stonewall Democrats, Out People of Color Political Action Club, Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan, East Harlem United Democrats, West Harlem Independent Democrats, Village Independent Democrats, and Village Reform Democratic Club. He has the endorsements of the Jewish Press, Amsterdam News and Gay City News...among MANY others. And, perhaps most importantly, when I have seen him campaigning and when I talk to people about him, particularly people of color, people respond with an enthusiasm that amazes me. I just talked to one of the people who take care of the glassware for the labs on our floor, an extremely nice Philippino gentleman. He saw my John Liu sticker and got very excited. He says he is very impressed with John Liu and feels he understands "simple people like me." I might argue that this kind Philippino is necessarily "simple" (his tastes in music are quite eclectic, for example), but what he means is that most politicians talk down to people. John Liu talks with people. Does he also listen? From my own personal interactions with him I think he does. But the fact that he can inspire working class people, immigrants and people of color as much as he does means I consider him an important person within the Democratic Party (too often a dull seeming party).

I also urge a vote for Mark Green for Public Advocate. I wish I could say there is the same enthusiasm for Green as there is for Liu, but there isn't. This is a more difficult choice and I know some of my friends and political allies disagree with me on this one. But most progressive and reform Democrats I know who actually have had experience with Bill de Blasio feel they can't support him. Talking with others I have realizes it boils down to this: would you rather an arrogant asshole (Mark Green) as Public Advocate, or a personable developer-controlled sleaze (Bill de Blasio). Bill de Blasio has more union support and often is pro-labor, but he is predominantly pro-developer and pro-de Blasio and has consistently been willing to compromise ideals for naked ambition. Mark Green is...well Mark Green. Few people like him, but most people agree he did a good job as Public Advocate, so I see little problem voting for him for Public Advocate. Another friend put it this way: which do you think would give Bloomberg, assuming he wins a third term, the bigger headache (arguably the job of the Public Advocate). She believes the clear answer is Mark Green, not Bill de Blasio. Mark Green has been endorsed by Bobby Kennedy, Gloria Steinem, the National Organization for Women – New York City Chapter, National Latino Officers Association, Local 2507: Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics, and Fire Inspectors FDNY and
Local 3621: Uniformed EMS Officers Union, 504 Democratic Club (disabled rights group), Barack Obama Democratic Club of East Harlem, East Harlem/El Barrio Democratic Club, Sojourner Truth Democratic Club, and Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, among others.

Agree or disagree with my picks, please vote!