You all know that Senator Kevin Parker and I have had our run-ins; that’s old news. Truth be told, Kevin and I have been political friends much longer than we have been feuding. But friends fight: that’s life. And believe me when I say that both Kevin and I are feisty and passionate human beings; so we will probably fight again. Today however, I have to tip my hat to him, for his determination in bringing a term limits referendum bill through the state legislature. I know he isn’t alone. I know that Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and many others in the NYC delegation are working overtime, and also behind the scenes to make this bill pass; and I commend them all.
What they are doing in Albany is exposing the biggest lie behind last October’s attack on democracy in New York’s City Council: that there was no time to stage and hold a public referendum on term-limits extension before the September primaries. Hopefully Albany will clean the stains of the council’s disgrace.
The bill will allow for a referendum on term limits in NYC, sometime in May this year. It gives us ample time to resolve this whole term limits imbroglio, which this despotic mayor refuses -because of his hubris- to recognize as the nadir of his administration to date. The bill will give the voters -and rightly so- the last say on this obscene term-limits extension hijack of last October. It also tells Mayor Bloomberg in no uncertain terms that NYC does not allow for dictators. It will also overrule the weasels in the New York City Council -and rightly so- who cowardly buckled under Mayor Bloomers who had the money and the power to corrupt their morals.
If Mayor Bloomers is going to get a chance at another term, he will have to get the voters to agree first; that’s democracy. Those who support Kevin Parker and his cohorts need to start making calls and writing letters to both Assembly members and Senators, pushing them to get aboard and pass this bill immediately. It can be done in a matter of days from now if the political will is there.
Let the mayor and all those who support the term limits extension make their case to the voters. Let them convince the voters that this is the best way for the city to go right now; let them display courage for once, instead of their normal cowardice. Hats off to Kevin (and the others). You go bro’. Keep on pushing.
Stay tuned-in folks.