Author: Rock Hackshaw

To some elected officials, a win is a win, is a win, is a win: no matter how close. And then they move on to their next term in office, learning very little from victory and arrogantly paying no heed to the warning signs. Ostensibly, lame duck councilmember Dr. Kendall Stewart (#45), fell victim to this political mentality recently (more on that later).

It appears however, that NYC council member Darlene Mealy is somewhat different. She recently overcame spirited challenges from former councilwoman Tracey Boyland, Tulani Kinard (endorsed by both Al Sharpton and Charles Barron), and activist Anthony Herbert. For the sake of full disclosure, let me also state that Mrs. Kinard was also endorsed here by yours truly. I have known both Tulani and her husband (Stan) for many years now, and have worked with them on many political initiatives. They are both educators and activists (political and cultural) who have paid lots of dues in the continuing struggles of colored folks.

After 16 continuous years of Republican mayors in New York City, you would think that there would be an urgency amongst democrats (nationwide) to get rid of this present pompous and arrogant mayor Michael Bloomberg: well you could have fooled me. After watching President Barack Obama (and surely his political director /Patrick Gaspard too) insult the democrat’s nominee William (Billy) Thompson, with what must be described as the worst half-assed endorsement ever given to a mayoral candidate for a major political party, I am demanding an explanation from the White House.

What the hell is going on?

Come next Tuesday 3rd November 2009, Mr. Carrie Solages will be on the ballot for County Clerk of Nassau. This Long Island native is a thirty year old lawyer employed at his family’s law firm (Solages and Solages). He has been described as “the young rising star of the Nassau County Democratic Party”. This description came from none other than Thomas (Tom) R. Suozzi himself: Nassau’s County Executive. Suozzi made this comment last May when he nominated Solages for the post.

Mr. Solages has been a member of the Nassau County Commission on Human Rights since 2007, and was an assistant District Attorney in the Bronx before starting with this law firm. He was born on Long Island to a black immigrant couple from the Caribbean nation of Haiti. If elected he will be the first black person to have ever held this position.  Many Caribbean-Americans here (and not just Haitian-Americans) are quite proud of this candidate; expect a bump in turnout in certain parts of the county.

What’s the fuss?

Do tell me what’s happening?

All this talk from right-wing republicans about whether or not Barack Obama deserved to win the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize comes from spiteful and resentful perches. Always remember that there are very few people who possess the moral courage to support another’s success without envy. Republicans have demonstrated this with full regal display, ever since the day the announcement was made, that Obama had won the internationally prestigious and coveted Nobel Peace Prize: and attendant award(s).

Of course Barack deserved the Nobel: he earned it over the years with his articulation, suave, depth, sophistication and overall brilliance; despite a couple blatant mistakes. He earned it with his work on nuclear arms reduction while in the senate. He earned it with his commonsensical approach to diplomacy: engagement not confrontation; dialogue not escalation; inclusion not isolation; more mutual respect and less threatening behaviors; and so on, and so on. He earned it because he has raised hope and lowered fear. He earned it because he has charted a positive course forward for US foreign policy in the short-term. He earned it because of exactly what he accomplished: becoming the first mulatto to attain the office of US president. The rest of the world is quite aware of US racial history folks; trust me on this one.

I haven’t done a “grapevines” column in ages so here goes. Too many people are saying that David Paterson needs to step gingerly out of the upcoming gubernatorial race: too many people. I wonder why? If I were David I would be gearing up to run by giving them all the finger; which I suppose he is doing right now. This whole mess was handled wrong from the day Eliot Spitzer selected him for LG. Even though I am not sure David Paterson will get elected as governor, I still think he should run.

I hate it when the so-called “powers that be”, stifle competition amongst candidates and leave the voters with little or no choice (like they have now done with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand).  By the way, do you know what Paterson said when he found out that he was selected to be Lieutenant Governor on Spitzer’s ticket?  In his trademark jocular manner, I am told he said something to the effect: “surely, they couldn’t have vetted me”.  He was right, wasn’t he? LOL. 

Okay, so many of you are going to say this is a stretch, but it isn’t: come next month, and let’s say Michael Bloomberg is elected to a third term as mayor (although I hope not), what is going to prevent him from overturning the term limits law again, and legislating himself a chance at being a four-term mayor? And furthermore, who is going to stop him? Pray tell.

The initial answer is as obvious as my handsome face: nothing. The secondary answer is even more obvious than my charm and wit: no one. Nothing and no one can stop Michael Bloomberg from going for a fourth term if he were to win again next month. Well, maybe the courts can (maybe).  

In the recent David v. Goliath political story, the David is real (Governor David Paterson); the Goliath (President Obama and his White House staffers) however, are nothing but symbols of so many things wrong with our present democracy. The problem is that so many of our electeds are too compromised to do anything about fixing some of the structural defects within political parties. In both of the major political parties (Democrats and Republicans alike) party-politics tend to suck: simple as that.  

One of pains that come with challenging incumbents is that you are quickly black-balled and politically ostracized: no matter how talented you are; no matter how qualified or experienced you are. Incumbents view their positions from a prism of entitlement. They seem to think that they own the seat once they get elected to it. And how dare some silly insurgent rise up to challenge them? How dare some insurgent be so audacious as to give the people a choice during elections? This is one of the reasons why I am so set on having term-limits at all levels of government. 

Please don’t think for a minute that I am angry about losing my race last Tuesday, because I am not. My mind is at ease. I am at peace with myself. I am back to walking around the apartment in the nude. And I am writing poetry again. I am glad I ran. I wouldn’t trade the strange experience of this campaign for anything. It was rather informative and revealing. It’s just that I have to get a few things off my mind and that’s why I am writing this particular two-part column: that’s all. And by now some of you must know that I hate to keep hot things on my chest unless it is a female human; so here goes. (BTW: my comment section is closed).

A wise man once said that success usually comes after moving from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. Another one said that the best way to succeed at something is by increasing your failure rate. Either way, both sages lauded tenacity and persistence. I concur; and that's one of many reasons why I am formally announcing today that I will be running again next year, despite my defeat at the polls last Tuesday 15th September, in the 40th city council district democrat's primary.

Next September (2010) I intend to run for two positions in the Democratic primary election. Firstly, I will run for the 42nd Assembly seat in the state legislature, against the incumbent Ms. Rhoda Jacobs. The incumbent is presently getting a salary for the position, and a pension for the same position: at the same time. I believe that what she is doing is wrong. This is double-dipping. She filed her resignation papers last year but has stayed in the post while collecting two checks.

I expect to win my race for the 40th council district. I expect to get the votes of more than half of those who show up to vote in this race. I will say no more on this right now. I also expect that the turnout in my race will be higher than usual. I will say more on that at another time. Expect the highest raw number for a Dem primary winner in this district since the lines were cut in 1991.

Right here and now, let me formally endorse Billy Thompson for mayor. After the primary we democrats have to throw down big time to make Billy the next mayor of this city. Believe me when I say that Billy Thompson has a tremendous chance of being our next mayor. No matter how much money Mike Bloomberg spends it won’t help him escape the wrath of voters from his overturning of the term limits referendum. The vulgarity of his money splurge for more power will be his downfall this time around. New Yorkers will show Mike B that they won’t be bought. Watch!