Thursday’s New York Times published two stories that reported what the Times apparently feels is news – that rich people with influence have benefits that poorer people do not have.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/nyregion/17rangel.html?ref=nyregion

At Lenox Terrace, the luxury development in Harlem, management uses two sets of standards when it comes to rent-stabilized tenants, many residents say.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/nyregion/17discretion.html?ref=nyregion

Before I get into this column, let me preface it a bit. At this point in time, I am strongly leaning towards supporting Bill Thompson in next year’s mayoral race. I finally got to that place while I was in Miami for a wedding, about two weeks ago. Some political friends that I respect convinced me to come aboard the Billy Thompson train; so I am heading there. I must also confess that although I still have a weak spot for councilmember Avella, I am realistic enough to recognize when a candidate will not be competitive unless he can raise much more money than Avella has. I have had my share (and fill) of symbolic runs at public office, if I support a candidate now he or she must have a realistic shot at winning. I am getting too old for all that insurgent “protest” shit. 

Senator Chuck Schumer loves to hold press conferences on Sundays, whereby he gets decent coverage in near all local newspapers the next day; it has been an effective media strategy.  It sure helped him get to the US Senate. The question however is this: after the press leaves are the issues raised eventually resolved? What about the follow-up? Maybe a media outlet would apply some of its resources into researching Schumer’s success rate. And there is a reason why I say this. 

I have lived in New York for the past 35 years, and it seems to me that every year or two, some politician, news outlet, university or think-tank, comes up with some study showing how blacks and Hispanics get screwed by mortgage brokers, real estate folks, insurers or banks. No kidding. And I recall Senator Schumer holding quite a few of his Sunday press conferences, to highlight this and other ancillary problems over the years. 

The United States is heading for a major anniversary on October 20th, 2008. It will be the 35th anniversary of the OPEC oil boycott, which began on that date in 1973 in the shadow of the Yom Kippur war. (Gee, a war in the Middle East! There is no reason to worry about another one of those, is there?) That was the first signal, years before the environmental consequences of fossil fuel use were understood (by some), that abject dependence on a depleting resource increasingly concentrated in potentially hostile hands was a future economic and national security disaster. The 1979 oil crisis, associated with the Iran Hostage Crisis was the second signal. (Gee, conflict with Iran, that’s not likely to recur is it?) The 1990 Gulf War was a third signal. The attack on 9/11 was the fourth signal. But two generations of Americans willfully ignored these messages. And they instead listened to the messages they wanted to hear, that cheap and available energy was what they deserved — regardless of the future risks and consequences. And voted for elected officials who delivered those false messages. And here they have left us.

When I write columns like this one, they invariably lead to e-mails and phone calls where I have to defend my virginity (political), integrity and honor. Sometimes the callers are so-called friends, with special interests and/or hidden agendas; I don’t care for the shouting matches (sometimes/lol). I do these type of columns because I blog with a purpose, and also because I do believe that voters need to know the kind of things that take place behind the scenes, before they pull the levers on the voting machine. 

One Friday evening last month, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (Brooklyn’s 11th district) was spotted on Broadway (Booth Theatre) taking her mother (Una Clarke) to see Laurence Fishburne, starring in the play “Thurgood Marshall”. Fishburne was one of the stars in a movie in which I appeared, more than a decade in ago. He is quite a humorous though intense actor. That movie was entitled: “Searching for Bobby Fisher”. In it, I played myself (as a chess player); and of course near all my best scenes were left on the cutting floor/lol.

Congratulations are in order for my friend and fellow political activist Errol Louis, who has pulled down a talk show on WWRL. He hosts the 6am till 9am slot on progressive talk radio. Errol is a columnist for the New York Daily News, and also a regular contributor to CNN (especially the Lou Dobbs show). He ran for the New York city council in 1997 (35th district), and came second against incumbent Mary Pinkett (deceased). In that race he beat James Davis (deceased) who went on to win the seat next time out. There are many who still believe that Errol could have been representing that area today, while on his way to Congress.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/06/indy-party-waits-for-bloomberg.html

State Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay, who set up a national network in hopes that Bloomberg would run for president, said he’s now waiting for the mayor’s nod before putting that operation to work for someone else.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/07/13/2008-07-13_mayor_bloombergs_pals_can_count_on_him_a.html

The 56th Assembly District in Brooklyn covers Bedford Stuyvesant and a few surrounding nooks and crannies. It has been on political lockdown by Al Vann, Annette Robinson and their cronies for over thirty years now. That’s all I will say about that (for now). Usually at this time of the year -when petitions are filed- you would find Richard Taylor’s perennial challenge to the Rip Van Winkle dynasty in the 56thAd. This year it is different: Richard Taylor miraculously didn’t file petitions; it’s the first time in about a quarter century. But an attorney named Cinceria Edwards did file- in order to challenge the status quo; and I wish this story ended right here.

Tis the season to talk about ballot access.

It is a long treasured truism of New York politics that our state has the most onerous ballot access laws in the country and accounts for 50% of the nation’s election law litigation. There are endless articles which quote such a statistic, but not one has ever cited any empirical data to back up that assertion, most likely because one is more likely to find alligators living in a sewer, or Judge Crater living in a cardboard box than to actually find any proof of this Urban Legend’s veracity.