Even the thought of a NYC primary

Gives me shivers. And I'm not talking politics.

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by: conspiracy @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 12:25:27 PM UTC

What are you talking about, then?

n/t

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 04:49:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

9/11

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by: conspiracy @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 22:00:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I hope you don't think about that

every time there's a primary here. I lived through that day and its aftermath in the East Village and the thought never occurred to me, so I extend my sympathies to you.

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 01:57:41 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Like the NY Times I like Yassky!

I  agree with the NY Times endorsement and think Yassky is the best option for Comptroller.

He is the most independent and most qualified candidate. Katz is too close to the real estate industry, Liu to the unions and Welprin is just running to swap seats with his brother in the Assembly.

I was also really bothered about Liu lying about working in a sweat shop as a child. When his own Mother denied the story I knew the guy was full of you know what and not a pol to be trusted.

Besides on a personal note I use to ride my bike to work. My company changed offices late last year. My new building does not allow bikes into the building. As a result I've stopped riding to work.

David Yassky wrote the bill in the city council to require commercial building with freight elevators to allow tenants to bring their bikes into the building. As a result of his legislation I'll be able to ride to work again.

This is one piece of legislation that will really effect my life for the better. So he gets my vote.

On a side note to this issue, John Liu held up this bill for months in committee to deny Yassky a political victory in the press. It wasn't until Transportation Alternatives took the issue to the media that Liu agreed to allow the bill to pass. His delaying of the bill cost me a summer of riding my bike to work and my vote!!!  

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by: izengabe @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 14:38:54 PM UTC

I also ride a bike

And I am one of the majority of households in this City who do not own a car. So I supported Congestion Pricing, which was going to discourage autos from the city center and raise hundreds of millions to support additional bus routes, more frequent buses on existing routes, etc.

Liu is head of the Transportation Committee of the City Council and could have shown leadership. But on this big issue, he caved in to the drivers who are used to getting a free ride.

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by: WoodyNYC @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 03:07:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

That convinces me not to vote for him

What was Weprin's position? The same?

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 06:45:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes

Yes. Welprin and his brother in the NYS Assembly where both against congestion pricing.

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by: izengabe @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 16:39:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I just got a mailing from Weprin

It's interesting that he's running on opposition to the death penalty. He bashes Yassky and Katz for having - he claims - supported it. While it's kind of nice for opposition to the death penalty to be popular somewhere, it's totally irrelevant to the position he's running for. So he also talks about having voted against term limits repeal, which is another irrelevant issue and one I really don't care much about - I think term limits are undemocratic and should be abolished. I object to the process through which two popular votes for term limits were annulled by City Council action, but I plan on voting for Bloomberg, anyway, because I think the city needs his business expertise in these rough economic times.

So, finally, Weprin comes up with an argument I'm interested in:

David Weprin is also the only candidate with 20 years of public finance experience who has regulated banks, protected billions of your tax dollars and authored consumer banking protections.

What do you know about this? Do any of the other candidates have any background in accounting?

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 23:24:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

David Yassky's background

He's a protege of Chuck Schumer, for better or worse. He served as an aide -- "Chief Counsel to the House Subcommittee on Crime ... helped enact the Brady Law, the Assault Weapons Ban, the Violence Against Women Act, the 100,000 Cops on the Beat Law..."

"Also served as a budget analyst for NYC's Office of Management and Budget," says his website. But not exactly accounting. Princeton undergrad, Yale law.

Endorsed by New York Times and Daily News and ...

Why We Need David Yassky As Comptroller
by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Fighting for clean air and water and standing up to special interests doesn't get you headlines. But it's the right thing to do ... that's why the New York League of Conservation Voters officially endorsed [Yassky's]  candidacy.

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by: WoodyNYC @ Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 20:21:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

NYC

I like Yassky as well.

29/D/Male/NY-01

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by: Tekzilla @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 14:52:24 PM UTC

Well

As an actual progressive, I consider being close to the unions to be a good thing.  Thus, I'm supporting Bill de Blasio, John Liu, and Rich Aborn.  Rich Aborn is honestly one of the most progressive candidates I've ever seen.  The fact that he has a chance to win a borough-wide race is rather incredible.

David Yassky is about as sleazy as they come.  Talk to any progressive activist who has actually met Yassky, and they will tell you the same.  The man has no principles.  He's the definition of an overly ambitious, amoral, and corporate or special-interest controlled Democrat.  His term-limits vote was his crowning achievement.  The rank hypocrisy he demonstrates was impressive for its sheer audacity.  Having that much contempt for the voters, when you had previously vocalized that such a move was cynical and undemocratic, was simply a breathtaking move.  

Most of the PA candidates are good progressives, and really there isn't any bad candidate in that race.

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by: kluggy @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:14:41 PM UTC

Well.....

You are right normally being close to the unions is a very good thing.

However in NYC being too close to the public sector municipal unions when you are suppose to be the one auditing the books is way too much of a conflict of interest.

If you believe in good government then having an independent Comptroller is very important. That is why the NY Times endosed him and that is why I am suporting Yassky. (That and the bike bill thing)

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by: izengabe @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 17:40:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I like Gioia and Vance

I saw Eric Gioia speak once and he was terrific.  He's a city councilor now I think, and he talked about deciding to run against the Queens machine.  Apparently they told him that not only would he lose, and not only would he be finished in politics, but he would end the campaign in jail because they would get him on voter fraud no matter what he did.  He wound up coming up with an innovative strategy to defeat that little trick, but what was really compelling was when he talked about going home after hearing those threats, staring up at the ceiling in bed and wondering whether that would actually happen.  (He was 26 at the time.)  Anyway, I think he's a very bright guy who could really go places and do great things if he wins this race.  I think he's an SSP kind of guy.  (Full disclosure: his campiagn manager is a friend of mine.)

In the DA's race, I went to a forum and liked Vance and Aborn, but Snyder struck me as 1) a retread and 2) way too harsh.  (Apparently her book is called "25 to Life" or something.)  I hear a lot of people respected her for taking on Morgenthau in 2005, but I didn't like her.  Since my cousin works for Vance, I'm a Vance man.  But Aborn's not bad.

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by: terry312 @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:15:44 PM UTC

Aborn for sure! Tougher call on the other races

I've followed the DA race very closely and Richard Aborn is head-and-shoulders above the others.  He is the most innovative and passionate, and has far broader experience than Vance or Crocker-Snyder.  He has also assembled an impresive coalition that spans law enforcement (e.g., former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton), criminal defense attorneys (e.g., the Association of Legal Aid Attoreys), elected officials like Congressman Jerry Nadler and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, progressive leaders like Katrina Vanden Heuvel and The Nation magazine (see http://www.thenation.com/doc/2... local Democratic clubs, LGBT organizations, and the Working Families Party.  I think Aborn is clearly the best choice for DA.

As for the other races, I think it's a tougher call.  There are some great candidates running for both Public Advocate and Comptroller.  I'm leaning toward de Blasio for PA but also like Green.  As for Comptroller, I'm leaning toward Liu but also like Yassky.

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by: RedDogg @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:28:01 PM UTC

Snyder

I like Snyder, but maybe that's because I work in the criminal justice system and know how much positive work she's done.  She's not a politician or an insider like Vance, which is important for this non-political office.

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by: Hot Justice @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:29:19 PM UTC

Corrected link

The link I tried to include in my post above didn't work so I'm trying again:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/2...

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by: RedDogg @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:31:13 PM UTC

de Blasion and Aborn all the way!

I'm voting for Bill de Blasio. There's no question in my mind he'll be the best for that position.  I'm not sure who I want for Comptroller though and am open to ideas.

For DA, I'm voting for Aborn 100%. I don't think it's as wide a race as people want it to be. Yes, Leslie is the most known name, but she's run a petty and negative campaign and no one likes that. People are scared of her, and rightfully so. She also changes her mind over and over, and that's not what you want in a DA.

Cy is the establishment candidate. Look at who has endorsed him. Do you want a new voice or do you want more of the same? I'm not saying Morgenthau hasn't been good, but we have an opportunity to change things up and to have a new voice and view of the criminal justice system in NYC. Why elect more of the same? We're in a new era, we should have new ideas.

That new voice to me is Richard Aborn. He's consistently shown that he not only has the experience in the past to get things done, but he's shown he has the most progressive ideas to change things up. It's interesting to me that the other candidates have started echoing ideas he's had since the beginning of the campaign and stating them as their own.

Also, if you watch the NY1 debate, while the other two were bickering like children, only Richard kept his cool and didn't join in and just focused on the questions asked and getting his ideas out there. That's what I want in a DA - someone who can keep a cool head, focus on the problem at hand, and won't waste their time with pettiness. Therefore, I think Aborn will be the best DA for Manhattan.  

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by: ManhattanGirl @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:32:30 PM UTC

Aborn's the ticket

There will be no substantial progress in the city's criminal justice system until we rethink who criminals are and why they commit crimes. Aborn is enlightened on these points but his vision isn't in the sky, it's grounded and ready to implement. He is the most clear-thinking, fair-minded, reform-oriented candidate in this race. As a public educator and a gay man, I find his overtures to underrrepresented groups unimpeachable (no election-year conversions here), and his plan for dealing with crime sensible and source-based (no bandaids here either)in a way that's hard to pass up. He sees New Yorkers as people and that's an exhilarating place to start. But he is also agressive and his ideas are scaleable, so I can't wait to see where he takes this office. It's time for Aborn.  

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by: JMPinto @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 15:32:34 PM UTC

I'm going with...

Mark Green, John Liu, and Leslie Crocker Snyder.

For daily political commentary, visit me at http://polibeast.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/polibeast

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by: andyroo312 @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 16:46:37 PM UTC

Aborn

I've heard Aborn speak twice in public forums, most recently at an NYCLU forum.  The other two candidates backed out of this debate at the last minute after having committed to attend.  Aborn is the real deal.  He has a progressive vision for the office as well as a breadth of knowledge and experience that will serve him and Manhattanites well in the DAs office.  Also, he has a passionate following that it making an impression on the streets of Manhattan.

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by: JAGNYC @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 16:59:41 PM UTC

I'm for

Bill de Blasio or Eric Gioia, but probably for de Blasio in the end, as well as Aborn and Weprin. I am a big Weprin supporter as I am a family friend. I acknowledge he is likely to come in last place, but I think a last minute serge is very possible. With all of the fighting between Katz, Liu, and Yassky, I could definitely see an opportunity for Weprin to step in.  

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by: Matty1019 @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 19:43:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No Daily Digest, News goes here now

Meehan is NOT running for Senate!

High Fives all around!

Meanwhile Rep. Capuano is picking up papers later today.

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

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by: trowaman @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 19:48:32 PM UTC

In the future

Please don't do this. You can always post a diary. (And I'll also note that since we started doing the digests back in February, we haven't missed a single day - Crisitunity has been an utter machine. So you'll always have an open thread every day.)

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by: DavidNYC @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 01:02:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not Snyder

All of the AG candidates seem to have similar positions. But Snyder's attack ads on Vance are, I think, disgraceful.

She accuses him of moving to Seattle when things got tough in New York, but she has no knowledge of his motives. She describes a few rather ignoble people he defended in his Seattle practice in an apparent attempt to tie his beliefs or morals to those of his clients, which everyone knows is simply not true (and also implies that not everyone is entitled to a vigorous defense). Finally, she states that he hasn't prosecuted a case in over 20 years, yet she's been a judge for more than that time, so she hasn't prosecuted a case for that long either--and never mind the fact that DAs rarely appear in court themselves.

I wrote the Snyder campaign about what I thought were unjust attacks and got what I thought was a disingenuous response saying that Mr. Vance's choices did not make him a "bad person or call his character into question" but went to "the clear differences in the candidates' records." I replied if that were so, then why not just describe their experience instead of bringing up specific cases designed to turn off voters?

The ethical obligation of a DA is justice, not to win at all costs. It's too bad, because Judge Snyder does have an impressive record. But so do the other candidates, and while politics is not beanbag, I'm not confident that Snyder really has justice at heart when it comes to running against her opponents. And I think a judge should know better.

As for the other two candidates, as I wrote above, it's hard to differentiate them on policy issues. It seems to me that Aborn has more ideas for social programs for crime prevention, but even if I think those programs would be good ideas I wonder whether that's really the DAs job. So I haven't decided yet.

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by: dsimon @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 01:11:53 AM UTC

My choices

I think I'll vote for Mark Green for Public Advocate, because I thought he did a good job when he held the position previously.

For DA, I like Aborn but still would like to see a reliable poll or two, because I am more motivated by keeping Crocker Snyder out.

I am still undecided on Comptroller and don't feel like I know enough to make an informed decision. I find that sad and will try to remedy it between now and primary day. I'd be very grateful if someone wants to do a diary, describing the strengths and weaknesses of all four candidates.

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 04:52:28 AM UTC

I'm interested too

I no longer live in NYC, so I haven't done research in all of this but the conversation above - Liu as the union candidate and Yassky as the one with an "independent" reputation - got me interested.

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by: LeftistAddiction @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 20:39:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]