Words I Thought I Would Never Say: I Agree With Bill de Blasio

It takes an adult to admit when they are wrong. It also takes an adult to be able to criticize your peers in a way that is meant is meant to be helpful and thoughtful without veering into cruelty or making the other person feel small.

On Friday, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was a guest on WNYC‘s The Brian Lehrer Show. The reason for his appearance was an article he wrote in The Atlantic magazine. Both in the article and during the interview, he discussed what he did wrong during his time in office and how the Democrats can learn from his mistakes.

De Blasio is 100% correct. If we are to ensure that the Democratic party wins in 2022, 2024, and beyond, they have to speak plainly. From the President on down, they have to state clearly what they have done for the people of this country and what they would like to do. The time for pussyfooting around and playing nice is over.

While he was in office, I wrote quite a few posts about the man. Like many who live here, I had an intense dislike for his politics and the decisions he made as Mayor. I even went so far as to vote Republican when he ran for the second time. That being said, I can respect someone who publicly recognizes their imperfections and wants to prevent another person from making the errors they made.

I can only hope that his advice will be heeded.

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15 People Were Shot in NYC This Weekend

When we talk about gun control, we generally talk about mass shootings. We don’t talk about individuals were injured or killed in this same manner.

This weekend, there were 15 people shot in 14 separate incidents in New York City. It is only Sunday morning. We still have another 12 hours or so before it is over.

In my mind, there are two equally important questions in this case.

1. Where is Mayor de Blasio? What is he doing to keep us safe? Apparently nothing. Anyone living in the city knows that this is his last term in office. But that does not mean that he can be a limp noodle and rest on his laurels. He is still in charge and can affect change. Between sharp uptick of violent crimes and the attacks on the AAPI community, it makes me wonder if my sense of safety is nothing more than one incident away from being destroyed completely.
2. Where are these weapons coming from? Most of them do not originate within NYC borders. Due to the fact that gun control laws vary from state to state, they can be transported from another part of the country. Which is another reason why a nationally recognized standard of vetting who can own a gun is vitally important.

I wish that I lived in a city and a country in which I would not turn on the news and be told that someone else in the hospital or in the morgue because they were killed by a gun. But until we have the balls to finally do something about it, this will continue to be a regular headline.

P.S. I hope this post does not deter any future visitors from spending time here, it is merely written out of frustration.

Mayor de Blasio Should be Taking From the Top, Not the Bottom

In the business world, when a company’s expenses exceeds its revenue, hard choices in regards to staffing are made. For those who remain employed, their job is made twice as difficult due to the extra workload.

In normal times and in a for profit company, to say that this situation is not easy is an understatement. If one were to change the company to the public sector and add in Covid-19, the result would be nothing short of a disaster.

When the virus hit New York City earlier this year, it was all hands on deck for those who are considered to be essential workers. Over the last few months, we have been told time and again to thank them for everything they did. But what does Mayor de Blasio say to some of these people? See you on the unemployment line, we can’t afford to pay you anymore.

Meanwhile, the tax payers are shelling out $2,000,000 a year for First Lady Chirlane McCray’s staff. If that was not enough, ThriveNYC is just another governmental program that lacks tangible results, but money is still being thrown at it.

I have an idea. Instead of laying off those who the city relies on, perhaps he might think of taking from the top. Does his wife really need a videographer making $70K a year? Or a speechwriter earning $117k a year, who was hired after it was announced that City Hall would not be adding new employees to their rolls?

Mayor de Blasio talks a good game about appreciating those who put their lives on the line. But at the end of the day, it’s nothing but lip service. If he truly appreciated them as he says he does, he would find a way to keep them on the payroll.

Is NYC Going Back to the Bad Old Days?

For some New York City residents of a certain age, their memories of the “bad old days” in the 1980’s are probably ones that they would prefer to forget.

Back then, I was a sheltered child, protected from the truth of the city. But now, as an adult, I understand why these memories are kept in the mental filling cabinet.

Recently, some have been saying that NYC is starting to return to the “bad old days”. Though Mayor Bill de Blasio insists that we will not be back sliding into the past, the metrics state otherwise. Over the 4th of July holiday weekend alone, forty people were shot. Three of them were killed.

Before some of you jump on me, I need you hear me when I say that I am all for bail reform and police reform. If the city and the country is to move forward, we must address both ASAP. The last thing thing anyone wants is another Eric Garner or George Floyd case splashed across the headlines.

But I feel like there has to be a balance. The police and the justice system still need to be able to do their jobs.

I don’t claim to be an expert on these very touchy topics. I’m not and will make such a statement. But I am a proud NYC resident who cringes at the thought of my beloved city going back to an era which no one wants to revisit.

I don’t know what it will take to prevent us from rebooting the “bad old days” but with a 2020 twist. But I do know that something has to be done.

Bill de Blasio, the Hypocrite: Williamsburg vs the Rest of the City

For the last two months or so, social distancing has been the norm.

Last week, I wrote about the antisemitic accusation that New York City Bill de Blasio leveled at the entire Jewish community of New York City for breaking the social distancing rules. While the specific synagogue at the center of the brouhaha has apologized for their lack of forethought, this does nothing to nullify the Mayor’s statement.

This past weekend was absolutely perfect weather-wise in the city. It was everything one would ask for a weekend in May. If we were not living through the Covid-19 pandemic, no one would be thinking twice about getting out. But we are living through a pandemic and that requires us to think twice about leaving the house for anything but basic necessities.

Across the city, many took advantage of the warm weather.

I don’t have a problem with people getting out. If I had not already had plans, I would have done so myself. What I do have a problem with is the lack of sweeping prejudicial generalizations of those who were outside on Sunday. Where was the literal nagging finger, accusing city residents of ignoring the social distancing rules?

There was none.

Bill de Blasio is a hypocrite.

Bill de Blasio, the Anti Semite?

I think it is fair to say that anyone with a reasonable amount of intelligence these days would say that Covid-19 has forced all of us to adjust how we live. I think that it is also fair to say that given the current crisis, it would behoove those in the halls of power to work together.

Last night was the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz, who according to press reports, died from complications from Covid-19. As is the custom in Hasidic and Orthodox Judaism, the funeral was public with thousands of mourners crowding the streets in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. In normal times, this would be a non-news issue for all but the local community. But we are not living in normal times.

According to an article in Gothamist, the Police department knew about this before hand. But yet, Mayor Bill de Blasio accused the entire Jewish community of New York City of breaking the social distancing rules.

The problem that I have with his accusation is that instead of specifically pointing the finger at those in attendance, he blamed every Jew in New York City. I am a Jew and I live in New York City. Was I at this funeral? No. He should be putting the blame on those who were there, not on all practitioners of that particular religious identity. He should have also spoken to his police officials before making this kind of accusations.

Last week was Yom Hashoah. Given our current political climate, the recent climactic (and bloody) events in Jewish history and the extreme rise in antisemitism, I would think twice before making such a comment.

Which is why I did not vote for this man and will be more than happy to see him out of office when his term ends.

You Know Who To New York City: Drop Dead

A good headline does more than catch the reader’s eye. It can live on long after the particular new story that it is connected to is confined the history books. In the mid-1970s, New York City, like the rest of the United States was in economic turmoil.

When the city government appealed to the feds for help, the response was less than positive. The headline from October 30th, 1975 edition of the New York Daily News was the following: “Ford to City: Drop Dead”.

The Ford referred to in the headline is the late 38th President, Gerald Ford.

Though I was not around back then, I can imagine that the fiscal crisis was similar to what we are going through now.

Cities around the country have appealed, like they did 45 years ago, to the Federal government for help. Covid-19 has forced state and local governments to rearrange their finances to do everything they can do defeat the virus. This has led to a fiscal crisis, compelling officials to determine what they can and cannot spend money on. That choice, whatever it is, will not be easy and will raise the ire of more than one person.

We all know that you know who is, unfortunately, a born and bred New Yorker. We also know that he has the emotional temperament and maturity of a spoiled four-year-old child. This morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio asked his fellow New Yorker why he has abandoned his hometown.

In truth, no one should be surprised by the reaction of the President. Instead of doling out funds and resources equally, his choices of where to send aid depends on who is kissing his ass.

Add it to the list of the reasons to vote him out of office in the fall.

Removing NYC’s Gifted and Talented Programs is Not the Way to Level the Educational Playing Field

One of America’s greatest sins is racial inequality.

This sin can be fixed if we fix our schools and ensure that every child, regardless of skin color, zip code or parental income has access to a solid education. But we all know that too many children are locked into bad schools because of skin color, zip code and parental income.

In New York City, Mayor Bill De Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza are considering a proposal in which the Gifted and Talented programs would be dismantled, along with other admission criteria.

I feel like the Mayor and the Schools Chancellor have good intentions, but you know what they say about those with good intentions.

Removing the admissions criteria and and the G&T programs is not the way to level the playing field. Why should the students who are working their tails off to succeed academically be punished because other students do not have the resources they have?

Granted, the numbers don’t lie. The majority of students in the New York City Public School system are Latinx and African-American. The majority of students who gain admission into the G&T programs and the specialized schools are Caucasian and Asian.

I was born in New York City into a family of teachers. I was educated in the NYC public school system until 9th grade. I completely understand that the system and how flawed it is. I also appreciate beyond words that my parents prioritized their children’s education above all else.

If there is to be a change to level the playing field, it has to start from the ground up. It has to start with the schools themselves and the quality of the education. It it is also tantamount that the parents and the greater community is involved. Only then will every child receive that solid education.

Removing the G&T programs and the admissions requirements into the specialized schools will not resolve the racial inequality within the NYC school system. It will only make them worse.

Thoughts On Second Night of the Second Round of Democratic Debates

Last night, the second night of the second round of the Democratic nominees aired on CNN. Over the course of three hours, the nominees debated, argued and did their best to prove why they should go against you know who next fall.

I have a few thoughts about last night.

• Senator Kamala Harris (D-California) is not the golden child that she was after the previous debate. She was and still a strong contender. However, it was clear that the other nominees had her in their cross hairs, especially Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii).

• Speaking of Representative Gabbard, it felt like she was grasping at straws. While I can’t speak of Senator’s Harris’s record while she was Attorney General in California, I can’t see Representative Gabbard being the Democratic nominee next fall.
• There were more than enough one liners to go around.
• The polls may say that for Vice President Joe Biden has the best chance to win the election. However, given that the polls leading up the 2016 elections said that Hillary Clinton was slated to win, I don’t exactly trust the numbers. In regards to last night, Vice President Biden was still not as on top of his game as he could have been. He was evasive at some points and used his former boss, President Obama as a crutch one too many times for my liking.

• And finally, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proved once again why he should not be President. Called out for the fallout from the Eric Garner trial and the lead paint poisoning in NYCHA buildings, he was evasive and put his two cents where they were not wanted.

Readers, those are my thoughts. What did you think of last night? Has your opinion changed about any specific candidate or have you already made up your mind as to whom you will be voting for?

 

Thoughts On the First Half of the Democratic Debate

The 2020 Presidential Election will be here before we know it.

Last night, the first half of the twenty Democratic Presidential candidates debated as to whom would best represent the party and go up against you know who next fall.

While there were many moments to go over, I want to talk about two moments that stood out to me.

Julian Castro made his mark. I knew of him by name, but I knew nothing of his positions and his potential policies. After last night, I hope that he will be given the opportunity to prove his mettle, especially after he announced his public support of the Equal Rights Amendment. This amendment has been bouncing around the halls of Congress for for nearly fifty years. It’s time to make it the law of the land and ensure that American women are once and for all viewed by the law as equal to American men.

The other moment that stood out for me was the question about socialized medicine. When the candidates were asked who among them supports socialized medicine, only Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio raised their hand. I agree with the idea of socialized medicine (known in the US as universal health care), but I disagree that private insurance should be gotten rid of completely. I think that every citizen should have access to some form of socialized medicine, but I also think there should be the option of obtaining private health insurance via an employer.

Readers, what do you think? Do you have any favorite moments or candidates from last night’s debate.