New York’s governor and our elected officials who have done the unthinkable and legalized and legitimized pot, do not understand its devastating effects. Now, it’s up to all of us to stand up in our communities, towns, and cities, including NYC and say NO
Parties Are Fighting To Get On The Ballot
Editors note: This is reposted from an Op-Ed in Politics NY
TOP OF THE MORNING
Parties Are Fighting To Get On The Ballot
Last week, more than 30 Republican candidate ballot petitions were disqualified by the BOE for a technicality –– listing the election district and volume numbers in what would have otherwise been a blank space. For that, their petitions were thrown out and none of the candidates made it onto the ballot for the Republican primaries in June.
Theirs is a story that is retold (over and over) before every election.
A party outsider decides to run for office. They dutifully walk the streets, convincing people to sign their petition to get on the ballot. They file said petitions and then, because of a variety of complex, technical and bureaucratic rules, said petitions are rejected and the candidates are denied a spot on the ballot.
The disqualification is then followed by an outcry from those cast aside. They go to court. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they lose.
This script reliably plays out in the lead up to every election in New York City
And it doesn’t just happen to Republicans. Democrats have their fair share of ballot fights as well.
Their complaints are similar: The county parties have a stranglehold on elected office and the electoral process, which those trying to get involved say doesn’t encourage democratic participation. And, the county parties are so deeply entwined with the BOE that it may as well be a rigged system.
But despite these aligned complaints, people on the right and the left who are fighting what is essentially the same battle can’t put aside their partisan politics to fight together.
I wonder what would happen if the frustrated Republicans and Democrats who feel as though their respective county parties are in cahoots with the BOE to keep them out of the electoral process banded together?
Help Curtis beat Mateo
Email Message from Sara Tirschwell
| Dear Friend, I am grateful for your support. I still cannot believe that my campaign is over. After months of hard work and raising more money than my opponents combined, I was pushed off the Republican Primary ballot by Fernando Mateo on Wednesday. This was an abuse of power by the leaders of the Manhattan, Bronx and Queens GOP who appropriated your right to decide. We must send a message to them by supporting Curtis Sliwa,ensuring that Mateo does not represent our party in the general election: DONATE Fernando Mateo embodies everything that is wrong with New York City politics: a political insider who was implicated in illegally raising money for Mayor de Blasio and worked behind the scenes to limit freedom by taking democratic choice away from the voters. Fernando is part of the fundamental problems in NYC that I have been fighting to solve. Curtis has publicly and privately supported keeping me on the ballot because he recognizes that it is the People who should decide elections—not political insiders behind closed doors. The Republican Party is now left with two choices: Curtis Sliwa, who has always been a gentleman to me and has fought to keep me on the ballot, and Fernando Mateo, who was photographed on the front page of the New York Times with Bill de Blasio due to his involvement in a straw-donor scheme. Fernando’s people thought it would be better for democracy for New Yorkers to have fewer choices. Support freedom of choice and fight against those who choose to limit the right of Republicans to select our own nominees. Help Curtis defeat Mateo: DONATE Thank you, Sara Tirschwell PAID FOR BY CURTIS SLIWA FOR MAYOR CURTISSLIWAFORMAYOR.COM |
The Few Choose for the Many
Editors Note: Sara Tirschwell, who was a Republican candidate for NYC Mayor, was just knocked off the ballot by Republicans behind the candidacy of Fernando Mateo denying her access to the ballot as a Republican. She has given her endorsement to Curtis Sliwa for the Republican Primary Election on June 22nd. Here is her statement below.
