I pedaled over to my local coffee rendezvous and chatted, the Jets, the Mets and one of the coffee addicts asked, “What day is Election Day?” I jumped in, “November 5th,” and the addict responded, “I’ll be out of town, my vote doesn’t matter, NY is a blue state.”
I had to restrain myself.
Republicans control the House of Representatives by two votes and in the 2022 midterm elections four Democratic representatives in New York State lost to Republicans. With a two vote majority, two votes out of the 435 members Republicans are in control. You may disagree with leadership in the closed party caucus, on the floor every member supports his/her party.
The Republicans elected the Speaker who appoints Committee Chairs and controls what gets voted on and what gets buried. The only way a Democrat gets anything passed is if s/he has a Republican co-sponsor. The Republicans occasionally can’t even get their own bills passed, if the Freedom Caucus, far, far on the Right, refuses to vote, The House has to pass a “continuing resolution” by September 30th so the government can pay its obligations, the Freedom Caucus threatens to not support Republican leadership creating a fiscal cliff, unless the “continuing resolution” passes: dramatic cuts. Trump applauds and urges the Freedom Caucus to withhold their votes.
We need a Harris victory, take back the House and retain control of the Senate – a heavy lift.
Congressional District CD 1 encompassing the East End of Long Island is currently represented by a first time ultra Trumper Republican.
I was invited to a “Meet and Greet” the Democratic candidate. John Avlon (John Avlon.com) won the Democratic June primary by 40%. Avlon is a historian, a recent book about Lincoln and was a CNN anchor.
The forty or so guests were primarily teachers from surrounding school districts. New York State has 700 school districts, the Big Five (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers and NYC), about fifty mid sized districts and hundreds of districts with one, two or three schools.
Teachers, who mostly live near their schools, are highly organized, every May communities vote on the budget and elect school board members, teachers and parents dominate the outcomes.
I chatted with John, heavily committed to public schools, and the Harris-Waltz platform.
Told him to read my blog, exchanged. e-cards with his staffers and contributed a few bucks. A highly organized serious candidate, anxious to engage in serious political conversation.
Never can tell, a few years down the path he can be chairing a key committee.
If you think you might be away Google NYS Absentee Ballot and fill out online and if you’re unsure of your representatives Google Who’s My Representative and check out John.Avlon.com. Avlon was guest on the Bill Maher show Friday “debating” a major Trump advisor, he was great!! Google Bill Maher – John Avlon and watch, I wish Avlon was my member of Congress!
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 