Do you remember the hookers on 42nd street, the squeegee-men on every corner, the skyrocketing crime rate, businesses leaving town in droves, and the New York City bankruptcy? Traveling by subway to the theater? Are you crazy? Buying a million dollar co-op in Brooklyn or having a romantic dinner overlooking the Hutson River?
Have you lost your mind? 25 years ago, it was much to dangerous to go north of 86th street or west of 7th Ave. Traveling to Brooklyn or the Bronx was out of the question.
Have you forgotten about the garbage strike and all those car break-ins and stolen car-radios.
It took Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg 20 years to turn our city around. Tough police commissioners, like Ray Kelly, and successful businessmen, like School Chancellor Joel Klein were needed to run our city, not academic scholars or idealistic community organizers.
Under Giuliani/Bloomberg, crime was dramatically reduced, even in neighborhoods like Harlem and the South Bronx. Businesses and their accompanying jobs returned, entire neighborhoods were rejuvenated, and yes, we finally balanced our budget. Our schools are safe again, international tourism returned and a safe, clean subway system has been reinvented. Even 9/11 and the financial meltdown didn’t stop us.
Keeping all that in mind, how in the world could we have elected someone like Bill De Blasio as Mayor?
The answer is simple. 60 percent of all New Yorkers always vote Democratic and if the candidate happens to be a radical left-wing progressive, that’s all the better.
Why do I fear this new mayor? Most Americans ignored Barack Obama’s lack of experience, his radical socialism and his secretive past. We have made the same mistake electing Bill de Blasio.
Bill de Blasio’s work experience was limited to being a regional director of HUD, working for several non-profits, a “political organizer” in Maryland and working for the Clinton’s and Mayor Dinkins.
Years ago he even supported the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.
He was an elected New York City councilman from Brooklyn and most recently, the New York City Public Advocate.
How could we even consider such a lightweight for the second most important job in America? Oh I forgot. He’s a liberal Democrat !
Here are some of our new mayor’s campaign promises (please sit down before you read them ): start out with the liberal’s traditional “income redistribution” accomplished by raising our taxes again.
Add in more low-income housing, full time Pre K and expanded after-school programs, (again, all funded by tax increases and by a new commuter tax) and a citywide minimum wage.
He amazingly wants to give public housing residents a say in housing policy, and involving local community boards and the non-profits, in all decisions (welcome ACORN).
To a progressive, it doesn’t matter how much it will cost, or, if the program actually works, just as long as it “feels good”. He is also opposed to the extremely successful charter-school program.
He favors amnesty for illegal immigrants and is pro choice, (even third trimester abortions). He is for gay marriage, against school vouchers, against all private gun ownership, and he vows to end “stop and frisk”. He wants more affordable housing, and will try to board the homeless in every neighborhood. Did all you North Shore liberals know that?
If that isn’t bad enough, wait till you get a look at his transition team. You won’t believe it! They include: George Gresham, president of local 1199, Sharon Kleinbaum, “partner” of teachers- union president, Randi Weingartenm, Karen Brooks-Hopkins, president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Cynthia Nixon.
That’s right! The star of Sex And The City!
There is no way that this group will ever stand up to the unions during next year’s contract negotiations. They are the unions! Now you see why every union decided two years ago to wait for a better deal from the next administration. Can you blame them? The new teacher’s pension and tenure reform may now be tabled. The 2 percent tax cap may never go into effect.
According to Mayor-elect de Blasio, corporations, religion and the police are the problem, not the solution.
I fully expect to wake up one morning and find an immoral, bankrupt, third-world city, compliments of Mayor William de Blasio and his friends.
I am a life-long New Yorker. I was educated in the New York City public school system. I attended Stuyvesant High School, Queens College and New York University Dental School.
With a socialist at the helm, I worry about the future of my beloved city.
Dr. Stephen Morris DDS
North Hills
