It is just a tad more than one month until the June 1st Democratic Primary election in NY State. I would like to do one of my round ups of endorsements from local clubs, focusing on those that are considered progressive and reform-oriented.

I want to note that voting in these primaries is critical. People complain about corruption in local politics all the time, but if they don't vote in these primaries they are doing nothing to fight that corruption. If you want a better system for Brooklyn and for NY State, pay attention to these primaries! It also helps to donate to or volunteer for some of these candidates.

So here is a round up of endorsements from local clubs and organizations.

CENTRAL BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS: Considered the most progressive and most reform club in Brooklyn.

One of the best things about this club is that they require candidates to fill out pretty tough questionnaires so you can read about each candidate. Click here to see the questionnaires that have been turned in for the June 1st primary.

Now here are the CBID endorsements:

Jo Anne Simon (District Leader AD 52)
Chris Owens (District Leader AD 52)
Joan Millman (52nd AD)
Jim Brennan (44th AD)
Nydia Velazquez (7th CD)
No Endorsement (8th CD)
Yvette Clarke (9th CD)
Lori Citron Knipel (44th AD District Leader)
Jacob Gold (44th AD District Leader)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (10th CD)
Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (18th SD)
Sen. Eric Adams (20th SD)
Sen. Kevin Parker (21st SD)
Sen. Daniel Squadron (25th SD)
Hon. Lincoln Restler (50th AD Male DL)  read more »

Dateline: Friday 27th April, 2012

Last night on a Brooklyn Cable Access Television (BCAT) program, attorney Terry Hinds formally announced his challenge to Assemblyman Nick Perry, for Brooklyn’s 58th assembly district. The date for this year’s state primary elections is still not known; but rumors abound that we will have an August election-date instead of the usual post-Labor Day September-primary. Jamaican-born Nick Perry has been the elected representative here since 1992, and has only faced three primary challenges during his long tenure. Despite this, Perry is said to be livid that someone even dares to contest the seat: offering voters their first primary-ballot option in the last 12 years.

Hinds used the weekly “community-politics-events” cable TV show -produced by the venerable Kingsborough College professor Sam Taitt- to inform the world about something which has been brewing for some time now. Readers of my blog-columns had been given the heads up that Perry’s timid 20-year leadership of this district was about to be challenged by a very qualified and competent young man (Hinds); with a vision of better representation for this district, borough, city, state and beyond.

The thirty-six year old Terry Hinds comes from a politically active family with Caribbean-American roots. Terry was born in Brooklyn. His parents were born in Barbados. His father -who was employed for decades by NYC’s Board of Education- started off as a teacher in the public school system, and later ended up a principal in the Flatbush area. One of Terry’s aunts is a high court judge. It is also said that one of his uncles once headed up a political club in East Flatbush. He has a younger brother who is also an attorney; thus we can see the solid and stable civic-minded family background, of a young man groomed for leadership-roles in this society and beyond.

Democrat Terry Hinds is married and the father of two. His wife is also an attorney. They were both early members of the “Brooklyn for Barack Obama” political organization which was launched in 2007. While Nick Perry -as an assemblyman- was aggressively backing Hilary Clinton for President during 2007 and 2008; Terry and his wife were hitting the streets drumming up support for Barack Obama’s historic presidential run. That was an epic preview of what is to come in this race: those holding on to past glories versus those with new ideas and the future on mind. Nick Perry is around sixty years old and has been involved in the politics of East Flatbush since the 1970s. There are many in these areas who believe it’s time for a change: time for some new blood and some fresh faces in Brooklyn’s political leadership. Hinds come to this race with solid grassroots support in the borough. He recently stepped down from a stint as chairman of Community Board #17. He ran for public office once before: back in 1996, when he came in second to then district leader Dr. Kendall Stewart (58AD). In that race he tallied more votes than current district leader Weyman Carey. In 2009 he momentarily considered a run for the city council.

Terry Hinds has been practicing law in this district for almost a decade now, and has done lots of pro-bono services for those in need. He is a very exciting and dynamic candidate in an era of mediocrity, stagnation and corruption in local and national politics. Stay tuned-in folks.
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Background here. Silence still equals death.

Live streaming by Ustream

This looks like a fun event...and much needed!

I would also suggest some "Move Your Money" action that day.

Federal Tax Day: the 99% Say NO to Tax Dodgers & Call Out Companies Who Pay Less In Taxes Than New Yorkers; Thousands Expected for Daylong Protests

WHO: Taxpayers, working New Yorkers, community members including unemployed workers and students

WHAT: News Conference & Day of Protests to tell giant corporations, rich individuals, and our elected leaders that we are fed up with their tax dodging and that it is time for the 1% to pay their fair share. Protesters will target companies who pay less in federal income taxes than the average New Yorker – or none at all – and march in support of the Buffet Rule, which would level the playing field between average taxpayers and the 1%.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: The steps of the James A. Farley Post Office at 33rd Street and 8th Ave.  read more »

This comes from a fellow Brooklyn political activists. Please get involved if you can!

Obama Campaign Trip to Pennsylvania
Saturday, April 21st, 8:30 am
Departing Port Authority Bus Station, NYC

Dear Friend,

Please join me Saturday, April 21st for a day of canvassing with the Obama campaign in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. This is a bellwether district in a swing state, and a short bus ride from New York City.

The Republican primary circus now turns to Pennsylvania, where the candidates will continue their campaign of nonsense and attacks on President Obama. We need to be there on the doorsteps to show that the president stands with the American people and against the corporate interests and Republican paymasters. This influx of negativity requires a strong response if we are to keep Pennsylvania in the Democratic column in November. You are that response. We need your help on April 21st.

We meet at Port Authority Bus Terminal (South Terminal, 8th Ave. btwn 40th & 41st St.), at 8:30 am Saturday morning, April 21st. Buses return at 4:05 and 6:10 pm. Round trip on the bus is $40.15. The ride is about 1 hour 40 minutes. A hearty, home-cooked lunch is provided.

Thank you to everyone for your time and commitment. Please RSVP by e-mail, phone, or sign up on the Obama campaign website, so I can provide a headcount to Obama’s team in the Lehigh Valley. I look forward to seeing you again.

Best wishes,

Tom Predhome
NYVolunteers@gmail.com
(646) 736-6177

This month's Central Brooklyn Eating Liberally meeting will be
Tuesday, April 10th, 7 PM at Ha Noi Vietnamese restaurant in Park
Slope.

http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/ha-noi/menu

448 9th St
At 7th Ave

Hope to see you there!

I recently wrote a column giving up some of the street rumors relative to upcoming races. There have been some changes since then: so let‘s get to work (a la Ed Schultz/lol).

In Brooklyn’s 42nAD Ms. Mary Hobson will not be rerunning to reclaim the female district leader spot she lost last time around to Rodneyse Bichotte -when she was knocked off the ballot. Ms. Hobson is presently the deputy county chair and it appears that she will be chillin there for now. In the same district we now have word that there is a behind the scenes struggle for the male leadership spot. Initially it was said that Booker Ingram wasn’t going to seek re-election to this post -which he has held for the last 16 years. Word on the street said Booker was dealing with some health issues. Then we were told that Ed Powell -a longtime political /community activist in the district- was seeking to replace Booker. Now we are being told that the 42nd AD Political Club will be running Anthony Alexis for the spot.  read more »

Political pundits are a nickel a dozen now; especially with the advent of the internet, the expansion of the overall communication process, and the 24-7 media coverage of politics. But how many pundits are worth their salt? You readers have to make that determination. Those of you who listen to the pundits on radio and/or television ; or read blogs, newspapers, magazines or other periodicals; need to hold them accountable over time. You need to evaluate them based on their prognostications and their successes.

During the last presidential primary cycle, I remember receiving many attacks because I correctly called (way in advance) Barack Obama’s Iowa primary victory. But that was moot. Really. You see, I had already predicted he would be our next president: one and a half years before the presidential election.  read more »

The Park Slope Food Co-op (full disclosure: I am a member!) makes it to the Daily Show:

The boycott was, of course, voted down in the end...at least for now...

A few years after I moved to the City, maybe a decade ago, I was walking up Sixth Avenue in the twenties. It was around two in the morning. I was on my way to an after-hours club. Wasn't wearing anything particularly flashy or noteworthy; the club was one of those places where you take your clothes off, so it didn't really matter all that much.

I had, maybe, a hundred dollars in cash in my wallet, an American Express card, and probably my ATM card as well.

For some reason, the street was deserted, except for two young black men heading in the opposite direction from me. Now mind you, this was Chelsea before Giuliani, Bloomberg and rampant gentrification turned it into the sterile apartment forest it is now.

When the two young men and I crossed paths, one of them grabbed me, shoved something concealed under his jacket into my rib cage, said it was a gun, and demanded my money. I was being mugged.

It's a cliché, but time really does slow down in a stress situation, and I acted completely without thinking. I took out my wallet, gave the guy two bills - $30, if memory serves - and put the wallet back in my pocket. He took the money, sneered something about faggots, whacked me over the head - no big deal, more of an expression of contempt, I suppose - and walked off with his friend.

When they were half a block away, I took out my cell and called 911. The cops were there within minutes. Since the muggers were nowhere in sight, but a subway station was, they suggested we go underground and look for them.

In the process, they must have stopped every single young black man within a ten block radius. And believe me, I've never, in my entire life, seen terror as abject as I saw in the faces of every one of those young men. All of them without exception, gay, straight, no matter what they were wearing, no matter what status or class; all were suspects, because of the color of their skin.

My little tag-along with New York's Finest didn't result in anything; we never found the two muggers.

And believe it or not, I was actually quite glad of that. I don't even want to know what would have happened to those two young toughs if they had been found. Nor do I even want to contemplate how many of those young men my two friends in blue stopped would have gladly paid a trifling thirty dollars to avoid the experience.

In High School I spent many a weekend night at the local independet theaters in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Many of them have since died. But I saw many, many great movies I would never have seen otherwise.

Here in Brooklyn a friend of mine has taken over a local theater, the Brooklyn Heights Cinema, and turned it into a great local establishment showing independent movies and even music. Every now and then I like to plug what is going on there.

Brooklyn Heights Cinema | 70 henry street | bklyn, ny 11201 | 718 596 5095
A to high street | 2-3 to clark street | 4-5 to boro hall

Advance ticket reservations: rsvp@htscinema.com

Now Playing: (quoted from the Brooklyn Heights Cinema Newsletter)

MOVIES:

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 112 min. (PG-13)

Fri - Sun: 2:30pm | 5:00pm | 7:30pm | 9:45pm
Mon -Thurs: 5:00pm | 7:15pm | 9:15pm
Special Wed matinee 2:30 (all tks $7.00)

A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.  read more »