Democratic Socialists are Destroying NY

New York's Democratic Socialists Destroy the State: Economically, Fiscally, Socially

Earlier this month the chairman of the New York Democratic Party, Jay Jacobs, did something unusual, he publicly blamed last November’s losses of congressional and state legislative races on members of his party — the Democratic Socialists.

"My job as a leader of the part," Jacob’s said, "is to speak the truth as far as I see it on the political realities of each and everything we do to ensure that ultimately we can elect more Democrats."

The truth of last November’s election Jacob’s added is that the ideology of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and her fellow Democratic Socialists (DSs) "don’t bring out the same number of voters" and "a far-left push [doesn’t] work in some places."

Jacobs, who describes himself as a "moderate" Progressive (whatever that is), makes a valid point.

During the past decade DSs have been beating so-called moderates in numerous primaries throughout the state. The most stunning victory was AOC over congressional heavyweight, Joe Crowley, in 2018.

These emboldened DSs are not bashful about bullying moderates in Albany and in local municipalities to enact a radical agenda that doesn’t play in many parts of the state.

Last year they intimidated Governor Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., into agreeing to a bloated budget and radical proposals on crime and the environment that almost cost her the election to Republican Lee Zeldin.

And to really stick it to Hochul, after the election, they rejected, for not being a radical leftist, her highly qualified nominee, Hector LaSalle, for the chief judge of the state’s highest tribunal, the Court of Appeals.

This year, Hochul thought she could placate the DSs by proposing an irresponsible record spending budget, chock-full of funds for their favorite projects.

What Hochul fails to understand, however, is that DSs are never satisfied.

Government can never spend or tax enough.

Their counterproposal budget, released on March 15, proves my contention.

The DS blueprint calls for an additional $10 billion in spending.

To finance their fiscal follies, DSs call for depleting rainy day funds and increasing a variety of taxes including corporate and personal income taxes.

For people earning over $5 million annually the tax rate would be 10.8%—up from 10.3%. People earning over $10 million will pay 11.4%.

Ostensibly, these will be temporary surcharges. But as we have learned during the past 15 years, surcharge taxes never go away. They have been extended and extended and extended.

The fact that New Yorkers already pay the highest combined state and local taxes in the nation doesn’t matter to the DS crowd.

To add insult to injury, they have also rejected Hochul’s very modest bail reform proposal and her call for expanding charter schools in New York City.

These reckless power plays help explain why Chairman Jacobs is critical of AOC and her comrades in government.

When accused of using a Republican smear term "far left" to describe the DSs, Jacob’s rejected that notion and to substantiate his claim, went on to read portions of their public platform.

Here are a few of its planks: To achieve collective liberation, DSs pledge "to constrain, diminish, and abolish the carceral forces of the state," including prisons and the police.

DSs wants to freeze hiring of police and fire officers, to decertify police unions and associations; to end all misdemeanors offenses; to stop all funding of prison expansions; to close local jails; to cease police occupation of black and brown communities; and to disarm policemen.

The DSs want to nationalize water, gas, electric, telecommunication, media, banking, insurance, investment, and real estate corporations.

As for DSs tax proposals, they want to increase upper tax income rates, real estate taxes, financial transaction taxes, capital gain taxes, corporate taxes, and to institute wealth and luxury purchase taxes.

After reading the radical platform, I understand why Jacob’s is critical of the DSs members of his party.

Jacob’s realistically notes that New York is "a diverse state with diverse regions and different electorates."

Therefore, I’m not surprised he argues for "different types of [general election] campaigns on [Long] Island and upstate New York."

But what Jacobs misses, is that the top priority of DSs is organizing primaries against moderate Democrats.

In these low turnout races, committed radicals come out in larger numbers than middle-class folks, and put their candidates over the top.

In their drive to attain power they don’t care if there are a few DS, casualties in the general election.

They will tolerate a few Republican victories in traditionally Democratic districts as they strive to become strong enough to seize control of the state Democratic Party.

And when that day comes, the DSs will ruthlessly use their power to drive the Empire State into a fiscal, economic, and social black hole.

If there are New York readers contemplating leaving for tax and job friendly states, check out the Democratic Socialist platform.

After reading it, I will not be surprised if you start packing your bags.

George J. Marlin, a former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is the author of "The American Catholic Voter: Two Hundred Years of Political Impact," and "Christian Persecutions in the Middle East: A 21st Century Tragedy." Read George J. Marlin's Reports — More Here.