Who Really Spoke and Who Just Mumbled?

Well, the election is over and Alfreda Williams won. Congratulations to her. They had everything on their side, including money (Lois Bronz's campaign war chest), Lois Bronz's mailing and support lists, but mostly pure democratic volume over other parties. Once she began to play the race card, she was able to capture the majority of the vote of color. She agreed with the democratic incumbents decision to do-nothing and simply let the numbers roll her into office. The incumbent legislature which voted to settle on the Housing Desegregation Lawsuit, was a torch she carried throughout the campaign as though she had voted for it herself.

The democrats who came out to vote certainly helped her win. I accepted that outcome when I began the campaign and even now that it's over. I'm disappointed to lose but not bitter or upset. I ran a great campaign on the issues, something she still has little, if any, knowledge of. In fact, her victory will allow her to go back to the laissez-faire mentality practiced by her predecessor and ignore not only the issues of the district and county, but sadly and more importantly, the people that have been continually ignored for years.

If you look at the numbers, it was democratic voters who simply, simplistically, and as uninformed and uneducated voters, voted across the party line. Shame on them. Not because I didn't win, but because they blindly follow their leaders without thinking, questioning or trying. I'm not saying we are there, but this is how most dictatorships begin. Just look at Italy, Germany and the others in the 30's and 40's, and now in the middle east. Blindly following is costing us in more ways than financial but that is the most significant problem with following and not thinking. I'm reminded of my parents old adage, "If so-and-so walked off a cliff, would you follow them?"

So how did, or will District 8 win from this election? It remains to be seen. To paraphrase Lois Bronz, she said she was happy Alfreda was able to get up to speed on the issues so quickly. This highlights just how out of touch she is. She didn't win because she was involved or knowledgeable. She was the heir apparent from a legislator who ignored her constituency throughout the district. The only people she did anything for was the Fairview section of Greenburgh. How sad a commentary that we go from one poor representative to another.

In spite of all of this, I wish Alfreda and the constituents of District 8 well. But with Alfreda and her ilk in power, it should prove to be a nightmare. Perhaps Rob Astorino, and the other Republican legislators can make a dent and begin turning around our county. The people began to speak in this election and I believe they will be even louder in the next one. I know I will be.