To the editor,
It is no surprise to me that Borough President Markowitz is raising money from large developers and other big-time political donors, yet precious little from the grassroots (“Marty money misses mark,” July 21). After all, this is a borough president who has spent the last six years doing the bidding of developers like Bruce Ratner, whose vision for Brooklyn is counter to many of Markowitz’s own constituents.
The sight of fat cats lining up to donate to Markowitz’s still-undeclared campaign is a disgusting reality of our current “pay-to-play” political climate.
Given the way the donations are going so far, developers will certainly have a friend at City Hall if Marty Markowitz is elected.
Tom Sutton, Sunset Park
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To the editor,
I think you’re wrong about Borough President Markowitz’s chances about a run for mayor. You pointed out that he hasn’t raised so much money, so far, but I am convinced that the minute he formally declares, his constituents will quickly respond with a wave of campaign donations.
If nothing else, Marty’s tireless support for Brooklyn shows that he is one of us.
Now, how well that will play in the other four boroughs is another story! Too bad there are term limits at Borough Hall.
Ronald Ballard, Dyker Heights
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To the editor,
Not for nothing, but I think you are wasting your time even bothering to cover Marty Markowitz. That man is nothing but a windbag.
If he really thinks he can win a citywide office, he should have his head examined.
Name withheld, Park Slope
Bill is garbage
To the editor,
Your opposition to a state bill that would ban the distribution of flyers makes sense to those who cherish free speech (“Throw out this bill,” July 21). Perhaps many members of the legislature who support this bill have forgotten about the Bill of Rights and First Amendment.
Consider the great obstacles challengers face as candidates for public office. Incumbent members of the GOP-controlled Senate or Democratic Assembly have direct access to taxpayers revenue to pay for numerous mailings on a regular basis.
Remember the 2005 scandal concerning then Council Speaker Gifford Miller and his mailings to voters prior to the Mayoral primary?
Public officials on the city, state and federal level waste tens of millions of dollars each year on these mailings.
By coincidence, they accelerate in volume several months prior to election time. They might be cleverly disguised as public- service announcements, but in reality they are an extension of their re-election campaign efforts.
Underdog candidates have little money, but must count on volunteers to do door to door literature drops. Would this be outlawed under this bill as well?
Many Mom and Pop stores can’t afford the expensive mailings or ads that incumbent members of the legislature send all year long. Small businesses provide jobs to students and seniors who deliver their flyers door to door. Why not amend this misguided bill to also allow voters the right to be dropped from elected officials mass mailing lists as well? This would reduce litter in our mailboxes and save public funds for better uses.
Larry Penner, Great Neck, NY
Dem battle
To the editor,
I was initially inclined to dismiss Gersh Kuntzman’s recent column about Barack Obama as the usual ramblings of an ill-informed community newspaper editor (“Battle for the $oul of Brooklyn: Obama and Clinton fighting ZIP by ZIP,” The Brooklyn Angle, July 21). But reading his piece, I quickly realized that Kuntzman was actually making a great observation about the race for the Democratic nomination (I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day).
Obama is popular in Park Slope, where I live, because he is, indeed, a truly progressive voice for reform. Hillary is popular among Brooklyn Heights Democrats because those people will make any compromise so long as they think it gets them closer to their goal of winning at all costs.
By digging into the campaign finance numbers, Kuntzman has actually brought to light this schism in our body politic, and for that I am grateful.
Here’s hoping those Hillary supporters in Brooklyn Heights come to their senses and support a real Democrat, not a focus-group tested fake one.
Steve Rodriguez, Park Slope
A.R.E.A.–nation
To the editor,
I was pleased to see that the fight over that bagel store had ended favorably for everyone involved (“Bagel battle ends,” July 21).
When I read your original story about Arena Bagels, I was angered that a bunch of bullies forced the store owner to change his name because they objected to anyone using a noun that brought to mind Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project.
But your articles showed me that the bagel store owner, Ravi Aggarwaal, was not angry about the neighbors who demanded that he re-name the store.
He taught us all a lesson in turning the other cheek.
Nancy Melnick, Prospect Heights
Kick pols in career
To the editor,
Since when has being an elected official become a career? Elected officials are voted in by the people and they should service the people who voted for them, not the self-interested, self-centered, sociopathic money-making machine of the corporations and developers.
I wish the liberals and the left would stop asking for affordable housing — it’ll only feed right into these bastards’ plans. We must demand green development and green space for housing front and back in new development.
We should honor Lady Bird Johnson by turning Atlantic Yards into meadows of native planted trees.
Our parks are becoming overcrowded. Maybe Bruce Ratner wants to declare the parks blighted so his cronies in elected office can condemn them and hand them over so he can build on them.
Rhudi Eagle, Park Slope
