I once again find myself at a loss as an important election approaches for New York City. What is going on locally? Is there hope for a progressive agenda in NYC?
A friend just forwared me a link to an essay by Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez called Where have all the fighters gone? in which Gonzalez puts forward what he calls "two persistent weaknesses of the progressive movement":
Many well-meaning progressives, unfortunately, have yet to grasp the stakes in this race, and that failure is rooted in two persistent weaknesses of the progressive movement.
- Class and racial divisions among progressives themselves
- A lack of any rigorous analysis of the economic and political forces that are rapidly transforming everyday life in our nation's cities.
I do not say these things lightly.
My comments and questions are only a click away:
The essay provides an interesting discussion of how the Bloomberg administration is using tax breaks and other mechanisms to lock in power for the existing Manhattan-centric power base. Indeed, Gonzalez suggests that New York and other American cities are moving to the European white-core/immigrant-suburban ring urban model that is in place in Europe and much of South America. So while he postulates that changing demographics are in favor of the working class and immigrant populations here in NYC, should a progressive movement gain power it will find it's ability to effect meaningful change severely hampered by locked in zoning, tax and other provisions now being put in place beyond government control.
What do NYC Kossacks think and what are you working on?What is the story with progressive politics in New York City? What is happening? What's the future? Does the Democratic Party need to be remade before progress can move forward? Are there opportunities to make positive change today and if so where do you see them?