By Stacey Barber
Hallelujah, it’s raining social democrats!
In New York’s 149th assembly district, Adam Bojak was victorious in beating out the corporate democratic candidate, Kathy Hoak, and John Deese with 49% of the vote in a three-way primary in a race that proves that social democratic issues are working people’s issues, as one of Bojak’s main slogans was “people before profit “.
India Walton ‘s run for Buffalo mayor in 2019 was the dress rehearsal. The Working Familes’ party’s Western NY slate included both BoJack for State Assembly and Jonathan Rivera for State Senate. Both won, with Rivera having a ten point lead and Bojak finding support even in the Republican-majority town of Hamburg, and also cleaning up very handily in Buffalo’s west side. Bojak’s district includes Hamburg, parts of Lackawanna and parts of Buffalo.
Bojak has been an active progressive on the local scene for many years, especially on tenants’ rights, maintaining that it is important to have people who treat housing as a basic human right have a seat at the table in Albany. He also has spent years calling for the abolition of ICE and for more teeth as far as legislation that would prevent all levels of law enforcement statewide not cooperate with ICE, an agency known for its shady network of concentration camps with an increasing body count, breaking up families and destroying lives.
Similar to the disco anthem, “hallelujah, it’s raining men”, the heavens have ripped open and social democrats are on the march both in New York City, with Zohran Mandani officially being called a kingmaker in NYC politics and with these wins in Western NY, It’s high time!
Stacey Barber is a member of Buffalo SDUSA.
Ms. Barber writes, “the heavens have ripped open and social democrats are on the march”. I’m not sure if this sentiment represents youthful enthusiasm or whistling past the graveyard. MAGA and the (not very) Democratic Socialist of America are marching from strength to strength. Social democracy, liberalism (classical or modern) or any form of politics that has room for nuance and complexity has clearly seen better days.
I don’t know that social democrats should wish for kingmakers in any way, shape, or form. I am certain that the thought of a far leftist such as Mayor Mandani in that role should give us all pause.
On a lighter note, I am mildly enthused by the idea of the SDUSA laying claim to the tune “hallelujah, it’s raining men”. Trump already has a monopoly on “YMCA’. Why should reactionaries have all the good music?