Rather than using the ample power of New York State to boldly address the affordability crisis, Cuomo consistently stayed within limits set by big donors and business-as-usual politicians.
‘Mamdani is striking for his independence from the very forces that nurtured and constrained Cuomo. That fact alone offers hope, but it is married with Mamdani’s ability to present a clear, substantive vision, communicate it with emotion, and connect with people in neighborhoods across the city.” -Bill de Blasio (former mayor of New York City)
In my time learning the political structure of Augusta-Richmond County it has become abundantly clear that many voters do not really vote the issues, rather they vote for high school friends and social popularity…then wonder why and complain about the city being in a crisis and the local government being corrupt.
Well, that is because many voters are not really voting the issues. Mayor Garnett Johnson is the best person for the job right now. For me, personally, it is the work that he did with the Biden-Harris administration to establish a program that would aid Augustans who face transportation and employment barriers. Then he followed that up with cleaning up Hurricane Helene debris with prisoners. Those are only a couple of reasons I reject the narrative that the current mayor is a “Not for Augusta” mayor because he fraternizes with Republicans.
So What? I follow the concept that we should not look for a D or R whenever we make a voting decision in a local election when the issues we care about cross all race and political spectrums. We should vote for the candidate that is showing a concerted effort to bridge the gap.
This city has Black Democrats in nearly every essential area of government, yet all we hear is complaints. Think about who is running the city while these complaints are being made.
And I remind you all that I am a Democrat. I get a copy of the Democratic Party platform each time it comes out so I can be in step. However, the Democratic Party platform represents my core political value. Therefore, at the core, I align with the Democratic Party philosophy; however, what I am not a fan of is using the core values of a political party to play politics, which does happen in Augusta-Richmond County.
We should ask ourselves, “why are some Democratic voters complaining about how the city is being ran without realizing that this city is ran by a Democratic majority?”
I know some of my fellow members are not going to like what I am saying, but it does not matter. Many members of the local branch of the Democratic Party have already all but completely ostracized me. I think they know by now that I do not care. I have been encouraged to stop fighting for qualifying persons with criminal histories to earn better employment opportunities with room for advancement. I will not.
Think about this: we have Democrats on the Augusta-Richmond County Commission. Why are they not fully invested in truly adopting the proposal I bring or using it as a foundation to draft a proposal that would mirror the City of Atlanta’s 22-O-1748, which has opened up several livable wage opportunities for persons formerly convicted of felonies?
Just recently, James White III, who benefited from that policy, was elected to the Atlanta City Council. White III served two years in prison before going to law school and eventually landing a job as a prosecutor within the Fulton County Solicitor’s Office.
It has been virtually impossible for me to get so much as an internship opportunity because the upper level of the local social hierarchy has censured me due to my advocacy work (those involved know I am telling the truth). That is okay. I believe the Almighty Creator is the best of planners. After reviewing my criminal history, Clayton County Public Defender’s Office still brought me on as a remote intern for the spring semester, kept me on during the summer semester, and recently congratulated me on being a part of the team for the fall semester.
The bottom line is that my success does not hinge on acceptance by the upper level of the local social hierarchy. That is why as a former high school special education student, a former drug addict, a formerly incarcerated person, a formerly homeless person, and a convicted felon, I have been adept at consistently bringing more heat on the social issues I bring than our governing body has ever seen from a person with my background.
And we are not done. There has to be an understanding here: if you vote for someone simply because you know them from the neighborhood only to find out that that person is more interested in playing politics than actually tackling issues that affect your neighborhood, then that is lesson that must be learned.
Vote the issue, not the person. In this era, politics is so polarizing that in its wake it is dividing households, causing divorces, and leaving little children as victims.
Zohran Mamdani is the best mayoral candidate for New York because even as a Democratic socialist he represents what most people in NYC want to see, a change from the norm. And as a former NYC mayor, de Blasio has every right to provide his empirical insight.
Andrew Cuomo is also a Democrat. But Andrew Cuomo is your typical politician. Talks good and plays great, just not for the team that drafted him.
When you get to the heart of politics you will quickly realize that the most popular name is not always the best choice. Your typical politician with the popular name is not always the right choice. The status quo is not always the right choice, which why when I joked about running for commissioner, my campaign slogan was quite candid: Because Toeing The Status Quo Is Not a Mandate.
While I will not be following up on that jest, it would still be wise for unhappy Augusta-Richmond County voters to follow the NYC blueprint.
Lawrence A Brannen
Augusta, Georgia
