In most cases, political differences and view points is a healthy thing. The dialogue and debate process allows society to weigh the pros and cons of each argument and eventually vote on where it wants to go and at what pace.
However in our community the political differences of opinion have led us to the foot of destruction, literally!
In the past few elections every political activist, big or small has had an opinion of who to vote for. One activist wanted Hamilton another Durancy, Raitport or Patterson. All had a small following and political base in Crown Heights.
This has two immediate and devastating effects.
1. People don’t vote. When there are multiple opinions and lack of clarity within the leadership people simply turn off. No matter how hard the political activist tries to explain how important it is to vote for X, another activist is saying the same thing about Y. So why should we go to the polls after a long day of work?
2. Politicians don’t care about us. Every politician does this simple equation before helping a community. Will this bring me needed votes? If the answer is yes, he will help out, but if the answer is no he will turn his attention and resources elsewhere.
So when our community needs something, our representatives look at the numbers. Not many voters, plus the few that do are split between many factions, leads them to think ‘Not worth my time.’ It really is as simple as that. The results are in… those same activists have almost nothing to show for their work.
Recently, a grassroots campaign demanding that Yvette Clark’s vote against the Iran deal did not have the wanted effect. She felt safe enough with the false pretense of taking our argument into account when in truth she couldn’t care less what we think.
So ironically, by trying to sway public opinion to help the community, our many activists are actually hurting our community.
How do we get out of this mess?
My suggestion is to create a centralized political action committee that will serve as a singular voice for the entire community. All political activists and community representatives or members will be able to debate the merits of their opinions and then vote.
Once a vote is cast, all members on the forum have to actively campaign and support the chosen candidate, political move or new policy. There are two simple rules to this political forum.
Firstly, any activist that can get 150 signatures from community members who respect their opinion can join and will get a vote. It is fair, equal to all and will truly represent the diversity in our community.
Secondly and most importantly, all members of this forum will have to sign a declaration that they will respect the outcome and decisions of the forum and that they will use their influence to achieve that decision.
This forum might not always make a correct decision and chances are, they will back a losing candidate once in a while. But this will give us a unified voice, higher our voter turnout and force politicians to pay attention to our needs and demands. No one will be able to dispute our numbers. Because in politics, numbers always count.
Yeshar Koach!
IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE YOU DO NOT BEGIN TO COUNT COME TO FRANKEL SHUL I WILL REGISTER YOU TO VOTE MY OFFICE IS OPPOSED TO THE DEAL THE ONLY POLITICAL OFFICE IN BROOKLYN TO OPPOSE THE LOUSY DEAL
Check this out brothers and sisters. First step, information – the primary local elections are decided by a few thousand votes. If Jews register to vote in the local democratic primary, a few thousand votes will have enormous clout. Then in the general go out and vote Republican or Democrat Second – Incentivize the Jewish electorate – More political power means, a religious school tax credit, less homeless shelters in your backyard, and more affordable housing for larger families….- its all 2 bedrooms and less, not for religious larger families. Third – Only one Voice, Follow the Primary Model and… Read more »
BH
BSD
WE LACK ACHDUS
A political action committee of any sort is corrupt simply because they endorse who they want who will likely kiss theirs as well as they kissing back not who is really best for the community for every one a shas been the case until now! The only answer is vote & Do not ote for any democrat they are all traitors don’tgive a hoot about any american unless they are muslim or habla espanol with origination from Mexico & the like
Will Yanky Berman join? Will Chanina Sperlin?
Did anyone reach out to them? Did Collive get their respons?
Without everyone joining it won’t work. With everyone we will be a power to recon with.
This will never work until there is Shalom between our leaders. its time our leaders start thinking about the good of the community, and work together even with those who do not see things as they do.
We had a system approved by our Rebbe, that worked, the Machlokes destroyed it.
Let’s all do our part to bring peace between Anash, primarily by not talking and spreading Machlokes.
BH
BSD
WE LACK ACHDUS
This disenchantment with Clark and most of the politicians is not only about Iran, it’s is about the general welfare of our community. Sure it’s a stressful situation, but no need to get all riled up here, we’re all in the same boat dealing with the same issues.
The whole premise of the comment #24 was just that, that we can’t (at the moment) stop this from happening. CAN YOU??
associated with the article I assume it’s not that important for the writer to state his/her name. They don’t really believe it themselves. Perhaps the computer generated it? Todah Boruch Hoffinger
the rebbe did not like when chabad takes sides in politics
GEORGE SOROS
our elected people in the Community counsel would rather fight each other and they think are smarter than anyone else and won’t listen, to see whats really best for our community. They lack vision and want to take care of their own agendas. Case in point they went against my late husband A”H Avraham Wasserman when he wanted to run for city counsel. He had our best interest in mind, He was a man of long term vision. He would have served us best. but instead of backing him they went for, well for people like this Clark, people that… Read more »
First Obama said that this deal will have ‘snap back sanctions’ but then when everyone called his bluff he said the sanctions are off anyway and we cant control Russia and China.
So which is it? does he have a clue?
I’m so depressed- the whole world has fallen for sheker- the emperors’s new clothes
ok, alot of points you made, and the comments made, are valid. However, I’d like to say that we can teach our own, what does it mean to vote, how to make a difference, etc. We can and should, do our own “marketing”, meaning getting the effective message across to educate our own. don’t take for granted that we know it all. some of us do not, and we need to clarify it. as in everything. some people just dont have the information. No judgements fit in here, just DO IT. and DO IT IN THE WAY WHICH WILL MAKE… Read more »
You write “And whether the politician actually has an in depth knowledge of the Iranian threat is doubtful” And YOU DO? Tell me, what do YOU know about the threat from Iran? Nuclear technology has been around since the 1940’s. Do you really think you can stop countries from obtaining this technology forever? Yvette Clark blindly follows Obama, and most CH’ers blindly follow Conservative talk show hosts. Does anybody think for themselves anymore? Obama cannot hold the sanctions against Iran, because Russia and China will not comply. China was made filthy rich by the U.S. and spits in our face… Read more »
but WHO ARE YOU? and how much effort are you willing to put out. you seem to be smart and informed….let us in on who you are and steer this committee….
If we lose the above mentioned politicians….it will be our fault if years from now ch’v our children or grandchildren will ask us…..WHAT DID YOU DO TO SAVE US FROM THIS CATASROPHE?? what will we say?
Youre saying we should be just be unified but the fact is we are not because as a community we have many different viewpoints. This is assuming that all yidden are conservative or republicans and totally agaisnt the iran deal. A person with a opposing viewpoint then the norm will never even try to join this Pac because it means just handing over their vote. Lubavitcher Democrats and liberals out there, You are not alone!
Im not sure why you think that people will vote for someone who goes against their political viewpoints just for the sake of unity. Why should I forfiet my vote, If i dont agree? This is saying, we should have unity, which is a nice idea but the truth is we are not unified becasue the jewish block does not have one homoginied
CH had political action committee in the 90s when Atty. SOl Lieberman was running for Judge.Both the Republican Party leaders and Conservative Party leaders praised it. Mr. Long (Conservative) said, “Lieberman got more votes than our own candidates even in their own neighborhoods. Your community really supports you!”
Can we eliminate photo ops? Who benefits from them anyway, besides having them hung on office walls? Is there a way that the politicos in our own community would agree to no more photo ops? And secondly, why would all those politicians vote for something that will destroy America also? Bc they just don’t understand the seriousness of the bill, or they really don’t care.
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries was supported against that rosho Charles Barron, and was given over $ 85,000.00 by the Jewish Askonim of Flatbush and Marine Park. He knows that he owes his political career to the Jewish community, and he voted YES. I don’t see any of the Flatbush News Outlets attacking him “like immature babies”. Let’s address the issues, and leave the baby talk for some other time……. By the way; I thank all the askonim from Crown Heights, those who put up banners, posters, and rallied. I thank those who put together a two hour meeting with the congresswoman… Read more »
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries IS VOTING YES !!!
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries IS VOTING YES for this tragic deal
So what ends up is; that the Brooklyn Delegation ALL voted YES.
Jerry Nadler – Jewish, with the largest
Hakeem Jeffries – African American, with a very large Jewish constituents.
Yvette Clarke – African American, with a very large Jewish constituents
Nydia Velázquez – Latino, with a very large Jewish constituents.
SO WHY ARE WE KNOCKING THE CONGRESSWOMAN?
SO WHY ARE WE KNOCKING OURSELVES?
One of the (several) reasons she voted for it is because she is black and also representative of a large black community (and also liberal), and as such, she doesn’t want to go against Mr. Obama in what the president sees as his crowning (!) and historic diplomatic achievement
And report some of the shocking behavior by voting poll staff. They mislead voters with incorrect information (last election)
This well-intentioned article makes some good points. A unified and well turned out vote Would make a difference. But not enough of a difference. The reason is that this is not a neutral environment where the politician cares about votes but doesn’t have a particular overriding agenda. Crown Heights is unique in that the overwhelming majority of non-Jewish voters and politicians- although not all- are strongly and irrationally anti-Jewish and anti-Israel and will only subscribe to what the black leader of the moment subscribes to regardless of what it is. Many would gladly be on the side opposing the Jewish… Read more »
You need to register people. Once you get them registered, you need to remind them before the election and on election day. You need to set to cars to drive people. You need to make it EASY. If someone doesn’t care, they won’t make the effort.
I lived in crown heights in the 80s. I don’t remember which election it was, but all of the above was done.
Get organized and start registering people. Get them to vote this Nov so it will be easier to get them out to vote Nov 2016.
If not, it’s YOUR fault they don’t listen to us!
Why is this OP-ED not signed?
You want people to take you seriously and you omit your own NAME from the opinion?
CH is split! yeshes has been the source of the communities problem since the early 1970s.i remember the vicious community fights around Stanley steingut’s reelection back in the middle 1970s. that split ,in the community, was never healed. the community doesn’t vote. the attitude , it’s not my business pervades community thinking. if CH had 10,000 votes and the community was united as a block then we’re talking leverage. the leadership in the political arena is weak. ego trumps ability. for whatever reason the community leadership is perceived of as being weak and egoistic. money trumps wisdom! ego trumps truth!… Read more »
Just as the Rebbe had Rabbi JJ Hecht as the Political liaison for Lubavitch, so too we as a community should once again turn to the Rabbis Hecht at NCFJE to head our political arm of the community
1) vote 2) not for yvette clarke
She dosent care becuse she knows that sukkos is coming and all our so called leaders will be clamoring up to her for a photo op.
All the politicos know that. You want CH go take some pictures and your good.
.
No one who is on a politicians pay-roll, should be part of a Political PAC !!!!
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries IS VOTING YES for this tragic deal
So what ends up is, that the Brooklyn Delegation ALL voted YES.
Jerry Nadler – Jewish, with the largest
Hakeem Jeffries – African American, with a very large Jewish constituents.
Yvette Clarke – African American, with a very large Jewish constituents
Nydia Velázquez – Latino, with a very large Jewish constituents.
I think the young will go for it, but not the old in the community.
Its sad but unfortunately our reality.
We need a lot of help and the only place it can now come from is above!!
Crown heights has many votes, but I doubt the Jewish vote is anywhere over two thousand, and more then a fifteen hundred Jewish vote turn out is a miracle. So whatever brainstorm you dream we are a very small voice and I doubt that a centralized vote would help. To put that. In context I believe BP willy and Flatbush have over ten thousand votes each. Uniting our voice has many benefits, but won’t strengthen our little number which is a crucial decision factor. I believe in Rep Clark’s district there are more Muslim leaning voters then jewish voters and… Read more »
Please reach out to a few activist and get their comments and this. Lets the punlic know what they say
Please follow up on this
It’s the only way
BS”D
why unsigned
i doubt anything we do can change an outcome simply bc there are more blacks than Jews
Everyone should should pick themselves up and start voting.
Maybe as a result committees will do something. Otherwise you’re wasting your time.
I am not a lawyer but I think if someone joins theu should have to sign a somple non compete agreement and they will legally be bound from going against the PAC
In order for this to happen we would need “both sides of CH” to be part of this vote or else we would have each side listening to their “leader”.
Great idea! I hope Chanina and Yanky Berman and Avi Lesches will join
If not, it’s YOUR fault they don’t listen to us!
Even if the committee doesn’t work out…
Every C.H. resident should vote so that they’ll take us seriously.
EVERYONE VOTE ON ELECTION DAY!
(and not for Clarke…)