House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy recently clarified the stakes of the race for New York’s 3rd Congressional District and every other district in the country.
McCarthy said if Republicans win control of the House, the GOP will use raising the debt limit as leverage to force spending cuts – which could include cuts to Medicare and Social Security – and limit additional funding to Ukraine.
He also promised to investigate the Department of Justice, telling Attorney General Merrick Garland to “clear your calendar.”
Senate Republicans have suggested that Social Security be eliminated as a federal entitlement and be subject to review every five years or even annually. House Republicans are talking about impeaching President Biden. For what? They’ll figure that our later.
The stark differences offered by which party controls the House is equaled by the choice offered by the two candidates for the 3rd District.
Robert Zimmerman is a sensible voice, informed by his time as a congressional aide, political activist, member of the Democratic National Committee and owner of a communications business where he worked with people from both parties.
His experience has given him a deep understanding of the enormous issues that face the district and the nation, from climate change and immigration to social issues and infrastructure.
Zimmerman speaks particularly passionately about protecting democracy – at a time that the Madisonian system of government given us by our founding fathers is under serious threat.
Zimmerman supports reproductive freedom for women, a ban on assault weapons and limits to magazines, and LGBTQ rights.
Zimmerman also advocates a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States along with stepped-up border security.
He rightly focuses on the environment, noting that he’d like to see infrastructure dollars go toward protecting Long Island Sound and improving water quality.
In contrast, George Devolder-Santos is an extremist who would become part of the problem if he were elected.L
Devolder-Santos was at the Ellipse in Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally where former President Donald Trump incited his audience on Jan. 6, 2021, and defended the people who assaulted the Capitol following the speech.
“Imagine breaking into your own house and being charged with trespassing,” Devolder-Santos said on a recording made in February 2022 at a “restore public safety” vigil.
He said he was funding efforts to help those arrested for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election by threatening the lives of Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other elected officials.
All this and he has made fighting crime and backing law enforcement a top issue.
Like virtually every Republican running statewide, he has blamed bail reform on the rising crime rate in New York – even though all data shows that it has had little or no effect.
And he has tried to pin state bail reforms on Zimmerman in which the Democrat played no role.
Zimmerman has actually called on the state to tight lax national gun laws while focusing on the main culprits – the economic dislocation caused by the COVID pandemic, mental health problems and drug addiction.
Devolder-Santos told Blank Slate Media two years ago he supported overturning Roe v Wade and would be in favor of criminal charges for doctors who performed abortions.
He recently compared abortion to slavery, calling both “barbaric.”
Zimmerman has said he supports a women’s right to choose and would support legislation to codify Roe v. Wade nationally.
Devolder-Santos also called the Mueller Report on Russian interference in the 2016 election a “hoax” and echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin in the lead up to his assault on Ukraine.
“Look, if the Ukrainians really hated Russia so bad, the eastern border of Ukraine wouldn’t’ have welcomed Russia into the provinces,” he said. “They feel more Russian than Ukrainian.”
Zimmerman has staunchly supported Ukraine’s defense of its homeland and the United States’ leadership in NATO in preventing Russia from violating the country’s territorial integrity.
Devolderer-Santos has also repeatedly ducked questions in debates, canceled other forums and refused to sit down with Blank Slate Media and Newsday.
The stakes in this election could not be clearer. Neither is the choice between Devender-Santos and Zimmerman.
We could not more strongly endorse Zimmerman.
