One week from today we head to the polls to choose – among other things – the next governor of the great state of New York.
Most of you already probably know who you’re voting for. Like the vast majority of New Yorkers, you’ll be voting for one of the candidates of the two major parties. You knew this before the candidates were announced.
The Democrats will be voting for Andrew Cuomo and the Republicans will be voting for Carl Paladino. There will be some exceptions, of course, but for the most part, that’s how it will go down.
There are others out there, though, who aren’t sure who to vote for yet. The thought of another Cuomo in office scares you. Maybe this one has actually figured out how to tax the oxygen in your lungs. His father was pretty close to figuring that out. And Paladino makes you nervous, too. He’s a bit of a loose canon. What might he do if actually elected?
There’s been some clamoring on the internet over the last week, asking for a debate between just Paladino and Cuomo. Ever since the circus that was the only gubernatorial debate, the Paladino camp has pushed for a debate between just himself and Cuomo, claiming that people deserve that debate.
Something tells me that it’s the Paladino people clamoring for this format because their guy was outshined during the last debate. They want a chance to siphon votes off of Cuomo, who holds what appears to be an insurmountable lead over their guy.
I feel like I know plenty about Andy Cuomo … and Carl Paladino. The last thing I want is a debate between just the two of them. Then again, I already know that I won’t be voting for either one of them. I realize this puts me in the minority.
I’d prefer to see a debate between the five candidates we don’t know as much about. Now, maybe you feel like you learned enough about them during the first debate and subsequent media coverage since, but compare that to the media coverage we’ve gotten about Carl and Andy for the past several months. It’s a pittance.
I’d rather hear more from Kristen Davis, the former madam who got Eliot Spitzer in all that hot water. I know she wants to legalize prostitution (which I agree with), but I’d like to hear more.
I’d prefer to hear more from Jimmy McMillan, who thinks the rent is too damn high and says you can marry your shoes. He seemed a bit off, but he deserves to be heard.
I’d like to hear more from Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate who delivers packages by day. How would he lower our taxes?
I should be able to hear more from Charles Barron, the Freedom Party candidate and New York City Councilman. How exactly would slapping the closest white guy to him help our situation?
And of course, I’d like to hear more from my party’s candidate, Warren Redlich. We seem to agree on a lot, but if he’s such a good Libertarian, why is he actually a registered Republican?
Unfortunately, my five person “also-running” debate is unlikely. So I’ll have to do what I always have to do come election time. I’ll have to do my own research and come to my own conclusion.
Those of you who aren’t yet sure who you’re voting for should do the same. And it probably wouldn’t hurt those of you who already know who you’re voting for, either. The Democrats and Republicans got us into this mess, don’t forget.