It’s been just over three months since the mid-term election that blessed us with a third term of Governor Andrew Cuomo. In the aftermath of the election, we have seen more of the same policies from Albany that were hallmarks of Cuomo’s first two terms. More restrictions on personal liberty, more corporate welfare, and more New Yorkers choosing to leave for greener pastures.
And a segment of New York’s citizenry is surprised?
This past election the Libertarian party offered a chance to send a message to Albany. A message to lawmakers that the status-quo would no longer be accepted. A message that we want actual policies which make actual change for New Yorkers. Larry Sharpe was the message and 90,000 New Yorkers voted to send him to Albany. The rest of us weren’t listening.
The next week saw threats of restrictions on vaping, restrictions on gun rights, and a three-billion dollar taxpayer gift to the richest man on earth, Jeff Bezos. The left was outraged, the right was outraged, Sharpe voters were… Unsurprised.
Now lawmakers in Albany are so proud of the work they have done to further the cause of their corrupt system, that they are voting to make themselves the highest paid legislators in the country. Sharpe voters remain… Unsurprised.
Unsurprised but not desensitized. Larry Sharpe has ignited a new activism in the New York Political landscape. Individuals are speaking out, they are organizing, and the Libertarian Party of New York is capitalizing on the momentum by forming county level infrastructure to spread the message of Liberty at the local level.
Every headline about the political ruling class making things better for themselves and worse for New York citizens emboldens the movement. Yeah, we told you so, but we’re not here to gloat, we’re here to help.
Liberty IS the future, local politics IS the future, cooperation without government force IS the future. These aren’t radical ideas, they are the principles this country was founded on.
The good news is that “Business as usual” in Albany after the midterms seems to be opening new people to these ideas every day. Every time Cuomo announces new regulations on those who are not his friends and new handouts to those who are, another New Yorker decides the system is broken.
On a recent “Guv Shack” on Facebook live, Larry Sharpe stated that he has continued making the rounds through New York following the election.
“Here I am yet again. Talking about things that matter, talking about people who are hurting in this state. Trying to give some answers and some ideas for what the next step is. And I ask, where are the other guys?… They’re nowhere.”
Sharpe says the good news is that he is seeing people at his events now who didn’t vote for him. People, he says, who realize they made a mistake, who realize nothing has changed and who are looking for the alternative.
Those folks are the people we must welcome with open arms. As long as Albany continues to quadruple down on its destructive policies, more people will ditch the status quo. When they do, the Libertarian Party will be there to give them a new home. Stay the course Liberty Lovers. Our path is the right one. It is our job to help our fellow New Yorkers navigate it.