Where We Go From Here New York
The results of the general election were undoubtedly gut-wrenching for so many of us. But to Democrats, this sounds the alarm on so many issues left unaddressed. Supposed party leaders are speculating about what went wrong and several have indiscriminately laid blame on the progressive arm of our party.
In a careless act of scapegoating, immigrants and transgender communities have been targeted by even those who have previously pledged support. The results of this botched election should elicit in us a greater solidarity with our most vulnerable neighbors because we are only as safe as our most marginalized community members.
The prevailing narrative from the election is that Democrats have not shown up for the working class and so they in turn did not show up for us. While the White House has passed significant legislation to drive down costs for Americans, the truth is that we can and must do more to listen to working people and deliver for them, not the corporate sector or Wall Street elite. That does not mean that we “go more moderate” — that was tested during this election with a moderate candidate who attempted to appeal more to Republicans, taking for granted the votes and engagement of Latinos, Asians, Muslims, Arabs, and young people. That strategy failed.
So what do we do next? First, we must do what we can to mitigate harm to our most vulnerable New Yorkers. I have called for a special session of the state legislature to pass bills to provide necessary protections ahead of Trump assuming office. Now more than ever, we need to act proactively to protect reproductive freedom, LGBTQ New Yorkers, civil liberties, and yes, we must protect our immigrant neighbors from anticipated mass deportations.
We must act boldly on the bread-and-butter issues that all voters have asked us to prioritize. Because the rent is too damn high and as many of us have seen, the price of food has risen while wages have not kept up. We must build truly affordable housing and use the levers of government to combat the pressure of the real estate lobby and dark money groups, which work hard every day to influence elections and decision-makers. We can fund the Housing Access Voucher Program, which would make it possible for New Yorkers to stay here who want to raise their families here.
We must increase our minimum wage to a more livable wage because the truth is that we should deliver what people need to sustain themselves, not the bare minimum. It is time to fund universal childcare for all New York families so that women and parents can return to the workforce without tying it to work hours or other forms of means testing. We can fully fund universal school meals for all of our students across our state, including our families on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley. And we can fund the Empire State Child Tax Credit, putting more money in the pockets of our families.
These can’t be one-shot deals. These should be real and recurring investments in desperately needed resources for New Yorkers who have felt the squeeze of rising food prices, rents and mortgages, and are working harder every day to survive with less while the billionaire class sees their wealth grow exponentially.
Now how do we pay for it? News reports have already found that the world’s ten richest men already grew their wealth by $64 billion off of Trump’s victory. We need to pass revenue-raising legislation to even the playing field and make life more equitable for all New Yorkers. The wealthy can pay their fair share and legislation exists to increase taxes for the most wealthy. We can raise the corporate tax and pass an heirs and capital gains tax, which would collectively raise about $30 billion annually. The fact is that it is not the wealthy who are leaving our state in numbers, rather it is our working-class Black and Brown New Yorkers. A Cornell University report estimates that 2 million residents will leave our state by 2050. They are leaving because housing is increasingly unaffordable and the promise of New York is now elusive to so many of us. Raising revenue from the richest New Yorkers is popular among most state residents. In fact, 84% of New York voters support taxing billionaires to fund critical services. In her campaign, Vice President Harris supported a higher tax on billionaires and a higher corporate tax, providing an example our state should follow.
The next few years will be hard. But even in adversity, there is opportunity. We had a moderate and established candidate at the top of our ticket. We already tried to “be moderate” and it did not work. Now is the time to be bold, progressive, and deliver results. Taxing the rich and truly investing in New Yorkers’ basic needs will get us those results. Our working-class neighbors need to materially feel these results in their wallets. This is something that progressive Democrats have advocated for years. The question now is will we finally listen, find the political courage to learn from our mistakes, and get it done?
Jessica González-Rojas is the Assembly Member for the 34th District, which encompasses parts of Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside in Queens County. She is a Working Families Party Democrat.
