[BwayDems] Congressional Primary Election -- Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26th

[Paula Diamond Roman]

Dear Club Members and Neighbors:

 

On Tuesday,
June 26th, we will
be voting in a Congressional primary election. (Our traditional September date
no longer complies with federal election law.) This year, our Congressman,
Charles Rangel faces a strong challenge and needs all of us to get to the polls
and support him on June 26th. It is important you remember that date or you might miss
your chance to vote!

 

Paula: For the last 25 years, living in
Manhattan Valley, Charles Rangel has been my congressman. While redistricting
lines moved up and down through our club area, I was fortunate enough to keep
Congressman Rangel. I remember the first time I met him up-close-and-personal
as club president and how impressed I was by him. One of the reasons I was so
impressed by Congressman Rangel from the beginning was that I had been learning
about him in my graduate school program. My focus at the time was affordable
housing development and Congressman Rangel was the father of LIHTC, or the Low
Income Housing Tax Credit program. Created by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, LIHTC
is responsible for approximately 90% of all affordable rental housing created
in the United States today. Congressman Rangel looked around his district,
where affordable apartments were so desperately needed, and he responded with
one of the most
influential affordable housing programs ever. He continues today by spearheading
legislation to protect mortgage holders in the current mortgage crisis and
legislation to protect the rights and dignity of people living in public housing.

 

Luis: Congressman Rangel has been my
Congressman since 1971, when I was a 4 year old growing up in Grant Houses. In
those 40 years, he has been one of the people primarily responsible for the
economic rejuvenation of Harlem and has been one of the strongest spokespersons
for our values, remembering those in distress and offering a hand up to our
brothers and sisters. This year, Congressman Rangel faces a very serious
challenger in State Senator Adriano Espaillat. While Senator Espaillat has been
a strong representative for Washington Heights, Congressman Rangel's record,
both in creating opportunities for his constituents, and as a national voice on
issues of civil rights, drug policy and military policy make him the better
choice in this election.

 

Paula: Another reason I was so impressed
by Congressman Rangel, then and now, is his stature as a spokesman for poor
people and people of color. One of his more controversial acts has been to
advocate for a return to the military draft. A combination of sincere anger and
a reductio ad absurdum argument, Rangel has continued to make as much noise as he can about
America sending poor people and young men and women of color to fight battles
that most Americans don’t want their children fighting. Whether Democrats take
back the House or not, Charlie will continue to act as a spokesman for those
who no one else speaks up for. 

 

Luis: Congressman Rangel's seniority in
the house has been a great benefit to his district, enabling him to fight for a
bigger share of federal dollars for programs to assist his constituents and
giving us a greater voice in the affairs of the nation. Whoever follows
Congressman Rangel will be on the lowest rung of seniority, which will greatly
decrease our influence in Congress.

 

This race
has drawn national attention, and that attention of conservative PACs from as
far away as Texas.  These groups
have funded advertisements and mailings attacking Congressman Rangel, in a
cynical attempt to silence our voice in Congress.  We must send a message with our votes that we, and we alone,
will decide who represents us in Congress.

 

On Tuesday,
June 26th, we urge
you to come out and vote for Congressman Charles Rangel in the upcoming Congressional
primary election. Congressman Rangel's record of achievement in his forty years
as Harlem's Congressman has earned our support. Every vote will count in this
primary!!!

 

 

Paula
Diamond Román                         Luis Román

Democratic
District Leader, 69th AD part C     Broadway
Democrats Steering Committee

P.S. This only applies if you live in Manhattan Valley (between 100th and 110th Street, Amsterdam Avenue and east -OR- above 120th Street. Otherwise, you are in Congressman Nadler's district now and he is running unopposed. If you're confused about whether you have a primary tomorrow, just ask!




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