[BwayDems] The government we need

[Micah Lasher]

Dear Broadway Democrats:

As a candidate to succeed Adriano Espaillat in the State Senate, I’m very much looking forward to addressing the Broadway Democrats on Thursday night and having the chance to introduce myself, my background and ideas. Most of all, I’m eager to discuss how—together—we can build a strong, progressive Democratic majority in the State Senate that will bring badly needed change to New York State.

I’m running for State Senate because of a fundamental belief that government has a duty to use all of the tools at its disposal to make our society, our state and our city a more fair and just place. As Franklin Roosevelt said of his belief in an activist government, “above all, try something.” That is what has drawn me to public service, starting with my work as an aide to Congressman Jerry Nadler and, later, as Director of State Legislative Affairs for the City of New York, representing more than fifty city agencies before State government.

And that is how we approached every question in Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office, where I’ve served as Chief of Staff for the last three years. It drives the question that I will ask each day in the State Senate: are we doing everything we can to level the playing field?

By this standard, we are falling far short of the mark in New York State. We have housing laws that allow landlords to profit from tenant harassment. A state tax code that spends billions in corporate giveaways while we substantially shortchange our schools. An energy policy in thrall to fossil fuel companies. A criminal justice system that perpetuates a destructive and unjust cycle of mass incarceration. And underlying it all, a campaign finance system and corrosive lobbying culture that makes a mockery of merit-based policymaking.

One thing I was reminded of every day in the Attorney General’s office is the enormous power of government to right wrongs, stand up to powerful interests, and effect not just meaningful, but important, change. I’m proud of many of the fights I helped lead there—from helping launching a landmark investigation into whether Exxon lied about climate change, to taking action against abusive landlords, to securing groundbreaking agreements with Facebook and Instragram to stop the sale of illegal guns online.

Those are the kinds of battles I look forward to waging as your State Senator. Because it’s not enough for us to simply help elect a Democratic majority this November, we need a Democratic majority with conviction, backbone and sense of purpose. One that is fully prepared to return New York to its rightful place as a progressive model for the nation.

That’s the kind of Democratic majority I hope, with your help, to become a part of next January. You can see where I stand on many important issues at my website—lasherforsenate.com. I’m also including here links to detailed position papers on affordable housing and public education, two critical issues facing the State and this district.

No matter how thoughtful the idea or well-crafted the plan, I know that no individual State Senator, or even group of committed progressives, can alone bring about the change we need in Albany. The hard change won’t happen without fully engaged support at the grassroots level, the kind that so many of you in this reform Democratic club have brought to so many causes, from the long battle for marriage equality—well and proudly championed by Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell—to the successful fight to stop hydrofracking in New York State.

I would be truly honored to earn your support in this election and grateful for your partnership and activism over many years to come.

Sincerely,
Micah Lasher

P.S.: I’ve covered a lot of issues on my website, but if there’s one I haven’t addressed, or one you’d like me to discuss in greater detail before Thursday’s meeting, please call me at (917) 604-7406, or email me at mclasher at gmail.com. I’m proud to have earned the support of Congressman Jerry Nadler and Councilmembers Helen Rosenthal, Mark Levine and Ydanis Rodriguez. I hope I can earn yours, too.
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