If The Daily News Likes A Candidate, You Know He Must Be Bad

The DN editors endorsed Dan Squadron for public advocate today:

Since 2009, Squadron has ably represented lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, including Greenpoint and Carroll Gardens, in the state Senate. He brought intelligence, diligence and rationality to the post with a strong bent toward problem-solving on behalf of his constituents — exactly the qualities needed in a public advocate.

As a prime example, Squadron was instrumental in shepherding Brooklyn Bridge Park through a contentious struggle from the drawing board into reality — where it now serves thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers.

Bearing solid liberal Democratic credentials, Squadron has also shown the independence to break with orthodoxy in favor of common sense. He did so in fighting to expand access to charter schools statewide, a position that placed him at odds with the United Federation of Teachers.

Then, too, Squadron was the only one of the five original Democratic contenders who had the courage to buck the municipal unions by questioning the taxpayers’ ability to finance retroactive raises for the municipal workforce. Although the tab for those could run to a bankrupting $7.8 billion, the others in the field played to the unions with notions that the city should just pay up.

Squadron is a DFER crony and reliable vote against unions and for the corporate interests and
Wall Street criminals who have run roughshod over this city for the past 12 years.

That the DN likes Squardon is enough reason to vote against him.

That they admit he is anti-union and pro-charter is more than enough reason to pull the lever for his opponent, Tish James.

Here's why the corporate shills at the DN don't like James:

Squadron’s opponent, Letitia James, is a former public defender, assistant attorney general and, since 2004, a Brooklyn councilwoman. She is vocal and energetic and would be likely to apply both qualities to the agendas not of the public but of the unions.

As a favorite of the Working Families Party with staunch public labor support, she walks in lockstep with their priorities. James has, for instance, toed the UFT line in attacking Squadron’s support among charter school fans while herself calling for a moratorium on school closures and charter colocations in underutilized public schools. In other words, she is flatly opposed to throwing a lifeline to young people with no decent educational options.

Choosing easy politics over progress, James also stood with the soda companies against Mayor Bloomberg’s sensible restriction on extra-large sugary sodas, and she opposed the Atlantic Yards development, which has already been a tremendous boost to Brooklyn — and promises to deliver thousands of units of affordable housing to her constituents.

James has defended working people, stood against the powerful real estate interests in the Atlantic Yards fight, battled Nanny Bloomberg over sodas and defended public schools against closures and co-locations.

Dan Squadron, a shill for the corporate interests and Wall Street criminal class, should not be public advocate.

The holder of the public advocate's office is supposed to look out for the powerless and the downtrodden, not help the powerful bludgeon the downtrodden some more.

Please don't forget to vote on Tuesday for Tish James.