Swimming against the current: How Suozzi won the special election
Los Angeles/ Feb 15, 2024
NRIpress.club/ Ramesh/ Gary Singh
Mr. Tom Suozzi, who recently won the special election to replace George Santos, the disgraced Congressman, stood at his campaign headquarters in Bayside Terrace, addressed his supporters last Friday, and urged them to go out and knock on doors. While speaking, he said, "There is said to be no Chinese dream or French dream or Russian dream but only American dream and let us keep that alive." It is a slogan that we hardly hear from many of the progressive democrats who portray this country as inherently racist and beyond redemption. He also talked about finding solutions to the array of problems the country is facing rather than keeping bickering and engaging in a never-ending turf battle.
Undoubtedly, Suozzi's message resonated with the electorate in Long Island and the eastern part of Queens comprising the New York District 3, and he won a great victory. Pat Mathew, a resident of New Hyde Park, summed up the reason for his victory and said: "I am a registered Republican, and along with 3 of my friends, we cast a vote this time for Suozzi. He is a known quantity and not part of the extreme leftwing fringe of the Democratic Paty".
There is little doubt that Suozzi won in a Republican majority district because of his sensible stand on several issues. He didn't shy away from discussing the border crisis. For many of the residents in the Bellerose-Floral Park area, the migrant crisis is no longer an issue affecting Texas or Arizona. The migrants are at their doorstep as the city has housed hundreds of them on the grounds of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. It has unsettled many of the residents in the area, who are concerned about the safety and security of their families. The recent attack on NYPD cops has only heightened their apprehensions about the soundness of policy the Biden Administration is pursuing. The Eastern part of Queens is home to a large number of immigrants from around the world. Yet, they are not ready to endorse the current wave of illegal migration that is rocking many parts of the country and inflicting heavy financial burdens on taxpayers. Mr. Suozzi truly understood the pulse of the people in that regard and distanced himself from Biden's policies.
The Asian Indian community, known for its hard work and disciplined living, is increasingly wary of the rising crime in their neighborhoods. Even riding the subway in New York has become a life-challenging experience as many people are pushed in front of the oncoming trains, and some have paid with their dear lives. Many immigrants who have come ashore have fled crime and violence in their own homelands. America was a breath of fresh air, a nation that respected individual liberty and freedom. The Constitution guaranteed protection for the lives and property of every citizen. However, the progressive policies of those governing us appear to be ripping apart that safety and security layer we took for granted. The defunding of the police movement and the cash bail reform in New York have all contributed directly or indirectly to the lawlessness that is taking place before our eyes. Suozzi once again rose to that challenge and positioned himself on the side of the citizens who were concerned about the rising crime in the neighborhoods.
Moreover, the labor movement has also embraced him as someone who champions their cause. He supports a higher minimum wage, which could be a double-edged sword if that results in reduced labor participation or higher prices. Nevertheless, he argued that one may not be able to survive in New York with the current wages. He also agreed that higher taxes and rampant inflation are putting undue hardships on the middle class.
Although the Asian Indian community is generally in agreement with most of the policy positions by Suozzi, there is a fringe group among the Hindu community from the North that posted negative comments across social media. One of them wrote, "No Indians should vote for Suozzi as he is anti-India and anti-Hindu. He wrote a letter against the revocation of the 370 article and refused to retract". Their ire towards Suozzi is palpable because he stood for the human rights of all people in India, including the Christians and Muslims. Many of these Hindutva Vadis want it both ways: they want all the freedom and opportunities as minorities in the U.S. but are unwilling to grant the same rights to the minorities in India. They are mostly aligning themselves with the Christian nationalists in America while remaining silent on the onslaught of Hindu fundamentalists who are destroying churches and persecuting Christians. Their duplicity on this issue is hardly surprising! However, most South Asians sided with Suozzi because of his even-handed human rights and religious freedom policies.
It is obvious that People want the gridlock in Washington to end, and towards finding effective solutions to improve the lives and safety of every citizen of this nation. The media is dumbfounded at how Suozzi won in an increasingly red district. The answer is simple: follow policies and programs that make common sense and benefit the people, and you will have their vote. Tom Suozzi has just proved that point to the nation!
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