By Nick Stamatakis
I was familiar with Gus Lambropoulos’s activist engagements and also with his political positions for a few years. Still, on Thursday night at Stamatis Restaurant in Astoria, he surprised me and all those present (about 50 people, mostly journalists and community leaders) with his very strong statements: “… we don’t have to radicalize these fundamental human rights into the rhetoric of campus Marxism, where your choices become limited, as some leaders in our city today think is a solution. It’s not. I am here to tell you why “extreme socialism is not the answer!”, and how we can work better together by adhering to the democratic values our country was founded upon. We need constructive solutions, not incendiary reactions. Progress is about moving forward and being progressive, let’s not confuse it with Progressive Politics…” (You can read the full speech at the bottom of this post).
This is certainly a rebuke of extremist policies by AOC and, I have to stress, a daring move that will be tested on the battleground… Gus has a great chance to be victorious as the mood is souring among the voters for the “woke” ideology and its proponents. Their ideas have turned NYC into a chaotic mess, and we must stop them.
The surprise was doubled when we heard that Maria Markou would also run for office (leader of the Democrats for the Astoria area)… The ambitious couple has decided to hit two birds with one stone… We wish them every luck in their efforts!
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GUS LAMBROPOULOS SPEECH AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE INITIATING HIS CAMPAIGN
Good evening, and thank you all for coming.
My name is Gus Lambropoulos, and I’m running to be your next Democratic New York State Senator serving District 59 including Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Like you, I know this district well, Like you, I am from the district, Like you, I work in this district. And I continue to actively engage in this district through community service. I am a lifelong New Yorker, born and raised in Astoria. And I love our unique corner of the world.!!!!!
I have been actively involved in our communities by being a contributor to the improvement of our cultural health by launching restaurant week in Astoria to support small businesses, which spread out to other neighborhoods, still going strong today, and started an annual holiday tree lighting and parade in Astoria that has been bringing the
diversity of our communities together in a shared and unifying experience.
I have also worked to improve our quality of life on a national level by teaming up with business leaders to help implement swipe reform that would charge lower fees when consumers pay by credit card. I walked the halls of Congress and fought for the Senate Votes to Include Swipe Fee Reform in Financial Regulatory Bill under the Obama Administration and it was successfully passed.
The buck does not stop there! My candidacy will offer real solutions to issues facing all
New Yorkers by encouraging all New Yorkers to work together, as a united New York. And represent the democratic values which this country was built upon. I am not interested in addressing one problem, only to create another. I want to focus on the needs of our district
through effective planning that benefits all New Yorkers. And I will work on long term solutions and not short term fixes.
The issues facing our district today are also issues that are being faced on a national level, and I want to start with District 59, making it a leading example of viability and opportunity for all. We all want equal opportunity, fair housing, fair pay, a safer city, cleaner air, lower taxes, access to better educational resources, and affordable healthcare, and more economic opportunities, but we don’t have to radicalize these fundamental human rights into the rhetoric of campus Marxism, where your choices become limited, as some leaders in our city today think is a solution. It’s not.
I am here to tell you why “extreme socialism is not the answer!”, and how we can work better together by adhering to the democratic values our country was founded upon. We need constructive solutions, not incendiary reactions. Progress is about moving forward and being progressive, let’s not confuse it with Progressive Politics.
Day after day one crisis is getting increasingly bigger – the migrant crisis (out of control) – but no tangible solution has been proposed or offered. We have a responsibility towards them, but we can’t help them at the expense of all New Yorkers struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on their table. We can’t help them if we have no support from the state, and or on a federal level. We end up paying the price for lack of leadership on this and many other issues we face.
I, too, am the son of immigrant parents. I am no stranger to the struggle that many of you here may also be familiar with. I dealt with challenges head on, as did my parents. I chose to work hard and excel in school and went on to earn my graduate degree. What makes our country great is that for centuries people have immigrated here to find better opportunities, whether it’s freedom from religious persecution, a need for political asylum, or financial gain. NYC represents that torch – the gateway to freedom. We as the people don’t want to lose this America, or this city, to extreme reactionary politics that will push out our hardworking individuals and families, and put them in a position where
their choices are limited – where what they take home is far less than what they give back.
Together we can bring NYC back through progress and effective change that will lead us all into the future with more confidence and more faith in the legislative system
to meet our needs.
I am running to defend and protect our democratic party, and our constituents with true leadership upholding the democratic values in the democratic primaries in JUNE. I LOVE NEW YORK, I LOVE OUR DISTRICT, I LOVE our GREAT CITY, I love the people, AND TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT BETTER, LET’S FIGHT THE FIGHT THROUGH YOUR VOTE!
Vote for GUS 4 NY AND TOGETHER WE MATTER,
TOGETHER WE WILL WIN, AND TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT BETTER!
