His name is Jimmy McMillian. He’s a Karate master, Vietnam veteran and his gray facial hair is off the hook. He’s also running for Governor of New York state and his platform is simple:
“Rent is too damn high!”
With those words, McMillian, black gloves and all, stole the show at last night’s gubernatorial debate.
“The people I’m here to represent can’t afford their rent…. Someone’s stomach just growled. Did you hear it?” McMillian said.
McMillian’s protest campaign is for real.
Monday night, he refused to attack any of his fellow candidates:
“As a karate expert, I will not talk about anyone up here,” McMillian said. Instead, he stayed focus on his platform:
In case you forgot: RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH!
He said he once walked from New York City to Buffalo to protest high rents. That’s a distance of almost 300 miles. And McMillian’s answer to almost every question was: “Rent is too damn high!”
By the end of the night, even gubernatorial front-runner Andrew Cuomo had ceded McMillian’s point.
“I agree with Jimmy. Rent is too damn high,” Cuomo said.
For all of the entertainment value surrounding McMillian’s campaign, he’s right. Rents in New York City and other cities are too damn high.
There are too many folks spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs amid shrinking pay and jobs with no benefits. It’s not uncommon in New York for people to pay $1,200 to live in a building that looks like it could have been abandoned at some point.
A recent Gallup poll found that almost 6 in 10 Americans believe there is a need for a third major party, because neither Democrats or Republicans are addressing the concerns of America.
I don’t think the Tea Party meets the qualifications for a third major party because they are funded by right wing Republicans and don’t seem to have any solutions either.
I nominate Jimmy McMillian and the Rent is Too Damn High Party.
Any seconds?
